GO Cranbrook - Issue #16

SPRING 2020 / ISSUE 16 / FREE

WWW.CRANBROOK.CA

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GO Cranbrook Magazine is published four times per year and is printed in Canada.

GO Cranbrook is published by: Kootenay Media Ltd.

MANAGING EDITOR Karen Vold

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Grady Pasiechnyk

SALES & DISTRIBUTION Grady Pasiechnyk

COPY EDITING & SOCIAL MEDIA Monica Karaba

ART DIRECTION & DESIGN Ashley Dodd

CONTRIBUTORS Brenna Baker Britt Bates Monica Karaba Dan Mills Mike Selby

COVER SPRING 2020 Ashley Dodd

CONTENTS

08 LADIES IN THE LEAD

10 LEARNING LLAMA: The Complicated Communications of Camelids

14 OPEN COURT

17 KOOTENAY REEL WOMEN

20 SERVING THE VENERABLE

24 WHERE PLACE AND POSSIBILITY MEET: Cranbrook Public Library

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LADIES IN THE

LEAD W: Britt Bates | P: Sean Sinclair

It’s an intense, fast-paced contact sport that isn’t for the faint of heart. And across the East Kootenays, young women are proving to be triumphant in it.

W

hile the women’s rugby

team in Cranbrook faded off with declining interest a few years ago, there’s been a resurgence in the sport. This time though, the committed athletes are of a new generation, boast a youthful exuberance and determination, and are from our very own Mount Baker High School.

8 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

Sean Sinclair, the team’s enthusiastic coach, as well as the zone coordinator for high school teams across the Kootenays, tells me about a group of talented and committed athletes who are taking the field this year in Cranbrook.

“There’s a lot of skill and passion coming up. It’s a strong team with no holes.”

There’s a lot of skill and passion coming up. It’s a strong team with no holes.

A tight-knit, strong team like this is imperative on the field, where rugby players rely heavily on one another to make a match successful.

The sense of community and cooperation extends off the pitch, too. Across the Kootenays, the various high school teams are collaborative and often play together on a united Kootenay team. They travel across the province for tournaments and even journeyed to Hawaii to play a couple of years ago.

Interestingly, youth rugby across BC has gone a bit rogue, as Sean explains to me. Most high school sports across the province are played

through a regulatory body called BC School Sports, which provides insurance and lays a framework and the ground rules. When they were hesitant to include rugby in this governing body, Sinclair and other coaches went on to form the BC Girls’ High School Rugby Association, which independently buys its own insurance — more comprehensive than its counterpart — and creates its own structure, tournaments, and rules. Over the seasons, the Association has proven itself to be quite successful.

“Last year, we took a Kootenay team to Provincials on Vancouver Island, and the girls won tier two,” Sean explains happily. He’s optimistic

that the success and thrill of last year will only build momentum for another great year when they head to Provincials in Abbotsford.

Close to home, stars are coming up: girls from both Cranbrook and Kimberley are on their way to hitting both Provincial and National levels, with several showing the skill, tenacity, and passion required to play professionally. One local athlete recently returned from New Zealand where she was playing on a BC team that was handpicked by National coaches.

Cranbrook locals will have an opportunity to watch these young women shine during the first week of May when

9 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

Cranbrook and Kimberley host a tournament that will see teams from across the region come to square off.

Whether the Mount Baker team takes the top spot a few times this spring or simply gives its all trying, one thing’s for sure. These girls are on the rise.

Hmmmm indeed.

Hmmmmm...

The llamas from left to right: Kairn, Klyde, Kaslo, and Kuddles.

LearnIng LlaMa: The Complicated Communications of Camelids What did Klyde say?

Haven’t the foggiest.

W & P: Dan Mills

With the late evening air so unseasonably warm and perfumed with spring, leaving the bedroom window open had seemed like a good idea. That all changed when I was awoken at way-too-early o’clock by the sound of someone trying, over and over, to start their car. A very loud “Rrrrrr-rrr-rrr.” Then my sleep-addled brain cleared just enough for me to realize abruptly, that was no car. That was a llama and it was sounding its alarm call.

After fumbling for a housecoat and a head lamp, I rushed outside, stumbling in the direction of the loud, repetitive bleating. I found the llamas huddled together in the trees, shoulder to shoulder, all staring the same direction into the near darkness. I followed their gaze with the beam of my headlamp and was startled when two sets of eyes blazed back at me from only 20 metres away. This was not the eye shine of deer or elk. This brilliantly reflected yellow-green light was that of a pair of predators.

Then the eyes winked out and I was just able to glimpse the shadowy forms of two cougars as they slinked away, out of the reach of my headlamp’s beam. The llamas and I stared off into the darkness for a long time, all waiting for the Neil Pearts in our chests to finish their solos.

Our decision to bring llamas into our lives was, I’ll admit, somewhat compulsive. Being creatures native to mountain habitats and renowned pack animals, they seemed a perfect fit for our Kootenay outdoor lifestyle. Turned out, they were indeed.

My llama-wrangling skills may have been lacking initially, but the beasts turned out to be patient teachers. I spent as much time with them as I could, and every day I learned just a little bit more about these amazing cousins of the camel (i.e., camelids), their habits, likes, dislikes, and above all, their astounding ability to communicate, even with two-leggers like me.

An alarm call to alert the herd — of which

11 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

I’m proud to call myself a member — that there are cougars stalking in the night, is truly useful information. You don’t have to be a Doolittle to grasp that.

Yes, that particular vocalization gets the old adrenal glands working overtime, but llamas do more than announce the world’s impending perils. With their normally calm demeanor and those large expressive eyes, they also have an innate ability to bring tranquility. The serenity of these wooly buggers is positively contagious.

That is no doubt why we placed two Muskoka chairs in the middle of their pasture.

These seats offer three priceless elements: cup holders, a view of Fisher Peak, and the opportunity to commune with the calmness of camelids.

Now that said, it should be remembered that llamas are complicated and territorial creatures that desire a certain arm’s length of respect. Crowd or disrespect a camelid and watch the transformation

Hiking with Kootenay and Kaslo

klyde loves the sprinkler.

begin: ears way back, chin lifted, neck arched, and the gurgling sound of bile being loaded in preparation to spit. Yup, they can turn from beings of peace and tranquility into fuzzy balls of hate in a heartbeat. Luckily, llamas being master communicators, they use clear, concise, body language to make their displeasure blatantly obvious. If you get spit on by a llama, you weren’t paying attention.

Initially, our herd consisted of two males, Kootenay and Kaslo. Later, we added a female, Kuddles, and then an SPCA rescue, Klyde. It wasn’t long before Kaslo took a shine to Kuddles and baby Kairn was born.

Kan you see a pattern here?

Breeding llamas offered up even more opportunities to witness these creatures’ unique communication abilities. The courtship rituals, posturing, and social dynamic were very much on display. Of all the behaviours exhibited however, nothing was as profoundly hilarious as the camelid comedy that is called orgling. Orgling is the vocalization a male llama makes while in the act — a sort of loud, gargling moan.

It is identical to the gurgling of Homer Simpson when he’s drooling over/lusting after beer or pie. Not dissimilar to Kaslo’s desire-driven motivations I suppose.

Possibly the most common sound llamas make is their hum, a closed mouth drone that can range in tone and urgency. It is often used by the critters when they are tired, anxious, or just curious. When we have taken the llamas into the mountains, the humming is nearly constant. They are in unfamiliar territory, seeing and smelling unfamiliar things, so it would be absolutely normal to be both anxious and curious.

The hum may also denote their ire at having to carry packs while the humans go unburdened.

On one trip into the Maus Creek drainage with Kaslo and Kootenay we noticed the sound of their gentle hum becoming more intense. Moments later two large German Shepherds came tearing down the trail towards us, growling and barking. The llamas didn’t flinch. In fact our lead ropes suddenly became leashes to restrain them from brawling with the dogs.

What these shepherds didn’t know is that llamas are not afraid of dogs. In actual fact, unless they are pooches the llamas are familiar with, they will aggressively confront canines. Llamas are often used as guardian animals in sheep herds to prevent coyote predation.

12 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

Baby kairn and mama KudDles

With their aggressive behaviour not getting the desired effect, the confused canines quickly retreated, tails between legs, and did not reappear until they rounded the corner with their well-dressed but slightly irresponsible owners. A couple in their late forties, they jauntily sauntered towards us, still blithely unaware of the presence of fuzzy, dog-hating camelids just ahead.

They, on the other hand, were hard to miss as they sported matching his-andher hats, shirts, and shorts. Their entire ensemble manufactured by the same trendy outerwear company. Let’s just call them the Tilleys.

When team Tilley finally did recognize that there were llamas — now wearing their fuzzy balls of hate look — dead ahead, the jaunty sauntering came to an abrupt halt. We led the llamas off to the side of the trail so they could pass, and as they began their slow approach Mr. Tilley asked, “Do they bite?”

“Certainly not!” I replied. And then just as they drew abreast of our wooly crew, I continued, “They spit.” And at that very moment, I heard the gurgling sound of Kootenay, loading up a wad of bile.

raw HOUSE the

Perhaps it was the Tilleys’ unusual fashion sense that the llamas found intrusive; regardless, I am pleased to say that both the matching humans and their dogs passed (at a trot) without incident, unsullied by saliva, and with a tale to tell.

Less then a week after the alarm call in the night, the weather turned cold. With no more spring-perfumed air to waft in, the bedroom window was now closed.

Insulated from the world outside, I slept the sleep of the dead.

When I did eventually make my way out into the reality of the outdoors, I was greeted by the “rawking” and “knocking” of happy ravens. Still oblivious to the portent of the corvids’ calls, I wandered out to check on the llamas. There in the pasture I saw four woolly beasts, shoulder to shoulder, staring off in the same direction. I followed their gaze and there found Kootenay, surrounded by ravens.

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Open Court W: Britt Bates P: Dick Robinson

“At some point, someone’s going to say to you, ‘You’ve gotta try pickleball,’” Dick Robinson says assuredly, “and you’re going to think to yourself, ‘What the hell is pickleball?’”

Dick laughs. He’s recently stepped down as President of the Cranbrook Pickleball Club, after four years of holding the position. “With more and more people getting involved, it was time to let someone else have a turn,” he explains.

He’s not wrong: people are coming to the sport in hugely increasing numbers. “It’s the fastest-growing sport in North America!”

Dick exclaims; and Cranbrook is privileged to have a club that keeps the sport organized and thriving in the community. In addition to the club’s president, there are other typical organizational roles such as secretary, treasurer, and a board of directors — all of whom generously volunteer their time to ensure the vitality and vibrancy of Cranbrook’s iteration of the sport.

And if you are, indeed, thinking, “What the hell is pickleball?”

— you might not be alone. It’s essentially a life-sized version of ping-pong, played on the ground instead of a table. Imagine a hybrid between tennis, table tennis, and badminton, played with a lightweight, plastic wiffleball, and alas: pickleball.

The Club’s most recent success has led to a true growth spurt.

The Club is deep into a major overhaul of its facilities with the creation of brand new courts at Kinsmen Park underway. “We’ve done the paving, the fencing,” Dick explains, “And now we just have to wait for the court painting to get done.” This final big job, which protects the courts from water and weather, was scheduled for this fall, but with the early snow it was pushed until spring. “That’s the last part, then we’re up and running,” Dick says.

Talking to this ardent and excited proponent of pickleball, I quickly begin to understand the sport a little better. There are many reasons that people are drawn to it: chief among them is that it’s far easier on the body, particularly the joints, than tennis, which has a bigger court and provides a more intense workout.

Pickleball, with its smaller court size and lighter equipment, is easier, but still provides excellent exercise. True, perhaps, to pickleball’s reputation, this is often why older people, who maybe have a couple more aches and pains, are drawn to the sport.

However, Dick tells me that the stats are currently changing: “A few years ago, the top players in the United States were all in their fifties. This year, they’re all in their twenties.”

14 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

It’s as though pickleball simply requires of its players an openness, acceptance, and light-hearted joy — with just a little bit of sass thrown in.

Despite the sport’s great health benefits, it becomes obvious to me that there’s something that’s even more persuasive in drawing people to it. It extends beyond simply a benefit, I realize, but rather is something that’s foundational in the sport itself: its social aspect.

You can play pickleball in singles or doubles, just like tennis, but when you play singles you’ll be half-jokingly booed and cheerfully heckled from the umpteen players waiting at the sidelines for their turn to jump onto one of the courts, because it takes longer to get through the line. The queue is ongoing; people turn up just as quickly as others hop onto the court for their match.

It’s also common practice, and totally accepted, to show up by yourself or with a friend — with no prior plans or arrangements — and be welcomed into matches by the strangers already at the courts.

Dick explains all this to me, adding that when he heads south for the winter — he and his wife are fully-committed snowbirds who head to Arizona each year — he stops in towns and cities along the way, Googles on his phone where the pickleball court is, and shows up. Friends are immediately made — even if those connections only last an afternoon — and the process works, without fail, in every place. Whistles and hollers are continually heard from the goofing-off spectators. As Dick explains all of this to me, I can’t help but try to think of just one other sport that is fueled by this kind of nature, and I simply can’t. It’s as though pickleball simply requires of its players an openness, acceptance, and light-hearted joy — with just a little bit of sass thrown in.

“This sport is addictive,” Dick laughs. He was a tennis player before converting, which many pickleball players are, and relishes that pickleball still has its competitive nature if you want it.

The new Kinsmen courts are going to be an enormous uplevel to the sport’s already-burgeoning liveliness in Cranbrook.

“There are far more courts, so that more games can be going on at once,” Dick explains, “including designated beginner courts.”

There will be a set schedule of meetups for different skill levels, so that people can find others to play with who share similar abilities.

While people already come to Cranbrook from surrounding Kootenay towns to play, “we’re still in the growing stages,” Dick says, “and we’re just trying to spread the word about the sport. That’s why we make it free for kids and for schools.”

Anyone, however, can sign up to join the Cranbrook Pickleball Club: for $100 a year, you receive access to all the equipment needed and full-time access to the courts.

The Club is also raising funds to improve Kinsmen Park in general, alongside the development of the new courts. “We want to have picnic benches and trails, so that it’s just a great place to hang out,” Dick tells me emphatically.

It becomes clear, talking to Dick, what the true purpose and nature of the sport is, not only in Cranbrook but as a whole. In its essence — and even if the players aren’t fully cognizant of it as they strike the white ball back and forth, laughing heartily when their opponent misses — the aim is to improve communities and make them a little bit more friendly and welcoming.

“We just want to make it a better place,” Dick tells me. And judging by the enthusiasm that pervades his every word, they’re doing a mighty fine job.

15 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

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Kootenay Reel Women W: Brenna Baker P: Nellie Baker, Jordan Nering

I was born with a fishing rod in my hand. Those are my earliest childhood memories, fishing with my family. We did a lot of it. We got out a few times a week, fishing on the Bow River, Crowfoot Creek, and McArthur’s stocked pond.

It was our family time.

17 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

I got my first fly rod when I turned 40, and I was instantly “hooked.”

But trying to learn the art of fly fishing was a challenge. I did tons of reading, watched many hours of YouTube videos, and spent days on the river getting my flies stuck in trees casting four feet in front of me. I also spent hundreds of dollars in local fly shops believing the salesmen that I only needed the latest and best to become a good fly fisherman…er…person.

I tried to get my husband to teach me, but it pretty much would end with threat of divorce every single time. My learning curve was a little too much for his lack of patience to handle! There were no classes that seemed to welcome new female anglers trying to learn the sport, and the cost of private casting lessons wasn’t in the pocketbook.

None of my girlfriends fished, so I spent many hours on the river by myself with my dog Moocho. In July of 2018 I took my first guided float since moving to the East Kootenay in 2003. It was an experience that will stay with me forever. Not for the fishing or the amazing river

18 / SPRING 20209 / GO CRANBROOK

and mountains, but for meeting a great guide, someone I now call a friend, Brian Hamagami. I had an amazing day on the river learning a ton and netting lots of cutthroat. We laughed a lot and Brian told me all about a local fly club that he thought I should join. I wanted to meet some more women who fly fish, so I said I would take him up on his invitation.

My first meeting was one that I will never forget. I am a very outgoing person and not easily intimidated. But I walked into a room filled with all men and not one other woman. I did get a few odd looks, but Brian met me at the door and introduced me to a few people. I stayed for the meeting and attended another the next month. I took part in a club fundraiser and got to know some of the guys who were great, but they were missing one thing...women! We needed to encourage more women to join.

Who would have thought that by joining the Rocky Mountain Fly Fishers I would be set on a journey of getting more women out on the water? I started to connect with like-minded women from around North America on social media, to find out about all the great things that they were doing for women in the sport. I decided that I would gather my close friends, use them as guinea pigs, and introduce them to fly fishing. I figured that if I shared my love for fly fishing, I may be able to convince at least one of them to get out on the water with me. I thought I would be able to get eight women together for three Thursdays in a row, teach the very basics from gear to casting, and offer cold beverages and snacks after each class as a bit of a bribe to attend. Word got out and I had 25 women who wanted to take the class! Some of them I knew and some of them I had never met before. With the help of some of the men from the fly club, I ended up running two separate classes and two months later ran my third class with another 15 women. I currently have a waiting list of 15 more ladies who want to join the next class.

The ladies loved the classes, and the Rocky Mountain Fly Fishers gained 40 new female members!

A win-win situation.

Whether I am catching lots of fish or no fish, every day out on the water is a gift, especially when the majority of spots have no cell service and no other people.

The best part of the women’s fishing classes? The feedback that I received from the women. I was having coffee with a friend when Shawna, a single mom, came up to me and said, “I just want to thank you for having the women’s fly classes. I am now confident and able to take my son fishing by myself and teach him! We had the best day this weekend!” Another woman named Audrey wrote to me: “Takeaways...be gentle with the catch and release, wear grippy shoes so you don’t drown, carry bear spray and know how to use it, keep your line out of the trees...never mind...sign up for the course and most of all enjoy the experience.” Women of all ages from 20 to 70 took part in these classes. It opened my eyes to the possibilities of sharing my passion with others.

I have a crazy full-on life of raising a family, working full-time, and volunteering for many different organizations. I work hard but I play hard as well. Whether I am catching lots of fish or no fish, every day out on the water is a gift, especially when the majority of spots have no cell service and no other people. It’s just me, my dog, the Rocky Mountains, and a beautiful river. Fly fishing is my yoga. There is something very special about it that is hard to put into words. It is the only thing that I do where I can completely check out and be at peace. Everyone should try fly fishing! I am excited to show more women my church!

And as Audrey said, “never mind...sign up and enjoy the experience!”

19 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

Sometimes the tasks that are needed are as simple as putting on a fitted bedsheet or doing a little laundry.

Serving the Venerable W: Britt Bates P: Pixabay

How do we revere and support our elders as a culture? How do we band together as a community to take care of them and uphold their dignity and joy as they age?

These are questions that started to run through my mind recently, not only because my own Boomer parents will eventually age, but because I began to consider the different ways indigenous peoples across the globe care for their elders — who, more often than not, age in their own residences. It seems that our culture, in some ways, has lost touch with that tender dedication and community-based support.

Perhaps not for long, though, thanks to the important work of organizations like Better at Home, which aims to keep senior citizens living confidently and comfortably in their own homes, should they so prefer, and to provide them with the warm sense of community and connection that’s so integral to wellbeing.

A Better at Home program run by the United Way is alive and well in Cranbrook — thanks to the compassionate dedication of its local program coordinator, Laurie Harris.

Laurie, who is incredibly warm, open, and friendly, explains to me on a drizzly winter afternoon how the program — now in its fifth year after several pilot programs — is almost entirely funded by the provincial government and operates in 67 communities across British Columbia, including Cranbrook. While government funding covers operational costs and basic necessities,

Laurie relies fairly heavily on volunteer support, which is always needed. “A little help goes a long way,” Laurie explains with her effortless smile.

Better at Home offers several initiatives, all of which ensure that senior citizens’ non-medical needs are met; for example, a program called Drive lets volunteers chauffeur the elderly to appointments, shopping, and social functions. Volunteers can also help with some light snow shoveling, yard work, or offer their trades, as many local seniors are not financially able to hire out these services on their own. Sometimes the tasks that are needed are as simple as putting on a fitted bedsheet or doing a little laundry.

Other programs and initiatives that Better at Home offers are focused less on household chores and more on ensuring that individuals have access to a lively community and social connections. Laurie, along with the help of some youth from local schools and several dedicated volunteers, offers a twice-monthly luncheon, held at the Dwelling Place.

“It’s the full affair, and everyone loves it,” Laurie happily explains of the event, which drew no less than 77 attendees the day before she and I spoke. “It’s a beautiful home-cooked meal, with dessert, drinks, and the works, served on nice china and with fine silverware.”

But it’s more than the elegant china, delicious food, and the Dwelling Place’s high, vaulted, wooden ceilings that make the event so special. It’s the opportunity for seniors to get out into the city, chat with others, and build long-lasting friendships and social networks.

21 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

“We know now that this sense of connection to others is necessary for mental health,” Laurie says. “The lack of it can lead to depression, which comes with a host of physical ailments, too.”

It’s clear that Laurie’s huge heart is fully extended to the aging members of her community, ensuring that they have the help they need while living life the way they choose. While many local senior citizens are beyond happy to live in care facilities such as Joseph Creek and Garden View, where they enjoy full-service care and accessible opportunities to connect with other residents, many other elderly — who would much prefer to live in their own homes — are what Laurie describes lovingly as “fiercely independent.” She adds with a chuckle, “Now those are two words I hear together a lot!”

Laurie works tirelessly to assure that independence is kept intact for as many individuals as possible. Laurie stays a step ahead — even keeping personal necessities such as toilet paper and briefs in her office closet in case she needs to run a quick drop-off, anticipating potential needs and ready to assist whoever needs it.

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It takes a fair amount of labour though and incredibly stretched resources to keep Better at Home chugging along in Cranbrook.

Laurie is immensely grateful for volunteer help, even if someone can only offer an hour or two every week or month.

“Just like with a child, on the other end of the spectrum, it really does take a village,” Laurie says. When I ask her what is most gratifying about this important and community-changing work, her smile is infectious. “I just want to help build the system that will take care of all of us.”

And that she is.

Those interested in applying to volunteer with Better at Home can email Laurie directly at: betterathome@ccssebc.ca.

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Where Place & Possibility Meet: CRANBROOK PUBLIC LIBRARY 24 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

W: Mike Selby P: Grady Pasiechnyk

Since its founding 95 years ago, the Cranbrook Public Library

remains the city’s community hub for lifelong learning and engagement. Although technological developments and societal changes have completely reshaped how people consume information and media, the Library’s purpose is clearer today than it ever was: Bringing people and information together for the benefit of the individual and society.

25 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

“ I love our Library. My daughter and I go once a week for some ‘us’ time.”

A bit of history: Twelve people braved the cold evening of February 23rd, 1925, meeting in the YMCA building. It no longer exists, but when it did it was at the end of Baker Street, across Van Horne and next to the railway tracks. The group met for one purpose only — “to consider the advisability of taking steps to obtain a public library for the city.”

That was how it began. A winter meeting of like-minded individuals who, as much as they adored their hometown, desired to make its citizens “more intelligent, more tolerant, and more open-minded.” A public library in Cranbrook would help its users make the world a far better place.

A paid librarian ($15 per month) opened the doors of the Cranbrook Public Library (a small room above the post office) on July 4th, 1925. It was open nine hours per week and boasted just under 100 members.

Today, the Library is open seven days per week, with 24/7 access to its online collections. More than 8,000 people have active library cards, and 130,000 people visited the Library in 2019. August alone of that year saw 14,000 visitors.

“ I’ve been going to the Cranbrook Library for 27 years! Every summer my kids have joined the summer reading club. It’s our second home.”

Books, reading and literacy are all still a central part of the Library’s services.

Learning to read changes the way young brains develop, and reading at any age affects people’s capacity for critical thinking, empathy and self-reflection. Literacy remains an absolute good in the world.

Of course the Library in the 21st century is able to offer quite a bit more. Current services include outreach to the homebound, free access to an array of databases (which are typically locked behind paywalls), preschool and baby storytimes, and one-to-one or group technology help.

Besides books, the Library lends out movies and music, cake pans, seeds, thermal imaging cameras and radon detector kits.

One’s library card does not limit one just at home. Any public library in BC will let you borrow books with it. You can also return them at any other library in the province as well.

“ As immigrants my family never really feels we belong anywhere. Except the library, there we feel welcome.”

More than 400 programs were put on by the Library in 2019. These ranged from movie nights and books clubs to scrapbooking weekends, knitting days, and coding workshops. The Summer Reading Club helps prevents the “summer slide” by keeping students engaged with books and literacy activities. More than 700 children registered for the 2019 Summer Reading Club.

As author Caitlin Moran succinctly put it:

“ My son hated reading but a librarian was “ A library in the midable to show him some books which were dle of a community in line with his interests, and now he looks is a cross between an forward to going to the library.” emergency exit, a liferaft and a festival. They In keeping with the spirit of the original Like public libraries everywhere, the are cathedrals of the twelve citizens way back in 1925, the Cranbrook Public Library erases privilege. mind; hospitals of the Cranbrook Public Library is never static. Everyone is welcome, regardless of ecosoul; theme parks of On the horizon the Library will offer an idea nomic status, ethnicity, background, or lab (including digitization equipment, au- even age. Any religion or no religion — it the imagination. On a dio and video recording equipment, and doesn’t matter. It is a safe place to come cold rainy island, they a 3D printer.) A soundproof quiet room and relax, use as much or as little as you are the only sheltered is also being built. Self-checkout options want, and there is no fee. And if you can’t will eventually be available, including find a book or have never used a computpublic spaces where the ability to check out items using your er, someone will always help you. you are not a consmartphone. sumer, but a citizen instead.” “ A friendly place to visit and read. Just a great Here is to the next 95 years! spot to take the kids to unplug.”

27 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

“ We know Cranbrook can bring home a Stanley Cup, but we can also produce a standing ovation.” ~ Corinna Robinson

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W: Monica Karaba P: BC Performing Arts Provincial Festival G: Ashley Dodd

While our community is known for raising and nurturing outstanding athletes across many sports, it is also on the rise as a place that encourages those who follow a different muse – that of the performance arts.

There are many committed groups making sure that our mountain culture is infused with a healthy appreciation of the arts. And thankfully, we also have some dedicated mentors providing our youth with experiences and opportunities to expand their cultural and expressive horizons through many genres of music, speech, dance, and theatre.

I recently met up with the president and vice president of the East Kootenay Performing Arts Festival, Marta Zeegers and Corinna Robinson, as well as their fellow committee member handling media and marketing, Ken Matthias, to learn about the regional effort that led to the honor of Cranbrook being chosen as the host for the 20202 Performing Arts BC Provincial Festival happening this June.

The Provincial Festival gathers the most promising young performers, ages 10-28, selected from regional festivals across BC to attend and compete in adjudicated sessions, master classes, coaching, workshops, and technique classes. These performers represent disciplines of classical voice, musical theatre, piano, strings, woodwinds, brass, guitar, chamber music, speech arts, ballet, modern dance, and stage dance. And the adjudicators are some of North America’s finest talents in their respective genres.

Cranbrook can expect to see approximately 650 young participants, accompanied by their families and coaches from across the province here this summer, bringing an estimated 2,400 visitors to our area for five days.

The value that this event holds for our youth is immeasurable. It gives kids in the performance arts a platform to meet each other and share their gifts as well as to ex-

29 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

perience other genres that they may not have known about.

EKPAF President Marta Zeegers, a former speech arts coordinator who teaches private music and singing lessons as well as runs a children’s and an adult choir in Kimberley, is passionate about the yearly festival. She explains how many of her students often spend a lot of time practicing at home or isolated in studios, so this event is vital for connecting them with their peers. “Friendships that form at these events can last a lifetime. Plus, this experience may also inspire and shape their future aspirations.”

Corinna Robinson, who is also the Provincial Chair Lead for the event, adds, “It’s so important. If kids don’t get exposed to arts at this level at a young age, they may never have a chance to develop. And this is how we continue our long history of local talent becoming known and successful throughout the world.”

The members of the EKPAF board are also excited to share the joy of performance arts with anyone who might be interested.

“Arts are integral to everything we do and really build a strong and vital community.” Marta says. Emphasizing her point, she asks me, “Do you like movies? Take away the music and see if you like them so much.” (I know this is one woman who lives, breathes, and sings her mission as I coincidentally heard a friend describe how uplifting it felt to be a member of Marta’s choir the day after our interview.)

Corinna offers, “This is a great opportunity to showcase what else the East Kootenays has to offer, so we’ll be working with local sponsors to encourage these visitors to explore our spectacular area including St. Eugene Mission, Fort Steele Heritage Town, Cranbrook Community Forest, Kimberley, and surrounding cities.”

Another key benefit of hosting the Performing Arts BC Provincial Festival is to increase the awareness and accessibility of performing arts in our region. Corinna explains, “We are already experiencing an increase in registration in our annual local performing arts festival taking place February 21 to March 11. For example, dance registrations are up nearly 300% from 2019.” An added bonus is that the host community gets to keep 25% of the revenue earned as a legacy to help promote the performing arts in its area.

Corinna and Marta have another vision as well, “Our area could really benefit from additional voice and speech arts teachers.”

The Provincial Festival will take place June 2nd to 6th, which is a perfect time to welcome new visitors to our area as it’s shoulder season for many businesses who depend directly and indirectly on tourism.

(For context, the festival will be similar in scope and complexity to the 55+ games that were hosted here successfully in September 2018.)

Corinna tells me, “We would love to see area schools bring their students to the school-hour sessions and lunch-time concerts. This festival will enrich the learning and performing opportunities for all children in SD5 and SD6.” Marta adds, “It can show them where they can go with this and open them up to new possibilities.”

“ Arts are integral to everything we do and really build a strong and vital community.”

Among the benefits visitors will experience when they arrive to our locale is the ease of access to most of the festival’s venues.

There are plans to create a walkable map to increase foot traffic to downtown businesses, decrease vehicle congestion, and promote a lower environmental footprint.

A key player for the festival is Key City Theatre, which will host the dance competitions as well as two highlights concerts in the evenings. Other venues will include the Royal Alexandra Hall for lunch-hour concerts and the Studio Stage Door for speech arts performances. Churches in and around the city will host the other disciplines.

What is the East Kootenay Performing Arts Festival?

We are a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing an annual festival designed to encourage the youth of the East Kootenay Region to excel at their chosen discipline.

Our mission is to provide a venue for local youth to perform their talents in a public forum and receive professional adjudication, and to inspire the expansion of the performing arts in our community. Oh yes, and to have FUN!

30 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

All sessions are open for public attendance, and your presence is warmly welcome to give the participants the full experience of performing to an audience. There will be ticketed highlight concerts as well as dance finals to conclude what is sure to be a heartwarming and inspiring event.

There are many sponsorship opportunities available for the 2020 Performing Arts BC Provincial Festival in Cranbrook. In addition, 100 volunteers are needed. For more information, please visit www.ekperformingartsfestival.org or contact Corinna Robinson at: ekprovincials2020@gmail.com or 250.464.4134.

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SPRING COMING EVENTS

FEBRUARY Feb 19-22 | “The Fighting Days” by Wendy Lill | Directed by Melodie Hull, Produced by Gordon Sheridan | Cranbrook Community Theatre | Stage Door Theatre | 11 - 11th Ave. S. | 7:30 pm Feb 22 | Symphony of the Kootenays: Cranbrook Divas – A Homecoming Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm Feb 23 | Last Sleigh Ride Sunday of the Season Fort Steele Heritage Town | 11 am - 3 pm

Apr 11 | Cranbrook Farmer’s Market | Ktunaxa Gym 220 Cranbrook St. N. (Across from the Library) | 10 am - 1 pm Apr 12 | 30th Annual Easter Egg Hunt | Chocolate Egg Hunt, Breakfast Buffet, Games, Wagon Rides, Kids Parade, and More!

Fort Steele Heritage Town | TBA Apr 16 | Krystle Dos Santos | Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm Apr 17-19 | Kootenay Outdoor Adventure Expo | 1777 2nd St. N. | TBA

Feb 25 | Shay Kuebler: Epilogos | Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm Feb 29 | White Rabbit, Red Rabbit – No Rehearsals, No Director, No Set Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm

Apr 18 | Symphony of the Kootenays: Spanish Fiesta Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm Apr 22 | The Zombies | Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm Apr 24-25, 30 | “The 39 Steps” by Patrick Barlow Directed by Trevor Lundy; Produced by Michelle McCue | Cranbrook Community Theatre | Stage Door Theatre | 11 - 11th Ave. S. | 7:30 pm

MARCH Mar 4 | College of the Rockies 2020 Career and Job Fair College of the Rockies | 11:30 am - 3 pm

Apr 25 | Dufflebag Theatre | Key City Theatre | 2:00 pm

Mar 7 | James & Jamesy: In the Dark | Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm

M AY

Mar 8 | Natalie MacMaster: Up Close and Personal Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm Mar 13 | The Lonely: Celebrating the Music of Roy Orbison Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm Mar 14 | Cranbrook Farmer’s Market | Ktunaxa Gym 220 Cranbrook St. N. (Across from the Library) | 10 am - 1 pm Mar 18 | Fisher Peak Winter Ale Concert Series: Marc Atkinson Trio with Cameron Wilson & Opener The Confluentials| Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm Mar 19 | Arts Club: Kim’s Convenience | Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm Mar 21 | Lightwire Theater: Dino-Light | Key City Theatre | 3:00 pm Mar 22 | Colin James Blues Trio | Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm

May 1-3*, 6-9 | “The 39 Steps” by Patrick Barlow | Directed by Trevor Lundy, Produced by Michelle McCue | Cranbrook Community Theatre Stage Door Theatre | 11 - 11th Ave. S. | 7:30 pm, 2 pm on May 3 May 2 | Downtown Cranbrook Shop ‘Till You Drop Market 10th Ave. S. | TBA May 9 | 5th Annual Kootenay Fun 5 – A Run for the Whole Family Kootenay Christian Academy |10 am May 9 | Kootenay Children’s Festival Market | Rotary Park | TBA May 10 | Mother’s Day Tea and Heritage 1890s Fashion Show Hot Tea, Finger Sandwiches, Fresh Baked Goods, and More Fort Steele Heritage Town | TBA May 13 | Fisher Peak Winter Ale Concert Series: The Handsome Devils with Opener 2 Shots of Whiskey | Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm

APRIL

May 14 | BeeGees Gold Tribute | Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm

Apr 1 | White Rabbit, Red Rabbit – No Rehearsals, No Director, No Set Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm

May 15 | White Rabbit, Red Rabbit – No Rehearsals, No Director, No Set Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm

Apr 1 | Gord Bamford RedNek Music Fest | Western Financial Place | 8 pm

May 16 | Spring Farmer’s Market | Ktunaxa Gym 220 Cranbrook St. N. (Across from the Library) | 10 am - 1 pm

Apr 3 | Spidey The Mentalist | Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm Apr 4| Heartship | Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm Apr 6 | Shane Koyczan | Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm Apr 8 | Fisher Peak Winter Ale Concert Series: John Wort Hannam with Opener Brackish Betty | Key City Theatre | 7:30 pm

May 23 | Spring Farmer’s Market | Ktunaxa Gym 220 Cranbrook St. N. (Across from the Library) | 10 am - 1 pm May 30 | Spring Farmer’s Market | Ktunaxa Gym 220 Cranbrook St. N. (Across from the Library) | 10 am - 1 pm

34 / SPRING 2020 / GO CRANBROOK

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