Western Division, Canadian Association Newsletter Geographers February 1996

WCAG '96 - Annual Division Conference conjunction with an outdoor leaders hip course March 8-9, 1996, Lethbridge, Alberta from the Physical Education department. Early March will see geographers from Despite the slight drop in enrolment in many across Alberta and British Coiurnbia of Alberta's universities and on this campus, converging on Lethbridge. This year tne geography courses at Augustana are heavily Division is holding the annual meeting at the enroled, bucking the trend. University of Lethbridge where a distinctly Glen Hvenegaard was active in the "western" flavour is assured. A full slate of parks fietd this fall, attending conferences in paper presentations is planned, with two Lake Louise IIUCN's Commission on Parks and concurrent full-day sessions being prepared. Protected Areas) and Calgary (Parks and In addition, field trips and opportunities to Protecred Areas in Resource-based experience the geographical diversity of the Economies). Lethbridge area are all planned. The Division Augustana is sponsoring an important will be holding its Annual General Meeting conference in May of this year, entitled after lunch Saturday, March 9, 1996. Time "Liberal Arts and the Future of University and place will be announced at the Education." The conference rs presented by conference. CIRLA, the Centre for lnrerdisciplinary Next year the annual conference is Research in the Liberal Arts, and will be held being hosted by the University of Northern in Banff, Alberta. For more information, Brilish Columbia in Prince George. Details will contact Chris at [email protected]. be announced in the next Newsletter. ab.ca. For questions about geography at Augustana University College, contact Glen Hvenegaard, 490 1-46 Avenue, Camrose, News and Announcements Alberta T4V 2R3 (ph.403-679-1574; ernail: [email protected] Augustana University College Carnosun College Budget cuts have been felt across the Camosc~nCollege is offering a "HONG province and on our campus. However, the KONG IN 1997" study tour. The objectives of geography department has been lucky to this program are to observe the political ex~andits map library and geography lab with transitron of Hong Kong from Brit~sh to kind donations from the Battle River Regional Chinese rule; study social and economic Planning Commission, the County of Camrose, transfarmations 17 Hong Kong; and and the City of Camrose. Next year, a new understand the ~rnpltcations on 's course on Canadian Cultural Geography, will relattonship with Hong Kong. Date: Last week be taught by Dr. Lucille Marr, from the History of June and first week of July, 1997 (10 deoartment. A field course in .,~hvsical days]. geography is in the works, to be taught in

1 University University College of the Cariboo A book entitled Suburb of Happy Two UCC, Carla Stewart and Tracy Homes: Burnaby has just been published at Moore, have received funding from the Royat . Originally conceived Canadian Geographical Society for a study of as part of the university's activities to honour Kamloops' urban geography. The study is an Burnaby's centennial, the volume comprises investigation of recent changes in the housing ten chapters and three appendices specially stock in Kamloops' inner neighbourhoods. written for this project. The story of the The students will also try to determ~ne if founding of the municipality is outlined and these changes are accompanied by changes in the history of Burnaby during the first fifty the social composition of this area. The study years is highlighted. Other chapters discuss involves field work, the analysis of the ward system of local elections during the occupational and housing data, and the 1920s, the development of zoning, and how construction of maps and a report. The Burnaby has become a leader in handling project is supported by the RCGS's Grants in development and property information in map Aid of Research. These grants are made "to and cornpurer form. Special themes include stimulate and encourage geographical the story of Metrotown's development, land research among secondary school and college values along the main commercial part of students and their teachers and university Hastings Street, and how elderly men undergraduates". Ross Nelson and Robert negotiate space and time in their daily MacKinnon are supervising the study. routines. An evocative essay about Burnaby Ross Nelson is working with the Mountain's natural landscapes concludes the Kamloops' Tenants' Action Centre on a volume and will be of ~nterestto all who have Community Mapping Project. The primary ever hiked its trails and wondered about its objective is to increase the availability of geological make-up, vegetation, weather and affordable housing in Kamloops. The seasons. Append ices provide a discussion of Community Mapping Project will provide a trends in population development and sources data base on housing and its demand, identify for further reading about Burnaby. constraints and opportunities in the housing Written with the public in mind, the market, and ultimately help set courses of book should appeal to all those with an action. The initial phase of the project is an interest in Burnabv history, geography and analysis of the geography of housing and social development and, by extension, the neighbourhoods from existing data bases. The municipalities of the Lower Mainland. analysis will provide a background for (Geographers among the authors are: Tom subsequent surveys of the community. Poiker (SFU), J. Bruce Prior (SFU and US Ken Favrholdt will be traveling to Dept. of State), Colin Crampton (SFU), Lyall Edinborough, Scotland this summer to present Armstrong (Genstar), Kenji Ito (Burnaby a paper at an upcoming Canadian Studies Planner), Louise McTague (SFU and Creo Conference. Inc.), Rod Fowler (SFU and Kwantlen). Len Evenden, chair of the univers~ty's Burnaby University College of the Fraser Valley Centennial Committee, edited the volume.] The Department hopes to see six The book is available through the geography majors graduate with UCFVISFU Centre for Canadian Studies at SFU 5.A. degrees this Spring. Interest in both (291-3689);the SFU Bookstore (Burnaby physical and human geography continues to Mountain and Harbour Centre branches be strong in the Fraser Valley region. New 291 -3656); the Duthie bookstores; and courses, new computer facilities (including several of the Coles, Smith, and Book PowerMac direct links to the Internet and a Company stores in Burnaby and Coquitlarn Website homepage under development at Cenrre. http://ucfv. bc .ca), an increasing number of field activities in geomorphology, another Admission Requirements: approval by rafting trip down the Fraser from Prince Chair, Pacific Rim Studies Program, George to the Strait of Georgia. participation in pre-trip orientation sessions, Interested individuals should contact register in PAC 190, no language either: Rick Blacklaws () Ph: requirements. {Credits: PAC 190 Directed 323-5318; E-mail [email protected] Studies (1-5 units)) or Dr. Frank Williams (Langara College) Ph: Tentative activities: 323-5378 or Cliff Raphael (College of New i) studies of urban development in Hong Kong Caledonia } ph: 562-2131 loc. 276 E-mail: - visit port areas, airport and new town RaphaelQcnc. bc.ca. projects, tour of public and private housing projects; Medicine Hat College ii) observation of political transition - interview Medicine Hat College Geography has potiticians, students, and residents on undergone an expansion over the last year - their opinions and concerns of political one that continues into September of 1996. changes; Having reached a transfer arrangement with iii) understand cultural patterns - visit cultural both the University of Lethbridge (indirectly) centres, temples, shopping areas and and Lethbridge Community College (directly) other places of interests for students in the first year of LCC's An optional study tour to China (including Watershed Management Programme, we have Guangzhou and Beijing) is being planned in begun teaching courses in the "technical" side conjunction with the trip to Hong Kong. of the discipline. For further information, contact Dr. Three new courses have seen or are Francis Yee, Department of Geography, about to see the light of day. Map , 310Q Foul Bay Road, Interpretation (Geog 332), Remote Sensing Victoria, B.C. V8P 5J2, by phone (604) (Geog 334) and Introduction to G.I.S. (Geog 370-3307, fax (604) 370-3417, or by E-mail: 338) have been added to the calendar and [email protected] schedule. While these classes serve a particular programme, they are all College of New Caledonia university-transfer as well. To that end, On March 21, 1996, Dr. David Ley will transfer arrangements are being worked-out. be the visiting speaker in the College of New A part-time member of the faculty has Caledonia Geography Department's been added to the roster of Medicine Hat

Geography Lecture Series. The series is College - Mr. Ivan Shukster (B.Sc, from sponsored by the Koerner Foundation. Dr. University of Alberta). Despite reduced Ley is scheduled to give two lectures: an budgets, offerings at MHC have increased afternoon lecture to students from CNC and substantially. Each year at least seven first possibly UNBC and a public lecture in the and second year classes are being offered. evening. The public lecture should be of Despite the devilish nature of Ben great interest to the general public because it Moffat's field trip south last year (see earlier will deal with issues related to downtown Newsletters), he is venturing into the wilds of revitalization, an item of present concern to the USA again this spring. June will see a the Prince George community. dozen MHC geographers braving the roads, A two-month long (June-July) course of byways and National Parks of the study is currently in the development stage as south-central states. Anyone on the a joint effort between Langara College and GEOGRAPH discussion list knows the field The College of New Caledonia. The program course travelled to Utah, Arizona, Colorado, will involve courses in Anthropology, Ecology, Wyoming, South Oakata and Montana last Human Ecology and Physical Geography, with year. Hopefully, the snow will be gone this special focus on the Fraser River. As an added time around. component the program includes a 14-day edit~onof our Latin American study tour, Conference for Arctic Research Planning and access to the UCFV co-op education program, International Permafrost Association in and the beginning of an active Geography Hanover, New Hampshire, he managed to set Undergraduate Society are among the up several co-operative agreements for future developments and initiatives at UCFV. collaborative work with universities in The department is also sponsoring two England, Finland, China and Argentina. Kevin events this Spring. The first is a lecture series will visit China in late March to follow up on on topics relevant to the valley region and one of these projects. borderland generally. In the first of the series Greg Halseth heads off to the Czech (on February 21), Profs. Dan Turbeville and Republic in April as the second stage of a Susan Bradbury from Eastern Washington Toyota Foundation research project looking at University will address cross-border issues in whether new information sharing technology a talk on "From Fur Trade to Free Trade in the can assist community development activity in Pacific Norihwest." small town and rural communities. Greg was

The second event - on May 10 and 11 recently appointed to the BC Science

- IS the annual Geography Articulation Council's "C~mmunities Committee" meeting. Plans are underway for some responsible for reviewing FRBC proposals. scholarly and social activities on the Friday Focussing her research closer to home, and for the usual discussion and debate Ellen Petticrew presented a talk at Canadian session on the Saturday. Society of Limnology in January in Montreal, Despite crowded classrooms and on her work with the Tabor Lake Restoration continued demand for course development, Project. She has received a grant to look at faculty have been working on various projects snow quality in the Tabor take watershed. and maintaining connections outside the Graduate student Jenny Lo is preparing department. Ian Okabe wiil be doing for fieldwork connected with her master's collaborative research with Prof. Roland Stull thesis research on " Wornens' Participation in at UBC on ensemble numerical weather Local Community Development prediction modelling to help improve weather Organizations". Her summer data collection prediction for B.C. Doug Nicoi is finishing off will focus upon the communities of Quesnel a long-term project with the Chilliwack and Williams Lake in BC's Cariboo region. Museum and Historical Society on the New offerings this term at UNBC historical geography of burial grounds and include 400-level courses in rhe Socral settlement in the Upper Valley and, with a Geography of Northern Communities, the colleague, Cherie Enns, is extending some Geomorphology of Polar Regions, and work already presented at a past WDCAG Advanced GIs, and a 300-level course on conference. Cherie herself offered a new third Russian Geography. The latter serves as part year planning course this year and guided of a new, interdisciplinary Russian Studies several students through some very well Minor. The Geography Club continues its received local projects in the communities we noontime talk series, featuring talks on serve, David Gibsnn is off to Mexico in May various corners of the earth, from Nepal to and hopes to be on educat~onalleave for part Amazonia to Baffin Island. of the following year. John Belec continues his role in GIs for the department and will I The February 1996 edition of the WDCAG again offer courses at the new university Newsletter was printed at the Department of college centre in Mission. Geography, .

University of Northern Editor: Dan Smith, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C. V8W Chair Kevin Hall has been busy 3P5. [Email: SMITH I@C)WM.UVlC.CAI expanding UNBC's international profile. At December meetings of the International