SRS SES Pe re pe om ' OPINION Castlégar News PAGE A4, SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 1991 MEMBER OF THE B.C. PRESS COUNCIL ESTABLISHED AUGUST 7, 1947 TWICE WEEKLY MAY 4, 1980 INCORPORATING THE MID WEEK MIRROR PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 12, 1978-AUGUST 27, 1980 LV. CAMPBELL ~- PUBLISHER, AUGUST 7, 1947-FEBRUARY 15, 1973 PUBLISHER —- Burt Campbell EDITOR — Simon Birch PLANT FOREMAN — Peter Harve: ADVERTI“ ING MANAGER — Wayne Stolz OFFICE MANAGER — Warren Chernoft CIRCULATION MANAGER — Heather Hadley h '- EDITORIALS Snit baffling The snit which some members of Castlegar city council got them- selves into this week over Vancouver developer Sandy Reid’s Proposed shopping mall next to the Sandman Inn is a little bit baf- fling. Council’s annoyed because Mr. Reid or his agents hadn’t drop- ped by city hall as of Monday to pay their respects and show off their plans, having, to that point, done all their talking to the media, especially the Castlegar News. Council, particularly Mayor Audrey Moore, acted like Mr. Reid’s proposal came out of the blue and into the media as fait ac- compli, with nary a previous word to the city. “A i i developer would be in here (city hall) talking to our staff by now,”’ the mayor said at Monday night's council meeting. However, we remember Mr. Reid standing before Mayor Moore and three of the current aldermen at a council meeting Jan. 23, 1990, to unveil his plans, complete with an artist’s sketch of the proposed mall, and to request rezoning of the property he needed for the Project. Council unanimously approved the rezoning at a special meeting held at Mr. Reid’s request Jan. 29, 1990, which means somone at city hall must have thumbed through his plans at that time. So we're baffled by city administrator Gary Williams’s estimate that it would take city staff two months to review Mr. Reid’s plans when the city’s known for more than a year essentially what he has in mind for the property. True, Mr. Reid has changed his plans to an enclosed mall from an open-air mall similar'to Castleaird. Plaza. But the size of the mall — 60,000 square feet — and the approximate number of stores, 24, are the same in his current plans as in the original proposal which council gave the once over a year ago. We realize Mr. Reid is a developer and it’s in his best interests to create enthusiasm and publicity about his project as much as he can. Sometimes developers like Mr. Reid can be overly optimistic. But for Mayor Moore to publicly i Mr. Reid’s i to the project was uncalled for. There’s no question council bent over backwards last year to ac- commodate Mr. Reid by calling the special meeting at his request to approve rezoning of the property before his option to purchase the land expired, only to have him get skittish and Postpone the plans for. the mall because of the uncertainty at the time over the Celgar pulp mill project. . We suspect some members of council may be more miffed at that than worried about a serious technical problem that could delay con- truction of the mall. Example close by Chatelaine magazine calls Kelowna the best place to live in Canada. The magazine’s April edition carries a six-page article that quoted relocation experts across the country to determine where Canadians would prefer to live. “*No city on our list was r Kelowna,” writes author Lesley Barsky. The article listed the Okanagan Valley city’s primary attractions as ‘‘balmy climate, great recreational activities and community festivals.” Gee, that sounds kind of familiar. It’ll take a lot of hard work and, of course, money, but it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to en- vision a spruced-up Castlegar as an equally attractive place to live. It’s nice to have such a good example as Kelowna so close by, for anyorie who cares to take a look. ly than more LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Application threatens lake area We would like to draw the attention of interested readers to a legal notice recently placed in local papers by Westar Timber. Westar has applied to the Ministry of Crown Lands for an ‘industrial log dump and storage area over Crown land”’ in the vicinity of Gladstone Creek on Lower Arrow ‘Lake. This is the next creek north of the Sunshine Bay forestry camping site and Sunshine Creek. The area requested is approximately 5.7 hectares. The public is being invited to comment on this application. The land between Deer Park and Van Houten Creek (including Gladstone Creek) is the last, large, relatively undeveloped area that also borders Lower Arrow Lake. There are many beautiful camping and picnicking spots along the shore and excellent fishing at the creek mouths and elsewhere. The area is home to many species of wildlife, including mountain goat and sheep and a variety of from lake level to mountain tops at over 8,000 feet. It’s worth noting that this area was identified in 1981 in a proposed Arrow Lakes Regional Land Use Plan drawn up by the Regional District of Central Kootenay as a potential ‘‘wilderness area’’ to be separated out from Tree Farm Licence 23. This plan was unfortunately never implemented because the province took control and the area is currently still included in Westar’s tree farm licence. However, according to provincial land use policies, uses and values-other than just timber harvesting have to be taken into serious i ion before any takes place. The land is still Crown land, owned by the people of B.C., and we are entitled to have a say in what happens to it and how or if it is used. Our newly formed group, which is made up of people who know, use and deeply appreciate this part of Lower Arrow Lake, feel very strongly that this area should not be developed in any way until an in-depth, long-term plan has been thoughtfully put together and approved by those involved, This plan must take into account the full range of uses and values including wildlife, fisheries, tourism wilderness, recreation (both land and water), tree harvesting and so on for now and the future. The planning process must allow for i and serious participation by and input from the public as well as provincial ministries, local government and Westar Timber. We do not want to see ad hoc, piecemeal, gl of the area as by the recent application for a log dump. In fact, to us, the Arrow Lake is currently being treated more like an industrial zone than anything else with its water levels controlled to meet United States needs, the air polluted by Celgar and the land reserved for tim! jarvesting. It makes chamber of commerce talk of a meaningful local tourist industry a joke. Unfortunately, to date there seers to be little organized concern for the future of this beautiful and precious part of the West Kootenay. The time is long past when our actions can be based on the assumption that we have limitless Tally up The tally from the local fundraising drive for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. now_ stands at $10,000 and still counting. The Castlegar Curl-a-thon raised $3,942 — a fine effort from Castlegar in the Ongoing fight against heart disease and stroke. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. and Yukon thanks everyone in Castlegar for making February's Heart Fund campaign the most wild land that will be available forever to meet all our needs. We must learn to think more inclusively and use the limited land and resources available to us with future generations in mind. We therefore encourage concerned people to write to the Ministry of Crown Lands opposing the application by Westar for a log dump until an overall long-term plan for the area in question is satisfactorily in place. We'd also appreciate getting a copy of those letters and would like to be in touch with those who share our concerns about the future of Lower Arrow Lake. Letters should be sent to: Senior Land Officer, Ministry of Crown Lands, B.C. Lands, Kootenay Region, 828A Baker St., Cranbrook, B.C. VIC 1A2 (file No. 4402033) Please send copies to APLAN c/o 3417-Sth Ave., Castlegar, B.C. VIN 2V8. Thanks for your interest and help. Ann Godderis for Advocates for a Planned Lower Arrow Now Castlegar Please address all letters to the editor to: Letters to the Editor, Castiegar News, P.O. Box 3007, Castlegar, B.C. ViN 3H4, or deliver them to our office at 197 Columbia Ave. in Castlegar. Letters should be typewritten, double- Spaced and not longer than 300 words. Letters MUST be signed and include the writer's first and last names, address and a telephone number at which the writer can be reached between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The writer's name and city or town of successful ever. A big bouquet to all our dedi: volunteers, who gave so selflessly of their time and a special thanks to Bill Moore, Sherri Carlson and Rob MacPherson for their commitment and dedication to the foundation. We are also grateful to the people of Castlegar, who responded so generously to our appeal. Sharon Kembali Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. only will be p . Ont in exceptional cases will letters be published without the writer's name. Nevertheless, the name, address and telephone number of the writer MUST be disclosed to the editor. ‘ The Castlegar News reserves the right to edit letters for brevity, clarity, legality, I’ve been thinking a lot about ‘‘ ity’? — Idea promotes creating ‘community’ with Celgar a word that once had about as much appeal as a course in high school civics. Community used to mean something bigger than a neighborhood, but smaller than a town or city. Community was a group of people who knew one another because they lived in the same place. Community has subtly acquired a new connotation. People now talk about community not just as a place, but as a concept. In our search to find a place to call home, we continually met people wanting to ‘‘live in community,”’ to “‘create community,”’ and ‘‘seek communi The word ‘‘community”’ is the same as saying ‘‘quality of life."” The most tangible experiences I’ve had of helping to build ‘‘caring community”’ have taken me Catherine Shapcott session of the workshop, the theme of “‘community”’ kept recurring. Facilitator Jay Martell from the Non-Violence Resource Centre in Argenta talked about “fostering real ity.” well beyond the sphere of my i neighborhood. The-concept most came alive through: Quaker visiting programs in prisons; workshops in alternatives to violence; ‘‘witnesses for peace” support of aboriginal people; and justice initiatives Promoting reconciliation. Around our new home in the Slocan Valley, the quest for community is always compelling, yet often elusive. The Community Support Centre for War Resistance and Justice for All, newly opened in Winlaw, seeks ‘‘a just and harmonious social and Environmental community.’’ The centre has Practically issued a WANTED poster for information about any individuals working toward “community- building.” It was in the spirit of exploring One person wanted to ‘‘use this issue as a community building process.’’ Another encouraged the group to “‘see ourselves as a negotiating body, working to unite the community."’ Someone else asked: ‘‘How do we build bridges with the community that doesn’t come to these things?” That question was also on my mind. While the “‘brainstorm” elicited a range of strategies — from sabotage to street theatre — I fantasized about how ‘“‘community”’ could rise; phoenix-like, from the ashes of conflict. I thought about what the coalition wants: To stop chip trucks in the valley, and transport chips by barge. I thought about what Celgar wants: The most building — the spirit of seeking reconciliation, rather than re-agitating a hornet’s nest — that I attended the opening session of a direct action workshop. The two-day workshop was organized by the Coalition for Pulpmill Accountability to find ‘‘effective 3 ffecti chips to its pulp How could both sides work toward the classic “‘win-win”’ scenario, plus all the benefits of “ nity?” According to the I’ve read — for dealing with chip truck traffic in the Slocan Valley. During the initial gathering and brainstorming - submissions to the Celgar Expansion Review Panel, technical and community hearings — Ceigar’s Problem with barging is that it would cost too much money. The capital costs of building a barge loading terminal are esti by one at $7 million, while a loading terminal could be $9.5 million. Operating costs are extra. Moving chips by barge down the Arrow Lakes would require such facilities to be built, and Celgar would likely have to bear the costs of constructing them, as Lorne Parnell, vice-president of one of the Parent companies, observed in the Castlegar News (Sept. 26, 1990). “No one else has yet offered to build it,’” he said. The hint was as clear as a barge at 10 paces, so I could only wonder why no one else had thought of an obvious solution to the conflict: The community (in the old-fashioned neighborhood sense) could join together with Celgar in a fundraising drive to build the barge terminals! At the risk of offending those who have worked hard to build ity on this issue, I my fantasy to participants at the workshop. They responded to my suggestion as though it was brilliant. “Great idea,’’ everyone said. People who had started the morning in tears were smiling and laughing. The notion of creating community with Celgar was admittedly unusual, but it clearly lifted the collective spirit. My idea was recorded on the board, along with other possible actions. 4 Buoyed by the reception at the workshop, 1 wondered what Celgar would think of a plan that appealed to me as a sophisticated variation on the old barn-raising theme. I called Jim Browne, the mill's general manager, who responded as though he was ready to roll up his sleeves. Browne admitted he didn’t know enough about the costs to determine whether a major fundraising effort would be ‘‘viable,”’ but ‘‘we'd be willing to discuss it.’” Contrary to what some believe, Browne said Celgar has ‘‘no favored mode of transportation.”’ It also has no “‘ i ise,’* alth Browne indicated he has some fundraising experience. 1 th®ught that was a helpful beginning, even though the prospect of raising a few million dollars might strike some people as a rather daunting price to Pay for ‘‘community’’ — not to mention the cost of barge terminals: As Browne said he couldn’t speak for the owners, I called Parnell at his office in Montreal. Parnell didn’t sound like he had better things to talk about. “It’s an interesting idea,"’ he said. ‘‘I like the approach of bringing people together. It’s important for Celgar to meet representatives of the community and discuss what’s going on — there has been so tue wal and ” Parnell told me Celgar ‘‘has always been open to any system, if it was efficient and doesn’t cost us more money. We have no particular objection to His concern with the fundraising idea was that the “‘community’’ might run out df steam after 7 & few dollars, leaving Ceigar to pick up the tab. Bake sales, car washes, sales — these alone will be inadequate to the task. Telethons concerts, contests to guess the number of chips in a truck — whatever routes the collective community chooses will be a lot more creative and a lot less Baath eat Ae power of “caring notion that becomes less and less a fantasy with every ‘thought that imagines it could happen. PERSPECTIVES 7 CBC radio host tours Castlegar Neil Gillon, well-known host of the CBC Saturday radio program Daybreak was in Castlegar on Tuesday and Wednesday morning for his third and longest visit to this area. He had spent the morning at the Rossland Historical Museum with its founder and long-time president Jack D. MacDonald, His host and guide in Castlegar was John Charters who took him to the Doukhobor Village and museum where he first inter- viewed carver and museum founder Pete Oglow and then Selkirk Spin- ners and Weavers Guild members Nancy Knight and Dar MacDowell who were giving a demonstration of their craft. He then went to the West Kootenay National Exhibition Cen- tre, which is currently hosting a and chat- Charters and the interviewer then Proceeded to Verigin’s tomb, the old Raspberry school, the site of the former Robson ferry, Robson Memorial Church and the Hugh K display of paper cl ted with Maureen Stilch, education director, After picking up Dr, Bill Sloan, history professor at Selkirk College, the group Proceeded to the viewpoint on the Castlegar-Salmo highway for ‘ @ study of the valley. There Gillon Questioned Sloan on some of the early settlements in the area and the effect of transportation on the development of the valley. dam, while recalling some of the origins and of Gillon had seen the station on two previous occasions — shortly after its move across the railroad tracks and two years ago during Heritage Week. He was greatly impressed at the Progress that had been made. those places enroute. Their tour en- ded, with darkness falling, at the Castlegar Rail Station where Gillon interviewed restoration supervisor Karl Koreen on the work being carried out on the station by a development team employed by the Castlegar and District Heritage Society and the plans for a collectors exhibition at the station in June. On W morning, popular radio show host and Char- ters spent an hour touring Zucker- berg Island. Gillon then left for a visit with the director of the Nelson Chamber of Commerce and Nelson’s Heritage Walk. The first of these West Kootenay interviews was aired today. Later, Gillon will be paying visits to towns further north. EVERY DAY_.- AT YOUR CASTLEGAR SAFEWAY Spring bulbs & seeds are now.in, with all other gardening products arriving soon! REMEMBER WHEN 40 YEARS AGO From the March 15, 1951 Castle News The Castlegar Public Library Board held its montly meeting-at the home of Miss a.C. Bloomer, Tuesday evening, with Mr. J.A. Charters in the chair. Members present included Miss Bloomer, Mrs. C.H. King, Mrs. A. Hopland, Mr. 'W. Markin and Mr. Charters, Mrs. King reported that the shelves were painted and varnished in the new library quarters in the Coronation Hall and that the books had been taken there in packing cases. She also reported that the Parks Board had hired a man -to repair the leak in the roof. A letter has been sent to Highways Minister Phil Gaglardi from Castlegar council suggesting that consideration be given to relocating the old Taghum bridge in the Castlegar-Robson area. Last week it was made known that the department of highways has proposed that a new bridge be built @ point between the present high- he and CPR bridge at Taghum, near Nelson. i in Rob- Kelly Hurd was named the r Rebels’ most valuable player at the Junior B team's windup dinner five years ago this week. ‘CosNews tile photo 15 YEARS AGO From the March 18, 1976 News The Selkirk Physical Education Centre became available for general use Monday, March 15. This will not provide Selkirk students with as many opportunities for participation in activities as was son are being asked to support a movement to prevent the ferry ser- vice from being terminated. 0 Cut in unsafely. planned; however, it will give them an opportunity to enjoy some of the programs and facilities Prior to final exams at the end of ORPORAT If you can honestly say you've never done any of the above, then youre a really good driver. Unfortunately, not everyone is a good driver. Or even a lucky one. In 1990 Autoplan is paying out more in claims than at any time in history: more than $4.5 million every working day. April. The facility houses not only the gym floor but a handball court, squash court and general exer- cise/weight training area. © sw Norm Wolfe was re-elected President of the board of directors of the Kootenay-Columbia Child Care Society at its first regular meeting held last week. Mr. Wolfe heads a slate of officers for the 1976-'77 term that includes vice president Yvonne Brown, Are you a good driver? Or justa lucky one? Have you ever done any of the following? C Exceeded the speed limit 1 Not signalled a lane change (Not stopped at a red light before turning right C Driven after drinking 0 Followed too closely C1 Not come to a full stop at a stop sign C) Backed up unsafely (1 Not signalled a turn What's ICBC doing about it? We're working to reduce thé number of accidents through traffic safety education. And by promoting the use of safety belts. ICBC also works with school children and educators, the police, safety councils and govern- ments on continuing “grass roots” traffic safety programs. treasurer Mike Richardson, and Secretary Sandra Mooney. Other members of the board are Billie Boultg,, John Green, Dianne Williams, Dianne Ailman, Rita Koerber, Marilyn Cooper, Bonnie Thompson, and Joanne Sawalski. 5 YEARS AGO From the March 16, 1986 Castlegar News John Charters, active in numerous community activities throughout the years, was honored as the 1985 Castlegar Citizen of the Year at a banquet Saturday night. Charters is perhaps best known as the ‘father’? of Zuckerberg Island Heritage Park. Charters has been in charge of the park project for three years and Castlegar council has made him liaison officer for the island. He makes regular reports to council, in addition to handling all matters. . . Kelly Hurd was named the Castlegar Rebels’ Most Valuable Player at the Junior B team’s windup dinner held Friday night at the Fireside Inn. Ken Hoodicoff won the award for Sportsmanship and Ability, while Dane Jackson and Travis Green tied for the Rookie of the Year award. Nick Colvin was named Most Popular Player while Dave Terhune was named the Most Valued Team Player. — SAFEWAY MEATS — Fresh Chicken LEGS Backs Attached $2.167kg. 98 — DELI FRESH — Black Forest HAM or Shaved 00 g. Sliced 1 WIENERS . or B.B.Q. 16 /kg. 98 All Beef Bologna 99 19 — FRESH BAKED DAILY — French BREAD 400 G. Loaf Fruit Filled Bismarks 6,1°° — SAFEWAY PRODUCE ALWAYS THE BEST — Crisp ¢ Imported CELERY 55*/kg. 29 Fresh Broccoli $1.46 kg. .-66 — BUDGET STRETCHERS — Laundry DET. A.B.C. © 10L. 426 Lucerne YOGURT 175 mL 5,1% At ICBC, we're doing what we can. But the real solution lies with the individual motorist. What can you do? Obey the rules. We all know them. Stick to the speed limit. Use your turn signals. Don't run yellow (and especially red) lights. Come to a complete stop at stop signs. Don’t drink and drive. If were really going to control the rising costs in lives, injuries and property damage — everybody needs to help. Learn and practice good driving habits. We can't count on luck any longer. CICBC aetsrszess insurance costs down. Oven Joy BREAD White or 100% Whole Wheat ¢ 450 G. Loaf 2,.99 Taste Tells Mushrooms Stems & Pieces Frozen Orange JUICE Scotch Buy © 341 mL 78 Craigmont POP 1L. ¢ Assorted Flavors 284 G. Tin Plus Deposit 68 68 ADVERTISED PRICES IN ea SUN. | MON. TUES.| WED. | THUR.| FRI. | SAT. 22 17] 18| 19| 20| 21| 22] 23] Mon. to Wed. &$et. Thursday & Friday Pa.m. to 6 p.m. 9a.m. tod p.m. We reserve the right to limit sales to retail quantities. SAFEWAY We bring it all together # Sundey 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.