Inside
◆ Editorial - pg 4 ◆ Ladies Auxiliary - pg 5
◆ Seniors Helping Seniors - pg 2 ◆ Literacy Funding - pg 3
Published by Black Press Ltd at 150 West Columbia Street, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 Publications Mail Contract #: 40007759
WEDNESDAY,September 16, 2015
PHONE: 996-8482 www.caledoniacourier.com
VOL. 38 NO. 29 $1.30 inc. GST
Taking the pulse of local businesses BARBARA RODEN Caledonia Courier
Fort St. James Snowmobile and ATV Club Vice-President Wayne Moll atop the groomer that was donated to the club by Fort Machine Works last winter. Winter is coming, and the snowmobile club is already hard at work on the trails. Photo by Bill Howell
Snowmobile club gears up to get local trails ready for winter use BARBARA RODEN Caledonia Courier
Snow might still be several weeks away, but members of the Fort St. James Snowmobile and ATV Club are already hard at work getting the trails ready for winter use. The club recently received funds to put up more signage on the 300km network of trails, and club Vice President Wayne Moll says that more than $50,000 of funding has gone into the trail system over the past year. “Plus there are all the volunteers who groom the trails and put up the signs,” he says. Recently those volunteers have been out replacing three old bridges that needed upgrading, and over the last two years they’ve installed other new bridges, in order to help the environment and fish habitats by keeping snowmobiles and ATVs out of local streams. Grooming the trails has been made easier since Fort Machine Works donated a groomer last winter. The club purchased a Polaris 800 Mini Ranger on tracks to pull it, and were able to use it during the 201415 season. The Ranger was also used during the summer to carry material for the club’s projects, and both vehicles can be transported on a 24-foot low-deck trailer that was purchased in January, which will
cut the travel time to get to places such as the Dog Creek Trail, at the far end of the trail system. The signage includes new trail maps at the entrances to the main trail systems, directional signs, and distance signs every five kilometres in both directions on each trail. The club also had 3,000 brochures with information about the trail network printed up. In addition to grants, the club fundraises throughout the year. In 2015 they held three poker rides, and they also raise funds by renting out the land and buildings they own at the old fair ground. “Music on the Mountain was there, and for seven weeks this year we had 80 tree planters camped up there and using some of the buildings, which they gave us a donation for.” Moll acknowledges that the site doesn’t get used as much as the club would like. “We tried to get interest from other recreation groups in the community, but there wasn’t any.” The trail system consists of loops, some of which attach to each other, giving snowmobilers a variety of runs of different lengths. Moll adds that dog mushers also use the trails in winter, while in summer they’re popular with ATV users. Membership in the club is $25 per person or $50 for a family of four. Moll says that the club could always use more vol-
unteers and people interested in being on the committee. “The average age of our committee members is 64,” he notes. Anyone interested in more information about the club can e-mail fsjamessnowmobile@ gmail.com, or check out the group’s Facebook page.
New directional signs have been put in place on local trails. Photo is submitted
The first Business Walk program in Fort St. James took the pulse of 55 local businesses in July, with volunteers talking to owners and managers about a variety of topics, including the overall health of their businesses, what concerns they have, and what can be done to help businesses in the Fort grow. Some 87% of the businesses surveyed said that business was either fair/steady or good/increasing when compared with last year. However, concerns such as the difficulty in finding and retaining staff, competition from larger centres and online shopping, and the higher cost of doing business in Fort St. James were common themes. Economic Development Officer Emily Colombo said that only two businesses declined to take part, and that those that did were very receptive to the program. “A team of fourteen volunteers went around town and conducted in-person surveys. The Business Walk program works best when done face-to-face, so that we let businesses know we’re interested. The best responses, conversations, and data come when we can have a conversation with business owners where they are.” Among the program’s findings were that 12 of the business owners surveyed intend to retire or sell their business within the next five years, but only five have a succession plan in place; that businesses not in the downtown core want to feel more included; that many businesses already in the downtown area have outgrown their current space; and that job training workshops would be appreciated in helping to remedy labour issues. The survey also revealed that the 55 businesses that took part employ 588 people between them: 333 full-time, 143 part-time, and 112 seasonal. “We received feedback about current programs, and what business owners would like to see,” says Colombo. “It’s important to hear what we can improve on, as well as what we’re doing right.” She acknowledges that the follow-up to the survey will be very important. “People often feel that research happens, but the outcomes don’t go anywhere.” The follow-up has already started, with businesses being encouraged to look into the Northern Development Initiative Trust Business Façade Improvement program. NDIT allocates $20,000 to the community that can be accessed by business owners who want to improve the façade of their building, and provides matching funds up to $5,000. Colombo says that the program was promoted to owners during the Business Walk, and there has been a huge take-up. “Last year only $500 was requested under the program; in 2015 we’ve had requests totalling $16,300.” Requests are assessed on a first come, first served basis, and the deadline has been extended until Sept. 16. This week will see copies of the final report of the Business Walk being taken door-to-door to local businesses, and beginning in October the District, in partnership with the Fort St. James Chamber of See “Business’ on p. 9