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Northern
www.northernsentinel.com
Volume 61 No. 33
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
1.30 INCLUDES TAX
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Squirrel Park a collection of local memories Park began as a memorial tribute to local anglers in 1996 Cameron Orr There are 21 memorial crosses or plaques adorning the tree that marks the unofficial “Squirrel Park” and Andy Burky has a story for each one of them. The park’s origins go back to 1996 with the first cross, Burky’s fishing partner Bill Lowes. Burky points to the others and quickly recalls memories of the others, such as Joan, who was one of a group of three women who came to Kitimat to fish for years. Burky says it has been awhile since he’s seen the other two from the former trio. From mornings fishing on the river to the sharing of volumes of rum, Burky remembers them all. He’s put up most of the 21 memorials, as well as the number of squirrel houses on the tree and others nearby. He visits the park often too, feeding the animals. It has become a popular destination for many reasons. For families it’s a place to bring kids to feed the squirrels, he said. It’s also a place where people have brought the ashes of their loved ones, to spread at the tree’s base. It began as a memorial site, but the abundance of squirrels who lived
in the area also brought in the angle of Squirrel Park, he said. “As long as I’m around I’ll keep it up,” he said. Burky, 81, had a career with Alcan before finding employment at the District of Kitimat, his way of getting outdoors more often. He still gets to the river to fish some days, but he doesn’t have the zeal for that as much anymore. He says the river has also gotten quite busy over the past few years. Even so he hasn’t given up Squirrel Park, coming frequently to check up on it or to feed the squirrels some granola bars. (The squirrels, though twitchy, seem to appreciate the gestures.) Burky’s attachment to his angler friends goes far, and he says he keeps in touch with many of the families of the people whose names are permanently places on the tree. He jokes that he sometimes checks to see if his own name has been put up on the tree when he comes by. Of course it never is, but were it to be he’d certainly be among many of the people who he has been close with over the years. “I knew them all,” he said. Squirrel Park is near the Kitimat Hatchery, on the side road leading to the handicap fishing spot.
Bringing support to El Salvador.
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Newest church introduces self to town.
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Small towns, including Kitimat, not immune from fentanyl epidemic Cameron Orr The Ministry of Health is warning the public about an epidemic of drug use and overdoses connected to fentanyl, a manufactured drug that is said to be up to 100-times more toxic than other opiod-type drugs. In this case though it’s not just a city problem, and Kitimat has already been hit through suspected fentanyl overdoses over the past 12 months. As recently as May this
year, the Kitimat RCMP were warning the public of fentanyl-laced “oxycotin” pills in the community, which resulted in an overdose to a 39-year-old male on May 17. That followed a report of two overdoses in one week in March, which then-staff sergeant Phil Harrison said were believed to be linked to fake oxycotin due to the presence of pills branded in a way common to fentanyl laced products at the time:
“Some of those people...may not be as aware of the source of their drugs” blue colour with the letters CDN pressed on one side and the number 80 on the other. In one case the person who had overdosed was found near 45 such pills,
but the RCMP couldn’t conclude at the time if there was intent to traffic them. Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says the issue of this specific drug problem is challenging, noting that they’re trying to reach both habitual drug users and people who are just casual, recreational users. “Some of those people who may not be as aware of the source of their drugs,” said Henry. Continued on page 3