P e o p l e A r t s H o m e s F o o d c u lt u r e r e c r e at i o n H i s to ry FALL 2010
Life in the West Kootenay/Boundary Region
The Essential Mill
Grain has been milled on the same site in Grand Forks since 1915
Cosmic House
Maggie Tchir and Kathleen Hill’s show opens at the Kootenay Gallery
Beautiful Tadanac
Trail’s hidden neighbourhood was originally built for mining executives
THe ubiquitous Kokanee
The name of B.C.’s landlocked salmon has spawned many other uses in our region
Ride the Historic Trans Canada Trail with your Family!
BMX with the Best! Cross Country Ride the Endurance!
Free Ride the Adrenaline!
Road Ride the Speed!
KETTLE COUNTRY. Ride for a day, stay for a lifetime! Visit us in Bridesville, Westbridge, Beaverdell, Rock Creek, Midway, Greenwood, Grand Forks, Christina Lake
www.boundarycf.com/assets/trail-guide.pdf RDKB AREA C DIRECTOR, GRACE MCGREGOR PARTNERS WITH COMMUNITY FUTURES BOUNDARY PHOTOS BY BRIAN FLETCHER, BOB DUPEE AND JASON COLEMAN
contents Publisher Chuck Bennett chuckbennett@ blackpress.ca Account Manager Chris Hammett route3@ grandforksgazette.ca Editor & Art Director Shelley Ackerman sackerman@telus.net
Route 3 is published quarterly by Black Press Telephone: 250-442-2191 or 1-877-443-2191 Courier and mail: Box 700, 7255 Riverside Dr. Grand Forks, B.C. V0H 1H0
Chris Hammett
Route 3 is distributed through the following newspapers, and on racks throughout the West Kootenay and Boundary regions.
The original boiler that generated the steam, which in turn, drove the engine that powered the stone grinding equipment at the flour mill in Grand Forks. It has remained on the same spot since 1915. See story on page 20.
arts & Culture
Food & Drink
A Working Relationship
The Essential Mill
Maggie Tchir and Kathleen Hill collaborate on “Cosmic House – Point of Return,” page 7
Grain has been milled on the same site in Grand Forks since 1915, page 20
Communities
History
Tadanac Trail’s hidden neighbourhood was originally built for mining executives, page 12 outdoor adventure
Hiking Hidden History Forest Service campsites in the Kootenay and Boundary regions are great places to learn about the past, page 17
The Ubiquitous Kokanee The name of B.C.’s landlocked salmon has spawned many other uses in our region, page 26
Printed in Canada on recyclable paper. Copyright 2010 by Black Press. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article, photograph, or artwork without written permission of the publisher is strictly forbidden. The publisher can assume no responsibility for unsolicited material.
PLEASE PUT FSC LOGO HERE
Q&A
A Gala Event The Gallery 2 Annual Wine Tasting is the not-to-be-missed social event of the season! page 28 Special Places
Photo by Chris Hammett, page 30
Cover photo by Chris Hammett: The men of the Grand Forks mill: center, Wallace Dergousoff, miller; back row from left to right, Walter Hoodikoff, secretary treasurer, Ken Chernoff, secretary, Larry Kurnoff, chairman, Alek Kalmakoff, director. Not present: Sam Semenoff and Pete Verigin, directors.
Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 3
Tidbits – a taste of what’s happening in the West Kootenay/Boundary ROSSLAND MOUNTAIN MARKet
Queen St & Columbia Ave Rossland Thursdays to Oct 7, 3–7pm Come out and shop locally on Thursday evenings this fall. The Rossland Market welcomes a wide variety of vendors from around the area. GRAND FORKS FARMERS' MARKET
City Park, Grand Forks Tues & Fri to Oct 8 8am to 1pm Certified organic vegetables, apples, plums, pears and cherries in season. Local wild huckleberries, jams and jellies and fresh baking are also featured. Local soap, bath and beauty products and local crafts display the diverse culture of the Kootenay Boundary area. Cottonwood Falls Market
Cottonwood Falls Park, Nelson Sat to Oct. 16 Featuring an array of different
vendors and products, and the performances of local musicians. The market is only a short walk from Baker Street and Nelson's downtown. CANADIAN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION CIBC RUN FOR THE CURE
6th Ave, Castlegar, Sun Oct 3 The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure is Canada's largest single day, volunteer-led fundraising event dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research, and education and awareness programs. KASLO SUFFER FEST
Kaslo, Oct 3 Test yourself on foot or pedal over Kaslo's steep, rugged and legendary trails! $2500 in cash and merchandise, free T-shirt, luncheon and massage. 10K or 25K trail run, monster bike race, kid's race. www.kaslosufferfest.com
Golf Granite Pointe, minutes from downtown Nelson
Explore, Dine and Shop Historic Baker Street. A true adventure in itself
This Winter Ski Whitewater or Cat Ski at Baldface Lodge
Visit Touchstones Nelson: Museum of Art & History
Visitor Centre 225 Hall St. Nelson BC V1L 5X4 Ph: (250) 352-3433 Toll Free: 1-877-663-5706 Email: info@discoverNelson.com Web: www.discoverNelson.com Photos by David Gluns
Page 4
Route 3 Fall 2010
GRAND WINE FESTIVAL
616 Vernon St, Nelson Sat Oct 16 Come experience British Columbia and international wines at the annual Wine Festival at the New Grand Hotel in Nelson's historical downtown. Rossland Mountain Film Festival
Rossland Miners Hall, Nov 18-21 "The Biggest Little Film Fest in Canada" features mountain culture films, live music, workshops, guest speakers and more. Filmmakers, artists and new media workers showcase their creations to a Kootenay audience. www.rosslandfilmfest.com 19th Annual Grand Forks Art Gallery Wine Tasting
Gallery 2, Grand Forks Nov. 27 Gallery supporters are treated to an evening of tasting and learning
about many of the subtle qualities of taste, aroma and food matching that can be experienced with the fine wines of British Columbia. Rekindle the Spirit Christmas
Downtown Rossland Dec 4 Step back in time and enjoy an old-fashioned Dickens-style day of sleigh rides, carolers, bonfires, outdoor vendors and in-store specials in the brightest little town in the west! 250-362-5666 The Grand Forks Choral Society Annual Christmas Concert
Grand Forks Secondary School Auditorium Sat Dec 4, 7pm and Sun Dec 5, 2pm Special guests include the Sopranos and Co., the Sopraninos, and (possibly) the Grinch.
Offering certificate, diploma and degree programs in the schools of:
contributors Shella Gardezi moved to B.C. from Ontario in 2008, to immerse herself in Kootenay/Boundary life as the editor of the Grand Forks Gazette. "Meeting people and having the opportunity to tell their stories is one of the highlights of being a journalist," she says. Nelson-based photographer David R. Gluns has captured moments
• Business & Aviation • Digital Media & Music • Health & Human Services • Hospitality & Tourism • Industry & Trades Training • Kootenay School of the Arts • Renewable Resources • Selkirk International • University Arts & Sciences
in many special places in the world, creating images for numerous magazines, books and commercial clients, but “nothing beats the Kootenays as a place to live and photograph. I love the challenge of getting a great image whether it be flying in my plane, making food look great for the latest cookbook, or just hiking in the backcountry!” He can be reached at david@gluns.ca
Located in the beautiful West Kootenay & Boundary regions.
After numerous years as a camera store and photo lab owner/operator at the coast, and 30 years’ experience as a professional photographer, Chris Hammett decided it was time for a change, so she moved to
Specializing in auto, home, business, travel, boat and motorcycle insurance
Grand Forks to enjoy the slower paced, rural lifestyle. It was a chance to unwind and be inspired in a region of spectacular scenery. Exploring the backcountry in her Jeep, she still shoots professionally while being true to her own creative vision. Nelson Star reporter Greg Nesteroff, who writes in this issue about kokanee in its many forms, eats fish but does not drink beer. Trail freelancer Lana Rodlie spent 16 years as a reporter with the Trail
GRAND FORKS
250-442-2007
ety of travel magazines. Besides writing, she spends a great deal of time
TRAIL
250-364-1285
volunteering (Rotary, Community in Bloom, and Japanese Twinning) and
ROSSLAND
250-362-7337
also dabbles in genealogy, local history and travel.
CASTLEGAR
250-365-2773
Jane Sinclair grew up in South Africa. Her first career was as an
NELSON
BAKER STREET
250-352-5366
actor. Two decades of journalism and broadcasting followed, first as a
NELSON
CHAHKO MIKA MALL
250-354-4101
Daily Times. She’s also written for The Province, BC Business and a vari-
television news anchor at the South African Broadcasting Corporation in Johannesburg, then at the BBC in London. She is now a writer, actor, director and realtor in Nelson. A recent permanent resident of the Kootenays, Sharon Wieder is passionately exploring her new backyard in a Jeep and a Kamparoo pop up trailer. She firmly believes the best way to avoid housework is to live outdoors. Since moving here four years ago, there is very little of the province that she has not experienced. She shares her home in Rossland with soul
We are the largest brokerage in the West Kootenay Toll Free 1-877-797-5366 www.rhcmc.com Open for your convenience at 8:30 am Monday - Friday. Refer to www.rhcmc.com for Saturday hours.
mate Charlie and a copious crop of “house moss” (aka dust bunnies).
Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 5
RLWWP]d
1:=80=7D ?30 2=,9/ 1:=6> ,=? 2,770=D
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS >0;?08-0= ?: 9:A08-0= "
;PLNP 7ZaP LYO =ZNV Âż9Ă€ =ZWW% -ZM 8L^^P ;Z^_P] ,]_ >_`OTZ BL_NS% -ZYYTP ;Z[ZQQ =PNPY_ BZ]V^ >0;?08-0= ?: :.?:-0=
=PXM]LYO_Ă€^ ,__TN 0cSTMT_TZY LYO 1`YO]LT^TYR 0aPY_ :.?:-0= ?: /0.08-0=
>Tc_d ?TMP_LY ;PL]W^% .SZPRdLW =TY[ZNSP $?3 ,99@,7 B490 ?,>?492 >,?@=/,D 9:A08-0= "
524 Central Avenue Phone: 250-442-2211 Email: gfag1@shaw.ca www.grandforksartgallery.ca ‘Celebrating 26 Years’ Remember to visit the Gift Shop Hours: Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 4pm Saturday, 10am to 3pm
FUNCTIONAL ART & CUSTOM METALWORK s #USTOM RAILS GATES s #USTOM CORPORATE SIGNAGE s #HAIN LINK DECORATIVE FENCING s 2ESIDENTIAL #OMMERCIAL INSTALLATIONS & SERVICE VISIT US ONLINE AT
eaglemountaincustommetalworks.com OR AT OUR DISPLAY OFlCE TH 3TREET 'RAND &ORKS 250-442-0534
U N F O R G E T TA B L E M O M E N T S
* )*" &%* *) “Your Home & Garden Decor Store� 337 Market Avenue, Grand Forks
0ROUD DISTRIBUTOR OF &ALCON GROUP OF COMPANIES PRODUCTS
Page 6
Route 3 Fall 2010
250-442-1214
arts & culture story by Jane Sinclair
Jeremy Addington
courtesy Maggie Tchir & Kathleen Hill
A working relationship
M
aggie Tchir and Kathleen Hill create beautiful, thoughtprovoking art together, they finish each other’s sentences, laugh easily and occasionally take each other for granted. Kind of like a marriage. Maggie is tiny, soft, silvery and round. Kathleen is tall, whippet-thin with an extraordinary turn-out, and fiery. They are a fascinating combination, both physically and mentally. Energy and creative excitement crackles between them. Maggie smiles, “It’s like any relationship, I think. In the beginning you fall in love because there is a sense of kin. You have an understanding. It’s easy to sit down and talk.” Then Maggie corrects herself, “It’s not falling in love …” But in the instant she pauses, you just know that love is exactly what it is that binds these two artistic spirits together.
Maggie Tchir & Kathleen Hill collaborate on ‘Cosmic House – Point of Return’ Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 7
Jane Sinclair
Courtesy Maggie Tchir & Kathleen Hill
This page, top: The Green Man – entrance to the Cosmic House. From left: Transfer images on silk, which will be used in the Room of Consumption. Maggie works with fibres which will be used in the installation. Kathleen and Maggie prepare one of the Cosmic House rooms, in Maggie’s Nelson studio.
Page 8
Route 3 Fall 2010
Jane Sinclair
Opening spread, top: Maggie Tchir, left, and Kathleen Hill take a break from their work creating the Cosmic House installation. Below: Detail of transfer images on silk, in progress.
Jeremy Addington
From top: There are several Trash Tiles in Cosmic House. Silk walls in the Cosmic House Room of Persuasion. More multi-media Trash Tiles.
Jeremy Addington
Jeremy Addington
A fibre bowl catches dappled light.
Maggie Tchir
Courtesy Maggie Tchir & Kathleen Hill
She continues, “… but there was a recognition that we were kindred souls and our interests are similar and our studio practices were of interest to each other, so it seemed like a natural flow to do a project together. That easy relationship simply grew into a professional collaboration.” With truly intriguing consequences. Kathleen takes a stab at describing their relationship from her point of view. “Last year, when we worked together full-time, 24/7, for six months, we got to know each other a whole lot better. All the lumps and bumps!” This makes them both laugh and you suspect there are some good stories here that will come out one day. “We knew that we could work together and under the crunch of a deadline we learned what each other’s strengths and weaknesses were. We camped together, created together — we even dreamed together.” And this process, where they “weathered the bumpy times, learned that sometimes they don’t listen to each other and realized that ultimately they appreciate each other even more than before,” led to the creation of Cosmic House — Point of Return. It is an amazingly dense and complex multi-media art installation that was first on display in Grand Forks and has now found a home in the Kootenay Gallery in Castlegar. Both women have all the artistic credentials you could wish for. In fact, that is how they met. Kathleen elaborates, “We met as teacher and student. Maggie was one of my instructors at KSA (the Kootenay School of the Arts at Selkirk College) and we became friends. We started working together in 2001.” Their working relationship began when they put forward an artist’s proposal to do installations throughout Mongolia called Dynamic Migration. The planned series of cultural projects never happened, but it turned out to be the germination of Cosmic House. But where did the desire to tangibly express their thoughts, concerns and wishes about man and his place in this world originally come from? Maggie describes her inspiration vividly, “I remember lying on the carpet in my parents’ home or when we were visiting friends. I would find myself on these really intricate Persian carpets, listening to the conversations but being lost in the patterns of the carpets. The whole universe unfolded for me in these carpets.”
Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 9
Richard Reid
Sports Injury Rehab Massage Therapy Acupuncture, IMS Scenar Therapy Vestibular Rehab Pilates Instruction 1961 Georgia St Rossland, BC
www.infinityphysio.ca
Be our Guest, Be Inspired
QILQLW\BU BDGB LQGG
"LAYLOCK`S -ANSION
-PDBUFE NJOVUFT GSPN /FMTPO PO ,PPUFOBZ -BLFTÂą /PSUI 4IPSF 5IF NPTU VOJRVF BDDPNNPEBUJPO JO /FMTPO 5PMM 'SFF ] -PDBM )XZ " /FMTPO #$ XXX CMBZMPDL DB ] JOGP!CMBZMPDL DB
Page 10
Route 3 Fall 2010
Richard Reid
250.362.7333
$0
Top, the Room of Consumption, and below, Cosmic House – Point of Return, installed at the Grand Forks Art Gallery.
Patterns in carpets and the paintings of Albrecht DĂźrer were early inspirations.
And that grew into a love of fibres and textiles. Which Maggie says is, in fact, its own language. “I had this incredibly deep connection to all things made of thread. Then I got involved in pattern drafting on the loom and became interested in art. Through this I travelled. And really I’ve had an enchanted life with so many opportunities to travel the world and see the cultures and experience their daily life through their textiles and art forms. This has been my life’s journey.� Kathleen’s artistic world opened up through the conduit of painting and drawing. “I cannot remember a time when I did not want to draw and be an artist. My mother was always painting and drawing and taking classes. And there were always drawings tacked on the walls around the house, and the picture I loved
the most was Albrecht DĂźrer’s drawing of a young hare.â€? Kathleen says she always knew she was going to go to art school, but then life got in the way for a while. But when KSA opened she knew she had to be there. “I thought I was going to draw, but when I got to KSA they sent us to boot camp where we went to a different studio each week. I had never considered fibre as an outlet for art. It’s Maggie’s fault, she introduced us to felting and at that instant I adored the possibility of expressing myself in this way. Three dimensional, coloured wool became my palette.â€? When the Mongolian migration project fell
through, Maggie and Kathleen were disappointed. The idea was shelved but they always knew they would come back to it, in a Canadian context. And they did. “When we did come came back to it,� says Kathleen, “both of us had become concerned about the state of our planet and it had become a huge concern for many other people as well. I had found a shift in my natural world and I no longer wanted to just express my awe and wonder, I wanted to express my concern as well. And Maggie felt the same way.� And so they devised a way to express their concerns in an experiential, artistic context. Inviting the gallery visitor to enter, explore and
contemplate they way we live with each other and in our world. “The configuration of our installation requires that you enter into a portal and go into and inside spaces,� Maggie explains. “Each doorway leads to a different experience and you have to engage with it.� And what do they hope for us to experience as we travel through their Cosmic House? They look at each other and nod, “an ah-ha! moment.� Cosmic House is on display at Kootenay Gallery from September 17 to November 7, 2010. For more information you can visit Kootenay Gallery at www.kootenaygallery.com.
TreatYourself Fall into bed happy in Rossland
Angela’s B&B and Guesthouse Perfect easy stop between Rockies and coast. Fun too. Private kitchen suites. Hot tub, log fire, Wi-fi, great value.
250.362.7790 www.visitangela.com
BmqjofĂ–t!Ipmjtujd Ifbmjoh Hot Stone Therapy Massage
Ă€>Â˜ÂˆÂœĂƒ>VĂ€>Â?ĂŠ/Â…iĂ€>ÞÊUĂŠ i>Ă€ĂŒÂ‡ViÂ˜ĂŒiĂ€i`ĂŠ/Â…iĂ€>ÂŤĂž Lymph Drainage ‘Certified Healing Touch Practitioner’
Offices in Nelson, Rossland & Christina Lake 1-877-378-0526 sunflowerinnbb.com
Enjoy Fall Colours & Starlit Skies
Sunflower Inn Bed & Breakfast Swim, ski, kayak, horseback ride, hike, golf, or just relax.
159 Alpine Road Christina Lake t TVOnPXFSJOOCC DPN
There’s Nothing Like it! ORY ION HIST R E C R E AT C U LT U R E ES FOOD FALL RTS HOM PEOPLE A 2010
ary Region Kootenay/Bound
ill The Essential M Life in the West
milled Grain has been site on the same in Grand Forks since 1915
Luxury Timber Homes and Vacation Cottages Treat Yourself at the Falling Water Spa
E COSMIC HOUS
Kathleen Hill’s Maggie Tchir and the Kootenay Gallery show opens at
IFUL TADANAC
BEAUT urhood was Trail’s hidden neighbo executives for mining originally built
KOKANEE ed THE UBIQUITOUS of B.C.’s land-lock
The name many salmon has spawned region other uses in our
To advertise in the Winter issue, contact Chris at 1-877-443-2191 or email route3@ grandforksgazette.ca
Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 11
Tadanac
W
With giant silver maples, manicured lawns and grand, old homes, Tadanac (that’s Canada spelled backwards with a T for Trail) seems to belong in Vancouver’s Kitsilano or Shaughnessy neighbourhoods rather than tucked along the Columbia River banks next to Trail’s industrial smelter. For half of the last century, this hidden gem was kept solely for privileged top management at the former Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company (C.M.&S.), come Cominco. Tadanac was incorporated in 1922 as a municipality, and even had its own reeve, school, swimming pool, community hall, police force and fire department. Boasting sun-drenched solariums, formal dining rooms and fir-paneled dens, Tadanac homes were spacious and elegant. Company gardeners kept the 740 acres of “the Flats” looking story-book pretty. Where someone lived depended on company hierarchy. As an executive moved up the corporate ladder, he moved to the house that went with the job. Some others were invited to live there as well — a select number of professionals who had some association with the company. The company eventually sold off the stately homes and the area opened up to anyone. In 1969, Tadanac amalgamated with the City of Trail.
Page 12
Route 3 Fall 2010
communities story & Photos by
Lana Rodlie
Trail’s Hidden Neighbourhood Margie and Kay Crawford are probably the longest residing residents. Their father, Dr. Greg Crawford, had been invited by Selwyn Blaylock, the company’s notorious first manager, himself. “He (Dr. Crawford) chose this house (at 209 Kootenay Ave.) because he wanted a property away from the river,” Kay said. The Crawford family had the home built in 1934 and have resided in it ever since. The two-story house has four bedrooms, a den, a formal dining room, an older-style but very neat kitchen and a 27- by 15-square-foot living room. Like many Tadanac homes, the arched-top front door has a fairy-tale look. The sisters moved back to help with their aging parents, who both died in the home — their father in 1976 and their mother, just 13 days short of her 104th birthday in November 2009. Only recently was the original English wallpaper in the living room removed, but the oak hardwood floors are original.
Clockwise from bottom left: The former company guest house was an elegant bed and breakfast for company officials in the past. Newcomers to Trail, Mike and Paulette Patterson hope to bring it back to a heritage-style yet modern home. The Crawford house — the first house on Kootenay Ave., is situated next to an open park area. The home of Bonnie and George Braithwaite at 207 Ritchie is typical of Tadanac heritage homes with its arch-topped front doors. The Tudor-style home at 410 Ritchie is owned by Teck Metals Ltd., which uses it as a guest house for visiting company officials. Bill Jewitt’s house on Kootenay Avenue features gardens galore and up to 700 zinnias grown from seeds. One of several outdoor “rooms” at the Palmason home. Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 13
Upper left: The upstairs bath in the Braithwaite home, with its wainscoting, pedestal sink and clawfoot tub. Upper right: The Crawford sisters still maintain the old hardwood floors by waxing and buffing. The arch-top on the book case is a tell-tale sign that it was once was a doorway. Above: When the Palmason’s kids were home, the music room was a vibrant place. Today, the old white piano remains, but it is mostly used as a computer room.
Page 14
Route 3 Fall 2010
In fact, the sisters still have them waxed and polished weekly. John and Mollie Palmason bought their home in 1978, raising five children there. The 1930s-built house has 21 rooms including five bedrooms, a sunny breakfast nook, a large formal living/dining room, and a music room with a white grand piano. “I would not have called it a heritage home,” Mollie said. “It was quite run down as it had changed hands quite a few times and was empty for a few years.” Mollie added her own decorating touches. A fabulous feature is the award-winning garden with two quiet shady decks. George and Bonnie Braithwaite discovered Tadanac in 1996 when looking for place to spend George’s retirement from the RCMP. Their home at 207 Ritchie was built about 1924 by A.E.G. Colls, head of the air-raid precaution unit during the Second World War. It still has an air-raid shelter in the basement. Described as “carpenter-gothic-middle-ages Edwardian,” the 1,700-square foot house has the typical heritage-style living room with fireplace and solarium off the side, three upstairs bedrooms, a large family room/den, dining room and kitchen, and a spacious yard with a lovely garden and fruit trees. George stripped old paint to reveal the home’s dark fir woodwork. “It was very common in the old days to use fir for mouldings,” he said. “All the doors and woodwork indicate first growth timber. There isn’t a knot anywhere.” The upstairs bath with its wainscoting, pedestal sink and clawfoot tub was enhanced with Victorian wallpaper. And George even found original corrugated tin ceiling tiles for the den. He also researched paint and did the exterior in its original colours. Mike and Paulette Patterson, recent immigrants from Timmons, Ontario, are finding out what it’s like to renovate an old Tadanac house. They bought the former company guest house at 20 Ritchie in November 2009. Built in 1915, the four-storey, 3,800-square foot house was used as a majestic Victorian bed and breakfast for company officials. “We don’t want it to look like a new house,” Mike said. “We’ll keep the windows and change what we absolutely need to. We want it to have the feel and look of a heritage house.” Most of the homes in Tadanac were built between 1915 and 1940, but a second phase of development occurred in the early 1960s. These
Teck Guest House
T
he house at 410 Ritchie has been known to Trailites for years as “the Blaylock house.” Sitting at the entrance to Tadanac, it was the be-all and end-all of the ultra-elite homes in Trail’s heritage subdivision. It was built for the company’s first manager, Selwyn Blaylock, and complements Blaylock’s mansion north of Nelson. It was occupied throughout the ensuing decades by whomever was the manager of Trail Operations. It has been empty since the last occupants, Mike Agg and family left in 2005. “We think it was built about 1936,” said Teck spokesperson Carol Vanelli Worosz. “The original plans are not dated.” The spacious four-storey Tudor boasts 5, 298 square feet of living space. Hardwood throughout, the home’s large foyer opens to an up and down staircase. While the living room may be small for the size of the house, the dining room with its long, wide table seats 12 people comfortably. Next to the kitchen is a serving pantry and off the kitchen, a sunny breakfast nook. There’s a study on the main floor containing Blaylock’s office
furniture and another on the second floor. A set of servants’ stairs across from the pantry rise to the upper two floors. There are four hotel-quality bedrooms on the second floor and three more on the third floor. The finished basement holds a conference room with a little bar off to the side, a sauna, several storage cupboards, and a library with a roll-top desk that once belonged to a former manager. The house also contains seven bathrooms. Although the kitchen has upgraded appliances, it wants updating. The house is used for visiting company officials and guests, and from time to time, company dinners are hosted there. Teck also has a deal with 44th Engineer Squadron to allow its officers to stay there when visiting Trail. “We don’t operate it to be in competition with the food and hospitality industry,” said Vanelli Worosz. “We support the military, but that goes back decades.” In July, Communities in Bloom judges were honoured to be allowed to stay in the house while judging the city for the 2010 national competition. And this year’s Trail in Bloom Garden Contest hosted a tea in the garden.
Clockwise, from top left: The bedrooms are all named after former managers: the Marcolin suite, Fletcher room, Rothman and Blaylock rooms, for instance. This one with the arch-topped closet door is the Robertson room. The spacious foyer reveals a lovely staircase with entances into the living room on one side, the equally large dining room on the other, and hallway to the kitchen, servants stairs and serving pantry. The living room is comfortably furnished, displaying immaculate hardwood floors.
Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 15
homes were luxurious then, and today are among the priciest real estate in Trail. Laurie and Lauran Pettijohn’s home at 117 Ritchie has a unique inner courtyard off the double front doors, surrounded by the U-shaped house. An office and three bedrooms face the courtyard on one side, and floor-to-ceiling picture windows into the living room on the other side. A large family room and beautiful stainless and granite-top kitchen look over a park-like back yard. It was built by Leon Davenport, an engineer with the former Cominco. “They had been to the desert and seen houses like this — built around a courtyard,” said Lauran, who fell in love with it the first time she saw it. Another ‘60s-style home is that of Ev and Brent Cross, at 22 Ritchie, on the riverbank. The Crosses love the unique features of the home — a kind of “Frank Lloyd Wright take-off,” Ev says. Built in 1964, it was the home of Joe Drennen, the former president of West Kootenay Power, hence known as the Drennen house. Just walking into the home, a visitor’s breath is literally taken away by the stark beauty of the mountains across the river valley as seen through the wall-to-wall windows covering the entire back of the house. Between the elegant living room and formal dining room are double wood-burning fireplaces. The view extends through the beautiful open kitchen and eating area and straight through the full-sized lower floor which opens onto the patio and pool. When it was built, the home had every modern feature, including an intercom in each room (since removed), radiant heat from the ceiling, low-voltage lighting, and a panel on the main floor that controlled the whole house. “If you left a light on downstairs, you could see it light up on the panel and turn it off upstairs,” Brent said. Page 16
Route 3 Fall 2010
Above left: The windows in Brent and Ev Cross’s Ritchie Ave. home have a sensational view of the mountains, river and Gyro Park. Above right: The Crosses have made the outdoors as usable as the inside. Left: Visitors to the Pettijohn house are often fooled by the front door. It actually is a gate into the home’s southern-style courtyard.
This certainly was a handy feature, considering the house is over 4,700 square feet on two floors. When Tadanac joined the City of Trail, a deal was made for the city to maintain the community’s 147 boulevard trees. Some had grown onto private property. Today, each homeowner pays a $40 parcel tax annually to maintain all the trees, which certainly add to Tadanac’s special ambience. Bill Jewitt, who grew up in Tadanac and was the first to purchase a home when the company put them up for sale, said the amalgamation with the city wasn’t the most significant event to affect Tadanac residents. “We used to be able to walk through the smelter (to downtown) but in the late 1980s, the company disallowed it,” he said. Not having walking access through the Teck plant has been a great disappointment, he said. A disappointment for anyone wanting to live in Tadanac is that houses rarely come up for sale there. Whether checking real estate signs or just taking a drive through a pleasant neighbourhood, Tadanac is worth the journey.
outdoor adventure story and photos by
Sharon Wieder
Hiking Hidden History Forest Service campsites in the Kootenay and Boundary regions are great places to learn about the past
E
arly morning and the Copper Eagle in Greenwood beckons with coffee and wonderful aromas of fresh baked goodies. Choose a healthy option or splurge for the giant cinnamon bun slathered in cream cheese frosting? This is a “research” trip to discover local Forest Service campsites and their hiking opportunities and, well, healthy options can wait until next time. Driving past Greenwoods’ historic post office, I want to stop and check it out. I am easily distracted so it’s good my travel partner is ultra focused and that we have all day. Later we head up the winding, almost paved road to the ghost town of Phoenix, which exposes vistas and picturesque cameos with each curve. The Phoenix cemetery demands a closer look. Nestled on a slope in the middle of nowhere, it is shaded by pine trees that were not even seeds when the graves were dug. The headstones speak, telling tales of hardship and heartbreak and stamina. Stories of despair told in Italian, Russian and English when 1911 and 1913 saw much of the population
Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 17
Opening page, top: Camping at Providence Lake — “It’s a Jeep thing, with sleeping for two.” Opening page, bottom: “We had seen the moose tracks but never expected to see the animals up close and personal!” — Providence Lake. This page, from top: Bayonne mine narrow gauge track. “Does the sky ever change from cobalt blue around here?” Phoenix Cemetery —“The headstones speak, telling tales of hardship and heartbreak and stamina. “ Arkansas Lake — “The view from the top is definitely worth the 1400 foot vertical grind to get there.”
Page 18
Route 3 Fall 2010
perish. The well-defined earth pathways and freshly painted fences indicate it is still lovingly tended. On to the Providence Lake Forest Service site, which is also home to the Phoenix cross country ski club. The warming hut has a map showing many trails winding up into the hills. At the top, the “Dacha” hut boasts an expansive view of Highway 3 and the surrounding hills. Out by the road is a cenotaph commemorating the service of men from Phoenix in the Great War of 1914-1918. It is the only structure left from the booming mine town that boasted the “highest city in Canada” title in the early 1900s. Many cycles of copper demand changed the look of the town, and now the original site is all under the lake created during the open pit mining of the 1970s. This is quite a change from Phoenix’s heyday, when there was no lack of fine meals or accommodation. The Christmas Day menu at the Brooklyn Hotel in 1911 included such delicacies as Russian caviar, Green Turtle soup and English plum pudding with brandy sauce. Wildlife here is abundant and healthy. Bullfrogs chorus and a hummingbird moth buzzes among the dandelions, while an osprey cruises the lake, counting fish. An alligator lizard startled us both as it lightly ran up my leg, down my leg and up a nearby tree. Operatic killdeer signal impending doom with their shrill kee-kee-kee, alerting a cow moose with two young calves. When the sun disappeared below the tree line and the full moon danced on the ripples of the lake, we were thankful for the breeze that foiled the mosquitoes during our stroll. And the loon serenade truly is my favourite lullaby. Next stop is Grand Forks, then north on Granby Rd. towards Xenia Lake. Beware of branch roads! We followed the sign instead of our gut and twenty five minutes on an overgrown, narrow “track” ended at a wall of boulders, logs and debris. Try manoeuvring a Jeep and camper trailer in a U-turn with a sharp drop-off on one side and a steep cliff rising on the other. Not recommended for weak hearts. We finally arrive at a big yellow CAUTION sign warning of a VERY rough road that leads into Xenia Lake. It’s really not bad in a 4WD with fat tires and a jacked-up frame. I walked anyway. Our toes in the lake say it’s quite warm and the leeches sensed our hot feet, so in we go! The Columbia spotted frogs were not impressed. Paddling around the edge we found moose tracks in the muddy bottom and yellow water lily leaves without their flowers. Casting from the canoe provided a nice trout dinner. As the sun began to dip, we watched acrobatic bats chasing dragonflies. The View Point trail winds and climbs until you are far above Christina Lake with a view from one end to the other. Christina Lake was named after the daughter of Hudson’s Bay Company chief factor Angus McDonald, and was inhabited by the Kettle Indians for thousands of years before his arrival. How many feet do you suppose have stepped on these rocks so high above the lake? On the way back, we loaded up with huckleberries to put in homemade pancakes to start the next day. The Crowsnest Highway traces a mid-19th century gold rush trail laid out by engineer Edgar Dewdney. Biking between Grand Forks and Christina Lake is on my “some day” list,
but today we are headed to the Kootenay Skyway and Bayonne forest service road. Where do drivers of logging trucks loaded to the max find the nerve to navigate these roads? I grit my teeth and hang on by my toenails as I watch the edge drop off, sometimes making me giddy and prayerful. Soon the road to Arkansas Lake is covered in just enough mashed potato snow that we are stymied. But the other fork leads us to a spot at the base of an abandoned gold mine we had no clue existed. Sometimes these things work out for the best. Wandering the tailings piles, drawn from one shiny rock studded with gold and copper flecks to another makes me wonder what the operation looked like in its heyday. Poking around mining paraphernalia and the dump site is a real history lesson. Rusted tins and ubiquitous brown or blue bottles and vitrified crockery from England via Vancouver and New Westminster pinpoint their dates to around 1920.
Warm afternoon sun brings small flies that fly inches from your face, dropping and raising their legs like landing gear on a plane. When they finally touch down, they hover over the surface of skin, tickling as they probe through the hairs. Fortunately, they don’t bite. Wildlife is quite sparse in this exposed, rocky terrain, although we could hear coyotes yipping and calling at dusk. Does the sky ever change from cobalt blue around here? Four hours and 1,400 vertical feet later we were back at camp after hiking up and around and over several arms of the mine road. One arm led us to the top of a ridge, exposing an awesome full view of peaks and lakes, including Arkansas Lake. Another arm ended at a mine head with fresh bear tracks in the snow. We opted not to crawl in for closer inspection. Reviewing our photos back at home whets the appetite for more, and we are inspired to explore new sites. Do I smell cinnamon buns?
Dining out Artisan breads
Casual Comfortable Affordable
Fabulous lunches & treats
THE best coffee.
International Cuisine with a Flair!
OMEGA Restaurant, Banquet & Catering Co.
7400 Highway 3, Grand Forks 250-442-3124
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
At the flashing light intersection, Rossland
Great 100% Organic Coffees
PACIFIC GRILL
309 S. Copper Ave, Greenwood 250-445-6506 Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner VOTED #1 IN THE BOUNDARY
Casual pub food to tantalizing dinner entrees. Watch the game on one of our big screen TVs or enjoy a quiet dinner in our cozy dining room. blackroosterbarandgrill.com 4( 34 #!34,%'!2 s
Ă€i>ÂŽv>ĂƒĂŒĂŠUĂŠ >ˆÂ?ÞÊ Ă•Â˜VÂ…ĂŠ-ÂŤiVˆ>Â?Ăƒ -Â…>ÂŽiĂƒĂ‰-Â“ÂœÂœĂŒÂ…ÂˆiĂƒĂŠUĂŠĂŠ ÂœĂ€ĂƒVÂ…ĂŒ Ă“ĂŽĂˆĂŠ >ÀŽiĂŒĂŠ Ă›iĂŠUĂŠ Ă€>˜`ĂŠ ÂœĂ€ÂŽĂƒĂŠUĂŠĂ“xä°{{Ó°xxxn
Open Sundays to end of October Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 19
The Essential
Grain has been milled on the same site in Grand Forks since 1915 Page 20
Route 3 Fall 2010
Mill
food & drink story by Shella Gardezi photos by Chris Hammett
T
he machinery, surroundings and economics may have changed, but the values remain the same for the Grand Forks Doukhobor Milling Heritage Society. The Society operates a flour mill in Grand Forks’ west end, which has been located on the same site since 1915. The Doukhobors came to Grand Forks in 1907, and according to Walter Hoodikoff, secretary-treasurer of the board, the flour mill is essential to life in a Doukhobor community Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 21
Opening pages: Miller Wallace Dergousoff has long ties to the flour mill. He won't say exactly how long he's worked there, but will admit to helping his father at the mill when he was a teenage boy and the process was still a stone grind. Above: The rotating stones from the original mill can still be seen on display. Right: The fine byproduct is sifted through the bran separater, leaving behind the high protein “shorts.”
Page 22
Route 3 Fall 2010
“First you build the house and then you build the flour mill,” he says. Things have changed since the mill began operation. In the beginning the grain would be grown in fields surrounding the Kettle River site in Grand Forks’ west end. It would be brought to the mill and offered back to the community. In that time life was communal. There was even a large bake oven, which is still there and used occasionally for heritage demonstrations. When the Doukhobor women fired it up to bake bread, using the locally grown and milled flour, the “aroma would fill the whole valley,” says Hoodikoff. Today, the flour is packaged and sold commercially in stores such as Ferraro Foods in Rossland, Slocan Valley Co-op, and Overwaitea and Buy-Low in Grand Forks, under the name “Pride of the Valley.” It’s clear that the society treats its product with pride. It’s not willing to compromise on quality or the natural goodness of its product. That’s one reason you can’t buy white flour from the mill. Although the mill produces white flour, the Canadian government does not allow it to be sold to the public without additives, and the society has not been able to find naturallysourced vegetarian alternatives. The white flour milled on site is used by Doukhobor bakers who add nutritional additives during the baking process. The mill can sell its whole wheat, rye and triticale, a rye/wheat hybrid, directly to the public without additives because none of the nutrients are removed during the milling process, whereas with white flour the bran and wheat germ are removed. “It has to be as pure as it comes off the field, or we’re not
Walter Hoodikoff Walter Hoodikoff
going to sell it,” says Hoodikoff. Rye and triticale is still bought locally, but because of the volume required by the mill, the wheat is purchased from a noncertified organic Creston farm. Hoodikoff, who has been involved with the mill for 30 years, says good food and good health is essential to the Doukhobor lifestyle and something the society wants to share with the broader community. “It’s not easy to run the mill,” he says. “There are breakdowns to repair and costs involved, but because of the nutritional facts — good quality, nothing added and nothing taken away — we’ll do whatever it takes to make it continue.” The mill originally ran from 1915 to 1945 as a stone-ground mill operated by steam power. Although it sits alone today, it was once a hub of activity as part of the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood (CCUB) communal enterprise. There was a tomato cannery, oil-pressing plant and a fruit dryer on the site, not to mention abundant agricultural activity in the orchards surrounding the area. Fire wiped out the other buildings, but the flour mill survived because of its laminated wood. “At that time, the people brought their own,” Hoodikoff says. “They didn’t really pay for it. It was brought and milled for them for human consumption.” The equipment is still on site and Hoodikoff or another volunteer will give you a tour and explain the uses of the various pieces, including the original steam engine. In 1962, the mill reopened as a hammer mill. Hoodikoff said this process is more modern and creates a clean, refined
Clockwise from lower left: Bread baked by the USCC Ladies for a Doukhobor function. The truck unloads grain to the auger which takes it up to the 30 ton storage bin. Wallace Dergousoff loads 10kg flour bags ready for market. Samples of the whole grain, bran, shorts (bran & wheatgerm byproduct), white flour and whole wheat flour.
Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 23
Grand Forks & District AQUATIC CENTRE
Public Swim Schedule
EFFECTIVE AUGUST 30 TO DECEMBER 31, 2010 Mon / Wed / Fri 6:00 am to 1:00 pm 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Tues / Thurs 8:00 am to 1:00 pm 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Sat / Sun 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm
LOONY TOONY FRIDAYS Every Friday Admissions between 4 & 6 pm $1 FOR CHILDREN, $2 FOR ADULTS
Pool will be open for Holiday swims, 1 to 4pm Thanksgiving Monday, Remembrance Day, Boxing Day RECREATION OFFICE: 250-442-2202
FITNESS CLASSES
Aqua Max - M,W,F - 9 to 10am Aqua Moderate - M to F, 10:15 to 11am Aqua Mild - Tu, Th - 11 to 11:45am Early Bird Circuit - M, W, F - 6 to 7am Moderate Circuit Training - Tu, Th - 9 to 10am Evening Circuit Training - Tu, Th - 5:30 to 6:30pm
GO ANYWHERE. Experience the Traction of the 2011 Lineup
B&F SALES & SERVICE LTD. OE 4USFFU (SBOE 'PSLT _ XXX CBOEGTBMFT DPN _ CGTBMFT!VOJTFSWF DPN
Page 24
Route 3 Fall 2010
Hardwood pullies that were used in the original mill make up part of the historical display that can be seen during a tour.
product. As well, it can handle a higher volume of wheat processing — up to 200 pounds an hour. As you pull up to the mill, which is located off Highway 3 on Mill Road, you’ll see one of the old French rose quartz stones used by the original mill on display. It’s one of two used in the past. The society had planned to reassemble the old apparatus as part of its heritage display, but found pieces were missing. You can, however, still view the old equipment and learn how it worked. Once inside, you’ll learn how the hammer mill functions and maybe even see it in action. Volunteers will show you the original wheat berry, show you how the grain is cleaned, hammered, sifted and bagged, and then invite you to run your fingers through the softness of the final product. Another major change the mill has gone through since its beginnings a century ago is in its operating system. When it reopened in 1962, it was a co-operative, which was purchased by an association in 1970. In 1992, it became a society to better access grants. With those grants it was able to make improvements to the facility to better accommodate the public. Its warehouse was transformed into a display area. Area D director Irene Perepolkin of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary gave the mill a grant that helped with the painting of the building and repairs. Part of its current mandate is education and the facility now offers tours to the public. In 2008 it joined The Land Conservancy’s “Heritage Circle Tour� which includes Fructova School, which houses the Boundary Museum, and the Hardy Mountain Doukhobor Village. Hoodikoff says the response has been “tremendous.� “It’s overwhelming sometimes,� he says. “It can get quite hectic.� However, Hoodikoff isn’t complaining. He’s pleased to be able to introduce the public to an all-natural alternative to the processed foods one finds in the grocery store. Doukhobor men and women are known for their longevity and that’s because of their diet, he says. “One of the factors is they have this wholesome product,� says Hoodikoff. “Cook as natural as possible and you’ll have good health.� Tours of the flour mill are offered by appointment only. Call the USCC office at 250-442-8252.
Marketplace
To Advertise contact Chris at 1-877-443-2191
A7B;?:EI9EF;
Heart ‘n’ Sole Quilts
Large selection of UĂŠ iÂ“Ăƒ]ĂŠ Ă€ĂžĂƒĂŒ>Â?ĂƒĂŠEĂŠĂƒ>Â?ĂŒĂŠÂ?>Â“ÂŤĂƒ UĂŠ >ĂƒĂƒ>}iĂŠĂƒĂŒÂœÂ˜iĂƒ]ĂŠÂœÂˆÂ?ĂƒĂŠEĂŠiĂƒĂƒi˜ViĂƒ UĂŠ-“Õ`}iĂƒ]ĂŠÂˆÂ˜ViÂ˜ĂƒiĂŠEĂŠĂ€iĂƒÂˆÂ˜Ăƒ
Experience old-fashioned charm in our lovely heritage house surrounded by quilts and welcoming smiles. In the Heart of Grand Forks!
L Body, Mind & Spirit Arts L
Saturday: 10am-4pm ~
325 75th Avenue, Grand Forks (turn north at Lordco)
Representing works from up to 60 Artists and Artisans 7353B 2˜`ĂŠ-ĂŒĂ€iiĂŒ]ĂŠ Ă€>˜`ĂŠ ÂœĂ€ÂŽĂƒĂŠĂŠĂŠĂŠĂŠĂ“xä‡{{·Î ,/ĂŠÂÎÓÇnÂŽ
HOURS:
Monday to Friday: 10am-5pm
FABRIC ~ BOOKS ~ NOTIONS ~ CLASSES ~ SALES BINS INCLUDING FABRIC
250-442-0661
Your Voice in Victoria KATRINE CONROY, MLA Kootenay West
Katrine.conroy.mla@leg.bc.ca www.katrineconroy.ca
1-888-755-0556
See all See us us for forKEEP all your your YOUR WE’LL TIRE NEEDS! TIRE NEEDS! MOTOR PURRING DESIGNATED INSPECTION FACILITY DESIGNATED INSPECTION FACILITY
DESIGNATED INSPECTION FACILITY
t /PX PGGFSJOH " $ 4FSWJDJOH t /PX PGGFSJOH " $ 4FSWJDJOH s .OW OFFERING ! # SERVICING t DFSUJGJFE UFDIOJDJBOT TFDPOE ZFBS BQQSFOUJDF t DFSUJGJFE UFDIOJDJBOT TFDPOE ZFBS BQQSFOUJDF
FULL SERVICE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR
&L?MB @LIG NB? @;LG 3OJJILN SIOL FI=;F JLI>O=?LM
s 4WO CERTIlED TECHNICIANS ONE THIRD YEAR APPRENCTICE
“We’ll keep purring� “We’ll keep your motor motor purring� See us for all your your tire needs! Ben Tom for Call Ben or Tomfor foran anappointment appointment CallCall Ben oror Tom an appointment
Tomkat Tomkat Automotive Automotive
6785-19th St., Grand Forks 6785-19th St., 6785-19th St.,Grand GrandForks Forks tomkat4@telus.net tomkat4@telus.net tomkat4@telus.net
250-442-2289 250-442-2289 250-442-2289
Proud to feature local produce and a large organic selection
Boundary Mall
Grand Forks
250•442•5560
ORY ION HIST R E C R E AT C U LT U R E ES FOOD FALL RTS HOM PEOPLE A 2010
ry Region Kootenay/Bounda
ill The Essential M Life in the West
milled Grain has been e site on the sam in Grand Forks since 1915
SE COSMIC HOUHill’s
There’s Nothing Like it!
Kathleen Maggie Tchir and nay Gallery the Koote show opens at
C UTIFUL TADANA
BEA bourhood was Trail’s hidden neigh g executives for minin originally built
US KOKANEE THE UBIQUITOof B.C.’s land-locked
The name ed many salmon has spawn region other uses in our
To advertise in the Winter issue, contact Chris at 1-877-443-2191 or email route3@grandforksgazette.ca
Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 25
history by
Greg Nesteroff
The ubiquitous Kokanee The name of B.C.’s landlocked salmon has spawned many other uses
Page 26
Route 3 Fall 2010
David R. Gluns
I
t’s a fish, it’s a creek, it’s a beer, it’s a park, it’s a boat. Kokanee is all of these things and more — and consequently probably our area’s most widely used indigenous word. You might think it’s from the same language as the word Kootenay, since the two look alike and sound similar, but you’d be wrong. Kootenay comes either from a Ktunaxa word or is a corruption of Ktunaxa itself, while kokanee is derived from kekeni, an Interior Salish term for the landlocked salmon once plentiful in this region. (No need to capitalize kokanee when referring to the fish, although the urge is often irresistible.) Somewhere along the West Arm of Kootenay Lake — probably at Lasca Creek, directly opposite Kokanee Creek — was what the Sinixt people called Yaksakukeni: place of many kokanee. However, the definition wasn’t well known to European settlers. The earliest reference in the Nelson Miner of June 15, 1895 said: “The jagged ridge visible from Nelson away up the lake to the North-East is Ko-ko-nee, of the meaning of which we are sorry to say, we are ignorant.” The following year, the Columbia and Kootenay Steam Navigation Co. established the current spelling when they named their sleek new sternwheeler the S.S. Kokanee. (The boat plied Kootenay Lake for nearly 30 years before being sold and scrapped.) A phantom townsite called Kokanee was laid out at the head of the creek of the same name, adjacent to the Molly Gibson mine, and the Sandon Paystreak joked that “its inhabitants, when they become numerous enough to need a name, will be called the Kokakanucks.” Kokanee Glacier was so named by 1897, but after climbing it — and nearly dying on it — mining promoter Ernest Mansfield renamed it after Lord Kitchener. This name didn’t take, however, and it soon reverted to Kokanee. Printed references to the word in its original context — i.e. the fish — finally started to appear around 1909, although they didn’t become common until the mid-1920s. In 1927, the Nelson Daily News held a contest to nickname the city’s hockey club, and the winning entry, submitted by old-timer R.G. Joy, was Kokanees, giving the team as unique a moniker as the Trail Smoke Eaters. Inexplicably, however, the name was changed to the Maple Leafs after only a few seasons.
Top: Spawning kokanee salmon. Above left: Vancouver designer George McLachlan created the original label for Kokanee beer, which debuted in 1960. The type was all hand lettered. Courtesy George McLachlan Above right: Ad for the Kokanee Creek Co., from the Victoria Daily Colonist, June 3, 1897. Opposite page: The S.S. Kokanee, launched on Kootenay Lake in 1896, solidified the present spelling of the word.
Marketplace To Advertise contact Chris at 1-877-443-2191
Unique artwork - metalwork, stained glass, pottery & more Quilting supplies - fabric, notions, patterns 330 Copper Avenue, Greenwood 250.445.6664 jocelyn801@shaw.ca
What really made kokanee a household word resulted from a conversation between Nelson mayor Tom Shorthouse and H.F. Puder of Interior Breweries in 1959. Shorthouse noted the potential of Kokanee Glacier Park, created in 1922, as a major tourist attraction and suggested the company name a new brand Kokanee. “This thought really stuck,â€? Puder told Shorthouse a year later in a letter held by the Touchstones Nelson archives, “and the more the name ‘Kokanee’ was considered, the better we liked it ‌ To you goes full credit for originating the idea and you may be assured that you will be among the first to sample the product.â€? Kokanee beer hit the shelves in 1960, bearing a painted label by Vancouver designer George McLachlan. The artwork changed several times over the years as Kokanee became one of B.C.’s best-selling brands, but always retained the glacier motif. While Kokanee beer was thriving, kokanee salmon were suffering. Dam construction, changes in phosphorous levels, and the failed introduction of mysis shrimp as a food source all contributed to a precipitous decline of kokanee stocks in Kootenay Lake by the 1980s. A fertilization program has since gone a long way to restoring the population, but such intervention will probably always be required. As a place name, Kokanee has spread far and wide. In this area alone, it’s a mountain range, creek, lake, pass, peak, narrows, glacier, and two parks. There’s also a Kokanee Bay, on the north side of Lac La Hache in the Cariboo, and Kokanee has further been adopted by many businesses, a school near Seattle, and pops up in street names in Nelson, Pass Creek, Cranbrook, and Vancouver. You’ll also find Kokanee streets in the Yukon, Ontario, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Colorado, California, and New Mexico. Most were probably taken from atlases and have nothing to do with our area, but there’s a Kokanee Bend fishing hole in Montana and Kokanee campground in California. Whether as a symbol of a once-abundant resource or appropriated for commercial use, kokanee is our lexicographical ambassador.
(,,1"+ 6 $ ))"/6 ,# /1 $&#1 0%,#&+" /1 2+&.2" $&#10 " 21&#2) 1%&+$0
%"/&1 $" 4 6 01)"$ / X 444 (,,1"+ 6$ ))"/6 ,*
KINNEY CREEK WOOD BLASTING LTD. Log & Timber Frame Homes blast cleaned and refinished Non-toxic, biodegradable and environmentally friendly blasting medium Interior/Exterior/Sanding/ Finishing/Chinking GILBERT CAYER
cell: 250-687-1402 home: 250-365-7212 GREG FROST
home: 250-365-4980 Visit us at www.woodblasting.ca
Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 27
Q&A
by Shella
Gardezi Photos by Chris Hammett
A Gala Event
The Gallery 2 Annual Wine Tasting is the not-to-be-missed social event of the season!
T
Proprietors Sigrid & Joost Van Haesebrouck of Taurus Creek Goatery talk about their cheeses and spreads to an attendee.
he Grand Forks Art Gallery hosts its major fundraiser of the year on Nov. 27, the 19th annual Wine Tasting. This is the third year the event will take place in Grand Forks’ heritage courthouse, which has recently been renamed Gallery 2.
Hunt: It was pretty tiny the first year, too. We maybe sold 50 tickets, if we were lucky. Butterfield: It’s certainly grown since then. It’s totally changed from bare, bare decorations. In fact, one year we completely forgot to decorate until the day. Somebody said, ‘Who’s decorating?’ And everybody pointed their finger at somebody else. I think that year Richard brought in an old fence from his place with some wire on it. He still had a few grapes growing out at the lake and he hung those on the fence and that was our decoration that year. Now it’s a week of work to get the place looking good.
The event often sells out, so tickets ($50 for nonmembers and $40 for members) should be purchased early. I sat down with gallery building staff — Ted Fogg, director; Wendy Butterfield, administrative assistant and gift shop manager; and Dawsha Hunt, visitor centre manager — to discuss the event.
What role do volunteers play? Butterfield: It’s pretty much volunteer work during the wine tasting — lots of extra hours for staff and board members. We have a little section of people that just love to come and help and do the food and so forth.
How did the event get started? Butterfield: It was a board initiative 19 years ago for a fundraiser. Richard Reid agreed. He was our curator at that time, certainly a wine buff, and had good connections. Page 28
Route 3 Fall 2010
What is the focus of the wine selection? Butterfield: It’s B.C. wines, certainly. Locally, we get Columbia Gardens from Trail. Hunt: We have beer. We’ve had a couple of beers since we started doing it a couple years ago.
Why do you think this event has become so popular? Butterfield: We’ve timed it in the holiday season and we’ve made it a little bit later, which really helps. It’s a really good excuse to dress up and there’s not enough of that in this town. Hunt: I think people really look at it as a chance to educate themselves about what’s available out there. Butterfield: The wineries are impressed by the amount of interest people have. They’re not there just to drink; they’re there to question the presenters. I’ve heard lots of wineries remark on how knowledgeable Grand Forks drinkers are (laugh). How do you think the event has changed over the years? Hunt: We always try to top ourselves. Butterfield: I think it’s gotten fancier. We started with platters from the grocery store. Judy McNamara was the first food presenter. She catered professionally back east and she put on a spread that was unbelievable. Now we have Neil Krog of Twisted Forks Catering, From the Hearth bakery and Jerseyland Organics.
One of the Jewels of the Boundary
Come for the trails, the golf and the lake; stay because it feels like coming home. 2037 Highway 3, Christina Lake, B.C. / Ê ÀiiÊ£ nnn nx ä£x ÊUÊÓxä {{Ç Î£Ó www.newhorizonmotel.com Woulter Van Der Hall of House of Rose Vineyards proudly displays his selection of wines.
What was special about last year? Fogg: The first year we were in this building, we only used the upstairs. Things weren’t finished yet. Butterfield: We moved in November. Hunt: And the wine tasting was the 15th. Fogg: Seven or eight days was all we had to get ready for it, whereas last year we were a little bit better organized. Hunt: It was a Christmas theme last year, and that’s the first time we’ve ever done a themed night. It’s kind of like the start to the festive season, which it probably always was before, but when you decorate for Christmas — we had a big Christmas tree — it just really put people in the mood. Butterfield: It looked fantastic — just sparkling. Can you name a highlight of the event? Hunt: We’re so busy that day, we don’t even know what goes on. I didn’t even have one sip of wine last year. Butterfield: The whole evening is a highlight. Hunt: Last year there was an opportunity to taste 62 wines and 2 brews. They bring everything. When the ice wine comes out, I think that’s a bit of a highlight for people.
A B.C. Select property, catering to the discerning traveller
Refrigeration, Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning Let our team of professionals take care of all your heating and cooling needs
Serving the Boundary Area for 15 years Phone: 250-442-2652 www.wdsheetmetal.com Fall 2010 Route 3
Page 29
special places photo by
Chris Hammett
F
all is a special time and the Boundary is a special place for me and my dog Cliff. Given the right conditions, the colours can be spectacular. Add a backdrop of mountains, and the scenery is like no place on earth. Late afternoon is my favourite time for shooting vistas, when the shadows are long and the light gives a rich warm glow to everything it touches. This photo was taken just north of Grand Forks on Sand Creek forestry access road where the variety of trees and vegetation combine to create a wonderful palette. — Chris Hammett
Page 30
Route 3 Fall 2010
"#´S "EST +EPT 3ECRET THE VIEW IS ONLY THE BEGINNING Call any of our realtors for information On properties in our area.
250-442-2711
Toll Free: 1-800-567-3199
272 Central Avenue, Grand Forks, B.C.
www.grandforksrealestate.ca
Get involved and join in a dialogue about the future of the Columbia Basin. Bring your ideas and unique perspective to address some of the key issues facing communities. Topics include regional trends, economic development, alternative energy, community engagement and building resilient organizations. All sessions will be supported by expert speakers, community champions, tools and best practices. This free event is an opportunity to network with one another and with CBT Board and staff. Share your experience, celebrate accomplishments and work toward solutions to shared challenges. KEYNOTE SPEAKER David Beurle Founder and Managing Director of Innovative Leadership David holds a firm conviction that the future of rural and regional areas lies in the hands of the local people. He created Innovative Leadership with the mission of bringing the tools and skills to the people who care the most – the people who choose to make rural towns, centers and regions their home. Attendees will be engaged in thinking about possible future scenarios for the Basin and the implications against the bottom line of environment, economy and society.
COME CELEBRATE! We know the Columbia Basin is a place like no other. With its diversity of people and enterprise, staggering natural beauty, and abundant resources, it’s something to celebrate. Come and enjoy a community celebration at the Columbia Basin Cultural Night, October 23 in downtown Revelstoke. This free event is open to the public and will highlight local and Basin talent and entertainment. Watch for details at cbt.org/CulturalNight.
Space is limited, so register soon at www.cbt.org/2010symposium or 1.800.505.8998