Women making their markPage 9

event listingsPages 2-6

service clubs support squamish daysPages 10-11

a very special loggers sports shoW Page 12

hospital gurney turns heads Page 14

JUly 31 to AUgUst 4, 2014

published by

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BEARDS, BEDS, PARADES AND PICNICS OFFERED TO SQUAMISH FAMILIES TO MARK B.C. DAY LONG WEEKENDCHIEF STAFF

There was a time when Squamish Days festivities kicked off with a beauty pageant featuring the talents of

Squamish’s bright young ladies who paraded on stage dressed in evening gowns.Oh, how things have changed as the 2014 edition of

Squamish Days will open with the first annual Beard Pageant!The long weekend of activities designed to celebrate

Squamish’s history as a community built primarily on forestry will run from Thursday, July 31 to Monday, Aug. 4. The multitude of events planned includes a fashion show,

axe throwing, running races, a parade, bed races and more.

THURSDAY, JULY 31

1ST ANNUAL BEARD PAGEANTDevlin Salon and Barber presents this fundraising event

at On The Farm Country Market. The competition is a fundraiser benefiting Big Brothers & Big Sisters Sea to Sky. The competition actually started in May when contestants started working on their beards while collecting pledges for the charity organization. The final judging is totally free to watch starting at 6 p.m.

CAMPFIRE SHOWDOWNThe second annual feat of fire will be a presentation of

On The Farm Country Market. Teams of two are tasked with building a fire that will boil water as fast as possible. The chopping begins at 6:30 p.m. on Mamquam Road just off Highway 99.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 1

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CHAIR CARVEThe chainsaws are sharpened, the gas tanks are full,

and the chair-carving contestants area ready to let sawdust fly. Big chairs will be cut out of raw logs, so will tiny toddler seats. The most talented chainsaw artists from around the world will be in Squamish to help raise funds for Big Brothers and Big Sisters Sea to Sky. It happens at Squamish Station Mall from 3

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to 5:30 p.m. Judging is scheduled for about 5 p.m.

DOWNTOWN SUMMER NIGHTS PARTYThe Squamish Business Improvement Area (BIA) invites

everyone to put on some pyjamas and get shopping. Downtown merchants will offer great deals along with food, music and family fun. The good time starts at 5 p.m. and continues until 10 p.m.

“INTO THE WOODS” ART FASHION SHOWLocal and visiting artists plan to display wearable art at

The Whistler Stop Boutique on Cleveland Avenue. The clothing is all inspired by Squamish’s surroundings. This free fashion show will also celebrate Squamish’s logging heritage starting at 6:30 p.m.

BED RACESCleveland Avenue is transformed into an arena where

everyday citizens perform feats of strength, overcome obstacles and solve problems in front of spectators on both sides of the downtown roadway. Teams of five people — four pushers and one rider — navigate hospital gurneys through two blocks of challenges designed to separate the lumberjacks from the lacklustre. Prizes are awarded to the fastest teams and the best costumes. The first heat is scheduled to race at 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2

CHILDREN’S SPORTSStan Clark Park will be packed with kids on decorated

bikes, wheelchairs and strollers. Entertainers will keep our budding athletes entertained between races and games courtesy of Squamish Terminals and McDonald’s Restaurant. It starts at 9:30 a.m.

continued on C4

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C4 | Loggers Sports Festival 2014 squamishchief.com THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

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Bed RacesBed Races

NOVICE AND INTERMEDIATE LOGGERS SPORTSInternational and local competitors with intermediate

skills will battle for spots in the World Class Open Loggers Sports show. This event for rookies at the Al McIntosh Loggers Sports Grounds is a fundraiser for the Sea to Sky Forestry Centre initiative. The entry fee is just $2 for adults and $1 for seniors and children under 12 thanks to the sponsorship of Inland Kenworth – Parker Pacific. Members of the Squamish Rotary Club will roast beef and put it on a bun for you at lunchtime. The gates will open at 1:30 p.m.

AXE THROW INVITATIONALChances Squamish at the corner of Valley Drive and

Highway 99 hosts the Invitational Axe Throw in the parking lot. The 30 best will converge to hit the centre marker as many times as they can in search of the prestigious title at this free event. The competition starts at 6 p.m.

SQUAMISH DAYS BINGOThe Royal Canadian Legion, Lions Club of Squamish and

the Squamish Days Loggers Sports Association invite players 19 years of age and older to grab playing cards and dabbers and drop by the Brennan Park Recreation Centre for a night of bingo. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the bingo caller will start pulling numbers and letters at 6:45 p.m.

LOGGERS STOMP The Match Eatery & Public House will host this

annual tradition at Chances Squamish. This party is for adults from 19 and up. A free shuttle will operate through the evening. Live music and dancing will start at 9 p.m. and continues all night.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 3

LOGGERS PANCAKE BREAKFASTThe Squamish Elks Club members rise early and

converge at Chieftain Centre to crack eggs, mix batter, fry sausage, brew java and cook pancakes to give everyone, including the best loggers sports competitors in the world, a strong start to the day. Adults pay $8 while seniors and kids under 12 get breakfast for $7 from 7 a.m. for the early risers until

11

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players 19 years of age and older to grab playing cards and dabbers and drop by the Brennan Park Recreation

11

Continued from C3

July 31 - Aug 4. 2014

C5 | Loggers Sports Festival 2014 squamishchief.com THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

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a.m. for those recovering from the Loggers Stomp

SQUAMISH DAYS 10K RUN AND FLASHBACK MILERegister online now and start hydrating

yesterday! The start line is at Howe Sound Secondary School, the mid-point is just north of Garibaldi Way and the finish line is at Capilano University. The race is part of the Lower Mainland Road Race Series. The sponsors are Race & Company, A&B Gem Jewellers and The Running Room. The course is flat and friendly for wheelchair athletes. A non-competitive stroller division is offered along with draw prizes available to every entrant. Race-day registration starts at 6:30 a.m. and the racing begins at 8:45 a.m.

SQUAMISH DAYS FESTIVAL PARADEThe Howe Sound Marine Rescue Society

once again presents the Squamish Days Festival Parade. Stake out a spot on

Cleveland Avenue between Vancouver Street and Pemberton Avenue and enjoy! Only bring your pets if they can handle sirens and other parade surprises. The floats will start rolling at 11 a.m.

WORLD-CLASS OPEN LOGGERS SPORTS SHOW Thousands of dollars in prizes are offered

to the best competitors in the world. Squamish Mills presents the big show this

Continued on C6

District - Loggers - 14301.indd 1 2014-07-08 2:28 PM

year, which will include a special appearance from Paula the Clown. The show will start with a bang at 1:30 p.m. at the Al McIntosh Loggers Sports Grounds on Loggers Lane. Come early, grab a beef on a bun sandwich cooked up by members of the Squamish Rotary Club and settle in for an afternoon of forestry fun. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and children under 12, with part of the proceeds going to local charities.

MONDAY, AUGUST 4

CLASSIC CAR SHOW N’ SHINEThe streets of downtown Squamish will fill with hot rods

and muscle cars courtesy of the Squamish Car Club. Trophies will be handed out in multiple categories and visitors get to help select the show’s favourite car. Drop by any time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

COMMUNITY PICNICTo mark the 50th anniversary of the incorporation of the

District of Squamish the district is holding a community picnic at O’Siyam Pavilion Park. Representatives from Squamish’s sister city Shimizu, Japan will be at the picnic. The event is free and it will start at 11 a.m. The picnic is scheduled to wrap up at 3 p.m.

Chair CarvingChair Carving

Continued from C5

July 31 - Aug 4. 2014

SQOMISH FORESTRY LPLog Purchases • Commission Log Sales

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WOMEN MAKING THEIR MARK IN LOGGERS SPORTS

STOCK SAW COMPETITION ADDED TO SQUAMISH DAYS FOR 2014

BY STEVEN HILLshill@squamishchief.com

Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival show secretary Debbie Patterson remembers a time when there really were no women’s events in the festival.“I’ve been involved in the festival for some 32 years,”

Patterson said, adding she had served many roles during that time, including two years as president of Squamish Days. “I originally organized the Miss Squamish pageant. When I started, it was all men’s events, with the only women’s event being the Jill and Jill sawing competition.”But a demand for more women’s events soon saw that

change.“People were always asking for more women’s

competitions,” Patterson said. “But adding more events is never easy, because we are a jam-packed show. We always try to keep the action moving.”Eventually, organizers devised a Ladies Triple event

— “blended” into the same men’s competitions — featuring the axe throw, single buck and choker race.“I love the choker race,” said Jacqulin McNicol, a

Squamish competitor who also serves as co-show chair for Squamish Days. “It’s always been my favourite event. It’s super fast… taking under 30 seconds to complete, but the amount of energy you expend over that short time frame is the equivalent to running an entire marathon.”McNicol has been testing her stamina, agility and

loggers’ skills in the women’s events for more than a decade. Eleven years ago, in fact, she became the first

woman from Squamish to do so in decades.“I’ve been competing since 2003,” she said. “There were

always women competing from different show centres, but there were no women from Squamish.“I got into it, because I was working in forestry at the

time, and went to the see the loggers sports show like everyone else in Squamish,” she said. “It was just incredible and immediately I thought, ‘I want to do that, too.’”So she made a call to Squamish Days president Bryan

Couture.“Bryan let me come to a show he was doing on the

island,” she said. “In between competitions, he let me try some things out. People have always been very supportive. Now you definitely see a lot more women competing than when I first started.”McNicol said competing against the men has never felt

difficult.“I’ve never seen it as any different,” she said. “You don’t

feel overwhelmed competing against the men. We’re all equal out there.”Patterson said women aren’t limited to the female-only

events, though.“They can participate in any event,” she said, “but they

are competing against the men.”That wasn’t a problem for Shana Verstegen, a birling

world champion from Wisconsin who last year beat the men in the open log rolling event. This year, she’s returning to defend that title.The women’s competitions have now become so

popular that organizers are adding one more to the lineup this year.“Based on lots of feedback, we are adding another

ladies event,” McNicol said. “We’ve now added a ladies stock saw competition.”

Patterson said the popularity of the women’s events and influx of new competitors every year is just a reflection of changing attitudes toward health and lifestyle.“Look at the popularity of things like Tough Mudder

and the Test of Metal,” she said. “I think more people are just interested in challenging themselves with different outdoor sports today. Women are no different.”

PHOTOS CLOCKWISE:

Jacqulin McNicol dashes with grace across the birling pond, chocker in tow.

The Jill and Jill cutting events attract female competitors like Danielle and Alora Paulsen from across North America. Their Father Wayne Paulson, is their oiler.

Shana Verstegen (left) surprised Brian Bartow and the rest of her competitors last year by rolling her way straight to the top in the birling pond.

Wishes continued success to the Squamish Days

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HISTORICAL COLLABORATION BETWEEN GROUPS IS KEY TO FESTIVAL SUCCESSBY ERIC ANDERSEN

There’s a long history in Squamish of community organizations cooperating every summer to present

the annual B.C. Day weekend tribute to Squamish’s forest industry roots.Local groups come together to create Squamish Days

every year in the first week of August. More than 400 individuals from various clubs pool their resources, wisdom, knowledge, historical perspective and passion to help the Squamish Days Loggers Sports Committee manage various pieces of the annual festival.

THE SQUAMISH VALLEY EQUESTRIAN ASSOCIATION (SVEA) has a long-standing tradition of chipping in to help create the long weekend celebrations. The club started helping out 57 years ago when the festival marked its first year.The SVEA was created before Squamish Days began.

The club is celebrating its 62nd anniversary this year.SVEA “Horsecapades” events shared venues and

volunteers with Loggers Sports in the very early years; and the two organizations have been close collaborators managing neighbouring facilities.SVEA sponsors and organizes the concessions for the

Squamish Days Loggers Sports Shows each year. This is the main fundraiser for the society, which promotes multi-discipline equine sport and recreation in Squamish and throughout the Sea to Sky corridor.Society fundraising supports its educational clinics,

the Equi-Fair community event, recreational activities and multi-discipline competitive events hosted throughout the year.

THE SQUAMISH ELKS LODGE #119 is even older than the SVEA. The Elks Club got its start in 1926.Involvement in loggers’ sports days began in the 1930s

and 1940s, when contests for spectators were held behind the Elks Hall on 2nd Avenue.The Loggers’ Pancake Breakfast hosted by the Elks for

the past 57 years is the lodge’s biggest and most important fundraiser.The breakfast this year will be held at the Chieftain

Centre on Sunday, Aug. 3 from 7 to 11 a.m.The Elks Club gets help each year from the Squamish

Lions Club.

THE LIONS CLUB organized the inaugural modern-era loggers sports festival. That first festival consisted of log bucking, tree falling, chopping, cable splicing and a nail driving competition for women in conjunction with the Fall Fair. The log birling took place in the Mamquam Blind Channel under the railway bridge. Spectators lined the banks of the channel.

THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION (RCL) was established in Squamish in 1931. Diamond Head Branch 277 was formed in 1972 when the RCL branch at Woodfibre amalgamated with the Squamish branch. The RCL members have been part of Squamish Days Logger Sports Festival for the last 42 years.The Diamond Head RCL Branch 277 hosts the

Squamish Days Giant Bingo each year. Proceeds from Branch 277 fundraising goes to local elementary schools, Hilltop House, Black Tusk Caledonia Pipe Band, 835 Griffin Air Cadet Squadron, Squamish Community Care, Sea to Sky Youth Centre, Squamish Food Bank, Squamish Helping Hands, the Historical Society, and a bursary program for graduating Howe Sound Secondary students.

THE ROTARY CLUB OF SQUAMISH was founded in 1966, and has been a part of the Squamish Days Logger Sports Festival since the early 1970s.Each year the Rotary Club sponsors the Rotary Beef

BBQ at the Logger Sports shows on Saturday and Sunday at the Al McIntosh Loggers Sports Grounds. The Rotary “Beef on a Bun” sandwiches are a popular draw of their own.

THE HOWE SOUND CURLING CLUB was established in 1964, when the first curling rink facility was completed. The present facility, adjacent the Squamish Valley Golf and Country Club on Mamquam Road, was opened in 1983.Howe Sound Curling Club facilities, just as with the Al

McIntosh Loggers Sports Grounds on Loggers Lane, was

built as a community volunteer initiative. In fact, to a great extent the two sets of facilities have been built and maintained by the same group of people.In addition to league play, the club hosts bonspiels, and

company and charity events on weekends throughout the curling season, and makes facilities available for community group meetings and other uses, like roller derby training, during summer months.Howe Sound Curling Club volunteers have managed

site security and ticket sales for Loggers Sports weekend for many years.

THE ROYAL CANADIAN MARINE SEARCH AND RESCUE (RCMSAR) STATION 04 is the newest service club member of the Squamish Days family, taking on the organizing of the annual Sunday morning Festival Parade.RCMSAR Station 04 at Squamish was formed in 2008 to

provide rescue support for the boating community in local waters, which are getting busier with expanding marinas and growing recreational vessel traffic.The Howe Sound Marine Rescue Society operates

RCMSAR Station 04. The Society started out with a handful of members and little equipment for training or services. Today, the squadron has over 20 dedicated volunteers and provides 24-hour marine search and rescue support with two rescue vessels.The Society raises funds for the station by hosting

fundraising events and applying for grants. Funds raised are used for the ongoing maintenance of the rescue vessels, to upgrade equipment, and to continue to build community rescue support and water safety programs.Other participating clubs in the past have included the

Squamish Emergency Program, the Kiwanis Club, the Kinsmen, the skating club, Teen Stop, the Estuary Conservation Society and the Squamish Harriers.

SERVICE CLUBS SUPPORT SQUAMISH DAYS

PHOTOS OPPOSITE PAGE

Left: George McKenzie (left) and Owen Carney are just two of the Rotary Club members who help to cook the beef to perfection over an alder wood fi re.

Right: Breakfast is served courtesy of volunteers with the Elks Club of Squamish.

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SQUAMISH 100TH ANNIVERSARY AMONG THE REASONS TO CELEBRATE SQUAMISH DAYS 2014 KIM VANLOCHEMSpecial to the Squamish Chief

Competitive loggers and spectators from all over the world will converge in Squamish this summer for the

57th annual Squamish Days Logger Sports.These aren’t your everyday athletes because Logger Sports

is anything but average. It’s a weekend where competitors chop, climb, cut and buck their way to thousands of dollars of prize money Saturday (Aug 2) and Sunday, (Aug. 3).Along with two World Class Logger Sports Shows, the

community festival has something for everyone. Spectators can also check out a parade, wacky bed races, a dance, a 10-kilometre road run, pancake breakfast, children’s sports, world champion chair carving and much more. This year the community is celebrating 100 years of

Squamish, which means spectators can expect a special edition of the Squamish Days Festival including a community picnic in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the District of Squamish’s incorporation. Representatives of Squamish sister city of Shimizu, Japan, will be in attendance for that event.“There are new types of events this year celebrating 100

years of Squamish along with favourites from the past,” said Bryan Couture, Squamish Days president. “Every year we try and step it up a bit while keeping to the classics.”Last year the calibre of the Logger Sports Shows was

showcased to a national audience via The Sports Network (TSN). This year, new events such as the ladies stock saw competition keep the calibre climbing. That’s in addition to the Ladies Triple, where female competitors must compete in the axe throw, choker race and single buck to be crowned champion. Each event is as exciting as the name suggests.“Locals love the axe throwing events. When people

discover Logger Sports, it surprises them. Last year a news manager from Vancouver stumbled on our event and said it was the greatest thing he had ever seen and put it on the air the next day,” Couture said.The festival started informally some 57 years ago with a

bunch of loggers hankering for some friendly competition. Couture said rules and regulations were eventually added for different events and the informal logging competition took on a life of its own.What started as a one-day event now attracts a handful of

European competitors and spectators. According to Couture, after Canadians introduced the sport to Europe in the 1980s, lumberjack events have become popular in other parts of the world. “There are guys coming out of Denmark, Australia and

New Zealand just for this event. I have been on the organizing committee for this since 1974 and just can’t seem to retire,” Couture said. “This event just keeps gaining steam.”The Squamish Logger Sports Festival showcases

Squamish’s rich heritage as well the community’s vibrant spirit. Most of the events are free, so it’s a great option for families.“We have locals that come and watch the show every year

and it’s never boring. Kids literally sit still for hours at a time,” Couture said. That’s no surprise, with events like the power saw tree

falling event, which is unique to the Squamish festival. The event features 20 trees that are more than 40 feet high and starts with loggers running to the trees in a mad fury as the sawing begins. Speed is only part of the event. Logs that miss the markers pushed into the grass don’t qualify for the prizing.“All 20 trees go down at once and when they hit the

ground, you can feel it in the stands. It gets the crowd going,” Couture said. According to Couture, the Squamish Days Logger Sports

festival is one of a kind, from the army of over 250 volunteers to the stunning Al McIntosh Logger Sports Grounds. “There is not a show grounds like ours in the world. No one

has the seating capacity like ours,” Couture said. “Competitors love it too. If you are local to Squamish, you need to come out this year.”Visit the Squamish Days website at www.squamishdays.ca

for a complete list of the weekend’s events. Follow the Squamish Days Twitter feed at twitter.com/squamishdays for the most up to date information.

BuckingBucking July 31 - Aug 4. 2014

A VERY SPECIAL LOGGER SPORTS

PHOTOS CLOCKWISE:

More chairs are carved in Squamish in August than all other months combined through the rest of the year.

Greg Hart, who is better known as Ramblin’ Jesse Elliott in Squamish, teams up with his wife Christina every year to delivera thrilling high wire act atop one of the climbing poles at the Al McIntosh Loggers Sports Grounds.

Nick Van Brocklin is one of the many axe throwing competitors who came to Squamish.

C13 | Loggers Sports Festival 2014 squamishchief.com THE SQUAMISH CHIEF

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10k RaceJuly 31 - Aug 4. 2014

BED RACE FUN WENT TO A NEW HEIGHT IN 2013

JOHN FRENCHjfrench@squamishchief.com

The Community Events Logistic vehicle pulled up to the intersection of Cleveland and Winnipeg at 6:55

p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2, 2013. Cliff Miller jumped out of the former ambulance, a 1964 GMC, and opened the back doors to pull out an engineering marvel.Eyes widened, curiosity was piqued and bed racers

watched in wonder as the Test of Metal bed race team unveiled its 2013 secret weapon.The gurney being eased out of the retired ambulance

wasn’t like the others traditionally used in the bed races each year, with their floppy wheels and stiff steering. No, this bed had mountain bike tires and colourful mountain bike suspension systems on all four corners.Immediately a crowd gathered around this bed and

dibs were being called.There was no doubt the Cadillac of gurneys would

make its debut pushed by the Test of Metal bed race team made up of Darlene Miller, Rinette Lagasse,Heidi French, Ryder French and, the youngest

member of the team, Piper French.“We wanted an advantage and figured 26-inch wheels

was better than six-inch wheels,” says Miller, the mastermind behind an attempt to win the 2013 race.When asked about the specifics of the design and

construction of the modified gurney, Miller was coy. He refused to identify the person who installed the over-sized wheels on the retired hospital bed.“He wishes to remain anonymous for fear of

repercussions from the international bed race community,” Miller says with a laugh.Miller did say the modified gurney went through a

few design phases before it performed well.“Once we got the front wheels straightened it went

great,” Miller recalls.With a smile on his face, Miller points out his team

didn’t cheat by introducing a modified bed. First, he

notes the rules don’t say anything about customizing gurneys. Second, he insists the Test of Metal team happily let other teams use the altered bed. While the bed looked good, it didn’t help the Test of

Metal team with its goal of winning the 2013 race. The team did win its heat but the racers weren’t fast enough to win the coveted Bed Race trophy given out each year to the quickest team of the evening.The team’s lack of experience, a penalty lap on the pie

eating challenge and willingness to share their secret weapon all combined to prevent the Test of Metal team from achieving its goal. The bed races were originally a true display of

athleticism with teams racing straight down Cleveland Avenue as fast as they could in heats of up to four beds at a time. The current format includes challenges along the course that change from year to year, but usually include a chicane around a series of pylons, a food challenge, a balloon popping challenge, an obstacle that involves cutting a log and the heats traditionally end with one team member setting a choker.

HOSPITAL GURNEY TURNS HEADS

Rinette Lagasse (front left) works with her Test of Metal Bed Race teammates Ryder French, Darlene Miller (front right), Heidi French and Piper French (on the bed) navigate a specially-designed hospital gurney in the 2013 bed race event.

Explore logging and other aspects of Squamish history at DigitalCollections.ca/SquamishLibrary

Thanks to all competitors for continuing the tradition.

The Digital History Collection is proudly hosted by Squamish Public Library. Discover more of what we have to offer at Squamish.BCLibrary.ca

Discover our Past Through the Squamish Digital History Collection

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