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Local student Alya Van Laer argued for a new Aberdeen school at the recent UBCM
Kamloops United Church begins recovery from devasting August fire
Milobar and Stamer off to Victoria as provincial results remain up in the air
Sean Brady: Reporter news@kamloopschronicle.ca
KAMLOOPS HAS SENT Peter Milobar back to the legislature for a third time, alongside party mate and now first-time MLA Ward Stamer.
Preliminary election results indicate a minority government, with the NDP likely to end up one seat short of a majority with 46 elected, the newly formed BC Conservative party picking up 45 seats and the Green Party of B.C. with two seats.
Milobar’s primary opponent in the race for Kamloops Centre was Kamal Grewal of the BC NDP, who trailed by about 2,000 votes in preliminary results. Stamer’s victory was more decisive, nearly doubling the vote count of BC NDP candidate Maddi Genn in Kamloops-North Thompson.
As of election night, it was unclear to both winning candidates whether or not they would be heading to Victoria as part of government or opposition.
room at the casino.
Milobar referred to the changeover as tumultuous, but was relieved to see Kamloops voters still had faith in him as an MLA, even under a new banner.
Peter Milobar and Ward Stamer have been elected as MLAs for Kamloops Centre and Kamloops-North Thompson.
continue to be that person.
Stamer said.
The soon-to-be-former mayor of Barriere said it’s going to be “tough” to leave his post there, getting emotional when asked about his transition to the new role.
Former mayor and publisher Mel Rothenburger walks through news history
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“God willing, we’re going to form government,” Stamer said in his brief Saturday night victory speech at Match Eatery.
While Stamer joined the BC Conservatives early on, Milobar was running for the BC United party until its collapse in late August.
“It was not an easy time during the collapse and the withdrawal of BC United and my subsequent running with the BC Conservatives,” Milobar told media after addressing a packed
“I know they were a little unsure, but they put their trust in me and I take that very seriously. It’s very humbling, in a way,” Milobar said.
Part of his campaign was convincing people he hadn’t changed his stripes, leaning on campaigning fundamentals like door knocking, phone calls and being on the ground on election day.
Milobar said he wanted to reassure people that he’s still the same person he was six weeks ago and that he’ll
While it may have been a rough way to start his campaign, Milobar has embraced Stamer as the next member of “Team Kamloops,” referring to the city’s history of electing conservative/centre-right MLAs, pointing to previous duos like Claude Richmond and Bud Smith, Terry Lake and Kevin Krueger and himself and Todd Stone, who opted not to run in this election following the collapse of BC United.
Stamer said he’s thankful to have Milobar’s experience in the legislature to lean on in the early days.
“It’s absolutely huge. I don’t like the details, a lot of the time, I like to cut to the chase and get right to it,”
“Like my dad said – he didn’t really want me to do this – he said, ‘Can’t you continue to advocate as the mayor?’ and I said, ‘Unfortunately I can’t, Dad,’ because what I want to change is at a provincial level,” he said.
Stamer list of key issues includes health care and lack of access to it, housing and affordability.
“We’ve got to do more than just ‘We’re working on it,’” he said.
Continued
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Wells Gray Tours Kamloops staff from left to right, Pam Stewart, President & Owner
Roland Neave, Lindsay Jewell, Stephanie Dilling, Terri Lynn Day and Jayden Prince.
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Brunicke on the rise Kamloops Blazer, originally from South Africa, impresses
Entertainment in the city
There’s always something going on in Kamloops
Sean Brady: Reporter news@kamloopschronicle.ca
While the chaos at city hall has dominated the headlines over the past year, council has continued to advance an agenda focusing on issues like transit, housing, the drug crisis and large projects like the performing arts centre.
The following is based on noteworthy events over the past year, as reported in media and discussed during council meetings.
2023
November
MAYOR After the mayor reveals his wife recorded a phone conversation between himself and chief administrative officer (CAO) David Trawin, council passes a motion to prohibit secret recordings. HamerJackson is the sole dissenting vote.
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TRANSPORTATION Council rejects a plan by city staff to build a multi-use pathway along Lansdowne Street, citing concerns over traffic congestion. The pathway would have connected to the recently completed Sixth Avenue bike lane.
out SUV on his business property. The SUV is towed from the mayor’s property days later, while HamerJackson is on vacation in Mexico.
DRUG CRISIS Council votes to send an updated business case for a sobering centre to the provincial government. The centre would ease pressure on jail cells, hospitals and shelters.
PAC Council begins the new year with its cultural strategic plan, seeing a need for more arts and culture spaces. Later in January, council mulls spending on plans for a performing arts centre (PAC).
PAC In early February, council approves $7 million in spending for detailed PAC plans. City staff say the plans will allow for a more accurate cost estimate of the centre.
HOUSING A council motion passes to petition the province to open cold weather shelters at 0 C, rather than -10 C.
bike valet pilot program, running from May to September.
CITY The City of Kamloops announces that CAO David Trawin will go on personal leave for an indeterminate period.
MAYOR Later in March, media reports say deputy CAO Byron McCorkell has been suspended by Hamer-Jackson. But days later council unanimously reverses the decision in a special closed meeting.
MAYOR Hamer-Jackson reveals a confidential report that shows council has placed restrictions on his ability to suspend employees, with deputy mayors now holding that power.
Coun. Mike O’Reilly says the decision was supposed to be kept confidential.
MAYOR After a third-party investigation indicates HamerJackson has breached council’s code of conduct multiple times, a restriction on the mayor’s communication with various city staff members is extended, at least until August.
PAC Council unanimously adopts its 10-year cultural strategic plan, hoping to bolster tourism and arts infrastructure.
makes his report public. It places blame on Hamer-Jackson for dysfunction at city hall. Braun makes 13 recommendations to council and 10 to Hamer-Jackson himself. Coun. Margot Middleton calls on the mayor to resign. He refuses.
BUSINESS Council asks city staff to start working with a proposed East Kamloops Business Improvement Area Association.
BYLAWS Council’s work to gain peace officer status for its Community Safety Officers continues with meetings with ministers.
MAYOR Citing Braun’s report, council will deliver hundreds of letters to B.C. MLAs and municipalities saying the mayor “does not speak on behalf of council or the City of Kamloops,” and that official communication should be through the deputy mayor.
PAC The City of Kamloops publishes advance notice that it intends to select a contractor for the PAC, hoping to award a contract in August.
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MAYOR Following a request by council in September, Peter Fassbender, former Langley mayor and provincial cabinet minister, is appointed as municipal advisor to look into conflicts between council and mayor. Two weeks later, Fassbender is moved out of the role and the province begins looking for a new advisor.
MAYOR Hamer-Jackson defies an order from Kamloops Fire Rescue Chief Ken Uzeloc to remove a burned-
MAYOR Meanwhile, former Abbotsford mayor Henry Braun is announced as the new municipal advisor for Kamloops.
TRANSPORTATION Council and Thompson Rivers University continue to discuss the location of a proposed $10-million Summit Drive overpass, as council reaffirms its stance on its location.
TRANSPORTATION Council unanimously approves a downtown
DRUG CRISIS At the Southern Interior Local Government Association (SILGA) conference, council’s call for a “balanced approach” to the drug crisis earns support and will be considered for the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference in the fall.
TRANSPORTATION The downtown Kamloops’ bike valet begins operating.
HOUSING Support grows as SILGA delegates endorse petitioning the province to raise the cold weather shelter temperature threshold to 0 C from -10 C.
MAYOR Henry Braun completes his work as municipal advisor and
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MAYOR Coun. Katie Neustaeter announces she is proceeding with a court filing seeking the dismissal of a defamation lawsuit filed against her by Hamer-Jackson in June 2023, related to statements she made as part of a joint statement on behalf of council in March 2023. The statement claimed Hamer-Jackson has shown “chaotic and unpredictable behavior” at city hall. The matter is set to go before a judge in November.
MAYOR During the June 11 council meeting, Hamer-Jackson begins to read a speech directed at Braun, referring to grievances he has with council and staff that were laid out in a leaked confidential report. In response, city staff interrupt the mayor. Councillors call for a recess and walk out of the meeting and Hamer-Jackson’s microphone is cut. Continued on A4
Continued from A3
MAYOR Hamer-Jackson’s pay is cut by 10 per cent for a period of six months following a council resolution during a closed meeting in mid-June. Code of conduct investigations revealed the mayor had breached the code a number of times. Earlier, council had directed the mayor to issue a letter of apology and complete mandatory training related to the code of conduct. Refusing to sign, the mayor is also barred from council’s select committee meetings.
Nicola Regional District board and the Airport Society as further censure following Braun’s report.
BYLAWS Community Safety Officers begin providing 24-hour service in the city, based on a model approved by council in 2021.
PAC Council resolves to approve the timeline for the alternative approval process to borrow up to $275 million to build a PAC and arena complex, setting a mid-September deadline for those opposed to voice their concerns.
MAYOR Meanwhile, Hamer-Jackson tells media he plans to sell his West Victoria Street property to pay his legal bills and avoid conflicts of interest during council meetings.
MAYOR Hamer-Jackson files a second defamation lawsuit, this time against local developer Joshua Knaak, alleging Knaak made defamatory statements about inappropriate touching, including with Knaak’s wife. Knaak later denied making any defamatory comments about the mayor.
PAC Council announces its plan for the city to borrow $275 million to build the PAC and an arena multiplex.
COUNCIL Coun. Bill Sarai announces he is no longer seeking the NDP nomination for the Kamloops-Centre riding, pledging to focus on local issues, instead.
MAYOR Hamer-Jackson invites select media to a political rally on July 15 to announce that he would not be resigning as mayor. The event later drew criticism from Castanet’s Tim Petruk, who called the mayor’s actions “blatant bullying.”
HOUSING Council approves a 12-storey Columbia Street building that is planned to provide 147 housing units and a daycare, replacing the Travelodge and parking lot at 360 Columbia St.
MAYOR Hamer-Jackson is removed from the Thompson-
voters to voice their opposition.
HOUSING Council votes 6-3 to approve a 180-unit three-building housing development on Ord Road. Environmental concerns were raised by some opposing members of council.
BYLAWS Council approves a bylaw which lays the groundwork for community safety officers to gain peace officer status in conjunction with provincial amendments to the Police Act.
TRANSPORTATION With growing demand for transit, council approves $1.14 million in spending to expand bus routes. There are also plans for future expansions in 2025 and 2026.
PAC At the Aug. 28 council meeting, Hamer-Jackson attempts to halt the alternative approval process but there was no second to his motion. The mayor had previously voted to support the process.
MAYOR The mayor’s former lawyer, David McMillan, claims he is owed $35,312 in legal bills in a court filing entered on Sept. 3. In response, HamerJackson said he thought the work was being done pro bono. A court date is expected to be set sometime after Jan. 17.
Thompson Rivers University announces its support of the city’s chosen location for the Summit Drive overpass. The city and the university will each contribute $5 million to the project.
PAC Hamer-Jackson again tries to stop the alternative approval process, this time days before the deadline for
COUNCIL At the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference, councillors meet with several ministers, discussing topics such as a new school for Aberdeen, orphan dams and dikes, a sobering centre, wildfire concerns and transportation. Coun. Bass’ push to open cold weather shelters at 0 C also gained support at UBCM, as did council’s push for the province to take a “balanced approach” to the toxic drug crisis.
PAC Alternative approval process results show 5,802 submissions opposed to the PAC and 4,025 opposed to the arena complex. Ten per cent of the city’s electorate, or 8,713 submissions, would have been required to force a referendum to decide if the city should borrow the $275 million required to build the PAC and arena complex.
PAC Council officially adopts two loan authorization bylaws to borrow funds to build the PAC.
October
MAYOR Council issues a directive that the mayor’s office must be moved to the basement of city hall, into a board room beneath council chambers. Coun. O’Reilly tells media the move is to protect city staff from bullying and harassment by the mayor.
CITY The City of Kamloops names Byron McCorkell as its new CAO. McCorkell had been serving as acting CAO following Trawin’s departure to go on personal leave in March.
MAYOR At the next council meeting, Hamer-Jackson says he will defy the order, asking council if they plan to get a court order to force him to move.
A compelling argument put forward by a Kamloops teenager might push Kamloops one step closer to opening a much needed new high school in Aberdeen.
Alya Van Laer, a twelfth grader who lives in the Aberdeen area and attends school in South Kamloops, made her case to the provincial government at the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference in late September, drawing praise from a pair of councillors earlier this month.
“This was an interesting experience with the ministers and staff, to actually have a 17-year-old go toe-to-toe with the ministers and staff to talk about the need for Aberdeen to have a secondary school,” said Coun. Dale Bass.
Van Laer faces a bus ride of an hour or more to get to school each morning, commuting from her home near Aberdeen to South Kamloops secondary.
“If we had another school up in the Pineview or Aberdeen catchment, getting to school becomes much less of a stressful task,” Van Laer told the Chronicle.
A new secondary school in
Aberdeen has been at the top of the school district’s wish list for years. But it relies on provincial funding and approval for capital projects and the wait for many of its much needed new schools has been long.
The district’s 2024 facilities report shows overcrowd-
ed schools on Kamloops’ South Shore, including Sa-Hali secondary at 131 percent utilization and South Kamloops secondary at 110 percent. Both are expected to continue growth beyond capacity if no new school is built.
Earlier this year, SD73 was granted provincial approval to purchase a site for the new school at 2390 Pacific Way. But further approval to build the school and funding for it is still outstanding.
Van Laer, who had earlier applied to become a representative for the Southern Interior Local Government Association, arrived at UBCM not knowing she would be asking for a school.
But after watching how her fellow Kamloops representatives, including several city councillors and SD73 board chair Heather Grieve, were speaking with ministers and advocating for Kamloops, Van Laer said she felt bolstered, but still nervous.
“I had a good idea of how to go about it, but I didn’t know about my ability to do it,” she said.
Van Laer has plenty of extracurriculars. She was a member of the
Sean Brady Reporter
As poppies return to shirts and jackets this fall in the lead up to Remembrance Day, there is even more to remember this year.
Last year marked the final Remembrance Day fly-by from 419 Squadron, which has flown over the Riverside Park ceremony for decades.
Earlier this year in March, 419 Squadron formally ceased operations and the Royal Canadian Airforce retired its fleet of CT-155 Hawk aircraft, which have been moved to Borden, Ont., where they will be used to train aircraft technicians.
The squadron was originally formed in England in 1941, flying bombers in the Second World War. Its first commanding officer was Kamloops-born John “Moose” Fulton, whose name was posthumously given to the Kamloops Airport in 1944, donned Fulton Field, two years after he was killed in action.
After the war, the squadron was disbanded and revived a number of times. Its third revival saw it stationed at Cold Lake, Alta., as a flight training school, which was the squadron’s home until its most recent disbandment.
Since 2000, the squadron has been used for tactical fighter training, training pilots in the CT-155 Hawk as part of the NATO Flying Training in Canada program, in order to prepare for flight in CF-18 Hornets.
The latest change is part of the RCAF transi-
tion to the F-35 fighter aircraft, which Canada expects to be delivered in 2026.
According to the RCAF, Canadian pilots will be training in the United States, Italy and Finland until the 2030s, after which 419 Squadron is expected to reactivate and once again train fighter pilots in Canada, allowing hope of seeing “Moose” squadron pilots over the city once again.
city’s junior council program last year and is currently a youth leader for accessibility with Service Canada, a national ambassador for bilingualism with French for the Future, and was crowned a Kamloops ambassador earlier this year.
During the city council meeting on Oct. 8, Coun. Bass lauded Van Laer, calling her “an amazing young woman who might one day be sitting in this room.”
“The story she told the minister and staff was compelling, and she simply owned that room,” Bass said.
Van Laer said she’s undecided on whether or not she wants to become a politician, but after attending UBCM, she certainly found herself excited about working in government on the staff side of things.
She is also considering her other passion, to work in linguistics.
“I’m a strong believer that youth have a valuable perspective in the community and have valuable experiences to bring change to the community,” she said.
Continued from A1
Milobar also pointed to health care as a top priority, emphasizing the need for a local catheterization lab and a redesigned Kamloops Cancer Centre – a project promised and initiated by the BC NDP.
“We need it built properly so it functions well for the next 30 to 40 years and is not a hindrance to getting oncologists and other professionals in cancer care into Kamloops,” he said.
Stamer also took issue with long project timelines, pointing to lengthy estimates he has heard over rebuilding the iconic Red Bridge, which was destroyed by fire in late September.
“The engineers are telling us it should take a minimum of five years. I don’t believe that. There’s got to be a bridge somewhere in the world that would fit there. Would the Chinese wait five years? Of course not,” he told media.
Stamer said he’d be willing to work with the new government’s transportation minister, no matter who forms government.
“Let’s get the thing done and not have to wait for five years. That’s the kind of guy I am. Let’s just cut through the B.S. and get it done,” he said.
We believe in Kamloops! We are confident that, with enough support from local citizens like yourself, along with advertising revenue, our community will be able to sustain a regularly published not-for-profit newspaper. All we need is enough people who will sign up to donate $10 per month and we can keep the pages coming off the press. Please scan the QR code or visit: kamloopschronicle.com
A fire ripped through the Kamloops United Church two months ago, destroying the main part of the building that is located downtown at St. Paul and Fourth Streets. There was the loss of the worship space, hall, kitchen, meeting spaces and preschool.
For 138 years, some form of the United Church has been present in the centre of Kamloops. This church is well-known for community and social service programs which have all been disrupted or cancelled due to the fire. The community of faith is currently worshipping on the North Shore in leased space at 140 Laburnum St.
Besides church programs, according to Church Manager Florence Ballard, each year there are 200 user groups using space in the building. The fire has resulted in a great loss for the community, as many groups were unable to be relocated and have been cancelled. Prior to the fire, there were numerous self-help groups including 12-step groups,
breast cancer, grief support, survivors of suicide and support groups for anxiety and depression. Each week, there were 10 community groups rehearsing in the space and each year 15 community concerts in the facility which seats 300people.
Two church programs have been greatly impacted by the fire. The PIT Stop (People in Transition) feeds up to 200 people a hot meal every Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, community volunteers have pitched in, and with support from the Kamloops Foodbank and Cobbs Bread, not a meal was missed with a simpler meal served in the Downtown Y parking lot. On Thanksgiving Sunday, thanks again to the generous support of the city and community, over 250 people were served a hot turkey dinner in the Kia Lounge at the Sandman Centre. The other program that had to be cancelled is the Kamloops United Church Preschool which left 60 families scrambling in September. Sadly, a project to provide an additional 44 daycare spaces has been put on hold.
In the two months since the fire, the church has been entirely gutted. An architect has been engaged to work at creating a more welcoming and open space for the community. In reconstruction, the church will be built to the latest environmental standards such as solar panels on the roof and making the building as energy efficient as possible. Meeting spaces will use the latest technology. The lower level of the building will be redesigned to allow for more much needed childcare spaces and programs.
As well as devastation to programs, the church finds itself struggling with finances as it seeks to rebuild space vital to the downtown core.
It is turning to the Kamloops community for help. On Dec. 4 at 7:00 pm, a fund-raising concert, “Rebuild and Rejoice,” will be held, with the assistance of many top local entertainers, at Oasis Church. Tickets are $50 through Eventbrite.
Michael Caveney is the lead minister at Kamloops United Church.
June Corcoran
While decorating for Halloween I’m thinking about Christmas. Why? Because one of the best things about Christmas is the singing of old favourite songs and some new songs.
I belong to a choir and the best thing about that is sharing our voices in song not only for our parish but for our extended Westsyde commu-
nity, especially those at the care facility.
We start practicing the songs we are going to sing in October.
There are generally 12 singing members and three instrumentalists; giving us two altos, two descants, one bass and the rest of us hold the melody. We are accompanied by piano, guitar, and flute. Every year the choir ‘tunes’
up for the hour we will sing for the residents by meeting once a week to prepare the songs.
The ones we know are tweaked since it has been a year since we sang the songs used at Christmas time. That means, of course, getting the counting, the intonation, the louder dramatic parts, the quiet gentle parts and the inflections polished up.
Then we sing. Song sheets are handed out, residents gather, the choir takes its place, and the instruments begin.
The magic happens. The residents sing along, clap their hands. Their eyes are alight, and smiles spread across their faces.
One year we even had a gentleman in a wheelchair direct us from his place. He obviously knew something about
music and kept time with us.
We sing old favourites: Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Joy to the World, and Silent Night
We always have fun with Christmas Chopsticks (Fred Heider).
However, we also sing some newer songs such as A Child is Born in Bethlehem (Kevin Keil), Children, Run Joyfully (Robert J. Dufford, SJ), and Were you There on That Christmas Night?
(Natalie Sleeth).
The residents keep time, join us in song, and their shining eyes and huge smiles lets us know how much they appreciate our being there. Their joy is our Christmas gift.
For me, every Halloween brings the promise of the shared Christmas happiness when the choir sings at the care facility.
Mel Rothenburger
LONG AGO, before there was a Kamloops Chronicle, a man named Michael Hagan decided Kamloops would be a good place to publish a newspaper.
Hagan was a teetotalling entrepreneur who left Ireland in the late 1870s, soon landing in B.C. where he started a paper he called the Inland Sentinel in the Fraser Canyon in 1880.
After a visit to the growing railway and cattle town of Kamloops, Hagan decided to relocate, and so it was that the first edition of the transplanted paper rolled off Hagan’s ancient press in Kamloops on July 31, 1884.
The Inland Sentinel would become the Kamloops Sentinel, in its early days carrying social tidbits and news as well as Hagan’s opinions on topics such as his disaffection with the CPR or advocacy for indigenous and Chinese communities. He even published excerpts from a novel he’d written.
From the day Michael Hagan put the first copies of his humble little paper in the hands of Kamloops readers, this place has been a newspaper town. There’s something about the feel of having the news in your hands — even with a little ink rub-off — that an electronic device can’t beat.
Hagan was the first of a long line of colorful charac-
ters, anonymous plodders and determined rivals — and even a Catholic priest — who dedicated themselves to keeping Kamloops residents informed via the written word for close to 140 years.
The priest was Father JeanMarie-Raphael Le Jeune, who started a unique newspaper on May 15, 1891. The Kamloops Wawa, which means Talk of Kamloops in the Chinook trade jargon, carried on until 1904.
Most of the stories were written in Chinook, while others were in various indigenous dialects Le Jeune had mastered — he sometimes joked he could swear in 22 languages.
Kamloops got its second English-language paper in 1897 when a group of Conservatives started the Kamloops Standard as a dissenting voice to the Liberalminded Sentinel, but the two merged into the StandardSentinel in 1916. That paper then merged with the Kamloops Telegram in 1924. This time the paper stuck with the Kamloops Sentinel name until 1955 when it expanded from once to five days a week, becoming the Kamloops Daily Sentinel. One of its long-time “back shop” employees was a fellow named Cliff Branchflower, who would later be elected mayor.
A new paper arrived
on the scene in 1965. The Kamloops-North Kamloops News Advertiser had begun life in 1931 as the Kamloops Shopper, founded by George Duncan Brown. When George Dawson and Watt Francis took it over in 1937 they renamed it the Kamloops Advertiser but didn’t start adding news content until 1968.
As the paper grew, it went through several name and format changes but is most remembered as The News Advertiser in those early days.
In the summer of 1970, a young journalist named Mel Rothenburger joined the paper. “Advertiser” was removed from the name in 1973 and it became The Kamloops News, increasing from two editions a week to three under the kind and capable leadership of publisher Harry Francis.
Southam News Inc. bought the paper in September 1981, ending local ownership of Kamloops papers. It was later acquired by Hollinger Inc. and then Glacier Media.
Those were heady days. New ownership brought new resources. Publishing three times a week, we were in stiff competition with the Thomson Newspapers-owned Sentinel, and after we turned daily in August 1982 — five days a week — the market really heated up.
In order to go head to head with The Sentinel on a daily
basis, we began charging for subscriptions — $2 a month. Our full-time newsroom staff increased from 12 to 17 members and then more.
Kamloops was one of only a half dozen cities in the country that enjoyed the choice between two daily newspapers. That was great for readers but it couldn’t be sustained and, within a couple of years, The Sentinel cut its publishing schedule and changed its format to a tabloid before shutting its doors altogether in 1987.
The Daily News increased to six days a week in 1986 and, in 1995, switched from its long-standing evening publishing schedule. Sitting down with coffee and the morning paper now became part of the city’s lifestyle.
Kamloops wouldn’t be a one-newspaper town for long. Within a year of the Sentinel’s closing, Clarence Wiseman started publishing the Kamloops Super Shopper, which soon became Kamloops This Week under Black Press.
KTW was a free-distribution paper just as various iterations of the Kamloops NewsAdvertiser had been. With the latter now the subscription-based Kamloops Daily News, the newspaper scene had come full circle.
The publishing frequency for KTW varied from weekly to three times weekly during its 35-year existence. In 2010,
Newsroom of the Kamloops News sometime in the 1970s. Note the cool sweater vest, aviator glasses and plaid pants - the height of fashion.
it was purchased from Black Press by Aberdeen Publishing.
And just as The Daily News had received a major boost when the Sentinel closed, Kamloops This Week got a big shot in the arm from the closure of The Daily News in 2014. But nobody saw COVID coming, which kicked a major hole in advertising revenues.
Combine that with shifting viewer habits brought on by the Internet, and KTW joined the list of failed newspapers, delivering its last copy in October 2023.
Suddenly, Kamloops had no newspapers. With a population of less than 4,000 in the early 1900s, the community had been able to support two newspapers and was almost never without two papers in all the years that followed.
Yet now, with 100,000-
plus residents, the town has no printed media outlets. No paper to land on doorsteps and coffee shops with political and police news, crossword puzzles, sports scores, perfect cribbage hands, classified ads, entertainment news and reviews, weddings, obits, lists of births — the gamut of community life that’s just not available anywhere else. I often hear people reminisce about their first jobs — delivering newspapers. Or the simple pleasure of relaxing with the paper. They speak wistfully of “the old days” of media in Kamloops. Maybe the Kamloops Chronicle can bring back some of that feeling.
Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and former editor of The Kamloops Daily News.
Kamloops Local News Society Board of Directors:
Tom Dickinson, Interim Chair, Lois Hollstedt, Scott Montagliani, Casandra Karpiak, Radhika Tabrez, Teresa Betts, Melissa Damini
Editorial Contributors:
Sean Brady, Casandra Karpiak, Radhika Tabrez, Michael Caveney, June Corcoran, Mel Rothenburger, Alan Forseth, Helena Paivenen, Steve Rice, Marty Hastings
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Todd Sullivan: Editor editor@kamloopschronicle.com
What you’re holding in your hand right now (or looking at on your phone, or your PC, or however you might be reading this) is something I think is pretty special. It’s the first issue of what we hope will be a new ongoing newspaper for the city of Kamloops and it’s called The Kamloops Chronicle. And I’m pretty excited to be able to share it with you.
I care a lot about local news because local news has been a pretty massive part of my life for a long time. In fact it was my career for a very, very long time.
If you’ll indulge me, I’ll take you on a very quick tour of my newspaper history.
I started working at the High Country Advertiser in Williams Lake in the early 90s. Years passed, the paper changed names once or twice before sticking with the Williams Lake Advocate. I moved to the Williams Lake Tribune for a few years before taking a layoff to spend
a few years trying to write independently.
Right around the time that was failing to pay the bills, I discovered that a new community newspaper that had started up a few years before had been purchased by a handful of people I knew from my time at the Tribune and with some conversations and negotiations, I joined them as a partner for about a decade.
When that paper -- the Cariboo Advisor -- was purchased around 2010, I took a buyout to create a passion project, an arts and ;ifestyle magazine called The Stew. It ran in Williams Lake from 2010 until 20`13 when my partner and I sold it to move to Kamloops.
That would have been the end of a lengthy career in newspaper except I did eventually connect with Kamloops This Week in 2018, where I worked as a writer until COVID struck and I was laid off when they weren’t able to sustain their staffing level.
Sometime later, as we all know, Kamloops This Week closed its doors.
So it feels both weird and perfectly appropriate for me to be here right now, at another newspaper, doing this all again. And it’s exciting and it’s terrifying and I certainly hope you all like what we’ve put together for you.
Let’s talk about this thing in your hands for a second. The first thing you need to know is that it’s a work in progress. We’re maybe not 100 percent sure what it’s going to be yet. Think of it as a living document, which may evolve, or morph, into new, different, and hopefully always better things in the weeks and months to come.
Another thing you should know is that we really want this to be a community newspaper, in that we want this to be the voice of the community. What that means is that we need you to let us know what you want this to be. What do you want to see in it? What do you not want to see in it? We’re hoping that if we can provide you with the closest thing you can get to the ideal community newspaper experience, you will want to sup-
port us, and continue to support us, in the months and years to come.
And that’s maybe the most important thing, how we’re looking to try to keep this thing going, because we hope this will just be the first of many issues. Like many newspapers, we intend to rely on advertising dollars, but unlike many newspapers, we’re looking to the community for support.
We’re hoping that with 4,000 Kamloopsians donating $10 a month we can keep the papers coming off the press and the community news in your hands.
We’re also approaching this as a non-profit society, which is a new angle for newspapers. Most newspapers are run for profit, and that often results in decisions made not in the interest of the news, but in the interest of improving revenue.
We want to make our decisions based only on creating a sustainable, high-quality product, that the community can get behind.
And here it is. Our first crack at it. Be sure to let us know what you think.
Arjun Singh The Kamloops Chronicle
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
This saying has come to mind again and again as a small and mighty group have been working together to launch The Kamloops Chronicle. We started meeting in early August, decided to form a non profit society, and set some initial fundraising goals.
We all deeply miss Kamloops This Week and, before that, the Kamloops Daily News. We recognize, with huge appreciation, the media outlets still reporting on Kamloops. We also appreciate how challenging journalism has become.
Papers have been shutting down everywhere. There have been devastating cuts
to newsrooms.
So it is is our contention, as people who want to know what is happening in our beloved community, that we needed to try to revive a community newspaper on a sustainable basis,
So, our little non profit, the Kamloops Local News Society, got to work approaching donors and writers, posting updates on social media and sending updates to a growing email list.
People consistently ask me if there is a model we have been following. I’ve really been following the seat of my pants and my gut instinct. What we lack in newspaper publishing experience, we’ve made up for it with elbow grease, working our professional connections and social circles, and a desire to build community together.
The community support and interest so far has been incredible. We’ve had an amazing group of founding donors who have fully funded the first edition. You will see a full page ad here recognizing our founding donors.
A few wanted to stay anonymous.
Companies and organizations have been contacting us wanting to advertise. Jessica Wallace donated to us the domain name — kamlooopschronicle.com.
The Columbia Diner has offered us dedicated space for our meetings. Cassandra Karpiak, Radhika Tabrez, Mel Rothenburger, June Corcoran, Alan Forseth, Rev Michael Caveney, and Steve Rice have all offered articles and columns. So many people have offered advice and kind good wishes.
A key commitment for the Kamloops Local News Society has been to pay for professional journalism and newspaper design. We are delighted to feature again the freelance work of Sean Brady, Marty Hastings, and Juli Harland in these pages. Lee Malbeuf designed the paper. Moneca Jantzen designed most of the ads.
As I reach my “junior senior” milestone this year (I turn 55), I fear I might have missed some important mention here. Please accept my apologies in advance and an offer to rectify my mistake in the next issue.
Speaking of the next issue, how is this going to happen?
Along with offering advertising in the paper, our work now will be to ask the entire community a very important question. If you see value in
a well staffed and well loved free community newspaper in Kamloops, would you donate $10 a month to help keep the paper going?
If 4,000 of us supported the paper with this donation, we could together build an amazing publication for the whole community. Please visit kamloopschronicle. com to donate or give me a call - 250-377-1797. Huge thanks to our interim editor Todd Sullivan for your amazing work putting together this first issue. And huge thanks also to the Kamloops Local News Society interim board - Lois Hollstedt, Tom Dickenson, Scott Montagliani, Casandra Karpiak, Radhika Tabrez, Teresa Betts, and Melissa Damini. It’s been such a joy bringing this to life with all of you.
Community needs communication
Dear Editor:
In our lives, a sense of “community” is a central component. Communication is required to make it all work. With the loss of our local newspaper, communication ceased and we were all poorer for it. Let’s hope this new newspaper fills that gap and enables our “community” to thrive once again. Everyone needs to know what is going on!
—Bryan Strome Kamloops
Overjoyed for new newspaper
Dear Editor:
I am absolutely overjoyed that Kamloops will once more have a local newspaper. It warms my heart that the Kamloops Local News Society has worked so hard to make this publication a reality. I can’t describe how much I have missed a source for local news that kept me connected to the goings on in my city. Having at first lost the Daily News and then later losing our last printed press in Kamloops This Week. The subsequent void left many including myself wishing someone would endeavour to bring a paper back. Congratulations to the Kamloops Chronicle team. I look forward to perusing its content soon.
—
Dieter Dudy Kamloops
Local news needs support
Dear Editor:
Being born and raised in Kamloops I find it hard to believe that the Daily news and KTW are things of the past. With Kamloops continuing to grow i feel the importance of alternative news incredibly important for our city and it’s residents moving forward So I sincerely hope others in Kamloops support local news and I really hope we all continue to also support local businesses who need us the most. I still feel Kamloops is one of the best cities in Canada and what makes it so great is all the amazing people from all different cultures who all work together to try make it even better. So let’s all hop on board the Kamloops Chronicle and be proud of what we built together in our community for the past, present and future!
— David Payne Kamloops
Excited for new paper’s arrival
Dearest Kamloops Chronicle:
I am looking forward to meeting you and getting to know you. I am sure there are many people in town who are excited about your arrival as it has been a year since we lost Kamloops This Week. I have lived in Kamloops for 30 years and most of that time was spent with 2 papers to enjoy daily and weekly. The last ten years we only had one
“This is an exciting venture for our city, and one that has been very missed. A local newspaper plays a crucial role in all aspects of community health and happiness. Super excited and wishing you and your team all the success possible in this important endeavor! Let’s all subscribe so it can grow and prosper!.”
— Jo Berry
paper left, and this past year has been sad to not have a paper to sit and read at all.
I am grateful to the Kamloops Local News Society who really pounded the pavement and did so much ground work behind the scenes to get this ball rolling. I know there’s thousands of people out there who would gladly pay 10.00 a month to support this venture. Thank you for your dedication, perseverance, and passion to bring this paper to life.
— Tara Holmes Kamloops
Thanks for pulling this together
Dear Editor:
I just wanted to commend the Kamloops Local News Society for leading the charge, as they say, for a local Kamloops newspaper. Pulling this all together is not easy work but we really need this here in Kamloops to maintain our sense of community and I wish the team success and all the best moving forward. Best regards.
— Maurice Gravelle Kamloops
Newspapers play a crucial role
Dear Editor:
Congratulations on the launch of The Kamloops Chronicle newspaper!
This is an exciting venture for our city, and one that has been very missed. A local newspaper plays a crucial role in all aspects of community health and happiness. Super excited and wishing you and your team all the success possible in this important endeavor! Let’s all subscribe so it can grow and prosper!
— Jo Berry Kamloops
Committed citizens form Chronicle
Dear Editor:
A few years ago, Kamloops lost an important component; a handheld, printed newspaper that reported community news, obituaries, reviews, events and sport results. Most community citizens tried to compensate by turning to online editions. But the online conduit into local news events never felt the same, never read the same and never covered the many nuances that make up a community.
Much was lost.
This gapping loss of a handheld weekly/ bi-weekly printed broadsheet of local happenings was felt. Realizing this loss, a group of brave and committed
Pick-up The Kamloops Chronicle at the following locations:
ABERDEEN
Tim Hortons | 1285 Rogers Way
Tim Hortons | 1120 Rogers Way
Straight 8 barbers Aberdeen | 1390 Hillside Dr #5
citizens, came together, shared a vision and formed the Kamloops Chronicle.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you and congratulations for your vision and fortitude. I look forward to reading many editions of the new Kamloops Chronical. I know many of my friends and neighbours do as well. We are excited to be able to pick up a newspaper and read all about the local again.
— Tricia Sellmer Kamloops
Excited for the Chronicle
Dear Editor:
I am beyond excited for the Kamloops Chronicle to arrive. As someone who talks for a living, I need to know what is happening in my community
— Terri Axani Kamloops
Physical newspaper creates tangible experience
Dear Editor:
Even with all the sources of news online, I think we still need a print newspaper in Kamloops. A physical newspaper is more tangible and provides a curated experience where stories carry more weight.
If we want to create a better, stronger community in Kamloops, we need a non-disposable source of news that we can depend on.
The Kamloops Chronicle will allow for a much needed flavour of journalism that can focus on the issues that matter most to the people of Kamloops.
— Darryl Schmidt Kamloops
Help support community news with a monthly donation of just $10
DALLAS
Glass Hair Salon | Dallas Towne Centre
DOWNTOWN
Brownstone Restaurant | 118 Victoria St
Cafe Motivo | 229 Victoria St
Carlos O’Bryan’s Neighborhood Pub | 357 Victoria St
Central Station Pub | 126 4 Ave
Centre for Response Based Practice | 677 Seymour St
Frankly Coffee And Bistro | 437 Lansdowne St
Frick and Frack | 577 Victoria Street
Kamloops Brain Injury Association | 408 Victoria St
Wilson Beck Insurance | 574 Lorne St
Kamloops Community YMCA-YWCA | 400 Battle Street
Amplified Cafe | 465 Victoria St
Columbia Street Pharmacy 112-300 Columbia St
RBC Dominion Securities | 186 Victoria St Suite 402
Nandis Restaurant | 340 Victoria Street
Mauryas Restaurant | 165 Victoria St
The Vic Downtown | 377 Victoria St,
Continental Barber Shop | 319 Victoria St
Kipp-Mallery Pharmacy (Downtown) | 3rd Avenue & Victoria Street
The London Creative | 250 3 Ave
The Art We Are Cafe | 246 Victoria St
The Book Place | 248 3 Ave
Ms Whimsy Gift Emporirum | 448 Victoria St
NORTH KAMLOOPS
John Tod Centre Y | 150 Wood St
Sarah’s Independent Grocers | 700 Tranquille Rd #49
5Bean Brewbar | 289 Tranquille Rd, Chartwell | 628 Tranquille Rd
Hasty Mart | 1105 8th St
Straight 8 barbers – Northills Mall | 3-700 Tranquille Rd (Beside CIBC)
Melon Hair Lounge | 860 8th St
Riverbend Pharmasave | 760 Mayfair St #3, Yew Street Food Hall | 107 Yew Street
Harvest Moon Bakery | 107 Yew Street
Senior Froggy’s North Shore | 724 Sydney Ave #9
Josey’s Hair Salon | 665 Tranquille Rd,
The Cutting Board Bakery & Bistro | 750 Fortune Dr Unit 21
Scotiabank on the Shore | 781 Tranquille Rd
The Salvation Army | 344 Poplar St
Red Beard Cafe | 449 Tranquille Rd
The Printing Place | 552 Tranquille Rd
SAHALI
Fox and Hounds Pub | Sahali Mall, 945 W Columbia St #20
Tim Hortons | 910 Columbia St W
5Bean Brewbar | 900-1210 Summit Dr,
Stock Pot Cafe | 7 - 970 Laval
VALLEYVIEW
Tim Hortons | 1723 East Trans-Canada Hwy
Tim Hortons | 3200 Valleyview Dr #301
Straight 8 barbers Valleyview | 168 Oriole Rd
More locations added frequently. Check KamloopsChronicle.com for the complete list.
On Sept. 24, 2024, Day One Society held its Annual General Meeting (AGM), where a significant highlight of the evening was the recognition of seven Out of the Ashes (OOTA) bursary recipients. This bursary offers educational support to youth and adults in Kamloops who have completed at least one year of recovery. During the AGM, the Society proudly celebrated the exceptional achievements of these remarkable individuals, honouring their resilience and dedication to personal growth.
The OOTA bursary was established in 2007 by Leann Kopytko, a youth counsellor at Day One Society, and inspired by her late husband Ron. Starting with donations from local businesspeople and the Day One Society Board of Directors matching that donation, the first $2,500 bursary was awarded in 2008. To date, 54 bursaries have been awarded, with total donations exceeding $120,000. Anyone wishing to donate to this worthy cause can visit Day One Society website at dayonesociety.ca/ or call 250-374-4634 for more information.
As I write this (Oct. 18th), we are one day away from finding out who our next government will be, and who will be our Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kamloops – North Thompson.
In March of this year, I took on the role of campaign manager for BC Conservative candidate Ward Stamer. It’s the third time I’ve had the opportunity as I took on the role for Peter Sharp in 2013, and for Dennis Giesbrecht in 2020.
Now let me tell you, in the past, a BC Conservative campaign team generally consisted of myself, the candidate and one or two helpers – and very little in the way of a campaign budget.
Thankfully, a benefit of having spent 30-plus years in the broadcast media afforded me the ability to do ad copy
and write candidate speeches, and prep both Dennis and Peter to deal with the media – it’s also something I have always enjoyed.
That was part of my duties this time around as well, however having a team of a dozen and a half volunteers meant that for the first time we had people available to ID our supporters, put together and install campaign signs, distribute campaign literature, and help out at our campaign office.
One thing that didn’t change, however, was the hours I put in, and that has generally been 10-plus hour days for months (what’s a day off ).
I have worked local, provincial and federal election campaigns since my early teens, and some might ask what causes a person to help on an election team, and not just as a campaign manager, but as a
volunteer. Many would say that to have put in that much time, over the years, you must be a bit crazy. I think though for most of us, it’s a sincere desire to have a strong and healthy democracy.
I have always believed that no matter the odds of a party or candidate winning, people need to have an option so as to vote for something that best represents them. My belief in that has never wavered.
In Kamloops Centre, and Kamloops North Thompson, six individuals stepped forward to let their names stand in this election. For that, and whether I agree with their policies or not, they have my admiration.
A resident of Kamloops since the early ‘90s, Alan Forseth ran for the BC Reform Party in the 1996 provincial general election for the riding of Kamloops - North Thompson. He has been a member of the Conservative Party of BC since 2010.
• Engage communities through education and outreach
• Drive conservation, restoration, and stewardship
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For a gift of $35 you can become a GCC member and receive our acclaimed BC Grasslands magazine.
Volunteers are essential to the continued growth of the GCC and the viability of its programs.
November 14, 1935 - September 30, 2024
Marjatta Paivinen was born in Lapua Finland on November 14, 1935. She died peacefully on September 30, 2024 at Hospice in Kamloops B.C. She is predeceased by husband Oiva Paivinen, sister Annika (Finland), and older brother, Villo. Marjatta is survived by a large loving family— her greatest legacy and contribution to life: son Veikko (Carmen) Paivinen— three grandchildren Reimo (Julie) Paivinen, Matthew (Stephanie) Paivinen—two great grandsons Reid and Owen Paivinen, Rosalynn and Josh Mullen—four great grandchildren Amiah, Carter, Cash and Raya, Daughter Helena Paivinen (Dr Rob Baker), Christopher (Lynn) Baker, son Olli (Bevanne) Paivinen.
Marjatta had SISU, a Finnish word for incredible spirit. She was fiercely independent, creative, intelligent, loving and generous. Doctors, nurses and health care providers expressed amazement at her amazingly good health, one even saying “When I looked at her chart, I thought I missed
something so I had to do a double take.” Mom had no medical issues and refused all medications. She sought doctors out only three times—to deliver her children.
Marjatta immigrated to Canada with husband Oiva and their one year old son Veikko. Mom and dad spoke no English and had only fifty dollars to their name. Throughout the years, Mom worked alongside Oiva in his businesses and together, they amassed property in Prince George, Quesnel and Salmon Arm. They leave a legacy of commercial and residential buildings which continue to prosper in downtown Salmon Arm. Mom valued life long learning, education and became a voracious reader. While raising three young kids, caring for a family home and helping dad with his businesses, mom completed accounting courses, learned to read and write fluent English and also later, Spanish. Mom and Oiva put all three kids through university. Amazing to think they had only fifty dollars when they came.
Marjatta sewed, knit, crocheted, painted and created beautiful pottery. She read psychology and Finnish Medical books, always interested in good health. She had a tremendous green thumb, grew organic meals, composted and recycled before any other parents we knew, did.
Mom always sacrificed for the family. She denied herself everything for us kids. In summer she drove
through dusty logging roads where we gathered dripping red raspberries from hot mosquito infested bushes. Mom prepared organic grain fed meat, (aka dad’s hunting and fishing) which we gobbled up alongside her homegrown baby potatoes, fresh cut greens, tomatoes, carrots and beets. Dessert entailed antioxidant berries, usually blue ones handpicked by us in late autumn sun from high mountain brushes alongside icy cold rivers. Mom baked Finnish sweets such as pullah and at every meal we ate her home baked Finnish rye bread.
Mom volunteered her time, always wanting to help. She trained a service dog named Nikku with whom she spent time visiting lonely elderly people who always snuck in treats which were forbidden for therapy dogs. Marjatta was forever generous and constantly placed others before her. She never complained; it was not uncommon to be pushed out of the kitchen after she just spent two days preparing a holiday meal. We tried to help clean up but mom always refused, shoo-ing us out saying she “loved doing the dishes!”
Mom had faith in God and believed life does not end, Her incredibly strong SISU continues to live on in all that she did. in all of us kids, Her DNA and ancestral genetics are embedded deep in her children, grand and great grandchildren. We miss you Mumu/our mom. Thank you for all that you and dad, did.
Helena Paivenen
I am in recovery from Drug Addiction. Overdosed one time on Fentanyl. I suffer constant pain.
At the best of times, confronting Death is not easy. In the past 3 months, I encountered Death 7 times:
4 celebrations of life
1 dog, Shitzu sad, putting down
1 End of life, Do you qualify for Medically Assisted Dying—
A Past Nursing student invited me to attend her MAID interview.
1 sudden, unexpected passing of my beloved mom. She lived alone, miles away.
7 encounters with death = my family worried. It was dark, 4am. Went for a walk.
Did not take cell phone and left, no note.
3 hours later I returned 6 eyes look up.
Solemn.
My Husband, brother and sister in law
Solemn
Apparently feared my suicide. I have no energy.
It is raining, cold and wet.
Bone chilling both inside and out.
I am in pain. Before her death mom had fallen. In the hospital she was given meds.
Narcotics.
Ones I so desperately wanted. Mom only hurt when moved. 1 nurse, overextended, ran in. Placed the narcotic in my hand. To administer to mom.
Left me alone with the desired. Relieve my suffering, Pill
Mom was OK. I was not, A drug addict in pain. Mom got the narcotic.
Too tired to write more Might try later
Maybe.
To explain how I did not swallow that so desperately needed by me pill
Our beloved “Best of Class” in the world fishery, which includes the wild Thompson River Steelhead, has seen a bit of a resurgence this season.
Every year the Albion Test Fishery (which is a boat, the Witch Doctor) puts their nets down twice a day at the mouth of the Fraser.
They catch every species of salmon that happens by but they also catch our beautiful steelhead.
Though this is not intentional the steelhead also travel the same path as the salmon so they occasionally get caught up in the nets. These steelhead are tallied and posted every day on the Albion Test Fishery site.
As of the posting of Oct. 6 there have been 15 steelhead caught with both the chum and chinook nets. This number suggests a return of nearly 800 which is about the number needed to actually open the fishery to the sports fisherman.
Therein lies the rub.
After many years of seriously low numbers should any consideration be given to
opening this fishery. I would make an argument for no.
I have two observations here.
First: The Thompson Steelhead has always been an important part of the Indigenous community as a food and ceremonial resource. They have chosen a conservation path because we all would like to see this precious resource thrive again one day for our children and grandchildren.
Second: If we can collectively bring back the Thompson Steelhead to our Indigenous family then the “catch and release” sports fishery would most likely also come back.
So as exciting as it is to see these numbers we are by no means at a place where we can comfortably say this “one of a kind” fishery is somehow back. A return of 850, though the highest in many years, is still just a beginning at best.
We have an opportunity; the door has opened a crack.
With the rebuild of Highway 8 we will have millions of dollars of resources at rivers’ edge for the next three
years. This screams opportunity!
I have been told by the powers that be that habitat for our salmon and steelhead is a part of the overall plan during the rebuild. We certainly hope this to be the case because never again will the equipment, the manpower, the money be available to address this rapidly deteriorating resource. British Columbia is home to some of the best salmon and steelhead in the world!
Is it worth saving? You’re damn right it is!
We must be patient, we must be diligent and we must hope that this door that Mother Nature opened on Nov. 14, 2021, through a horrific natural disaster, can let some light in.
The story of the Great Flood of Nicola River is a book of many chapters.
Our governments will be writing the last chapter of this epic disaster.
Let us hope and pray that the last chapter of this tragic story leaves us with a happy ending that we can all share with our children.
Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society
125 Palm Street Kamloops, BC, V2B 8J7
P: 250-376-1296 F: 250-376-2275 Friday, October 25 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Warrior Women Series
Monday, October 28 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Woman’s Talking Circle
Wednesday, October 30 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm 2LSGBQIA+ Talking Circle
Wednesday, October 30 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Trick or Treat Party
Station One Architects/ City of Kamloops image
Rendering of the proposed Performing Arts Centre which was recently approved following an alternative approval process.
Radhika Maira Tabrez Entertainment
IF ONE WAS PAYING any attention to the arts community in Kamloops, or even just the news, the results of the Build Kamloops alternate approval process announced in the last few months were hard to miss. After what seemed like a summer of debate and disagreements, the residents of the city green-lit the borrowing of $275 million to build a performing arts centre in downtown Kamloops and a multiplex arena in Dufferin.
The Kamloops Centre of the Arts received 5,802 opposing petitions and the arena received 4,025; both well under the 10 percent of eligible electors needed to effectively pause the plan in its tracks. The larger community recogniz-
es that Kamloops — the third fastest-growing city in Canada — needs a bigger and much better-equipped venue to be ready for future residents. The project will break ground in 2025.
Meanwhile, as the city starts to hunker down for the colder months there is still plenty happening that will encourage the residents to come out and enjoy the vibrant arts and culture scene of Kamloops.
What better way to prepare for the winter than checking out the latest exhibit at the Kamloops Museum and Archives. Common Threads, which is on the second floor, spotlights wool’s journey connecting culture, history, and community through engaging displays and artifacts.
Stories That Animate Us, the latest exhibi-
tion at the Kamloops Art Gallery, highlights a diverse selection of works on paper and animations from a wide range of collectively shared oral histories, knowledge systems, and cosmologies, as well as personal memories, imaginings, and dreams.
With over eighty works on display including artists like David Hockney, Robert Davidson, Amanda Strong, Francisco de Goya, Marina Roy, Jérôme Havre, Ed Pien, Royal Art Lodge, and many others, this is an exhibition that will bring visitors back again and again.
Kamloops Symphony Orchestra has a busy November planned for Kamloops, kicking off with a vibrant fusion of Latin rhythms and symphonic soundscapes as Grammy Award-winner Alex Cuba returns to the Sagebrush Theatre, on
Nov. 1 and 2. For the little ones, and perhaps not so little ones too, The Little Mermaid, narrated by TRUs very own Geroge Johnson, should be a treat to look forward to. That’s also on Nov. 1. The much-awaited holiday season show at Western Canada Theatre — Disney’s Beauty and the Beast can be enjoyed starting Nov. 21. WCT has recently welcomed their new Executive Director Matt Eger, who comes to Kamloops from Toronto and brings with him years of passion and experience in theatre, adding much depth and dimension to the city’s talent pool.
For more details of events and happenings in Kamloops throughout November, please check out our Events Round-up section on the next page.
Have fun out there, Kamloops!
Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 8 pm - 12 am @ Pizza Pi 314 Victoria St. Warm up those musical muscles it is Open Mic Night every Friday at Pizza Pi downtown. Bring your instruments or play their guitar. Drink specials on all day.
Nov. 9, 6 to 9 pm @ the Commodore Grand Cafe and Lounge. Presented by LaserQuit Therapies.Head out for a night of alcohol-free music, dancing, and fun whether you’re a seasoned dancer or just looking to have a good time, this event is perfect for everyone. Get ready to groove to the beats and enjoy the company of fellow sober party-goers. Tickets on Eventbrite
Nov. 14, 6 to 9 pm @ Pogue Mahone Irish Alehouse: Rainbrews! Prepare for an evening filled with great music, lively energy, and the best company you could find. Rainbrews isn’t just an event; it’s a safe and welcoming space for the 2SLGBTQPIA+ community and allies to connect and build friendships.
Nov. 2, 7-10 pm @ The Effie Arts Collective: Jazz Night with Harry Bartlett and Guests. Jazz Night is back at The Effie featuring Harry Bartlett with his band, and local folkers Lost in the Woods. Minors Allowed Accompanied by an Adult $25 Advance $30 at the Door. Tickets available on Eventbrite
Nov. 3, 3 pm @ Sagebrush Theatre: Music of The Little Mermaid. Dive into an enchanting underwater world as Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved tale, The Little Mermaid, comes to life with music! With captivating storytelling and the magical melodies from Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suites, this family-friendly concert promises an unforgettable musical adventure. Tickets through Kamloops Live! Box Office.
Nov. 23, 8:30 pm @ Kami Inn: Metal Invasion. For those who like their music more hard core, three metal bands are playing live at the Kami Inn. Nomad- Too death metal to be anything other than pure death metal.Dendros- Progressive metal with a touch of high energy hardcore. Gregorious- Tech grooves with old school vibes. Tickets are $15 bucks at the door
Nov. 8 and 9 @ Sagebrush Theatre: Alex Mackenzie’s Hungry For Laughs Comedy Tour! Kamloops! This exclusive event showcases two of Canada’s comedy giants, the swiftest rising star in Australian comedy, and a world-class magician, ensuring an unparalleled show that caters to every taste. With every ticket purchased, you’re contributing to a local charity, allowing you to revel in a night of merriment while making a positive impact on your community.
Nov. 1, 7 to 10:30 pm @ Hal Rogers Center: Swinging Spirits: A Halloween Swing Dance Social. Doors open at 6:45. Beginners lesson from 7 to 8 pm. At 8 pm sharp the social begins! With Dance Card draws, Monster Mash freeze game, photo booth, scavenger hunt and much more.
Nov. 1, 8 pm to 1 am @ Effie Arts Collective: Scream Queens: A Queer Club Experience. Come out this Halloween season for a 19+ night full of dazzling costumes, electrifying beats featuring DJ BeatLoops. Don’t miss out on this spook-tacular event that promises to be a night to remember. 2SLGBTQPIA+ or an ally, this party is for everyone who believes in equality and inclusivity. Costumes encouraged and bring your friends!
Nov. 2, 7:30 to 10 pm @ Heritage House on Lorne St: Kamloops Fiddlers Family Dance. Come enjoy this family friendly night of music and dancing. Tickets available at the door or through the BC Fiddlers website.
Sept. 28 to Dec. 28 @ Kamloops Art Gallery: Every Day is a Day at the Races when You’re Mentally and Physically Ill. FREE event. Through visual strategies that embrace humour and play, artist Adrian Romeo explores the human condition and reflects on her own mental and physical struggles.
October 5 to December 28 @ Kamloops Art Gallery: Stories that animate us. Storytelling, its scope and significance, lies at the heart of Stories that animate us. Highlighting a rich selection of works on paper and animations, Stories that animate us draws from a wide range of collectively shared oral histories, knowledge systems, and cosmologies, as well as personal memories, imaginings, and dreams
Nov. 16, 7 pm @ Kamloops Art Party: Art of Indulgence: Art Party. Come out for an unforgettable night of creativity, delicious food, and live entertainment at Kamloops Art Party! Dinner, a licensed bar, and live art demonstrations will be raised up a level with local DJ Nezzie Music. Tickets are available from Kamloops Art Party.
Nov. 2, 12 t 1:30 pm @ Paramount Theatre: Free Author Q&A with Bailey Hannah. Don’t miss this special opportunity to meet local author Bailey Hannah as she delves into her Wells Ranch Series—a spicy mix of Fifty Shades of Grey meets rugged ranch life. With fiery romance, emo-
tionally complex characters, and the rustic charm of small-town Canada, her stories captivate readers looking for passion and adventure.
Nov. 9, 16, 23, 30, 11:30 am to 1 pm @ North Kamloops Library: Neurodivergent Writers Circle. Meet like-minded writers in these weekly sessions for adults self-identifying as highly sensitive, ADHD, on the spectrum, or gifted. For writers working in memoir or any fiction genre, including children’s and YA, but not picture books, poetry or screenplay. Writers working at all writing levels are welcome.
Nov. 2, 10 am to 2 pm @ MacArthur Island Park Soccer 1 and 2 Lots: Pumpkin Smash! Grab your Hallowe’en pumpkins and join us for this smashing event! Smash and stomp your jack-o’-lanterns and have some fun with pumpkin games and activities. No registration is required, and costumes are encouraged!
Nov. 3, 11 am to 5 pm @ Sandman Center: Royal Inland Hospital’s Annual Craft-a-Fair. Featuring crafters selling a wide array of handcrafted items.Proceeds raised from this event go towards Royal Inland Hospital Equipment. Admission $2 at the door.
Nov. 6, 13, 20, 27, 5 to 9 pm @ The Game Hub 1304 Battle St: Free event! Come play board games every Wednesday at The Game Hub. Choose from a selection games available at the shop, or bring games to play from your own collection. All backgrounds welcome, no matter your gaming experience.
Nov. 10, 10 am to 5 pm @ Coast Hotel: Kwséltkten Kristmas Market! Head down for an unforgettable day of festive fun with 85+ amazing vendors! Featuring an array of local artis-
anal items, live music, and all kinds of delectable treats.
Nov. 17, 9 am to 2 pm @ 7390 Barnhartvale Road: Barnhartvale Community Association’s Annual Craft Fair. Come get your holiday shopping done and enjoy the concession. Please do not block neighboring draiveways when parking.
Nov. 7, 6:00 pm @ Alchemy Brewing Company: Kamloops Networking at Night. This is a no-cost event for local (Kamloops and Area) business people to come on out, meet some new biz besties, and have a casual night of conversation. Please come prepared to talk about your business for 1-2 minutes, bring business cards and swag if you have it, and have fun!
Nov. 7, 4:30 to 5:30 pm @ 330 Seymour Street Community Futures: Downtown Dialogues: Boosting Business One Conversation at a Time. Come on out for an insightful conversation in partnership with Downtown Kamloops, featuring Sandra Labbe, the Crime Prevention Liaison for the City of Kamloops. Sandra will share valuable strategies to help protect your business, including tips on shoplifting and robbery prevention, identifying counterfeit currency, and methods for effective suspect identification.
Nov. 1, 8, 9, 11, 23, and 29 @ Sandman Center: Kamloops Blazers hosting: Check the Kamloops Blazers website for tickets, times, and opposing teams. Come cheer on your favourite CHL team!
Nov. 2, 10, 15, 16, 29, and 30 all at 7 pm @ MacArthur Park Arena: Kootenay International Junior A Hockey League Kamloops Storm hosting. Come cheer on your favourite KIJHL team!
Marty Hastings: Sports
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS’
head coach Mike Sullivan and assistant coach David Quinn came clean with Harrison Brunicke.
“They both kind of said it — they honestly didn’t really know who I was before the draft,” said Brunicke, the Kamloops Blazers’ standout who was snapped up by the Penguins this past summer in Round 2 (44th overall) of the
2024 NHL Draft.
They know who he is now.
“From development camp to the rookie showcase to main camp and pre-season games, they think I just grew so much and learned a lot,” said Brunicke, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound defenceman from Calgary.
“Their biggest thing was whatever they were saying, I was implementing into my game. Big things were gap [control] and having a good stick. I
really focused on that during the pre-season games.”
Brunicke was among the last major-junior players to be
jettisoned from their pro club ahead of the NHL regular season, racking up one assist, four shots and invaluable experience during four pre-season contests with the Penguins before returning to Kamloops.
Beat writers who cover the NHL club, fans, and coaches marvelled at his growth in September and October, leaving some to wonder if Brunicke would be retained for a regular-season tryout.
“We’re so encouraged with the training camp [Brunicke] has had — just his progression through the course of the camp, his aptitude for picking up some of the things we were trying to coach him on,” Sullivan told reporters. “This is a guy who we’re really excited about and feel strongly that he’s going to be an impact player for us.”
Brunicke exceeded his own expectations by hanging on for the duration of the Pittsburgh pre-season, but the prospect of an NHL debut became tangible, so falling just shy of that milestone was a tough pill.
“Maybe a little bit bummed because I stayed that long, seeing all my buddies go down to the American league or back to juniors and I was one of the last guys standing and it left a little bit of bitter taste in my mouth, but they obviously had
a plan for me and it’s just how everything worked out,” said Brunicke, who signed a threeyear, entry-level contract with the Pens in July.
Brunicke stood on a South African beach about 10 years ago wearing a Penguins’ hoodie and a big smile, a moment captured in a photo the NHL club’s social media team posted this past summer.
Sidney Crosby inspired the boyhood beachwear and No. 87 continues to influence Brunicke, who was born in Johannesburg and was two years old when his family moved to Calgary.
“Being around the rink, seeing them do the extra stuff — the extra workouts after a practice or how much they’re eating and weighing themselves, those little details — that’s just really cool to see,” Brunicke said when asked about interactions with teammates Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. “I can take that into my every day life and every day game, the details that separate them from being average to being the greatest.”
Olaf Kolzig is the first South African-born NHL Draft pick and player, a goaltender who represented Germany internationally.
Brunicke is the first South African-born skater to be selected in the NHL Draft and is aim-
ing to become the first skater born in the African nation to play in the NHL.
“My whole family is there and I’m from there,” said Brunicke, an elite skater who credits power-skating coach Patrick Puddifant for fostering that part of his game. “I take huge pride in it. It’s almost like playing for my family. Hockey was not a thing there. I’m kind of bringing a new eye, a new perspective in the world to them. I think that’s pretty cool.”
Brunicke plans to continue making an impression on Sullivan and Quinn from afar, sending friendly reminders via scouts and highlights. With alternate captain duties added to responsibilities with the Blazers this season, demonstrating exemplary leadership qualities while pacing the back end would help his case to make an indelible mark.
“One of the things I noticed when I came back was maybe a little bit of a lack of communication in the locker room,” Brunicke said.
“With all great teams, high energy and communication is huge. As a leadership group and being a leader myself, that’s one thing we can really harp on and that’s what we’ve been doing.”
OWN-
ERS across the ThompsonOkanagan woke up on a January morning to devastating news in their vineyards.
Temperatures had dropped to -26.9 degrees Celsius, damaging vines and destroying many of the upcoming year’s grape harvest.
New blooms in early spring gave short-lived hope for the 2024 vintage as vineyards turned green without a key ingredient: grapes.
As the fall season arrived, harvest events looked much different in British Columbia vineyards than in Sonoma and Santa Fe. While BC rebuilds and adapts to a changing climate, the two U.S. regions celebrate another successful year of abundant grape harvest.
Terri Axani, owner of popular DiVine Tours, thinks of the BC wine industry’s recent setback as “a death by a thousand cuts.” Operating DiVine Tours for ten years, Axani has witnessed everything from wildfires, deep freezes, and excise taxes to the recent short-term rentals ban, which took effect May 1.
“It’s the ripple effect to the local economy that I fear because it’s not just about the wine or the wine tours. It’s about the restaurants and shops; if they’ve come here, they’re coming back. And British Columbia wines are already taxed so heavily.”
Axani noted that the tragic wildfires that destroyed part of Jasper this summer had a posi-
tive side for Kamloops. Rocky Mountaineer diverted passengers through Banff instead of Jasper, bringing many travelers through Kamloops as a result.
“I’m hearing it over and over again, and it really is a bless-
ing in disguise for Kamloops because we got to show off our backyard when they would have driven through. And they are continuing to come.”
For winery owners across the Thompson-Okanagan region, many say they will skip a 2024
vintage instead of importing grapes from Washington or Oregon because they want to control the quality.
“My take on the entire industry as a whole that I travel is there’s going to be an inventory pinch. If there’s
something you really love, get it now because we may not see it for a number of years.”
Adam Woodward, Operations Manager at Privato Vineyard & Winery and Woodward Cider Co. shared that their Marechal Foch
Congratuulations to the Kamloops Chronicle on thhe launch of your fiirst issue!
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Wishing you great success as you embark k on this s exciting journey Here e ’ s to many more edittions!
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vines were hit hard. Initially, he wondered whether they would have to replant. “The buds slowly came out in the spring, but no fruit this year. We are optimistic for a harvest of Foch in 2025.”
Privato had more to celebrate in the vineyard. “Our Frontenac Blanc, however, did not skip a beat. We just finished harvesting these grapes. We did not pull any out. It’s quite remarkable that the Okanagan Valley is in such tough shape this year, and the vineyards in the Thompson Valleys did okay, especially with some vineyards in the Thompson Valley harvesting vinifera grapes.”
Privato is navigating the challenges in the wine industry with winter hardy grape varieties planted and will supplement this by purchasing grapes from the Okanagan. Woodward sees the markup concession program as an opportunity to bridge the gap in volumes for the short term but will also utilize its bulk wine inventory (mainly reds) to bridge the gap.
Privato is one of the lucky wineries because it previously diversified by making craft cider under the Woodward Cider Co. label. Woodward also shared that they are “working through succession planning so my parents can pass the company on to the next generation,” which is Adam and his two brothers, Ben and Tim.
“I think the wine industry has endured some tough times, and it’s not necessarily getting easier. The markup concessions will help bridge the gap, but I expect more wineries to fold under if they’ve lost their whole crop.
“With many winery owners being boomers, they don’t want to wait another four years before seeing the next crop. It takes a lot of investment in time and money to yield a bottle of wine. I like to call a bottle of wine proof of work.”
As of publication, most wine harvest events have occurred across Kamloops and the Okanagan regions. However, autumn brings several opportunities to visit local wineries, like the Scenic Sips tour offered by DiVine Tours. The tour has three
stops, including a winery, brewery for beer or cider, and distillery tasting.
At Privato Vineyard, the pumpkin patch will be open from 11 am to 5 pm until October 27. Wine Club members receive free entry into the pumpkin patch on weekends. You will also receive a complimentary Hot Apple Cider. Reservations for wine and cider tastings are strongly recommended.
Candlelight concerts presented by Fever at Monte Creek Winery bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience. On October 25, you can hear the music of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and on November 8th, Coldplay and Taylor Swift will be played by the Listeso String Quartet.
The Tasting Room will remain open for purchases following the last concert, and Divine Tours is offering a return shuttle for $25.
One of the hottest tickets in the Southern Okanagan this fall was at Backyard Farm with Chef Chris Van Hooydonk. Eighteen lucky guests celebrated the harvest season with a wine and food pairing dinner. During the pandemic, I attended a private dinner at Backyard Farm, which was undeniably the finest in the region.
At nearby Burrowing Owl, the return of its legendary Proprietors’ Harvest Wine Dinners at the Sonora Room Restaurant takes place on Friday, Oct, and Saturday, Oct. 26. The evening features a five-course dinner paired with current and library vintages and live musical entertainment. Guests can enhance their experience with an overnight stay at the Guest House, which includes special room rates for Proprietors’ Wine Dinner attendees and breakfast.
On November 30, December 6, and 7, the Bottleneck Drive Association presents the 14th annual Light Up
the Vines, a beloved holiday tradition in Summerland that brings in locals and visitors alike. Enjoy sparkling lights, wine tastings, music, and refreshments as Bottleneck Drive members decorate and open their tasting rooms to celebrate the season.
If you go, Burrowing Owl’s Guest House offers ten spacious rooms, a 25-meter outdoor pool, and a hot tub, all in an adults-only setting. The location is truly remarkable, providing panoramic views of the valley and surrounding vineyards.
The 2024 harvest in Sonoma County kicked off in early August at Dutch Crossing’s Estate Vineyard
in Geyserville. This year’s harvest arrived three weeks earlier than 2023, but it was business as usual, with a slightly below-average grape harvest and ideal weather conditions.
Celebrated for its world-class wines, exquisite cuisine, and warm hospitality, Sonoma County is an ideal fall harvest destination. Visitors can revel in the picturesque drives past expansive vineyards, towering redwoods, and dramatic waves along the Sonoma coastline while enjoying a few regional events.
Since 1897, the Vintage Festival has united the community in celebrating Sonoma Valley’s annual harvest season. This cherished tradition invites winemakers, grape growers, and locals to commemorate the
region’s rich winemaking legacy and agricultural heritage, marking the birthplace of California Wine. Kendall Jackson offered its popular farm-to-table dinner series where guests feast on the day’s harvest from its culinary gardens and the bounty of local purveyors, paired alongside the estate’s highly acclaimed wines. Attendees relished a plentiful meal from guest chefs at four dinners this year, all while seated at a single long table amidst the vast four-acre gardens.
Industry experts and fellow wine and food enthusiasts held an unforgettable one-night celebration at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Guests were among the first to discover which three wineries earned top honors for the Sweepstakes Wines. This exclusive event provides a rare chance to witness the unveiling of these award-winning wines and the opportunity to savor culinary masterpieces from the winners of the Professional Food Competition.
If you go, The Farmhouse Inn offers exquisite food, wine, and wellness in the heart of Sonoma’s Russian River Valley. It’s the perfect place to rest your head after a day of wine tasting and harvest celebrations.
For a more budget-friendly stay, The Flamingo Resort is an iconic mid-century marvel located on a lush, 10-acre property in the heart of Sonoma’s Wine Country.
Santa Fe may not be the first destination that comes to mind when you think of wine events, but the region’s vibrant culinary scene and unique wine offerings make it a must-visit for oenophiles.
Every September, the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta invites visitors to taste some of the world’s best wines paired with food from top restaurants.
The five-day event features over 100 participating wineries and 75 guest chefs showcasing their talents through cooking demos, seminars, and grand tastings.
Delicious culinary offerings, world-renowned wine selections, a live auction (complete with unique wine lots), and a Grand Tasting are all part of the event’s itinerary. My favorite was the Rosé All Day event at Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection.
Roughly 180 guests dressed in their finest pink enjoyed an intimate outdoor cocktail party. Rosé wines from around the world and food pairings like lobster rolls, paella, gour-
met cheese, and strawberry shortcake wowed attendees.
If You Go, the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado provides luxury accommodations nestled in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, ten minutes from downtown Santa Fe. A complimentary shuttle service means guests can easily explore the city during their stay.
For a more budget-friendly option, check out Hotel Eldorado for its charming Southwestern vibe and central location.
The writer was a guest of Sonoma County Tourism and Tourism Santa Fe, who did not review or approve the story before publication.
