PROFILE: Bell Mine Feature
COMMUNITY: Carol Fest
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2014
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Council to push for 24/7 health By Jackie Lieuwen Houston Today
CHRISTMAS Bazaar
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Legion Ladies Auxiliary members Bunny Timms, Dawn Szydlik and Bernice MacDonald sold baking at their annual Christmas luncheon and bazaar. The Ladies Auxiliary spends hours every year organizing and cooking for the event. See page 10 for more.
Houston’s new mayor and council are gearing up for the challenges ahead. Sworn in last Monday, council was welcomed by new Mayor Shane Brienen. “We have challenges ahead of us, with failing infrastructure and budget issues,” Brienen said. Now more then ever council will “push for better health care” and economic development. Brienen said the community is still in transition, and council will work to help existing business and attract new business moving forward. Council needs to “step up,” Brienen said, and build stronger partnerships with the province, neighbouring communities, the regional district and
local institutions and committees. They also need “find better ways to engage members of the community for ideas and input.” “But I know we are up for the challenge,” he said. Mayor and council took oaths of office on Monday, swearing to “faithfully perform the duties of office and not allow any private interest to influence [their] conduct in public matters.” Councillors were organized by Mayor Brienen to sit on committees. Mayor Brienen will represent council on the Regional District Board, Labour Relations, Protective & Emergency Services Executive Committee, Omenica Beetle Action Coalition (OBAC), and the Northwest Regional Hospital District Board. See MAYOR on Page 2
Northern Health supports new Morice-Klinger hiking trail By Jackie Lieuwen Houston Today
The Houston Hikers Society is getting funding from Northern Health to complete an easyaccess, multi-use trail near Bymac Park. Houston Hikers Director Jonathan
Van Barneveld says the Morice-Klinger Lake trail will be an eight kilometre series of loops across the river from Bymac Park. The multi-use trail will have “some really neat features” and will be good for hiking, snowshoeing and possibly cross-
country skiing. It will also give people access to the river for recreational fishing. Their hope is to finish the trail during the summer of 2015, Van Barneveld said. Northern Health is giving a $2,400 IMAGINE grant to help complete
the trails. It was announced by Sally Sullivan, Houston Health Centre Coordinator at the 2015 Canada Winter Games torch relay celebration at Steelhead Park last Tuesday. “Health happens in communities where people live,
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work, learn and play,” Sullivan said. “We believe that prevention of chronic disease and injury is everyone’s responsibility.” The IMAGINE grants focus on projects that prevent disease by promoting physical activity. Van Barneveld
says the funding will help build bridges across a few streams, put up signs and clear trail. The project “will be good for fitness and recreation and overall health and because it’s so close to town it will be accessible to a wider demographic,” he
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said. This trail is the first phase of a long-term project by Houston Hikers which will connect Bymac Park to Klinger Lake. “It will be really good for the community,” he said. See page 3 for map of the trail.
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