Tulameen Spring 2016

TULAMEEN BC SPRING 2016

PLUS

Winter Carnival Recap | The New Community Hall

The HBC Trail Story | The Lost Violin of John Prosper Ralston

who's who Editor Ginny Meinen

Content Ginny Meinen, Mardi Hassell Columnists Ginny Meinen Mardi Hassell Contributors Barb Jones, Ginny Meinen, Mardi Hassell, Mark Jones, Bill Allinott, Mark Jones, Nadine McEwen, Kelley Cook Executive: President: Mardi Hassell Past President: Marg Reichert Vice President: Kelly Reichert Treasurer: Mark Jones Secretary: Brenda Upton Directors: Deb Schwarz, Tony Ellis For Contributions, please email: info@tulameenbc.com and mark the subject Magazine Contribution.

For membership, please visit us online at www.tulameenbc.com/communityclub SUBSCRIPTIONS This magazine can be viewed on your desktop, or through the Issuu app. To download, please visit the Google Play Store or the App Store to download.

Tulameen Community Club www.tulameenbc.com

PRESIDENT'S REPORT From our president, Mardi Hassell.

Oh Tulameen.

I Googled Tulameen. Let’s see what ‘they’ are saying about us out there ….

Here’s what I found: The name Otter Flats endured until 1901 when the name Tulameen was officially adopted as the town acquired some stability due to its being on the routing of the southern mainline of the Canadian Pacific Railway, constructed in 1896 after a potential routing of the US­based Great Northern Railway to the Tulameen. The southern mainline is commonly known today as the Kettle Valley Railway (KVR), and connected the original mainline at Hope with the Okanagan and Kootenay cities and boomtowns farther east; today much of its route has been converted from railbed to a public hiking and biking as part of the Trans­Canada Trail. During this period, a proper townsite with a street grid was laid out and the lure of the lake, mountain scenery and dry climate of the area encouraged the first recreational residents, as Tulameen enjoyed something of an advantage of being the first drybelt town after the rail journey had overcome the steep grades and tunnels of the Coquihalla Canyon and Coquihalla Pass; coal seams in the area also were useful to rail company operations and the town was a regular stopping­place for taking on coal and water during the Age of Steam. Although early tourism never really transformed Tulameen into the fashionable watering­hole it might have been, the town enjoyed another small boom with the discovery of a major coal deposit in the area, with a mine nearby Blakeburn opening in the 1920s, but lasting only to about 1940.

I can’t say for certain, but I’d guess that by Wikipedia standards, Tulameen hasn’t been ‘fashionable’ since 1940.

Where on earth would this information come from???? Recently, I travelled up into the forest. A couple of bald eagles danced against the vivid blue sky high above the tree line. The most magnificent sunny day sent sparkles dancing over the snow covered trails. The heat of the sun not only warmed the day, but also began to expose the earth in spots and the new bright green forest floor vegetation was starting to pop through. Other folks enjoying everything that the outdoors had to offer, stopped to chat. There was an underlying ‘how lucky are we to be able to experience this amazing back country ANYTIME we want’!

If this kind of tourism isn’t one of the most amazing sights you’ll see and experience, and not to mention that it absolutely free …. please, please, puh­ leeeze … colour me un­fashionable….

Cheers!

Mardi

IN THIS ISSUE: From the Firehall The Lost Violin of John Ralston Around Town Tulameen Cooks Business Directory Notice of AGM The New Hall Events Calendar

A New Hall TULAMEEN NEEDS YOUR HELP AND VOICE TO BUILD A NEW COMMUNITY HALL Brad Hope, our then Area H RDOS Representative, was able to commit $75,000 to us and this money has been placed in an RDOS trust account and earmarked for a new hall. We have broached this subject again with our newly elected Area H RDOS Representative, Bob Coyne, and he is considering further monetary support, but we need your emails of support in order to keep going forward.

There is nothing to report at this time on the possible takeover of the old Tulameen School property. We are ever hopeful the news will be good when we do hear something back from the Government.

We have been actively pursuing all avenues of obtaining grants to help us fund this project. What we have learned is that being ‘shovel ready’ (one aspect is having architectural plans drawn up prior to having all the money in place) is what will open doors for us to apply to get this grant money.

Dale Mumford (of SDM Realty Advisors in Vancouver) has been instrumental in helping us complete the paperwork necessary to get us to this point in time.

Dale and I met with Chuck Stam of Precision Building Design Associates Ltd, in Chilliwack recently to discuss the school project. Chuck frequents Tulameen on a regular basis and has agreed to assist us in developing a plan for the property and design our new hall.

Precision Building Design Associates Ltd has a distinguished record of award winning designs and we are thrilled to have them as part of our team.

We are hoping to have some preliminary plans available for the annual meeting in April.

Mark Jones

FROM THE FIREHALL FIREHALL AWARDS GIVEN TO LONG TIME RESIDENTS On November 14th, the Tulameen Fire Department recognized Marg & Ed Reichert and Rod Dixon with the Governor General of Canada Fire Services Exemplary Service Medals for 20 years of local and exemplary service to public security in Canada plus the BC Fire Commissioner’s BC Long Service Awards for 25 years of dedication to the Fire Service. Congratulations to Marg, Ed and Rod!

VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS OF TULAMEEN CHIEF WOODFORD Firefighters continue to train and practice every week as well as weekends. They have been learning about safety, equipment, building construction and fire behavior. The fire truck purchase has been approved and requests for quotes have been circulated. The deadline for quotes is March 2nd. Hopefully we will have it ordered by the end of March. We would like to thank the community for their ongoing support.

Thank you.

GONE RETRO Members of the Timberline Cruisers busted out the old machines for a special day of fun, friends and sleds.

ALL IN! AS PRINTED IN THE SLEDLIFE SECTION OF SNORIDER MAGAZINE,

Written by Nadine McEwen for the Timberline Cruisers Photo by Mike Wichmann

The ‘Cruisers’ give it their all so our membership can enjoy snowmobiling on groomed trails; have great times at club functions and share their snowmobiling passion. We have enjoyed an eventful season so far. We kicked up our heels at the Snowmobile Dance and the New Year’s Long John Affair. Family and friends spent time at the Rabbitt’s Den, the Dobie Fishing Derby and at the annual Poker Run with over 130 ‘hands’ sold. These great events would not be possible without our fantastic volunteers who love our sport and sharing their time so we all can have fun as a club.

We hope everyone is enjoying the groomed trails on Rabbitt and Lodestone Mountains. Our volunteer grooming team spends countless hours maintaining the groomer and the trails for all of us. Thank you so much! The RDOS and Recreation Sites and Trails of BC, are supporting us in completing our trail signage goal for this year. A number or signs can be found on Rabbitt Mountain with the remainder going up soon. Watch for kiosks, mapping and brochures in 2016.

We are excited to welcome new members to our growing club this year. Membership is

important so we can continue to have a voice at the government level in support of riding areas, safety, and positive conversations regarding snowmobiling. Thank you members old and new!

A big shout out to all the volunteers who help with fundraising; wood sales, dances and events! We also thank the volunteers who work with the BCSF, liaise with government and handle all the ‘behind the scenes’ chores on their own time all year long.

Our club meets on the 1st Sunday of the month at the Tulameen Community Hall at 9 am. All are welcome!

Check us out on social media: Facebook, Twitter and our website: www.timberlinecruisers.com Following this story are a couple of photos of the Poker Run Activities!

Safe Snowmobiling!

Rink Report A GREAT SEASON OF SKATING! It may be an early end to ice sports this year with the warmer weather moving in as the ice surface is a very large puddle right now. With the ice going in around the middle of November we have had 3 months of skating fun. Maybe not as long as last year, but more than if there had been no roof over the rink!

SOLAR PANEL ENERGY REPORT Well the sun has been shining and we’ve been racking up the savings! We are so thrilled to be saving money and contributing energy back to the 'grid' by using our solar panels.

We look forward to more savings and energy contributed in the months to come.

ATV REMINDERS FROM SGT. KENNEDY As most of you are aware, it is now the law to license and insure your ATVs. (editor’s lead in) Another reminder is that ATVs are not permitted to drive on the road or the shoulder of the road at any time and no permit can be issued to allow for this. Crossing the road is permitted from private or crown land if you have a permit or at a controlled intersection i.e. vehicles have to stop for stop signs or traffic lights. In order to cross the roadway, they must possess a valid driver’s license. Children (15 yrs and younger) are permitted to operate ATVs on crown land provided they meet the manufacturer’s recommended minimums for operation and are directly supervised by an adult who possesses a valid driver’s license. Children 14 and 15 yrs of age may operate an ATV unsupervised on crown land if they carry with them, in writing, proof that they have the appropriate training AND their parents’ consent to them riding unsupervised.

Around Town FAREWELL OLD FRIENDS

A WARNING FOR TULAMEEN There have been a recent rash of break­ins in Princeton similar to the ones in Tulameen last year, so it stands to reason they will be targeting us again.

Please be vigilant of your property and that of your neighbor and lock up your possessions.

Longtime Residents of Tulameen “pull up stakes." “To all of you – it is with mixed feelings that we leave. We have had over 40 years of a wonderful life in Tulameen. A big part adding to our enjoyment was your friendship. Thank you Tulameen.

PASSINGS It is with sadness that we say goodbye to Noel Kirby who passed away suddenly on December 22, 2015.

Noel and his wife Lorraine have had ties to the Tulameen and Copper Mountain communities for many, many years and he will be missed.

Hugs Trudy & Klaus” Our little town has lost a great couple with Trudy and Klaus moving full time to Penticton.

They have worked tirelessly over the years (KVR and the “dog beach”) making our little piece of heaven a much better place to live; and we salute them. The Community Club at its last meeting unanimously voted to make Trudy and Klaus honorary life members.

Bravo!

SAVE THE DATE The annual general meeting of the Community Club is Thursday, April 7th at 7 pm in the Town Hall.

A Celebration of Life is planned for March 26th, 2 pm, at the Coast Hotel in Kamloops.

HALL RENTAL If you have an event, we have the hall. Hall rental includes the use of the kitchen, tables, chairs and use of the bar. For more information, contact Nadine McEwen at: (250) 295­6968 or email: tcchallrental@gmail.com

Around Town VERMILLION TRAILS SOCIETY The mandate of the local group, the Vermillion Trail Society is to maintain the trail surface by filling any holes, removing any rocks and debris, cutting back brush where necessary, and reporting any necessary capital improvements to the Regional District and the Province. The group maintains the Kettle Valley Railway between Princeton and Brookmere and have been very busy over the past year!

During 2015, The Vermilion Trail Society was responsible for the grading of approximately 85 kilometers of the rail bed. A major rock slide was also removed by Bob Reichert of BR Backhoe Services in 2015 between Coalmont and Princeton near the trestle at White Sands Beach. The VTS will be out again at the end of May to remove all winter rock fall and see that the grading is completed between Tulameen and White Sands Beach. They hope that everyone will get a chance to enjoy their hard work! If you have some time to give them a hand, or are interested in joining their organization, please contact Bill Allinot at kvrrider@gmail.com.

The Vermilion Trail Society is a non­profit organization whose major fundraiser is Motor Sports Weekend Princeton! Last year was the inaugural event and it was a HUGE success! The VTS is busy making plans for the 2016 event to be held September 3 and 4 at the Princeton Fairgrounds. They would like to invite all demolition and figure 8 enthusiasts to find a car to register for this fun event! Figure 8 and Large Demolition car build rules can be requested at Hillbillypromo@shaw.ca.

Mark your calendars for this action packed weekend!! There will be free camping at the event, as well as a new addition this year ­ a bus ride between Tulameen and the Fairgrounds and back!! There will be live music, a beer garden, vendors, food…a great place for the family to come out and experience a good old fashioned demolition derby and the mud drags!

You can follow the event on Facebook www.facebook.com/ princeton motorsport/

Around Town WINTER CARNIVAL RECAP Our 2nd Winter Carnival ran from December 26th through January 1st and was a resounding success. We had hockey games, an ice skating show, human bowling and fireworks. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped with the multitude of tasks to make this a great event. A huge thank you to Cooper’s Foods for donating 12 dozen hot dogs and buns to feed the hungry masses!

HALL RENTAL If you have an event, we have the hall. Hall rental includes the use of the kitchen, tables, chairs and use of the bar. For more information contact Nadine McEwen at: (250) 295­6968 or email: tcchallrental@gmail.com

LIBRARY UPDATE The library has been closed and we are no longer accepting book donations.

Thank you.

Around Town HEALTH CARE IN THE AREA On February 16, Brenda Upton and Debbie Schwarz attended a Healthcare Community Consultation meeting at the Riverside Centre in Princeton.

Detailed findings from the collaborative meeting can be found here. Brenda and Debbie were very impressed with the services that are currently offered in Princeton. When the steering committee first met in 2013, a lot of those services were not in place, but are now up and running. One of the findings at this meeting was that many people may not be aware of all of the services available to them.

One possible solution is that a directory can be drawn up with instructions on how folks can access a particular service. Another exciting piece of news is that there is a pilot project happening in Princeton.

There is funding being arranged through this project so that paramedics are able to go directly to people's houses to check on things like blood sugar and blood pressure. The objective is to try to alleviate some of the scheduling pressures for the doctors. You can find out more information at www.sohc.ca.

YOUR AD HERE Do you have a business or rental property you’d like to advertise on our website – www.tulameenbc.com? We have expanded our Business Directory to include Local business advertisers as well as our website advertisers.

Accommodation listings $100/year Business listings $25/year. If linked to another website $50/year For more information contact: Mark (250)295­6639 or info@tulameenbc.com

REGISTERED CHARITY As you may be aware, the Tulameen Community Club is a registered charity and issues tax receipts for donations.

The Community Club has minimal administrative overhead and all monies generated benefit our community. If you want to donate, contact Mark Jones, at info@tulameenbc.com.

To find out more about the Community Club, please visit our website at www.tulameenbc.com.

THE LOST HARP OF JOHN PROSPER RALSTON

By Diane Sterne John Prosper Ralston was born in Wentworth, Ontario on October 18, 1891. His parents were Henry Edward Ralston (a merchant) and Emma Springer. Ralston was described as 5 ft. 9 inches tall and 165 lbs with grey eyes and brown hair. He had one sister, Mary and wed a woman named Josephine E. Gayesky of Warsaw, Poland in Tacoma, Washington on September 27, 1921. Josephine later went by the last name Hawley. They had three children: Gloria (b. 1923), Harry (b. 1925) and John Prosper, Jr. (b. 1928).

Over his lifetime, John Prosper became a famous harpist and opal collector. How does his life connect to this area, you ask? You are about to find out about an eccentric collector and his amazing tale.

John Prosper Ralston’s life was one of fortunes made and lost – adventures entertaining royalty and sleeping with beggars. While in Australia, Ralston became known as the “opal king”. He owned countless opals, but was most famous for purchasing the “Pandora opal” after WWII. Reported to be the largest black opal in the world, in its natural state it was about 711 carats. After being cut and polished it was 590 carats and 4 inches long, 2 inches wide and 1 inch deep. One stipulation upon his purchase was that the stone was never to be cut down. No one knows what happened to the Pandora opal after Ralston purchased it.

Ralston also enjoyed collecting dinosaur bones and carried his collection with him during his travels.

His ultimate ambition, however, was “to build a super harp capable of producing every shade of tonal colour that is not heard in the chromatic scale and with an overhead sound box dynamically controlled with foot pedals” (Montreal Gazette, 18 December, 1943). In 1933, the San Antonio Light newspaper reported “his new ambition is to produce an entirely new means of expression with a harp of his own fashioning and with the opals he has found. An almost illimitable range of sound will be achieved by the harp because it has strings and a sound board similar to that used by piano manufacturers. The harp is to be studded with $100,000 worth of opals.”

Ralston travelled the world and was even featured on the front cover of the British “Wide World Magazine for Men” in 1937 in a story entitled “The Man with The Harp”.

It was reported that Ralston owned a total of thirteen harps, but over the years he sold them all except the one harp which he took with him around the world and would not part with.

Amazingly, in his old age, John Prosper Ralston showed up in Coalmont! It was the 1970’s and Walt Smart recalled the day he picked up the man at the Princeton train station. He was going to rent a cabin from Walt. No one knew where Ralston came from, or why he chose to live in Coalmont. Walt stated that Ralston had four large crates with him. When asked what was inside the boxes, Ralston stated, “a 6­foot harp, a 6­foot mirror to go with the harp, radioactive ore and dinosaur bones.” Curious, but not wishing to seem too inquisitive, Walt drove him to Coalmont.

Walt remembered reading about a man named John Prosper Ralston. His grandfather had subscribed to the “Wide World Magazine” and sure enough, Walt found the story about the famous harpist.

Walt and his son, Jim Smart both recalled that Ralston kept mostly to himself. He explained he was in the process of rewriting the Bible and Jim Smart remembers seeing the Bible colour­coded with markers.

Ralston was a deeply religious man who would not speak on the Sabbath day. When spoken to on a Sunday, he would cover his mouth with his hand and wave the person away. No one recalls ever hearing Ralston playing his harp while he was in Coalmont.

After a few months, Ralston came to Walt and stated, “I’m leaving. They have me under surveillance.” Walt drove John Prosper Ralston back to Princeton where, amazingly, he sold his precious harp for train fare and left for places unknown. There are no records of his death and no records of him exist after getting on the train.

So the mystery remains...who in Princeton bought John Prosper Ralston’s famous harp? Do they still have it today? Do they realize the great historical significance of this instrument? Perhaps you should check your attic and basement to see if there is a large crate containing this opal­encrusted harp. Maybe YOU can solve the mystery of the lost harp of John Prosper Ralston.

THE HBC TRAIL STORY Resurrecting the Hudson Bay Brigade Trail from Hope to Tulameen The Hudson’s Bay trail is not only a recreational trail that stretches across the Cascade Mountains from Hope to Tulameen but it was of great historical significance in the development of British Columbia and the creation of Canada. Much of this ancient route was originally used by Aboriginal peoples for millennia. It was a series of survival trails that they used to trade and to gather and hunt for food. During the fur trading era, various trails were connected and improved to be used by the HBC horse brigades as an overland passage to move the rich furs from the north to the Pacific Ocean.

One of the oldest and most used route was the Hudson Bay Brigade Trail that was one of the only lines of communication in what is now the province of British Columbia from 1849 ­ 1860.

Back in the 1960’s, Penticton resident, Harley Hatfield and others worked for over thirty years to find, map and have these existent sections of trail protected. Harley passed away in 2000, but many of us have been following in Harley’s foot prints to help keep his vision alive.

In celebration of BC150 in 2008, we held an event to unveil a heritage trail kiosk at Jacobson Lake. We had re­opened the eastern section of the HBC trail as well as the Rice and Vuich Trails in the Cascades Forest District. Over 200 people attended including all five of Harley Hatfield’s grown children and members of the Okanagan Historical Society. The highlight of the day was the arrival of the Backcountry Horsemen of BC, in full brigade style, leading pack horses. They had left Fort Langley National Historic site 9 days earlier.

THE HBC TRAIL STORY In 2009, we located the western section of the trail that went west of Palmer’s Pond towards Hope. We then formed a group consisting of the Hope Mountain Centre, Backcountry Horsemen of BC, government agencies and other interested people in the HBC Trail. As a result of that meeting we developed a detailed plan to resurrect the entire HBC trail over the next five years. The western section of the trail had been lost in the paperwork but sections were still visible on the ground.

Since starting the project in 2010, many organizations, government agencies, individuals and groups have contributed financially. With this financial assistance, backed by thousands of volunteer hours, we have achieved our goal.

The last two years were the final push towards completion of the trail and it resulted in a 74 kilometer continuous route. Some sections that were lost to industrial activity and private ownership had to be re­ routed enabling the completion of the main route of the fur traders through the formidable Cascade Mountains of British Columbia.

When we first started the project we were not aware of just how important this trail was to the creation of British Columbia and in fact to Canada until researching information for the historical kiosks along the trail.

This trail not only saved the HBC’s fur trade in North America, it also played a role in securing the future of Canada. HBC Chief Factor in Fort Victoria, Sir James Douglas, acknowledged this in a letter to London in August of 1850.

“It is a great relief to have established the practicability of this route to the interior through the formidable barrier of mountains which separates it from Frasers River — while it will have the effect of imparting a greater degree of confidence of our own operations, it may also have an important bearing on the future destinies of the country at large; a triumph, probably the last of the kind reserved for the Fur Trade”.

The Backcountry Horseman of BC, Hope Mountain Centre and hundreds of volunteers have worked together to make sure this iconic route can be enjoyed by this generation and preserved for future generations.

We hope you will join us in celebrating the final trailhead kiosk unveiling on May 21, 2016 at 11:00 am, 3 kilometers west of Tulameen on Tulameen River Road. The Vermilion Forks Backcountry Horsemen will again highlight the event and Hope Mountain Centre will have a HBC Trail booth at the craft market in Tulameen. Maps and trail information will be available.

For more information on the trail, visit www.hopemountain.org

Tulameen Cooks SLOW COOKER BLACK BEAN SOUP 2 red onions, halved 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 3 medium carrots, cut into large chunks 4 cloves garlic, smashed 1 Tbsp all­purpose flour 1 lb(s) dried black turtle beans, picked over, rinsed and drained 1 smoked turkey drumstick (1 3/4 to 2 lbs) 2 Tbsp pickling spice, tied in cheesecloth ¾ tsp red pepper flakes Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro Sour cream and/or lime wedges, for garnish (optional) 1. Set aside half an onion and chop the rest. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium­high heat. Add the chopped onions, carrots and garlic; sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring, until slightly browned, 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water and scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Transfer the vegetables and cooking liquid to a slow cooker. Add the beans, turkey drumstick, pickling­spice packet, red pepper flakes and 8 cups water. Cover and cook on low 6 hours.

2. Remove the drumstick and shred the meat; keep warm. Remove about 2 cups beans from the cooker and blend until smooth (or partially blend with an immersion blender). Return the beans and turkey meat to the soup. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Mince the reserved 1/2 onion. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the cilantro and minced onion.

Garnish with sour cream and lime, if desired.

SEND US YOUR STUFF Submit your photos, historical articles, ideas, news items, events, births, deaths, marriages, and anniversaries for future newsletters to gmeinen@shaw.ca.

Newsletters are generally published in January, April, July and October.

Deadline for our SPRING/SUMMER newsletter is APRIL 15, 2016. Content for the last newsletter was awesome.

I really appreciate receiving your items because it makes my job a lot easier.

It also makes the newsletter interesting to all of those who know each other out there!

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Calendar of Events IMPORTANT DATES PRINCETON CALENDAR EVENTS MARCH 2016 Tuesday, March 29, 4:00 pm ­ 5:00 pm Airport Select Committee Meeting APRIL 2016 Saturday, April 2, 6:00 pm Legion Diamond Dinner Monday, April 4, 7:30 pm Town Council Meeting Tuesday, April 12, 7:00 pm Music Concert – Leaf Rapids Saturday, April 16, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm Flea Market, Bake Sale & Lunch Monday, April 18, 7:30 pm Town Council Meeting MAY 2016 Monday, May 2, 7:30 pm Town Council Meeting Sunday, May 8, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm Mother’s Day Brunch Wednesday, May 11, 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Mining Days