Golden Star, December 31, 2014

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Undefeated Eagles get support from KHMR

Motus O teaching youth dance workshops ...................................2

■ NEWS:

Holiday Inn Express honoured with awards ....................................3

■ COMMUNITY:

ELCSAG accepts funds for early learning project .........................................4

■ SPECIAL SECTION

Resorts of the Canadian Rockies presented the Golden Secondary senior boys’ basketball team with $500 from the company’s Summit Fund. The money will help the team with its extensive travel expenses. From left: John Oszust, Neal Randhawa, Saje Gosal, RCR President John Shea, Gage Chernoff and Kiran Gosal.

Joel Tansey/Star Photo

Municipality busy behind the scenes in 2014 Jessica Schwitek editor@thegoldenstar.net

2014 Year in Review ...............................9-20

As 2014 draws to a close, The Golden Star sat down with Chief Administrative Officer with the Town of Golden, Jon Wilsgard, to take a look back on a year's worth of news for the municipality.

"This year looked like it was pretty quiet, although it felt like we were really busy," said Wilsgard.

Town staff were working hard behind the

scenes with projects like asset management and facility assessments (as well as taking on a new facility with the Mount 7 Rec Plex), preparing for granting applications (the New Canada Build Fund), and accommodating the exponential growth in development this year.

There was a lot of construction in town this year with 10 new homes, renovations at businesses like Ford, the Columbia Valley Credit Union, McDonalds, and moving businesses like Kicking Horse Interiors, Jita's Cafe and Higher Ground.

2015 BUFF® Canadian National SkiMo Championships.

Presented by LIVE OUT THERE. January 24, 2015 From the racers’ mouth, the Dogtooth Dash is the most spectacular and scenic race in North America, and the only built in course taking place inside a controlled ski area!

Online registration is now open.

For more information, please visit www. KickingHorseResort.com/events

You might have also noticed some of the other little projects that have popped up over town, including a new sign at the Golden and District Arena, the pathway extension from Highway 1 into town, the dike repairs made near Golden Transfer.

One of the biggest projects from 2014 will be arriving in Golden in the new year. Golden Fire Rescue will be accepting their new road rescue fire truck, which was custom designed for the department.

Continued on page 3

A2 www.thegoldenstar.net

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 The Golden Star

Professional dance company bringing two workshops to Golden Golden Star Staff reporter@thegoldenstar.net Last year Motus O came to Golden to perform A Christmas Carol. The renowned dance company even came early to involve 23 Golden youth in their production.

This year, the company is coming back to offer a week’s worth of free workshops for any interested young dancer in Golden.

Kicking Horse Culture has arranged for Motus O to be in Golden from Jan. 11 to Jan. 17.

Local artists John Denham (A-Muse Troupe, CirKids) and Maggie Calladine (music, theatre, dance, teacher in Golden schools) will be helping to facilitate the activity for Golden’s children and youth.

Over the past 12 years, Kicking Horse

Saturday Jan 3 2015 Saturday 3 2015 7pm $10Jancover 7pm $10 cover

JONES VS CORMIER

WORLD LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

902 11th Ave South 250 344 6299

Culture has been dedicated to and has successfully created numerous artistic residencies where professional artists and key local facilitators have worked with our children, youth, and grownups. Going back to 2005, they have had numerous successes working with James Croker, Cynthia Croker, and Jack Langenhuizen – the co-artistic directors from Motos O dance theatre.

In 2011, a 30 minute piece was created and performed to an audience of 400.

There are two public workshops planned for youth, along with their grown-up caregivers if they so choose to participate.

The directors of Motus O are extremely skilled in working with all levels of experience and skill and drawing out the best in everyone … so no need to be afraid.

It’s all about developing creative and expressive move-

Motus O was in Golden last year to perform A Christmas Carol, which involved local dancers and some parents as well.

Star Photo ment… finding ways to “move” your body to express a thought, an emotion or tell a story…without words. Participants will learn some new skills and work/play

together to create some fun and expressive “theatre”.

These workshops will fit in as part of the creative planning for the Snow King MasqueParade on

Feb. 14, so there will be lots of opportunity to create something that may end up in the event.

The sessions are free, but you must pre-register at info@

kickinghorseculture. ca.

The workshops will be on Saturday Jan. 11 from 1-4 p.m, and Jan. 17 from 1-4 p.m., both at the Golden Civic Centre.

Museum grateful for donation 902 11th Ave South 250 344 6299

821 - 11TH Ave. N Golden, BC 250-344-5577 Cam Dawes from IGA presents the Golden Museum’s Colleen Palumbo with $1,250 in IGA gift cards as part of the grocer’s annual donation to an organization within the community. Palumbo plans to use the donation for various supplies at the museum.

Joel Tansey/Star Photo

The Golden Star Wednesday, December 31, 2014

www.thegoldenstar.net A3

Kootenay sheep now open Staff Writer Black Press

Golden’s new Holiday Inn Express has received two awards for its design from the Southern Interior Construction Association and the Intercontinental Hotels Group.

Jessica Schwitek/Star Photo

Golden Holiday Inn an award winner Jessica Schwitek editor@thegoldenstar.net Golden's newest hotel, the Holiday Inn Express Golden-Kicking Horse, has been getting some attention for its attractive design.

The Sandher family has received two prestigious awards for the construction of the new building.

"We chose the design, and we visited a lot of buildings and got a lot of input as well," said Atma Sanher, who involved in the process with his sons Surj and Harj. It was Harj who took the lead during much of the construction phase and is now running the hotel.

And it was that design that won them recognition from both the Southern Interior Construction Association Commercial Building Awards (Award of Excellence in Hospitality category) and the Intercontinental Hotels Group (2014 New Development Design Award).

And even though the Holiday Inn had to approve the design, they fought for what was important to them, and are very happy with the results.

"It was the design of the outside, and the interior of the building… the colours and facade, that sort of thing," said Surj. "The ideas came from a lot of different places…We wanted to incorporated Golden's culture as much as possible. We even fought for the name, Holiday Inn Express Golden-Kicking Horse."

Some of the reps up the food chain at Holiday Inn weren't too keen about including Kicking Horse in the name of the hotel. So the Sandher family brought them to Golden to show them why it was so important, and how much the mountain culture impacts the community.

“Everything has been very positive since the hotel opened. There’s always growing pains obviously...

It was a long process, and we’re now very comfortable with how things are running,” said Surj.

2015 will start with budget deliberations

Continued from page 1 However, some of the larger projects from 2014 are not as visible. A one-year agreement was reached to take Economic Opportunities Fund dollars and put them towards the operations for the swimming pool in 2015. It was a big step towards stronger cost sharing on facilities between the Town and the regional district.

The 2014 election also proved to be a big story this year, with a larger turnout from the public than Golden has seen in recent elections.

And right after that, Town staff jumped into emergency mode as an ice jam in the Kicking Horse River came close to breaching the dikes.

Wilsgard also commented on what will likely be coming up for the municipality in 2015.

"There will be some projects coming up for

RMI (Resort Municipality Initiative), and that will include the Highway Corridor Project that we had to push back this year," he said.

Wilsgard also predicts that the grant cycle process will continue to be time consuming for the municipality, even though the fruits of those labours may not be visible until the following year.

Town Council will be working on their budget early in the new year, and will likely start the process of an Official Community Plan upgrade, which will be about a year-and-a-half process.

“There could also be some interesting discussions in council around the swimming pool,” said Wilsgard of the 40-year-old facility, which will require some substantial upgrades to keep it running at the same level in the future.

As B.C. hunters packed rooms to protest regulations giving guide-outfitters and their out-of-province clients a larger share of big-game permits, the provincial government argues that the shift is being exaggerated.

The latest increase in the share of guide permits to hunt moose, grizzly bear and other restricted animals in limited-entry hunting areas of B.C. totals 618 “hunting opportunities” across the province per year, says a statement from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. Based on the success rate of hunts for different species, “this model represents a transfer of approximately 186 animals from residents to guides.”

The B.C. Wildlife Federation’s estimate that the wild game allocation policy could result in 5,000 fewer hunting permits for resident hunters under limited entry hunting rules is “not accurate,” the ministry says.

Forests Minister Steve Thomson said in an interview he made the decision on the latest allocation after a long consultation where the BCWF and the Guide Outfitters Association of B.C. couldn’t agree. The decision was to provide certainty for guide businesses, but also took away guides’ rights to pool regional game allotments and hunt in vacant guiding territories.

“There are arguments over the number, depending on which base you use, and I expect those arguments will continue,” Thomson said. “At the end of the day we all want the same thing, which is healthy wildlife populations.”

BCWF spokesman Jesse Zeman said the latest changes are part of a longer-term shift going back more than a decade that has seen a loss of harvest share for resident hunters.

B.C. hunters are concerned that the share reserved for guide-outfitters is now higher than anywhere else in North America. Under the latest policy, that share is 20 per cent for elk, 20 or 25 per cent for moose depending on the restricted region, 35 per cent for mountain goat, and 40 per cent for grizzly bears.

Open season areas for moose and other animals remain in the southern Interior and northeast, where anyone can buy a license and tag to hunt. Abundant species such as mule deer, whitetail deer and black bear have no hunting quotas in any part of B.C. The latest changes include returning Kootenay bighorn sheep to a general open season for guided hunting. The restriction that only full-curl rams can be hunted remains in place.

Thomson said the population will be closely watched, and harvest limits returned if necessary. Zeman said the BCWF is concerned that this iconic Rocky Mountain trophy could once again be over-hunted.

Behind the Wheel

Sponsored by:

Johnston Meier

Insurance Agencies Ltd. 510B - 9th Avenue N., Golden, B.C. (250) 344-5201

Random Christmas Thoughts

You might remember a couple of articles ago I wrote about my procrastination over buying a set of tire chains for my pickup truck. Well, my wife reads my articles and had an a-hah moment. There’s a set of tire chains under the tree for me so I can cope with the once every five years or so dump of snow here on the island and make it home when I am supposed to. Thank you dear!

I used to enjoy doing the Christmas CounterAttack road checks when it was not pouring down rain. One year I bought a couple of boxes of small candy canes and handed them out when a vehicle came though with children inside. The kids took it all in stride, I’m sure that they had come to expect things like this. The following year I decided to hand them out to the adults instead. That was a lot more fun because it wasn’t expected and judging from the smiles helped with smoothing over having to wait for a couple of minutes in the lineup.

My luck held through my entire police service. I never had to deal with a serious injury or fatal collision on Christmas Day. The closest I came to that was one year in Penticton on the afternoon of the 24th of December. I listened to our dispatcher on the phone “Two vehicles, head on, one is starting to burn....” I still thank the two bus drivers who pulled over, put out the fire and gave the rescuers time to arrive and get everyone out of the crashed vehicles.

To everyone who reads these articles, participates in conversation and submits questions and suggestions for my DriveSmartBC web site, I hope you have a safe and Merry Christmas.

Please consider your fellow road user whether they a driver, cyclist or pedestrian. Let’s not run into each other in the coming year!

The author is a retired constable with many years of traffic law enforcement experience.

To comment or learn more, please visit drivesmartbc.ca.

The best insurance rates.

Sheri Myers

Have a ICBC Question?

Give Sheri a call - she can help you with renewals, new registrations, out-of-province, garage policies and fleets- whatever your needs.

A4 www.thegoldenstar.net

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 The Golden Star

CVCU funds put ELCSAG close to goal The Early Learning and Care Stakeholder Action Group accept a cheque from the Columbia Valley Credit Union for $80,000 to go towards an early learning hub to be built onto Alexander Park Elementary. The money allowed the group to leverage a grant from the Province, putting them closer to their goal.

Jessica Schwitek/Star Photo

Columbia Shuswap Regional District 2015 Meeting Schedule The 2015 Meeting Schedule for regular meetings of the CSRD Regional Board has been set. Meetings are typically held the third Thursday of each month commencing at 9:30 a.m. at the CSRD offices:

• • • • • •

January 15, 2015 February 19, 2015 March 19, 2015 April 23, 2015 May 21, 2015 June 18, 2015

• • • • • •

July 16, 2015 August 20, 2015 September 17, 2015 October 15, 2015 November 19, 2015 Friday, Dec. 4, 2015

Please note these dates and times are subject to change. Please refer to www.csrd.bc.ca for up to date information.

Visit our website at www.csrd.bc.ca 781 Marine Park Dr. NE Salmon Arm • PO Box 978 V1E 4P1 250-832-8194 Toll Free 1-888-248-2773

Ways to socialize with

n menting o Story com t n ldenstar. e www.thego

Visiting us k on faceboo

Foll ow on t ing us witt er

Submi ttin letter t g a o us, editor@ thegol densta r.net

New equipment increases capability for GADSAR GDCF Submitted This year Santa came early to Golden and District Search and Rescue (GADSAR).

The Golden & District Community Foundation (GDCF) Community Grant Program selected GADSAR’s application for a new snowmobile in order to better respond to winter backcountry emergencies.

“These new mountain rescue sleds allow us to increase our response capability in regards to backcountry rescues which require snowmobile access,” explained Shauna Speers, GADSAR Manager. “Until now, in order to field a team of four responders GADSAR has to rent snowmobiles or rely on member’s personal equipment. This is not an ideal situation as this equipment is not operational ready and adds significant time at the onset of a response as sleds need to be acquired, trailered and made ready for a response.”

“GADSAR’s application rated very high on improving Golden & Area A’s ‘Safety’ issue area,” said Ryan Watmough, Executive Director of the GDCF, “as the bulk of GADSAR’s response calls are in winter mountain terrain. The Community Foundation’s grant gets GADSAR very close to closing the deal on the Ski-Doo.” The GDCF requests project proposals each October. Many endowment funds managed by the GDCF are pooled together in order to fund significant and impact-

Jordan Baun of MotorTech, and Ryan Watmough of the Golden & District Community watch Shauna Speers check out the new Ski-Doo snowmobile for GADSAR. The Summit snowmobile purchase was supported by the GDCF’s 2014 grant of $13,541.87 – their largest single grant yet. Photo Submitted ful projects in Golden & Area A. While GADSAR’s snowmobile purchase project was the largest grant awarded, it wasn’t the only one.

The GDCF also awarded The Canadian Red Cross Society a grant of $729.65 for their HELP Depot in the Golden & District Hospital.

According to the application submitted by Christian Bates,

this project will “purchase eight articles of medical equipment for free, by-donation loan to Golden-area residents recovering from illness, injury or surgery.”

Further, the David Braul Memorial Fund helped support the Golden Family Centre’s Golden Day Program with $439.94. While $547.78 from the Cecil & Edel Parson

Memorial Fund earnings went to the Golden & District Historical Society.

The GDCF is currently looking for committed volunteers to join the Board. If you know someone who has community development skills to offer, please have them contact Board Chair, Nola Milum at chair@goldencommunityfoundation.ca.

The Golden Star Wednesday, December 31, 2014

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Weekly Angel Card Forecast: Sunlight

by Kamia Shepherd ATP* Special to the Golden Star The energy sweeping in over the upcoming week is very gentle. During the excitement or stress of the holiday season, we can sometimes forget to listen to what our inner wisdom is telling us in regards to divinely guided and personal health. Archangel Raphael, who is associated with soft green and gold tones, is available to assist any who wish to work in conjunction with him, while making choices towards optimum health and healing.

During the next week, it is particularly important to honor the bodies desire for fresh air or sunshine. While out in nature, the cells of the body seek to align them-

selves with the natural world. The vibration of the physical body, is nourished by the life force of the plants, the sunlight and fresh air. Additionally, the mental body can often find clarity in thought and problem solving while outside, surrounded by the natural world.

Is there a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables that could help with personal health?

In the basket the angel holds, the fruit is overflowing. Is vitamin C, such as the nutrients of the basket of oranges in the angels arm, found in ones present diet?

From a mental body perspective, is there a need for the bounty of self and inspiration to be nurtured by sunlight and reinvestment in personal health? When we are passionate about a project or ideal, we can

occasionally continue forward, even as the basket of personal energy, so to speak, continues to be depleted. What are the gentle ways that the basket can be refilled or refueled? Are there books, people or activities we find mentally inspiring?

During the next week, seek out both physical sunlight as well as mental regenerative sustenance, and while doing so, remember, gentleness towards the self can be the most valuable tool for building a strong foundation. with light, Kamia compassionangelcardreading.com Kamia Shepherd Compassion on Facebook

Old Donald newspapers show life in region

- Angel Card Forecast By Kamia Shepherd

GOLDEN AND DISTRICT ROD & GUN CLUB 2015 Annual General Meeting Tuesday, January 13th, 2015 6:00pm at the College of the Rockies

- Turning Back the Pages By Colleen Palumbo

The Donald Truth which was printed in Donald in 1888, and 1889, was quite the newspaper. I’d like to share some notes from those papers. Keep in mind that these notes are from different papers in those years.

“O yes! We’ve lots of fun together,” remarked a Donald married man the other day. When asked how, he replied, “Well, you see, my wife when she gets into a passion, is in the habit of throwing at me anything that comes her way. Every time she hits me she is pleased, and every time she misses I am pleased; thus we are never short of amusement.”

About three miles up the Kicking Horse from Golden A. Vachon and Hugh McDonald have what they think is sure to be in time a quicksilver mine. The claim is called the Ebenezer, and is developed by a 5 X 6 tunnel in a distance of 80 feet. Assays from picked samples gave returns as high as 85 per cent mercury and $9 to $14 in silver to the ton. Dan Graham claims to have discovered a ledge within a mile of Golden that gives free milling returns of $7.50 to $41 in gold to the ton.

The trail from Don-

R.A. Kimpton store in Donald, BC is pictured in about 1897.

Photo courtesy of the Golden Museum ald to this creek has been completed to Porcupine Creek, and although over soft ground in places and up pretty steep climbs in others, packers can cover the distance with animals in less than a day, and out in about 6 hours. The boys now on the ground are busy whip-sawing lumber, digging ditches, and doing other necessary preparatory work. During the week a couple of them packed an old sluice box up the creek to some distance above the discovery claim, and cleaned up over $6 in dust to the man in less than a day. Three pack animals loaded with supplies went in from Donald yesterday morning. Truth’s mining sharp will make a trip during the fore part of the week, and in the next issue will give his valuable opinion of British Columbia’s latest and best placer camp.

Judge Vowell, although a bachelor, has the most homelike home in Donald.

His grounds are nicely located and laid out.

There is considerable rivalry between chief justice Sir Mathew Begbie and the judge as to who can grow the finer flowers and Sir Mathew had to acknowledge on a recent visit here that Judge Vowell had two or three varieties that he could not equal in his garden at more favoured Victoria. Among the varieties now in bloom are crown castors, dianthus, cacalias, candy tufts, calendulas, balsams, African marigolds, mignonettes, poppies and sweet peas. He also has a rose in full bloom, the first ever brought to perfection in the open air here. Among vegetables he has spinach, radishes, green peas, tomatoes, carrots, string beans, turnips, cabbage and lettuce, a head of the latter cut yesterday weighing 1 pound. What the judge has accomplished in this line can be done by others, if they set about it intelligently.

Donald, already the chief commercial town in Kootenay country, needs a banking institution. Every month thousands of dollars are sent to distant banks for safe keeping, and thousands more are sent out in money orders and by express to pay for goods purchased by our business men. The nearest banking institution to Donald is at Calgary on the east and at Kamloops on the west – 183 and 208 miles respectively. If towns like Calgary can draw from the outside sufficient business to support three banks, surely the country of which Donald is the center can furnish a paying business for ore.

Porcupine Creek will soon be sending out gold dust, our quartz mines are looking up and promise to be immense properties, our lumbering interests are assuming quite large proportions, and the hundreds of men employed on the C.P.R. would deposit a

share of their earnings at a bank at Donald rather than spend it for un-necessaries or send it to savings banks in the east. It is an opening that will pay some large banking corporation to investigate to see what there is in it.

There are 15 patients in the C.P.R. hospital at Donald.

Golden District Rod & Gun Club Don’t forget! Fishing Competition Rules and Weigh-in places: • •

Golden Reddi Mart Parson Store Runs until the end of February!

Contact Reg Jean at: 250-348-2287 250-272-0160

Need Funding to Train Staff?

The Targeted Skills Shortage Program may be able to help.

Some eligibility requirements may apply, contact your local service provider.

Erin Faulks Kootenay Employment Services Society Phone: 1-855-428-5655 • Fax: 1-250-428-5336 ef@kes.bc.ca • www.kes.bc.ca Targeted Skills Shortage Program

Funding provided through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Agreement

Star

A6 www.thegoldenstar.net

Golden brand on the rise Golden is really starting to make its mark on the tourism scene.

When I first moved here three years ago, I knew little more about the area than it was on Highway 1. The words Kicking Horse meant practically nothing to me.

But since I’ve been here, I’ve watched the - I SURMISE “brand” of Golden and

By Jessica Schwitek Kicking Horse Country slowly rise, and have been blown away by the waves it is making in tourism media, especially this year.

Golden took the cover and a six-page centre spread in one of the country’s biggest travel magazines, Canadian Geographic Travel.

On Boxing Day, a blog was published on the Calgary Herald website naming Golden the “more edgy, hardcore, a seat of your pants, go for it mountain town.”

Comparing us to Canmore, a more nationally, even internationally known mountain community, the author says our towns are as different as our rivers, using the waterways as a metaphor for our community culture.

“The Bow River, elegant, slowly moving through Canmore. The Kicking Horse River, charges, tearing through its namesake canyon, go for it pace until it slams into the Columbia River on the edge of town hitting its brakes.”

The article discusses Golden’s blue collar roots with a “do it yourself, help your neighbour care and go for it adventure spirit.”

It also highlights various Golden businesses, eateries and tourist attractions. The piece was clearly written by an RCR (Resorts of the Canadian Rockies) rep, but does an excellent job of capturing the spirit of Golden, and shining light on what sets it apart from other mountain communities.

It also has the advantage of being published by a leading daily newspaper in a major Canadian City.

Golden and Kicking Horse may be widely known within Calgary, but their online reach extends much further than the city boundaries...and now anyone searching out this community online will see a glowing review of everything we have to offer.

Only a few years ago, when I would tell people where I lived, many would respond with ‘where?’

With every passing year, that response gets less and less common as people are becoming exposed to Golden’s unique brand through a variety of different outlets. It just takes some time to permeate.

Or as it says in the Calgary Herald, “Golden is strong, black, kick ass coffee that sinks in, becoming a dear friend over time.”

I think Golden is going to make a lot more friends in 2015.

opinion

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 The Golden Star

Promising 2015 ahead for Golden athletes As 2014 comes to a close, there are a pair of local teams and athletes that are turning heads against their provincial competition, and it's time Goldenites took notice.

After a dismal 2013-2014 season that saw the team win just 15 of 52 games, the Golden Rockets are much improved this year and already have four more wins than a year ago. The Rockets have all but clinched a playoff spot in the Eddie Mountain Division and will now hope to lock down second place in order to give themselves home ice in the first round of the post-season. With just a three point gap to the third place Kimberley Dynamiters and 15 games remaining, it's sure to be an exciting finish that could come down to the season's final game, a Feb. 15 date in Kimberley.

Best of all, the Rockets are achieving success on the strength of some outstanding performances from local players.

Ian Desrosier leads all Golden Rockets in scoring with 44 points in 35 games, including 23 goals (a remarkable six of which have come while the club was shorthanded).

Desrosier's fantastic season has him in a tie for sixth place in the KIJHL in points and fifth in goals. A late charge and he could be in the conversation for the league's scoring title when all is said and done.

Braeden Allkins is another long-time Rocket who grew up in Golden. Allkins has 32 points in 35 games thus far, putting him nine back of his career high. Meanwhile, Travis Kelley has chipped in five goals and nine points while providing his usual dose of sandpaper, size and toughness to the Rockets' lineup. And, of course, there is Daniel Dahlin who logs minutes in all situations and sports the 'C' as the Rockets' captain, a rarity for a Goldenite.

On the hardwood, Golden Secondary's senior boys' basketball team has yet to lose a game this year after flying through their first three tournaments. The Eagles rank 5th in the ultra-competitive Double A division, wedged inbetween the Collingwood Cavaliers from West Vancouver and the G.W. Graham Grizzlies of Chilliwack. This is the final season for stars Saje Gosal and Neal Randhawa, who grew up playing basketball in Golden and will gradu-

ate at the end of the year (with university careers sure to follow). The Eagles are also receiving some impressive performances from the supporting cast and because of that depth, they have their sights set high going forward.

After an appearance at the provincial championships in Langley last year, the team will be looking to make a Joel Tansey return trip and then improve S TAR R EPORTER upon last season's showing.

Until someone actually beats them, who's to say they can't win it all?

The Rockets had 191 fans out for their last home game against Columbia Valley (after managing just 170 against Castlegar the game before that) and have lingered around the 200 mark for much of the season.

That's slightly less than what the Columbia Valley Rockies (a team with only six wins this season) had for its last home game before the break. It's also half of what Kimberley received when the Rockets visited them on Dec. 13. Naturally, population differences play a role in attendance, but surely we can do better than a shade under 200 fans per game for the highest level of hockey within a couple hundred kilometres of Golden.

Eagles players and coaches have expressed to me the overwhelming support they've felt from a dedicated group of travelling parents, friends and fans so far this season, which is great to hear. The Eagles have yet to play at home, but are in the process of finalizing dates for a home tournament. With this tournament representing the easiest opportunity for locals to cheer on a very talented group of basketball players, it would be great to see a huge crowd make the trip to GSS to cheer them on.

After all, this is our town and these two teams (and many others) are ours to support.

POLL OF THE WEEK

Have you watched your favourite holiday movie yet?

No 80%

Yes 20%

This week’s poll question: Did you get what you wanted for Christmas this year? log onto www.thegoldenstar.net to make your vote count DISCLAIMER: This web poll is informal, not scientific. It reflects opinions of site visitors who voluntarily participate. Results may not represent the opinions of the public as a whole. Black Press is not responsible for the statistical accuracy of opinions expressed here.

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We also ask that letters be written only on issues of community interest.

We reserve the right to edit all letters for brevity, clarity, length and taste. Please address letters to: editor at editor@thegoldenstar.net.

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Star editorial and opinion

The Golden Star Wednesday, December 31, 2014

www.thegoldenstar.net A7

Golden point of view Did you get what you wanted for Christmas this year?

Stars to Santa for bringing me the best present ever! My new baby sister.

Stars to my mom for making the best Christmas dinner yet.

Susan Leigan “Yes I did. All my kids were home.”

Alison & Maven Smith

Jon Wilsgard

“Sure we did. My brother and sisterin-law came from Ontario.”

“Yes. I got far more than I wanted.”

Stars to the guys that were lighting fireworks on the highway near Spillimachin. One went off right in front of our car and it was

Go to www.thegoldenstar.net to have your say.

Test Radon Levels Greg Baytalan Specialist Environmental Health Officer with Interior Health Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Radon is a naturally occurring gas found in the ground throughout the world. Most homes that are in contact with the ground will contain some amount of radon gas. Radon becomes more of a concern when it reaches high levels. Radon levels vary across the country. According to Health Canada about seven per cent of the Canadian homes have radon levels that may be putting residents at risk. Here in the B.C. Interior we have some “hot spot” areas with high

not only surprising, but beautiful!

Stingers to the man in the loud black Ford truck. You almost ran a dog over and you didn’t even slow down.

Stars to Eddie!

Stars to everyone who shovels their sidewalks. Stingers to everyone who does not!

Stingers to the scumbags that stole my gloves. They were brand knew and a present from someone who new I couldn’t afford them myself. Karma will get you. Merry Christmas!!

Stars to everyone who brought Christmas baking and food into the Star. We really appreciate it.

Email your Stars and Stingers to editor@thegoldenstar.net

radon levels in approximately 40 per cent of homes.

Many houses contain recreation rooms or suites in the basement that are occupied for many hours per day. Being heavier than air, radon accumulates in low lying areas like basements and can be drawn to higher floors within the building through natural indoor air movement. Radon in combination with tobacco smoke, including second-hand smoke can increase the risk substantially. Health Canada estimates that one in three smokers exposed to high radon levels will develop lung cancer.

Radon gas is colourless, odourless and tasteless, so the only way to know if the radon levels in your home are high is to conduct testing. The best time to test your home for radon gas is now through April.

During the cooler months windows and doors are often closed and rising warm air in a home draws more radon from the ground.

Testing a home is easy and inexpensive. Testing involves placing a small pucklike kit within the lowest area of the home that could be occupied for more than four hours per day. The kit should remain in that location for a minimum of three months and then mailed to a laboratory for results.

Just because your neighbours tested their homes and found low results does not mean your home is low too. The test results for your home can be very different. This is because factors beyond the local geology influence the levels within a building.

Essentially, radon takes the path of least

resistance, and resistance can vary between homes. Radon can enter a home through the foundation, including concrete, and more so through cracks in a foundation or dirt floor such as older crawl spaces. It can also enter a home through the ventilation system.

The bottom line is that everyone should test their homes for radon to see if this gas (dubbed as the “silent killer”) is lurking. If elevated radon levels are found, basic measures can be taken to address the problem. Further information on radon can be found on the Health Canada website http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/ environ/radon-eng.php Test kits are available from BC Lung Association. Give them a call at 1-800-665LUNG (5864).

Ministers excited about the future of British Columbia tourism Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour and Naomi Yamamoto Minister of State for Tourism and Small Business Submitted

British Columbia's tourism sector had a very successful year in 2014 as we welcomed visitors from around the globe. Destination British Columbia and local tourism marketers did a fantastic job marketing our natural assets, unique experiences and world-class customer services.

B.C.'s hotels and restaurants and tourism attractions are gaining an exceptional reputation around the world and boosting our appeal as a destination.

In 2014, British Columbia received significant recognition including: * SKI Magazine's annual reader's poll named Whistler Blackcomb the number one, overall ski resort in North America. * The Okanagan Valley was ranked second place for Best Wine Region in the world by USA Today Readers' Choice. * Travel + Leisure Magazine handed out two awards to B.C. -- Tofino's Wickaninnish Inn was named 2014's top resort in Canada and Vancouver Island was named Best

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Island in the Continental U.S. and Canada. * Revelstoke's Bighorn resort - http://www.bighornrevelstoke.com/ - won best ski chalet in the world, for the second year in a row, from the World Ski Awards, the international organization that rewards excellence in ski tourism. * Gwaii Haanas National Reserve in the Haida Gwaii was named as a top-15 finalist in the inaugural National Geographic World Legacy Awards for its protection of historical monuments, archaeological sites, cultural events, indigenous heritage and artistic traditions. * B.C. tourism also got global recognition when Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark was designated as the first Global Geopark in western North America by UNESCO. The tourism sector continues to grow in B.C. The tourism industry generated $13.9 billion in revenue in 2013 - a 3.6% increase over 2012 and a 44.3% increase from 2003. There are now more than 19,000 tourism businesses throughout the province, and many of them are small businesses.

Government is making investments in key areas to foster tourism's growth and improving the business climate for tourism. How? By significantly reducing red tape and processing times for land-based tenure applications, as well as

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changing B.C.'s liquor laws by allowing happy hours and the sales of craft beer and wine at farmers' markets.

We're working hard to stand out in an increasingly competitive international marketplace. In 2015, we will continue to focus on developing and marketing B.C.'s worldclass tourism products, such as touring vacations, city experiences, skiing and snowboarding, conventions and meetings, and outdoor adventure and eco-tourism.

In November, Destination British Columbia, the Province's tourism marketing organization, launched B.C.'s revitalized tourism brand designed to elevate B.C. as a destination by highlighting what makes us unique. Destination BC produced an awe- inspiring video that showcases the magnificence of our natural landscape: http://www. destinationbc.ca/.

They will use the revitalized brand to inspire travellers, looking to create their own unique stories and experiences, to visit B.C. We have truly exceptional travel experiences to offer to the world. Using a partnership-based approach we plan to showcase our amazing province to potential visitors around the globe and motivate them to visit communities throughout British Columbia.

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Wednesday, December 31, 2014 The Golden Star

Looking for a guitar teacher for a young student.

Experience preferred.

Call Julie at 250-344-2182.

Columbia Shuswap Regional District Holiday Office Hours the CSRD Office in Salmon Arm will be closed from THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2014 until 9 am on MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2015 Visit our website at www.csrd.bc.ca 781 Marine Park Dr. NE Salmon Arm • PO Box 978 V1E 4P1 250-832-8194 Toll Free 1-888-248-2773

Have an upcoming event? Call us!

Is the event over? Call us!

Call or email and let us know what we can put in and take out of our Community Calendar. classifieds@thegoldenstar.net 250-344-5251

Golden THE

Events & Entertainment Calendar Golden Cinema presents: Big Hero 6 - coming in January.

This Week APES After School Program Mon. - Fri. 3 -5:30pm. $12/ day ages 5-11. To register leave a msg 250-272-0425.

StrongStart a free, school based learning program birth-5years.

Mon.&Fri. 12-3:30pm, Wed. 2-5pm, Tues.&Thurs.

8:4511:45am. Call Shelley for more info 250-439-9324.

Wed, Dec. 31

Golden Public Health presents Baby Talk for new parents and kids every Wed., 1:30-3pm in the Early Learning Centre. 12 months and under. 250-344-3001 for more info.

Hapkido Martial Arts Wed., Arena Lounge 6-7pm (kids) 7:15-8:15pm (adults).

Winter Walking at the Rec Plex. Wednesdays. 1-2pm.

Parent and Tot Play Group Wed. 10:30am-12pm at the Rec Plex. Follows school schedule. 344-2000 for info.

Badminton Wed., 7-9pm at the Rec Plex $6 ($5 students/seniors) bring racket.

Dec.31 Happy New Years!

New Years Eve skate Dec.31 from 2-3:30pm at the Arena.

New Years Eve at the Rockwater with Shred Kelly and DJ Slick Mic Dec.31.

New Years Eve at the Golden Taps with The Gibson Block and Eric Larocque Dec.31.

New Years Eve at Eagles Eye Dinner Gala 7:45pm Dec.31.

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Men’s Basketball Thur. 7:30-

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9:30pm at the Rec Plex.

Bridge Club every Thur. at the Senior’s Centre 1-4pm.

250-344-5448.

Golden Toastmasters Thursdays, 7:30pm at College of the Rockies.

Mountain Magic Quilters Guild Thur., 7:30-9pm in the GSS sewing room. New members/guests welcome, annual membership is $25.

Jam Night at the Golden Taps Pub every Thursday.

A.A Meetings Thursdays, at the Family Centre, 421 9th Ave N. All meetings are open and start at 8pm.

Golden Youth Centre Band Of Guys drop-in for male teens (12-18) every Thursdays 3:45-5:30pm.

Shinny at the Arena Thursdays 9-10pm.

Fri, Jan. 2 All Girls Hockey run by girls, for girls 9+ Fridays, 4:30pm.

Free for minor hockey members, $100 for non members.

A.A Meetings Fridays at the Lutheran Church basement 915 - 9th St S. All meetings are open and start at 8pm.

Golden Youth Centre drop-in Fridays from 3:30-7:30pm.

Karaoke Night at The Mad Trapper every Friday night.

Meat Draw every Friday at The Legion 5:30pm.

Friday Night Bridge at 7pm at St. Andrew’s Centre for Peace. 250-344-5448.

Mother Goose Program Fri. 10:30-11:30am at the Early Years Centre. Free and snacks are included.

Special Olympics “FUNdamentals” youth program Fri. 9-10am at APES. For children 7-12 years with intellectual disabilities. Call 250-919-0757 for info.

FREE Settlement Services to help newcomers to Canada with English language training, citizenship, community resources, banking, housing, and more!

Fridays from 9-11am. Call 250-344-8392.

Parent&Tot Skate Fridays 11am-12pm at the Arena.

Public Skate 12-1:30pm Fridays at the Arena.

Winter Walking 1-2pm Fridays at the Rec Plex.

• For more information... go to www.thegoldenstar.net

Tues, Jan. 6

Sat, Jan. 3 Meat Draw Saturdays at The Legion 5pm.

A.A Meetings Sat. at the Golden Museum. All meetings are open and start at 8pm.

Elements Therapeutics Grand Opening open house Jan. 3 from 1-4.

Sun, Jan. 4 Sunday Howl open mic at the Wolf’s Den Sundays 4-8pm.

Magic the Gathering Game Tournament 12-5pm at Bizarre Entertainment..

Mon, Jan. 5 Join the Cadets. Free program meets every Monday, 6-8pm at the Alexander Park School gym. For young men and women ages 12-18.

Seniors Day at Reflections Hair Studio Mondays 15% off all regular priced services, call 250-344-5766.

Heroclix League 6-9pm Mondays at Bizarre Entertainment.

Picnic in the Park Play &Chat Mondays from 11:30am-1:30pm at the Alexander Park Elementary playground.

Family Dinner Play and Learn Mon. 5-7pm at the Early Years Centre. Free program includes dinner, parent discussion with child minding. 250-439-9665 to register.

Telling Our Life Stories Writing Workshop Mon. 10am-12pm. Techniques to organize memoirs. No writing experience necessary.

250-439-9665 to register.

Golden Youth Centre drop-in every Monday from 5-8pm.

Nicholson Parent & Tot Mondays from 9-11am at Nicholson School.

Hapkido Martial Arts Mon., Arena Lounge 6-7pm (kids) 7:15-8:15pm (adults).

Golden Youth Rec Hockey Mondays 8-9pm, ages 13-18 until Feb.23.

Badminton Mon., 7-830pm at the Rec Plex $6 ($5 students/seniors) bring racket.

Winter Walking at the Rec Plex Mondays 1-2pm.

Indoor Soccer at the Rec Plex 8:30-9:30pm.

A.A Meetings Tues. at the United Church 901 11th Ave S Alley Ent. All meetings are open and start at 8pm.

Golden Youth Centre drop-in Tuesdays from 3:30-7:30pm.

Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition Tuesdays 6-9pm at Bizarre Entertainment.

Volleyball drop-in Tues. at the Rec Plex $5, 7-9pm.

FREE Settlement Services to help newcomers to Canada with English training, citizenship, community resources, banking, housing, and more! Tues. 1-3pm.

250-344-8392.

Golden Shotokan Karate Tues. & Thurs. 6-6:45pm (kids) 7-8:30pm (adults).

Aquafit at the Travelodge Tuesdays 5:30-6:30pm $5.

Rockwater Grill & Ba

Upcoming Events

Golden Delicious presents Stickybuds Jan.9 at the Mad Trapper Pub $10 available at Plain Wayne and Jane, or $15 at the door.

Golden Rockets vs.

Princeton Posse Jan.9 at the Arena at 7:30pm.

Golden District Rod&Gun Club AGM Jan.13, 6pm, College of the Rockies.

Kicking Horse Cinema is showing The Merry Wibow (Lehar) at 11am, Jan.17.

Huckleberry Loppet at Dawn Mountain Jan.24 (classic)and 25 (skate).

Elliott Brood with The Wilderness play at The Rockwater Feb.17.

Golden Sound Festival Feb.21 in Downtown Golden.

Get the word out!

Do you have a community event coming up? Let us know and we’ll put it in our Community Events Calendar.

250-344-5251.

Visit save.ca/cashback to Learn More

This week's achievement award goes to...

Makenna Matheson for making a strong effort every day. She is a super positive student.

Stop in by January 7, 2015 to receive your small blizzard • 344-2220 •

The Golden Star Wednesday, December 31, 2014

January: Skiers tell story of avalanche survival

Asher returns home It was a happy homecoming for Asher Kotyk, who returned home in time for Christmas after a successful heart surgery.

Asher spent over a month in hospitals in both Calgary and Edmonton because of a congestive heart failure that was caused by two large holes in his heart.

The problem was discovered on Nov. 15 when Jan and Erin brought Asher into the Golden hospital after some grape water got into his lungs and he started breathing abnormally. X-rays revealed that Asher had a more serious issue, although it wasn’t initially clear what the problem was.

The holes in Asher’s heart were discovered after further tests in Calgary. He was eventually moved to the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, where his surgery took place.

Local skiers survive avalanche at Hope Creek

Tim Collins and Billy Neilson took all the necessary safety precautions but even that couldn’t save them from the temptation of a great looking run down a backcountry mountain about 100km north of Golden in late December.

After seeing the tracks from their friends and experiencing a growing sense of confidence in the conditions, Neilson and Collins took an ill-advised run down a slope that they had previously avoided. The slope gave way and the pair got caught up in a massive avalanche.

After they both fought to unbury themselves, the pair spent the night on the mountain before rescue could arrive.

Collins suffered numerous cuts and bruises along with a fractured heel and was released from hospital a few days later. Neilson tore his ACL and MCL in his right knee and every ligament in his left knee. He also suffered a broken fibula and severe frostbite on

Warm wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season!

May the New Year bring PrePare your you health and happiness.

TaSTe BuDS. We’re

one of his feet.

Nordic Club brings in Biathlon demo In Europe thousands of spectators fill venues to witness biathlon events. Canada hasn’t quite gotten on that bandwagon, but the sport is gaining tremendously in popularity.

On Jan. 11, Golden got a taste of what the hype is all about, when the Alberta Biathlon Club came Dawn Mountain for a demo day.

“We (The Golden Nordic Club) have been talking about this for a while, so this will be the first ever biathlon event in Golden,” said Troy Hudson, the club’s youth programs co-ordinator, prior to the event. The event was well attended and spurred the Nordic Club to begin developing a biathlon program of its own.

Cougar attack on Elk Road A woman was walking her two dogs at the time of the attack. Both of them were about 20

feet ahead of her and off their leash. One dog managed to escape unscathed but the other one, described as a 55 pound labcross, was taken and killed by the cougar.

The woman reported the incident to conservation authorities immediately, which was a big reason why conservation officer Alex Desjardins was able to find the cougar almost instantly.

The cougar, a young adult female, was shot and killed once it was located around 1:30 p.m..

“Once a cougar is able to access such an easy prey item, it is conditioned to just go back to that,” Desjardins said. “Cougars also don’t react well to relocation, they really don’t adapt…they just start wandering back like a house cat.”

Leader in Me takes shape What started as a casual conversation between two friends has expanded to include administrators and educators from three Golden schools, as well as an international organization that helps build the leaders of tomorrow.

“It started as a conversation between Greg Ehman and myself, and he was telling me about this Leader in Me program that his kids’ school had in Comox,” said local parent Lori Baxendale. “I thought it would be so great if we could bring that program to Golden.”

Happy Holidays and a Cozy New Year from everyone at Bean Bag Coffee Roasters!

oPeNING All The Best SooN! in 2015!

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The Leader in Me framework, which gets incorporated into regular school curriculum, originates from Dr. Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and gives students the learning skills to enable them to reach a higher level of performance.

www.thegoldenstar.net A9

Wishing a Happy and Prosperous 2015 to Golden and Area A Residents!

Karen Cathcart - Area A Director

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Golden Bakery & Deli 344-2928 • Open Mon - Sat 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Closed Sundays

Holiday Hours

Christmas Eve - 6:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Christmas Day - Closed Boxing Day - Closed New Years Day - Closed

Happy New Years!

May 2015 bring good cheer and happiness.

A10 www.thegoldenstar.net

February: Local chosen as Miss Canada finalist

gs! s etin son’ Gre a e S

Motor Tech Enterprises Ltd. 934 10th Ave. N. 250-344-2888

Holiday Greetings from all of us at

Minoldo 405 9th Avenue N.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 The Golden Star

250-344-4711

Peace and Joy during the Holiday Season and throughout the Golden/Invermere B.C. New Year 250-344-6102

Local artist turns a negative into a positive “I discovered the contest (Art Trends: Artist of the Year) online and decided to enter a photo of my painting that as sadly stolen, ‘On the Right Path’,” said Young. “My hopes were that my piece would gain a lot of exposure and possibly be found.”

The contest was put on by Art Trends magazine, a national publication that brings artist and buyers together with 451,000 readers. The winners were chosen by votes, conducted through social media.

“I had no idea that I would win, especially being up against so many wonderful and talented artists from across Canada,” said Young. “I won first place for Artist of the Year for my category in acrylic. I am extremely thankful to everyone for voting.”

Women’s Centre pleased with domestic violence plan The provincial government has launched

Seasons Greetings Mayor Ron Oszust, Town Council and staff wish all of you peace and joy as you celebrate the holiday season reflecting on your blessings with those you cherish.

a new Provincial Domestic Violence Plan, and the Golden Women’s Resource Centre is glad to see the government taking positive steps to addressing the issue of domestic violence.

“The Golden Women’s Resource Centre is very excited to learn about the provincial governments three-year domestic violence plan. While we are not certain how our organization, or community will specifically benefit from this, we feel it is a move in the right direction,” said Linley McLean, executive director of the women’s centre.

Jordan Peterson new GADSAR president Former vice-president Jordan Peterson took over for Shauna Speers, who had served for three years prior to her decision to step down and move into a different role.

“She was doing a fantastic job. I kind of wish she was still president,” Peterson joked.

Peterson moved to Golden from Central Alberta seven years ago when a business opportunity arose for he and his friend Parker Vaile, who is the fire chief in Nicholson. The two co-own VP Waste Solutions, and their positions as owners makes it easy for them if they are needed on a call.

“Being a business owner I’m fairly flexible in responding to calls,” Peterson said.

“I’m generally able to make it to most calls if

they are needing somebody.”

Peterson joined GADSAR four years ago and has served in various positions on the organization’s executive ever since.

He serves on a variety of rescue teams, including the rope and long line rescue teams.

“I’ve always been someone who wanted to help people. I was in nursing school for a couple years and (GADSAR) was kind of the natural extension,” he said. “And there’s always a little bit of an adrenaline rush with any sort of call that requires you to stay calm and keep track of your emotions.”

Robin Johnston finalist for Miss Canada For Golden’s Robin Johnston, her interview for the Miss Uni-

verse Canada pageant didn’t go completely according to plan.

“During my whole interview I had lipstick over my teeth,” Johnston laughed.

Despite that minor hiccup, and possibly because of how she handled that situation, Johnston was chosen as one of the 50 finalists for Canada’s national beauty pageant.

Johnston, the daughter of Wendell and Shari, grew up in Golden and attended Golden Secondary School until she was 17, which is when she moved to Calgary to pursue her dream of a career in the fashion industry.

Johnston applied for a spot in the pageant online and didn’t think she would ever hear anything further.

GSS Eagles off to

provincials At the outset of the season the Golden Secondary senior boys basketball team set a goal for itself to make it to the provincials in Langley. After a dominating and thoroughly convincing win at the Kootenay Zone Championships, that goal will need to be adjusted.

“We’ve achieved our first step in our ultimate goal of the season which is to go to the provincials and to do well there and win the provincials,” said head coach Kindy Gosal.

The tournament victory was a tribute to a talented Eagles’ roster, but also due to the handwork and intensity from the entire team.

The provincials in Langley took place from Mar. 5-8.

We look forward to continuing to serve you as we move forward into the new year.

Season’s

Greetings

In the spirit of the season, we’d like to give you our best wishes for a happy, healthy holiday.

344-5901

From All The Elves at Johnston Meier Insurance (250) 344-5201

The Golden Star Wednesday, December 31, 2014

www.thegoldenstar.net A11

March: Brewery proposal gains local attention Fire at Purcell The residents of Purcell View Apartments had a eventful evening last week when a resident smelled smoke in the building shortly before midnight on Tuesday Nov. 25.

The resident pulled the manual fire alarm, bringing the Golden Fire Department over to investigate at the 12th Street South building.

“We arrived on scene very shortly after the alarm was activated…

I saw that there was smoke inside the building,” said Fire Chief Ken McClure.

While the chief was investigating what turned out to be a blown fuze that was generating a lot of smoke (most of which was contained in the electrical room), the residents had to be evacuated from the building.

Brewery proposed for Golden Golden is about to become part of a growing Canadian trend, as the first steps have been taken by local entrepreneur Kent Donaldson to open a craft brewery.

“I really want this to be something the people of Golden are proud of,” said Donaldson to Town Council during the March 4 meeting.

A zoning amendment bylaw was before council to allow for a craft brewery at 623 8th Avenue (located behind Mary’s Motel, beside Glacier Rafting), where Donaldson

has purchased a lot.

Both Town staff and council were very supportive of the proposal, and passed first reading of the bylaw, therefore proceeding to the public hearing process (which is tentatively scheduled for April 1).

“A craft brewery has substantial potential benefits for the Town of Golden,” said Phil Armstrong, planning technician for the Town.

Student Filmmaker Golden might just have the next Kathryn Bigelow on its hands.

Madeline Archibald, at just 13 years of age, has already shot and edited several short films of her own including two movies she entered in contests with both the Canadian Avalanche Centre and the Royal Canadian Legion.

Her most recent project involved filming and editing the Snow King’s MasqueParade.

Archibald made her first movie at the age of 10 when her father, Mike Archibald, showed her the basics of iMovie. Since then she’s developed a definite passion for film that extends beyond just having a fun hobby.

“I think I’ve figured out now that I want to study filmology…I want to make it a part of my life,” Archibald said.

“I like it when it all clicks together and you just get this kind of sensation in your gut… it’s all just about what makes the movie good,

Thank you to all the locals for their support of the Big Bend Cafe over the past year.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year from B G BEND Roddy and Alison MacIsaac CAFE of the Big Bend Cafe. all day breakfast

Golden, BC

Best Wishes and Thank You to all our valued customers! the cuts and the edits and the effects.”

Sydney Mitchell For Sydney Mitchell, 12, and her mother Shawna Dunn, having the support of a community like Golden during difficult times makes everything much more manageable for them.

“We’re so lucky to live here and to have family support and lots of friends,” Shawna said. “It makes such a big difference.”

Sydney, a twin to sister Syenna, has battled health issues her entire life after being born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a rare heart defect where the left ventricle of the heart is critically underdeveloped.

Typically the defect is corrected with a series of three open heart surgeries over the course of several years in order to re-route the blood flow so that the body can function

with just one pumping chamber.

Six months after Sydney’s second open heart surgery she went into massive congestive heart failure.

After that complication she was put on the heart transplant list in 2004. For seven months that year the family lived in Edmonton while waiting for a heart to become available. Sydney received her new heart in July.

Kitten Adoptathon Spring is here and Little Mittens Animal Rescue is hoping to move some of their cats out of its facility by holding an adopt-athon this Saturday Mar. 29. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Little Mittens’ animal shelter, which is located at the end of Airport Rd. Little Mittens has over 30 kittens and cats available for adoption at a cost of $50 each, half the regular price.

The cats come spayed or neutered, vaccinated and de-wormed, procedures that would cost close to $300 at a vet.

“We’ve still got quite a few cats that need homes right now, probably between 30 and 40,” said Little Mittens’ Jamie Crawford.

“Kitten season is starting any time now, once the snow starts to melt we’re going to start seeing more kittens coming in so we want to try and get as many of the ones we have now out.”

Wa r m e s t s Wi s hole iday This H Season!

250-344-3992 Mike Burns

ConstruC tion

www.dogtoothlogandtimber.com Licensed Home Builder

Cell Office Email

250 344 0290 250 344 3992 mike@dogtoothlogandtimber.com www.dogtoothlogandtimber.com

Season’s Greetings Hope the holiday delivers a bundle of glad tidings to you.

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Wednesday, December 31, 2014 The Golden Star

April: Local Curtis McKenzie named AHL Rookie of the Year

With Best Wishes & Gratitude May your Christmas holiday be filled with glad tidings every day, and when the holiday is through, may our best wishes remain with you!

From: Denys, Deanna, Chantelle, Gloria, Jody, Sarah, Ronda, Tanya, Shelby, and Sue. Holiday Office Hours:

Open Dec 24 – 9:00am - 1:00pm Dec 31 – 9:00am - 3:00pm Closed Dec 25, 26, and Jan 1

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BC Ambulance A local paramedic has become increasingly disgruntled with British Columbia Ambulance Service’s (BCAS) staffing and hiring practices as well as what he calls part-time wages for a full-time job.

“I have not reached my boiling point but I am getting more and more frustrated with the system. I work a lot of hours at my job just to make ends meet. I love my work and have thought extensively about doing something else but I keep hoping something will change with BCAS,” said the paramedic.

According to this person, BCAS has significant challenges with retaining staff in Golden because of demanding shift work and low pay scales compared to staff in other regions of the province. Not surprisingly, many paramedics ask for transfers from Golden to larger cities where working conditions are significantly better.

Youth Community Conversations Community Conversations had a different feel and a new venue this past week as the monthly discussion moved to Golden Secondary School in an effort to involve the community’s youth. The school’s library was full with both students and members of the community for the lunch time discussion that included donated pizza from Columbia Basin Trust.

The discussion centred around what Golden should look like in the year 2034, twenty years from now. Attendees were divided into groups and asked to answer three important questions about Golden’s future.

Local Literary Winner A young Golden writer got regional recognition for a

short story she entered into the 2014 Kootenay Literary Competition.

Zoey Lowe came in second place for the Youth Grades 7-9 category for her story The Cold.

“It’s about a kid who is locked in his room, and it’s cold because he’s snowed in,” said Lowe. “But later in the story it’s revealed that he’s actually in a coma.”

Lowe has been writing stories for years, and has quite a few completed pieces in her collection. But this is the first time she has entered and won an organized competition.

House Fire on 10th Ave. A group of kindergarteners tour of the Golden Fire Hall was interrupted when firefighters were called to the scene of a house fire.

The fire was at a home on the corner of 10th Ave. S and 13th.

St. S. Because several members of the department were already at the station for the tour, the team’s response was extremely quick. Unfortunately, a miscommunication on the call led firefighters to the wrong address. Fire Chief Ken McClure wasn’t sure where the error came from, but stressed how important it is for callers to speak clearly and accurately when speaking to 911 dispatchers.

Despite that setback, McClure’s crew was still able to arrive at the house quickly and save the structure, although much of the interior sustained heavy damage.

McKenzie named Rookie of the Year As a hockey player, anytime you put your name alongside the likes of Brett Hull and Terry Sawchuk, you know you’re doing something right.

Golden’s Curtis McKenzie has done plenty right in his first full pro season with the Texas Stars, and he was named the

AHL’s 2013/2014 Rookie of the Year, an honour that was once bestowed on that pair of NHL Hall of Famers.

The award puts a cap on what has been a meteoric rise for local product. McKenzie played a solid two way game for the Miami RedHawks during his four years of College hockey but produced a modest 29 goals in 158 collegiate games.

This year alone, McKenzie produced 26 goals to go along with 38 assists for a total of 64 points. That’s good enough for first among AHL rookies in scoring and ninth overall.

Miss Canada in Toronto Golden’s Robin Johnston is continuing her push toward the Miss Universe Canada beauty pageant and locals will have an excellent chance to help her on her way. Online voting for the annual competition opens on April 28 and the top vote getter will receive an automatic entry into the show’s top 20. You can vote up to four times a day and Johnston is hoping that the community will continue to rally around her as the pageant draws nearer.

It’s been a wild few months for the Miss Universe Canada hopeful as she gets ready to fly to Toronto for the competition.

CP expands in Golden CP Rail is increasing its presence in Golden with an expanded mechanical shop, creating new jobs in the community.

Representatives for the company, including local employees Drew Farrer and Mark Woodhouse, were at the Golden Home and Lifestyle Show discussing the changes with the public.

“We met both with council and with the Chamber of Commerce, and they actually suggested that we be here.”

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The Golden Star Wednesday, December 31, 2014

www.thegoldenstar.net A13

May: Golden celebrates its first community Mountain Festival Age Friendly Survey The 23 page survey that was put together by the Age Friendly Community Plan Task Force received more responses than expected, which was an encouraging sign for the task force’s leader Ryan Watmough.

“I’m excited that so many people found this to be worthwhile and I hope that the task force can honour their participation, draw some strong conclusions and create a good age friendly community plan,” he said.

Mountain Festival Tourism Golden, residents and visitors came together to celebrate the men and women who founded this community so long ago.

On May 17 and 18 The Golden Mountain Festival made its debut, with the theme Celebrating Golden’s Swiss Guides.

“These guides had such a tremendous impact on our community, so it was a natural choice to make it the theme of our first Golden Mountain Festival,” said Joanne Sweeting, manager of Tourism Golden.

As most locals already know, It was 1899 when CP Rail brought the first generation of Swiss Mountain Guides to Golden to guide tourists in the surrounding

mountains.

Dyke repair The Town of Golden is repairing the 90 metres of dike that was eroded during the 2013 spring freshet event. The Majority of work will be completed by the May Long Weekend and when it is complete, about 1100 metres of rock armouring will have been placed along the affected section. During this time, the Rotary Trail along Fisher Road and Golden Transfer will be closed and we ask that everyone takes the detour.

The project value is $323,000 with 80 per cent of the cost of the project being funded by Emergency Management B.C. Cougar sighting Spring has brought the animals out in Golden, and conservation officer Alex Desjardins asked residents to keep their eyes open when on the trails around town.

Multiple cougar sightings on the Rotary trail network near the baseball diamonds and the high school track had been reported.

“It’s a cougar that is exhibiting normal behaviour in an abnormal area,” said Desjardins. “It’s not exhibiting any threatening behaviours or any behaviours of concern, but we’re definitely monitoring it.”

Authorities aren’t positive of the reason the cougar is hanging around the community, but Desjardins said that possible reasons could include health problems, following a food source (90 per cent of a cougar’s diet is deer), or perhaps a young cougar was pushed away by its mother before it was ready.

Orphaned cubs Two orphaned bear cubs are now safe after a rescue operation that included help from local Northern Lights Wildlife Society volunteer Wendy Chambers.

The bears were discovered when a group of Cranbrook hikers came across two young bear cubs up Bull River Road on Victoria Day weekend.

“There were two teeny-tiny baby bears,” said Stephanie McGregor, one of the hikers. “The smallest bears I’ve ever seen in my life so we pulled over and we just sat in our vehicles.

“I thought for sure the mama bear would be coming up right away. We sat there for awhile and she wasn’t coming. I was kind of getting more worried and more worried.”

Khaira Enterprises A B.C. Human Rights Tribunal has ordered a Surrey-based tree planting company to pay more

than $600,000 in compensation to 55 African workers it discriminated against at camps in the Golden-Revelstoke area in 2010.

Khaira Enterprises ran camps in the B.C. Interior and abused and discriminated against African refugees working there,

according to a ruling released Friday.

The company owners have been ordered to pay each affected worker $10,000 plus another $1,000 for each additional month they worked after the first one.

June: Fee structures examined for Golden’s Farmers’ Market drive these big massive haul trucks…it’s a growing employment trend right now,” Cathcart said.

Tourism up in Kicking Horse Country At their annual general meeting in June, Tourism Golden has some exciting numbers to share with their members and stakeholders.

“It really was an exceptional year for us,” said Lynn Moffat, Tourism Golden President. “You deliver outstanding guest experiences for our visitors.”

The tax revenue for the past fiscal year went up by 46 per cent, further illustrating how sustainable the funding model is for the organization. The more people who come to Kicking Horse Country, the more tax is collected through the accommodators, and the higher the budget is for Tourism Golden to market the community.

Museum turns 40 The Golden Museum is turning 40 and Goldenites are encouraged to join in on the anniversary celebration on June 5.

The museum was first discussed at a meeting of the newly formed Golden and District Historical Society in 1968. Over the next few years money was raised to fund a new building for the museum, with construction beginning in 1971. Its grand, public opening took place on June 1, 1974.

Haul Truck at COTR The College of the Rockies is hoping to offer a new program in Golden that uses

some sophisticated technology to give students a leg up when applying for jobs in the Canadian mining industry.

The Haul Truck Operator program has been a success at COTR’s Fernie and Cranbrook campuses and Karen Cathcart, campus manager in Golden, thinks this program would be a great addition to the college.

“Given the miniong industry and the number of people that are going to work up in Fort McMurray, and even the construction industry…people who have this skill will be able to work and having this certificate that says they are competent to

Farmers’ Market cost debated The Town of Golden Council made a decision that could have some serious effects on the Golden Farmers’ Market (GFM).

Changes had been proposed (by the Standing Committee on Finance) to the Town’s Temporary License of Occupation fee structure, which would take effect for the 2015 season. The new policy would charge the Mobile Vendor Association (the GFM) a fee of $3.50 per parking stall per day. For the 15 Wednesdays in the summer season, and the 16 parking stalls they take up in the CP parking lot, the GFM would be charged $840, which representatives from the market say is a 300 per cent increase.

After a lively and, at times, emotional debate, Town Council rejected a propos-

al to increase the Golden Farmers’ Market (GFM) fees, preferring to further discuss its options for the market later this year.

The proposal to increase the market’s fees to $3.50 per parking stall per day (the current fee for downtown sidewalk cafes) was brought forward by Coun. Keith Hern after the inequality between the market and restaurants was brought to his attention.

“I think it behooves the council to create an even playing field for all businesses in town,” said Coun. Hern.

Car Show gets ready for Canada Day Car and bike enthusiasts will be out in full force in downtown Golden on Canada Day for Team Redline’s 7th annual car show along 9th Ave. N. Once again, the car show will have a wide range of vehicles on display.

“It’s a big mix,” said Lisa Tang of Team Redline. “It’s trucks, bikes, classics, hot rods, everything. Basically anything with wheels can come out.”

Early Learning Hub A project that has been in the works in one way or another for the past 10 years has taken a huge leap forward this past week, and project champions are hoping it will take an even bigger leap this summer.

The early learning and child care hub, a new centre that is planned to built as an extension onto Alexander Park Elementary School, has just received two major grants, which added to the funds they already had, make up $200,000.

Now, with $200,000 in the bank, they are using those funds to try to leverage another $500,000 from the province to complete the first phase of the project.

A14 www.thegoldenstar.net

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 The Golden Star

July: Kicking Horse Culture is secured for three years with EOF Kicking Horse Culture gets funding for three years After months of uncertainty, debate, and public outcry, Kicking Horse Culture finally got some stability when a three-year contract got drawn up for the cultural services organization.

Although it had been the preference of council to continue funding KHC through taxation, as had been done before the demise of Golden Area Initiatives, the Town has agreed to set up a three year funding deal with the Columbia Shuswap Regional District to fund KHC for three years using money from the Economic Opportunities Fund.

The dollar amount will remain the same, allowing

KHC to continue their year round cultural services, including concerts, art shows, other performances, and the annual Snow King Parade. The free Summer Kicks series is funded separately by the Town.

Highway speeds increase Certain sections of Highway 1 between Golden and Revelstoke are going to be moving a little more quickly, or at least that’s what the proposed speed limit increases are meant to accomplish.

After a recent review by the Province, the government has increased speed limits on 35 sections of B.C. highways, totalling about 1,300 kilometres.

Excluding the sections of highway that go

through the national parks, the stretch of Highway 1 between Highway 23 North near Revelstoke, and Anderson Road near Golden will see an increase from 90 km/h to 100 km/h.

Wildfires bring smoke to Golden The air in Golden hung heavy on Friday, as the smoke from two different forest fires made their way into the Columbia Valley.

Forest fire crews from Revelstoke spent the weekend battling a remote blaze that started Thursday alongside the Kinbasket Lake northeast of Golden.

Two three-person initial attack crews, six members of a local unit crew, 10 contract firefighters and a group of air tankers are on

scene to battle the 30-hectare fire, which is located 78 kilometres northeast of Golden, said Jordan Turner, a spokesperson with the Southeast Fire Centre.

Golden swimmer ranks in BC Sometimes, mom really does know best.

At least that was the case for Josh Hiraoka, who only got his start in swimming after his mother put him in the Golden Dolphins Swim Club when he was 10 years old.

“I really hated it when I started…after my first practice I was crying and stuff, it was a mess,” he laughed.

By mid season, Hiraoka was ranked number 1 in B.C. in his age category for the 50m butterfly, while

also holding down 5th in the 50m freestyle, 7th in

100m fly and 9th in the 100m free.

August: Golden chosen as favourite location for Singletrack 6 Singletrack 6 in Golden Golden played host to two stages of one of the biggest and most exciting mountain biking events in the region in August.

The Singletrack 6 went off without a hitch.

This is the first time Golden has hosted the event, also known as the TransRockies, and Golden Tourism’s Joanne Sweeting says the organizers couldn’t be happier with how it went.

“I went to the awards on Tuesday, and there was some really great feedback from the athletes, saying how great the trails were. A lot of them said they were the best trails they had ridden,” said Sweeting, who originally put in the bid for Golden to host the race.

Golden, being the only community to host two stages of the six-day race, was able to provide a beautiful start and finish line in downtown Golden, and have trails close enough that the riders were on them and off the pavement within minutes of starting.

Local rider in Singletrack

Jeremy Harris moved to Western Canada to ski and snowboard, but quickly fell in love with mountain biking as well. He competed in the Single Track 6 series and finished 15th among riders in the 40+ category (56th overall).

Each town that hosted a stage received one free entry for a local rider. The Golden Cycling Club chose Harris, who was accompanied on the tour by his own personal fan club, his wife Terri and children Olivia and Max. “It was really because of his deep-seated history with cycling in the Golden community,” said Trevor Gavura of the Cycling Club, referring to why Harris was chosen for the free entry.

declare the changes as anything but positive.

Among the businesses that have moved or are planning to move shortly, are the Jungle Room, Jita’s Cafe, Bizarre Entertainment, Higher Ground and Kicking Horse Interiors. Several others have completed or begun beautification projects as well.

All of this is good news according to Chamber of Commerce manager Ruth Hamilton.

“I’m excited to see it. It’s great to see businesses making changes for the better,” Chambers said.

“I think people are confident in the economy now, they’re busy and they feel financially stable enough to start doing these projects.”

Business Renovations pop up all over town Golden shoppers could be excused if they get a little lost when trying to find local businesses around town these days.

Numerous businesses have either moved or renovated in recent months, and it would be hard to

Music Award for Willhorse The accolades are starting to pile up for Willhorse after they were named the winner of Kelowna radio station K96-3’s Emerging Artist Program.

The top five artists in the competition were given $1,000 each to record a new song, which was

part of the overall assessment of the artist. Willhorse recorded ‘Sure Shot’, a track that bassist Todd Menzies believes represents an evolution in the band’s music.

“It’s like any band, you mature in that time,” said Menzies. “It’s a little bit of a new direction… but it’s still got that old southern country rock feel to it as well…it’s still a Willhorse song.”

The win comes on the back of the group’s fifth place finish in last year’s Peak Performance project and comes with $4,000 to be used within the industry.

Custom Fire Truck Golden Fire & Rescue will be adding a brand new truck to its fleet after a B.C. gaming grant secured the final $225,000 for the new vehicle. The latest grant comes in addition to grant money received late last year, meaning the entire $500,000 price tag will be going through the province.

The truck will be used primarily for road rescue, a service that the department took over from Golden and District Search and Res-

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Since that time, the fire department has been using its fire trucks for road rescue purposes.

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The truck was custom built for Golden, making this a highly specialized acquisition for this area’s unpredictable weather and harsh terrain.

Dance Studio opens up A new era of dance is coming to Golden. Stages School of Dance, which already has locations in Cranbrook and Invermere, is opening a downtown studio in Golden.

“We saw an opportunity to bring some fresh dance to Golden. We love what (the community) has done so far, it’s amazing that you’ve kept all the dancers going,” said Courteny Green, who will be the manager and main teacher at the studio.

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The Golden Star Wednesday, December 31, 2014

www.thegoldenstar.net A15

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September: Students return to school after long teacher strike

5 Peaks Trail Run makes Golden debut With the chief operating officer living in town, and a large local trail network, it makes sense that 5 Peaks Trail Running Series has decided to schedule an event in Golden.

Local Magi Scallion, 5 Peaks COO, helped bring Golden its first 5 Peaks run, which will take place on the trails around Cedar Lake on Sept. 20.

A range of events will be offered for runners of all ages and abilities, including a free 1km event for families, a 3km race designed for kids, as well as 5, 10 and 20km courses.

Orphaned bear cubs saved Out of tragedy came a very happy ending for three bear cubs who were rescued in the Golden area after their mother was killed by a vehicle.

On Sept. 4 Wendy Chambers, a local bear activist and volunteer with the Northern Lights Wildlife Society in Smithers B.C., received a heart-stopping phone call.

“I was told that there had been an incident with a female black bear on the highway near to my home, and that unfortunately she had lost her life,” said Chambers.

“But there were four cubs grieving over her body at the side of the road.”

Teacher strike continues in September With the teachers strike into its second week of the new school year and tensions continuing to grow, several parents and teachers are speaking up about their mounting concerns.

Towards the end of Rocky Mountain School District no. 6’s monthly board meeting on Sept.

9, a letter was read from a concerned parent that asked what the board was doing to encourage a resolution.

In response, Chair Jim Jenkinson revealed a July 2 letter that the Board had sent to both the Minister of Education Peter Fassbender and BCTF President Jim Iker. The letter stated how concerned the Board was about a “lack of any substantial progress” and urged the parties to come to a swift conclusion using any and all available dispute resolution mechanisms, round the clock bargaining and a total media blackout.

Students returned to classes on Sept. 22 More details get released about proposed Golden brewery Gone are the days where Molson and Labatt are the only beer options for Canadians, and Golden is set to join the microbrew trend with its very own craft brewery.

Kent Donaldson and Mark

StarCROSSWORD

Nagao have long discussed bringing a brewery to Golden and have now decided to go for it as coowners of the new business.

“We’ve been toying with this idea for probably about 5 years,” Donaldson explained. “Mark’s a local and has basically wanted a brewery here for 25 years. Lots of people have talked about it but nobody was really doing anything about it.”

Donaldson, who splits his time between Golden and Calgary, envisions the brewery as a full fledged destination with plenty of options for the consumer.

“It’ll have a lounge or a tap room, it’ll have retail, a special events area, tours and possibly limited food service,” Donaldson said.

Fire Chief passes away The Town of Golden lost one of its public servants in September.

Golden Fire Chief Ken McClure passed away on Saturday Sept. 20. McClure had come to Golden in March of 2011, bringing with him 26 years of experience in fire safety and suppression.

Since then he has brought a level of professionalism to the department. He was integral in bringing the department into a road rescue role, which included funding from a provincial pilot project, new training and

equipment, most notably a new truck that was custom designed for Golden (currently being built).

In 2013 he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal after being nominated by the Office of the Fire Commissioner.

Deputy Fire Chief Ken Squarebriggs will be taking charge of the Golden Fire Department until a new chief is hired.

A memorial service for Chief Ken McClure will be held this Friday, Sept. 26 at 3 pm. at the Golden Civic Centre. A tea in his honour will be held after at the Golden Fire Hall.

Woodlot Association holds AGM in Golden Woodlot licensees from around the province gathered in Golden for their annual general meeting. The Columbia Woodlot Association hosted the threeday event, which showcased woodlots done in the “Rocky Mountain Way”.

Woodlots were first introduced to B.C. in 1948 to allow farmers and ranchers access to Crown timber. This program was established as a means for farmers to supplement their income. The present agreement, introduced in 1979, allows individuals or organizations to manage up to 1200 hectares in the Interior regions of the province.

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Kay Doreen Soles Kaye (Henderson) Soles, life-long resident of the valley, passed away at the Golden Hospital in the early morning of December 18th.

Born in Golden in 1931, Kaye married Jock Soles in 1950, moving with him to Parson where they built a home and a business, and raised six children. A committed member of the community, Kaye served as president of the Parson Ladies Auxiliary and of the Parson HallLATE Board. OBIT Her outgoing personality and wonderful sense of humor endeared her to generations of people in the valley.

Kaye enjoyed life to the fullest. She loved music, playing the piano and dancing with Jock. When she was no longer able to dance herself, she received great pleasure from watching him teach their daughters, She loved attending social functions of all kinds, and in later life developed a passion for snowmobiling,. For her, it was a way to enjoy a day in the valley she loved so much, often with family and friends, and always with her husband.

Following the illness and death of Jock, Kaye spent the last eight years in Mountainview Assisted Living, where she received exceptional care, and developed strong and lasting friendships with both the staff and fellow residents. Her time there was kept full and interesting by the many visits from family and friends, as well as weekly visits from the local kindergarten class.

Kaye is survived by her six children, Pat, Jeanette, Brett, Lindsey, Cindy and Lisa, ten grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

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Call or Drop In to Book an Appointment (250) 344-5419 2 0 5 - 4 2 1 9 t h A ve , G o l d e n

From resume help, to financial supports, wage subsidies and much, much more - access the services you need to find a job!

www.ekemployment.org

May 22, 1931 - December 18, 2014

Help Wanted

YOUR LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SPECIALISTS

Firearms

Canadian Timberframes Ltd. is currently hiring for an office assistant. This is a full-time, year round position. We offer a competitive salary with benefits after completion of 30 days work.

Applicants must be proficient with Word, Excel and experience with Sage 50 (Simply) Accounting is preferred. Keyboard and calculator proficiency also required. Driver’s License and dependable transportation is necessary. Applicants with knowledge of timber frame and/or wood products would be ideal but not essential.

Please submit resume with compensation requirements to Doris Thierbach at dthierbach@canadiantimberframes.com or drop off your resume at our offices.

Looking for Work?

Access FREE Employment Services E l i gi b i l i t y c r i t e r i a a pp l y

The Employment Program of British Columbia is funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.

Regional Editor Black Press in the West Kootenay region is seeking a regional Editor to oversee both the Nelson Star and the Castlegar News.

The successful candidate will have Editor experience in the community newspaper industry. They will have a keen eye for layout, have an extensive photography resume, be an aggressive user of social media, understand the latest trends in digital media and be able to lead two newsrooms both from a print and digital perspective. This successful candidate will also be part of the senior team for the West Kootenay and will be part of setting the overall vision and goals for these newspapers and websites. This position includes active news and community coverage, engaging editorial and opinion writing, as well as understanding and leading change in our print products and on our websites.

This position will be based out of Nelson, B.C. The West Kootenay is often considered one of the best places in B.C. to live and this position would suit any outdoor enthusiast, with spectacular skiing, mountain biking and hiking just outside your door. It is truly a wonderful place to live and to be involved in the community newspaper industry.

This position offers a better than average compensation package, that also includes a strong benefits package.

If this sounds like the right position for you please send your resume, a cover letter, references and some examples of your work to Karen Bennett at publisher@nelsonstar.com. Please no phone calls.

A18 www.thegoldenstar.net www.thegoldenstar.net The Golden Star

Merchandise for Sale

Rentals

Firewood/Fuel

OfďŹ ce/Retail

FIREWOOD for sale.

Call 250-344-7677.

Heavy Duty Machinery A-STEEL SHIPPING DRY STORAGE CONTAINERS Used 20’40’45’53’ and insulated containers all sizes in stock.

Trades are welcome.

40’Containers under $2500!

DMG 40’ containers under $2,000 each. Also JD 544 & 644 wheel Loaders & 20,000 lb CAT forklift.

Wanted to buy 300 size hydraulic excavator.

Ph Toll free 1-866-528-7108 1-778-298-3192 8am-5pm Delivery BC and AB www.rtccontainer.com

Commercial Space beside Body Quest for lease. 1400 sq ft, main level, avail. now.

250-344-7876.

Storage S TA S H YO U R S T U F F. C O M Storage spaces of different sizes starting at $40/month including heated units.

250-344-3104.

Townhouses 3 bdrm, 2 bath, 1500+ sqft townhouse with balcony. Propane fireplace & dishwasher.

No pets; no parties. Long term preferred. Good references & security deposits required $1595 per month + utls.

250-344-6710.

Misc. for Sale HOT TUB (SPA) COVERS. Best price. Best quality. All shapes & colours available.

1-866-652-6837 www.thecoverguy.com/ newspaper?

STEEL BUILDINGS/metal buildings 60% off! 20x28, 30x40, 40x62, 45x90, 50x120, 60x150, 80x100 sell for balance owed! Call 1-800-4572206 or visit us online at: www.crownsteelbuildings.ca.

Real Estate Acreage for Sale PRIVATE 150 ACRES

5 minutes from Cranbrook .

Borders crown land on 3 sides. Mixture of timber and fields. Surveyed, drilled well, power and Shaw cable. Not in ALR zoned RR60. Serious inquiries only. $695,000.

250-489-9234

Houses For Sale Custom Mountain Home on 6.5 acres, exc. Views MaxWell Realty Invermere 250-270-0666

Rentals

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Apartment Furnished 1&2 bdr. furnished suites.

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DD. Internet available.

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Blaeberry Valley Apartments: (2) Bedroom Apt. $950 mo.

Available Jan 1/15. Includes: Utilities, Wi-Fi & Satellite TV. Visit Website for more Info. www.goldenapartments.ca Call 344-7299 or Text 3441825 to arrange viewing.

Commercial/ Industrial Golden COMMERCIAL BUILDING 3100 sq. ft. of Retail Space Located DOWNTOWN Excellent High Traffic Area Plenty of Parking 250-344-6710 Office, shop space for rent.

1250 sq ft, with fenced yard on 9th Street N. 250-344-0277

Homes for Rent

FOR RENT Visit our website for complete rental listings

remaxgolden.com Property Management Division Alice Dahlberg, CPM 250-344-2418 or 250-344-8581 (cell) Each ofďƒžce is independently owned & operated.

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Wednesday, December 31, 31, 2014 The Golden Golden Star Star Wednesday, December 2014

Wednesday,December 31, 2014 The Golden Star

www.thegoldenstar.net A19

October: EOF funds added to pool budget for 2015 fiscal year Early Learning Centre opens downtown After years of growing as a virtual community, the Early Childhood Development Coalition, early childhood programming, and young families now have a space to call their own.

“This is absolutely fantastic to be in this space,” said Joanne McCullough, director of the ECDC. The Early Learning Centre, one of 12 test sites in the province, opened up on 9th Avenue North, downtown Golden.

Trash at Silent Pass upsets visitors Take only pictures, leave only footprints. It’s an old rule of thumb for visiting the backcountry, and one that is more often than not respected. The idea, of course, being that you should make as little of an environmental impact as possible.

Unfortunately, there are always some who don’t respect this golden rule, something that Michael Matthews has discov-

ered during several hikes through Silent Pass south of town.

Matthews and his wife Jane explore the back country terrain around Silent Lake every couple of years. In 2009 they discovered a pile of trash along their route.

The next time they did that hike they also noticed a significant amount of garbage, and the latest time they did the hike (this summer) there was a great deal of trash once again.

KHC youth program Kicking Horse Culture is well into its fall and winter season and don’t be surprised if there is a slightly younger audience out for its various shows and concerts over the next few months.

For the first time, KHC is conducting a program at the school, called the Kick Yourself Club, that is targeting high school students as a way to get them more involved with the arts and culture scene in Golden.

Krista Fouillard, a French teacher at Golden’s elementary schools, is co-facilitating the program with fellow teacher Maggie Calladine.

Mayoral Race heats up The nomination deadline hadn’t yet passed, but two mayoral candidates had already filed their papers and thrown their hat into the ring for the Nov. 15 municipal election.

Coun. Keith Hern was the first to file his papers, doing so on Sept. 30 while Coun.

Ron Oszust officially declared his candidacy on Oct. 6.

The race won’t feature current Mayor Christina Benty , who has decided not to run for re-election.

EOF money given to pool for 2015 only Both the Town and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District were celebrating a win after coming to an agreement to fund the Golden Municipal Swimming

Pool using Economic Opportunity Funds (EOF).

The agreement was formally ratified by the CSRD last week and will ease the burden placed on taxpayers of Golden, as the Town previously footed the $275,000 annual bill to operate the pool.

“It’s pretty monumental,” she said.

“What it does is recognizes the regional nature of the pool and of recreational services. It’s a huge cost to municipal taxpayers that is now going to be done through the EOF.” Intelligence Gathering in Golden Golden Community Resource Society’s hosted a Local Intelligence Gathering (LIG) that featured over 20 presenters from a wide variety of fields who will discuss their various areas of expertise.

LIG hopes to connect people from across a variety of fields while developing increased community engagement within Golden.

November: Oszust named Mayor Golden graces Canadian Geographic cover A copy of the new winter season Canadian Geographic was sitting on Joanne Sweeting's desk for a few hours before striking image on the cover caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.

It was at that point that Sweeting, manager of Tourism Golden, did a double take and saw that it was in fact Golden gracing the cover of one of the country's biggest travel magazines.

"We were able to, not just make it into one of the major travel publications in Canada, but we made it in such a big way…we have six pages and the cover," Sweeting said of the Golden feature in Canadian Geographic's winter issue, out on news stands now. "This is such a fantastic result. I really didn't expect it to such a big feature, which is fantastic, it means she found so much to write about."

Early voting has huge turnout The 2014 municipal election got off to a fast start after a remarkable 384 votes were cast on Nov. 5 in advanced polling.

The total represents more than half the total votes that were cast three years ago for the 2011 general election.

In fact, the turnout was so surprising that election officials found themselves scrambling to process all of the voters and ensure that the lineup at Town Hall wasn't too long.

"On a normal day with 120 people at an advance we would have been fine. But literally yesterday, there were no lulls. It was a continuous flow down there," said Town CAO Jon Wilsgard.

Election results come in After a gruelling seven and a half hour count at the voting station, Ron Oszust came out on top, taking the Mayoral seat with 848 votes, beating out competitor Keith Hern with 437 votes.

"I'm always cautious. That first box felt good, but I didn't want to make any assumptions," said Oszust, who was in the lead after the first box was tallied.

The final tally came in at 3:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. A high voter turnout, 1,268 up from 850 in 2011, a large number of names on the ballots, and limited workers to do the counting resulted an all-night session at the Golden Civic Centre with candidates eagerly awaiting numbers on the other side of the room.

Oszust's lead remained steady throughout the evening, but council on the other hand, came down to the very last box. Candidates Lori Baxendale and Bruce Fairley were neck and neck. With just 13 extra votes, Fairley took the sixth spot with 597.

Incumbent Connie Barlow had the most votes of the night with 835, followed by the youngest new councillor, 23-year-old Eddie Leigan with 806, Chris Hambruch with 802, Leslie Adams with 751, and Caleb Moss with 626.

The race for Area A Director of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District also had a photo finish. Karen Cathcart won by a margin of 22 votes with 348, narrowly beating out incumbent Garry Habart with 326.

December: River jams with ice Kicking Horse has ice jam Golden had a close call last week as an ice jam in the Kicking Horse River threatened private and commercial property on either side of the river.

After an assessment conducted by the Ministry of Forest Lands and Natural REsources, approval was granted on Dec. 2 to deploy heavy machinery to help remove the ice and allow the water to flow within the river channel.

“Experts representing numerous different levels of government are monitoring the situation,” said Mayor Ron Oszust.

“The situation is far different from last year as the ice is much smaller and compacted to create a potential flooding situation.

With a quick response from the province our emergency operations team has been given the authority to deploy machinery and open a channel to keep water within the existing dyke walls.”

GSS Eagles continue season undefeated Like a snowball gathering speed and strength down a steep slope, the Golden Eagles simply can’t be stopped so far this season. No one has come particularly close thus far, with the senior boys’ basketball team now boasting a perfect record through three tournaments.

This past weekend it was teams from Alberta and Saskatchewan that bore their wrath at a tournament in Airdrie.

BEST WISHES AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE GOLDEN ROCKETS!!

Golden Rockets VS. The Princeton Posse FRIDAY JANUARY 9, 2015 7:30PM GOLDEN ARENA

VS.

A20 www.thegoldenstar.net

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 The Golden Star

A year in pictures for Golden and Kicking Horse Country