>> BENNET MOVING ON TO >> ENDURO BIKE CHAMPS come to the mountain PAGE 14
greener pastures PAGE 6
AUTUMN Weather Forecast SEPT 2—7 Showers, cool
SEPT 8—16 Sunny, cool
SEPT 17—29
Rainy periods, cool
Volume 14 Issue 9
SEPTEMBER 2 — SEPTEMBER 29
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No time to feel the chill: Partiers take in last year’s festival in Austria. | PHOTO FACEBOOK.COM/SNOWBOMBING
>>Snowbombing festival arrives April 6 to 10 by JEAN STRONG
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round 3000 festivalgoers will descend on Sun Peaks to ski, party and repeat for the upcoming Coors Light Snowbombing Festival in April 2017. Known as Europe’s largest and most popular snow and music festival, the multi-award winning event infuses a snow sports vacation with global headliners and DJs. For over 17 years, the festival has drawn up to 10,000 fans a year from across Europe to Mayrhofen, Austria. Festival organizers said they are now ready to replicate
the experience in North America and have chosen to premiere it in Sun Peaks. Snowbombing organizers zeroed in on Sun Peaks because of its ski area, village, geographic location, and existing relationship with Coors Light, as well as the resort’s current marketing goals. “We are looking to help Sun Peaks in a similar capacity (as Mayrhofen), by helping them gain access to a new market of skier and snowboarder, and also help underpin them as one of Canada’s most exciting and forward thinking resorts, whilst bringing business to the resort in a historically low-week of the season,” said Alexander Ben-
nett of Broadwick Live by email. Organizers plan to use the terrain and village to host a multitude of venues including skyhigh mountain shacks, mystical forests stages, trail-side pool parties, road-block street carnivals, cozy alpine lodges and medieval barns. There will also be ski and snowboard competitions, DJ battles and more. Brooke Madley, events manager for Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR), travelled to Austria last year to get a sense of the festival and saw mostly young professionals from the United Kingdom travelling to the event. Come April, they’re expecting a slightly younger demographic from Western Canada and the northern parts of the western U.S. to attend. Madley said she appreciated the event’s production value and guest experience. “The vibe in the community and on the mountain was buzz-
ing with excitement as people were dancing in their ski boots on the slopes and in the streets,” Madley said. “I was blown away with the high level of artist talent and music production.” She added the hotel and restaurant owners she visited were happy with the amount of business brought in by the festival and it was one of their busiest weeks of the year. Volunteers who Madley met were mainly local residents there to support the festival as well as enjoy the shows. Ticket numbers will be scaled down for the first year of the Sun Peaks festival so organizers and the resort can learn and grow in the future. Aidan Kelly, chief marketing officer for SPR, said the festival fits well with the natural growth of the resort and is similar to events like the Dew Am Tour in 2015, but it will be larger than past events.
Despite the difference between Snowbombing and more family-focused events previously hosted by Sun Peaks, Kelly said the community response has been positive and residents are enthusiastic about the new event. “We pride ourselves on the family oriented nature of Sun Peaks and look forward to contining to grow that well into the future while at the same time exploring new event opportunities to appeal to a wider market and demographic,” Kelly said. He added the timing of the event was carefully considered and placed near the end of the ski season when it’s generally quiet to give the festival the ability to have Sun Peaks to itself. The 2017 Canadian lineup will be released this fall along slide full event and package details with pricing including accommodation and festival tickets.
Vol 14 Issue 9 September 2 — September 29
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local Summer numbers continue to rise
SUN PEAKS INDEPENDENT NEWS INC. PO Box 1043 Sun Peaks BC V0E 5N0
by JEAN STRONG
Phone: 250•578•0276 For comments, questions, concerns email: editor@sunpeaksnews.com Email your classifieds or ads to: editor@sunpeaksnews.com
www.sunpeaksnews.com @sunpeaksnews /sunpeaksnews sunpeaksnews @sunpeaksnews
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OUR TEAM EDITOR & PUBLISHER Brandi Schier
brandi@sunpeaksnews.com
GRAPHIC ARTIST Jen Schier
jen@sunpeaksnews.com
A
s the nights become cooler and the days become shorter, Sun Peaks is looking back on a successful summer. The community has seen double digit growth in visitor numbers every month so far this season, breaking previous records. Arlene Schieven, president of Tourism Sun Peaks, said despite less-than-ideal weather at the beginning of the season numbers remained high. “It has been a great summer for us, a record breaking summer,” Schieven said. Room bookings were ahead by 15 per cent in June, by 22 per cent in July and at time of press Schieven said August was on track to be well ahead
WRITERS
CONTRIBUTORS Mel Rothenburger
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The summer landscape at Sun Peaks. | FILE PHOTO
a trend of high visitor numbers and growth. The 2015-16 ski season was the best Sun Peaks had ever experienced, beating records set in the 2007-08 season. Many records were broken including the number of skier visits which passed 350,000 people for the first time and resort occupancy numbers which were also the highest they had
ever been. The last day for summer chairlift operations is Sept. 5, however there are three weekend events throughout the month including The North Face Dirty Feet Mountain 50km & Relay, the BC Enduro Series Finale and the Reebok Spartan Beast, Ultra Beast & Sprint Races.
New townhouse complex begins rezoning process
Jean Strong Alicia Ashcroft Chris G. Miller Jamie Shinkewski
of readers and one copy is available FREE to residents and visitors. Anyone taking papers in bulk will be prosecuted. The opinions expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, owners or writers. This publication may not be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from the publisher.
of last year, and had already surpassed 2015 bookings. Large bus tour groups have helped to increase room bookings. Schieven also credited Sun Peaks’ strong summer event offerings such as concerts and competitions with encouraging visitors and increasing room bookings throughout the resort. Schieven said reservations have been consistent and strong at Sun Peaks and as well across the rest of B.C. The number of overnight international visitors to B.C. surpassed the two million mark for the first six months of 2016. According to Statistics Canada, 2,307,624 visitors came to B.C. from January to June, a 12.4 per cent increase (254,935 additional visitors) over the same period last year. The strong summer follows
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
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eing a small municipality will speed up the development process for Sun Peaks’ newest townhouse complex, according to developer Frank Quinn. A rezoning application for 3280 Village Way, the address of the 26-unit complex, successfully underwent a first and second reading at the Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality council meeting on Aug. 9 and will advance to a public hearing at a regular council meeting. The ability to rapidly process plans, such as a rezoning application, will allow the project to be completed much quicker
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than the typical development, Quinn said. “We’re at the very early stages. The development process is a lengthy one,” Quinn explained. “It takes a long time, usually two to three years, to get a development plan together. It’s going to go way faster this time because it’s a smaller project and the rezoning process is relatively fast in the smaller municipality.” Quinn said the design is approximately 60 per cent complete and, working alongside architects and consultants, the challenge is to create a quality product that will be in high demand. The cost of the units will not be known until the design is complete, he said. “It’s such a great piece of land but to find that point where the
market really wants the product and the product justifies the use, so you wouldn’t want to put something second rate in that particular kind of site because it’s such a beautiful site,” Quinn said. “That’s our biggest struggle, is to find that fine point with the architects and the consultants that’s going to create a really appealing product for the marketplace.” A name for the new complex, located beside the Kookaburra Lodge, has not been decided, but Quinn said ideas have been floating around and it will involve the close proximity to the village and easy access throughout Sun Peaks. The new complex will feature units approximately 2,000 square feet in size and will be similar to the McGillivray Creek complex. It will be the first townhouse development in Sun Peaks in over eight years. “It’s going to be really nice. It’s going to take what’s been a
bit of an eyesore vacant lot for many years that’s become kind of a storage spot and it’s going to really make it a beautiful site,” Quinn said. “It’ll work really well against the new skating rink. That whole area will become a pretty significant and attractive area for the resort.”
View from 2412 Fairways Drive, Sun Peaks, BC
250.578.7773 sunpeakscollection.com OPEN DAILY 9 TO 5 IN THE VILLAGE STROLL AT SUN PEAKS
SUN PEAKS IS EVOLVING AS A WORLD CLASS DESTINATION AND YEAR ROUND COMMUNITY $2,990,000 gst applicable 4121 Sundance Drive, Sun Peaks, BC Prime, slopeside location, 5 bedroom, 4.5 bathroom home. Boasts colossal posts & beams, rock & copper features, in-floor radiant heat with heat pump, gourmet kitchen, 2 master suites, & double garage.
$1,195,000 4109 Sundance Drive, Sun Peaks, BC Ski-in/out, cedar clad 5 bedroom chalet with revenue suite. Split level home with open living area, abundance of windows & mountain views. Wrap around deck, two car garage, fully furnished.
Recent mountain developments and exciting community changes are underway in Sun Peaks. Ground has been broken this month for two significant community projects that have been much anticipated...the new medical centre just west of Bentos, and the new NHL sized rink with refrigerated ice, on the east side of the Sports’ Centre, in the former campground. Significant increases in registrations are in place at both Sun Peaks Elementary and Sun Peaks Secondary Academy.
$995,000
$889,000
2412 Fairways Drive, Sun Peaks, BC
2440 Fairways Drive, Sun Peaks, BC
Exceptional location on the 8th fairway with views to surrounding ski runs. This custom chalet features soaring windows, in-floor heating, double garage, 2 bedroom revenue suite & fully furnished.
Lovingly maintained log home, 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath including revenue suite. Open living area, in floor radiant heating, granite countertops, sunny deck, gazebo hot tub, covered veranda & furnished.
Sun Peaks Resort LLP has announced Europe`s largest and most popular Snow/Music festival ‘Snowbombing’ will make its North American debut at Sun Peaks April 6 - 10, 2017. Resort Occupancy continues to break records. Short and long term rental accommodations are in high demand.
The Real Estate Market is strengthening $699,000
$399,000
7 Powder Ridge, Sun Peaks, BC
1160 Sun Peaks Road, Sun Peaks, BC
Luxurious, ski-in/out, end unit townhome with unimpeded mountain views. 3 level, 3 bedrooms + family room, Stainless steel appliances, private sundeck, fully furnished, hot tub & 2 car garage.
Commercial/residential opportunity at main entrance to Sun Peaks. 2 bedrooms/offices + loft & basement. Rock fireplace. covered breezeway, insulated storage, private yard. Steps from Burfield chair.
Always changing, the real estate market is following suit. Many property types are now in very limited supply, with an increasing number of potential buyers. Condos and townhouses in the price range of $150,000 to $600,000 now reflect a Seller’s Market with low supply, high demand, and prices gradually escalating in response. Generally sale prices remain below the historic highs seen in 2007. In response to the changing market, construction of a new townhouse complex is expected to be announced later this year.
Sellers
$205,000
$149,900
2524 Mountain View Drive, Sun Peaks, BC
2457 Fairways Drive, Sun Peaks, BC
This gently sloping residential lot overlooks the 4th fairway & features remarkable valley views to both Tod & Sundance mountain. Close to the valley trail, paved & curbed non-through street.
Prime, ski-in residential building lot. Backs onto forested ski terrain and ski run ‘Home Run’. Sloped site with panoramic mountain views & endless backyard. Zoning allows for 2 bedroom revenue suite.
If you are thinking of selling, contact us for a free, no-obligation market evaluation. We have waiting lists of Buyers for studios, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom condos, townhouses, and affordable single family homes and cottages/cabins. Property owners may be surprised at how quickly the market for these types of properties is recovering in Sun Peaks after the downturn years. Many types of properties are quickly attracting multiple offers now as demand escalates, with a new ski season on the horizon.
RECENTLY SOLD 2429 Fairways Drive ............................................List Price: $739,000 14 Fairway Cottages .............................................List Price: $599,900 22 Fairway Cottages .............................................List Price: $579,900 24 Trapper’s Landing ............................................List Price: $569,000 1375 Burfield Drive ..............................................List Price: $429,000
local expertise, global connections .
57 Stone’s Throw ..................................................List Price: $395,000 4104 Sundance Drive ...........................................List Price: $350,000 58 Crystal Forest....................................................List Price: $329,500 23 Stone’s Throw ...................................................List Price: $274.900 49 Settler’s Crossing ............................................List Price: $244,000
sunpeakscollection.com
OUR FRIENDLY, KNOWLEDGEABLE TEAM IS READY TO ASSIST YOU.
250.578.7773
Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Independently Owned and Operated. E.&O.E.: This information is from sources which we deem reliable, but must be verified by prospective purchasers and may be subject to change or withdrawal.
Vol 14 Issue 9 September 2 — September 29
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local NEWS Fentanyl epidemic hits home: Tragedy prompts local couple to speak up
Adam Pouliot, 26, enjoying a beautiful day on the slopes in Sun Peaks. | PHOTO SUPPLIED
by BRANDI SCHIER
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dam Pouliot was like a lot of 26-year-olds. He worked on the Sun Peaks golf course, skied with his friends and family, camped, loved nature and the outdoors. He had recently moved to Vernon, where he was making wedding plans with his fiancé. On July 27, Leo and Melanie Pouliot of Sun Peaks received the phone call every parent dreads. Their son had unexpectedly passed away. After 10 long days of waiting, the toxicology report confirmed their fears— Adam’s cause of death was a fentanyl-laced drug overdose. An overwhelming number of families in B.C. have recently received similar phone calls. The provincial numbers are staggering. According the B.C. Coroners Service, from January through
to June 2016, there were 238 illicit drug overdose deaths with fentanyl detected, which is a 250 per cent increase over the same time period in 2015. In the Interior, fentanyl detected deaths rose from two in 2012 to 37 in first six months of 2016. This year is trending to be the deadliest on record. In the vast majority of those deaths, at least one other substance was detected, meaning its likely users had no idea their drug of choice was laced with the deadly cutting agent. In B.C. fentanyl has been found in everything from cocaine to MDMA to heroin and even sprayed on marijuana, affecting everyone from recreational users to people facing drug addiction. Manufactures are using it to enhance both the power and addictive quality of illegal drugs. “The (regional) corner on (Adam’s) case, the words that she used, is that this is a pandemic health crisis,” said Melanie. “We want there to be
awareness created from these tragedies that are happening and for there to be more compassion for those that need help and more education.” It’s the need to spread the word that has motivated the couple in the weeks following Adam’s death. They’ve wrote letters to government, reached out to media and connected with others who have lost loved ones in similar circumstances. For a couple who would rather not draw attention to themselves and grieve privately, it’s been an even harder road to follow. “We would prefer to not be doing this. But because he lived here and this is our home, and we care about the people who live here, if it can help in any way,” said Leo. While there haven’t yet been any fentanyl related incidents in Sun Peaks, Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR) and Sun Peaks Fire and Rescue (SPFR) are aware of the provincial situation. SPFR is currently looking into carrying Naloxone, a drug which can quickly restart breathing after an opioid overdose. SPR has been working to create awareness among their current staff and is also making plans for the influx of new staff this fall. “From our standpoint, our awareness of the issue has certainly been heighted due to all the media coverage,” said Aidan Kelly, chief marketing officer for SPR. “The game has changed in the recreational drug world significantly over the past year. There is death happening in communities all over Canada. We’re seeing this more and more and it’s people
SPR ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO MARKETING TEAM On August 17 Sun Peaks Resort LLP announced it restructured their marketing department. Current director of marketing and sales, Aidan Kelly, was appointed chief marketing officer . The resort is also looking for a new director of marketing and communications, which will be filled in the interim by Christina Antoniak, former marketing manager for Tourism Sun Peaks. They are also seeking to add a brand and content specialist to the
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team. Pauline Domanski has moved into the role of sales and marketing specialist. Lindsey Benson will continue as graphic designer alongside Aaron Weiss in sales, and Brooke Madley and Cara Karpluk in events. “Sun Peaks Resort is in a very exciting phase of our continued evolution,” said Darcy Alexander, vice president and general manager. “Coming off a record winter season and in the midst
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of another record setting summer season, both the short and long term outlook is extremely positive. This move helps us to improve our organizational structure as we continue taking steps forward as one of the premiere yearround destination resorts in the country.” Qualified marketing professionals interested in the positions noted above can email expressions of interest directly to akelly@sunpeaksresort.com.
that taking things that they don’t know they’re taking. There’s a lot of really sad cases out there. “We had the conversation as a management team that we feel we have an obligation as an employer to inform our employees and help them make educated decisions as best they can because it’s a big issue in British Columbia these days.” At their upcoming staff orientation in November, SPR is planning on renewing focus on health and wellness, including talking about the deadly trend. “Staff coming from international destinations may not be aware of the situation in B.C. and the rest of Canada. We want to try and inform them. And a lot of our staff, it’s the first time they’ve moved away from home, so they need as much help as they can (get) to make smart lifestyle decisions and to take care of themselves. We need productive employees but it’s more about their personal well-being,” said Kelly. The Pouliots agree. “The dealers aren’t going to change. It’s up to us, the public,
to make better choices for ourselves,” said Melanie Melanie is now in her fourth season volunteering with Adaptive Sports Sun Peaks (ASSP) and lieu of flowers, asked for donations to be made to the Wulf Trotter Memorial Bursary. The annual goal of $500 to send a student to a development camp has now been met and almost doubled. “We were very touched that she chose that and also just to make that choice at such a difficult time. It just really emphasises the commitment that her and Leo have to this program. I think it’s a really nice tribute,” said Pat McKimmon, president of ASSP. Unfortunately for Melanie and Leo, this isn’t completely uncharted territory for them. “We lost our first son to cancer five years ago. To have this happen again. To have three boys then two of them are gone. It really hits hard for sure,” said Leo, adding they’ve appreciated all the support from the local community and have felt all the love and prayers from Sun Peaks.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING 6:30 PM Tuesday September 6, 2016 Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality Council gives notice that it will hold a Public Hearing in Council Chambers at 1063270 Village Way, Sun Peaks, BC, to consider proposed Bylaw 0073. What is Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 0073, 2016? It is a site-specific change to the CC-1 (Commercial Core One) Zone of Zoning Bylaw No. 1400 at 3280 Village Way (legally described as Lot A, District Lots 6331 and 6417, KDYD, Plan KAP88812, Except Strata Plan KAS3653 (Phase 1)), to permit townhouse and apartment use. The owner seeks to develop 24-28 townhouse units for residential and/or tourist accommodation use. All persons who believe that their interest in property may be affected by the proposed Bylaw shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to be heard at the Public Hearing. Additionally, they may make written submissions on the matter of the Bylaw (via any of the below options) which must be received at our office prior to 4:00 p.m. on the 2nd day of September, 2016. The entire content of all submissions will be made public and form a part of the public record for this matter. How do I get more information? A copy of the proposed Bylaws and all supporting information can be inspected from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday (except statutory holidays) at our office from August 22, 2016 until 4:00 p.m. the day of the Hearing; or please contact us via any of the below options. No representations will be received by Council after the Public Hearing has been concluded. Rob Bremner, Chief Administrative Officer Mail: PO Box 1002, Sun Peaks, BC V0E 5N0 Phone: 250-578-2020 Email: admin@sunpeaksmunicipality.ca
community LETTER to the editor To Sun Peaks, Pat and I say a simple “thank you” for 18 years in your community. Upon our arrival in November 1997, after my leaving a horrid employment experience trying to manage Human Resources in a Nortel subsidiary where Nortel treated employees as commodities, we were welcomed by folks who did not care where you came from or about your status in life, but accepted you at “face value”. A handshake or a hug was, and still is, a contract. And if
“Our experience says you have it - maintain and cherish it.” you have a need folks come to help without a hesitation seeking no reward or recognition. You are a community beyond “spirit” and share a common “soul”. We wish to thank all the volunteers through the years
for all the activities that support this community’s evolution; those that had the foresight to create this municipality and the council and staff who maintain it; Sun Peaks Resort LLP for making monetary decisions to join the new health centre and for my years in Patrol and to Sun Peaks Alpine Club where I observed and learned from the best coaches and volunteers I have ever encountered; and to all those who were just plain “friends”. In one of my employment
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lives, I looked after an international telecommunications group and had the amazing opportunity to travel the world and meet people of many countries. I’m sure we’ve all read or observed TV documentaries on individuals or groups trying to create the “idyllic” community. Our experience says you have it – maintain it and cherish it. With Love, John & Pat Hatchett Local residents and former president of the Sun Peaks Health Association.
Slow down and enjoy the drive
RE: HEALTH CENTRE AND NEW VALLEY TRAIL RECEIVE PROVINCIAL FUNDING “Great news. Congrats to all involved. Additions to the valley trail are always needed but how about on the north side? If your walking to Stones Throw, Settlers and beyond, you are forced on the road. Can be pretty scary in the winter. Why they didn’t make the developers fund the trail remains a mystery.”
TNRD HEARS WHITECROFT AND HEFFLEY LAKE RESIDENTS SPEEDING CONCERNS • groceries MEL ROTHENBURGER TNRD REPORT director.mrothenburger@tnrd.ca
Mel Rothenburger is the TNRD Director for Electoral Area P, including Whitecroft and Heffley Creek. He was the mayor of Kamloops from 1999-2005 and a former newspaper editor.
A
quiet drive in the country is almost everybody’s idea of a pleasant outing — tranquil scenery, cows contentedly grazing, maybe fresh-bailed hay in the fields, a gentle breeze whispering through the trees. Reality can be quite different. Too often, drivers are in too much of a hurry to notice the scenery. They treat rural roads like high-speed arteries. Mostly, those roads weren’t designed for it. They tend to be winding and somewhat narrow, constructed in an earlier era and upgraded from time to time. Examples in the Thompson Nicola Regional District’s Area P include East Shuswap Road, Westsyde Road north of Kamloops, Pinantan Pritchard Road and the Heffley Louis Creek
Road between Heffley Creek and Sun Peaks. There are many others, of course, but I mention these ones because they’re paved and all have heavy traffic. The road to Sun Peaks is a particular concern because of the large volume of traffic to and from the ski resort, especially when special events are happening on the mountain. It also has wider shoulders than most of the others, and drivers exhibit a high degree of confidence in speeding to their destinations. Whitecroft residents have worried about that speeding for a long time for obvious safety reasons — a lot of young families live there, plus quite a number of Sun Peaks employees, not to mention other residents who commute down daily to the valley. Whitecroft certainly isn’t the only spot where speeding is a worry. Recently I’ve heard from a resident who lives across the road from Little Heffley Lake about ongoing concerns with
speeding. This is a renewal of an issue that came to my attention a year ago when I contacted B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) and they erected some cautionary signage. Unfortunately, the speeding in that area hasn’t stopped. It’s a stretch of road with a number of driveways exiting off it, and kids cross the road to use the dock on the lake. I’m told there have been some close calls. MOTI is always very responsive to safety and maintenance concerns and has already taken another look at the situation. As MOTI points out, more signage isn’t always the answer because drivers come to ignore it as a sort of white noise that doesn’t register as they’re whipping by. Reader boards are highly effective in the short term and that may prove at least a partial solution in this case if one can be put there on an occasional basis. I’m simply the conduit between residents and au-
thorities in this case but I’m happy to do what I can, and discussions continue on this vexing problem. As for the other roads I mentioned, all of them have been resurfaced in recent years and Minister Todd Stone is to be commended for paying attention to rural roads rather than focusing simply on major thoroughfares. The good news is that these resurfaced roads are now much easier to drive on. Unfortunately, I haven’t noticed that drivers are treating them with any more respect — in fact, some see it as an invitation to drive faster. Obviously, if there were an easy answer the issue would have been cleared up long ago. The only solution I see is to continue looking at specific situations and urging drivers to use country roads in a safe manner. Your chances of arriving safely, and of keeping those who live on those roads safe as well, are a lot higher when you’re not in such a hurry.
• produce
Meat & Produce • Baked Goods Oso Negro Coffee • Pharmacy/Personal Items
WE’RE OPEN DAILY For all your grocery needs See you at the Bluebird Market Mon — Thurs 11:30am to 6:30pm Fri & Sat 9am to 9pm Sun 9am to 6:30pm
Located on the Ground Floor of the Residences at Sun Peaks Grand
Phone: 250-578-2414
WESTSYDE YDE VICE SERVICE Auto Repairs Diesel Repairs Air Conditioning Repairs Gov. Certified Inspection Facility
BILL & MIKE LINDSAY Ph: 250-579-5532 Fax: 250-579-5852 3475 Westsyde Rd., Kamloops, BC V2B 8C5
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local Bennet to return to his Western roots SUN PEAKS THANKS LOCAL FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE by JEAN STRONG
F
or the past 13 years visitors to the Waste Transfer Station at Sun Peaks have been greeted by a friendly smile, a wave and an easy conversation from Wilf Bennet. At the end of August Bennet retired from his well-known gig and moved from his long-time Whitecroft home. He has lived in the area surrounding Sun Peaks since 1999, holding various jobs, but his work at the transfer station is what cemented his place in the community. He is also known as a musical performer, author and local history enthusiast. Before moving to a 90 acre
ranch near Neskonlith Lake, Bennet plans to return to scanning lift tickets at the resort for the winter months. “I’m excited for having fun and laughing and joking with people,” he said. “I tease them and they tease me right back.” In April, when the ski season ends, he will move to the ranch where he plans to get a few cows, horses and Border Collie puppies to raise and care for. He previously worked in the same area around 20 years ago guiding trail rides and cattle drives for guests and working on the ranch. “I always wanted to manage a ranch, and now I will be back in my old stomping ground,” Bennet said. “I want to keep busy and wake up in the morning to
the cows mooing and horses calling for their breakfast.” For Bennet the move is a welcomed next step. “I’ve enjoyed my time here, but I want a change,” he said. He added he misses his dog Hoss, who passed away one year ago and was also well known and loved by community members. Jamie Viera, manager of environmental services at the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, said Bennet will be missed and he was instrumental in the success of the blue bag recycling program introduced in 2006. Viera also commented on the impact Bennet has had at Sun Peaks’ community. “Wilf is such a long standing site attendant that I often hear Sun Peaks residents and business owner refer to the site not as the ‘TNRD Transfer Station’ but ‘Wilf’s Transfer Station’. He
“I’ll put an old cowboy boot on the fence post so you can find me.”
Bennet proudly shows a photo from his past days as a cowboy. | PHOTO SUPPLIED
always happily greets residents with a smile and ‘howdy’ in his signature cowboy hat, and if you’re lucky you may get to hear one of his rodeo stories.” The Sun Peaks community will hold a retirement party for Bennet on Sept. 4 at 7153 Cahilty Road in Whitecroft.
Bennett said he will be able to be found on his ranch and encouraged visitors to stay over and see the area by horseback. “I’ll put an old cowboy boot on the fence post so you can find me,” he said. “It’s been a good 13 years but it’s time to go back to being a cowboy again.”
Hatchett retires as new health centre breaks ground by JEAN STRONG
J
ohn Hatchett, president of the Sun Peaks Health Association for the past 18 years, is set to retire as Sun Peaks’ municipality takes over and the board becomes a Health Advisory Committee. After coming to Sun Peaks, Hatchett volunteered for ski patrol from 1998 to 2010, creating a link between the Health Association and patrol that has only grown stronger. When John Gossage, one of the first members of the Health
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Association, passed away in 1999 Hatchett already had 20 years of experience working for United Way in the Lower Mainland and wanted to carry on Gossage’s vision of a health centre for local residents in Sun Peaks. Anne Terwiel, Gossage’s daughter, said Hatchett will be dearly missed in Sun Peaks. “He has worked tirelessly and invested a ton of time into the health centre,” Terwiel said. “I will miss how he immerses himself in the community and does whatever he can to make it better.” She added her father would
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be thrilled to see the progress made on the Health Centre and he would appreciate Hatchett’s passion for ensuring there is multidisciplinary health care to serve community members. Hatchett was president for all of his 20 years spent serving on the board, guiding the Health Association towards the physical centre which has just recently broken ground on the new site. “My proudest accomplishment is to see a permanent structure,” Hatchett said. “We have been as successful as we can be.” Mayor Al Raine said he al-
ways admired Hatchett for his strength and greatly appreciated the work he had done to improve the community. “He has been absolutely dedicated to improving health care for Sun Peaks and is still working on it even as he retires,” Raine said. “His biggest contribution has been his undogged pursuit of health care for the people at Sun Peaks.” Hatchett will assist with fundraising for equipment for the new centre and plans to move to the Fraser Valley to live closer to his family in a few months. He said he will miss Sun Peaks.
“The spirit the residents and everyone at Sun Peaks has in supporting activities that go on at Sun Peaks is great,” Hatchett said. “People are willing to help out and you don’t see that everywhere.” Hatchett said he appreciated the people of Sun Peaks and how great it has become for families over the time he has lived there. He hopes the centre will make it an even better area for families to reside and help the community as a whole. “Sun Peaks has been a wonderful place to live and we will be back to ski and say ‘hi’.”
M
in PHOTOS
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Mexican Cuisine made from the finest, freshest ingredients. All prepared by our Chef to be healthy, tasty and fresh. Early Bird Special + $12 Pitchers from 4 to 6 pm daily Located at the Heffley Boutique Inn
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Sun Peaks’ smallest Hotel with the greatest Rooms.
Alan Doyle and the Beautiful Gypsies took to the stage on Aug. 20. Photos by Cedar Line Creative
Sun Peaks Fire & Rescue educated Farmers’ Market-goers on Emergency Preparedness and Home Escape Plans.
The 7th Annual Retro Concert Weekend delighted crowds on Sun Peaks’ outdoor stage. The festival featured six tribute bands including Aerosmith Rocks! Photo Tourism Sun Peaks
Alanna Vignale celebrates third in her category at the 11th Annual Ogopogo Open weightlifting comp in Winfield.
Black Beaver Crossfit coaches Tori and Hamish Charlton pose with competitor Danielle Richard at the Ogopogo Open.
Vol 14 Issue 9 September 2 — September 29
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GET out there Pokemon Go: your Sun Peaks guide
Gotta catch ‘em all! Instagram screenshot showing an “Ekans” at nearby Morrisey Lake. | PHOTO INSTAGRAM
by CHRIS G. MILLER
Y
ou may have noticed in these dog days of summer some of us walking around in the evening are a bit more preoccupied with our phones
than normal. You may see both the young and the young -at-heart desperately racing between the covered bridge and the Village Day Lodge shouting out random syllables that have more to do with mysterious incantations than any kind of activity the mountain
is normally associated with. “I’ve spotted Meowtwo!” And they all dash to the right. “There’s a Magicarp over here!” And they all dash left. Pokemon Go is not just another mobile game. It’s the quickest selling mobile app in the history of the iPhone store and has taken over many a public space. For those non-trainers out there, let me explain. Pokemon Go is a mobile app in which you capture Pokemon (pocket monsters), train them and then fight other Pokemon for the right to claim certain locations or “Gyms” for your faction, of which there are three. It’s, in essence, a very simple Skinner Box. Push a button and get a reward. Get enough rewards, upgrade your button. No big deal, right? Wrong. What makes Pokemon Go
Pedal Fest celebrates banner year by SUN PEAKS NEWS
A
idan Kelly would have been content if a handful of locals showed up last year. When more than 250 riders rolled into the inaugural Peaks Pedal Fest, a festival held to celebrate everything bicycling, Sun Peaks Resort Corporation’s chief marketing officer knew he had a winner on his hands. “It was an idea borne last summer when we realized we needed to do something to celebrate bike culture at Sun Peaks because it’s definitely on an upswing, on both the cross-country side of things and in the bike park with downhill,” Kelly said. “We knew we were on to something and it was something we wanted to grow for the future.” The second annual festival will be held on Labour Day weekend, from Saturday, Sept. 3, to Monday, Sept. 5, and will feature six events — the Seek and Enjoy Poker Ride, complimentary guided cross-country tours, a ride-in movie, the Yeah Bru! Classic Dual Slalom, the Kids Foot Down Derby and the Lift and Lager Wrap-up Party. The poker ride, which will be
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held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, will see riders visit stations on the cross-country trails and in the bike park. Those who reach every station are entered into a prize draw, which will be held on Masa’s patio on Saturday afternoon. “It’s a way to encourage people to go out and explore and have a bit of fun with family and friends,” Kelly said. Anthill’s mountain-bike film Not2Bad will be screened at the base of the Sundance chairlift at 8 p.m. on Saturday. The dual slalom races, perhaps the flagship event of the festival, will run from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday and will be followed by the Foot Down Derby. “For the derby, we put all the kids in one area and it’s a competition to see who can stay on their bikes the longest,” Kelly said. “As people drop out, the circle and area gets smaller and smaller until there is one person left. We had 30 or 40 kids crashing into each other last year.” Prizes and bragging rights are awarded to the sole survivor. The complimentary guided cross-country tours will be held on Saturday and Sunday, with beginners departing at 10 a.m. and intermediate
Vol 14 Issue 9 September 2 — September 29
and advanced groups leaving at 1 p.m. Molson Coors will help toast the festival at the Lift and Lager Wrap-Up Party, which runs from noon to 6 p.m. on Monday. Bike park lift tickets and seasons passes are good for one beer at the Sunburst Lodge. Kelly said the resort had a banner season on the trails and in the park. Sun Peaks held the downhill nationals for the third straight year, completed upgrades to the trail network and bike park and kept the chairlift open until 7 p.m. seven days a week. “That added a lot of incentive in the bike park, in terms of season pass purchases,” Kelly said of the extended lift hours. “We saw substantial growth. “We’re getting more locals engaged from Kamloops. Now you can duck out of work a little early and still get in a few hours of really great riding.” Kelly said anecdotal information from Elevation and Fall Line Tuning and Repair Centre is proof the cross-country riding scene is also taking off. “It’s the busiest they’ve been,” Kelly said. “I don’t really have any way or metric to track how many people are using the cross-country trails, but they’ve been run ragged.”
special is the real-world integration or augmented reality. Pokemon are located in various places around the real world, you have to actually go there, yourself, physically. Some locations have more Pokemon than others. Some are infested and some are bereft of even the slightest Gigglypuff. This is not a game you can play from your couch. You must get the resources to catch them at “Poke Stops,” strategic public sites all over the place. For instance, it’s become known that the Village Day Lodge is a great place to catch Evees, a prized foxlike creature, and there are quite a few Magicarp at the fifth hole water hazard. The Gyms are located around town, the clock tower being the first one and the schoolhouse being the second. Both are hard to take as the schoolhouse is guarded by its Denizens and the clock tower gym is under permanent watch by the employees of the village core. I’m about the same age as
the advent of video games and I’ve heard every criticism laced against them. The one that really stuck around was “You’re just sitting there! It’s a lazy activity. Go outside!” OK, that’s what this game changes. There are multiple stories of weight loss from playing the game. When you’re walking 10 kilometres a night to hunt Squirtles you really can’t help it. It’s led some personal trainers to call it possibly the best personal fitness app on the market. It has gamified exercise. If you have any doubt about the good this game is doing, take a wander down to Riverside Park in Kamloops any night of the week and you’ll see dozens of people wandering around between marker stones. They aren’t just staring at their phones either. They’re talking to each other, giving each other tips and just having fun. Notice the democratic nature of the gathering— they’re of all ages, sexes, colours and nobody cares! Unless you’re team Valor, nobody likes them. Team Mystic for life!
GET out there Race to the Sun set to attract big crowds by CHRIS G. MILLER
O
n Sept. 18 the Interior Grasslands Cycling Club will hold the sixth annual prestigious hill climb bicycle race, known as Race to the Sun. The course will climb 3000 vertical feet as it winds from Heffley Creek, through the scenic ranch communities of Sun Peaks Road, finally ending at Sun Peaks Resort. Sponsored by Nancy Greene Raine and Al Raine, the event has been gaining popularity over the last few years. “It’s not a speed race,”
said organizer Peter Bartel. “It’s all about endurance. A hill climb is normally part of a multi-stage race, like a grand tour, but having this race be just a climb makes it attractive enough that a lot of people really come out for the challenge.” This year there’s also another shining beacon to attract competitors— a $3,000 prize list, to be split among the top competitors in both the men’s and women’s divisions. There are three divisions: leisure, intermediate and elite. The staged starts is a popular feature taken up by the race so everyone finishes around
the same time. “This way the elites aren’t done and the leisure’s group doesn’t have to miss the prizes and all the post-race fun,” Bartel explained. With a current record of one hour and 40 minutes held by Olaf Stana, which is sure to be the same time that most of people bike down the hill, there’s a great deal of excitement to see what times this year’s crowd can accomplish. If you’d like to test your mettle against the best riders in the province go to http://ccnbikes. com/ to register, or if you’re interested in volunteering call 250-372-8343.
The Interior Grasslands Club prepares for the climb in a previous year. | PHOTO SUPPLIED
New brew for fifth annual Oktoberfest Kick back and relax on Sun Peaks’ best patio! Burger/Fries + 1 Draft Beer
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Wings + 1 Draft Beer
$15
Located in the Sun Peaks Village Day Lodge Open daily from 11:00am to 9:00pm | Call 250.578.5434
Frappuccinos now available! A delicious treat to keep you cool and caffeinated! Open 7:30am to 4:00pm LOCATED IN THE SUN PEAKS VILLAGE DAY LODGE
by SUN PEAKS NEWS
N
ew this year, the Sun Peaks Alpine Racers Bavarian Oktoberfest fundraiser on Oct.18 will feature a special seasonal beer brewed in Kamloops by Red Collar Brewing. The perineal sellout event is known for its authentic Bavarian food as well as all participants donning amazing lederhosen and dirndls. Tickets are selling fast with almost 300 sold in the first three weeks of August. The $85 ticket includes opening cocktail and beer tasting, dinner, a commemorative beer stein, photo booth, games, dancing as well as a live and silent auction. Special rates are also available at the Kamloops Coast for
Oktoberfest revellers dance the night away at the annual fundraiser. | PHOTO SUPPLIED
the night. Go to www.sunpeaksracers.
com/oktoberfest to tickets or tables.
Vol 14 Issue 9 September 2 — September 29
purchase
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tourism NEWS Major project in Valemount takes another step forward T
he Valemount Glacier Destination Resort – a potential year-round skiing and alpine resort worth $175 million – has taken another step forward with the B.C. government’s approval of the master plan. The proposed resort is located in the Cariboo Mountains immediately west of the Village of Valemount and would be a major economic contributor to the region. The project has strong support from the local MLA and the Simpcw First Nation, as well a variety of stakeholders including local residents, community groups, the Village of Valemount and the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. Public consultation was completed in March 2016. With the master plan, the proponent envisions year-round glacier skiing, gondola access for alpine sightseeing, and a 1,997-bed unit base area development. Now that the master plan has been approved, Valemount
Twilight Glacier, west of Mount Pierre Elliott Trudeau. | PHOTO SUBMITTED
Glacier Destination Resort will work with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations on the master development agreement. The master development agreement is the land use contract between the resort proponent and the Province and details how the resort will be constructed and operated. Once a master development agreement is in place, resort construction can proceed.
Illustration of the proposed Day Lodge submitted in the Master Plan. | PHOTO SUPPLIED
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Photo: Kelly Funk
‘FALL BUY’ Season Passes are now up for grabs with great rates offering over $350 in savings, 150 days of alpine bliss, 50% off lift tickets at Whistler Blackcomb, and so much more!
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Vol 14 Issue 9 September 2 — September 29
250.578.5474
&
arts ENTERTAINMENT Hamptonstone’s Hockey Confidence helps self-belief blossom
EVENT > listings SATURDAY TO MONDAY
SEPT 3 - 5
PEAKS PEDAL FEST
Celebrate a rad season of biking with tons of events including the Seek + Enjoy Poker Run, Yeah Bru! Classic Dual Slalom, Kids Foot Down Derby, demos, free outdoor movie and the Lift and Lager deal. www.sunpeaksresort.com
7 p.m. at the Sun Peaks Municipal office located in the Kookaburra Lodge. sunpeaksmunicipality.ca
SEPTEMBER 8 TNRD BOOKMOBILE
The TNRD Bookmobile visits the Bento’s Day Lodge parking lot every third Thursday from 3 to 4:15 p.m. bookmobile@tnrd.ca
SUNDAY
SEPTEMBER 4 WILF’S RETIREMENT PARTY
Please bring a chair and a cold salad ready to serve. 7153 Cahilty Rd. Whitecroft. Please note this is a dry event. wilfisretiring@gmail.com
FRIDAY
SEPTEMBER 9 FREE OUTDOOR FILM: MERU
Base of the Sundance Chair from 8:30 to 10 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 4
SUN PEAKS & REGION FARMERS’ MARKET
Come out and enjoy the last Farmers’ Market of the season in Sun Peaks! www.sunpeaksresort.com
TUESDAY
SEPTEMBER 6 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING
SEPT 17 & 18
BC ENDURO SERIES FINALE & CANADIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
LOCAL AUTHOR LAUNCHES NEW BOOK THIS AUTUMN
www.sunpeaksresort.com
SUNDAY
SEPT 18
RACE TO THE SUN HILL CLIMB ROAD RACE
Tackle the 34 km climb from Heffley Creek to Sun Peaks during 6th Annual Race to the Sun cycling road race!
www.greenartfestival.org
www.interiorgrasslandscycling.com
SATURDAY
MONDAY
THE NORTH FACE DIRTY FEET MOUNTAIN 50KM & RELAY
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
SEPT 19
SEPT 10
SUNDAY
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
7 p.m. at the Sun Peaks Municipal office located in the Kookaburra Lodge. sunpeaksmunicipality.ca
info@dirtyfeet.ca
SEPT 29
SATURDAY
SEPT 10
NANCY GREENE’S BIG LITTLE GOLF CHALLENGE
A fundraiser for the Sun Peaks Education Society. Register early!
TNRD BOOKMOBILE
The TNRD Bookmobile visits the Bento’s Day Lodge parking lot every third Thursday from 3 to 4:15 p.m. bookmobile@tnrd.ca
golf@sunpeaksresort.com
The book will launch on September 17th at Chapters in Kamloops. | PHOTO SUPPLIED
sunpeaksnews.com/events
by ALICIA ASHCROFT
Alan Doyle tips his A hat to The Hip by ALICIA ASHCROFT
W
ith the entire country focused on the final Tragically Hip concert on Saturday, Aug. 20, it couldn’t have been easy for a live performer to host in a similar time slot. But Alan Doyle was up for the challenge. Upon stepping on the Sun Peaks stage, he gave a tribute to The Hip and said it was “an important night for music, an important night for Canada,” and invited the audience—whom he referred to as his “brothers and sisters” to embrace the here and now, sing, dance and live in the moment. And then proceed to do just that. Doyle, known as frontman of Canadian folk-rock group Great Big Sea, alongside members of his current band, The Beautiful Gypsies, mixed his most popular hits with uplifting, occasionally heart
breaking songs; making music that made your body feel as though it had no choice but to rise up, stomp feet and clap hands. Laying Down to Perish was especially haunting and emotionally evoking. Doyle cracked a joke about the song’s bittersweet tone and then swung to the opposite end of the spectrum with a more upbeat number. Doyle, a natural storyteller, punctuated his songs with anecdotes and remarks about the origins and meanings of the lyrics. The audience was in stitches as he took long sips from his red solo cup, setting dramatic pauses within the story of himself and a bandmate, jetlagged and wide awake due to their East Coast internal clocks and seeing a bear cub during an early morning walk in the mountains. “For a musician nothing that exciting happens that early in the morning.” See more in Month in Photos on page 7.
lack of confidence can deeply impact natural talent and solid effort. While the flutter of performance anxiety is perfectly normal, it can also have a crippling backlash— often at the most crucial, timesensitive moments. Enter Sun Peaks local and performance intelligence consultant Isabelle (Izzy) Hamptonstone, CEO of Brain Train International (BTI), and author of the new book Hockey Confidence: Train Your Brain to Win in Hockey and in Life. The book offers positive and practical methods applied to the NHL players and Olympic athletes who have seen success as clients of BTI. Through sustainable mental processes, Hamptonstone has helped individuals tap into a “deeper intelligence” to remove the mental obstacles people often place in front of themselves. Hamptonstone personally understands that fear as she has dealt with it in regards to public speaking and uses hypnosis before presentations to reduce stress. She remarked the writing process was humbling and challenging at times, and that the text’s topic was constantly at odds with pesky self-doubts, concerns and fears. She was
able to apply the theories and tips on herself, further strengthening her connection to the material. “It’s very much about tapping into your own potential, banishing damaging, self-deprecating thoughts that can only cause harm,” she said. “There needs to be some self-care to achieve self-belief. Sometimes you have to say, ‘I did good today,’ and that’s enough”. According to Hamptonstone, all too often people become the goalies to their own winning shots. She has trained top athletes to have a mental wellness to match their peak physical condition. “Mental stress effects physical performance,” said Hamptonstone. She coaches her clients to learn from failure by accepting missteps and mistakes as lessons that can only bring them closer to future successes. She references three questions: “What can this teach me? What did I learn? How can I get to the next level?” Hockey Confidence provides “simple, strategic steps” to guide readers through a process of coping mechanisms. Through mental redirection and positive affirmation, participants can become better focused, confident and masters of self-control. The disappointment of failure is easier to handle, and it’s easier to accept
feedback and apply criticism in a constructive manner. Ultimately, it’s about rising above the anxieties, insecurities and inadequacies that hold people back from fully participating in whatever game they’re playing.
“SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY ‘I DID GOOD TODAY’, AND THAT’S ENOUGH.” As for Hamptonstone’s next chapter, there’s a flurry of Hockey Confidence related activities: interviews, tours and travel, including the book launch and author reading at the Kamloops Chapter’s bookstore at 2 p.m. on Sept. 17. Hamptonstone said she’s now looking to the future, and to the experiences and opportunities that promise to unfold over time. Ultimately, she finds her one-on-one work the most fulfilling. “Helping people is everything,” said Hamptonstone. “Watching a person shift to self-belief is heartwarming. I go to sleep feeling that the world is a good place.” The book will be available in hardcopy and on Amazon. com. For further information on Hamptonstone and BTI go to www.braintrainwin.com.
Vol 14 Issue 9 September 2 — September 29
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BLIK HOME DEVELOPMENTS
PAUL ROBERTS CUSTOM BUILDER | PROJECT MANAGER NEW HOMES | ADDITIONS
Answers in the next issue
E-MAIL: blik_developments@yahoo.ca PHONE: 250 371 4880
IS SEEKING A MEDIA SALES CONTRACTOR Sun Peaks Independent News is seeking a qualified sales representative to fulfill a seasonal advertising sales contract. The successful candidate will possess a well-developed list of potential clients in Kamloops and region in order to quickly grow new business. This person must also have the ability to think strategically and creatively in order to identify new clients who would benefit from reaching over 500,000 annual travellers, the growing number of full time Sun Peaks residents, as well as many Kamloops residents who are actively interested in skiing, snowboarding, biking, hiking, travel and an outdoors lifestyle in general. We are looking for an individual with a proven sales record who is able to produce successful results in a short time frame. This person must actively represent our company in a positive and enthusiastic manner. An understanding of Sun Peaks and the community is preferred. The contract is negotiable, based around a two to three month time period beginning in September and operating on a base rate. Commission and bonuses based on successful sales may be discussed.
Interested candidates must submit their cover letter, resume and references to editor@sunpeaksnews.com
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Vol 14 Issue 9 September 2 — September 29
BOOK YOUR CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE AT
SUNPEAKSNEWS.COM/classified
FOR RENT Half duplex available Nov. 1 on Burfield Drive, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, fully furnished. $2500 per month. Contact Wayne at 604-290-5771.
time Housekeeper, Laundry staff, Front Desk Agent, Night AuditKitchen Chef, Line Cooks, Dishwasher, Server. Pls. send resume to info@sunpeakslodge.com
EMPLOYMENT
SEEKING ACCOMM
Nanny Wanted. Nov 26th – Feb 14th. Mon-Fri 8am – 12 noon. Australian family with 1 y/old girl. Staying in Sun Peaks. Contact kate@collectionsbykate.com.au. Sun Peaks Lodge is hiring: Housekeeper/Laundry part or full time, pls send resume to info@sunpeakslodge.com or drop off at Front Desk. Sun Peaks Lodge & Steakhouse is hiring for Dec-Apr full / part
Looking for 3-4 bedroom place for winter or possibly the year. Clean respectful people. Deposits Ready to go. Call Christian at 250-342-1205 or jake-little@live.com. Male, 62, ski instructor, car, non-smoker, no pets, looking for a clean, quiet, comfortable place, LHammell@sympatico.ca Sun Peaks Lodge is looking for 1, 2 or 3 bedroom apartments to rent for Nov-Apr info@sunpeakslodge.com.
Do you enjoy our puzzles? Too easy? Too hard?
See more classifieds at: sunpeaksnews.com
OBITUARY
Joe Gatien
Februrary 8th 1954 - August 14th 2016
Joe Gatien passed away suddenly on August 14th at the age of 62, while enjoying a beautiful afternoon of biking with one of his closest friends. Joe was a quiet, conscientious and witty man, a tender and supportive husband, a proud and dedicated Dad, and a patient and gently Poppa. It is hard to sum up a person so important, and remarkable in a few simple words, yet “loving” is a word that continues to come to mind. Joe was one of few people in the world where you could tell how much he loved you just by the way he looked at you. Joe had striking blue eyes. A beautiful blue, different from most, that reflected very clearly the love and pride he had for his family. Joe had a deep love of nature and adventure. He had many passions including hiking, mountain biking, fishing, camping, and kayaking, but skiing was the embodiment of Joe’s life. No one escaped a ski lesson from Joe, his wife, children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and many other friends and family members were the lucky recipients of Joe’s expertise. Joe spent countless hours coaching and volunteering for the Tod Mountain/Sun Peaks Alpine Ski Club, as well as being a part of the Whistler Weasel Workers, volunteering for world cup events, and his biggest thrill, being involved in the 2010 Winter Olympics. When fellow volunteers speak of Joe’s dedication to skiing and work ethic, he is spoken of in very high regard. Joe spoke
to everyone with respect, and would never ask someone to do a job, he himself wouldn’t do. Joe volunteered simply to surround himself in a sport he loved, but also so that he could share the joy of skiing with others. Joe never stopped trying to improve his skiing. There wasn’t a run he took where he wasn’t analyzing if his weight was on the right part of the correct foot. Sun Peaks will no doubt always be where his family will feel him closest to their hearts. The sound of kids singing on the chair, the smell of ski wax, cinnamon buns at sunburst lodge, the sight of race courses, and the family condo in Burfield Heights are only a few things that will bring back loving memories for Joe’s children. For Pam (Joe’s wife), every inch of the ski hill holds a memory, but some of her most recent special memories were spent enjoying coffee and blueberry scones as Gramma and Poppa with their grandchildren at Bolacco Café. Passing on his love of skiing to his grandchildren brought both Joe and his three little racers immeasurable joy. Joe was a hands on Poppa, who took the time to build a tree fort, pick strawberries from his backyard garden, dig in the dirt, snowplow on green runs, and to simply sit and enjoy the delight his grandchildren brought to his life. Joe is lovingly remembered by his wife Pam, son Beau, daughters Jamie Lockwood (Blair), Elise (Stuart), Bria (Corey), Grandchildren Dylan, Austin, and Dawsyn, Mother in-law Joan Kenny, sister Mary Lynn Fornelli (Jim), brother Bert (Denise), nieces, nephews, as well as many other friends, family and coworkers. The Family honoured Joe’s wish for a small, private celebration of life on August 27th at the Sun Peaks Alpine Ski Club. Should family and friends desire, donations may be made to the Sun Peaks Alpine Ski Club in honour of Joe’s memory and his love for the sport of skiing. http://sunpeaksracers.ca
ONLINE CLASSIFIEDS ADS ARE PLACED DAILY
Let us know!
Send your thoughts to: editor@sunpeaksnews.com or phone 250.578.0276
SUDOKU ANSWERS V14 I8
CROSSWORD ANSWERS V14 I8
Vol 14 Issue 9 September 2 — September 29
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>> sports Enduro National champs battle it out BIKE PARK OPEN EXCLUSIVELY FOR ENDURO NATIONALS SEPT. 17 & 18 by SUN PEAKS NEWS
N
ational champions will be crowned, beers will be guzzled and some of the gnarliest trails in Canada will test riders from across the country at the BC Enduro Series Finale. Sun Peaks Resort is playing host to the event — which doubles as the inaugural Canadian National Enduro Championships Finale — on Sept. 17 and 18. “This is the biggest one of the year,” said Ted Morton, event director and operations manager. “We booked the whole resort and we have private use of the (bike) park.” The provincial circuit is split into two groups — BC Enduro East and West — which have been racing across B.C. all season, some riders chasing overall points titles and others just riding for fun. “The BC Enduro Series is more about drinking beer and hanging out,” Morton said. “That will happen, too, with a party on Saturday and beer and burger at finish line on Sunday. “But we thought it was good for junior riders to get a more technical playing field. They’re longer days, the stages are more technical and we’re kind of asking more of them.” Kamloops brothers Johnathan and Jeremy Helly, 12 and 15 years old, respectively, are among the younger riders who will test their mettle, with both having raced at each of the seven BC Enduro West stops
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this season. “It is challenging, but when you get up to the top and see all your friends and you’re have a good time, it’s all worth it,” Johnathan said. “The terrain there is awesome. It’s an all-around good time. It’s classic Kamloops, rough and gnarly.” The national series was started this year in part to give junior riders a stepping stone to the Enduro World Series circuit. There were stops in Rossland, Mont-Saint-Anne, Que. and Revelstoke. Morton is expecting about 250 participants at Sun Peaks, including a few from Quebec and Ontario. Riders will be timed on five downhill stages, but must pedal uphill to get to most of them (two lift rides will be incorporated) and the whole race can take anywhere between three and seven hours to complete. “It’s going to start in the village and pedal all the way to the Top of the World,” said Morton, noting alpine hiking trails will be part of the course. “You have to be fit, not as fit as a cross-country rider, but be able to go for three or four hours a day, and the downhills we ride are quite technical. Sun Peaks has a reputation for being one of the gnarlier bike parks.” Morton is expecting World Series riders such as Leonie Picton, Stu Dickson and Yoan Barelli to rip it up at Sun Peaks and the course will be challenging. The exact route will not be made available to competi-
Vol 14 Issue 9 September 2 — September 29
A competitor rips the BC Enduro course in Rossland earlier this summer.
tors until Sept. 16, but Morton provided a rough idea of the layout. “We’ll head up toward Sundance chair, in behind on the Big Rock alpine XC climb, then to Top of the World, essentially as far you can bike, and drop in somewhere near Headwalls,” Morton said, noting the course will be about 21 kilometres long, with challenging, steep descents. “From there, we get some lifts. We’re going to go easy on them to make sure they get the most amount of downs.” The average Joe can register to ride. Entry fees range from $105 to $120. “Unless you’re going for gold, you can totally hang back,” Morton said. “We have junior riders who hang back and stay out there together for six or seven hours.” Sign up online at ccnbikes. com and learn more about the event at sunpeaksresort.com.
| PHOTO SUPPLIED
Riders can practice between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Sept. 17. There will be a mandatory briefing at 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 18 and races will begin at 8 a.m. The event can be a family affair, as parents can traverse the course with their children.
“My dad raced a lot and I went to the Rossland race last year and just caught on from there,” Johnathan said. “It was a pretty awesome experience because I met some awesome other kids. “I’m in it for the placings, but it’s all about fun.”
>> sports ASSP hires first employee WINTER VOLUNTEER RECRUIT IN FULL DRIVE
Anne Nicolson is looking forward to her new role in the community. | PHOTO SPIN
by BRANDI SCHIER
A
lthough the snow has yet to fall, Adaptive Sports Sun Peaks (ASSP), has been preparing throughout most of the summer. In addition to organizing events, writing grants, and recruiting volunteers, committee members have been busy searching out their first paid employee, new program coordinator, Anne Nicholson. “A lot of the-behind-thescenes infrastructure takes place right now. We really build up the program in the summer,” said Sharon Tremblay, ASSP vice-president. “In the winter, we’re out on the snow instructing.” After eight years in operation, it’s an exciting step forward for
the completely volunteer-run program. While ASSP generally receives funding for specific costs like equipment it can been challenging to fund operational expenses. A catalyst was a fundraiser conducted by Nick Maika in 2015, who skied 85 days for his 85 birthday and raised over $11,000. Being able to spend that money without stipulations, combined with the need to have volunteers do a reasonable amount of work, led to the decision to hire for the first time. By having one person consistently in charge of the logistics and scheduling of 50 students and matching volunteers, the organization hopes to be able to increase focus on future growth. “It would be great to be able to look further than 12 months in advance. We want to be looking two, three, five years in advance. I think that’s the goal,” said Nicolson, a long time Sun Peaks resident who brings a foundation of over twenty years of association, administrative and grant writing experience to the position. “It’s a great community association. It really highlights what we are as a community,” said Nicolson, who said she’s looking forward to her new role. “On a more personal level, I have a sister that came up through the Special Olympics and that kind of thing, so it’s a
very personal achievement, as far as seeing the inclusivity of (sport). So it’s great to see that here in the community too.” ASSP currently has 35 volunteers and requires around 50 to operate throughout the winter to provide one-on-one coaching and instruction for their anticipated student numbers. While weekends are the busiest, volunteers are also required some weekdays. An intermediate ski ability is all that is required to start. New instructors must register by early September and can then take the Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing (CADS) level 1 instruction course in early winter. There are also non-ski volunteer opportunities. “For some people starting out we know it’s a little bit intimidating and they wonder ‘what do I have to offer?’” said Tremblay. “It’s really a fun group and there’s so much mentoring and support that happens. Even if people don’t have experience working with people with disabilities, they don’t need to be intimidated by that because you’re always paired with another instructor and we always work with people’s strengths.” Their Annual General Meeting and student registration is on Oct. 4 at 6 p.m. at the Henry Grube Education Centre in Kamloops. For the first time, Sun Peaks will host a CADS Western Pre
Course from Nov. 25 to 27 for instructors from across Western Canada. For the third time Sun Peaks will host the BC CADS Summit from Dec. 2 to 4 which brings together instructors from across the province. For the fourth year, the National CADS Festival will be
held in Sun Peaks from March 25 to 31, which will bring both students and instructors from across the country for development opportunities, including certification courses. For more information or to volunteer go to www.adaptivesportsatsunpeaks.org.
SUN PEAKS SPECIAL SEPT 1ST - DEC 15TH 2016
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Located In The Little Shuswap Lodge | 250.578.8669
SALES
A division of Mountain Water Works
Vol 14 Issue 9 September 2 — September 29
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Serving Sun Peaks and area since 1995 OPEN DAILY - LOCATED IN THE KOOKABURRA LODGE T: 250 578 8222 TF: 1 800 663 2838 E: info@sunpeaksrealty.com
ALPINE RESORT REALTY
EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED & OPERATED
SOLD
SOLD
NEW LISTING
2502 EAGLE COURT | $650,000
30 TRAPPER’S LANDING | $449,900
2407 FAIRWAYS DRIVE | $799,900
Experience a luxurious and inviting alpine chalet with spectacular, unobstructed mountain views in this ski-in home on a quiet cul-de-sac. Quality upgraded finishing, including a custom stone gas fireplace, heated stone floors, and artist-painted walls, along with a vaulted ceiling, soaring windows, and its being within a short walk to the village and ski lifts. Features 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, an attached 2-car garage, plus a 1-bedroom furnished revenue suite with in-suite laundry. Offered fully furnished with hot tub & GST paid.
Great Location! Ski to your doorstep of this level entry 2 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom fully furnished townhome. Just steps away from the downhill & Nordic trails with views of Mt. Morrisey & Tod Mountain from the 2 sundecks. With the open concept main level, the heated tile flooring & river rock gas fireplace, makes this a cozy & inviting space to unwind or entertain family & friends. Features a large family room & a covered patio with private hot tub & access to green space.
This attractive mountain home with timber accents & hardwood flooring has 5 bdrms, plus family room & office space that can easily accommodate a crowd. Bright open living area with vaulted ceiling, river rock fireplace with timber mantle, features an updated kitchen & island with modern quartz countertops & stainless steel appliances, new carpets throughout, updated bathrooms, & spacious wraparound sundeck. Features new detached 24’ X 26’ garage, a self-contained 2 bedroom legal suite, a fully landscaped yard backing onto forested ski terrain and stunning mountain views.
16 BRIDGE GATE | $889,000
45 WOODHAVEN | $543,900
58 STONE’S THROW | $384,900
Stylish 4 bedroom plus spacious family room, 3.5 baths, ski-in/ski-out townhouse offers exceptional fishing details. This 3 level comfortable mountain home features a private garage, dramatic vaulted ceiling in the open living area with floor to ceiling windows, heated tile floors, 2 sundecks & a private patio. Situated next to the 15th Fairway of the Graham Cooke designed 18 hold golf course with beautiful views of Mt. Morrisey.This home is being sold fully furnished with hot tub. GST is not applicable.
This unique updated condo in Stone’s Throw, one of Sun Peaks’ most attractive ski in, ski out complexes & located on the 16th fairway of the golf course. This bright south facing loft unit features two levels of living space, including 3 bdrms & 2 baths. The living room has dramatic vaulted ceiling with soaring windows, custom blinds, rock fireplace, and a large open kitchen with granite countertops & eating bar, S/S appliances & heated slate floor. This is a great location and only a short walk to village.
Enjoy the amazing sunsets & commanding views of Mt. Morrisey and the valley with great ski-in, ski-out access from this 4 bedroom townhouse with media room and separate ski room. Exquisite attention to finishing & detail with custom designed gourmet kitchen with granite & superior commercial appliances, impressive dining & bright living area with post & beam features, picture windows, beautiful wood flooring and stunning rock fireplace. Offered furnished with hot tub and GST paid.
SOLD 51 TIMBERLINE VILLAGE | $211,000
19 TIMBERLINE | $220,000
34 FOREST TRAILS | $409,000
This spacious one bedroom condo has great ski-in access located adjacent to the Village and all resort amenities. This cheery home has been freshly painted and features beautiful wood floors, full kitchen, cozy rock fireplace and a great south facing sundeck with views of Mt. Morrisey and down the valley. The updated, modern decor is bright and welcoming and is offered fully furnished. Pets and rentals allowed. GST paid.
Easy ski-in, ski-out from this spotless 2 bedroom condo centrally located in charming Timberline Village. This mountain home is outfitted with everything you need, it is offered fully furnished with a cozy rock fireplace, full kitchen & dining area, heated tile floors in bathroom and kitchen, in suite laundry & private patio area overlooking greenspace. When you are not able to enjoy the home yourself, take advantage of nightly revenue opportunities. GST applicable.
Immaculate 3 bedroom level entry townhouse with private garage backing onto forest and creek. This bright south facing home provides a beautiful unobstructed view of the mountains & valley and is only steps from the village and all resort amenities. The main floor features an open kitchen, dining room and living area with cozy river rock fireplace and sundeck. This prime location has convenient ski-in, ski-out access and is offered fully furnished with GST paid.
NEW LISTING
6071 LAKE BAY ROAD – HEFFLEY LAKE
| $1,125,000
Find solitude in this beautiful 4 bedroom, 4 bath custom lakefront home with spacious family room & games room. The open kitchen, dining room & living room features a beautiful wood burning rock fireplace & opens up to your sundeck overlooking the lake. This year round home is situated on .74 acres with 103’ of low-bank waterfront & your own private docks. There is a large 2 car garage with extra storage and a detached 2 bedroom vintage guest cabin in the back yard.
NEW LISTING
2451 FAIRWAYS DRIVE | $799,000
1884 LAKEVIEW DRIVE | $499,000
Modern 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom mountain home custom designed with open floor plan and great window package taking maximum advantage of mountain views. Ski home access to your private backyard. Open great room for easy entertaining features floor to ceilings rock fireplace, vaulted pine ceiling, recessed lighting & and spacious kitchen with exceptional finishing throughout. Move outside to enjoy an exceptionally large covered deck with built in BBQ & hot tub. Room to accommodate all your friends & family in comfort & includes a 2 bedroom rental suite.
This well-loved family home features 3 bdrms & 3 baths with sunken living room, grand rock fireplace & vaulted wood feature ceiling, bright open kitchen & dining room, with large sundeck overlooking the lake & beautiful landscaped yard. There is also a full daylight walkout basement with family room and covered patio, new efficient wood forced air furnace and plenty of extra storage or space for future development. New tandem 2 car garage plus separate studio or office space with heated tile floors & stunning timber covered patio.
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Vol 14 Issue 9 September 2 — September 29