vol2issue39

19
P IONEER Serving The Upper Columbia Valley including Spillimacheen, Brisco, Edgewater, Radium, Invermere, Windermere, Fairmont and Canal Flats Vol. 2/Issue 39 Your Weekly Source for News and Events September 30, 2005 Contents News 2 Perspective 6 Sports 12 Classifieds 16 10 The Upper Columbia 19 Giving Grant FREE ONCE YOU START SAVING, YOUR MONEY WILL MULTIPLY. Start saving, even a little bit at a time, and you’ll be surprised how fast your savings will grow. Soon enough you’ll be able to afford the things you want most. Need help? Call us. 4 Search and rescue Spreading hope Brandi Ponych and daughter Jersey enjoy an autumn day at Lake Windermere. Photo by Lisa Ede, Raven Media A day at the beach

Upload: emily-rawbon

Post on 08-Mar-2016

213 views

Category:

Documents


1 download

DESCRIPTION

ONCE YOU START SAVING, YOUR MONEY WILL MULTIPLY. Spreading hope Search and rescue News 2 Giving Grant F R E E Sports 12 Brandi Ponych and daughter Jersey enjoy an autumn day at Lake Windermere. Perspective 6 Classifieds 16 Your Weekly Source for News and Events Photo by Lisa Ede, Raven Media Start saving, even a little bit at a time, and you’ll be surprised how fast your savings will grow. Soon enough you’ll be able to afford the things you want most. Need help? Call us. Vol. 2/Issue 39

TRANSCRIPT

PIONEERServing The Upper Columbia Valley including Spillimacheen, Brisco, Edgewater, Radium, Invermere, Windermere, Fairmont and Canal Flats

Vol. 2/Issue 39 Your Weekly Source for News and Events September 30, 2005

ContentsNews 2

Perspective 6

Sports 12

Classifi eds 16

10

The Upper Columbia

19

Giving Grant

IONEERFREE

ONCE YOU START SAVING, YOUR MONEY WILL MULTIPLY.Start saving, even a little bit at a time, and you’ll be surprised how fast your savings willgrow. Soon enough you’ll be able to afford the things you want most. Need help? Call us.

4

Search and rescue

Spreadinghope

Brandi Ponych and daughter Jersey enjoy an autumn day at Lake Windermere.Photo by Lisa Ede, Raven Media

A dayat the beach

2 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer September 30, 2005

VALLEYpanachesuites.com

SPACE FOR LEASE

For further information:Phone Dallas (250) 342-1019

Approximately 2700 sq. ft.located next to

Stober’s Department Store(current Pharmasave location)

�������������������������������

����������������������������

�������������������������������������

��������������

�����������

�����������

������������

������������

�������������

������������

����������������������

������������� �� �������� �� �� ����������������� ��� �������������� � ������ ���������� ���������� ��� ���� ������ �������������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� �����������

�������������� ����� ������ ����� �������� ������������ ������ ���� ������������ ������ � ������ ����� ����������� ��� ������ ��� ����� ���������� ���� �������� ��������� ���������������������������������������������������

�������������� ���� ������� ����� ��� ���������� ���� ���� �������� ������������� ����� ������� �������������� �������� �������� �������� ��������� ���������� ��������������������������������������������������������������������� ��������������

���������� ����������� ��� ���� ��������������������������������������������������� ������ ���� ���������������������������������������� ��������� ���������� ������������������������������������������������

�����������������������������

����� ��������� �������� �������� ��������� ��� ���� ����� ������������ ������ ������������������������������������������ ��������� ������ ����� ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

�����������������������������

����� ����� ��� ��� ����� ���� ���� �������� ��������� ���� ������ ������ ������ ����� ������� ���� ���������� ���� �������� ����� ���������� ����� ��������� ���������������������������������������������������

HOME HOLIDAYS

Craft and Artisans SaleSaturday October 8th

11:00 am to 3:00 pm

10-11am Sneak-A-Peak PreviewPynelogs Cultural Centre, Invermere, BC

(Follow Kinsmen Beach Signs)

Pies, Seasonal Produce, Holiday Treats and Much More!!!

Presented To You By: Th e Market GirlsEva 342-8819 or Rosemary 342-0030

FOR THE

Home HardwareBuilding Centre

342-6908

TIP OF THE WEEK

Tom says,“Home Hardware has a

great selection of chimney cleaning products

and fi re logs.”

WE’VE GOT YOUR LUMBER.

Universal Doors & ExteriorsSales • Service • Installation

Industrial - Commercial - Residential• Garage Doors • Passage Doors • Truck Doors

• Windows • Sunrooms • Patio Covers • Vinyl Decking • Aluminum Railings

• Siding • Soffi t • Fascia • Window Capping • Renovations

Arnold Scheffer Phone: 250-342-6700

By Adrian BerglesPioneer Staff

Teachers in the Rocky Mountain School District cut back their services on Wednesday after teachers across the province voted 88 percent in favor of strike action last week.

Anne Jardine, head of the local Windermere Teachers’ Association, did not provide the local num-bers, but said they were similar to those in other areas of the province.

“I can assure you our numbers are not soft,” she said. Ms. Jardine said 100 percent of active teachers in the area took the vote.

Th e strike will be enacted in stages, she said. Th e fi rst phase of the strike began this week with teach-ers refusing to perform 23 diff erent services like recess supervision, attending staff meetings, or preparing re-port cards.

“We’re hoping that two weeks of looking after every recess will put pressure on the employers,” said Ms. Jardine.

School clubs and sports activities will not be af-fected, she said. “I don’t think phase one will directly aff ect students,” she says.

Rocky Mountain School District superintendent Bendina Miller said this week her administration was working to prepare for the strike.

“Our principals are in the process of fi nalizing the supervision schedules,” she said.

Ms. Miller said she is in regular contact with the British Columbia Public School Employers’ Associa-tion, the group negotiating with the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation, but can’t speculate when a reso-lution might be reached.

“Th ere will be a resolution, whether it’s an agree-ment at the table or legislation,” she says

Since the Public School Employers’ Association was created in the early 1990s, every teachers’ contract has been legislated.

Ms. Jardine said teachers are intent on breaking that chain. “I’ve never seen this level of determination before,” she said.

Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Norm Mac-donald says past contracts legislated by government haven’t worked.

“Th e government moved quickly to legislation with the last contract,” he said. “Th ey gave a seven-per-cent raise but took away guarantees for minimum standards for classrooms.”

Th e main concerns are classroom sizes and a wage increase. Th e Public School Employers’ Association is off ering no wage increase, and currently there are no restrictions on class sizes from grades four to 12.

Rosemary Oaks, Chair of the David Th omp-son Secondary School Parent Advisory Council, said groups like hers are keeping abreast of the issue.

“We had a meeting last Wednesday to discuss what might happen,” she said. She said parents are concerned what a strike will mean for their children and for themselves, but are confi dent phase one of the strike will not aff ect them greatly.

“Th ere is concern in the back of our minds,” she said.

Phase two, which would begin in two weeks, would involve rotating strikes with teachers missing one or two days each week.

Phase three, starting four weeks from now, would mean a full work stoppage.

Teachers pull back from job duties

The Upper Columbia Pioneer • 3September 30, 2005

NEWS

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

The Council of the Village of Canal Flats is considering an application by Tridem Holdings Ltd to amend the Canal Flats Offi cial Settlement Plan and Upper Columbia Valley Zoning Bylaws. If approved, the amendments will change the land use designation and rezone the properties. The subject property is Lot 1, Plan NEP78686, District Lot 110, Kootenay District located at 4849 Burns Avenue.

Bylaw No. 46 cited as “Village of Canal Flats – Canal Flats Offi cial Settlement Plan Bylaw, 1981 - Amendment Bylaw No. 46, 2005 (Tridem Holdings)” will change the land use designation of the property from R-1 (MH) Single Family (Mobile Home) to M Medium Density Residential.

Bylaw No. 47 cited as “Village of Canal Flats Upper Columbia Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 1992 - Amendment Bylaw No. 47, 2005 (Tridem Holdings)” will rezone the property from the R-1(MH) Single Family Residential Mobile Home zone to a new R-4 B Multiple Family Residential – Medium Density zone.

The public hearing will be held at: Canal Flats Civic Centre 8909 Dunn Street Canal Flats, BC Wednesday, October 5th, 2005 at 7:00 pm

If you believe that your interest in property is affected by the proposed Bylaw, you may, prior to the hearing:• inspect the Bylaw and supporting information at the Village

Offi ce in Canal Flats from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Tuesday through Friday;

• mail, fax or email written submissions to the addresses/numbers shown above; or

• present written and/or verbal submissions at the hearing.

SUBMISSIONS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE

PUBLIC HEARINGAll written submissions are public information pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. This notice is not an interpretation of the Bylaw. For further information please contact the Village offi ce.

Bruce WoodburyAdministratorSeptember 13, 2005

Box 159, 8853 Grainger RoadCanal Flats, BC V0B 1B0Phone (250) 349-5462 Fax (250) 349-5460Email: [email protected]

panachesuites.com

Radium HotSprings Esso

AUTOMOTIVEREPAIRS7 days/week

Gas ~ Propane ~ Diesel

Greyhound freight and passenger

depot.

347-97267507 Main St. West, Radium

The Links

�����������������������

����������������������������������������

�����������������������������������������������������������

�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

�����������������������������������������

����������������������

������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������

����������������������������������

�����������������������������������

GOLD: TOPCROP($1000) SANDOR EQUIPMENT RENTALSILVER: STEEPLES VETERINARYCLINIC($500) ROBERTSON & COBRONZE: DR. DAVID BURWASH($250) CRANBROOK VETERINARYHOSPITAL

INVERMERE VETERINARYHOSPITALGOLD CREEK VETERINARYCLINICLAMBERT INSURANCEAGENCYLAMBERT KIPP PHARMACY

By Pioneer Staff Local residents were shocked and saddened to

hear that Invermere man Arthur Louie, 60, was killed in a recent grizzly bear attack about 100 ki-lometres southeast of Prince George.

His body was found by Prince George Conser-vation Offi cers early Th ursday morning, Septem-ber 22nd.

Mr. Louie, a prospector, was working out of a remote camp.

He was found by conservation offi cers in the woods adjacent to a remote logging road, his bro-ken-down vehicle seven kilometres away.

“It is apparent from the investigation that he surprised a sow with two cubs at very close quar-ters,” said Bob Coyle, Prince George’s senior Con-servation Offi cer.

Mr. Louie is survived by his wife Jacqueline and two daughters Andra and Meisha.

A service for Mr. Louie will be held at Christ Church Trinity at 2 p.m., Monday, October 10th.

By Adrian BerglesPioneer Staff

Th e District of Invermere has agreed to go for-ward with a proposal by Fossil Water Corporation, a Calgary water company, to fi nd a new source of groundwater in Athalmer.

Th e deal, called the Athalmer Cooperative Well Project, was endorsed by council at a special meeting last Friday after being reviewed by lawyers.

Working on behalf of several developers, Fossil Water will use information provided by the District of Invermere and Global Earth Solutions, a geology company previously hired by Pointe of View Develop-ments to do groundwater research.

Pointe of View are the developers of the proposed high-density Lake Windermere Pointe project in Athalmer.

In an interview Tuesday, Brian Nickurak, the dis-trict’s Municipal Works Director, said under the agree-ment any successful wells would become property of the district. “Th is water will become the district’s to distribute,” he said.

Mr. Nickurak said the district will not pay for any of the research and production of a well in Athalmer.

He said developers who fund the project will be re-imbursed in development cost charge credit upon the completion of a successful well. Development cost charg-es are fees the district imposes on developers to help pay

for infrastructure costs associated with building.If the wells prove unsuccessful, no credit will be

given. “No water, no credits,” says Mr. Nickurak.Mr. Nickurak said any water that comes from the

well must, at minimum, meet Health Canada’s Ca-nadian drinking water quality guidelines and the well must produce adequate volume to satisfy the district.

Bill Berzins, president of Fossil Water, said the lo-cation of any new wells and the timeframe for drilling has not yet been determined.

“We’ll be convening experts over the next week or two to determine the best drilling location,” he said by telephone on Monday.

He said his fi rm will be relying on advice from Global Earth Solutions and Golder Associates, an en-gineering consulting fi rm also employed by the dis-trict. “Th ose two are on board for now,” he said.

Th e Athalmer Cooperative Well Project is the dis-trict’s counter-proposal to three earlier proposals put forward by Fossil Water. One of the earlier proposals included shared public/private ownership of any suc-cessful wells in Athalmer.

“It’s preferable to the district that we have control over the wells,” said Mr. Nickurak.

Doug McIntosh of Radium, project director of Lake Windermere Pointe, says while there are no guarantees, the development community is confi dent water will be found in Athalmer.

“Th ere is no risk to the taxpayer,” he says.

Developers to pay for drilling

Invermere man killed by grizzly

The Upper Columbia Pioneer • 5September 30, 2005

����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

��� ���� ��� ��� ������ ��� ����� ������ ����� ������������� ����� ����� ������� ����������������������������������������������������������������������������

��� ���� ��� ��� ������ ��� ����� ����� ����� ������������� ����� ����� ������� �����������������������������������������������������������������������������

��� ����� �������� ��� ���� ��� ������ ������ �������������� ����� ����� ������������� �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

�������� ���� �������� �������� ����� ������ ��� ���� ���������� �������� ���������� ��� ����� ������������������ �������������� �������������� �������������������������������� �����������������������������������������������������������

������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

�������� ���������� ���� ����� ���� ��������������������������

��� ���� �������� ����� ����� ��������� ��� ����������������� ��� �������� ��� ���� ��������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ����������� ��� �������� �������� ����� ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

������� ����� ����� ������ ��������������� �������������������������������������������������������������������������������

������������������������������������������������������������������

District of Invermere

P.O. BOX 339, 914 8th AVENUE, INVERMERE, B.C. V0A1K0

TELEPHONE: (250) 342-9281 FAX: (250) 342-2934

�����������������������������������������������������

Featuring clothing fromStober’s Department Store

& the Radium Resort’sFamous “Pasta Night” Cuisine

Wednesday, November 2nd.Dinner 6pm - 7:30pmFashion Show 7:30pm

Tickets available at Stober’s$30.00/person

Fashion Benefit for Spring

All proceeds from the evening will benefit Spring’s recovery fund.

♥�The Grief Recovery ®Outreach Program

FamilyResourceCentre

&KDS

Consulting

Weather your loss is from:• Death • Loss of Relationship• Loss of Trust • Any Other Signifi cant Loss

Info Session Tuesday,October 11th at 7:30 Pm

Valley Connections625 4th Street, Invermere (Next to FRC)

For more info (250) 342-4242

Pioneer briefsTh e location of a public hearing regarding a potential housing development

adjacent to the Mount Nelson Athletic Park has been changed.Originally set for 7 p.m. October 3rd at the Invermere Community Centre,

the meeting will now take place inside council chambers at the district offi ce. Th e date and time have not been changed.

Quiniscoe Homes has applied to have four parcels of land rezoned to allow town homes on the site, requiring a bylaw change.

District of Invermere’s Director of Development Services Meredith Hamstead told council on September 13th that a public hearing was needed because the proj-ect has met “substantial resistance from local property owners.”

* * *A meeting of mountain bikers hopeful of starting a collective is planned for

the Invermere Chamber of Commerce offi ce at the crossroads at 7 p.m. October 6th.

“What I’m trying to do is put together a group to organize the trails we ride,” says Darcy Lehr, maintenance manager at Panorama and the club’s organizer.

He says development threatens many local bike trails. “We’re losing them,” he says. “We could lose all our trails without having a voice.”

Mr. Lehr hopes the proposed non-profi t group can attract the attention of the district.

“Mountain biking is a viable part of the tourism base,” he says. “It just needs to be developed.”

For more information call Darcy at 341-1331.

* * *Toby Th eatre owners Ron and Elizabeth Peters would like citizens of Invermere

who support them in their refusal to comply with the district’s sign bylaw to let the mayor and council know how they feel.

“We’d like people to visit our website and send the District an email or a let-ter,” Mrs. Peters said this week.

Th e future of the Toby is in question since the district decided to enforce the sign bylaw, originally passed in 2001. Th e bylaw states all Invermere businesses must register their signs.

Th e District would like businesses to comply with the bylaw in order to regu-late the number and size of signs around town.

Although none of Th e Toby Th eatre’s signs must be changed, the owners nev-ertheless have maintained they will close the 53-year-old business rather than reg-ister them and pay a $45 fee.

At issue are the advertising posters that the Peters place in the theatre’s win-dows. “What we want is some common sense,” Mrs. Peters said. “Our windows are not signs.”

Th e Peters have posted a copy of a letter sent to Meredith Hamstead, the town’s planner, on their website and plan on posting any future correspondence.

“We’re not trying to hide anything,” Mrs. Peters said. Th e Toby Th eater is online at www.tobytheatre.com.

6 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer September 30, 2005

PERSPECTIVE

is independently owned and operated and is published weekly by Elinor Florence.

Box 868, #8, 1008 - 8th Avenue, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0Phone (250) 341-6299 Toll Free 1-877-341-6299Fax (250) 341-6229 Email: [email protected]

www.uppercolumbiapioneer.com

Bob EdeCreative Director

Lisa EdeCreative Director

Dave SutherlandAdvertising Sales

is independently owned and operated and is published weekly by Elinor Florence.

is independently owned and operated and

PIONEERThe Upper Columbia

Elinor FlorencePublisher

Adrian BerglesReporter

Shannon CrossOffi ce Manager

Th e material, written or artistic may not be reprinted or electronically repro-duced in any way without the written consent of the publisher. Th e opinions and statements in articles, columns and advertising are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff of Th e Upper Columbia Pioneer. It is agreed by any display advertiser requesting space that the newspapers responsibility, if any, for errors or omissions of any kind is limited to the amount paid for by the advertiser for that portion of the space as occupied by the incorrect item and there shall be no liability in any event greater than the amount paid for the advertisement.

Bob FriesenAdvertising Sales

Historical Lens

By Adrian BerglesPioneer Staff

As I sit down to write this editorial, the leaves on the trees surrounding the Pioneer offi ce are a lovely shade of yel-low. Many of them lie on the ground and in the gutters in the street.

Autumn is here. It’s hard to believe, really. Another summer has passed by, the sun burning up the warm months and leaving us with the cool, mellow fall we’re all enjoying.

It’s been fi ve months now since my girlfriend Stephanie and I loaded up our pickup and came west from Sas-katchewan to begin our new lives in the Columbia Valley.

Over those past months we’ve started a home in a new province, and made some terrifi c friends that help make this place feel more like home all the time.

Over the fi rst summer of my jour-nalism career I have enjoyed some great personal experiences like chili-testing at the Spilli Chilli Cookoff , riding in and writing about my fi rst downhill mountain bike race at Panorama, rid-ing along with Radium RCMP Con-stable Rob Weaver and even taking the Invermere Volunteer Fire Department’s entry test.

Th e valley has been the setting

for all of those great moments and it has truly been a thrill to experience so much of what makes this place great.

Along with those positive experi-ences there have been some tragedies that have required careful and sensitive treatment. For me, personal tragedies are the toughest part of my job. I’m still trying to come to terms with how to balance the public’s need to know with protecting personal privacy.

An example is Spring Hawes’ ac-cident. At fi rst the details surrounding the accident made me uneasy. I am a mountain biker myself and it is not fun reporting on another rider’s mis-fortune.

As the story unfolded, however, I realized the press could play an impor-tant role in refl ecting and informing on this community’s generous response to Spring’s tragedy. It has been a pleasure to report on the outpouring of support Spring has received.

Of course there’s never a shortage of news stories to write. A resident cou-gar and the water shortage have kept us here at Th e Pioneer busy all summer.

In a short time I have become quite comfortable in my valley surroundings. It has been my pleasure to bring you the news over the past few months and I look forward to continuing that work in the future, one season at a time.

North West Mounted Police camp at Fort Steele 1887. Photos from the Ede Family Collection

LETTER TO THE EDITORDear Editor:

I read your article a couple of weeks ago discussing the high gas prices and how they aff ect the valley, but I think there is more to be concerned about than just gas prices.

Gas prices going up is the symptom to the problem and the problem is “Peak Oil.” Yes, things like Hurricane Katrina have caused momentary blips in the price of fuel as did the power blackout of 2003, as did the OPEC oil embargo of the 70s, as will other smaller crises, but the big crisis about to present it self is Peak Oil.

Peak oil is the point at which the world has reached its maximum oil production capacity and therefore can no longer meet the global demand for oil. At that point we have not run out of oil but we can’t keep up with demand. When supply can’t keep up with demand the product becomes expensive.

Cheap oil is what has been running our society for the last 100 years and with-out cheap oil the growth we have been experiencing in not sustainable. Everything from the food we eat (pesticides and fertilizers are made from fossil fuels), the farm and industrial equipment we operate, the cars we drive, the stuff we build, the heat for our buildings, the plastic we make, and much of the electricity we generate, re-quires this cheap source of energy.

Basically our economy is hooked on oil, a drug, a form of energy that is non renewable and as it becomes more scarce we need to wean ourselves off it and adapt.

When is peak oil going to happen? Experts predict that peak oil will occur be-fore 2010, if it has not already happened, and to research more, just Google: “peak oil”.

So what do we do? We inform people, we reduce fossil fuel use, we explore al-ternative energy sources, we buy local, not global, and we get ready for a period of negative growth (recession).

U.S. oil production peaked in the early 70s and natural gas production peaked in the 90s, leaving them increasingly dependent on foreign sources of more expen-sive fossil fuels. As they become more dependent on foreign oil and gas, they need to secure more oil to run their economy. Can you say IRAQ?

Dale Wilker, Invermere

At home in the valley

8 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer September 30, 2005

When the going gets

tough.

Columbia Valley Trading Co.

Outdoor Clothing & GearInvermere, BC

342-3366

By Lisa M. Rohrick

Yesterday I spent the day out in a remote village with my Fulani friends. Th e occasion was a family work bee, along the lines of the old “barn raising” parties. Only this time the task was to weed the millet fi elds. Th ere were over 30 men there, and they spent the day working under the hot sun, weeding between rows of millet with their hoe-like tools.

I spent the day with the women, whose job

was to feed the work crew. Not only was I given my usual task of peeling the garlic for the sauce, but they also trusted me with mixing a big bowl of chobal. Chobal is a dietary staple of the Fulani people here in Niger, West Africa. It’s a combination of pounded, uncooked millet and sour milk. As the grainy mixture was oozing between my fi ngers, I was having a mental conversation with my breakfast, urg-ing it to stay where I had put it!

When a dozen bowls of chobal were ready, we delivered them to the men in the fi eld for their lunch break. Yes, I was included in that too. One of the women lifted a heavy bowl onto my head, instructed me not to spill it (!), and I joined the line-up of the delivery brigade. I went along pretty slowly, but happily delivered my cargo without incident.

As we returned to the grass hut that was our headquarters for the day, walking through fi elds of 12-foot millet plants, I was thinking that this does not look like a country where there is a famine. But then we did a detour past the family granary, which is where last year’s millet is stored. It’s empty! Th ey told me it’s never been empty before. And there’s still another month or more before this year’s crop will be harvested.

As we walked, I was also thinking about my summer holiday, which I spent in England. One thing I thoroughly enjoyed was eat-ing multi-grain bread and a large variety of fresh vegetables and sea-sonal fruits that we can’t get in Niger. And while I was there, feasting

on broccoli and peaches, Niger’s famine was the lead story in the news for several evenings.

My last day in England I walked along the Th ames River through a wealthy village, passing mansions surrounded by meticu-lous grounds, with an abundance of restaurants and well-stocked supermarkets down the road. Two weeks later, I trekked through a “tunnel” of towering millet plants, past grass huts in the middle of hand-weeded fi elds with an empty granary down the path. What a contrast! And here I sit somewhere in the middle, trying to fi gure out how God wants me to use my money.

A question I am often asked when I’m at home is: “What’s the hardest thing for you about living in Africa?” Th is is it. I live in ten-sion, going back and forth between being poor in a rich world and being rich in a poor world. In reality, I am not poor at all, but Rev-enue Canada says that I am, and they kindly send me GST rebate cheques to prove it.

Move me across the Atlantic Ocean to Niger, which is classed by the United Nations as the second poorest country in the world, and I become fi lthy rich!

One day last week I was grocery shopping and I decided to buy a 50-kg sack of rice for my friends. Th ese are the same people I went to the village with. Th e women of the extended family take turns cook-ing and share all their meals. I stopped by their collection of huts on my way home to take them the rice. All the women were there, sitting on mats outside their huts, braiding each other’s hair. Th e rice was still in the car and I hadn’t said anything about it when they told me they’d met some white people who are giving away food, but (if I understood correctly) my people didn’t qualify because their children aren’t sick. So that’s when I told them to come over to the car, where I gave them the rice. Th ey literally jumped up and down and cheered, hugging me and jumping on my back. Th ey were all over me for the next ten minutes. Never before have I seen such a display of gratitude for a gift I’ve given - all that for a boring bag of rice. Seeing their empty granary a few days later helped explain their excitement.

Th ere is defi nitely a food crisis in Niger. It is isolated, and many people have enough to eat. But there are villages in which the chil-dren are starving. Th e organization I work with (Th e Christian and Missionary Alliance) is partnering with Samaritan’s Purse, who are here to do a six-month feeding program in needy villages. Th ings are just getting started, but I’ll likely write more about it as we get going.

A sack of riches

BOX 159, 8853 GRAINGER ROAD

CANAL FLATS, BC V0B 1B0PHONE (250) 349-5462 FAX (250) 349-5460EMAIL: [email protected]

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

THE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF CANAL FLATS IS CONSIDERING AN APPLICATION BY WILFRED AND BERYL DETTA TO AMEND THE CANAL FLATS OFFICIAL SETTLEMENT PLAN AND UPPER COLUMBIA VALLEY ZONING BYLAWS. IF APPROVED, THE AMENDMENTS WILL CHANGE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION AND REZONE THE PROPERTIES. THE SUBJECT PROPERTIES ARE LOT A AND PART OF LOT C, PLAN 16527, DISTRICT LOT 110, KOOTENAY DISTRICT LOCATED ON WILLOW AVENUE.

BYLAW NO. 48 CITED AS “VILLAGE OF CANAL FLATS – CANAL FLATS OFFICIAL SETTLEMENT PLAN BYLAW, 1981 - AMENDMENT BYLAW NO. 48, 2005 (DETTA)” WILL CHANGE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF THE PROPERTY FROM R-1 (MH) SINGLE FAMILY (MOBILE HOME) TO I-1 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.

BYLAW NO. 49 CITED AS “VILLAGE OF CANAL FLATS UPPER COLUMBIA VALLEY ZONING BYLAW NO. 900, 1992 - AMENDMENT BYLAW NO. 49, 2005 (DETTA)” WILL REZONE THE PROPERTY FROM THE R-1(MH) SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL MOBILE HOME ZONE TO A NEW I-3 LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONE ALLOWING FOR THE FOLLOWING USES: SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING, STORAGE OF RV’S AND BOATS, MOTOR VEHICLE OR BOAT REPAIR, MACHINE SHOP, WELDING SHOP.

THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD AT: CANAL FLATS CIVIC CENTRE

8909 DUNN STREET

CANAL FLATS, BC MONDAY, OCTOBER 17TH, 2005 AT 7:00 PM

IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOUR INTEREST IN PROPERTY IS AFFECTED BY THE PROPOSED BYLAW, YOU MAY, PRIOR TO THE HEARING:INSPECT THE BYLAW AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION AT THE VILLAGE OFFICE IN CANAL FLATS FROM 8:30 AM TO 4:30 PM TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY;MAIL, FAX OR EMAIL WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS TO THE ADDRESSES/NUMBERS SHOWN ABOVE; OR

PRESENT WRITTEN AND/OR VERBAL SUBMISSIONS AT THE HEARING.

SUBMISSIONS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING

ALL WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS ARE PUBLIC INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PROTECTION OF PRIVACY ACT. THIS NOTICE IS NOT AN INTERPRETATION OF THE BYLAW. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE VILLAGE OFFICE.

BRUCE WOODBURY

Pioneer Photos

5 x 7 - $7.508 x 10 - $10.0011 x 14 - $15.00

Colour or black and white

341-6299

“Sonam buys Lunch” Photo by Gail Berg

Th is photo of a young man jumping over a creek placed 2nd for water/land-scape category at the recent Winderemere Fall Fair. Taken in Tibet, Gail dared her driver Sonam to clear the stream without touching the water or else buy lunch. As you can see he did not make it.

The Upper Columbia Pioneer • 9September 30, 2005

Bernie RavenRepresentative

(250) [email protected]

Daniel ZurgilgenRepresentative

(250) [email protected]

INVERMERE1022B-7th Ave.Independently Owned and Operated

��������������������Office: (250) 342-6505 Fax: (250) 342-9611

PAUL GLASSFORD250-341-1395

Rockies West RealtyIndependently owned and operated230 Laurier StreetInvermere, BC V0A 1K3E-mail: [email protected]: www.PaulGlassford.com

DIRECTOR’SPLATINUMAWARD

An Independently Owned and Operated Member Broker of

Coldwell Banker Affiliates of Canada™

Ray Ferguson“I Sell Real Estate”

Business (250) 342-9450

Toll Free 1-866-342-9450

Cell (250) 342-1774

[email protected]

WindermereValley Realty

P.O. Box 579, 201-375 Laurier Street, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0

Ed English

Cell: (250) [email protected]

Jan Klimek

Cell: (250) [email protected]

www.edandjanslistings.com

InvermereIndependently Owned and Operated

Box 459, 1022 B 7th AvenueInvermere, BC V0A 1K0

Bus: (250) 342-6505Fax: (250) 342-9611

Toll Free: 1-888-258-9911www.ReMaxInvermere.com

Sales Representatives

Ken BeckerSales Representative

Rockies West RealtyIndependently Owned and Operated5003 Hot Springs RoadFairmont, BC V0B 1L0

Bus: 250-345-0333Fax: 250-345-6353Res: 250-342-3599Cell: 250-342-1161Email: [email protected]

PRESIDENT’S GOLD

AWARD

Kim CollensSales Representative

Rockies WestIndependently Owned and Operated

5003 Hot Springs RoadFairmont, BC V0B 1L0

Bus: 250-345-0333Fax: 250-345-6353Cell: 250-342-1671E-mail: [email protected]

COLUMBIA VALLEY REAL ESTATEYour Local Professionals

By Pioneer Staff

Invermere Farmers’ Market orga-nizers Rosemary Oaks and Eva Coles-Hillary are at it again.

Th e two women are planning a Home for the Holidays Autumn Arti-sans’ Market at the Pynelogs Cultural Centre on Saturday, October 8th.

Beginning with a preview at 10 a.m., the event will run until 3 p.m.

It will feature some of the regulars from the farmers’ market and many newcomers, all of whom will be featur-ing fall items.

Goods like home canning, Hallow-een-themed stained glass, furniture and antiques will be available for sale. “We’re picking vendors whose product fi ts the theme,” says Ms. Coles-Hillary.

Ms. Oaks says about 20 vendors are expected. “But we’d love to have 30,” she says.

Th e inspiration for the market came by request, says Ms. Coles-Hillary. “We were asked for years if we would do an artists’ market outside of the farmers’ market,” she says.

Th e idea lay dormant for a few years

until the Pynelogs opened this year.“One of the reasons we decided to

do it this year is because the Pynelogs is open,” says Ms. Coles-Hillary. “We wanted a really nice location.”

Each room at Pynelogs will be deco-rated in a Th anksgiving, Halloween, or Christmas theme. As well as Th anksgiv-ing items like centrepieces for the table, Halloween and Christmas items will be on sale. “We’re having a hard time get-ting pumpkins but hopefully we’ll have them so people can buy them here,” says Ms. Oaks.

A sideline to the artisans market will be a pie sale. Th e women have asked many vendors to donate pies, with pro-ceeds going to Spring Hawes.

Not wanting to compete directly with other sales around Christmas, the women decided to hold theirs in the fall. “We wanted to take our experience from the farmers’ market and do some-thing even better,” says Ms. Coles-Hill-ary.

Th e women are still looking for vendors. Th ose interested can call Rose-mary at 342-0030 or Eva at 342-8819.

Craft and artisan sale planned for Pynelogs

It looks like autumn at the Columbia Valley Botanical Garden behind Pynelogs Cultural Centre. Inside the gallery a fall sale will be held on October 8th.

Invermere resident Stacy Jobs shows off his copy of Th e Pioneer to several of his Rus-sian workmates at Kupol, a gold mine being constructed in Far Eastern Russia. Th e Rus-sians were especially intrigued with the coloured photographs. But the biggest sensation was caused by the ReMax adver-tisement on the back cover. “All over the lunch room, guys were getting out their pocket calu-clators and fi guring out how much a house in Invermere would cost in rubles,” Stacy said.

TAKE A LOOK AT US NOW...

Call:

(877) 344-2323for details.

“On The Springs in Radium”

Stop by our ShowSuite today - and See what

everyone is

talking about!

INVERMERE

• Two or Three Bedrooms, A Craftsman’s Showpiece• 1259 to 1436 sq. ft. plus full-sized basement

• From $248,000 (plus GST)Show Home Hours

Noon - 4 pm Saturdays and Sundays

Contact Scott Wallace250-342-5309250-342-6505

10 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer September 30, 2005 The Upper Columbia Pioneer • 11September 30, 2005

� � � � � � � � � p r o p e r t y

������������������������������������������������������������������������

������������������������������������������������������������������������������

�������������������������������������������������������

����������

����������������������

�������������������

������

You’ve just found a mortgage that’llreally get you moving

* The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for the 3-year Open Variable Rate Mortgage is 3.65% for a mortgage of $100,000, which has a 25-year amortization and is based on Bank ofMontreal’s Prime rate, as of Sept. 7, 2005, of 4.5% less 0.85%. This discount is available for applications approved by November 30, 2005. Mortgage funds must be advanced within 90 days of application. All offers subject to meeting Bank ofMontreal’s usual credit criteria. Prime rate is subject to change without notice. APR assumes no fee(s) apply.

1 Some conditions apply. The quantity of AIR MILES reward miles issued is based on the size of mortgage required and insurance options taken. One bonus per AIR MILES Collector Accountonly. AIR MILES reward miles will be awarded once mortgage funds have been advanced.

® Registered trade-marks of Bank of Montreal.®† Trademarks of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. Used under license by Loyalty Management Group Canada Inc. and Bank of Montreal.

Earn up to 450 AIR MILES®†

reward miles1

WHAT’S NEXT?®

Get a 3-year Open Variable Rate Mortgage at Prime minus 0.85% – that’s a 3.4% APR.*

To speak with a BMO Bank of Montreal®

Mortgage Representative, call:

STEVE LEEBranch ManagerTel: 250 341-6810

3.65% APR.*

G&R Soda & Sandblasting• Log Homes • Decks • Driveways • Cement Work • All Types of Vehicles • Floor Refi nishing• Corn Blasting - Environmentally Friendly - Water Soluble• Sprinkler System Servicing - Fall Blowout

NO JOB TOO TOUGH OR TOO DELICATE!

Randy Blake(250) 342-2980

George Dalke(250) 342-7001

BEFORE AFTER

CHILL CHASER

Propane Delivers the power. We deliver the freedom.Box 669, Invermere, B.C.

Business: (250) 342-0123 • Fax: (250) 342-0262www.superiorpropane.com

A division of Superior Plus Inc.

Toll Free - [email protected]

�������������������������������������������������������������������

Courses Invermere Emergency First Aid Oct. 24 & CPR “A”

Standard First Aid Nov. 19/20CPR “C”

Life Saver for Nov. 26Neighborhood Preparedness

Traffic Control & Food Safe Courses

available at our Cranbrook Location

Invermere Center (250) 342-60111006 7th Ave. Box 605

Invermere, BC V0A 1K0Cranbrook Center (250) 426-1155

127C Kootenay St. N.Cranbrook, BC V1C 3T5

By Adrian BerglesPioneer Staff

Invermere resident Jerry Hamilton left three days ago for Malawi, a small country in east-central Africa, to work with an aid group called “Hope for Haiti.”

Th e name of the group is a little misleading. Although the non-denominational group got its start in the small Caribbean country, in the past fi ve years Hope for Haiti has travelled to other developing countries, doing work all over the world.

On his fi rst trip with the group in 1999, Jerry helped put a roof on a Haitian school.

During this trip he will continue the same kind of work and get in touch with

some old friends.“If you start something and you ignore it, things

go astray,” says the 56-year-old married father of four adult children. He and his wife Janice recently sold their family business selling private ATMs seen in bars and restaurants.

Th is trip will be Jerry’s fourth visit to Malawi over his six years of travel and aid work. Th e country is rife with social problems due to a 40-percent unemploy-ment rate and an unoffi cial 40-percent HIV infection rate.

Over Jerry’s three previous trips many people in Malawi have become signifi cant in his life, and vice versa.

On Jerry’s fi rst visit to Malawi in 2000 he was in-troduced to a teenage boy named Victor. Th e young man, a student and a soccer player with promise for his life, asked Jerry if he could provide some fi nancial help that may help Victor overcome some barriers in his way.

Jerry took a liking to Victor and the two began ex-changing letters. Every four months Jerry would send an American $20 bill to cover Victor’s school fees.

When Jerry returned to Malawi in 2003, he saw the young man again. Victor had completed high school and with Jerry’s help, the young man went to driver’s school.

On Jerry’s next trip in 2004, this time with his wife Janice, Victor had completed his driver’s training but couldn’t get a job because he needed a driver’s li-cence which cost $50. Th is is a great deal of money by Malawian standards. For example, Jerry says Victor’s father earns $35 a month as a bike messenger.

On that trip Jerry bought the young man his driv-er’s licence and then a bicycle to travel around Blan-tyre, Malawi’s largest city, looking for a job.

Eventually Victor, now 24, landed himself a job driving truck.

“It’s a great story because he did it,” says Jerry. “I’m not kidding you - he wore out the tires on that bicycle.”

In Malawi Jerry will see his old friend Victor and help three adolescents: Grace, 16, Felix, 17, and Maudarissa, 12, orphaned when their parents suc-

cumbed to HIV, carry on with their lives. Jerry says that in the case of orphaned children in Malawi, the eldest girl typically

becomes the head of the household. Often a man will come and off er to “help” the young girl with her family. Th is man may be HIV-positive and the cycle of infection continues.

“Th ere’s a huge gender issue,” says Jerry. “Men tend to dominate.”He hopes that through education Grace can escape the cycle and gain a job that

allows her to support the family. “She’s the hope for the family,” he says.Despite its problems, Jerry says Malawi is not a country in which everyone sits

back and looks for a handout.“You get a lot back,” he says. “Th ere is a lot of joy that those folks radiate.”

Local man helps poor in Africa

Jerry Hamilton of Invermere poses with friend Victor, far right, and the headmaster of a Malawian School in 2004. Th e two men hold school supplies donated by people from the Columbia Valley. Jerry recently returned to Malawi, his fourth trip to

the developing country in East Africa. “You get a lot back,” says Mr. Hamilton of his volunteer work on that continent.

20% SOLD

405 12th ave., Invermere

16 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer September 30, 2005

LOTS AND ACREAGES

The Cottages at Copper Point” - private, 0.14 acre perfect for walk-out. No building com-mitment. 5 minute drive to Invermere. $99,500. 342-0081.

HOMES FOR SALE

Newly renovated 1250 sq. ft., 3 bedrom mobile on basement in Edgewater. $163,000. 347-9324 evenings, 342-1696 days.

GARAGE SALES

Multi-family garage sale. Octo-ber 1st. 395 - 4th Avenue, At-lalmer. Wine making supplies, 15” tires.

SUITES FOR RENT

Furnished basement suite avail-able October 1, suitable for one mature lady. N/S, N/P, $650/mth inclusive. 342-8621.

2 Bedroom Suite in Invermere. Bright and clean. Private en-trance. N/S, N/P. Close to schools and downtown. F/S, W/D. Avail-able October 1. Phone 342-6842.

One bedroom daylight basement suite. Clean, cozy, new, waiting for a single female (pref.) $550/month includes cable, utilities. W/D, N/S 342-0217.

HOMES FOR RENT

Available November 1, new 2 bdrm, 2 bath condo, Peaks, Radium. 7 appliances, under-ground parking, pool, N/S, N/P. $1000/mth. 347-9762 or 341-5170.

Radium - fully furnished 2 or 3 bedroom condo, available im-mediately. N/P, N/S. Monthly rentals okay. Pool, jacuzzi, bal-cony, $1095 - $1495 per month, includes utilities and cable. Call 204-782-6677.

Invermere - cozy 2 bedroom, huge yard. $950 + utilities, available November 1, N/S, N/P. 342-1524.

Invermere - new, bright, 3 bdrm, 2 bath home, walk to DT (1490 - 18th Street by school). Avail-able October 1. Garage, deck, hdwd fl rs, 5 appliances. N/P, N/S. $1050/month + utilities. (403) 240-4170 evenings, (403) 619-0336 cell.

Great summer getaway or year-round home in the premium Wilder subdivision. This home off ers mountain views with wrap around deck. Zoned R-2 with a fi nished walkout, day-light basement on a quiet dead end street. This house is a “MUST SEE”. 342-3846.

FOR RENT

STEIN APARTMENTS - residential and commercial. 342-6912.

Wonderful 2 bedroom home steps from Brisco General Store. Long term preferred. $795/month 342-6577.

MISC. FOR SALE

Top quality hay. Round bales. Alfalfa grass, no rain. Phone Elk-horn Ranch 342-0617.

Birch hardwood dining room set, table w/six chairs (2 captain chairs), $1500. 342-6439.

Glass top coff ee table, 2 glass top end tables and 2 lamps, like new, $100 takes all. 342-0320.

Collection of salt and pepper shakers for sale. Call Kathy, 250-344-2624.

Custom cut rough lumber, dry fi r beams, fence boards, etc. Fire-wood - fi r, birch or pine - split or unsplit. 346-3247.Top quality hay, grass/alfalfa mix, round or

square bales. 346-3247.

3 station Weider Weight System, $300; single bed mattress and box spring, $5; pet gate, $50. 342-0248.

Oak entertainment unit 5w X 7h, glass door with shelving on one side for stereo and speakers plus 3 CD/VCR storage drawers. Room for up to 33” TV. Well con-structed, like new. $350. 341-3140.

Two piece, dark brown velvet chesterfi eld suite. Good condi-tion. $175. 347-7750.

Piano, Nordheimer brand. $500 Call 347-9338.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

1980 Chrysler Cordova. 342-6534.

1996 Plymounth Grand Voya-geur. $5000 OBO 342-0454.

SERVICES

Experienced drywaller, boarder and taper. 341-1270.

LOTUS WORKS - call now for fall clean-ups. Michelle, 349-5588 or Vichith, 341-8372.

PETS

To give away - calico long hair cat. Tiger is 14 years old with vaccinations up to date. She is a friendly and happy inside cat preferring to be the only pet in the family. We are moving and not allowed to bring her. 342-0248.

CHEERS AND JEERS

Cheers to the folks who do such a good job with the fl owers in downtown Invermere.

HELP WANTED

HELNA’S STUBE needs kitchen help and full/part time prep cook. Call 347-0047.

Experienced Hungarian cook required for seasonal work in Radium, BC. $16/hour, April to October. Room and board avail-able. Call 347-9548 or email [email protected].

Headhunting services for em-ployers available from Columbia Valley’s BC Licensed Employ-ment Agency, ROCKY MOUNTAIN TRAINING STAFFING SERVICES. If you need qualifi ed staff or are a candidate wishing to be consid-ered for mid-level positions, give us a call at 342-6011 or 1-888-737-5511. RMT Staffi ng Servic-es, 1006-7th Avenue, Invermere, BC. Email [email protected].

Administrative Assistant: Room for your organization and creativity. 2 mornings/after-noons. Immediately. Skilled, experienced in Windows XP, Desktop, Power Point, Internet and email tasks. Adaptable, excellent grammar, innova-tive, able to take direction, profi ciency test required.. Long term staff to grow with busi-ness. $14.50/ hour. Windermere Please reply, resume and ref-erences: HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]

PIONEER CLASSIFIEDSPhone: 341-6299

Fax: 341-6229Email:

[email protected] ed Deadline:Tuesdays 4:00 pm

All classifi ed ads must be prepaid by cash or

cheque unless client has a billing account set up.

Rates: First Week:

$6.50 for 15 words (15¢ for each

additional word)Additional Weeks: $4.50 for 15 words

(15¢ for each additional word)

All prices subject to GST.

Please read your ad carefully the fi rst day it comes out to ensure the information is correct. If you should fi nd an error, please let us know immediately by calling 341-6299. Th e Upper Colum-bia Pioneer is not responsible for errors appearing beyond the fi rst insertion. Th e newspaper’s responsibility, if any, for errors of any kind is limited to the amount paid for that advertise-ment. We reserve the right to censor, re-classify, revise, edit or reject any ad not meeting our advertising standards.

LEGAL

We are looking for enthusiastic, committed, self motivated and outgoing persons to fill flexible, commission paid positions in the Radium, Windermere, Invermere and Fairmont area, welcoming Newcomers or New Parents. A car and computer essential.

Send resume to:[email protected] or www.iamlovingit.ca

Toby Creek Adventures requires hardworking, energetic and

personable Guides, Groomer/Labourers and

Offi ce Personnel for the ‘05-’06 winter season.

Email Resumes to:[email protected]

CAREERS

SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 6 (ROCKY MOUNTAIN)

School District No.6 (Rocky Mountain) Invermere Zone is now accepting applications for the following temporary Secretary positions:

1. David Thompson Secondary School, temporary, full-time (35 hrs/wk), Monday to Friday, effective November 1, 2005 until June 30, 2006.

2. J. Alfred Laird Elementary School, temporary, full-time (35 hrs/wk), Monday to Friday, effective January 3, 2006 until December 31, 2006.

These positions are part of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 440. This is reception, clerical, secretarial and bookkeeping work of considerable variety and complexity in the operation of a school office. Considerable independence of judgement and action in dealing with the public, staff and students on a variety of matters relating to school operations is required. Completion of 12th school grade and completion of an Office Administration Program from a recognized Post-Secondary Institute and/or equivalent training and experience is required. Applicants must be able to achieve 60 wpm minimum keyboarding skills.

If you are interested in these positions, please submit a resume, including three references, by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, October 3, 2005 to:

Paul Carriere, Assistant SuperintendentSchool District No.6 (Rocky Mountain)P.O. Box 70, Kimberley, B.C. V1A 2Y5

Phone: (250) 427-2245 • Fax: (250) 427-2044

Successful applicant will be subject to Criminal Records Review Check.

SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 6 (ROCKY MOUNTAIN)

School District No. 6 (Rocky Mountain) Invermere Zone invites applications from persons interested in being on our Teacher On Call List.

Teachers’ On Call must possess or be eligible for B.C. certification through the B.C. College of Teachers; have a university teaching major, have a variety of teaching styles and be willing to adapt both philosophy and style to meet the unique needs of students.

Applications with full supporting documentation, including references, university transcripts, teaching certificate and previous teaching reports, to be forwarded to: Mr. Paul Carriere, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, School District No. 6 (Rocky Mountain), P.O. Box 70, Kimberley, BC V1A 2Y5. (250) 427-2245 (phone) / (250) 427-2044 (fax) by Monday, October 3, 2005 at 4:00 p.m. (www.sd6.bc.ca).

We would like to thank all applicants for their interest, but only those under consideration will be contacted. All successful applicants will be subject to a criminal record search.

September 30, 2005 The Upper Columbia Pioneer • 17

By Adrian BerglesPioneer Staff

The modern era of the Columbia Valley began of-ficially on January, 1, 1915.

That day for the first time, a mixed freight and passenger train passed through the Athalmer station. Finally a ferrous line ran the length of the valley, bond-ing Cranbrook to Golden and connecting all points in between.

The occasion marked the completion of the Ca-nadian Pacific Railway’s Kootenay Central line, “the KC” as it was called, and established a link between the Columbia Valley and the world outside. It for-ever changed the sparsely inhabited valley and, along with items like groceries, building supplies, and mail, brought new vigor and bustle.

“It was great excitement up and down the val-ley when we knew the train was coming,” says Nancy Tegart, 90, who has lived in the valley since 1927.

From 1915 into the 1950s, the train carried all the goods required by the valley settlers. When it pulled into the station in Brisco with the mail on Tuesday and Friday evenings, it brought all the men of town togeth-er, says Winston Wolfenden, born in Brisco in 1917.

“Us boys used to meet in Brisco,” he says. “The greatest old place for people to gather was at the train.”

The steam-powered train travelled slowly; a return trip from Cranbrook to Golden took three days. For example, the train left Cranbrook on Monday and spent the night in Athalmer. On Tuesday it would con-

tinue to Golden and back to Athalmer, returning to Cranbrook on Wednesday.

Often those trains brought more than mail and supplies. During the depression of the 1930s, jobs were scarce and many single men travelled the rails, riding in empty container cars from town to town in search of work.

Ms. Tegart grew up near the tracks in Athalmer, where the Esso station is today. She remembers that many of the stowaways would light small fires near the track to keep warm as they spent the night in town.

When Nancy was 15 years old in 1930, a pair of leather horse riding chaps were stolen from the family barn. The police were notified and the matter was soon forgotten. Weeks later the chaps were found - in Win-nipeg. One of the men had broken into the barn and taken the chaps to keep warm on a cold night.

Before 1915 riverboats and horse carriages travel-ling on crude roads were the only ways to get up and down the valley. The advent of the Kootenay Central made travel much easier for valley folk.

“The K.C. was the way to get to Invermere from Golden,” says Josephine Cobb, 92, who came to the valley in 1932.

Because the train left Athalmer and returned from Golden on the same day, shopping trips were common and popular. “Golden was quite a bit ahead of the rest of the valley with its shops,” says Mr. Wolfenden.

According to 1913 clippings from the Golden Star, the completion of the rail line required the work of 2,000 men and took two years.

After the railway was completed, it had to be main-

tained. A foreman was put in charge of each eight or ten mile section says Mr. Wolfenden. These foremen lived in standard issue “section houses,” that dotted the track all along the KC. “They were all two-storey red houses,” says Val Wolfenden, 83, who came to the valley in 1945 from Saskatchewan after she married Winston.

Each day the foreman and three staff would patrol the track by “hand car.” Two men would stand on each side of a big lever and pump back and forth, powering the car down the track and looking for rotten ties or broken rails.

A broken rail could be devastating and was the cause of at least one derailment on Kootenay Central. Early in the morning of September 29, 1975 a bro-ken rail forced ten cars off the track. The heavy coal cars slammed into the old log station at Athalmer, de-molishing one side of the building. One woman, CPR employee Georgina Connell, was in the station at the time. She escaped with only a few cuts.

The wrecked station was saved from the scrap heap by the Windermere District Historical Society. It was hauled up the hill from Athalmer into Invermere, where it now serves as the town’s museum.

A large window in the building’s main floor is a scar left from the accident 30 years ago. It is the spot where the train crashed through the station.

The Windermere Valley Museum is celebrating 90 years of trains in the valley with an exhibit. All are in-vited to attend before the museum closes its doors for the season at the end of the month. For information call 342-9769.

The History of Trains

Laying track at Tayton’s Bay, Invermere Photo from the Ede Family Collection

Circa 1911 to 1914. All photos courtesy CPR

18 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer September 30, 2005

LAKE WINDERMERE ALLIANCE CHURCH Sunday, October 2nd • 10:30 am

Worship and Life Instruction. “Which Rules Do You Play By?” Children’s Church for ages 3 to Grade 7,

during the morning service.Senior Pastor Rev. Dieter Magnus • Associate Pastor Rev. Jared Enns

326 - 10th Avenue, Invermere • 342-9535

WINDERMERE VALLEY SHARED MINISTRYSunday, October 2nd

10:15 am Invermere - Christ Church TrinityRev. Sandy Ferguson • 110 - 7th Avenue, Invermere • 342-6644

VALLEY CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLYSunday, 10:00 am Celebration Service

Children’s church during the message part of the service. Children 4 - 12 years. • Sunday, 7:00 pm Prayer MeetingSenior Pastor Rev. John Cuyler • www.vcassembly.com

Highway 93/95, 1 km north of Windermere • 342-9511

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHCanadian Martyrs Church, Invermere

Saturday, 7:00 pm Mass • Sunday, 9:00 am MassSt. Joseph’s Church, Hwy 93/95 Radium Sunday, 11:00 am MassSt. Anthony’s Church, Canal Flats • Sunday, 4:00 pm Mass

Father Jose Joaquin • 712 -12th Ave., Invermere • 342-6167

ST. PETER’S LUTHERAN MISSION OF INVERMERERegular weekly worship services every Sunday at 1:30 pm

Sr. Pastor Rev. Bryan K. Schinde • Assoc. Pastor Rev. Fraser Coltmanat Christ Church Trinity 110 - 7th Ave., Invermere • 1-866-426-7564

RADIUM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIPEvery Sunday 10:00 am

Pastor Wayne and Linda Frater Radium Seniors’ Hall • 342-6633

Valley Churches

CinefestMonthly Independent Film Series presents:

Monday, October 3Toby Th eatre at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $10 and are available at the door

Shake Hands with the Devil

Th e Journey of Romeo Dallaire

Brendan DonahueInvestment Advisor

Phone: 342-2112

GIC Rates as of Sept. 19th1 year 3.10%2 Year 3.20%3 Year 3.35%4 Year 3.55%5 Year 3.85%

Th e CCRA is reviewing Income Trusts

Now is the time to review your exposure.Call us for a complimentary,

friendly consultation.

Rates subject to change without notice.Subject to availability.

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING LOTS FOR SALE!

Get ready to build your dream home in the moun-tains! Newly offered residential building lots in the recreational neighborhood of the Radium Valley Vacation Resort. Level, treed, view lots with access to the year-round fi tness centre and resort ameni-ties. Be part of the growing village of Radium Hot Springs. Call today to view!

CONTACT INFO:

250.347.7722or 403 239 1952

myradiumhome.ca

panachesuites.com

FAITH

By Dieter MagnusLake Windermere Alliance Church

Marriage has very much been a theme for my wife Deborah and myself this year. Two of our children were married; one in March, the other in July. Good friends from Calgary had two of their girls marry. A nephew was married in May. Four couples connected to the church got married; one in July, two in August and one in September. Another couple from Edmonton was married here last weekend and two more weddings will take place here in October.

Most of those getting married are in their 20s or 30s but the age range is from 19 – 57. Despite the tur-moil around the defi nition of marriage in our society, people are still fl ocking to the altar.

Th e two people are in love, the wedding happens, then life interferes. Jobs, bills, decisions on housing or clothes or cars, and perhaps the addition of chil-dren complicate life. It’s way too easy to be together physically but drifting apart emotionally when life is so busy. Somehow you make it through the measles, teenage hormones, college tuitions, and weddings. One day you look across the table and realization dawns. It’s just us! What do we talk about? What do we do now?

Here are three steps you can take at any stage in your married life that will help you not only get to but enjoy those empty nest years. (What? Your child is only six months old so you don’t need to worry about this yet? Trust me, the empty nest is just around the corner.)

Stop! It may be hard but you need to do it. Take

some time to honestly look at where your relationship is at. Carve out some time for just the two of you and talk about your relation-ship. If you feel like you are headed the wrong way in your relationship, you will not get turned around without deliberately doing something about it.

Look! Focus fi rst on the positives of the past. Talk about how you met, what you enjoyed doing together and why you got married. What do you want your relationship to look like now? What do you want it to be in the future? It will require change. Remember the defi nition of insanity:

“Doing the same thing in the same way and expect-ing diff erent results.” Look at what your life together could be like.

Listen! One writer called marriage a “dialogue of the deaf.” Th e roar of family life, kids, jobs, church, hockey, school etc. drowns out real communication.Hearing what is really going on in our spouse’s life is hard. It is an area we often need help in.

If any of this article resonates with you, I have a suggestion. Two years ago a couple from our church went through and began to teach a Marriage Course. It is seven evenings, usually a week apart. If you want to learn more, call the Bagans at 342-9561 or the church at 342-9535.

My wife and I? We are enjoying our empty nest. We love to visit the kids and grandkids and have them at our home. We also love having time for the two of us. No matter what life brings, we believe the best years of marriage are still to come.

Marriage is easy – until life interferes

20 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer September 30, 2005

www.ReMaxInvermere.com

Invermere Offi ce:250-342-6505

A Piece of ParadiseA Piece of Paradise

Looking for peace, quiet and privacy? This small, sloping acreage is nestled in the trees just minutes from Invermere on the Westside road. Close to the many amenities of town, yet far enough away to escape. If you are looking to create your own special hideaway, this is it! A must to view! Call today for more information.MLS#113168

$250,000

Looking for Development?Looking for Development?

The perfect property for a residential development in Invermere. This 5.5 acre parcel is in walking distance to all schools and all the other amenities. Great mountain views. Present zoning will allow subdivision! MLS#113120

$999,000

Invermere Building Lots

The only 2 available in town under $250,000. Mountain views and Columbia River Wetland views all the way to Brisco if some trees are removed. Selling subject to subdivision. Should be ready by spring. Call today for more info. MLS#113165 &113166

$139,900 each

Perfect StarterPerfect Starter

Some upgrading done including hardwood laminate fl ooring and expanded kitchen. Newer furnace full fi nished basementFenced yard. and large double (24x26) detached garage with workshop benches and access to back lane. Get your start as a home owner in Radium Hot Springs. MLS#113142

$199,900

Best Value

In Castle Rock Estates this is Invermere s̓ newest and largest development. Picture your-self on this .24 acre lot in your dream home. This treed lot offers beautiful mountain views and lends itself to a walk-out basement. With two years left on the building com-mitment this gives you plenty of time to make your decisions. No GST!!! MLS# new

$139,000

No Building Commitment

Thinking of building in Canal Flats? This lot is a proposed subdivision of an existing parcel. 150x125 feet with views, views, views! R1-MH zoning is in place, so build now or throw a mobile home on the land until youʼre ready. Call now! MLS # new

$99,900

Watch the Seasons Unfold...

...While you enjoy the magnifi cent lake & mountain views offered from this executive home in Pine Ridge Estates. 4 BR, 3 BTR, den/offi ce, 10ʼ ceilings, fi re-place and sundeck. Fully developed walkout basement, Beautiful landscaping, fenced area, underground sprinklers and more.MLS# 110407

$499,900

“Great Building Lot”In the heart of Edgewater with a great view of the Canadian Rockies. Quiet neighbors, two apple trees and both back lane and street access. Affordable with no building commitment. Great to hold for the future or build your home in this desirable community. Walking distance to downtown. MLS#113118

$69,900

Your search for the ideal waterfront property has ended. Spectacular terraced landscaping leads you down to the waterfront. Enjoy one of many patios to take in the views and enjoy the lake. Tucked in the trees, this 3 bedroom home enjoys many thoughtful extras. Enjoy the confi dence of knowing you have an emergency backup power system in place. The large, enclosed sunroom features panoramic lake views and is entered through French doors from the kitchen. Open living, dining and kitchen area enjoys vaulted ceilings. Family room with French doors that open onto lower patio and three large bedrooms with lake views complete your executive hide-away. MLS# exclusive

$2,750,000

Invermere Building Lots

Wende Brash342-1300

Bernie Raven342-7415

Daniel Zurgilgen342-1612

Ed English342-1194

Jan Klimek342-1195

John McCarthy342-1758

Lynda Kirkpatrick341-1907

Scott Wallace342-5309

Andy Smith342-1709

Ron Maciborski342-5704

Bryan Hookenson341-1266

Rob Rice342-5935

Deborah-Kim Rice342-5935

Comfortable Family StyleComfortable Family Style

This 3 bedroom Terra Vista unit is very close to the beach in a quiet location at the north side of the complex; with privacy and really good access to the water. Enjoy the sunny, south facing patio and deck. Lots of built-ins in the living area for books, games, and entertainment systems. MLS#109860

$355,000

That Horse Your Kids Always Wanted...

One of the nicest 20 acre spreads in the valley. All the privacy you want plus incredible mountain views. This newly created subdivision, just at the end of Hewitt Road in Edgewater is ready for your personal touch. Call for more information today. MLS# 106164

$275,000+gst

Executive Waterfront Hide-Away