The Canyon Weekly October 12, 2011
Volume 2, Issue 41
News and Life - For Our Side of the Mountain!
Serving the communities of Lyons, Mehama, Elkhorn, Mill City, Gates, Niagra, Detroit, Breitenbush, Idanha and Marion Forks
Store Copy Check us out online for free! www.TheCanyonWeekly.com Please leave this copy in the location you found.. Thanks for helping us grow the Santiam Canyon!
Gates Fire Dept considers partnership with Idanha-Detroit Fire Dept
Idanha-Detoit fire chief resigns; two agencies consider partnership to revamp struggling district By Michelle Gates
With a population of about 300, it’s hard to find volunteer firefighters who live in the Idanha-Detroit Rural Fire District. With a fire chief who lives closer to Portland, that job gets even harder. That’s one reason interim Fire Chief Ivan R. Loock gave his resignation earlier this month. “The fact that I am not a resident within the...district simply complicates my continued position as your loyal Fire Chief,”
wrote Loock in his resignation letter to the Idanha-Detroit Fire Dist. Board of Directors. The fire board anticipated this challenge and had already asked the Gates Rural Fire Protection District to help them reorganize. Right now, the partnership is in the development stages and several meetings are scheduled this month to discuss how it would work. The Gates fire department isn’t going to take over the Idanha-Detroit fire depart-
ment, said Chief Gary Swanson. Both departments would remain separate entities with separate boards of directors. The goal is to return the Idanha-Detroit dept. back to its former robust state - like it was before last year’s near $100,000 embezzlement and recent loss of ambulance certification. “If you have a program that’s attractive, you’ll get lots of volunteers,” said Swanson. “Well trained volunteers in small numbers can do an incredible job.”
- and art - are changing Environment in Evolution Howthenature Santiam Canyon’s economy By Karen Widmer
Many of us have memories of the North Santiam Canyon in it’s heyday when the booming economy was based mostly on the rich natural resources available for harvest. In the 70’s, our young people could count on making a decent living working in the woods felling trees or setting choke, or in one of the many mills that lined the Highway 22 corridor. To celebrate our riches we played games on the 4th of July
North Santiam
Chamber of Commerce
with the hatchet toss, tree climbing and the bucksaw events. Our schools thrived, our businesses were many. Jump 40 years into the future and that picture has changed dramatically. Several viable mills remain and the woods are still producing lumber, some businesses are still opening and families are still choosing to make the canyon their home. And the reasons they choose to stay here are many and varied.
“I really came for the river,” says artist Denise Sanders of Lyons, “I just love the Little North Fork.” Denise moved to her modest home near the confluence of the North Santiam and Little North Santiam rivers six years ago where she met her husband Kelly. She has recently been chosen as the featured artist in next springs Canyon Art Festival and is highly involved with the local grass roots group Santiam Hearts to (cont’d on page 3)
Education Summit Please Join Us! Free...Everyone Welcome
Wednesday, October 19 6pm-8pm Gates Fire Hall ~ 140 E Sorbin St, Gates
Refreshments provided by:
State Representative Sherrie Sprenger
Special Performance by:
503 859-4144
The North Santiam Chamber of Commerce has invited area schools - both public and private - to help you navigate the educational options for your family. School representatives will talk about the future of Santiam Canyon education and be available to answer your questions. Info: 503.897.5000, director@nschamber.org.
The Canyon Weekly
Canyon Critters Academy Your Pre-School in the Santiam Canyon 503.897.4000 100 SE Juniper, Mill City
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