Wednesday, July 1, 1992 @ Oo = = 2 D e~ CO Please address all letters to: Letters to the Editor Castlegar News P.O. Box 3007 Castlegar,.B.C. VIN 3H4 or deliver them to 197 Columbia Ave. 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 9am. and5 p.m. The writer's name and city or town of residence only will be published. Letters toWHE EDITOR What follows is a letter mailed to the Regional Director of Highways. It is in response to Thursday’ truck accident on the Kinnaird Bridge. A heavily laden truck starts down the ramp which will put it onto Highway 3 just before it crosses the Columbia River on the Kinnaird Bridge to Castlegar. The driver is new to the area and does not know that this particular ramp drops steeply and the radius of the turn tightens as it descends; it is a tricky corner which has claimed other trucks, busés and cars. As he approaches the corner, he happens to see the small sign cautioning him to slow to 50 kilometers so he begins to downshift and touches his brakes but he misses the shift and his speed does not lessen. Suddenly, he realizes just how tight this corner is and turns the steering wheel harder, the front tires grab the asphalt, shrieking in protest at the tremendous load as they try to turn the lumber laden truck and trailer above them. The curve tightens more and the tires are subjected to even greater stress as the truck’s speed continues to increase as it descends. Just as the rig straightens out of the curve, inertia overcomes friction. The mass of wood continues in the direction it was going; the tractor and its trailer are flipped on their side and become a 60-foot long, eight-foot high wall of wood and metal sweeping across the highway with an appalling sound as the roadway grinds away the metal of the rig. Unheard above this noise of tortured metal are the screams of the little league coach and the six young players in his Astro Van as they are swept off the road by the rampaging truck as the loaded trailer slams against the van, crushing it against the unyielding wall of the ditch. Like spilling spaghetti the unrestrained lumber cascades over the crushed remains of the van until only a small part of its blue roof is visible. After the intense noise of the crash there is an eerie silence broken only the metronome click of idly spinning trailer wheels and the liquid sound of fuel running from ruptured tanks. There are no sounds from the crushed van. The first cars are stopping, people are getting out, the truck driver begins to climb bleeding through the shattered windshield of his truck. Still there is no sound from the Astro Van. There is no sound from the Astro Van because it does not exist, #t is a product of my imagination. It was not there to be crushed by the trailer load of lumber which did sweep across Highway 3 around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. There was no van but it is only a matter of random chance that there wasn’t a car, bus, van, cyclist or pedestrian in the way when this monster of the road lost control on the difficult access ramp, tipped over and ended up on its side in the drainage ditch with its load spilled. In the past few years, I have personally seen a logging truck, a Greyhound bus, another lumber truck and a passenger car in the same position — all victims of this very tricky corner where drivers have to deal with a descending curve, a decreasing radius, a blind yield, and a very short distance to stop if they do have to yield. If this corner is bad enough to catch a truck on a nice Dangerous corner must be fixed summer day, just imagine how dangerous it is with snow on it. (It is only. six months to Christmas.) . I suggest at the very least | some significant, large signs be placed warning of the complexity of the corner and the need for reduced speed. Perhaps more and larger arrows showing) the tightening of the corner,¥ concrete ™ perhaps abutments. I don’t know what else might be done but surely it is possible to do more than is done at present to warn of this more hazardous corner or to lessen | the threat to oncoming vehicles | when this all too common situation occurs. In the ideal world this access ramp will be redesigned but in our less than ideal world it will be nice if at least something is done to prevent my fictional account of fatalities from becoming true. I live in Ootischenia and could easily become such a fatality as I drive past this danger zone at least once daily. Please help me, or someone like me, get older. Do something about this situation. Ted Crosfield Ootischenia My husband and I came 400 miles again this year, as we did last year, to take part in our niece’s and nephew’s graduation. This year, I must say, was one we will not soon forget. I was thoroughly disgusted with the RCMP and the way that they treated, not only the kids, but the people and parents that were volunteering their time We would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the Castlegar-RCMP for the wonderful job they did on grad night. When our son returned home from work on Saturday night and told us about the roadblocks, it gave us a measure of relief from worry. We did not have any family member graduating but many of the grads were friends and customers. There is nothing safe nor memorable nor fun about celebrating one of the Castlegar RCMP was and services ‘to ensure that our children party but stay safe. I find it really hard to believe that the Ride for Life Program can be endorsed by: the Minister of Health, thé Office of the Premier and other agencies. Yet the RCMP does not seem to feel that they need to conform to any of these agencies wishes. I would like to thank all the drivers with the ambulance highlights by getting intoxicated. Parenting is more than providing a so-called controlled environment to participate in something illegal and dangerous. The words ‘celebration’ and ‘intoxication’ are not synonymous. We may never be able to convince some people of this fact but, hey, as parents let’s at least try and keep on trying until we succeed. Let’s not stand back, shrug our shoulders and say that the reality. is that they are going to drink anyway. out of line service who volunteered their services again this year. Also I thank all the parents, friends and family who tried their hardest to make this grad party something these kids would not forget. For those officers that were out in force making life miserable for everyone, you're No. 1.in my books. Colleen Thompson Burnaby Police must be publicly thanked Let’s lobby the grad student body for their endorsement of the Night to Remember Program (dry grad) and then let’s give them our money, our time, and whatever else they want to make it work. As parents of future grads we are prepared to do whatever we can to ensure our children’s memory of grad night is more than a hangover and we challenge all future grad parents to do the same. . Marsha and Glen Carew 1993 and 1996 Grad Parents Castlegar To the mothers and friends of the high school grads, who wrote letters to say that it’s OK to go against the law and have a drinking party: does this teach grad children that it’s OK? I was interested in the comments “They will do it anyway”. Perhaps we should make special roads for those who drive recklessly because “they will do it anyway”. And maybe make special open areas in the city for kids to vandalize and plunder because “they will do it anyway”? We know that abuse of alcohol is Canada’s No. 1 drug problem and a habit destructive and costly to our society. ’ My friends and I have discussed these letters berating the RCMP and we feel horro: and surprise at the philosoph: of those who think that thei children are above the law. We support the law and the RCMP. The ambulance crew are to b admired for their voluntee work, but would it not be bette to co-ordinate their activitie with the RCMP? @ Wednesday, July 1, 1992 AroundTOWN Our person for Our People Glen Freeman 365-7266 BON FETE Happy 125th birthday, Canada! After all this time, Canada is still a world leader and a great place to call home. So kick up your heels and celebrate the true north strong and free and her people any way you can. One way to enjoy the day is to head to the community complex, partake in the juice and birthday cake, and participate in the crafts, games and entertainment that is sure to thrill. WELCOME THE WORLD This summer, 22 students from Japan’s Aoyama Technical College will be coming to Castlegar as a part of a three week exchange. They will arrive July 20 and learn firsthand what a beautiful nation we have. READ ON, KIDS The Castlegar Library is starting their Summer Reading Club July 6, If you want to unearth the mysteries of the world and the people who live in.it, come on down to the library and read on. Call 365- 7765 for more information. OurPEOPLE | >» | y/ Sasha Conroy (far left) put the finishing touches on two-year-old Kendra Messengeras a part of the tad painting extravaganza at Sunfest ’92 Sunday. Some participants found that enjoying Sunfest was as easy as falling off alog (bottom left), and the petting zoo was a “harey” situation for many, but this youngster handled things well. News photos by Glen Freeman The weather co-operated, the people of Castlegar came out to play and a good time was had by all. Even though the largest event of the weekend — the boat regatta — was cancelled, the 20th Annual Sunfest was nothing short of a success. ee * - “There was by far more people than we expected,” said Selkirk Lions Club Family Days co-ordinator Mark Zurek. “We really didn’t anticipate the turnout we got. It was great.” Zurek said that family days’ activities like the petting zoo, the Rube Band, log rolling and frog jumping were a big hit with young and old alike. “I think everyone was happy with the events,” he said. “I sure didn’t hear any complaints. _ “And next year we'll try to make it even bigger and better.”