22 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer
July 4, 2008
Invermere welcomes new planner Rory Hromadnik By Alex Cooper Pioneer Staff
Julie Parent is pleased to announce that she will now be working full-time at
Salon in Invermere! For an appointment with Julie please contact Hair Tricks at (250) 342-7264
Luminescence “Is now Open for Business”
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Body Sugaring, Cold Laser Therapy and Microdermabrasion Services
For appointments please call: (250) 341-5474 Friends of Kootenay National Park
July 4 - Aug 19
Junior Naturalist Program
Rory Hromadnik, Invermere’s new planner, comes from a family with a tradition of serving Invermere. His father was mayor of Invermere in the 1970s and that was partly what attracted him to the job. “Because of my family history, there was a pull to have an impact on Invermere,” he said. Mr. Hromadnik was born and raised in the town and graduated from David Thompson Secondary School. After high school he went to the University of Lethbridge where he studied general science. He spent his summers back in Invermere working for the British Columbia Ministry of Forests. He enjoyed the work so much that he switched paths slightly and transferred to the University of Alberta. In 1986 he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry. Mr. Hrodmanik returned to the valley after graduating and landed a job as a woods manager for Slocan, now Canfor, in Radium. He married his wife Julie, and had two daughters – Jessica, 11, and Madison, 9. For the past decade Mr. Hromadnik was the planning superintendent at Canfor, a position he said prepared him for his new job. “I started to look at planning models, concepts of smart planning, issues of sustainability and multiuse planning, and thought they were very familiar to forestry issues,” he said. “The zoning issues at the district are similar to land use issues and they’re also both heavily regulated with lots of laws.” Currently Mr. Hromadnik is going through the learning process at his new job and just figuring out how things work and where to find the right files. “I haven’t been thrown into the large developments like Vista del Lago yet,” he said. He is impressed by the Community Enhancement Plan that was unveiled to the public last week, and will be going through public hearings in the coming months. The plan calls for the rejuvenation of Athalmer, Pothole Park, the downtown area, and Kinsmen
Rory Hromadnik, born and raised in Invermere. Beach, and a network of paths connecting the different parts of Invermere. “I think it’s exciting, especially the parks and trails system initiative,” he said. “Those recreation options are an important part of why people live here.” Part of his consideration for taking the job was being able to bike to work, instead of commuting to Radium every day. He hopes the new initiatives will get people out of their cars and onto their feet and bikes instead. When it comes to controversial issues such as high-density development, he said it has its place. “You need to maintain a good balance between recreation and moving forward on development to support the community,” he said. “You need a variety of housing forms. Single-family residential only takes up too much space and leads to sprawl.” And he’s prepared for the criticism that comes with the job: “There’s emotion tied to things. As much as you can sympathize with someone, you have to go where people and council want to go.”
Historic Spilli post office closes Tuesday and Fridays 10:00 am to 12 noon
Redstreak Campground, Kootenay National Park Bring water, snack, hat, sunscreen, sturdy shoes and a backpack
Cost: $5.00 per child Pre-register at Radium Hot Springs Visitors Info Centre: Phone 347-6525 8 out of 10 owners who expressed preference said their cats prefer reading…
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Bring out the Pioneer in you.
The Spillimacheen post office has closed its doors. The outlet, located in the home of former postmaster Frances Dunne, was closed down by Canada Post on June 13th. “Closure is always a last resort,” said Lillian Au, Canada Post’s manager of media and community affairs for the Pacific area. “It’s a serious matter we don’t take lightly, but sometimes it’s unavoidable.” The Spillimacheen post office was in limbo after Mrs. Dunne retired last March and moved away following 56 years of service as postmaster. She ran
the post office out of her own home, which had no running water and was heated by a wood stove. Liz Williams, Mrs. Dunne’s assistant for the past five years and her replacement as postmaster for the past few months, said the building was just not sufficient to keep operating. To replace the post office, temporary boxes have been installed outside the former post office site. Permanent boxes should be installed within the next week, said Ms. Au. For full postal services, Spillimacheen residents have to drive to Brisco.