CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE

Office of the Mayor

MAYOR’S REPORT TO COUNCIL

Date: March 23, 2011 To: Mayor and Council From: Mayor Dan Rogers Subject: Attachments: Letter from Sheldon Care, Mayor’s Action Committee on the Reserves for Prince George; Media Release- “The Reserve is coming to Prince George”. ______

RECOMMENDATION:

1) That Council receives this report.

DISCUSSION:

After 40 years, Prince George will welcome a new Army Reserve Unit to the city as early as September 2011. The Unit, a detachment of the Rocky Mountain Rangers, will be part of an Army Reserve expansion project. The Rocky Mountain Rangers maintained a detachment in Prince George after World 2 until the late 1960s when that detachment was closed.

The City of Prince George has been working tirelessly with many individuals for a lengthy period of time to ensure this initiative came to fruition. Work both at the administrative and political level has resulted in recent confirmation from the that a modest expansion to Prince George has been authorized. The attached News Release provides more detail. An official opening is expected later this year once full business arrangements have been completed.

Past work in this area included extensive lobbying through the Mayor’s Action Committee on Reserves, Chaired by Sheldon Clare, the efforts to successfully bring back this organization to our community has been achieved. Many citizens volunteered countless hours and it is only appropriate that they be acknowledged and recognized for their community commitment.

I will be sending out letters of appreciation to the many who have been involved in supporting this initiative including Mr. Clare, Branch #43 of the Royal Canadian Legion, former Mayor Kinsley and various others, some of whom are mentioned in the attached letter from Mr. Clare.

Respectfully submitted,

Dan Rogers Mayor RECEIVED MAR i ; 201, CITY MANAGtR'S OFFICE CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE

7 March 2011

Mayor Dan Rogers and Council City of Prince George 1100 Patricia Boulevard V2L3V9

Dear Mayor and Council:

Subject: Stand down of Mayor's Action Committee on Reserves

It is with great pleasure that I can report that 25 years of advocacy on behalf of the city of Prince George with the aim of having the Canad ia n army establish a reserve unit here has finally succeeded. As you are aware from recent media reports, and discussions with John Feller, a reserve unit of the Rocky Mountain Rangers is being established in Prince George. You will recall that the committee initially functioned informally from 1986, then was formally established first by the Branch 43 of the Legion and later officially sanctioned by former Mayor Colin Kinsley. My last report to council was in person and by letter of 12 June 2006.

I would emphasize that this very good news is the result of the varied contributions of a number of people over a long period of time, and it is appropriate to acknowledge their efforts for the record. In addition to the present mayor and city council and in no particular order these individuals and organizations have included:

David E.J. Snider Rick M . Lewis Dan McLaren Roland Krueger Russell Ko Carl Gustafson LCol Tony Walters LCol Al Beck LCol John Feller Daryl Melquist Ed Larabee Colin Kinsley Royal Canadian Legion Branch 43

1 Peacekeepers Association 2618 RM Rangers Army Cadet CNC UNBC RCMP City Detachment and North District Headquarters Jay Hill, MP (retired) Dick Harris, MP

I would emphasize that this list is not comprehensive as there were many others who participated from time to time in support of the committee through the listed organizations, within the military, and by writing letters and contacting their Members of Parliament on their own initiative. Members of the Legislative Assembly from this area of all parties have all supported the project at various times over the past 25 years.

Re-establishing a unit of the in Prince George has been a successful community effort of which I have been both honoured and proud to play a part. As the function of the committee to achieve this goal has been achieved, it is with much pleasure that I respectfully request that the committee be stood down.

Yours truly,

Sheldon Clare, M.A., B.A., A.A. Chair Mayor's Action Committee on the Reserves for Prince George

2

News Release The Rocky Mountain Rangers

NR - 11.004 February 23, 2011

THE ARMY RESERVE IS COMING TO PRINCE GEORGE

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. – Prince George is getting a new Army Reserve unit. As part of an Army Reserve expansion project the new unit, which is a detachment of the famous Rocky Mountain Rangers, is planned for the city as early as September this year.

“We‟ve been in discussions with the city for some time now about the feasibility of standing up a Reserve army unit in Prince George,” says Lt.-Col. John Feller, the Commanding Officer of the Rocky Mountain Rangers. “We‟re very encouraged by the community‟s support for an Army Reserve unit in this region, and we look forward to having new soldiers from Prince George become part of the Rangers,” he adds. Reserve soldiers are part-time members of the Canadian Forces that live, work, or attend post secondary school in the communities where they serve.

The plan for establishing the new Rocky Mountain Rangers detachment is still in progress, and the Rangers and City officials are working together to prepare future activities and events highlighting the unit‟s move in to the community. “Our recruiting activities will increase in Prince George over the next while,” continues Feller, “and we‟ll be looking to recruit men and women of age that are interested in serving part-time in a number of infantry positions with the Rangers.”

“ After 40 years, we are pleased that the Rocky Mountain Rangers are returning to our community,” said Mayor Dan Rogers. “We have been working with many individuals for a lengthy period of time to ensure this initiative came to fruition. On behalf of the City of Prince George, we will welcome the Army reserve with open arms.”

The Rocky Mountain Rangers maintained a detachment in Prince George after World War 2 until the late 1960s when that detachment was closed. Since that time, Rangers have fought in every conflict where Canada has been involved, including the Afghanistan campaign. At home, Rangers have volunteered to help protect our communities during the Kelowna forest fires in 2003 and during the Winter Olympics in 2010.

-30- Note to the Editor: For further information or to request an interview with Lt.-Col. John Feller about the Rocky Mountain Rangers detachment coming to Prince George, contact Chris Poulton, Public Affairs Officer at 604-225-2520 extension 2496.

39 Canadian includes all Army reserve units in the province of For more information about the Army please contact Brigade Public Affairs Phone: 604-225-2520-2496 Fax: 604-225-2523 www.39cbg.com

You can now follow the Western online via various websites: Online: http://army.forces.gc.ca/lfwa/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/lfwapao Facebook: Keyword „LFWA‟ National Defense l • I D efen~ nationale