Crowsnest Pass Herald

www.crowsnestpassherald.ca • 403-562-2248 •passherald@shaw.ca

February 10, 2021 ~ Vol. 91

No. 6

$1.00

Crowsnest Pass

Herald Serving the CnP SinCe 1930

ue: s s i is h t e 0 Insid s of 202 e BaBi Page 4 er n n a l P g n di 8-10 d e W s 2021 Page

Celebrating Outdoor Play Day

David Selles photo

Students at Horace Allen School participated in Global School Outdoor Play Day on Wednesday, February 3rd. Students spent extra time enjoying outside with their grade cohorts throughout the day to mark the occasion.

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2 – Crowsnest PAss HerALD – Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Council Briefs DaviD SelleS Pass Herald Reporter

The following topics were discussed at the Regular Council Meeting on February 2nd.

Bylaw 1061, 2021 – LUB Redesignation: Multiple Residential R2-A to Duplex Residential R-2 In February 2018 Council approved a bylaw to redesignate lots 1 & 2, Block 7 Plan 0613673 from Residential (R-1) to Multiple Residential (R-2A). At the time the best use of these properties was deemed to be a higher density residential (R2-A), rather than the single family residential (R-1) that was in place at the time. In September 2018, development permits for a modular home with a detached garage were received for each lot 1 & 2. Through the development permit process the properties were incorrectly identified as

February’s Blairmore Lions Trip of the Month Raffle Winners 1 - Jeff and Brenda Schlender of Hillcrest Trip to Comox BC valued at $1400.00 2 - Shawn and Lenore Tarcon of Coleman a $200.00 Summit Home Hardware gift card 3 - Klay Pugnucco of Bellevue a $120.00 Ben Wong’s gift certificate

being located in the R-2 Residential District instead of the R-2A District. As a result of the misidentification, both development permit applications were approved by the Municipal Planning Commission for uses that are listed in the R-2 District, but which are prohibited in the R-2A District in which the properties are located.

The developments have been built and completed. In November 2020 a compliance certificate request was processed and Administration found that the buildings were not in compliance with the designated district, and could not be corrected with a new development permit application because a Modular Home is prohibited in the R-2A district. By redesignating Lots 1 & 2 to the R-2 district, the Municipality will rectify the non-compliance and remove barriers to future development improvements or sales of the parcel for the property owner. Councillor Ward made a motion for first reading. The motion was carried.

Tourism Levy Update Council has directed Administration to impose a Tourism Levy, therefore a review of the Municipal Government Act, the presentation made by Southern Canadian Rockies DMO Strategy, as well as other DMOs currently in place was completed. In the review process it was determined that a Municipality cannot operate a DMO directly nor can they make the levy mandatory. The two areas of concern in implementing a Tourism Levy or as it is also referred to in other places, a Destination Marketing Fee, is can it be made mandatory for all organizations involved in tourism industry. The second issue to be addressed is, can a Municipality be the Destination Management Organization or does it need to be a third party. The MGA section 7 and 8, is very specific on the types of bylaws a Council can implement where revenue is concerned.

A Municipality does not have authority to impose a tourism levy, only the Provincial Government has the authority. The Provincial Government would need to pass legislation enabling municipalities to

SubScriptionS Due

impose this type of tax. This is not to say a Tourism Levy or Destination Marketing Fee cannot be implemented, but in reviewing how it has been implemented in other jurisdictions and reviewing online literature, the conclusion reached is destination marketing fees are becoming increasingly common throughout Alberta as a means of raising revenue to support tourism destination marketing. However, the program is voluntary, industry driven and operates with little to no local government involvement and no Provincial legislative sanction. The second issue is, can the Municipality be the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO)? The most common method of generating revenue for local tourism marketing purposes is to establish a local or regional Destination Marketing Organization and have the DMO implement and collect the Destination Marketing Fee(DMF). Through incorporation (e.g. a society or for profit corporation), the bylaws state the purpose of what the organization can do. A DMF is not a tax, but rather a fee and is not imposed by the municipality, but rather the local or regional DMO. Basically, a DMF is individual businesses collectively deciding to work together under the umbrella of a DMO and contribute funds (collected from guests) to support a joint marketing program and related initiatives. There is no one formula for who can be the DMO, usually the designated DMO is the local tourist bureau/organization of the jurisdiction in which the DMF is applied. After hearing this information, Council held some discussion. Upon hearing that it cannot be made mandatory, Councillor Ward said he'd like to see something different. "I don't want to spend the next year or three years trying to convince the hotels and whoever to participate in this. Somebody else needs to do that other than Council or Administration. Especially with no option of making it mandatory. It's not going to work." Council also discussed the negative costs of money and time from going to meetings on this and now hearing that it can't be made mandatory. After discussion, Councillor Filipuzzi made a motion to accept this as information and the motion was carried.

Canada behind on Covid-19 Vaccinations DaviD SelleS Pass Herald Reporter

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Over the last couple of weeks, more news surrounding Canada’s Covid19 vaccinations has emerged.

Recently across Canada, the number of vaccines available has declined resulting in lower numbers of Canadians being vaccinated.

Information taken from the Government of Canada’s website shows that the number of Pfizer vaccines for Canada dropped from 208,650 doses in week five of their plan (Jan 11-17) to 190,125 doses in week six of the plan (Jan 18-24).

The Moderna vaccine shipment for the week of February 1-7 was also reduced from 230,400 to 180,000.

Local MP John Barlow says the government simply hasn’t done it’s due diligence when it comes to a vaccination plan.

“It is our understanding less than 10% of the promised number of vaccines doses have been delivered and distributed. We are well behind other countries in our ability to vaccinate our population.”

When asked about any timeframe for the new Canadian vaccines from Precision Nanosystems and Novovax, Barlow said there is no current idea of when those vaccines will begin being produced.

“It is impossible to predict as those options have yet to apply for Health Canada approval and I have not seen definitive data on manufacturing capacity.”

Barlow says there is just not enough information he has to relay to his constituents at this time.

‘I wish I could give you more details, but that is really the crux of this issue as the Liberals clearly do not have a vaccine strategy and we cannot find out any details. As more information becomes available I will be sure to share it with constituents.”

OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Friday 10 am to 4 pm CLOSED noon - 1 pm

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 - Crowsnest PAss herAlD - 3

In the lIne of fIre Between February 1 and February 8, Crowsnest Pass RCMP responded to a total of 39 calls for service including the following reported incidents.

One (1) assault, three (3) threat/harassments, one (1) mischief (vandalism), one (1) disturbing the peace, two (2) other provincial statutes, seven (7) driving complaints, two (2) motor vehicle collisions, five (5) assistance to general public, five (5) suspicious occurrences, five (5) assistance to other agencies, two (2) 911 calls (invalid), two (2) false alarms, two (2) animal calls and one (1) lost and found.

Suspicious Vehicle On February 1st, 2021, there was a complaint of a suspicious vehicle in Blairmore parked outside of a residence early that morning. No further details are available at this time.

Semi Unit Fire On February 3rd, 2021, at approximately 4:30am, on highway 22

there was a report of a semi trailer unit on fire.

Police attended along with the fire department.

A 29-year-old male from Washington was not injured.

Disturbance On February 3rd, 2021, there was a complaint of disturbance outside a liquor store. Police attended and a 58-yearold male was arrested for intoxication and lodged in cells until sober. There were no charges.

Suspicious Phone Call On February 3rd, 2021, there was a suspicious phone call from Servus Canada regarding the complainant their social insurance had been compromised. During the conversation it appeared the call was of fraudulent nature and no further information was given.

Buried Snowmobile On February 4th, 2021, a complainant advised while he and a companion were snowmobiling near Crowsnest Mountain that

~ rCMP news ~

one skidoo was buried under 3 feet of snow.

They were unable to retrieve snowmobile at this time. No one was injured.

Suspicious Vehicle On February 7th, 2021, there was a complaint of a suspicious vehicle parked at a residence. Police attended and found out the vehicle was parked because he was loading items in back of truck as he was moving out of residence.

personal info are at risk of identity fraud.

Also, Do not say yes to any questions if you are unsure of who is calling as people can use voice recognition to access other information.

Anyone with information regarding any crime is urged to contact the Crowsnest Pass RCMP Detachment at 403-562-2867, or Crimestoppers to remain anonymous at 1-800-422TIPS.

Be aware of a new scam. Victims get phone calls from someone pretending to be from Service Canada or another government agency, saying their social insurance number (SIN) has been blocked, compromised or suspended. The call might be one of the latest variations on caller ID in which fraudsters disguises the number seen on the ID display in order to trick victims into answering phone. The person will ask for SIN and other personal info, such as date of birth, address, etc. Victims who provide

Reminder to residents of computer scams, credit cards scams, Grandparent scams, Revenue Canada scams asking for money or cash cards and saying warrants out for arrest, do not give out personal information to persons you don't know.

DO NOT OPEN EMAILS if you are suspicious of its origin. Do NOT purchase gift cards for payment to Revenue Canada.

Do not send monies to person claiming you have won a prize and need to send money for delivery.

The Simple Raven’s Post

by Avner Perl

The future is ours to see, and plan We all know the feeling of being forced to work and do things we do not approve of doing or wouldn’t do. We have a system that works, and none of us are willing to throw a monkey wrench into the machinery. It’s our economy.

A young person finishes grade 12 and needs to find a way to make a living. If he or she is not intellectually inclined, they go to work mostly for lower wages. The best students go to university. A few parents can finance the studies while most can’t. The young person borrows money to secure a better future. They start their working lives with debt that from graduation on is accumulating interest. If they find a job in their field, they will work for years to pay for their education and will try hard not to make waves. Jobs are not exactly waiting for them.

Both the university-educated and those who are not will be offered credit cards, easily borrowed money, and be pelted with advertising. “Fly now and pay later”.

By the time that my generation often bought a house and began to save for retirement, today’s young people are in debt, often working in situations that they don’t enjoy but must endure.

Yet our kids are living in a reality that most people in the world envy. Many receive help from us, the older generation who lived in a better situation, received better wages, and knew not to get into debt over their heads. We often have oldage pensions, homes that are paid for, and some savings. This is not the reality that our kids are living in.

However, they are managing not too bad. Here there is Canadian Health-Care, a reasonable social safety net, self-improvement programs, and above all cheap imported foods and goods. The country is at peace and the infrastructure that we the elders built for them is holding. Every few years there is an economic crash and austerity-centred governments rip the floor from under them, but they make it.

It is not the same in the countries that are home to most of the world’s population. Those are the countries that enable us to have our lifestyle. When we colonized them we built our prosperity on their resources and now we use their cheap labour.

Life here is not as good as fifty years ago, but it is the envy of most humans. That is why we have such pressure at all of our borders from refugees clamouring to get in.

Most of us look at the people in poor places with disdain and say, you screwed up your place and now you are trying to come here and take what is ours, which

DiD you know?

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we built by hard work. Please go to those places and look beyond the tourist places.

Don’t expect it to be easy. Those “poor countries” guard their secrets.

You can easily see the rich people from China, India, wherever, but you will not see the people who work to produce all the cheap goods that we buy with plastic money. It is very easy to see now during the pandemic how we enjoy the products of modern slave labour and why we don’t buy Canadian or local.

Consider the masks and gloves that we use for protection. Mostly they are used for a short time and discarded. If they were produced here, they would be much more expensive. Or consider what you pay for vegetables in the supermarket. If we had to pay Canadian wages to our young people to produce it for ourselves, prices would double or more.

The CBC sent a team to Malaysia to investigate the manufacturing of disposable gloves. They found workers from Bangladesh and Nepal working for as little as $2.00 a day, in dangerous appalling conditions. The workers borrow money to get the jobs and endure abuse regularly.

Other Media outlets investigated the conditions of the Uyghur (Xinjiang) people working in China while being “re-educated,” forced to abandon their religion and way of life. The average Canadian looks at the smuggled recordings depicting rapes and beatings of those who produce what we need with skepticism. We find it impossible to believe how badly humans can be abused to benefit us.

There is good and bad in every corner of the world. Right now we see some countries with authoritarian regimes winning, the most visible is China. They developed a mixture of Capitalism and Communism that works in today’s environment but suppresses their people.

We watch with dismay the Chinese economy doing much better than our Western economies. We see on the news that Wuhan where Covid first struck had no new cases for months and life is back to normal. China also spends most in the world to reduce pollution. I still don’t recommend Communism or authoritarian Capitalism.

I wearily watch here in my community a conflict building up between farmers, ranchers, and coal miners. The miners wouldn’t do well without food and the farmers without water or steel produced from coal. Why are the two hurting each other while the hotheads amongst them happily throw fuel on the fire? It is our idea of competition, which is based on winning. Competition could be different. Economics can be built to improve our lives instead of destroying them. We just have to pay the cost.

Both groups of people desperately need each other here in southern Alberta.

What we need is a way to go forward without hurting each other, even if there is a cost attached. We can do it with proper planning and some effort, but profits will be reduced for the financiers who currently benefit from low taxes, a safe central well-serviced location, and an educated workforce.

Our young people deserve a good world and should learn the benefits of cooperation and the security that comes from living in a caring country where everyone is benefiting from their work. Ranchers and miners should be on the same team.

Here is a link to my blog: https://thesimpleravenspost.blogspot.ca/ Feel free to check other articles and comment.

4 – crowsnest PAss HerALD – Wednesday, February 10, 2021

MEET THE 2020 BABiES of the

Crowsnest Pass

Joseph Sterling Collett

Memphis Hercules Lyle Montgomery

December 30th, 2020 Calgary, AB. Parents: Shelly Dziuba and Tyson Collett

November 25th, 2020 Lethbridge, AB. Parents: Kristy Dziuba and Levon Montgomery

Castiel Michael Dziuba Scott October 28th, 2020 Lethbridge, AB. Parents: Frankie Dziuba and AJ Scott

Xander Allan William Wakaluk December 1st, 2020 Comox Valley, BC. Parents: Brock Wakaluk and Emily Golobar

Lydia Maxine Panisiak Quinn Casey Withrow

January 12th, 2020 Lethbridge, AB. Parents: Travis and Stephanie Panisiak

January 30th, 2020 • High River, AB. Parents: Koral Lazzarotto and Mitchell Withrow

Gemma Leyann Dolina Pow

July 3rd, 2020 Pincher Creek, AB. Parents: Scott and Ashley Pow

Bennett Roger Douglas Tremblay February 14th, 2020 •Lethbridge, AB. Parents: Brittney Newton and Jay Tremblay

Dakotah James Dominic Traversano May 2nd, 2020 Blairmore, AB. Parents: Hanna and Dominic Traversano

Elliot Estelle Tatsuo Penke

Waylon John Blais

February 11th, 2020 Seattle, Washington Parents: Nicki (McClung) and Todd Penke

November 3rd, 2020 Calgary, AB.

*Held by big brother Parker Pow

Olivia Hunter Rossignol

Quinn Andzia Chambers

January 14th, 2020 Fernie, BC.

October 30th, 2020 Blairmore, AB.

Parents: Victoria Willet and Jason Rossignol

Parents: Bill Chambers and Lindzey Jurouloff

Parents: Brad Blais and Brittany Maio

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 - crowsnest PAss HerALD - 5

6 – crowsnest PAss HerALD – Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Editorial While you are all celebrating Valentine’s Day with the people you love, I’ll be remembering one man in my life I loved beyond words.

It just seems like yesterday I followed the ambulance from Buddy’s house to the hospital to have him die in my arms while I rubbed his head and told him how much I loved him and what type of impact he had on my life. I remember holding him and thinking, “How am I going to live without him in it?” After losing my mother and father in short succession, I wasn’t sure I could deal with another loss; I wasn’t sure I was strong enough.

It’s surreal to sometimes think that I buried the most important three people in my life all within 30 months of each other. When it’s quiet and I’m alone, it still takes my breath away.

Every day I walk into work, I look into his office and I can see him sitting behind his desk answering the phone and doing his editorials. He hated answering questions so he would yell, “Lisa, you need to deal with this!” I can still hear him in my head and I smile.

Buddy was the most wonderful man I have ever met. He was opinionated, but kind. He was friendly to everyone he met but stalwart. He was my best friend and a grandparent to all my boys.

I have learned a lot through grief. I have learned how to live by watching others die. I have learned to never settle because you don’t want to die with regret. I have learned to not judge anyone, because we have not walked in his or her shoes. I have to say that in my 30s, I was a judger and a gossiper. I don’t do that anymore with anyone.

After graduating from university, I was set to conquer the world. My future life did not include three boys, but rather a corporate job in the city. I was going to do things and make a name for myself. I had visions of being in politics on a large scale. I had plans.

It was a hard pill to swallow when I got pregnant and worked at the Pass Herald. For years, I thought I had wasted my life and education. Now as I look back and my boys are turning into men, I realize that I was able to attend all their concerts, all their milestones, because I worked at the Pass Herald.

Through the paper I met some incredible contacts that later became friends like our MP John Barlow and have been able to join his EDA board, helping give a voice for our community. I am a director on the Alberta Weekly Newspaper Association representing all weekly newspaper in Alberta.

I have run for council, which I never would have done when Buddy was alive. I’m still not sure he has forgiven me from heaven. This little paper has opened up a whole bunch of doors for me.

I was able to go to work at 10ish (Lisa time) and leave whenever I wanted, but most importantly I was able to walk through the front door of the Pass Herald and spend five days a week with Buddy Slapak. Looking back, I really think I won the lottery. He was the most amazing man I have ever met. He was like a father; a mentor and he made me a better person. He was my best friend and he was so proud of the woman I was becoming - he was my champion. How lucky am I to have had that wonderful man in my life? How blessed am I to be so loved unconditionally? A lot of times, he’d answer the phone and I would hear him say, “Let me get Lisa. She’s got six years of university and she chooses to work at the Pass Herald.” He was so proud of me. He made me feel invincible.

So on Valentine’s Day, as I reach another day that I’m forced to remember what I have lost, I will celebrate the love of my life, Buddy Slapak. The world was better having you in it and not a day goes by that I don’t think of you and miss you with everything I am, but with that hurt comes comfort that I was blessed to have you in my life.

LS

Letters to the the Editor Policy: The Pass Herald welcomes Letters to the Editor that examine issues, but reserves the right to edit for length, libel and syntax. Writers must sign letters and include first and last names, address and telephone number. Address and telephone numbers will not be published. Only in exceptional cases will the Pass Herald withhold the name of the writer and in those cases the writer must disclose his/her name, address and telephone number to the Editor. Electronic email will be considered an electronic signature.

Letters to the Editor do not reflect the opinion of the Pass Herald. Letters cannot exceed 1,000 words. We have limited space, but we do enjoy printing every article. So please, to allow everyone to express their opinion, keep the letters short and to the point. We do have the right to refuse any letter that in our judgement may contain libel or libelous opinions. Should a litigation result from your letter, you as the writer are responsible but so is this newspaper as the publisher.

The Pass Herald is a family owned community newspaper and therefore reserves the right to refuse any advertisement that in our opinion does not follow our mandate. We cannot accept advertisements or letters criticizing or disparaging other advertisers, companies or individuals or any advertisements directed to a religion or race.

It’s time for some realistic talk Dear Editor: It's time for some realistic talk.

So many Albertans are against coal and other mining, the oil industry, logging, perhaps cattle ranching, and God knows what else.

Enough, comparing what was done in the past to the modern regulations that companies must adhere to is wrong.

Comparing the old

standards of the oil industry to the present regulations is wrong.

Comparing mining thermal coal to the steel coal is wrong.

Comparing old logging practises to modern logging is wrong.

Well people, do you realise that Canada is and always has been a resource-based country. We are what we are because we have sold resources to

the world.

Are you really ready to make the sacrifices that will happen? There will be no steel, no electricity, no power, no heating for your house, no houses as we know it, no transportation vehicles, no electronics of any sort, no wind mills, no solar panels, no food supply, no schools, no society as we know it.

This is because all

A letter in response to coal policy Dear Editor: I am writing this letter in response to the recent letter from our Minister of Energy, Sonya Savage. It was a good "government" letter, focused on the small number of category 2 leases that have been cancelled, the pausing of future

leases and, of course, the much-discussed 1976 coal policy. Whoever wrote this letter for her did a great job of reporting how obsolete the 1976 policy was, without any mention of why it was obsolete.

There was a good point of coal being the lifeblood of several Alberta communi-

Bricks & Bouquets

ties, without mentioning that the ability to produce steel without coal is available and that these communities need help in diversifying before coal is no longer needed or wanted. There were a couple of paragraphs stating that coal mining will only go ahead if it pro-

these things in this modern society need lumber products, oil products, steel products, and products from other mining sites.

If we do not compromise and solve these problems together then by all means lets ban them all and welcome to the stone age...at least we will solve the climate crisis and the over population of the world.

Derek Medland

tects our air, water, land and wildlife, without mentioning that right now Selenium and Calcite will cause harm and there is no way at present to stop that. There was also no mention of how our extreme winds will increase the spread of coal dust which will cause extreme harm to those of us with respiratory issues.

Cont’d on page 7

This is your column, THE READERS, use it but please don’t abuse it. All Bricks & Bouquets are expressions from OUR READERS and do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of THIS newspaper. If you wish to expressly thank someone, please use our CARD OF THANKS section of this newspaper. We appreciate you making this column a success, and keep sending us your Bricks and Bouquets. All Bricks and Bouquets are kept on file at the Pass Herald.

BOUQUETS - To the Pass Peace Officer; a bouquet for his recent presentation in the Pass Herald on Traffic Safety 101; but he’s going to get a lot of bricks thrown at him if he is overly vigilant on enforcement of minor traffic rules like the Idaho stop!

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Wednesday, February 10, 2021 - crowsnest PAss HerALD - 7

John Pundyk.CoM

Simply Selles Musings from you local reporter

403

Royal LePage South Country Real Estate Services Ltd. cOleMAn AcreAGe

Anyone who isn’t interested in my thoughts on this year’s Super Bowl, feel free to jump over this column.

This past Sunday was Super Bowl 55 played in Tampa Bay, Florida between The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

This was the first every Super Bowl where the host city’s team was playing in the game.

The game overall was fairly boring.

It was a one-sided affair that saw the host team Tampa Bay win 31-9.

Tom Brady, after leaving New England following six Super Bowl titles with the team and spending his entire career to date there, lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their first playoff appearance since 2007 and their second Super Bowl in franchise history.

Brady’s win on Sunday gives him 7 Super Bowl rings, which is now more than any NFL team.

The losing quarterback was phenom Patrick Mahomes who won the Super Bowl last year with the same Kansas City Chiefs.

The big headline heading into this game was that if Brady won, he’d lock down his position as the greatest player in NFL history.

No one would be able to catch him.

On the flip side, if Mahomes won, that would give Mahomes two Super Bowl victories in his first three seasons as a starting quarterback and would leave him 4 behind Brady for the most Super Bowl wins.

Unfortunately for Mahomes, injuries to him and some of his teammates led to struggles on the field during the Super Bowl and ultimately lead to one of the worst Super Bowls in recent memory.

The game was never close and Mahomes lost his chance to beat Brady and begin the chase for greatest of all time status.

Even the commercials this year weren’t great.

Some were funny but most didn’t quite pack the same punch as previous years.

The only bright spot of the game (both figuratively and literally) was Canadian artist The Weeknd performing the half time show.

It was the first time in Super Bowl history a Canadian was the solo headliner of the half time show.

Overall, fans that watched were pleased with his performance and were glad to see a Canadian performing the so called “biggest performance of the year.”

The only other thing that I loved about this Super Bowl was the excuse it gave me to sit on my couch eating nachos and wings because you can never go wrong with that.

Letter cont’d from page 6 As I said at the beginning of this it's an extremely good government letter, in other words a letter that paints the government view glowingly while ignoring the scientific downsides. I am no expert on coal mining.

The closest I've been is tours at Bellevue and having a grandfather who immigrated to Crowsnest Pass to work in the coal mines in the early 1900s. My lack of expertise is why I listen to the scientists and experts who cite their sources. Anyone can give their opinion, including me, but it's only sensible to pay attention to scientists and/or experts who provide proven information in something as serious as this, especially the damage done by Selenium and Calcite.

Pat Pichurski

5 bdrm acreage. Big mountain views to the south. Spacious floor plan. 2 fireplaces. Surrounded by mature Douglas Fir trees, close to Forest Reserve and mountain trails. Large garage with big loft. Located between Fernie and Castle Mountain resort. Championship mountain golf course, Blue-Ribbon fly fishing, and X-country skiing nearby.

Tremendous value and opportunity. $504,900 CALL JOHN MLS

26 kAnAnASkIS cOurT Spectacular south-facing mountain lot. Northside of the valley, off Alberta Forest Trunk Road, and Forest Reserve. Sun exposure all year round. Suitable for a walk-out bungalow looking towards the South Range and the Flathead. No timeline to start building. 1/3 acre with all required services: water, sewer, power, gas, cable, telephone. $127,000 CALL JOHN MLS

61 IrOnSTOne 4 bedrooms 4 bathrooms. Fantastic mountain view. Deluxe townhome still under construction, purchaser can choose own finishes. Large attached double car garage; double car driveway. Spacious laundry room and storage area. Crowsnest Pass has championship golf course, hospital, 2 medical clinics, dental clinic, and 3 pharmacies. Area famous for blue ribbon mountain fly fishing, x-country skiing, hiking. Close to down-hill ski resorts. $419,500 + GST CALL JOHN MLS

HIllcreST lOT Affordable mountain property. Large corner lot on the edge of town. Spectacular open vistas to the south and east. Extra large 66’ x 120’ lot. Good location for an RTM. Access from front or sidestreet allows for large garage. Services in front street. Close to 4 season recreational activities. $75,000 CALL JOHN MLS

belleVue cOMMercIAl Commercial land with east and west bound access on busy Hwy 3 corridor. Located at first entrance to Crowsnest Pass with access to municipal water and sewer. Tremendous traffic count in front of the property. Zoned commercial and suitable for many different activities. $190,000 CALL JOHN MLS

lundbreck Beautiful home for active living in the Canadian Rockies. 2 + 1 bedroom, 3 bathroom home in Lundbreck, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Large, level lot with attached 30’ x 40’ heated garage. Meticulous inside and out.

Town water and sewer, plus a water well. Fantastic view of the magnificent Livingstone Range. Fly fishing and Castle Mountain rec area nearby. $334,900 CALL JOHN MLS

PrIMe buIldInG lOTS underGrOund POWer SerVIce And All OTHer uTIlITIeS Timberline ridge in Bellevue offers a sunny location, beautiful mountain views and wide paved streets. These prime building lots are available at affordable prices, from $88,000 to $115,000. Large and fully serviced lots have underground power, easy topography, and are ready for the spring building season. Crowsnest Pass offers unparalleled value in the Canadian Rockies. Active, friendly community. CALL JOHN FOR MORE INFORMATION MLS

562-8830 jpundyk@shaw.ca 31 IrOnSTOne Beautiful bungalow under construction at Ironstone Lookout. Open floor plan with luxurious finishes. Magnificent mountain views. Unobstructed vista to the south.

Two bedrooms up and two down. 3 bathrooms. Kitchen with quartz counter-tops.

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blAIrMOre One of a kind historic brick home located on an extra-large corner lot in Blairmore. This five-bedroom, four-bathroom home was built in 1920 with brick.. Self-contained apartment on second level.

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belleVue Fantastic opportunity for commercial location along busy Highway 3. East and West bound traffic access. Currently occupied as a successful fly-fishing shop, known to fly fishermen throughout Canada and the U.S. Can be sold as a business to someone wishing for a change of pace or for a property that can be re-purposed. C1 zoning allows for different opportunities. High traffic volume in front of the property. $435,000 CALL JOHN MLS

blAIrMOre Two-bedroom, top floor condo with fantastic southern exposure and beautiful mountain view at Crowsnest Condominiums in Blairmore. Close to the Crowsnest River, waking paths, Blairmore Ski Hill, fantastic mountain golf course, and bike trails. Also, hospital, 2 medical clinics, dental office and shopping close by. $119,000 CALL JOHN MLS

cOleMAn Fantastic commercial lot in downtown Coleman. This corner 50’ x 100’ lot has tremendous visibility, is close to the post office, and popular restaurants. Level and with back lane access. Crowsnest Pass offers incredible opportunity for mountain activities, hundreds of miles of back country trails, and mountain-bike trails. This property has two titles, creating additional opportunities. Both are to be sold together. $69,000 CALL JOHN MLS

cOleMAn Fantastic mountain views, lots of sun. Tremendous B&B potential. 6 bedroom, 5 bathroom home northside of the valley facing Flat Head Mountains. 2 gas fireplaces. 4,544 square feet. South facing walkout basement. Large decks. Natural gas BBQ. Two soaker tubs. 4 pc ensuite in master bedroom. Washer and dryer on each floor. Two great rooms with plumbed in counters. Attached double car garage with additional parking. In floor heat and heat exchanger. $555,000 CALL JOHN MLS

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38 kAnAnASkIS WIldS South facing, stunning mountain views and mature douglas fir trees. Great building site. All services, including water, sewer and high speed internet at property. Special mountain community, northside of the valley above Coleman, just off Kananaskis Hwy. Beautiful 1/3 of an acre fully serviced lot. $119,000 CALL JOHN MLS

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How to host a socially distant wedding Herald Contributor

It’s likely that few people heard of “social distancing” prior to 2020.

That changed as the novel coronavirus COVID-19 spread rapidly across the globe and the world found itself in the midst of a deadly pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines social distancing as keeping a safe distance of at least six feet between yourself and other people who are not from your household.

Public health officials continue to champion social distancing while acknowledging the fatigue that many people have experienced as the pandemic stretched on for months. Though much of the world hit the proverbial pause button, life went on during the pan-

demic. Perhaps nowhere was that more evident than at the altar, where many couples still tied the knot, albeit in scaled back ceremonies that adhered to social distancing guidelines in their communities.

Engaged couples who have yet to tie the knot no doubt recognize that planning a socially distant wedding will not be the same as organizing more traditional ceremonies and receptions.

While planning a socially distant wedding presents some unique challenges, couples can take certain steps to ensure their big day is memorable and safe.

• Spread the socially distant word. Let guests know what they’re in for should they decide to take part in the festivities.

Many people have strictly followed social distancing guidelines, while others have been reluctant to do so. Couples intent on keeping themselves and their guests safe from COVID-19 should emphasize that their weddings will be socially distant affairs so there’s no confusion come the big day.

• Stream the wedding online. Stream the wedding online for those guests who won’t be in attendance. By the end of 2020, millions of people had already “attended” weddings via platforms like Zoom, so loved ones may be experienced virtual guests by the time couples walk down the aisle in 2021. Couples who may need some help planning virtual affairs can visit the virtual wed-

ding coordinators at Wedfuly.com, who recently partnered with Zoom to help couples bring their ceremonies online.

• Pare down the inperson guest list. Couples who planned large weddings prior to the pandemic can still invite all of their loved ones to witness the festivities online, but pare down the in-per-

son guest list to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. Limit in-person guests to immediate family and those people who are part of your social distancing bubble.

• Plan a party for down the road. Couples can still celebrate their nuptials with family and friends down the road. Plan a post-pan-

demic reception and let guests know you will fill them in on the details once social distancing restrictions have been lifted.

Socially distant weddings may require couples to take some unusual steps as they try to tie the knot while keeping themselves and their loved ones safe.

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12 – CROWSNEST PaSS hERaLd – Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Local ski hills enjoying winter season DaviD SelleS Pass Herald Reporter

Both local ski hills in the Crowsnest Pass area are enjoying solid winter seasons.

While Covid-19 has put a slight damper on what is offered at Pass Powderkeg and Castle, overall both hills have seen positive turnout.

“Turn out has been better than average. Luckily we’ve been able to share our local community hill with many new guests who have never experienced the Crowsnest Pass or Pass Powderkeg before. Our Snow School has been especially busy welcoming many new skiers and snowboarders looking for a way to enjoy winter,” said PPK Manager Katherine Seleski.

“Visitation is up.

Level of interest in the sport has been what I

would call above average.

We've seen a number of people return to the sport of skiing and snowboarding that maybe have taken several years off or have never skied or snowboarded before and are exploring their options for winter sports and this just happens to be one of a few really good options available right now. We still have our challenges with respect to midweek visitations barely being at a level which is sustainable but certainly we've seen a little bump in midweek visitation with people potentially having a bit more flexibility in their schedules," said Cole Fawcett, Sales & Marketing Manager for Castle Mountain Resort.

Fawcett adds that Castle is incentivizing people to try and come during the week and avoid the busy Saturdays

and Sundays.

Both locations have had some struggles with snowfall early in the season but Seleski says the weather has still co-operated nicely this winter.

“We have had a good year so far. While the weather has been challenging for snowmaking, the warmer temperatures have made for a lot of great family skiing and riding at Pass Powderkeg.”

For Castle, the latest dump of snow has allowed more runs to open.

“Conditions are great.

Snow conditions are fantastic. We are 100 per cent open with the opening of our most extreme terrain now that there's enough snow,” said Fawcett.

Both Castle and PPK have had to adhere to multiple different protocols this year as well.

Seleski says she is

pleased with how everything has been handled at PPK. “COVID has been a challenge this year as it has forced us to re-look at every inch of our operation and ensure we are providing a safe experience for all. However, the changes we’ve made have really improved our service and made for a better experience across the board for staff and guests. While it’s been quite the adventure this season so far, our team at Pass Powderkeg and the Municipality have risen to the challenge. Our staff have truly done an amazing job.”

For Castle, there have been some struggles but Fawcett says he too is pleased with how things have gone overall.

“The biggest challenge is around indoor space. We're about to see that really come into the spotlight over the next seven days where we haven't had cold temperatures like we're expecting and where inside space is limited. It will continue to be a challenge. We've hit our 70 person capacity limit for the main day lodge sev-

eral times on a busy Saturday. We're waiting to hear what our capacity limit will be from the 8th going forward.”

Fawcett adds a few visitors aren't following all protocols at the hill but overall things have gone well.

"The issue surrounding wearing face coverings continues to be a challenge for some people to understand. By in large, the population has embraced the fact that wearing a face covering or a mask is not only the right thing to do but is also something that can protect themselves and others from potentially catching the virus. Without fail, every day of the week there are individuals that challenge that protocol. For us it's pretty well zero tolerance. We'll give someone the benefit of the doubt a couple of times in a chairlift lineup or in a ticketing lineup but if there is ultimately a failure to comply, or a push back, it's a pretty easy one to deal with for us."

Fawcett says visitors are more than welcome to return to guest services and receive full refunds if they aren't following all protocols.

Fawcett also stresses that it's a small minority of visitors who are pushing back on certain protocols.

With new guidelines coming down the pipeline from the provincial government on February 8th, Fawcett is glad more options will be made available for visitors to Castle.

“There are lights on the horizon of opening up for in person dining. The T-Bar Pub is poised to open starting February 8th. We are hopefully going to be in a position where we can welcome a few more people into our day lodge.”

As for PPK, Seleski says that at this point in time things will remain the same.

“Protocols will stay the same through the next round of changes coming up at this point in time.”

Seleski says she’s thankful for the support shown from the community to date.

“I would love the public to know that we are incredibly thankful for the community support this year. With more snow on the way, winter will continue on! Come on out and enjoy our local ski area!”

Wednesday, February 9, 2021 - CrowSneSt PASS HerALD - 13

CCHS student accepted to university program DaviD SelleS Pass Herald Reporter Grade 11 student Kasey Walters has been accepted into the SHAD program.

SHAD is a Canadian university enrichment program for Grade 10 and 11 students focused on science, technology, engineering, art and math.

Participants in the program spend the month of July at a university campus somewhere in Canada engaging in transformative and experiential learning.

Walters says the program is something that fits her perfectly.

“For me, I'm focusing on Chemistry, Physics and some Space aspects because I want to go into a Space career. I didn't know that this existed before Mr. Taylor told me. He told me what it was and that most of the people who apply are similar to me. They have the want to express their interest in Science and Art, which I do.”

"It will be a memorable experience for me because I'll meet people with the same interests as me," said Walters.

Walters will be taking part in the program in July

fact that I'm a girl who's of this year.

Due to the Covid-19 going into science. I also pandemic, Walters will be find it crazy that no one unable to attend a physical from the school has applied university campus like pre- for this. To actually get in is amazing. Not a lot of my vious students.

She isn't exactly sure family supports me going what the program will look into science. So to actually get into this program is a like at this time.

"It will be over zoom. It way of proving it's the right direction for seems to me me." that everyone Work Exwill connect perience Cofirst and then ordinator at be split into CCHS, John groups with Taylor, says university Walters was teachers and the perfect apstudents." plicant for the Wa l t e r s program. says the ap" S h e plication stands out as a process for student who the program goes above was very inKasey Walters and beyond. teresting.

"The application She wants to be a changeprocess amazed me in a maker. She went to Lethway. A lot of it was based bridge in the summer on yourself and your own during the Black Lives Matexperiences and not simply ter protests, so she's con'are you smart'. I liked that cerned about the wellbeing aspect of it. Once I finished of the community. She's it, it empowered me just also involved in the school in multiple ways. She was from doing that."

Walters says she’s part of the Learning for proud of getting accepted Life: Project for Change and shows she’s heading in being a leader in that. She met the criteria so we apthe right direction.

"I want to express the proached her and told her it

Year of the OX 2021 is the Year of the Ox according to Chinese zodiac. This is a Year of Metal Ox, starting from Feb. 12, 2021 (Chinese New Year) and lasting to Jan. 31, 2022. Ox is the second in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac sign. Years of the Ox include 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033...

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might be something she'd be interested in and she took it from there."

Taylor has been involved with SHAD for a few years now and has seen a few students from

Matthew Halton High School be accepted to the program.

Walters will be the first student Taylor's seen accepted from CCHS. Taylor says that getting accepted to the program is a great step for Walters.

"When she gets in she'll be part of a fellowship.

She'll become a SHAD fellow after this experience.

The program only accepts about one out of five applicants every year. It's very tough to get into. It's definitely a great achievement."

Ben and Jody are so sorry that because of Covid-19 we cannot enjoy our usual celebration of Chinese New Year with our friends and customers. Thank you for your support over all these years.

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Obituary CHANTA ASLING 1996 ~ 2021 Chanta Alyssa Asling, beloved daughter of Christine Ouellet passed away at home on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at the age of 24 years.

A private family viewing will be held on Friday, February 12, 2021 at CHRISTENSEN SALMON GENERATIONS FUNERAL HOME, 703-13th Street North, Lethbridge, AB. Interment will follow at a later date.

You gave me many things in life Gifts both great and small But most of all you gave me love The greatest gift of all If I could turn back the clock That's just what I would do And I would live again those happy years That I shared with you A bouquet of beautiful memories Sprayed with a million tears Wishing God could have spared you If just for a few more years I hold you close within my heart And there you will remain To walk with me throughout my life Until we meet again

~ Love and always missed Lisa and the boys and everyone at the Pass Herald

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 - crowsNest PAss HerALD - 15

Looking Back

When we left off last week Aniela Plonka had arrived in England in January of 1944 and had taken training as an RAF flight mechanic working on Lancaster bombers. They were the bombers that played such a critical role in subduing the German war machine. Aniela and Czeslaw (Chester) were married in England in February of 1945 and it was there, in Edinburgh, Scotland, that Aniela had the first of her six children. He was born July 30, 1945 and was named Jerzy Czeslaw Plonka, but we here in the Pass know him as George aka Doctor Cool.

In telling her story Aniela goes on to say, “When the war was over, my husband’s mother wrote us and told us not to come back home. “Stay where you are. If you come back, you will be sent back to Siberia,” she wrote. She also told us my mother was alive and had been ordered by the Russians to leave her home and go onto the Polish side of the border because her house was in newly acquired Russian territory. She also said in her letter that my brother was taken by the Russians, beaten and sent to a prison somewhere in Siberia.

My two younger sisters were also taken to Germany for hard labour. When I heard the news I cried so much I thought my heart would break.”

Author’s Note: Aniela’s sisters were Stanislawa and Marcjanna were 18 and 16 when they were taken. And of course her older brother Jan, who was 21, was taken to Russia and never heard of again. Left behind with Aniela’s mother were a brother Tadeusz (12) and Helena (10). The heartache Aniela endured must have been unbearable.

Aniela stated, “We knew it was too dangerous to return to Poland. When my husband had been in Canada for navigation school, he knew how it was there, so we decided to come and live in Canada.”

Before I unfold the family legacy, let’s back it up a bit and talk about Czeslaw or Chester, as he was called in Canada. If you have been following the story you will know that Czeslaw was also taken to the gulags where he undoubtedly endured the same treatment and witnessed the same horrors as Aniela. According to daughter Anna he almost died before his release from the forced labour camp. Czeslaw was in the Polish Reserve and was a teacher when he was taken by the Russians. When he finally wound up in England he was sent to St. Catherine’s Ontario where he took training as a pilot and navigational officer and as was mentioned, flew in those remarkable twin-engine de Havilland Mosquito fighter/bombers. I was stunned to learn they were made out of mostly wood, plywood in fact. They were used in all kinds of roles but for Czeslaw it was night time flying, (night fighters) attacking German bombers over England. I recall reading that when the Polish pilots in the RAF heard that Churchill and Roosevelt had sold Poland down the river they were in angry revolt. Imagine how Czeslaw felt at this second betrayal of his country. British officers disarmed the Polish pilots of their side arms for fear of an escalating protest.

It was Czeslaw’s parents who warned of their peril in coming back to Poland. In 1948 they then considered their options, which were Australia, Africa or Canada. Having been to Ontario, where he took his training, he remembered he was quite taken with our country and so it was that Czeslaw, Aniela and a three-year-old Jerzy (George) boarded the Aquitania at Southampton, England. Their destination was a place where thousands of immigrants landed in Canada through several decades. Pier 21 in Halifax.

The ship they rode on had a remarkable history. The Aquitania was only one of 14, four-stack-ships built between 1897 and 1949. It served in both World Wars as a troop ship, hospital ship, and armed merchant cruiser. It hauled over 300,000 servicemen and had a capacity of 3,200 first, second and third class passengers.

It made 443 voyages and logged over 3 million miles before it was scrapped in Faslane, Scotland in 1949. How appropriate that they sailed into Halifax on her.

From Halifax it was on to Toronto, where they wanted Czeslaw to be a teacher of languages and arts but that was not for him. They made their way west to Vernon for a few months but shortly after that Aniela and Jerzy (George) followed Czeslaw to Fernie where he had begun work in the Coal Creek Mine He worked there for almost 10 years, eventually writing his fireboss ticket and his first-class miners ticket at the same time, much to the surprise of his fellow workers. The racism was always there about the Polish. Too dumb to write the exam they said. George told me that Czeslaw even outscored a fellow by the name of C.L. Salvador who eventually had a school named after him. Top marks.

While in Vernon Aniela had her second son Stan in June of 1948. Aniela was expecting when she made the trip on the Aquitania. Through the next few years in Fernie Aniela gave birth to Tony in 1950, Alex in 1951, Anna in 1953 and Helena in 1956. Thus the family of six Plonka’s came to be. They lived in West Fernie and struggled through with a bit of small time farming on the edge of town to get by.

In 1958 Coal Creek was shutting down and Czeslaw was working then to help seal up the entries and close down the mine. Work was only two days a week and money was scarce. Two years later Czeslaw said to George, “You are a smart kid, you could go far but I can’t afford to send you to university, it would take food off the table, so you need to find work.” George was about to turn 17 and the mills and mines were not hiring. So George signed up in Calgary for the Air Force.

While all six of Aniela’s children have had rewarding and productive lives, space precludes me expanding on it all. Instead I will just lead you through a bit of the journey of her first son, our local handyman Dr. Cool. A two-year stint down east in Quebec (basic training) and a trade was what followed. George got trained in electronics but they could not place him once he was done so other options were offered (Aero Engine, Aero Frame, or Munitions and Weapons), which he declined until he asked about recreation/physical training. He trained in that at Camp Borden until he got a royal run-around from the military and left in disgust.

What followed then was a mixed bag of everything from unloading freight cars, to instructing on Kelvinator appliance repair in Nova Scotia and eventually returned to Fernie to work in the Elko and Galloway sawmills, where he learned just about every job there was. Like mining, the logging/mill industry has its ups and downs and George even did a stint running dozer at Kaiser Resources. He eventually found his niche in appliance repair, something he has done for decades and understands completely.

I wish I could tell you that all went well through to the end of Aniela and Czeslaw’s lives but there came a turning point in the early 1960’s that changed their lives forever. When Czeslaw was working in the Michel Mine as a fireboss in the mid 1960’s there was an incident in the return airway with a fire that exposed him and other workers to serious carbon monoxide poisoning. Czeslaw was never the same after that and the damage done to his lungs and heart was permanent. The company would not take him back, nor did they offer compensation or a pension. They turned their back on him. He was forced to go to welfare who eventually recommended he contact Veterans Affairs through the local Royal Canadian Legion.

What was offered was a pittance. Czeslaw did odd jobs, like working as a handyman for the Catholic Church and priest’s rectory. He struggled for years as did the family and he finally passed on December 7th, 1973 at the age of 62. His siblings all lived well into their 80’s, testimony to the family’s longevity, something he, a survivor of the gulags, was denied in the end. This broke my heart and angered me as a mining historian.

Aniela spent her last four years in Cranbrook with her son Stan and his wife Carol. She passed on January 21, 2009 at the age of 89. I have since learned that Aniela’s proper full name was Antonina Aniela (Pawliszak) Photos from top: Polish Reserve Officer Czeslaw Plonka. “Antonina” has a lovely ring to it. So Mumma and Tatusz, as your children so affectionately called you, Plonka, Passport for Czeslaw - 1948, 5 of the 6 Plonka children 1955 - left to right- Alex,Stan, Anna, George the world now knows what remarkable people you were and of the fine family legacy that has been carried for- and Tony, Helena, Anna, Alex, Tony, Stan and George ward because of your perseverance and will to survive. The legacy is 6 children, 15 grandchildren, 14 great grand- with Aniela in front - year 2000, Beautiful tribute marker children and 3 great great grandchildren. Aniela's youngest, Helen said of her: "You were a true mother and in St Margaret's Cemetery - Fernie - findagrave.com Photos courtesy George Plonka grandmother. There was never any doubt about her love for all of us kids. We always came first in your eyes."

By John Kinnear

A New Life in a New LandAniela Plonka Part Four

16 – Crowsnest PAss HerALD – Wednesday, February 10, 2021