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ECHO
AUGUST 20, 2014
Mt . M c A l l i s t e r f ir e of n o t hr e a t t o C h e tw y n d
Chetwynd Base Camp a hub of activity during busy wildfire weekend
MIKE CARTER Chetwynd Echo Reporter –––––––––––––– CHETWYND – Increased fire activity kept international wildfire management crews busy this weekend at a fire Base Camp located in Chetwynd. The Mount McAllister fire 56 kilometres west of Chetwynd saw strong, overnight winds on Sunday that resulted in the fire pushing north into the Chip Lake area. On Saturday afBY
ternoon, the BC Wildfire Management Branch reported that as many as 29 personnel had been moved from the Chetwynd Base Camp for Fire # 221 (Mt. McAllister), to report for duty at other fires in the northeastern section of the province. The Tommy Lakes fire north of Fort St. John spawned evacuation order for locations within the Peace River Regional District’s electoral area B (for more on this see
page 7). And a new fire –known as the Stack Creek fire began with a lightning strike Friday night in Pine LeMoray Provincial Park, 37 kilometres east of Mackenzie. As of Monday afternoon, the Mount McAllister fire is now at an estimated size of 19,000 hectares. The Tommy Lakes fire is at an estimated 4,400 hectares and the Stack Creek fire is at an estimated 1,500 hectares. Of the three,
only the largest the Mount McAllister fire – is under active fire suppression by wildfire management crews. The other two fall under what is called a “modified response� category. This means crews are actively monitoring and tracking these fires, but they are not actively being suppressed. “We’ll monitor it and when it’s threatening something we’ll get in there and try and steer it
away from any values,� said Garry Horley, fire information officer with BC Wildfire Management. Horley says the Mount McAllister fire is of no threat to Chetwynd. On Monday crews ex-
Groundbreaking ceremony takes place for new clinic
MIKE CARTER Chetwynd Echo Reporter –––––––––––––– CHETWYND – A sod turning ceremony was held Tuesday to symbolically celebrate the beginning of the construction of the Chetwynd Medical Health Clinic and Community Wellness Centre. Original estimates for the building put costs at $1.6 million. But, by skirting the tender process, and awarding the contract to Grande Prairie’s Southwest Design & Construction, the district was able to save $300,000 bringing the costs down $1.3 million. Southwest Design & Construction are also at work completing the new town hall. Once constructed, the medical clinic will house medical offices, BY
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examination rooms and a waiting room/reception area. Health education, group learning and patient out-service could be conducted in the Community Wellness Centre area of the building.
West Fraser works with community forest Page 5
Please see "TO ENSURE," page 5
The medical clinic will be located in the empty lot across the street from Canada Post on 50th St. Southwest. The land is owned by the District of Chetwynd and is adjacent to residential and institutional areas. The District of Chetwynd has successfully raised $400,000 in corporate or government grants, including $250,000 from the Northern Development Initiative Trust and $50,000 in lumber from West Fraser. What has not been raised through donation or grant will be borrowed at the cost of the taxpayer. Originally the estimate was to borrow $1.2 million, but with monies received so far this amount Please see "TOWN," page 12
Nomination packages available Page 6
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Cost of structural steel forces delay in new town hall construction BY MIKE CARTER Chetwynd Echo Reporter –––––––––––––– CHETWYND – The new mayor and council to be elected this November in Chetwynd will have to wait a bit longer for their new town hall. Although he didn’t want to admit that there were any delays at first, Chief Administrative Officer Doug Fleming eventually told the Chetwynd Echo that the cost of structural steel was cause for some pause in the construction. The District of Chetwynd announced when construction began in mid-April 2014 that the project could possibly be completed as early as January 2015. Now, the builder, Grande Prairie’s Southwest Design & Construction, is saying that it will be more like April 2015 before the project is complete. Not unlike any major construction project, delays can be expected. The delay in this case might actually be a good thing for Chetwynd. Accounting for cost overruns, the District of Chetwynd has set aside $5.3 million for the new town hall. “Some of the reason for a little bit of the delay in some of the work to date has been efforts to try to keep our costs down,� Fleming said. “They (Southwest Design & Construction) had to shop out the steel and by doing that they probably saved the district $130,000 - $140,000, they
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actually had to go to a different supplier so we took a little bit of time on that one.� As of last week, the structural steel was on site, and was being installed. Decking for the first floor concrete was expected to move ahead on Monday. “Now you’ll start seeing the ants running around, [starting] to frame in the building,� District of Chetwynd Public Works Director Paul Gordon said. Please see "PROJECT," page 3
Cleaning up after tragedy Page 11
Prices in effect from Friday, Aug. 22 - Thurs. Aug 28
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Chetwynd Echo
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
West Fraser continues pine beetle salvage in the Community Forest
MIKE CARTER Chetwynd Echo Reporter –––––––––––––– CHETWYND – Chetwynd Forest Industries, a division of West Fraser Mills, began harvesting logs from the Little Prairie Community Forest in November 2013, following a full year of First Nations consultations, and open houses in Chetwynd to gather public input. The Little Prairie Community Forest is a partnership between the District of Chetwynd, the West Moberly First Nation and the Saulteau First Nation. Each member of the partnership has a stake in the management and a share of the revenue generated from the harvest within the forest property. The partnership was first formed in 2011. The original plan for the management of the community forest involved a healthy stand of trees to be harvested in small amounts over time. Shortly thereafter, the board of the Little Prairie Community Forest began looking for a suitor to salvage the areas within the estimated 14,000 hectares of land north of Chetwynd and south of Moberly Lake that had been ravaged by the pine beetle. In July of 2012, the Little Prairie Community Forest board of directors, made up of representatives from the District of Chetwynd, and the West Moberly and Saulteau First Nations, reached an agreement with West Fraser’s Chetwynd Forest Industries for the salvage of the pine. The two groups signed a five-year harvesting agreement that took effect in 2012. Several upgrades were made at the Chetwynd mill to prepare for the large harvest of pine beetle wood, including a new de-barker. Janelle Sakamoto, a Forest Industry Technician and planning assistant with Chetwynd Forest Industries, took the Chetwynd Echo on a tour of the Little Prairie Community Forest recently to show us how the work has been progressing. There is a misconception that exists that a community forest is a protected area, when in reality the community forest concept is meant to be a working forest with an annual log harvest. “It's always a challenge because that's a public perception thing,� Sakamoto said. “A comBY
A truck is loaded with logs from the Little Prairie Community Forest.
Photos by Mike Carter
Stands of dead pine in the LPCF like the ones pictured above present a series of hazards if left to fall and decompose. munity forest is actually meant to be working forest. They were created by government to actually help manage the way that you log.� An annual allowable cut is set for each year. Typically under normal conditions it would be much lower. But, “there is so much mountain pine beetle and it's not good for the forest because it is all dead, it's not absorbing water [which can cause floods], its not good wildlife habitat anymore because there is no shade, the trees are actually snapping and blowing and also [there is] a huge fire risk because it is all dead wood.� Not only dead wood – but also dry wood. When you think of lumber that is dried to moisture content of about 10-12 per cent, the dead pine in the community forest is fuel for a fire waiting to burn, sitting with moisture content as low as 6 per cent. If a fire did start, the dead pine tree lines lead towards the West Moberly and Saulteau First Nations.
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“There are huge concerns especially since it’s been a hot summer [and] we’ve had lots of fires that have been close to the community,� Sakamoto said. That, and the fact that there is a limited amount of time before the pine in the community forest is unusable have been a driving factor in getting the wood out as fast as possible. But, as Sakamoto explains, although speed is an important factor, it does not trump environ-
Janelle Sakomoto, a planning assistant with Chetwynd Forest Industries demonstrates how sap rot and internal core rotting combine to cause tinder dry wood that is a fire hazard as well as a wind-fall hazard. mental and social responsibility. “It takes a lot of time to go through, look at the pine and decode is this
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where we want to be harvesting? Is there too much wildlife? Is there a mineral lick? Is the quality of wood OK? Then
how are we going to get this wood out, where are the roads going to go?â€? Several studies were completed before the harvest began last year. And work is ongoing to maintain a level of accountability to the Little Prairie Community Forest’s board of directors. “It takes a long time. Now we are finally starting to go almost full throttle,â€? Sakamoto said. Areas that consist of mixed or incidental spruce and balsam fir are minimally harvested. All that is cut will soon be replanted, so that a healthy forest will take the place of the old, dead pine tree stands. Impacts on wildlife were considered, and because this is Treaty 8 First Nations territory, consultations with the two First Nations involved have included archeological “machine free zonesâ€? where there has yet to be digging, but some artifacts have been discovered. “We are not doing a typical Archeological Impact Assessment (AIA)‌[where] you are actually digging and looking for artifacts on official archeological sites. What we are doing here is we are avoiding those sites,â€? Sakamoto explained. “We go out with two archeologists, we always invite a Saulteau and a West Moberly field monitor, and someone from West Fraser comes out and it just helps speed a long the process. If we find a high, dry, flat site with a good overlook, than we remove those from the block.â€? Usually what they will find on site is flakes from tool making, maybe an arrowhead or a knife used to skin animals. A big concern for many was the amount of roads needed in the community forest to get the harvested logs from the community forest, to the mill and eventually to the market. “It's really important that the roads are located properly,â€? she says. Some are even rehabilitated into forest after the harvesting is completed. Sediment control or moving bodies of water is very important to the construction of roads. The same process is followed for each crossing. The right sized culvert is chosen to accommodate peak flows of the stream. And then the sediment is managed by placing seed and hay-bail constructed dams, which hamper the water from Please see "CURRENT," page 3
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Chetwynd Echo
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
3
Project still running on budget according to CAO Doug Fleming: “holding the contractors feet to the fire� Continued from page 1 They are trying to get it closed in as fast as they can so that when the winter hits, work can be done on the interior. Once all of the structural steel is in place, walls will start to go up. “It’s to their advantage to get the walls up fast,� Gordon added. The project is still running on budget, according to Fleming. And the reason for that is because the District is “holding the contractors feet to the fire� to ensure that they stay on track. “They are responding really well,� Fleming said. “[They are] helping to ensure that we do in fact respect the budget. That’s the reason for this different supplier on the steel for instance.� A common citizen looking at the project might say that it has faced delays, Fleming added. But really, on a complex construction project like this, they can be expected. “Each floor is concrete
for the purpose of fireproofing, sound proofing etc.,� Fleming said. “The way I’m looking at the building right now, we’re working very well with the contractor to make sure that building is delivered and completed when they say they will complete it.� The Chetwynd Echo will be providing regular updates on the construction of the Town Hall as it progresses. Preparations for the modern town hall building have been in the works for the better part of 25 years,
according to the District of Chetwynd. Formal plans for the construction were first released to the public in the spring of 2013. Original estimates for the building’s construction, furnishing and landscaping costs pegged the financial commitment at $3.9 million. In total, the District has set aside $5.3 million for the construction of the new town hall, accounting for some future cost overruns. Bidding for tenders closed in June 2013, and in July of that year, significant changes to the design
had to be made as bids that were received were in excess of $2 million over the original budget. The two lowest bids were pegged the project at a cost of more than $6.1 million, with only $3,000 separating the two. Cuts to the design included nixing a $95,000 sound system in the council chambers and a staff gym. A rock façade on the face of the building was also been cut. Construction on the new town hall was supposed to begin in mid-July 2013, but that proved to be an ambi-
tious goal. Construction began in April 2014. AT A GLANCE Recent history of the project: → Nov. 5, 2012: Council authorized project → June 2013: Initial tenders go out → July 2013: Initial tenders were received that were in excess of $2 million over budget. Design was altered. → August 12, 2013: Council directed a financial strategy be created for the project → Sept. 24, 2013: Open
Current agreement for five years, but could extend longer Continued from page 2 carrying sediment away from the forest. Loss of sediment can cause fluctuations in the water quality, but can also harm a forests ability to grow new trees. Visual models were also prepared by West Fraser to show communities where they will see a visual impact from the missing pine stands. Mainly, this concerns residents of Moberly Lake Sakamoto explained. “The problem is it’s not so much the amount of impact, it's that there is visual impact because it's such a sensitive area. People live there permanently [in Moberly Lake] so they are always looking at it,� she said. “We know it's so important to them. Especially
recreational users on the lake too, articles like this are helpful because then people understand why they are seeing what they are seeing what they are seeing and the importance of doing a pine salvage program like this.� Sticking to the pine wherever possible will help mitigate this. So will replanting after the harvest. “Everything that was logged this winter has already been replanted. That is the same plan throughout the community forest and that should help alleviate the visuals faster.� While the agreement is for a five-year harvest, there is the possibility that the project could extend beyond that timeline. However, if it does come to that another round of community open houses and consultations with the board of directors have to be held.
House held in District Office to obtain public feedback on the project. → Oct. 7, 2013: Council authorized administration to pursue the municipal hall project. → March 3, 2014: Grande Prairie firm: Southwest Design & Construction announced as company to carry out construction, council gives final approval. → Mid-April 2014: Construction begins → January 2015: First expected completion date →August 2015: Construction date revised to April 2015. How the project will be funded: Fair Share: → $247,648 (2012) Municipal Hall Reserve: → $2,036,374 (2012) → $500,000 (2013) → $500,000 (2014) → $500,000 (2015) → $50,000 (estimation of interest on reserve) Sustainability Reserve: → $750,000 (2014) → $115,976 (2015) → $865,978 (2015)
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Chetwynd Echo
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Why dump on the ice bucket challenge? It works... Guest Editorial Ottawa Citizen
I
n their latest attempt to bring microeconomics to the masses, Think Like a Freak authors Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt tell the story of the charity Smile
Train. Smile Train offers free corrective surgery to babies born with cleft palates, and it found success by approaching fundraising in an unconventional way. Knowing that potential donors are already bombarded with requests for money, especially if they've given to charity before, the organization's direct mail campaign made people a promise: "donate once now, and we'll never approach you for money again." The authors found that the "one and done" approach made people twice as likely to donate to the charity, and that only about one-third of the donors actually ticked the box to block future mailings. Instead of relying exclusively on guilt or persistence, Smile Train made people feel as if they had a choice in the matter, and as a result it has collected a lot of money, zeroed in on potential repeat donors, and sent the rest on their way. I remembered the story after reading a recent newspaper takedown of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, a charitable endeavour currently sweeping social media. The ALS Association is also relying on a collaborative, unconventional proposal to potential donors here, with a bit of the guilt factor sprinkled in: if you don't dump a bucket of ice water on your head, you have to give us $100. If you do go the wet route (and hopefully post a video or photo of yourself doing so) you get to nominate three others to take the challenge. It's a fun little bit of viral marketing that has no doubt exceeded the charity's wildest dreams (the varied list of participants includes Justin Bieber, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Microsoft founder Bill Gates). On Monday, the association revealed it had raised $15.6 million since July 29, or eight times more than it did over the same time period last year. It also received priceless publicity and brought an immeasurable amount of attention to the plight of those who suffer from ALS, a devastating neuromuscular disease. And yet amid this unprecedented success for the ALS Association, there is a creeping backlash against the whole campaign. It's over-exposed, people are starting to complain. It is annoying. It is hypocritical hashtag activism. (Search "ice bucket stupid" on Twitter for a sampling). The aforementioned newspaper column zeroed in on the two main complaints about the campaign: 1. That there's no accountability (how do we know people are making their donations?); 2. Why don't people just donate money without all the commotion? But as the Smile Train story illustrated, you don't need to hit the bull's-eye 100 per cent of the time to win the game, and relying on traditional fundraising strategies can lead to a dead end. One-third of the people Smile Train managed to extract donations from asked never to be contacted again, but the overall take was much higher than it otherwise would have been. Similarly, it matters little if 10 or 20 or 50 or 99 per cent of the people who were supposed to donate money to the ALS Association didn't actually pony up; there is no way to frame an eight-fold increase in donations as anything but a stunning success. The ALS Association dumped a bucket of cold water on society's head, washed away the noise long enough to bring in a lot of money to fight a terrible disease, and gave a lot of people a few laughs along the way. It must take a lot of effort to be that cynical about that.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Don7 t let them on your property To the Editor: The government is asking you to co operate with them in a ground water study! My first reaction to that is one of suspicion and skepticism. Several times in the past they have tried to get onto private property to get domain of your water wells. Is this the real reason for a ground water study? An excuse to get onto your property and find out where you’re well is! Do you not remember about 20 years ago when they wanted to put meters on you well so they could tax you on your
own water!! This latest scene for a ground water study is simply a subtle, sneaky way of getting oncto your private property to see where your well is and how much capacity your well produces and tax you for your own water. Don’t fall for this latest con job! Don’t let them on your property and don’t give them information about others or your neighbours. The government has no legal authority on private property. Do not let them threaten or intimidate you. Their only authority
is on Crown or public land. I again quote Black’s law dictionary 9 ed. 2009 page 1315-1337; page 1315 “private- relating or belonging to an individual, as opposed to the public or the government”. Page 1337 “private property- protected from public appropriation – over which the owner has exclusive and absolute rights”. Remember section 336337 of the Criminal Code of Canada. This law states that any Government official can go to prison for up to 14 years
To the Editor: Much has been written about the Mount Polley tailings pond breach in the past few weeks. However, I think it is important for those who write about the breach to make sure they get the history correct. For example, in an August 5th McLean’s Magazine article entitled “Warnings about BC tailings pond ‘ignored’” it was suggested that the community and local First Nations raised alarms about the stability of the dam but were ignored. Yet, in an October 13th 2011 article in the Williams Lake Tribune entitled “Mine discharge application raises concern,” it was reported that Imperial Minerals had applied to
safely discharge treated mine water from the tailings pond in November of 2009; treated water that would not include man-made chemicals, only elements that occur naturally in the Quesnel Lake watershed. The Tribune article goes on to note that Imperial Minerals held six public meetings to demonstrate how safe the water discharge would be, but it was blocked by local First Nations and community members citing “concerns.” If the original application to discharge treated water had been approved, as recommended by the engineers and scientists, the water level in the tailings pond would have been reduced and the breach
ECHO
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may never have happened. Moreover, it is very clear now from water testing that the water released from the pond was at or close to safe human drinking standards. These are important facts to keep in mind and they show how important it is to get the history correct. I don’t think we can point a finger at any one party in this unfortunate incident, but hopefully we have all learned to let the scientists and engineers do their jobs and make the best possible and most scientifically informed recommendations and decisions that safeguard us all. Michael Taylor Coquitlam, B.C.
Lighting a fire in her belly To the Editor: Merlin’s Mayor’s Report (July 16 Echo) was an evocative dichotomy which lit a fire in my belly. Read about Elihu in the
Book of Job; which somebelieve is the oldest manuscript in existence) “Days scurry by, like wind-swept coulds I used to watch ... I cannot watch
them now ... so much remains to do before I spend the las of my handful of sunsets. I feel this creative rhapsody rivals the songs of
Thereʼs more online. www.chetwyndecho.net
Jim Ross Jackfish BC
Important facts to keep in mind re: Polley
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for trying to force you to do something they have n authority to enforce. I recommend that you do not fall for this latest scam of the bureaucrat bandits masquerading under the pretense of a ground water study. The exclusive and absolute rights include your water well or ground water source. P.S. Any official who denies the above legal statements either does not know the law or consider themselves above the law. They are not!!!!
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Chetwynd Echo
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
5
Left, Several of these guard lines or containment lines, spot the 19,000 hectare area, separating the fire from fuels and guarding assets like wind towers and hunting cabins. Above, Base Camp for Fire #221 (Mount McAllister) in Chetwynd. The camp hosts roughly 216 personnel, about 19 from an Australian Incident Management Team. Crew members are also from other parts of Canada, including Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec. Front page: A helitanker drops its belly tank on a hotspot at the Mount McAllister Fire in the Johnson/Moberly Division on Saturday. Photos by Mike Carter
To ensure both crew and public safety, public being asked to stay out of restricted areas worst seasons ever. “2009 and 2010 were bad and in 2003 the Kelowna Fire burnt many hundreds of houses,” he said. In 2009, the entire community of Lillooet was forced to evacuate. Evacuation orders were in effect for Hudson’s Hope in early July but have since been rescinded. Restricted access areas
Continued from page 1 pected a temperature inversion to cause smoky conditions for ground crews and helicopters. Air tankers were used Sunday morning on the Mount McAllister fire, as it moved aggressively in a northeasterly direction toward Boomerang Lake. The tankers established a retardant guard in front of the fire, but it jumped across this line and continued to start new fires 400500 metres ahead of the fire line. The fire was also very active in what is known as “Hamburger Hill” in the Dowling Division (northwest) section of the fire and in the Johnson Division (east) section. By Monday, this activity subsided as ground and aircrews worked tirelessly to quell the advancing flames. At Base Camp in Chetwynd, there are currently 216 firefighters, 43 support staff, 14 helicopters and 20 pieces of heavy equipment in various positions throughout the fire area. Two staging areas have been set up in the wilderness. One near Moberly and the other near the Johnson Creek area. An Australian Incident Management Team assumed control of the fire on Aug. 13. The incident command post is located at the Base Camp in Chetwynd at the end of 50th street. British Columbia and Australia have an agreement to exchange wildfire management crews, and a further agreement sees wildfire management crews freely move between Canadian provinces. Crews from Australia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Quebec and other areas of the country are present at the Chetwynd base camp. Strategically, the Dokie Wind Towers, the hydro lines and the line of trees heading towards Hudson’s Hope are the areas that the fire crews are keeping their attention on. Fire crews are focusing on worker safety, protection of infrastructure and
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have been set up for an area that includes the 18.5 kilometre mark on the Johnson Forest Service Road north to Dinosaur Lake, west 24 kilometres, south 24 kilometres, east 24 kilometrees and north back to 18.5 kilometres on the Johnson Forest Service road. A map of the restricted area is available online at:
http://ow.ly/zsRdN To ensure crew and public safety, and to avoid interference with wildfire operations, the public is asked to stay out of the restricted area. To-date, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources has spent approximately $11 million combating the Mount McAllister fire.
HORLEY private property, and ultimately, the containment and control of the fire through a combination of direct, parallel and indirect attack matched appropriately to fire behavior, site location and safety conditions. During Saturday’s operations, helicopters equipped with belly tankers dropped water gathered from alpine lakes in the area, onto hot spots that flared up in the Johnson Division of the Mount McAllister fire. Helitankers take about 90 seconds to load 150-gallons into their belly tanks. These tanks typically hold up to 300 gallons of water. Wildfires are generally thought of as a continuous wall of fire, but in reality, large wildfires like the Mount McAllister fire are really areas where many disconnected fires engulf swaths of land. A contingency dozer line, known as a “Cat-guard” or containment line, is designed to separate fuels (trees) and private property from the burning fire. A large containment line was completed on Sunday. The line looks like a road, dug down to the mineral soil, which the fire will not cross. Fires can however jump these lines, something that is always a threat, meaning new guards have to be constructed. Guards are currently protecting the wind towers and other areas of value, such as a guided outfitters cabin located in the Johnson Division. The fire has already swallowed rings of dead pine affected by the pine beetle kill, Horley says. In some
areas, the fire was so hot that it burnt high into the alpine, much higher than some of the experienced crews have ever seen. “[If] you’ve got a fire on a slope, [and] you got a tree burning [on the lower end] that whole column of smoke is going up but it’s pre-heating all of the trees that are above it. So it's getting them closer to their ignition point already. It doesn't take that much,” he said. The fire was so high up certain mountains in areas within the fire boundary that “it was burning nothing, it was burning rocks, and it was burning the lichen on the rocks. In the alpine you don’t get that much vegetation [because] it's so dry,” Horley explained. At the moment, the McAllister fire is about 30 per cent contained, meaning about 30 percent of the fire at its current size is contained with guard lines. But fire containment numbers changes day-byday. The fire could jump a containment line, or increased fire activity might see the span of the fire jump from 16,000 to 19,000 hectares - as it did on Sunday. “Today we might have 30 per cent containment on a 16,000 hectare fire, but if we get a big blow out and the next day its 20,000 hectares, well we’ve got that much more perimeter,” Horley explained Saturday afternoon. The 2014 season has been one of the largest in terms of the amount of hectares burnt. But, Horley he stops short of saying that it has been one of the
Now you’ll start seeing the ants running around, [starting] to frame in the building -District of Chetwynd Public Works Director Paul Gordon re: town hall construction delay
EEK QUOTE OF W
A trip back in time
• Chetwynd Echo: Aug. 13, 1990
You can email us at editor@chetwyndecho.net; mail to Box 750 Chetwynd B.C. V0C 1J0 or drop of your letter at 5016 50 Avenue. All letters submitted must be signed with a return address and daytime telephone number so we can confirm that it came from you. The Echo reserves the right to edit letters for clarity, legality, length and to refuse publication of any submitted material. We may also choose to use a letter as the basis for a story. So, be sure to keep your letters brief and to the point. Letters originating from the Peace region get priority. We encourage new contributors as we attempt to publish a cross- section of public opinion. - Naomi Larsen, Editor
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Chetwynd Echo
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Kudos &
Kicks KUDOS ... To the lovely customer who brought us doughnuts and our courier guy who gave us fresh peaches. KUDOS ... to the local pizza joint for such great prices! KUDOS ... toall the people in Chetwynd who sent photos of our town to Global News for the Small Town Feature. KICKS ... to people who don’t clean up their horse poop. If dog owners have to scoop poop on public trails so do you! Do you have a kudos or kick for someone? Email them to EDITOR@CHETWYNDECHO.NET or drop them off at our office in beautiful downtown Chetwynd (inbetween SRCI and JobSearch)
Nomination packages for 2014 municipal elections available this Friday
Planning on running for District of Chetwynd council this year? Or school board? Or Regional District? Pick File photo up those nomination forms this week.
MIKE CARTER Chetwynd Echo Reporter –––––––––––––– CHETWYND – It’s a municipal election year, with fall elections scheduled for November. If you would like to run for the position of mayor, councilor or school trustee representing the District of Chetwynd, nomination packages are available this Friday. People who are interBY
ested in running for any of the positions will have to be nominated by two residents of Chetwynd. Proof of ownership of property is not necessary for nominees, says deputy Chief Administrative Office Carol Newsom. “The legislation does not require us to see proof of ownership of land in town from a non-resident property elector who is nominating someone for
office. However, we are able to check against our database to ensure the name provided is associated with that piece of property,” Newsom said. “According to legislation, candidates who are being nominated for office don’t have to live in town or own property in town. Only the nominators do.” To qualify to run for local government office, you must meet the follow-
ing criteria: • Will be on general voting day, 18 years of age or older; • Canadian citizen; • Resident of BC for at least 6 months prior to the date of nomination (residency is defined in LGA s.52); • Not disqualified under the LGA or any other enactment from being nominated for, elected to or holding the office, or otherwise disqualified by law; • A person or the commander of an armed forces unit who has been granted freedom of the municipality, if that person is a Canadian citizen (does not apply to regional districts). Completed nomination packages will be accepted from 9:00 a.m. September 30 to October 10 at 4:00 p.m. The nominee must drop off the package in person, as he or she is required to sign a declaration agreeing to the nomination. A list of candidates will be available by mid-October.
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Chetwynd Echo
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
7
Left, An August 17, 2014 picture of the Tommy lakes fire courtesy of BC Wild Fire Management.
Photo submitted
Area restriction and evacuation alert in effect for Tommy Lakes fire north of Fort St. John MIKE CARTER Chetwynd Echo Reporter –––––––––––––– BY
FORT ST. JOHN – An evacuation alert issued by the Peace River Regional District in relation to the Tommy Lakes fire located about 60 kilometres northeast of Pink Mountain, was expanded to areas south of the fire on Sunday. An area restriction was also added on Monday. The Prince George Fire Centre issued an extreme fire warning due to the fire activity from the Tommy Lakes fire this past weekend, as the fire was expected to burn and spread in size due to its aggressive nature. The fire is currently 4,400 hectares in size. It is a modified response fire,
which means it is being actively monitored but not actively suppressed. The evacuation alert remains in place for anyone in the area following the Sikanni Chief River on the west, following the western boundary of the Sikanni Chief Management Area to the southwest most point, then southeast across to the junction of PDR 6 and Tommy Lakes Road, then northeast to the source and across back to the Sikanni Chief River. Maps of the evacuation area are available online at bcwildfire.ca Follow the link to “Wildfires of Note” and click on the “Tommy Lakes Fire” then scroll down to “Maps and Photos.” The area is within the oil and gas field areas of Tommy lakes, Conroy
Creek, Laprise Creek and Black Creek. Backcountry travelers should avoid this area at this time. The public will be given as much advance notice as possible prior to evacuation, however the Peace River Regional District warns residents of the area that they may receive limited notice due to the ever changing conditions of the fire. Anyone who has concerns for their safety or the safety of other in their area should call the PRRD 24 hrs a day at 250-784-3200. A map of the restricted area around the fire is available online at: http://goo.gl/p8mf4E. The open restriction applies to a 75-kilometre area on the Tommy Lakes Road to the end of the construction road.
Decision forcing mother to move overturned VANCOUVER SUN –––––––––––––– CHETWYND – A 33year-old Kelowna teacher will not have to return to Chetwynd, where she had lived during a short marriage, to ensure her exhusband has access to the couple's daughter, the B.C. Court of Appeal has ruled. The decision overturns a B.C. Supreme Court ruling that gave Heather McIntosh custody of the child, but ruled it was in the child's best interest for her to return to Chetwynd where her ex-husband Stephen Kaulbach resides - so he could have easier access to their child. The girl is now two years old. The B.C. Supreme Court judge had also noted that both parents could maximize their earnings working in Chetwynd. The woman had been earning $69,000 a year working as a math teacher in Chetwynd, a figure that dropped to $40,000 a year when she moved to the Okanagan. The ex-husband was working as a mine electrician at the time of the earlier trial, earning $95,000 a year working two weeks
see his daughter is his reon and two weeks off. McIntosh had argued sponsibility, the B.C. Court that since the judge ini- of Appeal ruled. tially ruled she should have custody, it was not open to him to order her to relocate. The Court of Appeal agreed. "While a court may prohibit a parent from relocating a child, or a court may make a custody order that indirectly limits a parent's mobility, 'a court cannot indenture an individual to a community.' " The Court of Appeal also ruled the father can still have parenting time with his daughter for five consecutive nights during each of his 14-day rest periods from work. But he must travel by air and is not at liberty to take her to Chetwynd from Kelowna, or return by road. In addition, if he fails to take up his parenting time during one of his rest periods from work, he cannot make up for that missed visit. He must also give the mother seven days' notice on whether he plans to exercise his parenting time during one of his work rest periods. The cost of all travel to
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Chetwynd Echo
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
22nd Annual Hudson’s Hope Fall Fair Saturday September 13 Hudson’s Hope Arena. Beginner/Intermediate Drop In Yoga with Tim at the Chetwynd Public Library for the month of August. Cost is $10 per session. 8 Sessions in total. Starts August 5th ending August 28th. Runs at 6:45am-7:45am Tuesday & Thursday's. Please bring your own Yoga Mat. Call Tim for more information: 403-678-8586 Keep a lookout for information on auditions for the fall play "Double Income No Kids". They will be held over two days (to accommodate schedules) on the fifirrst week of September. Rehearsals will take place 2 nights a week for 6-8 weeks, for an early November performance. Free English Practice Mondays 9:30 am at Northern Lights College and Wednesdays at 5:30 pm at the Chetwynd Public Library Call 250-7882559 Chetwynd Breastfe eding Suppor t Network meets every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m at the Chetwynd Public Library. Taking Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Pine Valley Seniors Centre Call 250-788-3306
PRE-CUBS Aiden Fowler CUBS 1st Ann Marie Barrette 2nd Kaylee Harmacek 3rd Libby Disher BANTAMS 1st Talia Daisley
2nd Tyler Richter 3rd Riley Reeves JUNIORS 1st Sam Barrette 2nd Connor Reeves LADIES TRADITIONAL 1st Jody Bougerolle 2nd Susan Davis
3rd Sheena Colton LADIES COMPOUND 1st Dayna Chapple 2nd Erica Daisley 3rd Tanya Davidson MENS TRADITIONAL 1st Gil Davis 2nd Pat Dressler
3rd Bill Keutzer MENS COMPOUND 1st Rory Chapple 2nd Jonathan Daisley 3rd Aaron Dingman Photo by Naomi Larsen
Pine Valley Seniors Hall weekly activities including Cribbage, Whist, Bingo and Carpet Bowling. Call Anita at 788-2307 for info. Pine Valley Seniors Hall Carpet Bowling Tuesdays @ 1:30 pm. FREE Cree Lessons Wednesdays 5-6 pm at Tansi Friendship Centre Baby’s Best Chance Pregnancy Outreach Program Drop in : Mondays 10am to Noon. Weekly Group Sessions Tuesdays 11 am-1pm. Located at Kici. Alanon meetings 6:30 pm Tuesdays Mickey’s Place (behind A&W) Chetwynd Society for Community Living Board Meeting. First Monday of each month. 4699 Airpor t Road Ph: 250-7884889. Homeschooling Network Thursdays 1 pm - 2 pm at the Chetwynd Public Librar y
:Riders from Chetwynd, Hudson’s Hope, Taylor, Fort St. John, Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge took part in the second annual Peace Region Community to Community poker run this past Saturday August 16, 2014. Riders cycled through visitor centers around the Peace Region where they received a playing card at each stop. At the end of the day, each rider formed a poker hand out of the cards they received. The winning hand received 50 % of the $30 registration fees collected by each rider. In Chetwynd, riders arrived throughout the day and were treated to lunch at the Visitor Information Centre. Similar festivities were held at each visitor information/community centre in each community.
Muskoti Learning Centre Homework Club Mon-Thursday 3 - 4:30 pm Quintessentials Quilters Guild. Meetings held every third monday at 7 pm at the Shared Ministry Church. Contact Joan at 250-788-2714 for more information.
sponsored by:
CONGRATULATIONS!
is
KFC Chetwynd 4800 North Access Rd. 250-788-9866
Photos submitted
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Chetwynd Echo
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
9
Jozef brings magic to Chetwynd
Almost crossed Chetwynd off the list due to “outrageous rental fees� MIKE CARTER Chetwynd Echo Reporter –––––––––––––– CHETWYND – Jozef Demcak, a Czechoslovakian-born entertainer who now calls Richmond, B.C his home, will be in Chetwynd this weekend to perform a magic show at the Royal Canadian Legion. Jozef and his family bill themselves as “The last traditional family magic show.� Demcak says he is happy to be back in Chetwynd, (he was last here in 2001), but he made a point of informing us that he is not so happy with the Chetwynd and District Recreation Centre, which he accuses of charging outrageous fees for the rental of their banquet halls. “I want you to write about this,� he said. “I am grateful for the legion. [They are] reasonable people and so I am glad I can come to Chetwynd again. You have a very nice Recreation Centre and of course, I was attempting to [do the show] there because there are a variety of BY
rooms were I could do my show. But, imagine this, they asked $618 to rent it. $600 for a two-hour performance is crazy.� Compare that with other communities, such as Mackenzie, who charge as little $120, and the community of Fraser Lakes, who let him do his show for free. Demcak said he wanted to speak out so that hopefully somebody with power will step in to make a change regarding the higher than normal fees at the Recreation Centre, because “when you ask such a large amount of money, it's like saying no,� he said. Demcak also says this kind of pricing is driving entertainers like him out of business. “It’s the attitudes and the outrageous charges that are killing art.� He has to pass on the cost to the parents and the families that come to his show and for them he wants to keep the price low, he says. “I was going to strike Chetwynd off my list,� he
From left to right: Houdini, Bibiana and Jozef invite you to a magic show that is out of this world. Tickets are available at the door or in advance through the Chetwynd Visitor Information Centre: 250-788-3345.
Photo by Mike Carter
said, “before I found out about the legion hall. “That is kind of the thing where towns more and more are making decisions that are making it impossible to come. They are not basically charging me; they are charging the families that come to my show. I would have to charge them more to be able to cover something like $600 just for the place.� Demcak is one of the only travelling perform-
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ance groups left in North America, making a living off of spending a summer on the road travelling from town to town. Travelling entertainers like him, have largely gone extinct because of the high costs associated with a travelling show. Demcak, for example, carries two tons of equipment with him - everything from lights, to sound, to props. He sets it up with the help of family and tears
it down and the end of the performance. The, it’s on to the next town. He has been at it for 25 years. This weekend, you can catch his family act at the Chetwynd Legion hall. Show starts at 7 p.m. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Chetwynd Visitor’s Centre, 250-788-3345. Tickets are also available at the door. Children under 3 are admitted for free.
NORTH COUNTRY AUTOMOTIVE
If you want professional, quality and trustworthy vehicle repairs, head to North Country Automotive. With more than 25 years of service in Chetwynd, you know you will be satisfied with their dependable service with every visit. Give them a call at 250-788-9599 or see their facility located minutes from Chetwynd on Jackfish Lake Road, first driveway on the left. Don Lasser has more than 33 years of experience in the mechancial field. Wade Collins brings his 35 years of experinece as a certified technician and authorized inspector. Alisha Moorcraft, a fourth year apprentice is in the office as a service advisor. With all of their experience you can count on North Country Automotive to look after you and your vehicle all year round. Each year they expand with new equipment, services and products to serve you better. North Country Automotive offers a wide variety of services for your gas or diesel vehicle such as engine oil and driveline fluid service, transmission flushes, engine
North Country Automotive Jackfish Lake Road, Chetwynd
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tune ups, 4x4 repairs, brake repairs, steering and suspenion repairs, two and four wheel alignments, new tire sales, tire change overs, fly wheel grinding, head resurfacing, exhaust manifold resurfacing, exhaust repairs and much more. North Country Automotive also has access to a large amount of aftermarket parts and accessories for your vehicle. Whether you are looking for trailer hitches, mud flaps, lights, vent visors, bumpers or just something to set your vehicle apart, North Country Automotive can help you create the custom look you want. North Country Automotive is a customer driven company and to prove it they offer free pick up and delivery of people or their vehicles in Chetwynd. You can also sit back and relax in their waiting room equipped with satellite tv, coffee, tea, comfy couches and the latest magaziens. Let North Country Automotive take care of you and your vehicle today. Call 250-788-9599.
• Preventative Maintenance • Winterization • Licence B.C. Inspection • Full vehicle servicing P: 788-9599 F: 788-7930 NOBODY DOES IT BETTER!
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Please be advised that the hours of operation for the Recycling Depot are as follows: Sunday - Closed Monday 10 am - 4pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 4pm
250 -788-1111
10
Chetwynd Echo
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS Cancel your timeshare. no risk program Stop mor tgage and maintenance payments today. 100 per cent money back guarantee. Free consultation. Call us Now. We can help. 1-888-356-5248 Criminal Record? Canadian record suspension (riminal pardon) seals record. American waiver allows legal entry. Why risk employment, business, travel, licensing, deportation, peace of mind? Free consultation: 1- 800347-2540 Criminal Record? Don’t let your past limit your career plans. Since 1989 confidential, fas, affordable - A+ BBB rating. employment and travel freedom. Call for free info booklet. 1-80NowPARDON ( 1-866-9727 3 6 6 ) www.removeyourrecord.c om HELP WANTED Hire out your typing, computer skills and computer or ear n a share in a best selling novel. Help wanted to turn a hand written manuscript into a pubished E-book. Call 250793-9898 Help wanted! Make $1000 weekly mailing brochures from home. No experience required. Start imm e d i a t l e y . www.themailinghub.com ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BARMAID WANTED Resumes are now being accepted for part time bar staff. ome and join our friendly atmosphere. Successful applicant must have a Serving It Right Certificate and be willing to work
evenings and occasional Saturdays. Resume can be dropped off at the Legion lounge wed - sat after 4pm. A ttn Karen/Fred or for more info please call 250-7883306. Interior Heavy Equipment operator school. No simulators. In the seat training. Real world tasks. Weekly start dates. Job board! Funding options. Sign up online! iheschool.com 1866-399-3853 PERSONAL LOCAL HOOKUPS, BROWSE4FREE 1-888628-6790 or #7878 Mobile Find your favourite. CAll Now. 1-866-732- 0070 1888-544-0199 18+ Hot local chat. 1-8770553 Mobile #5015
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ADVERTISING REGULATIONS
The Chetwynd Echo reserves the right to classify ads under appropriate headlines and to set rates therefore and to determine page location. The Chetwynd Echo reserves the right to revise, edit classify or reject any advertisement and to retain any answers directed to the Chetwynd Echo. The Chetwynd Echo cannot be responsible for errors after the first publication of any advertisement. Notice of errors on the first day should immediately be called to the attention of the appropriate advertising department to be corrected in the next available edition. It is agreed by the advertiser requesting space that the liability of the Chetwynd Echo in the event of failure to publish an advertisement or in the event of an error appearing in the advertisement as published, shall be limited to the amount paid by the advertiser for only one incorrect insertion for the portion of the advertising space occupied by the incorrect or omitted item only, and that there shall be no liability to an event greater than the amount paid for such advertising. Advertisements must comply with the British Columbia Human Rights Act which prohibits any advertising that discriminates against any person because of race, religion, sex, color, nationality, ancestry or place or origin or because age is between 44 and 65 years unless the condition is justified by a bondable requirement for the work involved.
1 bdr m home at Moberly Lake comes with f/s propane and wood heating Available Aug 1 $800/month includes hydro. 250-788-3400
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Cleaning up after tragedy
Chetwynd Echo
PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN ––––––––––––––
F
ingerprint powder is a bugger to clean. So is a lot of other things related to a crime scene. Take a step past the gory details of violent crime and think about what kind of aftermath can be left in a home and how devastating that can be to family left behind. Most people have already been emotionally overwhelmed by the event. They shouldn't be traumatized further trying to deal with the cleanup, said Tania Lienert, coowner with Chris Brown of Northern Capital Restorations (NCR). The company has been doing the job for about 14 years and has had a division in Chetwynd for about four years. "Typically when it's a murder or suicide trauma scene clean up - biohazard clean up - the first thing you have to worry about is the emotional needs of the family," said Lienert. "You have to be extremely compassionate and sensitive and you have to handle the scene very discreetly. Nobody wants the neighbourhood to know what's happened." And discretion is needed for resale purposes as well, Lienert added. Some people need to be able to leave the home behind after a tragedy. "How the work potentially comes to us is through Victim Services, RCMP and insurance companies," said Lienert. The Red Cross also calls them in for jobs like the Victoria Towers fire, the Connaught residents flood and the Westwood fire. When NCR gets to a home after a murder or suicide, the coroner and the RCMP have already completed their investigation. "Now we need to clean it up," said Lienert. "First thing we do is interview the family or their representative. It's extremely shocking when these things happen. But
Wednesday, August 20, 2014 11
Dondee Foley, content supervisor, in her personal protective equipment, stands with co-owner of Northern Capital Restorations, Tania Lienert, and Miriam Lienert, a technician at the company, that provides trauma and Citizen photo crime scene clean up in the northern region of B.C. it's not always unexpected. Usually if it's a suicide the family has had to deal with the person's mental health issues or drug addiction for years. Even if it's a murder, there's usually a background to those stories as well." So Lienert will ask if there are things in the room affected - in most cases a bedroom - that the family wants to keep for sentimental reasons. Some people will say get rid of all of it. Others will ask Lienert to recover certain items in any condition. Lienert's team will do their best to restore and sanitize the keepsakes as best they can. Suicide by a drug addicted person, Lienert said, unless it's an overdose, is always a violent death in her experience. "For the most part the suicide happens because
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the person is hallucinating and they think they are being attacked and someone is out to get them and they are protecting themselves. They are very violent because they are in a state of panic," said Lienert, casting her eyes to the carpet. "So those ones are a little bit harder." With a deep breath, Lienert carries on. "Let's say a shotgun was
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used," said Lienert. "Then you have the biohazards to deal with." Biohazards include tissue matter, blood and bone fragment. Drywall, carpet and underlay must be removed, furniture discarded, she explained. "It all has to be done as biowaste," said Lienert. The big picture of the process starts with a lined waste management bin
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that is delivered to the house. Ideally the room beside the affected room is a transfer room that is contained in plastic sheeting, where all discarded items are brought, sealed in plastic and put into the bio matter bin, Lienert explained. Staff would don and doff their personal protective equipment when entering and exiting the house so as not to alert the neighbours there is a biohazards removal taking place in the home, Lienert said. The equipment includes a disposable suit, booties, puncture resistant gloves and a full or half face mask, depending on the level of odours in the room. "We have a crew of two that is extremely good at it now, we've done it enough times and we have one gentleman here - he can
handle anything," said Lienert. There are different aspects to the cleaning. If it's a crime scene and the RCMP have dusted for fingerprints, there will be powder residue on many surfaces that is difficult to remove. "It's a real bugger to get clean but we have a cleaner to get that out," Lienert said. "So we will go through the home and do a full clean so that the family doesn't have to come home and see the fingerprint residue over everything, that's just another upsetting aspect to it so we take care of all of that." There is also unattended death where someone has passed away and no one has discovered the body for a couple of weeks. "Those ones are gucky," said Lienert. "So what happens in those cases is the coroner goes in and removes the body." A body that has decomposed for that long leaves a very strong odour, Lienert said. "So even though the source has been removed, the odour permeates the whole home or apartment," said Lienert. Even when the bed or chair the person died in or the carpet the person may have fallen onto has been removed. "We have to do a full clean, and then deodourize," said Lienert. The technique used is called ozone deodourization where the area is completely sealed off during the procedure. The next step for restoration includes sanitization. "Let's say fluids went through the carpet, underpad and soaked into the concrete," said Lienert. "We would clean and sanitize the concrete and encapsulate the concrete." NCR uses a special sealant that blocks odours. "And covers any staining, which is important visually," said Lienert. "And then we put it back together. We reinsulate, redrywall, paint and trim and flooring and we probably do between five and eight a year."
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Established utilities services company is seeking part time and full time METER READERS for Chetwynd and surrounding areas. ‹ ,_WLYPLUJL YLHKPUN TL[LYZ PZ JVUZPKLYLK HU HZZL[ ‹ 4\Z[ OH]L H YLSPHISL ]LOPJSL ‹ 4\Z[ IL J\Z[VTLY VYPLU[LK ^P[O NVVK communications skills ‹ 4\Z[ IL JHWHISL VM ^VYRPUN PUKLWLUKLU[S` PU ]HYPV\Z ^LH[OLY JVUKP[PVUZ ‹ 7O`ZPJHSS` KLTHUKPUN QVI ‹ *VTWHU` WYV]PKLK \UPMVYTZ HUK [YHPUPUN ‹ 7HPK I` WPLJL YH[L WHPK WLY TL[LY [OH[ `V\ YLHK ‹ 0M OPYLK JSLHU +YP]LYZ (IZ[YHJ[ JSLHU *YPTPUHS )HJRNYV\UK *OLJR HUK WYVVM VM I\ZPULZZ JSHZZ vehicle insurance required ‹ ,HYUPUN WV[LU[PHS VM HWWYV_PTH[LS` WLY OV\Y Email resume to employment@olameter.com noting CHETWYND BC PU [OL Z\IQLJ[ SPUL VY MH_ [V 877-864-2831
Jasper Constructors is currently hiring for work on the WAC Bennett Damn Rehab project. This 2 year seasonal project is scheduled to be completed by winter of 2015. The construction season will be determined by weather but is expected to be suspended through the winter months. We are hiring: ➢ SKILLED LABOURERS ➢ CARPENTERS with concrete experience
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12
Chetwynd Echo
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
From left, a representative of Southwest Design & Construction along with District of Chetwynd Councillors Laura Weisgberber, Ernest Pfanner, Rochelle Galbraith and Northern Development Intiative Trust Chair Evan Saugstad pose for the ceremonial sod turning photo at the site of the future Chetwynd Health and Wellness CenPhoto by Mike Carter tre yesterday afternoon.
Town council views doctor attraction and retention as it’s own responsibility Continued from page 1 is believed to be lower than expected. An alternative approval process was kick started by the District of Chetwynd in June to give residents a chance to voice their disapproval of the project. The alternate approval process required 182 residents to voice disapproval before the matter
was moved to a referendum. Only four people put forth a response. Bylaws were passed in July to allow a zoning amendment for the property in question. A public hearing was held July 28 in the council chambers to discuss the zoning amendment where the District accepted letters from Yvonne Pearson, provincial approving offi-
OUR BIGGEST EVE NT Y ET
cer, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure in Fort St. John approving the bylaw, and from Glenn Pichler of Pichler Investments Corp., also in favour. No further submissions were received. Mayor and council expect the 6,000-foot building to be well received in the community and, the district says it will help with doctor recruitment
and retention. The project was announced at the end of May 2014, about a week after the Chetwynd Echo first reported that the District of Chetwynd would be losing two of its four physicians in 2015. Like other communities in the north, Chetwynd struggles with attracting and retaining doctors. “For myself, I see this as essential. Not just keep-
ing you well, but also it’s essential for the community to have an attractive representative facility from which to deliver services that everybody expects,� Mayor Nichols said in May 2014. “I think it’s going to go a long way to attracting and retaining doctors. Last week's paper said two doctors are leaving town. Well, so they are. But there are two more
out there and three more out there somewhere and we just need to find them.� Nichols added that although Chetwynd takes all the help it can get from the Northern Health Authority to attract and retain doctors, the town views it as its own responsibility to go out and meet with doctors to help sway them towards the community.
BCMA sanctioned event August 23 ••• PMA sanctioned event August 24
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R i de r s fr o m 4 to 60 y e ar s ol d !
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S S O R C O T O M 9th Annual Pine Valley P I N E VA L L E Y R A C E WAY Pine River Holdings
8 km north on Hwy 29 towards Moberly (watch for signs)
McAllister Forest Fire from the hills Do you have a photo of the Peace area you would like to see featured here? Email editor@chetwyndecho.net.
Photo by Sheree Smith
SAY HELLO TO AVOCADO Prepared fresh. Š 2014 Doctor’s Associates Inc. SUBWAYŽ is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc.