Invermere council opposes proposed new marina off Canterbury Point
By Alex Cooper
Pioneer Staff
The District of Invermere Council was unanimous in saying it does not support an application for a new marina at Canterbury Point.
“I think it’s absolutely wrong in terms of stewardship of the lake to allow another marina,” said councillor Bob Campsall at a council meeting on Tuesday.
The application was submitted by the Canterbury Point Community Association directly to the Integrated Land Management Bureau, a branch of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, on April 29th. It calls for a 20-slip marina that will project about 170 feet into Lake Windermere and cover an area of 1,661 square metres.
Council cited environmental concerns as one reason for their opposition to the proposed marina.
“I’m shocked at the amount of garbage and oil running into the lake,” said Mr. Campsall.
“That area is the worst part of Lake Windermere,” added councillor Gerry Taft. “There’s no sense in making it worse.”
Safety concerns were also noted, due to the number of boats already present on Lake Windermere.
“It’s already dangerous to wakeboard or water-ski on the lake,” said councillor Sarah Bennett. “It’s just a matter of time until someone gets hurt.”
Councillor Campsall said the District should do more than refuse to support the application, but
should say they oppose it outright.
Ms. Bennett agreed: “We need to be very strong in our opposition to new marinas on Lake
Windermere.”
Keith Wright of Calgary, president of the Canterbury Point Community Association, said in a telephone interview that the marina wouldn’t add more boats to the lake, but would consolidate the boats in the area into one space.
“Right now we have a beach with a mish-mash of boat lifts, rails and docks on it. It’s like a yard sale of equipment,” he said. “The idea is to consolidate those boats into a marina to clean up the beach.”
He added that the proposal would allow for separate swimming and boating areas.
Marg Illingworth, a resident of the area, said she supports the marina but is concerned about its location.
“I just think it should be where the water is deeper,” she said.
Council was also disappointed that the application was sent to the Integrated Land Management Bureau first and not the district.
“I’m disappointed the Canterbury Group didn’t send an application to the district first,” said councillor Ray Brydon.
Chris Prosser, Chief Administrative Officer of the District of Invermere said district staff had to get information on the application from the bureau’s website.
Mr. Wright said he had discussed the proposal with the district last year and was told to submit his application through the bureau.
The application was referred to interested groups including the District of Invermere, the Ministry of the Environment, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Navigable Waters Protection Division, and the Akisqnuk, Ktunaxa, and Shuswap First Nations.
According to the bureau’s website, the application is still under review and comments from the public and interested groups are being accepted until June 19th. After that, a land officer will review the comments and make a decision on the application.
Mr. Prosser said in his Request for Decision submitted to council on Tuesday night that existing
policy “does not deem a marina necessary at this location.”
He added that according to the Lake Windermere Management Plan, adopted by council in 2001, the placement of commercial marinas on Lake Windermere is not supported.
“Lakeshore development guidelines must be in place prior to any approval of marina applications,” he said in his report to council.
Councillor Taft also said there should be more public access to Lake Windermere. Currently, of 11 marinas on the lake, only one is available to the public.
“The lack of public access to the lake is amazing,” he said. “People come here from all over the world. Everyone has the right to some form of access.”
His comments are concurrent with the Lake Windermere Management Plan, which says: “There is clearly need for more and better public access points to Lake Windermere.”
Mr. Taft said it is up to elected offi cials in the valley to work hard to protect the lake for everyone.
-30-
Friday, May 30, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Columbia Valley Pioneer - May 23, 2008
Hoffman legacy continues in Mexico, thanks to the Invermere Rotary Club
By Alex Cooper
Pioneer Staff
Gladys Bradshaw says she thinks of her daughter Bev Hoff man ten times a day.
“It’s never easy and it will never go away,” she said. “The only reason I keep strong is she wouldn’t want me to be unhappy for one second.”
Beverly and her husband Delbert Hoffman were travelling through Mexico in December 1999 when they were murdered at the side of the highway by two Americans.
The Hoff mans were semi-retired at the time. They worked in real estate in Invermere, but spent their winters in Mesa, Arizona. It was from there that they left for Mexico on that fateful trip.
As usual, they had spent months loading up their fifth-wheel recreation vehicle with clothing and other items, including two mountain bikes, to give away to Mexican children on their trip.
“They carried that in their hearts,” said Pat Brown-John, a close friend of the Hoffmans. “They loved to travel and experience, but they also wanted to contribute during their travels.”
The Hoffmans had just crossed the border and were on their way to Mexico City to meet their Invermere friends Barry and Pat Brown-John. After several hours they stopped at an isolated rest area where another vehicle was parked, one with American licence plates, occupied
by two young American couples.
The two American men, Paul Lean Parker and Donald W. Rainey, got out of their vehicle and shot the Hoffmans to death. The killers then made off with the Hoff mans’ vehicle and started to
rack up bills on their credit cards.
Word came to Mrs. Bradshaw of the strange credit card charges and she began to fear that something was wrong.
“From the start I didn’t want to believe anything bad had happened,” said Mrs Bradshaw. “Bev was always losing her purse. I had that thought in my head that everything was going to be OK.”
It wasn’t until a few days later that she was given the terrible news.
Since then, Mrs. Bradshaw, now 79 years old, has learned to live with her loss. “It was very sad times. She was my eldest daughter and we were very, very close,” she said. “She was more of a
friend than a daughter.”
Mother and daughter went on camping trips, played cards, and enjoyed meals together. A few years before Bev’s death, they had gone backpacking across Europe. Bev and Del were also
there to help Gladys through her triple bypass surgery, and the death of her husband Ron in 1998.
Other family members were also deeply affected by the tragedy, including Bev’s sister Linda and brother Aaron of Invermere; brothers Donnie and Robert, who work in other parts of B.C.;
and brother Mark of Abbotsford. Del also has a daughter Carey-Jo from a previous
marriage, who lives in Vancouver.
News of their tragic deaths shocked the entire valley. The Hoffmans were well-known citizens. Del was a former principal at Laird Elementary School, and Bev was an active real estate agent.
The Hoff mans were also loyal members of the Invermere Rotary Club. They helped build the Rotary Wall at the Windermere cemetery, and assisted with auctions, garage sales and other activities. Del helped organize the Rotary Club’s annual Loop the Lake event, and Bev ran in it three times.
But a lot of their work was done in private, without any recognition, said Bev’s mother. “She was a very just, kind person who helped in many ways that people weren’t aware of.”
To honour their legacy, the Rotary Club established a fund in their memory.
Through fundraising and grants from the regional Rotary group and Rotary International, the total amount raised was $12,000.
With the money, the club began a project called “Leer y Crecer,” Spanish for “Read and Grow.” The aim of the project was to help spread literacy to Mexican schoolchildren.
“When we started the fund we knew we wanted to make it related to education in Mexico,” said Dennis Hemus, fund coordinator.
“It was a three-year project that began as a simple idea of purchasing and donating books to underfunded public elementary schools in Puerto Vallarta area,” said Ken Fisher, president of the Rotary Club when the fund started.
The Rotary Club partnered with Rotarians in Puerto Vallarta and the American School in Puerto Vallarta, a private school for wealthy Mexicans. The project there was guided by Lisa Schalla,
a teacher and leader of the school’s National Honour Society, a small group of top students who wanted to perform charity work.
Mrs. Schalla was battling breast cancer when the project began. Her enthusiasm helped it grow in scope. The number of students from the American School taking part increased from only
a handful to more than 60, almost half the student population.
What began as a small project grew to include library programs, reading advocacy, and increased parental involvement. Throughout the Puerto Vallarta region, more than 20 schools
have received 2,000 books each through grants. In total, 6,700 children have been helped.
Ken Fisher was able to witness the impact first-hand. He visited one school, the Escuela Francisco Villa, where the storage shed had been converted into a library. The principal was passionate about the program.
“She’s inspired parents and her students into helping out the school,” said Mr. Fisher. “Through her eff orts and through the American School, they’ve transformed it into something that’s
quite lovely to see and a place that kids are quite excited to go to.”
The Invermere Rotary Club’s involvement in the project has now come to an end, with a final donation of $1,000 to pay for new books. However “Read and Grow” will continue. Mrs. Schalla has used her contacts at the University of Minnesota to get that institution involved, and the
project has gotten the attention of the local government in Mexico.
“In the memory of Del and Bev Hoffman, I truly believe that this is a lasting and far-reaching legacy,” Mr. Fisher said.
Gladys Bradshaw agreed. “The project is exactly what Bev and Del would have wanted. It’s wonderful for the people of Mexico and wonderful of the local Rotarians for taking on the responsibility,” she said. “I know it was a big undertaking by everyone. The only sad thing about it is they’re not here, but if they were, they would be very grateful, as I am.”
-30-
By Alex Cooper
Pioneer Staff
Gladys Bradshaw says she thinks of her daughter Bev Hoff man ten times a day.
“It’s never easy and it will never go away,” she said. “The only reason I keep strong is she wouldn’t want me to be unhappy for one second.”
Beverly and her husband Delbert Hoffman were travelling through Mexico in December 1999 when they were murdered at the side of the highway by two Americans.
The Hoff mans were semi-retired at the time. They worked in real estate in Invermere, but spent their winters in Mesa, Arizona. It was from there that they left for Mexico on that fateful trip.
As usual, they had spent months loading up their fifth-wheel recreation vehicle with clothing and other items, including two mountain bikes, to give away to Mexican children on their trip.
“They carried that in their hearts,” said Pat Brown-John, a close friend of the Hoffmans. “They loved to travel and experience, but they also wanted to contribute during their travels.”
The Hoffmans had just crossed the border and were on their way to Mexico City to meet their Invermere friends Barry and Pat Brown-John. After several hours they stopped at an isolated rest area where another vehicle was parked, one with American licence plates, occupied
by two young American couples.
The two American men, Paul Lean Parker and Donald W. Rainey, got out of their vehicle and shot the Hoffmans to death. The killers then made off with the Hoff mans’ vehicle and started to
rack up bills on their credit cards.
Word came to Mrs. Bradshaw of the strange credit card charges and she began to fear that something was wrong.
“From the start I didn’t want to believe anything bad had happened,” said Mrs Bradshaw. “Bev was always losing her purse. I had that thought in my head that everything was going to be OK.”
It wasn’t until a few days later that she was given the terrible news.
Since then, Mrs. Bradshaw, now 79 years old, has learned to live with her loss. “It was very sad times. She was my eldest daughter and we were very, very close,” she said. “She was more of a
friend than a daughter.”
Mother and daughter went on camping trips, played cards, and enjoyed meals together. A few years before Bev’s death, they had gone backpacking across Europe. Bev and Del were also
there to help Gladys through her triple bypass surgery, and the death of her husband Ron in 1998.
Other family members were also deeply affected by the tragedy, including Bev’s sister Linda and brother Aaron of Invermere; brothers Donnie and Robert, who work in other parts of B.C.;
and brother Mark of Abbotsford. Del also has a daughter Carey-Jo from a previous
marriage, who lives in Vancouver.
News of their tragic deaths shocked the entire valley. The Hoffmans were well-known citizens. Del was a former principal at Laird Elementary School, and Bev was an active real estate agent.
The Hoff mans were also loyal members of the Invermere Rotary Club. They helped build the Rotary Wall at the Windermere cemetery, and assisted with auctions, garage sales and other activities. Del helped organize the Rotary Club’s annual Loop the Lake event, and Bev ran in it three times.
But a lot of their work was done in private, without any recognition, said Bev’s mother. “She was a very just, kind person who helped in many ways that people weren’t aware of.”
To honour their legacy, the Rotary Club established a fund in their memory.
Through fundraising and grants from the regional Rotary group and Rotary International, the total amount raised was $12,000.
With the money, the club began a project called “Leer y Crecer,” Spanish for “Read and Grow.” The aim of the project was to help spread literacy to Mexican schoolchildren.
“When we started the fund we knew we wanted to make it related to education in Mexico,” said Dennis Hemus, fund coordinator.
“It was a three-year project that began as a simple idea of purchasing and donating books to underfunded public elementary schools in Puerto Vallarta area,” said Ken Fisher, president of the Rotary Club when the fund started.
The Rotary Club partnered with Rotarians in Puerto Vallarta and the American School in Puerto Vallarta, a private school for wealthy Mexicans. The project there was guided by Lisa Schalla,
a teacher and leader of the school’s National Honour Society, a small group of top students who wanted to perform charity work.
Mrs. Schalla was battling breast cancer when the project began. Her enthusiasm helped it grow in scope. The number of students from the American School taking part increased from only
a handful to more than 60, almost half the student population.
What began as a small project grew to include library programs, reading advocacy, and increased parental involvement. Throughout the Puerto Vallarta region, more than 20 schools
have received 2,000 books each through grants. In total, 6,700 children have been helped.
Ken Fisher was able to witness the impact first-hand. He visited one school, the Escuela Francisco Villa, where the storage shed had been converted into a library. The principal was passionate about the program.
“She’s inspired parents and her students into helping out the school,” said Mr. Fisher. “Through her eff orts and through the American School, they’ve transformed it into something that’s
quite lovely to see and a place that kids are quite excited to go to.”
The Invermere Rotary Club’s involvement in the project has now come to an end, with a final donation of $1,000 to pay for new books. However “Read and Grow” will continue. Mrs. Schalla has used her contacts at the University of Minnesota to get that institution involved, and the
project has gotten the attention of the local government in Mexico.
“In the memory of Del and Bev Hoffman, I truly believe that this is a lasting and far-reaching legacy,” Mr. Fisher said.
Gladys Bradshaw agreed. “The project is exactly what Bev and Del would have wanted. It’s wonderful for the people of Mexico and wonderful of the local Rotarians for taking on the responsibility,” she said. “I know it was a big undertaking by everyone. The only sad thing about it is they’re not here, but if they were, they would be very grateful, as I am.”
-30-
Columbia Valley Pioneer - May 16, 2008
Richter ‘kids’ dedicate historic cabin
By Alex Cooper
Pioneer Staff
Over 100 people were in attendance to watch the three children of Frank and Helen Richter cut the red ribbon at the opening of the Bill Yearling Interpretive Centre at Nipika Mountain Resort last Friday.
Sanda Taylor, Diana “Boots” Richter, and Karl Richter grew up in the 1930s and 1940s on the property where Nipika is now located.
The centre is located in the same cabin that legendary trapper and First World War veteran Bill Yearling built almost 90 years ago.
Lyle Wilson, the owner of Nipika, almost had the cabin burned down when he bought the property, but decided to keep it for temporary accommodation instead.
“As we used it and moved to the valley, and started to learn things about the rich and varied history that this piece of land has, we began to cherish this place more,” he said.
He had the cabin refurbished and has now reopened it as a program centre, with nature and historic displays.
The Richters moved to the area in 1927 when Frank Richter bought the property from Bill Yearling.
At the time the Banff -Invermere highway was just a single-lane, dirt road and there was very little access to the property. Over the next twenty years they homesteaded there while raising their three children.
Growing up in the area presented all sorts of adventures for the Richters.
“Maybe it was hard for mum and dad, but it was fun for us kids,” Sanda said. “I have all good memories of playing in the creek, and damming the creek up and digging gophers out—doing all these things.”
Karl Richter, the youngest of the three, was only six when the family left the property, but he said he still has many memories of the area.
“I remember when my dad found a human skull and the jaw still moved,” he said. “We had it to play with and greeted people with it when they came to visit.”
Diana Richter said her mother often expressed regrets about bringing her children up there instead of in civilization. However, she disagrees with her mother.
“We were brought up in the Kootenays,” she said. “We had the best education and life that any kid could have ever have gotten.”
The family moved out of the area and into the valley in 1947 when they sold the property to the
Elk Horn Ranch outfitters, which ran the property as a guiding and outfitting base camp. The property changed hands several times until 1979, when Lyle and Diane Wilson bought the property.
It wasn’t until the late 1990s that they began developing it into Nipika Mountain Resort, a collection of cabins and conference centre located on Settler’s Road, 15 kilometres from Highway 93, at the edge of Kootenay National Park.
Mr. Wilson said they have three central themes to the resort: to promote health and fi tness, to be stewards of the environment, and to be self-sustaining.
“Our philosophy here is consistent with what we’re doing with this building,” he said.
Sanda and her husband Joe Taylor recently retired and moved to Cranbrook after spending 54 years living in the valley. Karl also makes his home in Cranbrook, while Diana has settled in Penticton with her husband Frank Custaloe.
Sanda’s children, Faith Saunders and Rod Taylor, continue to live in the valley. Karl Richter said he appreciates what Mr. Wilson had done with the area and hopes to bring his grandchildren
to the area.
“I’m just really happy that I can come back here and see this,” he said. “A lot of memories come to mind because I’ve travelled a lot in the last few years. This is still home.”
Diana agreed. “I am glad Lyle is preserving it so we can come in once in a while and enjoy it.”
-30-
Best friends love to play hockey together
By Alex Cooper
Pioneer Staff
Four Invermere girls helped lead Team Kootenay to a third-place finish at the inaugural female under-16 B.C. Cup in Salmon Arm last month.
Sawyer Ellingboe, 14; Haley McDonald, 14; Holly Nikirk, 13; and Kiana Strand, 13, are best friends and have been playing hockey together for six years.
The four of them took up the sport in pretty much the same way—they all have hockey-playing brothers who dared them to play, said Donna Strand, Kiana’s mother.
“I actually was fi gure skating and my brother was playing hockey,” said Holly, who plays defence. “I watched his games and I decided I wanted to play.”
The four best friends have really taken to the sport. They play together in a Peewee boys league and also spend up to six hours every day during the winter playing hockey on Lake Windermere.
The four girls went to the two-day tryout together. While the girls weren’t called in any particular order, Holly was the first one selected for the team and Haley was called last.
“I was really happy but I was kind of sad that some of our other friends didn’t make it,” said Haley, who was named team captain.
The team had a rigorous schedule at the tournament. The first day they had a practice followed by a 9 p.m. fi tness testing session. Then the next morning they had to be up at 5 a.m. for a game against tournament winners, Team Okanagan.
Team Okanagan players were older, bigger, and better-rested and won the game 6-2, but Team
Kootenay said opening against the best team prepared them for the rest of the tournament.
“When I got out there on the ice for my first shift of the tournament—those girls were so fast compared to what I was used and you’re not quite sure of what was going to happen,” said Holly.
They were helped by national women’s team assistant coach Nancy Wilson, who provided them with a great deal of encouragement.
“She put everything into a positive aspect where it’s a lot easier to take it,” said Holly.
They played with Kootenay’s trademark grittiness to tie Team Island and beat Fraser Valley. In the bronze medal game they shutout Greater Vancouver 2-0.
Their coach, Donna Yuill, said having them on the team was of great help because they played in a boys’ league and were such a cohesive unit.
“They’re all outgoing, hardworking girls,” she said. “They’re very coachable and hungry for knowledge.”
Off the ice, the team slept on cots in a curling rink. They spent their down time bonding. They still keep in contact with their teammates from around the Kootenay region.
Sawyer, who scored a breakaway goal against Fraser Valley, said it was one of the best experiences she’s had in her life.
“Just being away from your parents for that amount of time, and with these girls that you
learn to gel with so well, it’s just so different than what I’m used to.”
Their coach said the tournament has provided them a great starting point for the future. “As long as they stay in shape and improve their skills, they will continue to be successful,” said Mrs. Yuill.
All four girls said they plan on trying out for the under-18 team and hope to go play college hockey on scholarship. “I want to go as far as I can,” said Kiana.
“These girls are all honour roll students so they have the same work ethic on and off the ice,” added her mother Donna.
-30-
By Alex Cooper
Pioneer Staff
Over 100 people were in attendance to watch the three children of Frank and Helen Richter cut the red ribbon at the opening of the Bill Yearling Interpretive Centre at Nipika Mountain Resort last Friday.
Sanda Taylor, Diana “Boots” Richter, and Karl Richter grew up in the 1930s and 1940s on the property where Nipika is now located.
The centre is located in the same cabin that legendary trapper and First World War veteran Bill Yearling built almost 90 years ago.
Lyle Wilson, the owner of Nipika, almost had the cabin burned down when he bought the property, but decided to keep it for temporary accommodation instead.
“As we used it and moved to the valley, and started to learn things about the rich and varied history that this piece of land has, we began to cherish this place more,” he said.
He had the cabin refurbished and has now reopened it as a program centre, with nature and historic displays.
The Richters moved to the area in 1927 when Frank Richter bought the property from Bill Yearling.
At the time the Banff -Invermere highway was just a single-lane, dirt road and there was very little access to the property. Over the next twenty years they homesteaded there while raising their three children.
Growing up in the area presented all sorts of adventures for the Richters.
“Maybe it was hard for mum and dad, but it was fun for us kids,” Sanda said. “I have all good memories of playing in the creek, and damming the creek up and digging gophers out—doing all these things.”
Karl Richter, the youngest of the three, was only six when the family left the property, but he said he still has many memories of the area.
“I remember when my dad found a human skull and the jaw still moved,” he said. “We had it to play with and greeted people with it when they came to visit.”
Diana Richter said her mother often expressed regrets about bringing her children up there instead of in civilization. However, she disagrees with her mother.
“We were brought up in the Kootenays,” she said. “We had the best education and life that any kid could have ever have gotten.”
The family moved out of the area and into the valley in 1947 when they sold the property to the
Elk Horn Ranch outfitters, which ran the property as a guiding and outfitting base camp. The property changed hands several times until 1979, when Lyle and Diane Wilson bought the property.
It wasn’t until the late 1990s that they began developing it into Nipika Mountain Resort, a collection of cabins and conference centre located on Settler’s Road, 15 kilometres from Highway 93, at the edge of Kootenay National Park.
Mr. Wilson said they have three central themes to the resort: to promote health and fi tness, to be stewards of the environment, and to be self-sustaining.
“Our philosophy here is consistent with what we’re doing with this building,” he said.
Sanda and her husband Joe Taylor recently retired and moved to Cranbrook after spending 54 years living in the valley. Karl also makes his home in Cranbrook, while Diana has settled in Penticton with her husband Frank Custaloe.
Sanda’s children, Faith Saunders and Rod Taylor, continue to live in the valley. Karl Richter said he appreciates what Mr. Wilson had done with the area and hopes to bring his grandchildren
to the area.
“I’m just really happy that I can come back here and see this,” he said. “A lot of memories come to mind because I’ve travelled a lot in the last few years. This is still home.”
Diana agreed. “I am glad Lyle is preserving it so we can come in once in a while and enjoy it.”
-30-
Best friends love to play hockey together
By Alex Cooper
Pioneer Staff
Four Invermere girls helped lead Team Kootenay to a third-place finish at the inaugural female under-16 B.C. Cup in Salmon Arm last month.
Sawyer Ellingboe, 14; Haley McDonald, 14; Holly Nikirk, 13; and Kiana Strand, 13, are best friends and have been playing hockey together for six years.
The four of them took up the sport in pretty much the same way—they all have hockey-playing brothers who dared them to play, said Donna Strand, Kiana’s mother.
“I actually was fi gure skating and my brother was playing hockey,” said Holly, who plays defence. “I watched his games and I decided I wanted to play.”
The four best friends have really taken to the sport. They play together in a Peewee boys league and also spend up to six hours every day during the winter playing hockey on Lake Windermere.
The four girls went to the two-day tryout together. While the girls weren’t called in any particular order, Holly was the first one selected for the team and Haley was called last.
“I was really happy but I was kind of sad that some of our other friends didn’t make it,” said Haley, who was named team captain.
The team had a rigorous schedule at the tournament. The first day they had a practice followed by a 9 p.m. fi tness testing session. Then the next morning they had to be up at 5 a.m. for a game against tournament winners, Team Okanagan.
Team Okanagan players were older, bigger, and better-rested and won the game 6-2, but Team
Kootenay said opening against the best team prepared them for the rest of the tournament.
“When I got out there on the ice for my first shift of the tournament—those girls were so fast compared to what I was used and you’re not quite sure of what was going to happen,” said Holly.
They were helped by national women’s team assistant coach Nancy Wilson, who provided them with a great deal of encouragement.
“She put everything into a positive aspect where it’s a lot easier to take it,” said Holly.
They played with Kootenay’s trademark grittiness to tie Team Island and beat Fraser Valley. In the bronze medal game they shutout Greater Vancouver 2-0.
Their coach, Donna Yuill, said having them on the team was of great help because they played in a boys’ league and were such a cohesive unit.
“They’re all outgoing, hardworking girls,” she said. “They’re very coachable and hungry for knowledge.”
Off the ice, the team slept on cots in a curling rink. They spent their down time bonding. They still keep in contact with their teammates from around the Kootenay region.
Sawyer, who scored a breakaway goal against Fraser Valley, said it was one of the best experiences she’s had in her life.
“Just being away from your parents for that amount of time, and with these girls that you
learn to gel with so well, it’s just so different than what I’m used to.”
Their coach said the tournament has provided them a great starting point for the future. “As long as they stay in shape and improve their skills, they will continue to be successful,” said Mrs. Yuill.
All four girls said they plan on trying out for the under-18 team and hope to go play college hockey on scholarship. “I want to go as far as I can,” said Kiana.
“These girls are all honour roll students so they have the same work ethic on and off the ice,” added her mother Donna.
-30-
Friday, May 9, 2008
Columbia Valley Pioneer - May 9, 2008
Sandy McIlwain off to
By Alex Cooper
Pioneer Staff
For Invermere resident Sandy McIlwain, the opportunity to spend seven weeks in
“It’s one of those things that only comes up once,” he said. “The chance to spend seven weeks in
Mr. McIlwain will be arriving in Beijing on June 11th as part of the second group of 54 B.C. public service workers working as hosts at the B.C.-Canada Pavilion, which is located in central Beijing near Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
While there, he will provide information on B.C. and Canadian geography, culture, arts, tourism, and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
He was one of 600 applicants, and said he was chosen because of his great knowledge of
“I think it’s a great opportunity to tell the world about where we live and what we do here,” he said.
He added that he’s looking forward to experiencing Chinese culture and visiting the tourist sites.
Mr. McIlwain is married to Roberta and has two children—Sam, 14 and Montanna, 11.
“My kids were very supportive and very excited at thought of me going over there,” he said.
He moved to Invermere more than ten years ago when an opportunity opened up at the Ministry of Children and Family Development, where he works as a supervisor.
“My wife had spent time here and really liked the area,” he said. “I’m really happy to be here and it’s a great place to bring up kids.”
He added that he will try to promote the
Meanwhile, a former valley resident is already in
Iris Fodchuk Dube was born and raised in Invermere and graduated from
She spent 13 years working for the
She arrived in
Over 5,000 people are expected to visit the pavilion every day.
-30-
A Day in Court
By Alex Cooper
Pioneer Staff
The following people were found guilty in Adult Criminal Court in Invermere on Tuesday, May 6th. Presiding was Judge Ron Webb.
• Ross V. Colins pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol. He was sentenced to three months in jail, 18 months on probation, and had his license suspended for three years.
The crown prosecutor told the court that on
Police found the vehicle in a parking lot and told both occupants to stop driving. The officer saw three cans of beer on the passenger side of the vehicle.
Thirty minutes later, the vehicle left the lot with Mr. Colins driving, and the officer arrested him. The prosecutor said Mr. Colins had been drinking all night and had a six-pack the morning of his arrest. He was too intoxicated to give a breath sample.
Mr. Colins told the court he did not recall the incident and accepted the circumstances.
The crown told the court Mr. Colins had six prior convictions, dating back to 1984. His last one was in 2001, in Golden.
Mr. Strahl, defending, said his client was divorced in 1993 and was estranged from his wife and two children because of his alcohol problems.
He came to Invermere in 2003 and now works full-time.
Mr. Strahl said his client began drinking at the age of 16 and that alcoholism had been a problem his whole adult life. He added that since a friend died in October 2007 from alcohol, his client has not been drinking.
Mr. Strahl said his client suffers from osteoarthritis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He said Mr. Colins suffers from depression and has been seeing
a counsellor for that for the past 3.5 years.
Mr. Strahl said that if Mr. Colins went to jail he would risk losing his employment and his residence.
Judge Webb said repeat offenders should expect extended jail sentences and the crown’s proposed sentence was woefully inadequate.
“It is a matter of good fortune nothing worse has happened,” he said.
The judge denied his request for ten days to pack up his belongings at his home before going to jail.
• Natalie M. Bennett, 22, from
The court heard that on
Crown witness Alan Richard Smith, a former police officer, said he saw the vehicle swerve several times, at one point almost going into the ditch, before the vehicle came to a stop beside the road, about two kilometres south of Edgewater.
Mr. Smith said he notified RCMP and Constable Rob Weaver was dispatched to the scene. He told the court he stopped Ms. Bennett on the highway and placed her under investigation.
Ms. Bennett said she was sorry and she had learned a valuable lesson from the incident.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
