SPORTS
BUSINESS
CUISINE
KELOWNA CURLING skip Kelly Scott (right) and her team lost out on their bid to play for Canada in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
A WORKSHOP put on by Kelowna Community Resources helps find the perfect match between businesses wanting to support a charity and nonprofit organizations in need of assistance.
JUDE’S KITCHEN says there lots to do for those who like eating and learning how to cook new recipes in the weeks ahead.
A19
83 serving our community 1930 to 2013
A14
A30
Receive coupon discounts on new orders!
FREE
IN HOME ESTIMATES
250-491-3686 Consumer award winner 3 years in a row
GUARANTEED Lowest Prices
TUESDAY November 12, 2013 The Central Okanagan’s Best-Read Newspaper www.kelownacapnews.com
Farmer wants work done on Mission Creek to prevent flooding
Judie Steeves
STAFF REPORTER
Jim McMillan used to harvest 300 bales of hay from his lower field, but he’s hard-pressed to get 100 now, after two years of flooding from Mission Creek. He owns McMillan Farms on Bedard Road, a 110acre farm that’s been in the family since 1950. It’s a spot that’s familiar to generations of youngsters as the place to visit to enjoy hay mazes, pick up pumpkins and meet farm animals. But, he had never seen as much water as he did in the spring, when 40 acres were completely flooded with between six inches and three feet of water inundating the fields. Parts of the fields stayed wet through much of the summer, he said. The property is crossed by Rumohr Creek, which joins Casorso Creek on his property before flowing into Mission Creek upstream from the Casorso Road bridge. He said the province used to dredge the gravel out of the creek but it’s been 15 years since that was last done and new gravel bars are opening up along that section of creek. With that much sediment being dropped in front of his property, the creek bed is rising. So flooding is now likely to happen more often, he fears. He’s concerned that plans to set back the dikes along the creek to re-naturalize its historic meanders with the Mission Creek Restoration Initiative will make his problems worse, and could even impact downstream properties. He feels if the gravel in the creek were mined out, it wouldn’t cost anything to do the dredging because the gravel could then be sold. As it is now, he said the wetland on his property is less healthy because of reduced flows in Casorso Creek, which has been blocked by the buildup of gravel in Mission Creek. That has created a stagnant wet area that’s full of algae. “We don’t see the herons any more,” he said. Shaun Reimer, a hydrotechnical engineer with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations in Penticton, said gravel does move in and out of different sections of the creek as part of its natural evoSee Farmer A4
KEVIN PARNELL/CAPITAL NEWS
MOMENT TO REFLECT…Kelowna veterans taking part in the Remembrance Day ceremony held Monday at Cenotaph Memorial Square in City Park. See more photos on A3.
▼ KELOWNA
Unique garage sale benefits the food bank Wade Paterson STAFF REPORTER
Most of the customers at Jodi Quibell’s garage sale Saturday left their wallets at home. Instead, they arrived with non-perishable food for the Kelowna Community Food Bank and left with books, clothing and other items for sale. The third Kelowna Food for Gifts event was held in Quibell’s Glenpark Drive garage this past weekend. Shoppers had the chance to
purchase new and gently-used items by using food bank donations as currency. Most items for sale were worth one non-perishable food item donation. Quibell said she got the idea from her sister-in-law, who has set up a “Christmas shop” in Cherryville, where kids can come from school and trade food bank items for gifts to give to their parents or siblings. Quibell held the inaugural Food for Gifts event last December. “Last year, just before Christ-
three simple steps ✔ BANKRUPT ✔ SLOW PAYER
✔ BAD CREDIT ✔ DIVORCE
✔ DISABILITY ✔ CREDIT COUNSELLING
to vehicle ownership & credit freedom
mas, I got about 380 items for the food bank and $80 in cash donations,” said Quibell. “I also did it last spring. It wasn’t as popular, but it still did really well.” So far, all the feedback regarding Food for Gifts has been positive, according to Quibell. She noted a representative of the Kelowna Community Food Bank, who picked up the donations last winter, called the concept “brilliant.” “Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of food, (with) seven kids
1
Can’t get credit?
and a single mom. It’s very important to me that everybody in the community gets food. “This is sort of my labour of love.” Quibell said she doesn’t have any hard and fast rules regarding trading the food bank items for gifts. However, she said, it wouldn’t be fair for someone to trade a box of macaroni for a large item, such as a table.
See Sale A4
Don’t Wait! Call Direct Car Credit at 888.440.7215
2
Make an appointment for a credit consultation today for best vehicle selection
3
You’re Approved! Drive home in your new car or truck with a smile!
bonus Receive a VISA credit card with your approval to help you re-establish your credit!