August 26, 2009 The Valley Voice 1 Volume 18, Number 16 August 26, 2009 Delivered to every home between Edgewood, Kaslo & South Slocan. Published bi-weekly. “Your independently owned regional community newspaper serving the Arrow Lakes, Slocan & North Kootenay Lake Valleys.” TSN/Kraft Celebration Tour comes to Kaslo by Jan McMurray the $25,000 cheque. Erickson told with a population of 11,000, Kaslo them with 52% of the votes. stop in each of the 10 communities In celebration of Kaslo’s big the crowd that when he joined the (population 1,000) put on a show of The TSN/Kraft Celebration Tour that won the contest. Kaslo was the win of $25,000 in the TSN/Kraft committee in 2007, he promised that Kootenay community spirit and beat continues across the country with a first stop on the tour. Celebration Tour contest, the they would be on TSN within three community came out on Saturday years – “and it only took two and a for a huge picnic extravaganza in half!” He said there is no end of things Kaslo Bay Park. to spend the $25,000 on – a new log TSN anchors Darren Dutchyshen rolling pond, new climbing trees and and Jennifer Hedger hosted their an equipment trailer to start. SPORTSCENTRE sportscast live Dutchysen and Hedger also from the park, and Kraft paid for addressed the crowd. “You have a the barbecue, served up by local beautiful community – it’s stunning,” volunteers. There were many said Hedger. “It’s been fantastic to activities for kids of all ages in the stay here.” park, including the dunk tank, hula Kathy Freeman read about the hoops, face painting, table hockey, TSN/Kraft Celebration Tour contest, beach volleyball, tug of war, and of in honour of TSN’s 25th anniversary, in course a mini logger sports. a Kraft recipes magazine in the spring. An excellent promotional clip for She entered the contest by sending in Kaslo during the TSN broadcast also an essay and picture of Kaslo Logger included Sandon. Sports. Of 400 communities that Just before the live broadcast was entered, Kaslo made the top 20. The to start, Kathy Freeman and Glenn top 20 were then paired up and pitted Kaslo Logger Sports committee members Glenn Erickson and Kathy Freeman accepted a $25,000 cheque from Kraft Erickson from Kaslo’s Logger Sports against one another in an intense Canada at the TSN/Kraft Celebration Tour event at Kaslo Bay Park August 22. Committee were presented with online vote. Up against Williams Lake Regional Bear Smart program offers help to homeowners by Jan McMurray “We have expanded the program area’s Bear Smart program and in the villages,” said McCrory. “If 6611, [email protected]. The area’s Bear Smart program to the Nakusp and Arrow Lakes, bear biologist with the Valhalla people can control their garbage, Kaslo and Upper Kootenay has landed some Columbia Basin and are working together with Wilderness Society. He added that that’s the number one issue. We Lake: Gillian Sanders, 250 353- Trust funding and is now launching the programs in the lower Slocan they were also coordinating with the encourage people to pick their fruit 1137, [email protected]. a regional public education campaign Valley and Kaslo area to co-ordinate Community Fruit Harvesting Project – we’re not telling them to cut down in efforts to reduce bear/human our efforts regionally,” explained in the upper Slocan Valley. their trees.” conflicts throughout the area. Wayne McCrory, the lead for the McCrory said that the CBT In the past, VWS has been funding would cover part-time successful in obtaining funding under wages for the volunteer Bear Smart the provincial Bear Smart program. coordinators in the Arrow/Slocan A bear hazard study and a bear/ JOYCE ART CREDIT: PHOTO Lakes and Slocan Valley. “The people conflict prevention plan for volunteer coordinators will now be the upper Slocan Valley, now almost more available to help people out completed, were funded under this with their bear problems,” he said. program. However, no funding from The program has bear proof the Bear Smart program was granted residential garbage bins for sale to VWS this year, so they applied for and for loan, and some electric CBT funding instead. They received fencing for people to install around $10,000 from CBT’s Environmental their fruit trees, compost piles and Initiatives program, and a total of chicken coops. McCrory said they’d $1,200 under CBT’s Community be setting up displays of the garbage Initiatives program. bins and electric fencing at the People who want to order bear transfer stations in Nakusp, Rosebery, proof garbage bins or electric fencing, Slocan and Kaslo. or who are having bear problems can “There was a huge berry crop contact their local coordinator: this year, so we’ve had very few Upper Slocan Valley & Nakusp bear problems, but I expect once the Area: Daniel Sherrod, Erica Mallam, The Vallican Whole’s 100-Mile market, berries dry up at the lower elevations, 250 358-2333, [email protected] with its wide variety of local wares, Bear proof bins and electric fencing are now available through local Bear we’ll be getting some of the bears Slocan and Lower Slocan was true to the theme for the event – Smart coordinators throughout the region. back, poking around the fruit trees Valley: Evelyn Kirkaldy, 250 359- ‘A Celebration of Local Abundance.’ SERIOUS SUMMER CLEARANCE SALE SEPT 1-15 Visitor Information - page 12 2 NEWS The Valley Voice August 26, 2009 Fisheries concerns continue to plague Glacier/Howser project by Jan McMurray shadow of a doubt that this project the proposed project design and flow project is the removal of the Birnam missing from the original application. Concerns that the Glacier/Howser would damage critical bull trout habitat. regime.” Creek intake from the Glacier Creek Gourdeau said they wanted to discuss independent power project would It’s not good environmentally, socially Simon Gourdeau of AXOR, the facility, due to the higher fish habitat appropriate types of compensation damage critical bull trout habitat seem or economically,” says Lee-Ann Glacier/Howser project proponent, quality in Birnam Creek. The company with DFO before including it in the to be confirmed in a joint submission Unger, West Kootenay EcoSociety. says that there has been “lots of back has also proposed to use different proposal. to the Environmental Assessment The joint submission states that and forth on fisheries” as part of the intake structures, which will eliminate Gourdeau reported that the Office by Fisheries and Oceans Canada the Glacier/Howser application “does environmental assessment process, the risk of very young fish being carried company planned to submit its (DFO), the Ktunaxa Nation Council, not provide the information necessary and that the company has proposed along in the flow. Finally, the company responses to all the public comments and the Okanagan Nation Alliance. to justify the potential impacts to the modifications to the project to address is coming up with ways to compensate on August 24. The EAO will review “This report proves beyond a fish and fish habitat resources in both fisheries concerns. for the loss of fish and fish habitat the responses before posting them on Glacier and Howser Creeks under One of the modifications to the – something that was completely the EAO website. The Valley Tourism BC swallowed by Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts by Katrine Campbell The Wilderness Tourism effort and have a further negative impact dire need of stability and major moves VOICE Tourism BC, the crown corporation Association says the decision came on our current economic contribution to like fundamentally shifting our lead which works with the tourism industry as a shock. the province…The Ministry of Tourism marketing agency and implementing and funds Visitor Infocentres, will be “Tourism BC was an award- doesn’t have a track record for this type the new HST … doesn’t bode well for Try our FLYER service! rolled into the Ministry of Tourism, winning organization which had of major marketing effort.” tourism businesses throughout BC.” Target your customers from our Culture and the Arts effective April developed a world-class destination Noting that the Winter Olympics are There is no information on how the 1, 2010. marketing model that was the envy of so close and the province is just coming change will affect Visitor Information 7400 CIRCULATION The move surprised everyone, the world…This move could be very out of the economic downturn, WTA Centres, which depend on Tourism BC Pick and choose where you eliciting outrage from the NDP and detrimental to BC’s overall marketing director Evan Loveless says, “We are in money to open every summer. want your flyer to go bewilderment from other tourism organizations. Construction will start soon on Trail hospital renos “The BC Liberals’ sudden decision submitted remaining 40 per cent. lobby, by phone, or online at www. Contact us for details to eliminate Tourism BC has left the Interior Health is about to award Renovations include updated kbrhhealthfoundation.ca. 250-358-7218 industry reeling just as it struggles to deal a contract for construction of the labour/delivery suites, a nursery, In related news, Kootenay with the blow from the government’s $1.9 million Children’s Healthcare private in-patient rooms for maternity Savings Credit Union has announced [email protected] HST [harmonized sales tax] betrayal,” Initiative at Kootenay Boundary and pediatrics, treatment spaces and its support for a proposed heliport the NDP says. Regional Hospital in Trail. clinical spaces. Additionally, for at the hospital. The proposal is a Through its Children’s the first time, pediatrics will have joint venture between the Lower Healthcare Initiative, the KBRH a negative pressure isolation room.