PREPARING TO FIGHT .

. rural parents at Ootischenia Community Hall pledge donations and support Mon-

day as they get ready to mount a legal battle in an et

TO KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN

tort to re-open rural elementary schools closed by the Castlegar school board

Parents ponder court

Rural parents in the Castlegar area, angered by the Castlegar school board's decision in June to close four rural elementary schools, are prepared to go to court in an attempt to keep three of the schools open next year.

With thunder and lightning outside providing an appropriate setting for the stormy controversy of the school closures, about 50 rural parents, led by Graham Read of Blueberry Creek, met Monday night at the Ootischenia Community Hall in a solid show of

for a legal battle to keep Blgeberry Creek,” Pass" Cf®ek and Qotischenia elementary schools open druing.the 1986-87 school year.

The closure of a fourth —

y, is r acceptable to the parents.

Based on the show of support Monday, Read said he will go ahead on behalf of the parents with the forma tion of a non-profit Society for Quality Education (Castlegar). He said the society will solicit tax deductible donations in an effort to raise about $10,000 for the legal battle which would probably start with the society seeking an injunction to keep the schools open

Read has already consulted Abbots ford lawyer John Conroy who last year was successful in helping a group of Fraser Valley parents reopen a Mission school

“I discussed our situation with the lawyer and he decided we have a case,” Read said. “We feel we have a good case.”

Read said the society will minimum donations of $20

As of this morning, Read said 28 people had donated more than $500 to the yet-tobe-formed society, and another 13 “potential” members had indicated support, putting the group near the 50 members Read feels are necessary to launch the legal battle.

The parents also have the financial backing of the Canadian Union of Public Employees — if the communities affected by the school closures show strong support in trying to keep the schools open.

Ed Haggan, CUPE national repre sentative for the West Kootenay, said today the union will back the parents for the full $10,000 cost of the legal fight

“I would say CUPE will probably pick up the tab for that,” Haggan said “The key is if the community is in favor of retaining these schools and keeping

seek

WATERSLIDE APPEAL

continued from tront pege should consider proceeding under a development permit

“I do not see any other alternative for you to pursue,” Ritchie said

Exner said in an interview Tuesday he discussed the letter with one of the other three CETAC directors. The other two directors are out of town.

He said the directors hope to meet around Aug. 1 to plan their next step. which will propably be to resubmit the proposal

Exner said it would take about two weeks to prepare the new submission. He would like to have it go before the board at its Aug. 25 meeting “or September at the latest.”

That will also give CETAC time to

GRAHAM READ we have a good case

them open. CUPE will support that type of thing because (the members) believe in it.”

Haggan said CUPE stands to lose jobs when schools close but added that the issue goes beyond the loss of jobs.

“Not only is it jobs, but if the public feels the need (to keep the schools open) is there, CUPE will support it.”

Although Read wouldn't say exactly what the parents’ legal strategy will be, it will probably be similar to a petition presented Monday to the B.C. Supreme Court by a lawyer representing a group of Kelowna parents

In that petition, the lawyer, Ronald Smith, alleges the Central Okanagan school board acted unfairly in closing two schools because it failed to give parents a fair opportunity to respond

to its decision to recommend closure. At Monday's meeting, Read stressed the Castlegar board's failure to con sider a comprehensive, 27-page alter native proposal to closing all four rural schools in the Castlegar school district. A committee of seven rural parents prepared the report and presented it to the board at a June 23 public meeting. The board had called the meeting a week after it made its June 9 decision to close the schools. The board made its decision following four other public meetings in late May and early June at the schools slated for closure. Board chairman Kay Johnson said at the time she wanted the extra meeting

because she felt some parents’ groups in the community —. including the seven-member committee of rural parents led by Read — had not had a chance to address the board on the closures.

When they called the extra meeting, Johnson and other trustees said they would listen to alternate proposals to closing the schools, but made no promises to overturn their decision.

Read said Monday he understood at the time the board would at least discuss the committee's proposal.

But after hearing Read present the proposal at the June 23 meeting, none of the four Castlegar city trustees wh6 voted in favor of closing the schagls would make a motion to reconsider the closure decision

According to Robert's Rules of Order, which the board follows at its meetings, a trustee who votes in favor of a motion must move to reconsider a decision resulting from that motion.

With no motion on the floor, there was no discussion of the committee's proposal and the decision to close the schools stood

Read argues that the board should have taken more time to consider the proposal

“By doing what they did, by just having it (the proposal) there and holding a meeting immediately after, they didn't have time to see the validity of it.

“You don’t take 27 pages of infor. mation and digest it in 15 minutes.”

The committee's proposal calls for the closure of Shoreacres and Valley Vista elementary schools while keeping Blueberry Creek, Pass Creek and Ootischenia elementaries open by transferring students to various dis trict schools.

Read said the proposal addresses most of the board's concerns by allowing for the reduction of split grade classes, the enhancement of library programs and the support of second language and special education pro- grams, among"others

Read added‘ that the committee's proposal also {Feduces the time rural students -must spend on school buses and allows fér the future expansion of schools ~ if and when the are population expands

The board has said it wants to close the schools to save about $150,000 in clerical, maintenance and utility costs at the schools and spend the money to help boost district education programs back to pre-restraint levels.

meet with regional directors and “find out exactly what problems have to be addressed

Exner rejected Ritchie's suggestion that CETAC proceed under a develop- ment permit

“We've never really been fond of it (the development permit),” he said, adding the permit is too restrictive

As for concerns about water supply, Exner said CETAC is reluctant to drill a well for $18,000 to $20,000 and find water, only to have the proposal rejected anyway

In any case, Exner said CETAC would not be going ahead with any work on the site this year

“It's too late for anything to happen this year,” he said.

However, CETA( approval in plac next spring

hopes to have so work could start

Exner also said he does not expect to receive support from Ootischenia resi dents no matter what happens.

“I don't think we will ever change their minds.” Instead, he says his greatest support will come from regional directors.

In fact, Exner says support from regional directors is already strong, adding that directors who originally voted against the rezoning application have recorisidered.

many

“If we were to have a vote tomorrow, I think it would go through,” he said.

Council supports Inonoaklin plan

By CasNews Staff Castlegar council agreed Tuesday to support a water management plan for Inonoaklin Creek that would expand both irrigation for Inonoaklin Valley farmers and the Lower Arrow Lake fishery.

The plan is one of three options

in a joint study of the Inonoaklin fishway by the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Agri- culture.

The other two options include:

e enhancing fish production by building a fish ladder at Inonoaklin Falls and expanding the hatchery at Hill Creek on the Upper Arrow Lake, while curtailing any further irrigation by farmers without water storage.

© dropping all plans for

additional 1,160 acres of land to be irrigated without hindering water requirements for fisheries.

Preliminary engineering studies in dicate a dam on Box Lake would cost $500,000 to construct.

The report also notes that the dam may be eligible for government assist ance with the remainder of the cost paid for by farmers who would benefit from the increased water supply.

The study also mentions two other alternatives for enhancing the water supply on Inonoaklin Creek

By diverting water from Barnes Creek which is just north of the Inonoaklin Valley. This would cost about $1.75 million.

e By increasing the water supply

fish production and allowing expanded irrigation by farmers.

Mayor Audrey Moore called the plan to expand both irrigation and fisheries “the most viable to me ahd the most advantageous to everybody.”

She pointed out that the financial analysis included in the study shows the plan would provide $2 million in net benefits: $1.6 million from increased fishing and $400,000 from expanded agriculture.

But the plan would require an increased wate? supply.

“Based on preliminary assessments the most economical means of in- creasing streamflows in Inonoaklin Creek is to store water on Box Lake at the upper end of the creek,” says the study.

The study says there is enough storage on Box Lake to allow an

from gr sources the study says the groundwater het tential in the area is unknown and studies would be required to investi gate what potential exists

The Ministry of Environment has pledged to undertake. the studies if requested.

The study, which will go to a public meeting Aug. 6 in Edgewood, says the total cost of improving irrigation in the valley is estimated at $5.8 million, with farmers paying the majority of that

However, increased benefits would total $6.2 million for a net benefit of $400,000.

As well, an increased water supply would mean the fisheries enhancement program could proceed. Total cost of the program is estimated at $3.5 million, with benefits totalling $5.1 million.

Construction of the fish ladder and

improvements to the Hill Creek hatchery are estimated to cost $1.9 million, with B.C. Hydro footing the bill as compensation for constructing the Keenleyside Dam.

However, the fish ladder and hatch. ery would cost $130,000 a year to operate.

And the study warns: “In the event the required additional funds could not be secured immediately, fisheries enhancement would consist of ex- pansion of the Hill Creek hatchery alone.”

‘The study also says that both the fish ladder and hatchery expansion are ready to proceed immediately once the water supply issue has been resolved

The water supply issue arose when farmers expressed concern that the fish enhancement program would pre. vent expansion of irrigation.

The fish enhancement program re quires a minimum streamflow of 15 cubic feet per second.

“In most years there will also be enough water in the creek for all licensed irrigators to meet their crop water requirements,” the study says.

“However no further irrigation could occur in the valley beyond existing licences unless additional storage was provided.”

It also notes that if more irrigation licences are issued without increasing the water supply, streamflow in Inonoaklin creek would be reduced to 10.5 cubic feet per second, destroying any hopes of the fish enhancement program in the creek.

continued trom front poge Lions club barrel hadn't

crossed the finish line.

with hii inches.

SUNFEST ‘86

Kiwanis club took the lead and never looked back. The even made it to the Castlegar-Robson ferry landing when the Kiwanis barrel

Meanwhile, at Pass Creek Park the Canadian Frog Jumping Contest, sponsored by the Castlegar Selkirk Lions Club, had more than 50 competitors.

In the kids’ category, Avery Turner won first place frog,” Screamer”, which jumped.six. feet, two Lonnie Strelaeft was second with her’ frog,

GREATEST round of applause for visiting royalty at the Miss Castlegar Queen's Pageant over the weekend went to Miss Rossland. She managed to get up and down

off the tricky stage at Kinnaird junior secondary school’

while on crutches.

Acting Mayor Ald. Nick Oglow joked later that she's a walking advertisement for Rossland’s Red Mountain.

THE RECENTLY formed Southern Interior Timber Co. was the highest bidder Monday in a Ritchie Brothers auction of the former Westar Timber mill in Nelson.

SfTCO'S bid of $150,000 beat out other bids for the waterfront property from Markin Brothers Equipment of Nelson and Jones Boy Marine of Kaslo and Woodbury Creek.

SITCO hopes to build a sawmill on the site of the now-defunct Kootenay Forest Products which would employ more than 130 residents.

A NELSON family shared the spotlight with Ontario Premier David Peterson last week after they were declared the millionth visitor to the province's pavilion at Expo 86

Fred and Loretta Strukoff, their teenaged daughter Cindy and 12-year-old son Kevin were picked out of a movie lineup around: noon Thursday as the millionth visitors

The Strukoffs joined Peterson in officiating at the opening on Ontario Day at Expo Friday. They joined the premier in a parade behind the drums and pipes of the Ontario Provincial Police to the Plaza of Nations where they were special guests at the cultural events planned by the province.

The Strukoffs topped off the day with a dinner at the Trillium restaurant and a choice view of a special fireworks program

IF YOU HAVEN'T yet seen the new Castlegar Visitor's Guide, take a look. It's worth it. The full-color guide does the area justice

Featured on the front is a flotilla of windsurfers on the Lower Arrow Lake (the photograph was taken by the CasNews’ own Chery! Calderbank)

The picture is apt, because the Lower Arrow Lake is one of the best windsurfing spots in North America — though little known so far

The guide also ingludes a number of the places to visit and things to do in and around Castlegar

SELKIRK COLLEGE'S Rosemont Campus has a new name: Nelson Campus. The change is only one of many the college has made recently.

“Budget realities and a wide variety of new directions such as Canadian Job Strategy and Inter. national Education has prompted the College Board to review its existing organizational structure and make needed changes,” explains principal Leo Perra, who himself will get a new title. He will be called President Perra

Craig Andrews, formerly the Coordinator of Continuing Education at the Castlegar Campus will take on the new position of Director of Extension and Inter national Education. Andrews will be responsible for

LEO PERRA new title

Extension Education and International Education.

Stelek, Physical Education and Athletics Department Head, has accepted the additional respon- sibility of Acting Student Services Director for the next year. With this title comes supervisory responsibilities for Counselling, Registrar and the Library, as well as a wide variety of support services for students.

- Hallett, who was responsible for Student Services, will spend the next year undertaking an institutional self-study reviewing a wide variety of quality control mechanisms, program reviews, support activity evaluation, professional development activities, and personnel and governance evaluations. Hallett will also develop a variety of student/graduate follow-up surveys which link up with provincial strategies.

“In order for titles of officers at Selkirk College to be in-line with other colleges in British Columbia title changes will take place. The titles that Selkirk College will be adopting have been in place in other provinces in Canada and North America,” said Perra

The changes in titles are as follows: Bursar Dale Schatz’s new title is vice-president, administration; Hallett, former Dean of Program Services, is now vice-president, Program Services and institutional re- search; John Peregrym, acting director of Castlegar Campus, will hold the title of acting principal, Castlegar Campus; Bruce Meldrum, director of Rosemont Campus, will hold the title of principal, Nelson Campus; Barry Jackson, personnel manager is now titled direttor, personnel and industrial relations.

coenencn scene

“Beaker” which jumped six feet. Brad Harker’s frog also jumped six feet, but lost to Strelaeffs frog in a “jump-off.”

Rhonda Welfare won the prize for the cutest frog while Cartland Spilker had the meanest frog. Charlie Cseppento had the “most intelligent” frog.

In the adult competition, Sherri LeRoy captured first with her frog which jumped five feet, eight inches, while Cathy Harker was second. Her frog jumped four feet, 10 inches. Gordon Turner was third with his frog, which jumped four feet, 8'% inches.

Sunday afteroon on the Lower Arrow Lake, about eight sailboats participated in a sailpast at Scotties Marina.

The boats, a few of them displaying their colorful spinnakers, sailed by past West Kootenay Sailing Club commodore Ken Mitchell and his boat, the Tsulo, in single file over sunny skies, but calm waters

After the sailpast club members gave rides to the public. Between 80 and 90 people took advantage of the chance for some free sailing.

Results of the firemen's competition were unavail able.

Fastball tournament results are on page Bz.

The second annual SunFest dart tourney held Saturday at the Royal Canadian Legion attracted a good entry for both pairs and singles competition. A total of 10 teams entered the pairs competition while 16 players went head-to-head in the singles category

Rolly Jack and Robert Mott took first prize of $25 in the pairs competition. Runners-up were Darrel Morrow and Steve Tomick of Rossland. In third place were Joe and Lori Letoria also of Rossland.

Joe Letoria of Rossland took first prize of $25 in the singles competition with a win over Olie Wulowka. Jocko McDonald was third.

Castlegar-Robson Legion president Denny Tucker presented the prizes to the winners.

Saturday's SunFest parade may have seemed short, but Pearson said that was only because of the shorter route.

He said the number of entries was the same as last year, but because the route was shortened there was no spacing, which resulted in the parade being over fairly quickly.

The parade started at Pioneer Arena instead of the top of Sherbiko Hill because of safety concerns.

Pearson said he would be open to suggestions on how to improve upon the parade route.

PRIZE ENTRY... bers of Warfield Fire Department won top prize in the novelty category of Saturday's SunFest parade in addition to being second best float overall. The tiremen cooked a real chicken on the float

He said Columbia Avenue can't be closed off entirely because it is a provincial highway. And Castlegar is “pretty limited” as to where it can have a parade

Pearson said next year he hopes SunFest organizers will make more use of the Columbia River for SunFest activities, so there will be something more unique to Castlegar during SunFest

“All other events could happen anywhere but not everybody has river of this size,” he said. He suggested the river could be used for activities like boat races.

Pearson is also trying to get support to change the date of.SunFest next year. He wants to see it held at the beginning of June.

Pearson said that it's hard to get participants with SunFest held in July

“Nobody wants to be in downtown Castlegar in the middle of summer,” he said

In addition, with the activities being held in the summer there is no participation by local bands.

“We have the junior Lilac Parade winners (Kinnaird Junior secondary school Marching Cobras) and they can't be in our parade.”

“Having kids in school (during an annual cele brations) helps. You get more participation that way,” he said

Pearson also noted that a majority of American holidays or festivals happen in the summer and by moving the SunFest to June, it wouldn't conflict with any of those celebrations.

He said this year organizers moved SunFest ahead one week, but it conflicted with celebrations taking place in Chewelah, Wash. and as a result, Castlegar didn’t get much participation from the Chewelah-Colville-Kettle Falls area.

CASTLEGAR LIBRARY

continued from tromt pege

library building in 1967 as a Centennial

see the building demolished, but added,

Computer group named

VICTORIA (CP) nine-member committee to help the British Columbia government integrate com puters into schools has been set up, Education Minister Jim Hewitt said Tuesday

‘There is a definite need

for long-range planning in this area,” the minister said in announcing the names of the members of the Pro fessional Advisory Commit tee on Computers.

The committee, expected to begin work this summer,

John Jmayoff passes away

John J. Jmayoff, beloved husband of Lucy Jmayoff of Ootischenia, passed away Sunday, July 13, at the age of 47

Mr. Jmayoff was born Sept. 26, 1938 at Grand Forks. He grew up and re ceived most of his schooling there

He received his teaching degree from UBC and was in the first graduating class at Selkirk College. He taught school in Crescent Valley and South Slocan.

In 1959 he married Lucy Pudmoreff at Ootischenia. Besides teaching, he worked for the Grand Forks Credit Union, Midway Sawmills and was currently employed as a lumber grader for Westar Timber

He had lived in Ootischenia

since 1966. He was a member of the Area J Advisory

will draft a policy statement on the instructional use of computers.

It will be asked to deter mine how computers can support and enhance the stu dents’ education and propose standards to support the purchase and development of instructional software

It will also make recom mendations on how com. puters could be integrated into the curriculum as well as a phase-in plan and guide lines for training teachers.

Members of the committee are Len Trisko from the B.C.

Systems Corp., Walter Muir of the University of Victoria, Edward Pierkaar repre senting the Business Council of B.C., Graham McKinnon of the B.C. School Trustees Association, Cliff Boldt and Larry Kuehn of the B.C. Teachers Federation, Art Tindill of the Association of B.C. School Superintendents and Hans Holt of the B.C. Computer Education Com mittee.

The chairman of the com mittee is Carl Daneliuk, assistant deputy minister of education.

Planning C past trustee and member of the USCC, member of the In dependant Order of For esters, was involved in ex perimental farming, and en joyed family activities.

Besides his wife, Lucy, he is survived by two sons, John and Allan of Ootischenia; one daughter, Sherril and hus- band Ken Laktin of Tarrys; and three grandchildren

Funeral services were held at the Brilliant Cultural Centre Tuesday and today with burial in the Ootischenia cemetery

Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Castlegar Funeral Cha pel

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“It's a political statement and | accept it in that vein,” Embree said, adding Ogiow’s suggestion to look for an alternative site would probably delay the library “to the point where we would lose the $200,000 (legacy grant).”

“I don't think it's a demolition,” Embree said. We're enlarging the

Ald. Albert Calderbank said he too supports the proposal. Calderbank said he worked hard as one of the residents who helped build the present

project.

However, he said he doesn’t see any problem with the building being demolished to make way for a new library.

While the building was fine for its time, “today it isn’t good enough so we have to pull it down and put another one up,” he said.

Calderbank added that he would be “very, very upset” if the library was forced to move from its present

location. Ald. Carl Henne agreed it “hurts” to

“I guess that's progress.”

Ald. Terry Rogers, who sits on both the library board and the library building committee, also supported keeping the library at its present site.

‘T'd like to see as much of that building saved . . . but I do support that site,” he said.

But Oglow wouldn't opinion.

“T'm still concerned a good building is going to be demolished,” he said, adding council is supporting “des troying a perfectly good building.”

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