Special Features - Route 3 Fall

PEOPLE AR TS HOMES FOOD CULTURE RECREATION HISTORY FALL 2015

Life in the West Kootenay/Boundary Region

120 YEARS Trail Times still going strong

CASTLEGAR’S GEM

Millenium Park sparkles

SUFFERFEST

Brings the pain

Celebrating Kootenay talent

F R E E g S p r i n

n E d i t i o

2 0 1 5

NAY WEST KOOTE ARCHITECTU

N DS • DESIG RE • TREN

Natural and beautiful bale Urban straw in Nelson

Going sme all

HOUSE AND HOM E W E S T

K O O T E N AY

Ar ch ite ctu re

A N D

S P R I N G

Tre nd s

La nd sc ap e

HOUSE AND HOM E W E S T

K O O T E N A Y

Arc hit ec tur e

•

Tre nd s

F A L L

•

F R E E

2 0 1 4

De sig n

The tiny hous movement

Tadanac st

Old Teck gue 100 house turns and more

To book your ad contact Karen Bennet at publisher@nelsonstar.com

Page 2 ROUTE 3 Fall 2015

Look FOR THE next issue A vailable in Nov ember throughout the Kootenay/Boun dary.

F R E E

2014

contents

Publisher Karen Bennett publisher@nelsonstar.com

The LineUp by Will Johnson

EDITOR Jennifer Cowan operations@westkootenayadvertiser.com

120 years and still going strong by Sheri Regnier

Production Sandy Leonard Kately Hurley, Jaime Tarasoff creative@castlegarnews.com

Celebrating Kootenay talent, page 5

Trail Times has run continuously for 120 years, page 8

Castlegar’s river gem by Betsy Kline

Castlegar’s Millennium Park, page 12

Sufferfest brings the pain by Trisha Elliott

Nakusp, Kaslo and New Denver — a good dose of outdoor suffering, page 15

Mobile abattoir by Craig Lindsay

Mobile abattoir a boon to local ranchers, page 18

West Boundary homes by Andrew Tripp A history buff’s delight, page 21

ROUTE 3 is published by Black Press 514 Hall St, Nelson, BC V1L 1Z2 250-352-1890 Printed in Canada. Copyright 2015 by Black Press. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article, photograph, or artwork without written permission of the publisher is strictly forbidden. The publisher can assume no responsibility for unsolicited material.

Cover photo: The creative team behind

the Kootenays’ new internet show The LineUp, which will be filmed at Selkirk College’s Shambhala Hall, includes (L-R) Robin Phelan, Jenna Raider, Kamala Melzack, Shane Hainsworth, Blair Altman.

Photo by Bob Hall.

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Fall 2015 ROUTE 3

Page 3

TIDBITS – a taste of what’s happening in the West Kootenay/Boundary THE ART OF QUILTING KOOTENAY QUILTERS’ GUILD 2015 SHOW

Prestige Lakeside Resort, Nelson October 2 & 3 Quilt displays with feature quilters Janet Jones & Dorothea Housworth, raffle, boutique, vendors and more.

TECK CHILDREN’S SERIES PRESENTS FRED PENNER

Charles Bailey Theatre, Trail Saturday, October 3, 2:00 pm The legendary Fred Penner will knock your socks off with the classics you know and love. A gentle giant with kind eyes and an undeniable ability to make you feel good about yourself, this musical master brings 25 years of commitment, consistency and depth to a career that skillfully blends the many genres of performing and communication. www.trail-arts.com OPENING RECEPTION ROSSLAND MUSEUM AND DISCOVERY CENTRE SILENT ART AUCTION

Rossland Art Gallery, Rossland Thursday, October 15, 7 pm Everyone is welcome to sip wine and nibble cheese while perusing art and chat with the artists. The Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre is fundraising for Phase 1 of its renewal project, renovation of the entrance gallery. Many local artists have donated their artwork to this fundraiser.

14TH ANNUAL GRAND FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

The Adventure Hotel, Nelson Saturday, October 17 With over 25 wine representatives, there are over 600 different bottles of wine to be tasted. As always, the food is spectacular with our executive chef creating a feast that is talked about year after year. www.adventurehotel.ca

Kootenay Co-op 295 Baker St, Nelson t: 250 354 4077

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Page 4 ROUTE 3 Fall 2015

NELSON & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GALA

Prestige Lakeside Resort, Nelson Saturday, November 7 This annual fundraiser features an amazing evening of dining, silent auction and the ever popular live auction.

RCAC PERFORMANCE SERIES

Rossland Miners’ Hall October 24, November 14 and January 22 A variety of high quality professional performances featuring: Joe Welsh Band, Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra and Remi Bolduc Jazz Ensemble. www.rosslandartscouncil.com KBRH HEALTH FOUNDATION SNOWFLAKE GALA

Trail Memorial Centre Gym, Trail Saturday, November 14 A fabulous evening of dinner, music, dancing and silent auction. www.kbrhhealthfoundation.ca 24TH ANNUAL WINE TASTING

Gallery 2 Art & Heritage Centre, Grand Forks Saturday, November 28 www.gallery2grandforks.ca 9TH ANNUAL ARTISAN CHRISTMAS FAIRE

Gallery 2 Art & Heritage Centre, Grand Forks December 4 & 5 www.gallery2grandforks.ca REKINDLE THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

Downtown Rossland Saturday, December 5 Santa will join us for a parade down Columbia Ave., with lots of activities and a winter outdoor market. Ending the night with the lighting of the Christmas tree will surely delight you! www.tourismrossland.com

ENTERTAINMENT

The LineUp’s Jenna Raider is best known for her gig hosting the frenetic, high-energy show IMTV at Spiritbar for three seaPhoto by Will Johnson sons.

Celebrating Kootenay talent Grassroots organization will film new show on Kootenay culture at Shambhala Hall in Nelson STORY BY

Will Johnson

For three seasons Nelson’s Jenna Raider hosted a frenetic, high-energy show live at Spiritbar that featured appearances from the Kootenays’ most exciting artists, performers and musicians. Now she’s channeling that same energy into her latest venture: The LineUp, which will be filmed live at Shambhala Hall.

“We’re a grassroots little organization, and we’re putting all our time and energy into making not only a great television show, but also creating an opportunity for Selkirk College students to get some handson experience,” Raider told Route 3.

“We want to turn a spotlight on the incredible artists of our region.”

And she wants to find a way to tell unique Kootenay stories that capture the essence of what it means to live here.

“Anybody who wants to be on the show, we want to hear from them. People of interest, musicians, activists and artists — anyone who wants to share their gifts, or who has any sort of human interest story they want to share, we want you.”

Selkirk College’s Shane Hainsworth will direct the show, which released its first episode on September 25 featuring comedian Lucas Myers, Shambhala Music Festival founder Jimmy Bundschuh and local dance troupe The Showcats. ➤

Fall 2015 ROUTE 3

Page 5

ENTERTAINMENT The LineUp’s director Shaine Hainsworth, assistant director, Blair Altman and host Jenna Raider take a break while preparing the set for the debut episode of The LineUp, which aired Sept. 25 and will be available online at thelineup.tv.

Photo by Will Johnson

Director Shane Hainsworth will give Selkirk College students the opportunity to participate in every part of the live broadcast filmed at Shambhala Hall. They will work with cutting edge digital technology.

Photos by Will Johnson

Page 6 ROUTE 3 Fall 2015

“I do work at the college, so I’ll be able to bring in the students,” said Hainsworth. “It’s not a Selkirk production, but we’ll be pulling resources from the college. Students will be volunteering to operate the cameras and music engineers will get experience working on a real TV program, which is something we don’t normally teach.”

And the technology has gotten better since their last outing.

“We moved to a more professional location. Shambhala Music Hall is a state-of-the-art venue with professional lighting, audio and video systems. We’ve also updated to using Ustream.”

Hainsworth said that will help both the artists and the show in a number of ways. And assistant director Blair Altman said the community’s faith in them won’t be misplaced.

“Those of you who supported IMTV in the past know we can deliver an interesting and unique show each month. We have the technology to do so and a brilliant team of motivated people who know how to make things happen,” he said.

Altman figures the student volunteers will be picking up invaluable skills that they can put towards a career in the entertainment industry, as well as performing a community service. ➤

ENTERTAINMENT Altman, a media graduate from Selkirk College, encouraged anyone who’s interested to get involved.

“When I was in the media program I volunteered for absolutely everything I could, because I knew that the best experience you could get was hands-on.”

And that element of the production fits nicely with Raider’s vision for the show.

“My personal goal is to share what an amazing place it is we live in and to introduce the talent here to the biggest viewing audience possible. There are so many people doing amazing things in this area, and I want The LineUp to be the rooftop where we shout those accomplishments,” she said.

They will do that with the help of a creative team that also includes Robin Phelan and Kamala Melzack.

To finance the project, the team started an Indiegogo campaign. The money will go towards the venue and the Ustream service.

“There is no show like this in the Kootenays,” said Raider.

The episodes will air live at thelineup.tv, and then will be posted on YouTube within a few weeks. The show will also be broken down into individual segments so the artists involved can share their scenes on social media.

You can learn more about the project or how to be a member of the live studio audience at thelineup.tv.

The LineUp’s Jenna Raider runs through some lines the evening before the first broadcast at Shambhala Hall.

Photo by Will Johnson

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Fall 2015 ROUTE 3

Page 7

HISTORY

years 120 and still going strong STORY BY

Sheri Regnier The newspaper, now the Trail Times, has run continuously for 120 years.

Page 8 ROUTE 3 Fall 2015

His idea began with the dip of a pen into amethyst-coloured ink.

Trail Creek Landing was prime frontier for Kootenay Country’s first home-print paper, W.F. Thompson journaled from Washington State in 1895.

When he arrived by riverboat later that year, the writer had a pocketful of dreams and a suitcase full of typeset.

On a crisp autumn day in a makeshift shelter on Bay Avenue, Thompson put words to press and ushered in the first volume of the Trail Creek News.

The day was Saturday, Oct. 19, 1895 and supplies were limited in Trail Creek county. So the irrepressible Thompson borrowed brown wrapping paper from a neighbourhood grocer and published the town’s first weekly.

Who could have guessed that first edition of Trail Creek News is a treasure that can still be read today? And who would have thought such humble beginnings would lead to the Trail Times, the Silver City’s only surviving newspaper 120 years later?

That’s quite a feat for a small community paper. ➤

HISTORY

The Trail Creek News published its first edition Oct. 19, 1895.

The odyssey began with Thompson’s colourful style of writing in the first edition.

The source of prosperity of the Trail Creek county is, of course, its magnificent ore bodies, Thompson said of the burgeoning smelter.

“Our interests at present lie centred in and about the noble structure that is rising foot by foot on the brow of the hill overhanging the beautiful town of Trail and of its growth and magnitude we now write.”

Besides descriptive writing, Thompson was also gifted with the art of sale.

Under the headline, “This Means You! When You Patronize the News You Help Trail Grow,” he writes the order for every Trail citizen is to subscribe for the home newspaper. “The times are right for such a movement, the price is right and if the News of today is not all right, we will make it right in future issues.”

In the town Thompson deemed “good to tie fast to,” the Trail Creek News was a deal at $2 per year. He boasted the News office would be open all day long and far into the night, so future readers were expected to hand in their subscription at once, and not miss one issue. “If

you want the news, you must read the News, ” Thompson proclaimed almost 12 decades ago.

Today’s black and white news reports are dull compared to Thompson’s front page stories about the daily goings-on in a dusty town that wasn’t incorporated as a city until six years later.

The original first edition of the Trail Creek News stayed with the Trail Times until 1978, when the city archives was formed, says Jamie Forbes, president of the Trail Historical Society.

“Every town had a newspaper in its very earliest days,” he explained.

“The Trail Times is unique in that it has been continuously published since 1895. Many others came and went depending on the fortunes of the towns.”

Back in the day before 24/7 cable and of course, the Internet, the Trail paper was the prime source of both world and local news for settlers.

For Mary Zanier, the newspaper was more than headlines and daily giggles with the comics — the pages of stories and advertisements introduced the bambina to a whole new language and culture. ➤

Fall 2015 ROUTE 3

Page 9

History

The original Trail Creek News office is commemorated on a mural in downtown Trail.

She was 14 and didn’t speak, read or understand English when she arrived on her father’s West Trail doorstep in 1951. Soon after, Mary’s father introduced the teenager and her sister to the Trail Times. By reading and re-reading the newspaper, she quickly learned the language — and a thing or two about life in a new country.

“I first got the paper from my father because he was already a subscriber,” Mary recalled. “So he knew English. But when we first got the paper we couldn’t understand one word,” she laughed. “Every time there was a line (sentence) we would say, “Dad! What does this mean?”

She recalls sitting on the front stoop of the family’s Rossland Avenue home with her sister, studying the Trail Times word-by-word, trying to grasp an understanding of this strange new world.

“Everyday we waited for the paper,” she said. “If there was something we thought was really interesting, we would write down the whole sentence. Then my father would tell us what it meant and we’d write it in Italian and study it in English,” Mary added.

“That’s how we learned English. Sitting out there with a pop in our hands reading it over and over again until we understood. That was before we started going to school, so when we did go, we already had a pretty good idea of what things meant.”

Now a 64-year subscriber of the Trail Times, Mary still looks forward to a paper in her mailbox, but for different reasons these days.

“I like the news, I always find it so interesting,” she said. “But second is the letter (Letter to the Editor),” she explained. “Oh, I go crazy for those. I go directly to them to see what is going on, and what people have to say.”

Through the years, as the city survived stock market crashes, wars, epidemics, floods, fires and strikes — the Trail Times was always there to report the news of the day.

That includes the last major flood through downtown Trail in 1997.

Managing editor Guy Bertrand got a first hand look at how resilient the community newspaper was at getting the news to the public.

“I remember getting a call saying power was out downtown due to the flooding and we had to go to Nelson to put the paper together.

Page 10 ROUTE 3 Fall 2015

We drove over to the Nelson Daily News offices, put the Trail Times together and the next day had a paper out on the street with a call for volunteers to help with the flooding downtown and the community’s response.”

That was also the dawn of an era that signaled change in the Trail Times newsroom and throughout the industry.

By the end of the decade, computers had replaced typewriters. A single computer program slowly replaced the large staff of compositors required to put a daily paper together.

“It was amazing how fast technology changed the entire operation of the Trail Times,” said Bertrand, who began at the newspaper in 1989.

“In a matter of a few years, we went from typewriters and a teletype wire service to computers and stories from around the world at your fingertips.”

It was also a time when the newspaper changed ownership several times. Sterling News Service, led by media mogul Conrad Black, owned the Times until the turn of the century when Glacier Media purchased it. It was sold to Black Press in 2010.

Under the guidance of Black Press, the Trail Times expanded its website and digital platforms allowing long-time subscribers, who are also snowbirds, to read the local paper daily, no matter where they are in the world.

“The Trail Times has been such a critical part of Trail and this community’s history,” said publisher Chuck Bennett. “I am proud to be part of a paper that has been telling the story of this community for so many years. The Times is a great newspaper and Trail is a great community.

I am always amazed at the passion from readers to this newspaper. It truly speaks to the importance of the paper in the community.”

It’s a far cry from the vision held by Thompson when he handed out the first editions of the Trail Creek News in front of his ramshackle office 120 years ago.

While the methods for creating and reading the Trail Times may have changed over the years the desire to share the news of the day in the Home of Champions is still as important today as it was in 1895.

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Page 11

OUTDOORS

Castlegar’s river gem STORY BY

Betsy Kline

Page 12 ROUTE 3 Fall 2015

Castlegar’s Millennium Park is a spot that no resident or visitor should miss. The park links the town with the Columbia River giving people access to the sounds, smells and views of water not often found within city limits.

It is the type of park that you don’t expect to find in a small town.

From soccer fields, playground equipment and swimming beaches to walking paths, outdoor gym and gorgeous flower beds, it has features that appeal to all ages making it a treasured piece of Castlegar life.

“It really ties the community together,” said Castlegar Mayor Lawrence Chernoff. “It includes absolutely everybody. The end product is spectacular.”

Development of the 34-hectare park located in the north end of Castlegar began in 2000 with the installation of what became known as the Millennium Walkway. The paved pathway is just over two kilometers long and meanders along the river through a forested area.

Benches and interpretive signs dot the landscape along the route. The path quickly became a favourite with the young and not so young, walkers, runners, bicyclists and sightseers alike.

In 2010 the city began a planning and public consultation process that developed into a vision of using the park to reconnect the city to the river. Mayor Chernoff has expressed that it is his desire to make Millennium Park the best park in the West Kootenay.

Further development of the pathway and soccer fields and installation of playground equipment began to turn the park into a favourite outdoor gathering place.

The park is an example of what community partnerships can accomplish. Throughout the development, public and private sectors of the community have come together to accomplish the vision.

“That is really what this park is built upon and that is the future of this park — the partnerships,” said Chernoff. A proposal for sponsorships of benches and picnic tables was fully subscribed in a matter of months and most of the major projects have had corporate sponsors, showing that the community as a whole has bought into the concept and vision. ➤

OUTDOORS

Castlegar Rotary came on board to create an outdoor green gym featuring cardio and strength training equipment. Rotarian donations and labour combined with business sponsorships resulted in a great spot for visitors to exercise in an outdoor setting while taking in beautiful views of the Columbia River.

The largest project has been the development of the Millennium Ponds, a group of three natural swimming ponds surrounded by a sandy beach. The ponds are adjacent to the river, but are fed by well water. Each pond is designed for a different group of users, varying in depth from .7 meters to 3.6 meters. The largest pond measures 80 by 45 meters. Over 2500 people showed up for the opening day festivities.

The newest addition to the park is the Celgar Pavilion, a multiuse facility featuring a covered picnic area, commercial kitchen and concession area named after its major sponsor Zellstoff Celgar. The pavilion was a Rotary initiated project done in partnership with corporate sponsors and local businesses.

The City of Castlegar is now ready to move on to Phase 2 of the development. The budget for the next set of improvements is $700,000. The funding is coming from a $450,000 Columbia Basin Trust Grant, $125,000 from the Castlegar and Area Regional District Recreation Commission and the remaining $125,000 from the City of Castlegar.

Two beach volleyball courts and a tennis/pickle ball court will be built in zone 2 (see overview map) adjacent to the current parking area. Additional parking will also be added.

A camas conservation area is being developed in zone 3 and will include interpretive signs explaining the historical and cultural importance of the plant. Continued development of the bike skills park will also be taking place in zone 3.

An off-leash dog park with new parking and drop off areas to service it will be added to zone 4 along with a river swim area for dogs.

The parking area will improve access to the bike park, south end of the walkway and secondary beach area. ➤

Fall 2015 ROUTE 3

Page 13

OUTDOORS

Zone 4 will also see improvements near the habitat compensation area including a secondary beach near the footbridge. Plans for next year include the addition of a wharf area to allow for launching of paddleboards and kayaks into the river.

Phase 2 projects are scheduled to be completed in 2016, but the ideas for the next round of projects have not stopped. Plans for the future include strengthening the linkages with Zuckerberg Island, adding picnic tables and barbeque stands at multiple locations and adding a bicycle route that will connect with the city-wide

route.

Castlegar CAO John Malcolm feels that improvements to Millennium Park are important for the future of Castlegar.

“It’s part of improving our citizen’s quality of life and making it more welcoming to visitors,” Malcolm said. “It gives a beautiful spot for our community to interact.”

With ideas like these, Millennium Park is sure to continue to be a shining, growing spot nestled along the Columbia that visitors and residents can enjoy for many years to come.

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This year Celgar is especially privileged to have been the major sponsor of the multi-use facility in Castlegar’s Millennium Park and honored to have it named as our namesake. The Celgar Pavilion, which opened this summer, is a lasting legacy that demonstrates Celgar’s place in the community and our ongoing commitment to be here and continue to support this community.

Working together to be the best for our communities, our environment… our future!

Page 14 ROUTE 3 Fall 2015

SPORTS

Sufferfest brings the pain STORY BY

Trisha Eliott

Greg Munby, 3rd male overall, surging to the top of the ridge in the Milford Mt. Marathon.

Photo by David Lussier.

In our current technology-laden, air conditioned, remote-controlled lives, a good dose of outdoor suffering can make us feel alive.

Kootenay Sufferfest 2015 didn’t disappoint as it pushed its participants to the limits on the weekend of September 5 in Nakusp, Kaslo and New Denver. The original and premier event in a series of races, the weekend included trail runs, mountain bike races, cyclocross and duathlon events.

Janis Neufeld of Nakusp created the event six years ago and has seen it grow. The number of participants have tripled, and there are more events, including races on five other weekends throughout the year. This January a new Winter Triathlon (including snowshoe, skate ski, and downhill ski) will take place at Summit Lake.

“Physical activity and racing has played a very positive role in my life,” says Janis, “and I have personally witnessed the transformation in many lives.”

The event has a track record for running an incredibly safe event, however the weather can add to the suffering aspect of the event.

This year it snowed on the top of Milford Peak for the 50 km runners, making for a chilly jog.

Janis’ favourite part of the weekend is giving Marin bikes to the winners of the kids’ races, to kids that otherwise would not have new mountain bikes. She loves “watching the joy on these kids faces as they ride away on their new bike!” ➤

Fall 2015 ROUTE 3

Page 15

SPORTS

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For the 100 km mountain bike race winner Eric Bee, there was a method to the madness.

“At the beginning of the race I decided to push the pace, to see who had the legs, which brought the group down to four guys,” says Erik, ”We hit some single track that was slightly technical, and I realized they were a little quicker in that terrain. The three other riders put a gap on me at that point, so I caught up to them again on a climb. And I had a strategy to gain some distance on them on the climbs, which I did. So about 35 km into the race I knew I had it unless I had a technical. The last climb is where I put about seven minutes on the chase group and that was my last hard dig.”

After ultra-endurance events Erik drinks water, eats good wholesome foods like nuts and lean meats, does lots of stretching and foam rolling with a hard density foam roller, and takes one to two days off the bike depending on his joint and muscle fatigue. Though right after the event the first thing he does is give his wife a big smooch!

The returning champion of the ladies’ 100 km mountain bike race, Ali Wilson, had a particularly stressful moment this year.

“My heart sank when I heard the distinct sound of a tire puncture early on in the race,” says Ali. “I was in the lead when it happened and started the process of attempting to change a tube. As racers were passing me, everyone offered help, which was really nice. I eventually got it done but it felt like a lifetime. I had little expectations after that.

I was out of tubes, CO2 or a pump till Retallack and frankly thought I would flat again, but as the kilometres went by I started passing people again. Knowing the course and what to expect helped a lot this year, but there was still enough suffering to call this the hardest ➤

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I enjoy my profession by committing to protecting and Saturdays 1pm – 10pm 2pm – 8pm promoting the Sundays interests of all the Buyers and Sellers whom I have the privilege of serving.

Photo by Jeff Pilsner

Mayor of Nakusp Karen Hamling thinks the event is good for her village.

“It is absolutely a wonderful event for Nakusp,” says Hamling. “It is so nice to see families and young children participating. We love to welcome people here to Nakusp.”

To get your suffer on, you can check out the full line-up of events, and camps offered throughout the year at www.kootenaysufferfest.com.

The Kootenay Sufferfest Society is a volunteer-based registered not-for-profit society incorporated in June 2011, dedicated to supporting economic growth, promoting healthy active living and enhancing outdoor recreation in and around Kaslo, New Denver and Nakusp.

The

Standings

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100 km Galena Ghost Ride XC Mountain Bike Race Winners: Male: Eric Bee from Greenacres, Washington (6h 05min) Female: Ali Wilson from Kimberly, BC (7h 38min)

I

Prizes: A hand-crafted trophy, prize packages from Oso Negro, and free entries to next year’s race 50 km Milford Mt Marathon Winners: Male: Andrew Brisbin From Canmore, BC (5h 37min) Female: Alyssa Shaw from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho (7h 13min)

| 2014 34 NELSON AND KOOTENAY LAKE Fall VACATION GUIDE 2015 ROUTE 3 Page 17

AGRICULTURE

Mobile abattoir a boon to local ranchers STORY BY

Craig Lindsay Boundary ranchers benefit from mobile abattoir

Page 18 ROUTE 3 Fall 2015

After passing inspection last year, the Grand Forks and Boundary Regional Agriculture Society’s (GFBRAS) mobile abattoir has been busy.

The Mobile Slaughter Unit (MSU) is located at O’Donnells Farm on Highway 3 in Grand Forks and has had a very successful first season slaughtering mostly chickens. With a health inspector in attendance for all kill days, the unit started the slaughter in May with approximately 1,000 birds and that grew to 1,100 in July.

“This is the first year,” said Christy Luke, chair of GFBRAS. “Last year was a trial year. We were operating it last year but hadn’t handed out the contract.”

The society handed the contract for the MSU to O’Donnell’s Farm. It is still owned by GFBRAS but it is operated by the O’Donnells under the name Boundary Country (BC) Meatworks.

“We have a contract with the O’Donnells that runs from May 1 of this year to Dec. 31,” said Luke. “It’s on their property in the nursery area (of Grand Forks).” ➤

AGRICULTURE

The unit is open to anyone wanting to use it. Booking is done by calling BC Meatworks at 250-443-3276. You can also visit their website at bcmeatworks.com for more information and for the full schedule.

“It’s designed as a community service,” she said. “We’re encouraging people to use it. It can be as few as one or two or they can have hundreds of birds. Thus far, it’s been mostly birds but it can do meats. It’s going to do more meats in the fall.”

Luke said the unit has been slaughtering about 1,000 chickens per month. Use slowed in August due to the heat but she anticipates it will increase more in the fall months.

“By the time August rolls around most people have gotten rid of their chickens,” she said. “They don’t want to be slaughtering them in the August heat. But they crank back up in the last week of August.

They’ll go until it gets cold. They’ll go through the fall, that’s when the red meat gets done.”

The mobile abattoir cost around $400,000 and was custom-made by a company out of Seattle, Wash. The facility is a state-of-the-art stainless steel unit and is equipped with a UV water filtration system.

It is able to be self-powered with its own diesel generator. In addition, the unit includes a walk-in cooler for chilling and hanging meat, a multi-corral system for red meat and an on-demand water heater that brings the temperature to the sterilization point.

Although the unit is mobile, it requires a special docking station in order to function. Luke said the mobile abattoir is getting good reviews from users. “By and large, the people who have used it — we’ve called to follow up — have been very pleased with it,” she said.

Danna O’Donnell from O’Donnell’s Farm said the operation of the abattoir has been a big success from their standpoint.

“We’ve processed a lot of poultry in our community,” she said. “It’s gone really well.”

O’Donnell said before the abattoir was approved, they would have to wait for a company from Kelowna that would come to the area twice a year.

“Everybody would have their birds processed by them at that time,” she said, “but it

wasn’t often enough. Sometimes people would have to go to Kelowna to take their birds for processing.”

O’Donnell said having the mobile slaughter unit on site in Grand Forks is a great improvement.

“We’re extremely happy,” she said. “It’s really good for our community. It reduces the stress on the birds. If you have to drive them out of town a bunch usually die in transport. It’s not good for them. Having it local is good for the animals.”

O’Donnell adds that having the unit in town allows farmers to do multiple runs per year.

“Before you could only do two runs in a year,” she said. “So if you wanted to have more birds you were limited.”

O’Donnells have a small flock permit for 2,000 chickens. They sell them online, on the farm and at various farmers’ markets including in Grand Forks and Nelson.

She said they are able to take the birds, process them in the unit and bag them all in a day. “Basically, the customers bring us the birds and pick them up that evening chilled to four degrees bagged and labeled,” said O’Donnell.

O’Donnell said every bird is inspected by the health inspector. “The Ministry of Agriculture provides an inspector on the days we’re processing,” he said. “One of the inspectors comes from Rock Creek and the other from Oliver.”

O’Donnell reiterated the MSU is available for use by anyone. She said they’ve had users from Greenwood and Rock Creek and calls from the Kelowna area. “We’ve had people bring turkeys over from Creston,” she said.

O’Donnell said they are currently processing pork and lamb and will be switching back to poultry mode later in the fall.

“We also do cattle under 30 months,” she said. Due to stringent regulations regarding BSE (mad cow disease), the unit only processes cattle under 30 months due to the fact that the risk for BSE is very low.

O’Donnell said preparing to bring the MSU on site at the farm took some work. They were able to install a docking station with the aid of the Agriculture Society. “There are specific requirements for the docking station,” she said. “You need a certain size gravel pad and certain gravel. It has it’s own electric house with the meter and fuses. You also need a good water source.”

O’Donnell said the feedback they’ve received at the farm regarding the unit has also been very positive. ➤ Fall 2015 ROUTE 3

Page 19

AGRICULTURE

“Everyone’s very happy and planning to come back,” she said.

“We do have a downfall in our community in that we don’t have a wide selection for cut and wrap. We just process the animal and then it has to go to a butcher. In the future it would be nice to have more options for cut and wrap.”

O’Donnell said they use composting for the parts that need to be disposed of. “We also work with the regional district,” she said. “We’ve been doing tests with our organic matter into their composting system.”

When the contract for the MSU comes up at the end of the year, GFBRAS will once again take proposals for the following year.

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HISTORY

West Boundary home to Heritage STORY BY

Andrew Tripp

This Rock Creek beauty was build circa 1910 by Samuel Shaver. The property also features the original 1906 barn, which remains an integral part of the ranch.. Photo by Andrew Tripp

As it leaves the desert town of Osoyoos, picturesquely nestled on the Southern Okanagan floor, Route 3 begins a gradual 30 km climb toward the summit of Anarchist Mountain.

The nearly 1500-metre high plateau, which runs between Osoyoos and Rock Creek and includes the ghost towns of Sidley and Myncaster, was named after Richard Sidley, who arrived in the area from Ontario in 1885 and was eventually appointed justice of the peace and customs officer.

Sidley’s political views were considered unconventional, especially for his time, and he was often referred to as an anarchist. Interestingly, the mountain he called home continues to inspire those who would prefer to govern themselves.

Just before the plateau reaches its summit, slightly east of a recently built log home, lay the remnants of the Lawless ranch. Built in 1900

by William Lawless, the house is now little more than a decayed and unstable shell yet remains a poignant reminder of ranch life at the turn of the twentieth century. The dramatic peaks of Cathedral Ridge, part of the Cascade Mountains, form an impressive backdrop for the rangeland that still supports large herds of cattle, and when the light is just right, the ranch is a photographer’s delight.

Further along the highway, which eventually dips down into a scenic array of rolling hills, lies the hamlet of Bridesville. A former railroad town, established in part to support construction of the Great Northern Railroad by its Canadian subsidiary Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern Railway and Navigation Company, Bridesville once boasted a school, a hotel, a general store and post office. The village’s heyday is long-gone, however and the site is now but a shadow of its former self. The once quaint and historic townsite is now littered with neglected and overgrown properties, yet amidst the ennui stands the newly-renovated Bridesville Community Hall, an ongoing reminder of a community’s strength and resilience. ➤ Fall 2015 ROUTE 3

Page 21

HISTORY

Left to right: The former Lawless ranch is all but gone, yet the crumbling homestead remains as a poignant reminder of a bygone era. Greenwood’s historical McArthur House, named after long-time mayor William (Ted) McArthur, who was instrumental getting Japanese-Canadians resettled in the city in 1942. Photo by Andrew Tripp

The majority of the homes that would have been part of the original settlement are now gone, but if historical buildings are what the traveller is seeking, then satisfaction lies just around the corner.

Only meters past the Bridesville town site, on the north side of the highway, perched atop a rolling hillside, sits a classic farmhouse known locally as the Schorn House. Reportedly built from a kit purchased through the T.E. Eaton company in 1916, the house was home to the Schorn family for nearly ninety years until it was sold to a Keremeos rancher mostly for it’s land value. The rancher never lived in the house using it simply as a bunkhouse for himself or his ranch hands while they tended to the large herd of cattle that roamed the ranch’s 900 acres. In 2008, looking to bankroll another sizeable land purchase, the rancher subdivided the property and put the house and acreage on the market.

It is quite a grand, though relatively small house featuring several impressive banks of dark-stained window casings, well-engineered hardwood floors, and an elegant beamed living room ceiling. By some accounts, it once featured a grand archway between a hallway and a parlour, which was ripped out and replaced with a wall when the owners wanted to make the room more private. The house also boasts a beautifully constructed wooden staircase, which leads to three small yet practical bedrooms. In the 1950s, an addition was made to the house, not with the same character as that of the original design though certainly made to match the older section, on the outside at least, and it does have some interesting features characteristic of that post-WWII era.

Further along the highway, also on the north side, sits another century-old homestead, which also includes a still functional barn.

Now under the ownership of the Klein family, the home was built by Samuel Shaver in 1910 and bears a noticeable resemblance to the iconic BC Doukhobor houses scattered throughout the Boundary region.

Eventually the highway descends into the small settlement of Rock Creek, made famous in the late 1800s by the gold rush that attracted an estimated 5,000 miners from as far away as California, hungry for the nuggets that would make them wealthy. The centre of Rock Creek is a small yet bustling community whose businesses boom each summer, culminating in September’s Rock Creek Fall Fair, billed as the last true country fair in the province.

The Prospector Pub, now known as the Rock Creek Hotel and visible from the junction of highways 3 and 33, is the longest running

Page 22 ROUTE 3 Fall 2015

pub in BC, its outdoor patio a magnet for tourists and locals alike.

Built in 1895, its picturesque setting on the banks of the Kettle River is an ideal location for a summer luncheon; its warm, inviting interior perfect for a family gathering.

About four kilometres west of Rock Creek is the modest community of Kettle Valley, one of its landmarks being the small church known as St. Mary’s, which sits on the north side of the highway.

Adjacent to the chapel is a home built by William Shillcock in 1910, now owned by Sam and Gunnar Hall.

The Shillcock family resided in the home until 1982, when William’s daughter Victoria moved on. The house served as the telephone exchange center from 1918 to 1963, with Victoria and her mother as operators. Family gatherings were nearly always at the house as the women were unable to leave the exchange unmanned. The stained glass in the house was imported from England, and each piece came with a duplicate in case of breakage. It was one of four homes purportedly built by Shillcock.

There are numerous other historic houses nearby, many tucked away inside a complex configuration of mountain roads in the area, some well known, others less so, but together they shape the unique history of the border-hugging region known as Boundary.

Continuing 20 km east on Highway 3, one passes through the village of Midway, home to mile 0 of the Kettle Valley Railway whose story is told magnificently in the village’s Kettle River Museum. According to some locals, Midway is so-called because it is exactly half way between the BC coast and the Rocky Mountains.

After a ten-minute drive east of Midway, travellers are transported back to the late 1800s by Greenwood, which proudly bills itself as Canada’s smallest city. Boasting a population of around 600, the city is home to an impressive array of turn-of-the century homes that have been lovingly preserved or restored. One of the more significant of these houses, built largely for wealthy local dignitaries, is that at 326 Government St. Known as McArthur house and built in 1900, it was a long time residence of William (Ted) McArthur, one of the more beloved mayors of this tiny city. Reportedly, McArthur was instrumental in resettling Japanese-Canadians in Greenwood during their years of internment during the Second World War. Mayor McArthur is long-gone, as are most of the original residents of the century-old homes scattered throughout West Boundary. Their legacy remains, however, thanks in large part to those dedicated individuals who have preserved these monuments to early rural life.

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Fall 2015 ROUTE 3

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