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NOVEMBER 9, 2012
East Kootenay conflagration > The Great Fernie Fire of 1908 | Page 7
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Vol. 60, Issue 218
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Have your say on Columbia River Treaty
Session in Jaffray next week is a chance for residents to say what matters to them about water management agreement SALLY MACDONALD Townsman Staff
Why is the East Kootenay important to you? What do you value most about our environment? These questions and others will be asked next week when Kootenay residents are invited to important workshops about the future of the Columbia River Treaty. The treaty is a water management agreement between the United States and Canada for the Columbia River and the Kootenay River, which unite in Grand Forks. The agreement covers the construction of dams and storage reservoirs along the course of the rivers, including Koocanusa reservoir. This helps to prevent catastrophic flooding in both Canada and the U.S., and optimizes power generation along the rivers. Under the treaty, which was signed in 1964, B.C. agreed to build three dams: Duncan, Arrow and Mica. The U.S. built Libby Dam in Montana in 1973, creating Koocanu-
sa reservoir. Columbia Basin Trust, a Crown corporation, was created in 1995 to support social, economic and environmental well-being in the Columbia River Basin using some of the proceeds of the treaty. The treaty doesn’t have an end date, but the U.S. and Canada have the chance to terminate the agreement on or after September 16, 2024. Either side has to give at least 10 years’ notice of the termination, meaning that both countries are reviewing the benefits and future options of the treaty ahead of the September 2014 deadline. Here in B.C., the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas is heading the treaty review. The team will conduct economic, environmental, social, legal and hydrological analyses in order to make a decision on whether to continue, amend or terminate the Columbia River Treaty.
See TREATY, Page 5
BARRY COULTER PHOTO
GOODBYE, OLD PAINT: Cranbrook lost a bit of its history with the demolition of the old Jones house on Wednesday, Nov. 7. The house on the corner of 2nd Street North and Cranbrook Street North was built by Frank Jones in 1941. Frank Jones and his brother Art were the builders responsible for much of Cranbrook’s architecture, especially downtown. Frank and Art took over the company from their father, A.E. Jones. Some of the buildings they constructed include the Cranbrook Police Station, the Invermere Police Station, the old Cranbrook Library (since torn down), and dozens of homes in Cranbrook. A dentist’s office will rise on the site.
Girl Guides get new campsite SALLY MACDONALD Townsman Staff
Cranbrook’s Girl Guides will soon have a brand new camp facility in Wycliffe. After a long road of fundraising, construction has finished on a kitchen, dining and activity hall, and bunk room for 36 people on a 10 acre property in Wycliffe. What’s more, there will be three tenting areas, two closer to the buildings and one further out for older girls.
“It’s more of a wilderness site so they can learn independence and how to camp,” said Pam Cross, chair of the Girl Guides camp committee. The organization sold a property in Moyie eight years ago after encroaching development made the campsite not very private anymore. Cross said they hope to have the Wycliffe site up and running by Spring. It has 10 undeveloped acres on either side, so there will be 30 acres that
campers can explore. “The girls can go out on the trails and learn wilderness skills,” said Cross. So far, the new camp – a much higher calibre than the local Girl Guides have had before – has cost about $400,000. “Several companies donated materials or labour. We are very fortunate to have good community support,” said Cross. But the work is not done. While the buildings are com-
plete, water and sewer still need to be put in and the kitchen, dining hall and bunk room stocked. “We need everything – we have no dishes, no pots, nothing,” said Cross. Once complete, the facility will be used by Girl Guides groups travelling from all over Canada and North America, as well as Scouts and church youth groups.
See SPAGHETTI, Page 5
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