BEST OF
FREE!
2015 Edition
REVELSTOKE
MOUNT BEGBIE WAS VOTED REVELSTOKE’S BEST VIEW. THE VIEW FROM THE TOP OF REVELSTOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT WAS NUMBER TWO. HERE THEY ARE, TOGETHER. ~ PHOTO BY ALEX COOPER
Thank you Revelstoke for voting us #1 Sporting Goods Store in town!! Don’t forget to sign up for your FREE locals discount card and get 10% off full price product. New winter stock arriving daily from Volcom, Burton & The North Face!
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2 ■ REVELSTOKE REVIEW ■ Wednesday, September 30, 2015
BEST OF REVELSTOKE
Welcome to the Best of Revelstoke ON REVELSTOKE
Best Pizza 1. Village Idiot 2. Zala’s 3. Nico’ Pizzeria 4. Emo’s 5. Isabella’s The Village Idiot ran away with the vote for the second year in a row, with almost twice as many votes as Zala’s. Is it the cheese? The toppings? The sauce? The crust? The specialty pizzas? All of the above? The only change is Zala’s moving up a spot, edging ahead of Nico’s Pizzeria.
Best Burger
Alex Cooper Well, it appears we may have hit on something with the Best of Revelstoke reader’s survey. This year, 1,108 of you filled out the survey — a huge increase over the 293 responses we got last year. The response was overwhelming. It’s so big, that I’m tempted to call the survey scientific, except not everyone answered every question (there were 50 of them) and many, if not all, categories are, at their heart, a popularity contest. We call it Best of Revelstoke, but it could be Revelstoke’s Favourites. ‘Best of’ just has a bette ring to it. I’d like to apologize to the people and businesses that were left off the multiple choice lists. We tried our best to include everyone, but there were some oversights, like not including Bette’s under Best Clothing Store, or Zala’s under Best Fine Dining. It wasn’t deliberate — I just forgot, and the response was so rapid, that by the time I realized the omissions, it was too late to add them. Of course, that’s why I included an ‘Other’ option. There are a few things we can say for certain. The Village Idiot has the best pizza. Second, the Big Eddy Pub has the best wings. Both have won those categories easily two years running. There are other two time winners, but those are the most convincing. Lots of other categories were much closer. For some, especially those involving people, there were dozens of names entered, which is a testament to the many great people in this community. Thank you for everyone who took part. The winners get bragging rights and a certificate they can put on their wall. The runners-up can start concocting plans to win next year.
3
Food & Beverage
1. Nomad 2. Big Eddy Pub 3. Village Idiot 4. River City Pub 5. Rockford The top three are unchanged from last year, with the Nomad winning over the Big Eddy Pub by only 29 votes and the Village Idiot coming in third.
Best Fries
1. Nomad 2. Emo’s 3. Big Eddy Pub 4. Village Idiot 5. McDonald’s This was one of the closest votes of any multiple choice category. The Nomad’s win isn’t a surprise, but I wasn’t expecting Emo’s to finish second. I need to go treat myself soon since I haven’t had their fries in a while.
Best Ethnic Food 1. Kawakubo 2. Paramjit’s Kitchen 3. Taco Club 4. Frisby Ridge 5. Hong Kong Restaurant Last year Paramjit’s won. This year Kawakubo takes top spot. They’re both worthy of the honour. We weren’t sure if the Taco Club counted as ethnic food, but they received one more vote than Frisby Ridge to capture third spot. There’s a Vietnamese restaurant opening soon, so maybe that will shake things up here.
Best Wings 1. Big Eddy Pub 2. Rockford 3. Grizzly 4. River City Pub 5. Zala’s We changed this category from Best Wing Night to Best Wings. The results were almost the same, except the Grizzly finished ahead of the River City Pub this time.
Best Fine Dining 1. 112 Restaurant 2. Woolsey Creek 3. Rockford 4. Hillcrest 5. Zala’s It took me five years in Revelstoke to finally enjoy a meal at the 112 Lounge. I didn’t go there because I was vegetarian, but I started eating meat again, and, let me just say I know why it was rated number one. We missed including Zala’s on the multiple choice list, but it received many write-in votes to finish fifth.
Best Delivery-takeout
Best Breakfast 1. Main Street Café 2. La Baguette 3. Modern Café 4. Carries Home Café 5. Hillcrest The Main Street is Revelstoke’s breakfast staple. The ownership changed hands, but it’s still number one in Revelstoke’s books. We omitted the breakfast buffet at RMR, which is a major oversight. Next year.
1. Emo’s 2. Zala’s 3. Nomad 4. Village Idiot 5. Taco Club Emo’s moves up from fifth to first to take the title this year. If the results tell us anything, people love getting pizza delivered to their door.
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REVELSTOKE REVIEW ■ Wednesday, September 30, 2015 ■ 3
BEST OF REVELSTOKE
Best Breakfast: Main Street Cafe ALEX COOPER
alex.cooper@revelstokereview.com There’s a new top breakfast chef in town and his name is Mathieu Rebelo — the new owner of the Main Street Cafe. Rebelo, 30, who hails from Sherbrooke, Quebec, bought the restaurant from Shelley Klassen in June, and after a month of renovations, re-opened the local mainstay with a new look and new menu in July. “I always wanted to own my own restaurant,” he told me. He had his eyes on the Main Street, which was for sale for several years, but it wasn’t until the price came down that he jumped at the opportunity. Rebelo’s first job was renovations. He brightened the interior, knocked down a wall, removed the carpet, painted, and added some brick finishing. Then he changed the menu. “It’s a pretty good overhaul of the
menu. I didn’t keep much. I made it smaller,” he said. “My thing is to keep it always fresh. That’s why I had to bring the menu smaller, to keep everything fresh.” Before buying the Main Street, Rebelo was the sous-chef at the 112 Restaurant. He also spent time at the Village Idiot and worked all over the world as a chef on luxury yachts. He’s lived in Revelstoke for four years and his wife is pregnant with their child. After getting through his first summer season, Rebelo will be spending the shoulder season planning for the future, which could include opening up for dinner. What makes a good breakfast in his mind? Freshness is key, as is variety. “I think the menu offers a good range of the sweet, the savoury, healthy, traditional and more modern,” he said. “I think it’s got something for everyone.”
Best Pub/Bar
Mathieu Rebelo is the new owner of the Main Street Cafe. ~ Photo by Alex Cooper, Revelstoke Review
5. Mountain Meals The Taco Club didn’t even offer lunch last winter when they opened their pop-up bar downtown. They stayed in the truck this summer to usurp The Nomad as the best lunch spot. Rumour has it they’re going back inside soon.
1. Big Eddy Pub 2. River City Pub 3. Last Drop 4. 112 Lounge 5. The Cabin The Big Eddy Pub takes the win for the second year in a row. It must be the mix of casual atmosphere, friendly servers, good food, and colourful regulars that put it on top.
Best Mt. Begbie Beer 1. High Country Kolsch 2. Atilla the Honey 3. Tall Timber 4. Nasty Habit 5. Cream Ale Kolsch is Revelstoke’s favourite Begbie Beer for the second year in a row, which kind of surpises me since I don’t know anyone that orders it. Still, it is the lightest beer on Mt. Beg-
Best Lunch 1. Taco Club 2. La Baguette 3. Modern Cafe 4. Nomad
bie Brewery’s menu, and light beers tend to be popular.
Best Server 1. Eric Stone – Village Idiot 2. Jamie Hobgood – Last Drop 3. Jay Shoji – River City Pub 4. Jaana Jones – Village Idiot 5. Jason Horkley – Last Drop There’s a bit of a rivalry here between Eric Stone, who mans the bar at the Village Idiot, and Jamie Hobgood, who pours drinks at the Last Drop. When I told Jamie he finished second again, he cursed his luck. Jay Shoji at the River City Pub was number three, and Jaana Jones at the Village Idiot got more votes than any other server for the second year in a row.
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4 n Revelstoke Review n Wednesday, September 30, 2015
BEST OF REVELSTOKE
Retail & Service Best Customer Service
MELISSA JAMESON
1. Universal Footwear 2. Pharmasave 3. Home Hardware 4. Bette’s Underthings & Clothings 5. Tie: Skookum Cycle & Ski and Flowt Bikes Universal Footwear once again received plaudits for its customer service, with Pharmasave finishing second again. Special recognition goes to Tammy Sutherland, who almost single-handedly brought Home Hardware into third place, with many people singling her out for great service.
Best Sporting Goods Store 1. Free Spirit Sports 2. Skookum Cycle & Ski
Thank You
To all of our Magnificent Customers and Incredible Staff, Thank You for 10 Amazing years! It has been a great ride and we look forward to more Fun Times! Stay tuned for a Foodie Celebration some time this fall!
(250) 837-6886
Best hair stylist: Michelle Flynn
Kevan, Josee and The Mod Squad.
Special to the Review
Hairdresser Michelle Flynn was so excited when she found out she had been voted best hairdresser, she almost started crying. “I was pretty stoked,” said Flynn, who has been a hairdresser in Revelstoke for the past 10 years. She has been with Salon Safari for 4.5 years. For Flynn, who trained at MC College in Kelowna, being a hairdresser was something she had wanted to do since childhood. “I used to cut my little Barbie’s hair,” she said. These days Flynn spends her time cutting and colouring hair full time. “I do a lot of colouring, a lot of foils,” said Flynn, whose specialty is razor cuts – allowing her to give clients some of the funky trendy looks that are currently in vogue. “I also do a lot of blondings,” she added. Often, those blondings, which is basically what it sounds like – dyeing someone’s hair blonde – are then layered with light pastel colours, such as blues and purples, underneath. “It’s literally doing a piece of art, and you’re Michelle Flynn is a stylist at Salon Safari. ~ Photo by Melissa Jameson working on a blank canvass,” she said. 3. Valhalla Pure Outfitters 4. Flowt Bikes 5. Society Snow & Skate Free Spirit Sports is the old man on the block when it comes to Revelstoke sporting good stores and its first place finish is a testament to Elmer Rorstad’s ability to continue to satisfy the needs of Revelstokians. See our story on the next page.
Best Clothing Store 1. Style Trend 2. The Thrift Store 3. Valhalla Pure Outfitters 4. Universal Footwear 5. Society Snow & Skate Was there any doubt Style Trend would win? They’ve been outfitting Revelstokians for de-
cades, going back to when our current mayor set the trends. Now, Diane and Steve Bull have raised the bar. Also not surprising is the Thrift Store finishing second. It’s probably the busiest business in town outside of Cooper’s.
Best Mechanic 1. Grizzly Auto 2. Revelstoke Garage 3. Excel Tire 4. East End Auto 5. Trukar’s In the world of mechanics, reputation matters. The top three are the same as last year, so we assume that’s because they know what they’re doing and people trust them.
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Revelstoke Review n Wednesday, September 30, 2015 n 5
BEST OF REVELSTOKE
Best Sporting Goods Store: Free Spirit Sports MELISSA JAMESON
Special to the Revelstoke Review Managing to keep a business going for 23 years is no easy task, and Free Spirit Sports owner Elmer Rorstad says that adapting along with changing demographics is what has allowed his business to stay open for so long. Most recently, Rorstad said there has been a change from an interest in traditional sports equipment. As a result, Free Spirit Sports has had to change what it has to offer its customers. Rorstad said the store has started to focus more on outdoors activities like stand-up paddle boarding in the summer and snowboarding in the winter. “The traditional sports have taken a decline because of the shifting demographics,” he said. “A lot of kids now like non-team sports. In the heydays, soccer and baseball were big. Now there's less people.” The decline makes it difficult for Rorstad to continue offering sports equipment in those categories, however he said he still does so that people aren't forced to shop out of town. While keeping up with a shifting demographic may be a challenge, Rorstad is quick to point out that this is where being a smaller store has its benefits. “A smaller independent store has an advantage over a big box store because we can meet customer demand quicker,” he said. Another big change has been the customer desire to have more user details about equipment. “That requires you to try the equipment yourself,” said Rorstad. In the winter, Free Spirit Sports has a team of riders (one female and six males) who snowboard, ski, and snowmobile. They are able to test equipment from different companies and provide feedback on that equipment. The other change Rorstad has noticed over the years is the increasing use of social media. “That has been a big change for us,” he said.
Left: Free Spirits Sports, voted Revelstoke’s Best Sporting Goods Store, has adapted by changing its stock and look over time.; Right: Elmer Rorstad is the owner of Free Spirit Sports. ~ Photos by Alex Cooper, Revelstoke Review
thank you revelstoke
The Revelstoke Review would like to thank the 1,108 people who took the time to complete our Best of Revelstoke Survey. We were amazed and overwhelmed at the number of responses and the level of support shown towards the businesses and individuals that make Revelstoke such an amazing place to live and work. We hope you enjoy reading the results!
REVELSTOKE
REVIEW
CONGRATULATIONS
Where to next?
They’ve been to P.E.I., NYC, LAX and YYZ. They’re right at home in Hobart town and hike the equator round and round. That tough leather? Well, we oil it. Step right up to a Third World “toilet!” Good in mud, good in snow. No darn laces! (They make you slow.) Where to next? Why ask? Just go!
to Carol Hascarl and Erin Russell.
The name of everyone who completed a survey was entered into a draw to win tickets for the Axis Mundi Festival weekend. Carol and Erin were the lucky winners, we hope they enjoyed it as much as we did!
The Chisel Toe available in Crazy Horse Brown, Black, Stout Brown, or Rustic Brown $189.95
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6 ■ REVELSTOKE REVIEW ■ Wednesday, September 30, 2015
BEST OF REVELSTOKE
Best tourist attraction: SkyTrek Adventure Park MELISSA JAMESON Special to the Review
Rob Stokes (left) and Alex Cooper of the Revelstoke Review take a turn on the sky swing at SkyTrek Adventure Park. ~ Revelstoke Review file photo
Sky Trek Adventure Park was voted Revelstoke’s number one tourist attraction. Open for eight seasons, its biggest draw is the aerial trekking course. “Most of our clientele is families,” said Veronika Stevenson, the director of operations for SkyTrek and the Enchanted Forest. She noted that often children will start out on the Kids Tree Adventure, and then over time grow enough to be able to join their parents on the aerial trekking course. Other visitors to Sky Trek include people looking for a challenging way to stay fit, and people who are trying to overcome their fear of heights. “It’s wonderful how many people come here with a fear of heights and want to try and conquer that,” said Stevenson. She said for these individuals, they are encouraged to try the training course first (much lower to the ground), and that if they feel uncomfortable
We’ve Moved!
moving on that they will be given a refund. As for visitors without a fear of heights, Stevenson said they are constantly updating the courses, adding new and different challenges. They have also put in more early exit options in case people are too tired to finish an entire course. She was excited to find out that SkyTrek had been voted the Best Tourist Attraction. “It’s wonderful news,” said Stevenson, who noted that all locals (in Revelstoke and Malakwa) get 20 per cent off their Sky Trek Adventure for the rest of the season. “It’s our way of saying ‘thank you’,” said Stevenson. While August is the busiest month for tourists to visit SkyTrek Adventure Park, Stevenson said September is a great month for those who live a little closer to check out the ropes course, adventure tour, and kids ropes course. “There’s no lineups so you can go at your own pace. In September it’s still beautiful and it’s such a different experience,” said Stevenson.
Best Tradesperson 1. Dan Northway – Revelstoke Electrical 2. Carrie Can 3. Burridges Electrical 4. Battersby Plumbing 5. Cochrane Construction I was pretty surprised to see the results here, with Revelstoke Electric number one and Carrie Can number two. Burridge’s is the only contractor to repeat its spot in the top three.
Best Hairdresser 1. Michelle Flynn – Salon Safari 2. Alyssa Sanderson – Birch & Lace 3. Crystal Donato – 1st Impressions 4. Sara Jeffery – Birch & Lace 5. Lisa Belsham – Sessa Studio See our story on page four for more on Michelle Flynn, who bumped Alyssa Sanderson at Birch & Lace from top spot.
Best Exercise Class
Come see us at our new location at 301B Victoria Road next to Pharmasave and the Chamber of Commerce. HUB International Barton Insurance Brokers 301B Victoria Road, Revelstoke. 250-837-5211
1. Tanya Wolgram – spin/TRX - Revelution 2. Stephanie China – spin/TRX - Revelution 3. Beth Purser – yoga 4. Beau Miller – yoga 5. Margot Wyllie – yoga This was a difficult category to compile, since the title was Best Exercise Class, but most people just voted for their favourite instructor, without specifying the class. We decided to go by instructor and Tanya Wolgram and Stephanie China, who both teach spin and TRX classes at Revelution, won.
Best Massage or physiotherapist 1. Amy Eburne – Helios Rehabilitation & Performance 2. Karen Schneider – Bodylogic
REVELSTOKE REVIEW ■ Wednesday, September 30, 2015 ■ 7
BEST OF REVELSTOKE
Best photographer: Jesse Holdener
Powder Springs Inn Grizzly Plaza, by Jesse Holdener
ALEX COOPER
alex.cooper@revelstokereview.com esse Holdener was ecstatic when we told her the news she was voted Revelstoke’s Best Photographer. We asked her four questions about her work. Here’s what she said:
J
How did you get into photography? y aunt Leanne gave me an old retro film camera when I was a little girl. I’d spend countless hours on it throughout the summers. I really got started senior year at Revelstoke Secondary School. Through all the struggles life brought, photography showed me there was always an escape. I wasn’t great academically, but through portraits I could truly shine. It has changed my life and gifted me so many important life lessons.
M
What do you look for when taking pictures? s a photographer you’re always constantly fighting with good lighting, great locations and natural poses. As a self-taught photographer, I personally prefer natural photos, when a bride is looking up at her new husband, hugging a long time friend, or crying holding your newborn. Raw, simple and in the moment.
A
What are your favourite things to take pictures of? hether it be families, friends or couples, being able to make people so happy they cry, I can’t think of many professions/hobbies that can evoke such emotion. The ability to move people with an image that tells a story of a singular moment in history in their lives with people they love. It’s such an enriching feeling, handing clients their photos and watching a contagious smile spread across their face. That is what I enjoy the very most.
W
What would be your dream photo shoot? y dream would be getting a group of incredible women together — young, curvy, elderly, slender, different ethnicities, and everyone in between. It’s a shame in this day and age we don’t always get to feel as beautiful as we truly are. In a poll, 85 per cent of women said at some point in their lives they were self conscious with how they looked. We are all so beautiful in different ways. I’d love to showcase women in Revelstoke as they are. The incredible people in our community, I don’t know about you, but that is one calendar I’d have up year round.
M
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8 ■ REVELSTOKE REVIEW ■ Wednesday, September 30, 2015
BEST OF REVELSTOKE
Best artist: Keishia Treber MELISSA JAMESON
Special to the Revelstoke Review
Keishia Treber calls Kamloops home these days, but she still has strong ties to Revelstoke. ~ Photo contributed
Salon Safari
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As an artist, Keisha Treber finds inspiration in switching between two mediums – painting and jewelry making. “I started with painting and that was awesome,” but I needed something else to keep me productive,” said Treber. Jewelry making also allows Treber to complete a piece in a small amount of time, something she says works well with her short attention span. “I bounce back between the two. I tend to jump around a lot.” Treber attended art school at Thompson Rivers University, but said she didn’t know right away that painting was what she wanted to focus on. “Oh, no,” she said, when asked if she went to art school intending to focus on painting. It was a painting class Treber took during her second year of school that saw her fall in love with the medium. “I loved it. I had a very inspiring teacher,” said Treber. Currently, the now Kamloops based artist, is busy working on preparing her art stock for the upcoming holiday season. “It’s my busiest and most favourite time of year, I love the festive craziness. Pretty much every weekend in November is booked,” she said. Currently, Treber is focused on new paintings and says she is in the “creation process, focusing mostly on the simplicity of nature, trees, and sunsets.” She was also pleasantly surprised to find out she had been voted Revelstoke’s best artist. “There are so many great artists in Revelstoke,” she said. Treber’s work can be viewed on her website, www.ktreber.com 3. Corbett McCabe – Thunderbird Massage 4. Tina Giotsalis – Ascend Massage Therapy 5. Lindsey Corrigan - Helios Rehabilitation & Performance
Best Farmers Market Vendor 1. BA Sausage 2. Wild Flight Farms 3. Terra Firma 4. Parmajit’s Kitchen 5. Kelly’s Baked in BC Remember the kerfuffle when Kurt’s Sausage was booted out of the Farm & Craft Market? It appears people have moved on, because Barry Asmundson’s sausage business has moved up to first from third place last year . Wildflight and Terra Firma keep their spots in the top three.
Best Accommodations 1. Sutton Place 2. Coast Hillcrest 3. Best Western 4. Swiss Chalet 5. Regent Inn Out of curiosity, I checked Trip Advisor to see how our hotels were ranked there. Turns out the top four are the same on both lists — just the order changes, with the Best Western ranked highest online. Online, the Cube beat out the Regent for fifth spot.
Best Tourist Attraction 1. Enchanted Forest 2. Revelstoke Dam 3. Three Valley Gap 4. Revelstoke Museum & Archives See our story on page six for more on Sky Trek Adventure Park.
REVELSTOKE REVIEW ■ Wednesday, September 30, 2015 ■ 9
BEST OF REVELSTOKE
Best Female Athlete: Casey Brown
It was a bit of a comeback year for Casey Brown on the World Cup Downhill Circuit. After crashing in qualifying of the season’s opening race in Lourdes, France, she rebounded with four top-10 finishes on the World Cup circuit and a seventh place run at the World Championships in Andorra. Between all that, she finished second in the Queen of Crankworx standings and continued to cement her reputation as the most stylish female mountain biker on the circuit. She accomplished all that while racing on the Bergamont Hayes team, which has the reputation as being the most fun and also most unprofessional team in the circuit (those were her words, not mine). “It’s really cool to be able to be on the team,” she said. Brown plans to keep on racing next year, but she will also do more video projects. She’s one of the few women in the sport getting into movies. “I think I’m doing really well considering there aren’t very many women doing that kind of stuff,” she said. She thanked Trans-Canada Fitness, Red Cedar Physio and Balu Yoga for helping her stay in shape over the winter. ~Photo from the Bergamont/Hayes team
Best Social-Sector Non-Profit
1. Community Connections 2. Revelstoke Fire Rescue Society 3. Hospital Auxiliary 4. North Columbia Environmental Society 5. Rotary Club Congratulations to Community Connections for winning this category for the second year in a row. They’ve recently restructured their upper management so it will be interesting to see how they progress over the years to come.
Best Sports Non-Profit 1. Revelstoke Cycling Association 2. Revy Riders 3. Revelstoke Aquaducks 4. Revelstoke Minor Hockey 5. Revelstoke Ski Club Build trails, and Revelstoke will love you. That’s my takeaway from the results here that show the community’s two main trail building groups take the top two spots.
People Best Politician
1. Mark Mckee 2. Scott Duke 3. Gary Sulz 4. Trevor English 5. Aaron Orlando I guess Mark didn’t just win last year’s election by default — people think he’s good at the job. Or at least he’s better than all the rest. Surprisingly, only five people wrote in to say ‘None’, which is a far cry from its second place last year.
Best Singer-Band-Musician 1. Joanne Stacey 2. Maritime Kitchen Party 3. Partial to Pie 4. Denis Severino 5. Funky Snow Monkeys It’s been a great year for Joanne Stacey,
with a new album and airplay across Canada, the U.S. and Europe.
Best Artist 1. Keishia Treber 2. Rob Buchanan 3. Alison Raven 4. Tie: Cherie Van Overbeke, Nikki Treber, and Tina Linegaard. Last year we had a four-way tie for number one. This year, Keishia Treber is separated from the back, and her sister also made the list. For more on Keishia, see the opposite page.
Best Male Athlete 1. Aaron Volpatti 2. Stu Dickson 3. Greg Hill 4. Dominic Unterberger 5. Kellen Viznaugh Aaron Volpatti’s future is in question
after an injury plagued season last year that included neck-fusion surgery. He only played seven games last year, split between the Washington Capitals and their minor league team and is currently without a contract. Meanwhile, three local youth made the list.
Best Female Athlete 1. Casey Brown 2. Emily Suchy 3. Izzy Lynch 4. Emily Unterberger 5. Melanie Bernier World Cup downhill mountain biker Casey Brown jumps to the first spot. Or maybe she whipped her way there. See above for more on Casey. Emily Suchy has dominated the para-Nordic sit-ski competition in Canada for the last few years, but she’s not allowed to compete internationally so it will be interesting to see where she goes athletically from here.
10 n Revelstoke Review n Wednesday, September 30, 2015
BEST OF REVELSTOKE Best Photographer
Most dedicated Volunteer
1. Jesse Holdener 2. Sarah Mickel 3. Keri Knapp 4. Bruno Long 5. William Eaton In a town with an abundance of action-adventure photographers, the top three are all wedding and portrait photographers. See page seven for more on the winner, Jesse Holderner.
1. Patti Larson 2. Cam Molder 3. Ginger Shoji 4. Dennis Beraducci 5. Linda Chell Once again, Patti Larson won this category. While we know she volunteers, once again we suspect people are voting for her for her work at the food bank, which she gets paid for. As a result, we’re declaring Cam Molder the winner.
Best Coach 1. Matt Smider – Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club 2. Jef Kline – Revelstoke Acrobats 3. Andy Pfeiffer – RSS track 4. Tie: Steve Bull – Revelstoke Minor Hockey; Matt Keiler – Revelstoke Ski Club Almost 50 people got votes in this category, showing that the youth of Revelstoke are well served in their athletic endeavours.
Most Respected Male 1. Steven Hui 2. Gary Sulz and Geoff Battersby 3. Alan Chell 4. Scott Duke The top four are no surprise — all have been pillars of the community for decades in different roles. Scott Duke’s ranking is a bit surpising.
Most Respected Female
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1. Cathy English 2. Linda Chell 3. Linda Nixon 4. Connie Brothers 5. Patti Larson The top five includes a historian, educator, nurse, lawyer and social worker. That’s a pretty diverse bunch.
Outdoors Best Swimming Hole 1. Williamson Lake 2. Martha Creek 3. Blanket Creek 4. Echo Lake 5. Secret Beach, Mexico Beach and the docks Williamson Lake – where families go to play on a hot summer day. It’s an easy bike ride from town and the water is warm by Revelstoke standards.
Best Run at RMR
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1. Snow Rodeo 2. Separate Reality 3. Hot Sauce 4. Kill the Banker 5. Vertigo Once again, Snow Rodeo is number one, proving my theory that deep down, Revelstoke really loves long cruisers, despite our professed love for extreme powder skiing.
Best Snowmobiling Spot
3. Sale The top two are the same as last year. I keep hoping the sledders will out their secret spots in this poll, but alas they won’t.
Best Camping Spot 1. Any random pullout along Lake Revelstoke 2. Wadey Creek 3. Martha Creek 4. Blanket Creek 5. Carnes Why pay to camp when you can find a free spot on the lakeshore? The only issue is getting to your favourite spot first.
Best View 1. Mount Begbie 2. From the top of RMR 3. Frisby Ridge 4. Summit of Mount Revelstoke 5. The Flats
Best Forest Trail 1. Mount Revelstoke 5K 2. Begbie Falls 3. Flow Down 4. Inspiration Woods 5. Mount Cartier There’s big changes afoot for Revelstoke’s favourite low-elevation trail. See our story on page 12.
Best Alpine Trail 1. Eva/Miller/Jade Lake 2. Mount Begbie 3. Keystone/Standard Basin 4. Frisby Ridge 5. Mount McCrae The alpine trails at Mount Revelstoke are easy to get to, relatively flat, stretch through beautiful wildflower meadows, provides stunning views and end at one of three picturesque lakes. What’s not to love?
Best Motorized Trail 1. Sproat Mountain 2. Frisby 3. Rowlands Revenge 4. Moto Track 5. Boulder The Revelstoke ATV Club put a bunch of work into the Sproat Mountain trail to make it even easier to get up. It’s a beautiful ride through alpine meadows to a historic and well maintained fire lookout.
1. Boulder 2. Frisby
for more news and info about revelstoke visit www.revelstokereview.com
REVELSTOKE REVIEW ■ Wednesday, September 30, 2015 ■ 11
Miscellaneous Best Place to go on a First Date 1. Roxy Theatre 2. 112 Restaurant 3. The Cabin 4. Kawakubo 5. Revelstoke Mountain Resort Looks like the classic “dinner and a movie” is popular in Revelstoke. How about dinner at the 112 followed by a flick at the Roxy, then a little bowling session?
Best Place to Hangout with Friends 1. Village Idiot 2. Home/Backyard
BEST OF REVELSTOKE 3. River City Pub 4. Big Eddy Pub 5. The Cabin
5. Big Eddy
Best Festival 1. Music in the Plaza 2. Glacier Challenge 3. Car Show 4. Bike Fest 5. Timber Day
Best Place for a Family Outing 1. Williamson Lake 2. Revelstoke Mountain Resort 3. Blanket Creek 4. Enchanted Forest 5. Tie: Martha Creek and Mount Revelstoke
Best Spot to Take Out of Town Guests 1. Mount Revelstoke 2. Revelstoke Mountain Resort 3. Begbie Falls 4. Revelstoke Dam 5. Village Idiot
Best Neighborhood 1. Downtown 2. Arrow Heights 3. Columbia Park 4. Southside
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Inside:
- Mountain Stash Adventures seeks to revolutionize snowmobile guiding - The ultimate Revelstoke pub crawl - The Rise of the Splitboard - Trapper Snowboards keeps it local - The rapid rise of La Baguette - Winter 2012 Revelstoke event guide
Clockwise from opposite top: Fir beams adorn the dining room; A commanding view of the Kinbasket reservoir from up above the Mica Dam; The raw log interior is complemented with locally-quarried rocks and custom metal lamps & fixtures; the bar features shuffleboard overlooking a commanding lake view; the Mica lodge pictured at night. Photos by Keri Knapp for Mica Heliskiing
T
he newly-completed Mica Heliskiing lodge perches on a ridge above the Mica Dam, overlooking the Kinbasket reservoir – a jewel in a crowning achievement done mostly by Revelstokians. The old lodge was bulldozed on April 5, and just eight months later on Dec. 5, Vic Van Isle delivered a new, 12-bedroom, and nearly 14,000 square-foot luxury lodge. Mica Heliskiing marketing manager Darryn Shewchuk had high praise for the contractor and small army of subcontractors who built and polished the lodge. “It’s just absolutely amazing that they could pull off such a high-end luxury building in eight months. There are luxury homes half that size that have taken two years to build.” he said. “It’s unbelievable. It’s truly an eighth-wonder of the world.” The building is certainly not a ski shack. It boasts a massive living area, a media room, a full kitchen, bar and many high tech amenities. There are hot tubs, private views of the reservoir from every room, a full gym, a gourmet kitchen and massage studios. “The building is ridiculously overbuilt. The walls are all six-inch thick with double matting and double drywall for sound-proofing,” Shewchuk said. “The floors are saw-cut, 12-inch wide timber and all the stone … is all from Mt. Robson.” Giant fir beams, wooden planked flooring, natural cedar finishings, log walls, custom concrete counters, immaculate rock work, sheer glass and engineered lighting design synthesize rustic the cabin feel with modern sheik. Local artist Tina Lindegaard was handed a $50,000 budget to scout and commission works from local and Kootenay artists, which are featured throughout. It’s the work of CEI Architecture, who add the lodge to an impressive array of public and private buildings in B.C. including the Chuck Bailey Rec-
TRUKARS
TREAD PRO
reation Centre in Surrey, the Northwest Community College in Smithers and Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence at Okanagan College. The B.C. company has received many accolades for green and sustainable construction. “They really got what we were looking to accomplish in keeping the cozy feel of the existing lodge, but really making something that’s modern, state-of-the-art and combining those two elements,” Shewchuk said. “They pulled it off amazingly.” Behind the natural wood and glass, there’s a high-tech substructure. The media room offers bigscreen TVs next to the fireplace. Many rooms wirelessly sync the built-in sound system with your smartphone. The ski room features lockers with built-in drying fans. The room has an overall negative pressure so, “You don’t get that wet boot smell going thorough the whole lodge,” Shewchuk joked. The finishings match the modern/rustic mix. The wire-brushed solid fir doors cost in the thousands. Restored metal lamps accentuated the rooms. The luxe linens and light-cancelling drapes welcome you to a dark sleep, and open to a panoramic view in the morning. Shewchuk wouldn’t disclose the price tag. Mica Heliskiing is a partnership between minority owners Dan and Susan McDonald and newer majority owner Patrick Callaghan. The McDonald’s are heliskiing veterans who operated Island Lake Lodge near Fernie before moving to Revelstoke and starting Mica. Callaghan is a California-based computer industry veteran and hardcore ski enthusiast who backed the project. “It’s one specific owner who put the money out of his pocket to build something he wanted to build,” explained Shewchuk. “That being said, he wouldn’t have done it if the company wasn’t profitable. We’re sold out nine or ten months in advance.”
see page 8
Downtown Revelstoke’s Finest ONE TWELVE
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The Winter edition of View will be publishing in mid November. Contact MAVIS at 250-837-4667 or email: mavis.cann@revelstokereview.com if you would like to advertise in this edition.
SOMETHING FOR EVERY WOMAN, YOUNG & OLD! New Fall Stock Arriving Daily ◆ Joseph Ribkoff ◆ Point Zero ◆ Tribal ◆ Jag Steven Hui and Cathy English were voted the most respected Revelstokians. Hui, the owner of Pharmasave, is a pillar of the community who is always willing to lend a helping hand. English, the curator of the Revelstoke Museum & Archives, is the town’s historian and storyteller. Her work inspires pride in the people that live here. ~ Photo by Alex Cooper, Revelstoke Review
In the Alpine Mall • 250-837-226
OPEN Mon - Sat 9.30 - 6.00 Sunday 12.00 - 4.00
12 ■ REVELSTOKE REVIEW ■ Wednesday, September 30, 2015
BEST OF REVELSTOKE
Best Forest Trail: 5K Loop
Its official name is the Soren Sorensen Trail, but whatever you call it, the five-kilometre loop in Mount Revelstoke National Park is the number one low-elevation trail around Revelstoke. The area around the trail is undergoing a transformation these days. A new viewing platform is being installed at the top of the Nels Nelsen ski jump, and a kids bike skills park is being built next to the parking lot. The trail itself is being modified — the two-kilometre loop has been smoothed, and work is also planned to grade and add drainage the longer loop. ~ Photo by Alex Cooper, Revelstoke Review
The number one thing you’d like to see in Revy WE RECEIVED A LOT OF DIFFERENT ANSWERS HERE, BUT THE MOST COMMON WERE A BETTER HIGHWAY INTERSECTION, CHEAPER GROCERIES AND A BIKE PARK AT REVELSTOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT. HERE’S THE LIST: Four-lane highway from Alberta to Kamloops * A better intersection at Victoria Road and the Trans-Canada Highway * Affordable groceries * Bike/ walk trail around town * Bylaw preventing big box stores * Climbing gym * Different women’s clothing store * Good Chinese food restaurant * Great live music venue with really, really good acoustics * Library and learning centre at the old Mountain View school * More lively day and night vide downtown all year long * New shopping centre on the Trans-Canada * New skatepark * Splash park * Surfable wave * Teen-friendly coffee shop/hangout * Year-round hockey rink * Youth centre * Adventure park at Greely * Affordable clothing for families * Affordable housing * Airport expansion * Another car dealership * Better pubs, better food * Better shops * Big box stores * Big mountain bike jumps * Bike lanes * Bike park * Bike pump track * Canadian Tire * Cheap groceries * Cheaper gas * City Hall being easier to deal with * Conference centre * Cross-country ski loop at RMR * Dairy Queen – just for the cookie dough Blizzards * Cubs and Scouts * Lower
property taxes * Donair/Kebab/Shawarma place * Economic development * Everyone get along * Focus on eco-tourism * Logging moratorium on all areas visible from the ski hill * Friendly approach to business and development * Forever 21 * Friendly people * German restaurant * Glacier Challenge restored to what it was 10 years, with better music and more vendors * Higher wages * Horseback riding * Late night snack establishments * Magical money so the city can fix everything that breaks down * More alpine bike trails * More taxis * More concerts * More development * More hotels * More ice on Mount Begbie * More people coming to town * More respect and funding for all artists * More sidewalks * More snow * More trees * New chairlift at RMR * Off-leash dog park * Outdoor skating rink * Patio on the water * Post-secondary education * Rocky Mountaineer stop * Thai restaurant * Starbucks * Vietnamese restaurant * Walmart * Less complaining