Wednesday, August 26, 1992 @ Ratepayers call for b B.C. government must protect the ecologically sensitive Christina Lake environment Letter to the Premier of British Columbia The Christina Lake Ratepayers’ Association is opposing a logging contractor’s intention to log a 216 acre parcel of private property (Lot 1021s) at the southwest corner of Christina Lake. Further, our group opposes any logging onthe slopes of Christina Lake. . Christina Lake is renowned as the warmest tree-lined lake in Canada. It is a popular tourist, recreation and retirement destination. The combination of warm, clear and clean water and the Coverage of visitors outstanding I would like to express the sincere gratitude of the staff, students, and home- stay families of the Aoyama Study Tour for The News’ extensive coverage of this event. Pictures, articles, Street Talk and more were filled with the Japansese stu- dents during their visit. Never has the coverage been so exceptional. Also, thank you for giv- ing each of the students a souvenir copy of The News to take back to Japan with them and to show their friends and family. I’m sure it will be a guarded memen- to of their experiences in Canada. Thanks again for advising the community of the students’ presence and activities. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. Donna K. Freeman Tour co-ordinator Bluetop Burger CHEESE DELUXE & FRIES All beet patty with All Our Prices include the G.S.T. Now open til 9 p.m. natural beauty of the area is a valuable provincial resource and must be protected. Logging will adversely affect both lifestyle and the local economy. Once logging starts in one place on the slopes of the lake, it will start in others. The aesthetics of the region will be negatively impacted. The potential for damage to lakeshore properties from runoff and for pollution of the water supply from affected septic systems are of concern to residents and visitors alike: The aesthetic value of the area; the well established base of tourism, recreation and retirement; the sensitivity of the lake to pollution; the relatively small timber harvest, and the questionable viability of logging this area provide a strong case for preserving the lake as it is. The resolution to logging Lot 1021s is a land exchange, something your government is reluctant to arrange for fear of setting a precedent. We agree that this would set a precedent, but we believe it is a precedent that should happen. The lake must be protected, and government action is necessary. Our local MLA, Bill Barlee, has made it clear that the provincial government intends to address the larger issue of logging through the C.O.R.E. Commission, but this will take up to two years. We want to participate in this approach, and we are hopeful that Christina Lake will be designated as an area protected from logging. NO FRILLS NO GIMMICKS LOW PRICES FP pauuser However, in the interim, we insist that logging be banned on private property surrounding the lake. Yes, forestry is important to the B.C. economy, but we are appalled at the shortsighted attitude of your government for failing to protect this tourist, recreation and retirement area, and similar areas throughout the province. We applaud your government’s legislation which enables municipalities to regulate logging on private land within their boundaries. We strongly urge that similar legislation be provided to regional districts. In extremely sensitive areas, such as the Christina Lake basin, logging should be banned entirely: Christina Lake Ratepayers’Assn. DR. CHRISTOPHER M. CHART wishes-to announce that Selkirk Veterinary Hospital IS NOW OPEN at 616 Railway Street, Nelson, B.C. (Opposite Whitewater Ford) Telephone: (604) 352-2999 HOURS: Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri. 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Thurs. 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. LOW COST -~tg ch WAREHOUSE | San Pi BRAND NAMES gl VARY BY LOCATION ti’ OPERATION ‘ SUPERIOR a co. BUY ) SELL Furniture Warehouse 4445 Minto Rd. 365-6433 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: Mon-Sat: Sunday: Closed 10am- 6pm @ Wednesday, August 26, 1992 AroundTOWN Our person for Our People Corinne Jackson 365-7266 SCHOOL DAYS Selkirk College has announced the creation of two new training opportunities under the Canada Job Strategy initiative of Canada Employment beginning in October. The first is a Practical Horticulture program and the other, called Career Skills for the 90's, is designed to address the needs of women who would like to return to the labor force. For more info, give Jospeh Lintz a call at 365-1251. SENIORS SPOTLIGHT A public forum to hear briefs on seniors’ issues will be held on Sept. 10 in the Fireside Banquet Room at the Fireside Inn from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.. The forum will be used as an opportunity to discuss issues such as affordable, accessible housing for seniors, mandatory retirement and the frail elderly. Contact John Kirby of the Seniors Advisory Council at 387- 2292 for details. OurPEOPLE tts remembers roots From the Cariboo to Castlegar, Bob Coutts has a wealth of experience to draw on as he plans strategy for the local mill @ With major challenges ahead, the manager of Pope and Talbot's Castlegar mill hasn’t forgotten how he started his career Corinne Jackson NEWS REPORTER Although he is now in management, Pope and Talbot’s resident manager has not forgotten that he started off pulling lumber off the green chain. “I like to get out in the mill. I have my office time, but I enjoy being around the machinery,” Coutts said. Before coming to Castlegar Coutts was plant manager in Grand Forks for five years. He spent the 15 years prior to that working for Weldwood of Canada Ltd in the Cariboo. Coutts calls the step up to resident manager at the sawmill “an interesting experience. “I'm very pleased with the workforce here. They have a lot of interest in how the operation is working and a lot of pride,” Coutts said. Coutts took on the resident manager position in mid-April after Pope and Talbot took the mill over from Westar Timber Ltd. Celgar Pulp Company's recent announcement that they will no longer accept Pope and Talbot's hog fuel, as well as the effect of this summer’s Cel- gar strike on sawmill workers, has management at Pope and Talbot rethinking their relationship to the pulpmill. “Celgar will always be our primary buyer for chips,” Coutts said, but added “we want the um- bilical cord cut.” Although the sawmill has not started looking at any companies yet to accept the hog fuel, Coutts said that by July 1, 1993 they will be look- ing for other methods of getting rid of the product. Stanley Humphries grad off to Taiwan on scholarship Corinne Jackson NEWS REPORTER Months of preparation and waiting to leave for Taiwan has finally ended for Lorraine Paszty. Paszty leaves Thursday for an 11-month stay in Taipai,the nation's capital. While there, Paszty will be studying Man- darine and Chinese culture. Although she has been looking forward to going all summer , Paszty said her leaving has not quite hit her. yet. “It is the longest time I'll have been away from home,”she said. “T'll probably grow up pretty quickly ,” she predicted. Paszty should not be lonely for company however. “I have some contacts that I met two years ago and I've remained friends with them.” Two years ago Paszty spent the summer at a Mandarine-English bilingual school in Vic- toria. While she was learning Mandarin, Tai- wanese students studied English. Paszty was selected in April to receive a Pa- cific Rim Scholarship to study Mandarin and Chinese culture for 10 of the 11 months. Once she gets back, Paszty hopes to take courses in Pacific Asian Studies and Political Science at Simon Fraser University. nat does Paszty want this all to lead up to? “T'd like to become a diplomat for a Cana- dian embassy in a Pacific Asian country.” Lorraine Paszty will spend a year studying in Taipei, Taiwan on a Pacific Rim Scholarship.