107th Year - Week 32
Wednesday, August 6, 2014 www.interior-news.com
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aberdeen victory Veenstra wins men’s open golf tournament.
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KSM receives B.C. EA approval
skyline scenery
By Tom Fletcher Smithers/Interior News
camping out BVFMS begins annual guitar camps.
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good old days Pioneer Days events this weekend.
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One of the biggest copper and gold ore deposits in the world has received an environmental assessment certificate from the province of B.C. to begin development of a mine near Stewart. Seabridge Gold’s KSM mine property includes four ore bodies that contain silver and molybdenum as well as gold and copper. The company plans a combination of open-pit and underground mining to extract ore and a pair of tunnels to transport up to 120,000 tonnes a day to a processing area 23 kilometres away. Seabridge expects a construction period spanning 20 years and a mine life of 50 years, with 1,800 construction jobs and more than 1,000 employees to operate the mine. Until then, the company continues to support Bulkley Valley businesses as much as possible, said Seabridge CEO Rudi Fronk. “We buy locally as much as we can so there are some benefits right now that are flowing through Smithers in terms of things we purchase for our camp,” he said. “The big push will come when construction begins.” See SEABRIDGE on A3
Hudson Bay Mountain has opened up the Skyline Chair every Saturday and Sunday in August for rides and a barbecue. Go to www.hudsonbaymountain.com for more information.
Kendra Wong photo
Block renamed Hamhuis Way By Kendra Wong Smithers/Interior News
A street that Vancouver Canuck defenceman Dan Hamhuis once called home is being renamed after him. The north end section of First Avenue between Toronto Street and Dogwood Park was renamed Dan Hamhuis Way at a special town council meeting Thursday afternoon. “It’s a really big honour to have a street named after me,” said Hamhuis. “I’ve always been really proud to be from Smithers and to represent our city in all my
hockey travels. I’m grateful for what Smithers has given me too . . . as well as the great people in the town who have volunteered so much of their time to allow young athletes to pursue their dreams of playing professional [hockey] or in the Olympics.” Hamhuis said he has fond memories of the street he grew up on and the nearby Dogwood Park. “It was the perfect little dead-end street for playing road hockey,” he said. “From what I remember and what my parents tell me, I was out there every day — in the summer playing roller
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hockey in my shoes and in the winter, putting my winter boots on and playing out there as well.” Hamhuis said the hours spent playing street hockey helped him achieve his dreams of playing in the NHL. “A big part of why I was successful is the time and skill development I was able to have out there,” he said, adding that he and his family still find time to work out at the track. Mayor Taylor Bachrach said the gold-medal-winning Olympian has been a role model for young athletes and has helped significantly in
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the effort to build the new arena. “It’s something that has been talked about for 20 years and he kicked off the fundraiser with a very significant personal donation and he’s been a real leader in the fundraising campaign,” said Bachrach. “I don’t think we could ask for a better ambassador for Smithers.” Coun. Bill Goodacre played hockey with Hamhuis’ dad, Marty, briefly and said Dan is still idolized in the town. “He’s a hometown hero,” he said. “There isn’t a kid in this town who doesn’t know who he is.”