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JULY 31, 2012 Vol. 117, Issue 147
110
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Matteucci pitches B.C. to silver medal at nationals Page 11
INCLUDING H.S.T.
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF
ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALM SALMO
Teck aims to ‘clear the air’ of fugitive dust BY TIMOTHY SCHAFER Times Staff
The Fugitive Dust Project has commenced. Although it sounds like an espionage mission, a new project at Teck Trail Operations is not covert. Intended to reduce the amount of stray particles of raw materials floating around on site and in the community, the project is an above-theboard attempt by the region’s largest employer to “clear the air” on its environmental act. By improving storage of raw “It will reduce materials, interthe amount of mediate process and fugitive dust on the materials recycles on site, property and also the project aims reduce levels that for a reduction in current dust would get into the emissions from community.” existing processes and infrastrucRICHARD DEANE ture, said Richard Deane, Teck’s energy and public affairs manager. That means a cleaner environment on the work site as well as in the Greater Trail region, he noted. “We’re hoping to ultimately see further improvement in terms of dusting levels and metal levels in the environment,” Deane said. “It will reduce the amount of fugitive dust on the property and also reduce the levels that would get into the community.” The Fugitive Dust Project was made public in May at a Trail Health and Environment Committee meeting at City Hall. Teck officials told a packed house in that presentation that the issue of fugitive dust was identified through the company’s continual monitoring of metal of levels in the community and on the job site. It was found that existing piles of material and how it was handled created a further source of metal emissions coming off the site and into the community, as opposed to emissions that would come from any of the site’s stacks. The dust project will focus on a few different areas, including covering any outdoor piles of material that are a risk and that aren’t currently covered, said Deane. “It will go after non-stack sources, dusting of materials that may contain metals that may come from uncovered piles, might come from open
See FIVE, Page 3
BREANNE MASSEY PHOTO
A group of students from the Bronze Cross course practiced rescuing their “drowning” peers by calling out and diving in to save them on Monday morning at the Rossland pool.
Pools struggling with lack of lifeguards BY BREANNE MASSEY Times Staff
Courses have been cancelled and staff hours are climbing, as Rossland and Warfield’s swimming pools grapple with a lifeguard shortage. “This year was the first year where it was a real struggle to find enough staff,” said Lauren Bergen, head lifeguard at the Rossland pool. “But it has definitely been a struggle to keep most of our programs.” As a result, some classes and extra activities—like floating movie nights—have been cancelled. Some of the lifeguards have been commuting between Rossland and Warfield so that the communities can continue to receive swimming lessons and use the pool. In fact, a lack of applicants this summer forced the City of Rossland to issue a province-wide call for
Before this long weekend...
applicants. “Everybody is already at maximum hours so it’s hard to do extra things that would set the Rossland pool apart,” Bergen said. “We’re sharing an instructor for camps because a lot of people like to do lessons up here because they don’t go to Trail as much.” But Robin Hethey, the City of Rossland’s recreation programmer, is looking for a solution. “We’ve introduced some new positions,” Hethey said. “It’s sort of like being a cashier, but you get experience doing pool maintenance and helping out with some of the lessons. We’re hoping that this program will motivate some of the kids.” This year the City of Rossland hired five employees for part-time cashier positions in an attempt to motivate them to complete courses in
“This year was the first year where it was a real struggle to find enough staff.” LAUREN BERGEN
lifeguard training. Another perk Hethey mentioned is that students in B.C. may use their lifeguard training towards high school graduation, and the certifications are transferable throughout Canada. “Depending on the applicant’s age, it can take four or five years to become qualified,” Hethey said. “And because we live in a mountain community, becoming a lifeguard is a long road—physically, mentally and financially.” Youth who continue to receive training for guarding
will gain as much as $5 more per hour when they move up to lifeguard or instructor positions. In Rossland, lifeguards earn $15 per hour and lifeguard/instructors earn $16.50 per hour, but in urban centres guards can earn roughly $25 per hour. “Hopefully these new positions will encourage them to continue training so that they can get a guard position, which means they get paid more and there are more hours. It’s a little bit of a reward for how far they come in their course and a bit of support to keep going and get the rest of these courses.” Alternatively the Trail Aquatic Centre has been “fortunate” this summer, and hadn’t had any difficulties hiring lifeguards this season, according to Victoria Gladue the aquatic coordinator.
Come to Waneta Plaza
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK • THURSDAY AND FRIDAY UNTIL 9 PM • BC DAY (Mon. Aug. 6) 11 to 4 • Food court • Free kids playroom and ball pit 250.368.5202 5 min. east of Trail on Highway 3B
• Free parking
Contact the Times: Phone: 250-368-8551 Fax: 250-368-8550 Newsroom: 250-364-1242