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JANUARY 26, 2016 Vol. 121, $ 05 Issue 13
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FortisBC waits for Parents instill joy of learning in BCUC’s approval to children with help from local library break ground on Castlegar project VALERIE ROSSI Trail Times
VAL ROSSI Trail Times
FortisBC is awaiting approval to build a new centralized operations centre in Castlegar, following the completion of the British Columbia Utilities Commission’s (BCUC) public proceedings.
“ ... the problem with Warfield is space constraints.” NICOLE BOGDANOVIC
The utility company addressed over 400 questions over two rounds of information requests, which wrapped up in December. The interveners and commission asked questions about a broad range of topics, including cost, project design and scope, rate impacts, and project justification for the proposed $20.7 million facility slated for Ootischenia, south of the West Kootenay Regional Airport. This process has now closed, and BCUC is scheduled to make a decision this spring. The proposed Kootenay Operations Centre would consolidate operations from
FortisBC’s Warfield complex, South Slocan generation site and potentially Castlegar district office, which was added as an amendment during the proceedings (bumping up the bill to $22.4 million, which would be offset by long-term savings). Nicole Bogdanovic, FortisBC’s corporate communications advisor, said the proposed change in location is a cost-saving measure that will not impact staffing numbers. “There are other factors that determine the resources we need to meet our business goals and to serve the area so really this is just to make sure that we’re able to meet that service at the lowest reasonable cost,” she told the Trail Times. “I think it’s important to know that the South Slocan building, in particular, is over 100 years old, it’s reached the end of its life, and it’s more costly to maintain that building than it is to put a facility in place that meets our current modern service standards. “And, the problem with Warfield is space constraints.” The number of people that work at the CONTINUED ON A3
Imagine a library that has a maple tree in the centre and a vendor next to it selling pancakes with maple syrup. There are kids jumping at the chance to catch frogs that leap from a pond nearby. Meanwhile, other visitors may find themselves stimulated by holograms or just a fresh cup of coffee served upstairs in the facility that is topped with a glass atrium. This is 13-year-old Caleb Bronn’s dream library. The avid reader is no stranger to the Trail and District Public Library. In fact, neither is his family, who was recently celebrated in a Top 25 Library Users (items out) list when middle child, 10-year-old Erin, took 21st place with 394 items borrowed in one year. The list included 10 individuals who checked out over 500 books, audio books, DVDs or CDs from Dec. 1, 2014 to Nov. 31, 2015. Most shocking was Edgar Bailey’s extraordinary record of over 1,000 items borrowed during this time. What kind of people use the library this much? According to Kathryn Foley, library director, the names varied from staff to Friends of the Library to the youngest, Erin, who felt “famous” when the results came in. “These are people who have a very solid presence in our library,” said Foley, who decided to give the top users a special invite to the recent opening of “Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Times: Italian Canadian Internment Experience,” which is still on display outside the library in
Valerie Rossi photo
Erin Bronn, 10, was included in the Trail and District Public Library’s recently shared Top 25 users list tallied from Dec. 1, 2014 to Nov. 31, 2015. Her and her family, avid readers originally from South Africa, were among the special guests invited to the opening of “Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Times: Italian Canadian Internment Experience.” the Trail Memorial Centre. The Bronn family has become regular users of the Trail library. South African couple Charl and Karen Bronn have used the public space and all the resources that come with it to homeschool their three children: Caleb, Erin and Sarah, 8, since they made Trail their home four years ago. “At the moment I want to make sure they love learning,” said Charl. “If they love learning, they’ll learn forever.” Charl takes a blended
learning approach that centres around interesting reads, which are a starting point to much discussion that sways from historical times to how it applies to nowadays. He keeps to basics when it comes to subjects like math but sways from curriculum in other areas. He encourages his kids to find what they’re passionate about, and from there directs their attention to what the library has to offer. By now, though, the Bronn kids know their way around the Trail facility, which has
become much more than just a lending library. There is anticipation on the children’s faces as they wait to talk about their favourite books, subjects and general interests. Caleb likes “Lord of the Ring” or “Ranger’s Apprentice” because the series keeps the story going and him wanting more. He gets lost in fantasy and adventure, much like his sisters. Erin is enjoying her studies CONTINUED ON A2
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