The Atlin Whisper

“Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world.”

Margaret Mead

The Atlin JCR Air Rifle Team Has Qualified for the National Shoot

In February the Atlin JCR team participated in a Yukon wide qualifying shoot, where they won the opportunity to attend the 1 CRPG territorial shoot Over this past weekend the Atlin JCR competed Against 9 other JCR teams from across the north.

Yukon – Northwest Territories –Nunavut

The Atlin JCR Team placed 2nd overall (narrowly missing 1st place) and won the opportunity to represent 1CRPG at the National Shoot in St. Catherine’s ON in May 2023.

They will be competing against 14 other teams from all across Canada at this event.

Congratulations and we wish them lots of luck.

The Atlin JCR have been working hard over the past few years to get this opportunity to represent Atlin at a National level!

Movie Club

Sunday March 26, 2023

Edie

Doors Open 6:30 Runs 7:00 – 8:45

Starring: Sheila Hancock, Kevin Guthrie, Amy Manson

Directed by: Simon Hunter

Adventure: Believing that it's never too late, newly widowed Edie embarks on a trip to the Scottish Highlands to fulfill her dream of climbing the intimidating Mt. Suilven, striking up a friendship with a young climber along the way.

Sunday April 2, 2023

The Witness For The Prosecution – Agatha Christie

Doors Open 6:30 Runs 7:00 – 9:00

Starring: Toby Jones, Andrea Riesborough, Billy Howle, Kim Cattrall

Directed by: Julian Jarrold

Legal Mystery: When Emily is brutaly murdered in her home, all evidence points to her young lover, to whom the heiress left her fortune. Emily’s devoted housekeeper proclaims the lovers guilt, but he insists that his wife can prove his innocence. Enter

“Rise and Shine”

Early light on a crisp morning day spreads slowly around my bedroom. Soon, a spotlight of sun inches closer as I snuggle under covers in bed. When it reaches my head on the pillow my face feels warmer as with loving kisses.

I’m awake but can’t imagine getting up in a chilly house until the thought of a cup of full-bodied coffee gets to me. The only hurdle is figuring out how to coax myself out of the warm bed.

Jeff Salmon

And then…

I remember when I was a young boy in summer camp the counselors had us warm up by singing this song with gusto. It always worked! The chill disappeared.

“Rise and Shine and Give God Your Glory Glory, Rise and Shine and Give God Your Glory Glory, Rise and Shine and Give God Your Glory Glory, Children of The Lord.”

Land Act and Water Sustainability Act:

Notice of Application for a Disposition of Crown Land and Allocation of Water

Atlin Hydro Expansion Project: Lands File #6409240

Take notice that Tlingit Homeland Energy Limited (Proponent) of Atlin, BC has applied to the British Columbia Ministry of Forests (FOR), Skeena Region for approval of a new hydroelectric power project located on Provincial Crown land near Atlin, BC. The proposed Project would generate approximately 9 megawatts (MW) of energy.

The proposed Project requires a General Area Licence of Occupation for waterpower purposes and a Water Licence. The proposed Project will also require various other provincial authorizations including a Utilities permit in the Atlin Highway right-of-way and timber cutting authorization for the Project footprint.

The Proponent has undertaken a redesign of the Project since the Project was previously advertised in 2021. FOR has received a revised Development Plan from the Proponent and invites your comments. Please visit the FOR Applications, Comments and Reasons for Decision website at https://comment.nrs.gov.bc.ca to view a summary of the Development Plan and provide comments. The Plan is intended to identify, assess, and address the impacts of the proposed project, as well as provide a detailed description of the activities related to project construction and operations.

A printed copy of the Development Plan can also be viewed at the Service BC office in Atlin. Comments concerning this application should be directed to Andrea Scarth, Project Manager, Skeena Region, Ministry of Forests (FOR) at Bag 5000, 3726 Alfred Avenue, Smithers, BC, V0J 2N0 or by email at Andrea.Scarth@gov.bc.ca. Comments will be received by FOR up to April 30, 2023. FOR may not be able to consider comments received after this date.

Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be considered part of the public record. Access to these records requires the submission of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/freedomofinformation to learn more about FOI submissions.

A Small Town In The North Ii

The Ground, Northern Duds, Laundry Day, and Common Sense

by Paul Lucas

Down Here On The Ground

Atlin is a mining town. Still, there’s mining and there’s mining. You can mine for lead/zinc, copper, uranium ... And then you can mine for gold.

Gold mining, and in particular Placer Mining, (as described in the ‘Famous Hamburger’ tale), has a certain cache. There’s a glamour attached to the whole business. Pulling gold out of the ground bestows a certain swagger.

The ground has always played a major role in Atlin’s identity, and while the gold in that ground is of obvious importance, there’s more to it than that. There is an energy running through the earth here that seems to charge every new idea, every new enterprise, with some sort of bristling electricity.

Some people think this might be caused by the intersection of electromagnetic grid lines running through that earth. Enough, in fact, that a few folks decided at one point, to see if that was, indeed, the case. So in true Atlin fashion, they knocked up a couple of buildings on these locations of intersection to see if there might be an effect of some sort on the inhabitants. One took the form of a log pyramid in the centre of town. Ilene, Dacey and I ended up living in that pyramid for an entire year. As far as we could figure, we didn’t end up being affected one bit.

Of course, if it hadn’t been for the tin foil hats ...

A Northern Dress Code

Other than parkas and pack boots, there really isn’t a discernible dress code in the North. Sure, you’ll see the rare dude dressed up in various versions of shirt and tie, but you know it’s under duress, and you can be pretty sure he either works for a corporation or the government.

When a local shows up in a suit at the cafe, the eyebrows immediately go up.

“A marriage or a funeral John, which is it?”

“No Eddy, I think it’s a date, he even combed his hair.”

“Well, she must be a looker, cause he pressed his pants too.”

“Sorry to disappoint you boys, but court’s in town. I’m up on a poaching charge”.

“Squirrels out of season again?”

“I wish.’

Laundry Day

It’s a Big Day in the Old Home Town - It’s Laundry Day

What kind of man is willing to stalk around the cabin in his old cargo pants with no top button, no underwear, packboots without socks, and that old shirt from the workshed that stinks of gasoline? A man of a degenerate nature that’s who - the type of man who leaves his laundry ‘til the very last minute. I am that man.

The situation having reached critical mass, I have no choice but to drag my laundry bags out to the truck and head down to the Caribou laundromat. I will have, of course, forgotten the proper change, so a trip to Pine Tree services will be necessary - a short walk down the hill - a trip I’m expecting to be a tad clumsier on the return, swimming around as I’ll be in my boots with fourteen pounds of change swinging about in my buttonless cargo pants pocket.

Once the machines are started, I’ll have to wait. There’s really no choice, because there is no way I’m going down to the cafe in this scarecrow outfit. So, with machines ‘a poundin’, water sloshing, and that ‘fragrant spring’ softener breeze washing over me, I guess I’ll just shuffle around the joint while the machines do their magic. Maybe I’ll bury my head in that Louis L’Amour novel sitting in the rotating ‘take one leave one’ metal shelf in the corner. Or not.

Common Sense

The Common Currency of Small Towns Everywhere

Small towns are pretty cavalier when it comes to rules and regulations. Common sense goes a long way in law enforcement. Drinking in public, for example, is tolerated as long you follow the ‘Don’t be a Dick’ rule.

‘Fun Days,’ is the perfect example. It’s a party that takes place smack dab in the middle of the Atlin winter. It features plenty of booze and shenanigans. Our local cop at the time, Derek Strong, managed to deal with the situation one year in typical northern fashion - by sticking his head in the bar at closing time and yelling,

“Alright you lot. In ten minutes I am going to be driving out the Warm Bay Road. Anybody with any sense needs to jump in their truck and follow me. It’s a one time offer. Get on board.”

Now that’s common sense.