December 6, 2006 The Valley Voice Volume 15, Number 24 December 6, 2006 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.” Nakusp Music Fest organizers plan to expand festival site for 2008 by Jan McMurray campsites for festival goers resulting equipment or for gravel at cost. Also, other possible funders as Service forward. Mayor Hamling asked if there Nakusp Music Fest organizers from the expansion plan, Jahnke says the Village may be eligible for some Canada’s Youth Employment and Job would be a buffer zone for nearby would like a bigger venue and have new sites will have to be created in a grants that the society is not. He said Creation Partnership programs, the residences. Jahnke answered that yes, come up with a preliminary plan to more remote location, with a shuttle the project would be done as a Columbia Basin Trust and corporate there would, adding, “and people will expand the existing festival site in service. partnership between the Village, sponsors. “I guarantee there will be come up with a lot of concerns we never time for the 2008 Music Fest. Jahnke hopes that the project can Nakusp Roots Music Society (NRMS) major contributions making this thought of.” He also mentioned that Willi Jahnke, creator of the be done between April and November and Arrow and Slocan Lakes possible,” he said. Superintendent of Operations Jason festival, attended the November 23 2007 and estimates the project cost at Community Services, with Octopus Jahnke said the project is in its Chernoff had no objections to the plans council meeting to present the plan. $571,000. He made it clear that the Productions providing the preliminary planning stages and and that the society wanted to help He asked for and received council’s Village would not be asked for financial administration. He said that NRMS is indicated a willingness to work through purchase the tools Chernoff and staff support in principle, so that the contribution, but perhaps for the use of “happy to invest $200,000,” and listed all the concerns that would come need to maintain the sports field. Nakusp Roots Music Society could move forward with a grant application due January 15. Jahnke explained that the expansion plan would enable the festival to stay in a spot that has proven to be popular among guests and locals alike, with its proximity to downtown. It would allow for “a slow and controlled growth,” whereas the site as it is, with a capacity of 5,500 people per day, limits the festival’s revenue to $700,000 – and this is not enough of a budget to attract the bigger headliners that Jahnke would like to. He emphasized that the plan offers a win-win situation for the community and the festival, and will not cost the Village any money. What does not change in the plan is the main stage, the beer garden and the VIP tent. The plan involves extending the festival grounds to the west, currently a treed area that has been used as a camping area for festival goers. Jahnke said that the area would remain treed, and would house Vendors’ Village and a stage for the New Denver Mayor Gary Wright and Recreaton Commission #6 Chair DJ Wright were among the several dignitaries in attendance at the Grand Opening of the children’s programming during the Community Fitness Centre and Gym at the Slocan Community Health Care Centre. Story on page 7. festival. It would be open to the community at all other times. “Our BearSmart presentation well attended in Silverton plan for the area is to create a park- by Art Joyce already figured out how to open the step toward a community receiving instead of killing them as a first like setting for the community to Every year in BC, up to 1,000 new screw-top bin he had on display. BearSmart status. Biologists look for option. enjoy and to be utilized before and black bears and 50-100 grizzlies – a The ideal system is a metal dumpster telltale signs such as rubbing trees McCrory next presented a slide after Music Fest, all year round,” species at risk – are killed as a result centrally located in each and travel corridors with multiple show celebrating the Spirit Bear states the written proposal submitted of bear-human conflicts. Part of the neighbourhood, though this can be bear tracks. The best grizzly habitat conservancy area. He started by giving to council. problem, says bear biologist Wayne expensive. is found in the backcountry and a brief history of VWS, and the 18-year Jahnke said he’d like the McCrory, is that bears and humans The Village of New Denver is marsh areas, including the Bonanza campaign to have white kermode or children’s stage to be permanent so share the same preferred habitat – investing in a second metal dumpster Creek delta in Hills. McCrory said ‘spirit’ bear habitat protected. McCrory it could be used by the community food rich and accessible valley for Centennial Park. For rural bear hazard assessments have already spoke of the society’s first expeditions year round. He also suggested bottoms. McCrory gave a property owners with gardens and been completed for Valhalla, Goat to Princess Royal Island, which “felt like building washrooms and showers in PowerPoint presentation on the chicken coops, an electric fence can Range and Kokanee provincial parks. being dropped into the middle of the this new vendor area, creating 50 full- BearSmart program and the Spirit be an effective deterrent for bears. New Denver and Silverton are next Amazon.” McCrory, bear biologist service campsites for the vendors, Bear conservancy area to an attentive Backcountry encounters with but VWS hopes to expand north to Erica Mallam and several others had to and paving or putting gravel down audience in the Silverton Memorial black bears and grizzlies can be dealt Summit Lake and south to Enterprise set up camp in a tidal marsh crisscrossed on the trails here. Jahnke suggested Hall on Sunday, November 26. with most effectively with red pepper Creek. Biologist Maggie Paquet, who with bear trails, yet it took until the last that the Village use the new camping McCrory opened with a spray. An audience member made the authored the BC Bear Conservation moment of the last day to finally make area at non-festival times of the year, summary of principles designed to suggestion of freon-powered Strategy, has been hired to carry out a sighting of the white bears. McCrory’s creating a source of income for the educate the public on how best to bullhorns. McCrory said these work the assessment. camera finger was ready—he caught Village. avoid bear encounters. Top of the list too, but recommended using a more The second step is to create a some of the first photographs of the In the expansion plan, the current is the proper handling of garbage. In ozone-friendly version. Mountain bear/human conflict management kermodes. It was enough to begin Vendor Village site in Kathy urban areas, this means using ‘bear- bikers should keep to groomed trails plan, followed by step three, a building international support for the Pederson Park would become the proof’ certified containers, and only located away from known bear revision of community planning and protection of the wilderness. location for the secondary stage. putting garbage out on designated habitat zones. decision-making regulations to McCrory acknowledged the many Jahnke explained that this location pickup days. It only takes one Coolers should be locked inside include BearSmart priorities. Step organizations and First Nations who provides an adequate backstage area, householder who frequently leaves vehicles, not left outside or put inside four is an ongoing public education supported the campaign, mentioning which has been lacking for Stage 2, garbage outside to create a problem tents. McCrory showed slides of program capable of reaching the VWS, Greenpeace, David Suzuki, with access via the road in the bear. Provincial regulations stipulate bears snacking on the contents of widest possible audience; step five Sierra Club, and the Spirit Bear Youth municipal campground. Jahnke’s fines of up to $345 for repeat backpacks hung up in trees – another involves a community-wide waste Coalition. He thanked many individuals written submission states that part of offenders, though with current mistake. Hikers can also carry a small management plan; and step six the within VWS and the late Grant the ball park’s permanent fencing conservation officer staffing, starter pistol to frighten away bears. setting of bylaws providing penalties Copeland, a staunch supporter. Some would have to be made removable to enforcement is a problem. McCrory said the Valhalla for those leaving out bear attractants. work still remains to be done to protect avoid congestion in the new Stage 2 The exceptional intelligence of Wilderness Society recently applied BearSmart designation means critical kermode bear habitat not area. these creatures can pose a challenge. for and received a $3,000 grant to do Conservation Officers may exercise covered in the conservancy area, such To compensate for the loss of McCrory joked that one bear had a bear hazard assessment, the first the option of removing problem bears as Green Inlet. COUNTRY FURNITURE & HOME DECOR Looking for something out of the ordinary? Country Furniture & Home Decor, 115 Hall St. Nelson, Toll-Free 1-866-352-3665 2 NEWS The Valley Voice December 6, 2006 Selkirk College appoints Regional Innovation Chair in Rural Economic Development by Jan McMurray telephone interview.