PAGE 8 & 10
THURSDAY, AUGUST 14,
PHASE FOUR WORK ADVANCES AT GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS
With 36 new lots underway, crews balance infrastructure needs and hillside conditions
LAÍSA CONDÉ newsroom@merrittherald.com
After nearly three decades of planning, zoning changes, and infrastructure challenges, the Grandview Heights residential project is steadily taking shape in Merritt’s hillside.
Developer Frank Rizzardo, president of Merritt Plateau Holdings and Nicola Lakeshore Estates, has been at the helm of the multi-phase project since the property was purchased in 1996. He says the road to development has been long and often complicated.
“When we purchased the property, we started a master plan for zoning,” Rizzardo explained. “We pre-zoned the properties as we thought was necessary at the time.” The site, which includes a mix of DEVELOPMENT: continued on page 3
MEDAL OF GOOD CITIZEN
Want news straight to your inbox? Scan the QR code to subscribe to our daily newsletter.
PHOTO/TY LIM SPLASH OF COLOUR – Local youth and artists teamed up to transform Merritt’s skatepark with bold colours and community spirit during a summer beautification project led by the Nicola Valley Community Arts Council. See page 18.
2bedrm 2bathrancherstyletownhome ondesirable55+stratacomplex.Cornerunitoffers extraprivacy &naturallight.Hasairvaultedceilings &cozyF/Pinlivingroom.Stratafee$325/mo.
Semicustom3942sq.ft.homeon5.6acresinparklikesettingalongtheColdwaterRiver.Has 3bedrms 3baths,masterensuitewithdressing room,country styleMillCreekkitchenwithhugecentreisland. Bsmthaslargefamily room,denoffice& largewine cellar. 30x40detachedshop.
Spacioushomeof2753sq.ft.,closetoamenities. Has 3bedrmsup&a3 bedrmsecondarysuite down.Opendesignkitchen/diningroomswithlarge rec. room.Hashadsomeupgradesovertheyears. Fencedbackyard
bedroomuniton3rdfloorhasa sundeckwitha nice view &storageunit.Kitchenhasbeenfreshenedup overtheyears,updatedbathrm vanity &fullwall unitinlivingroom.
This 5bedrm,3 bathhomeisclosetoschools, amenities,parks& shopping.Haslargekitchenwith lotsofcabinets,largelivingroomandfamily room onupperlevel.Upstairsbedrmsare spaciouswith 4pceensuitewithjettedtub.Laneaccess.Low mtnceyard.
Beautifullyupdatedcountryhomeon0.5acresin LowerNicola,offers 3bedrm 2bathrancherwith nearly2000sq.ft.oflivingspace.Hasnewmetal roof,centralA/C,spaciouskitchenwithcentral island.
3bedrm rancherhasanopendesignandis closetoschool.Hashadrenovations –kitchen& bathroomsupgraded,newflooring& lightfixtures, electricalworkdone,new roofshingles,windows &siding.HasHWondemand.Needssome landscaping. MLS#10358428$694,900
Immaculate 4bedrm,4 bathhomeon0.8acrelot withNicolaRiverflowingbehind.DesignedformultigenerationallivingwithJeffersonsuiteupstairs& secondarylivingdownstairs. Yard haslushgarden, spacioussundeck&adetachedworkshop.
MLS#10358190$675,000
Stunningcustombuilthomewith 5spaciousbedrms, 4baths,andimpressive19fthighceilinginliving room.Kitchenhasupdatedappliances.Enjoythe backyard oasiswithingroundpool,perfectforhot summerdays& entertaining.
baths,and apartiallyfinished bsmt.Backyardhasviewsofthevalleyfromyour deck.RVparking.
Nestledon12.65acres,isthischarming1 bedrm homebuiltin2010withcozywoodstove,nice kitchen&acoveredfrontpatio.Hasviewsofthe ColdwaterRiver.Includeslean-toforfirewood,2 chickencoops, &a ridingareaforhorses.
&horses,outbldg,barn, garage &largepaddockswithshelters.
Spacious 4bedrm homeonlargelotwith roomfor gardeningorexpansionwith a2 cargarage.Enjoy thecovereddeckinbackyearround.Bsmthas largegames roomorfamilylounge.CentralA/C newerfurnace &HWtank.
Spaciousfamilyhomeonlargelot,iswell maintainedwith3000sq.ft.indesirablearea& offers 5bedrms3 baths,bright& openlayout.Beautiful backyard forentertaining,gardeningorlettingkids play.Includes2 bedrmsuitewithprivateentrance. NEW MLS#10356374$455,000
Greathouseforretireeorfirsttimebuyers.This3 bedrm2 bathrancherisinprettygoodcondition& closetoamenities.Comeswithappliances.Fenced backyard &accessforRV. Has apatio,storage shed &kennel. MLS#10346318$949,900
Greatlocation,closetopark,this3 bedrm basemententryhomehasHW &ceramicfloors, hugeoakcountrykitchenwithopendining room thatopensto acoveredsundeck, 2gasF/P’s,and approved 2bedrm suite.
Likenew,mobilehomeinRiversideMHPark.Enjoy theprivatefencedyard withamazingriverview. Thisimmaculatehomehas2 bedrms,2 bathswith anopenfloorplan.Furniture isnegotiable.Low maintenanceyard.
bedrm2 bathrancherhas abright openplanwith acountrykitchen.Propertybacks ontocrownland.Hasseveraloutbuildings.
NICOLA VALLEY NEWS
STABILITY AND STRONG INFRASTRUCTURE
ANCHOR HILLSIDE HOUSING PROJECT
DEVELOPMENT: continued from page 1
single-family homes, apartments, and seniors’ housing, is planned to eventually reach close to 500 lots across nine phases. Current work is focused on Phase Four, which has been reduced from 39 lots to 36.
One of the biggest hurdles, Rizzardo said, has been meeting water pressure requirements.
“We were the first in town to build our own reservoir and pump station,” he said. “It increased house pressure to 85 psi—enough to meet fire protection standards and provide residents with strong, consistent water flow.”
Building on a hillside has presented both advantages and challenges. The land is stable, composed of glacial till and granular material, which Rizzardo says is “free draining and will last a lifetime.” The terrain also offers unimpeded views, with south-facing homes benefiting from ample natural light.
However, developing in higher elevations requires careful planning for utilities.
“We’ve been talking about pump pressure rather than reservoir pressure for future phases because year-round access to a steep hillside reservoir is problematic,” he said.
Rizzardo has been candid about frustrations with the city’s use of development cost charges (DCCs)—fees paid by developers to fund infrastructure improvements.
He pointed to projects, such as a planned new crossing over the Nicola River, that never materialized despite funds being collected.
“It’s like raising money for a new fire hall, and then the fire hall doesn’t get built,” he said.
The Grandview Heights project doesn’t include commercial amenities, but under
city requirements, a percentage of the land and costs are set aside for parks.
Two designated green spaces will be created within the development, though Rizzardo noted the city ultimately decides how those spaces are used.
While the local housing market has tightened in recent years, Rizzardo believes the long-term success of developments like Grandview Heights depends on more than just available land—it also relies on supporting trades and construction workers.
“Keeping people here and encouraging them to work in trades is critical,” he said. “If there’s no more lots to build on, people move away. When that happens, we lose those skills in the community.”
Barring an unusually mild winter, Phase Four is not expected to be completed until after the thaw in 2026.
Despite the slow pace, Rizzardo says the project’s stability, views, and lot sizes will make it an attractive option for new homeowners.
“It’s not subject to flooding, the land is solid and you’ve got really good views.”
— Frank Rizzardo
“It’s not subject to flooding, the land is solid, and you’ve got really good views,” he said. “It’s the kind of housing that will stand the test of time.”
PHOTO/FRANK RIZZARDO
An aerial view of Grandview Heights shows ongoing work in Phase Four of the multi-phase hillside development.
GRAB-AND-GO BAGS COULD MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE DURING EVACUATION
LAÍSA CONDÉ editor@merrittherald.com
It is wildfire season again in Canada and a few communities across B.C. have already experienced evacuation alerts and orders.
A major emergency can happen at any time and knowing what to have at home or take with you during an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
Adam Hart, emergency management coordinator at the City of Merritt, sat down with the Herald to talk about emergency preparedness during the wildfire season.
“I feel like our first objective is to avoid being in a situation where we would need to evacuate in the first place,” he said. “With regards specifically to wildfires, our primary program in the City is to enable or prevent us having to evacuate as a result of a wildfire is FireSmart.”
Hart highlighted the importance of always staying alert of your surroundings.
“Even before an evacuation alert or order is issued, just be on the lookout for what’s going in the community, what’s going on around the community,” Hart said. “With wildfires in particular, I think that the BC Wildfire Service map, which you can access online, is a terrific resource.”
The BC Wildfire Service map is a tool that allows users to access all the locations province wide and get details of all active wildfires in B.C., as well as wildfire statistics and additional resources – such as evacuation alerts and orders.
Hart also recommends community members to sign up to the Evacuee Registration & Assistance (ERA).
“So if you are ever evacuated from a community, you will in all likelihood receive assistance from Emergency Support Services (ESS), that’s in pretty much any community in B.C., and you have to go to a reception centre with ESS in order to receive assistance,” he added.
“If you create a profile in the Evacuee Registration & Assistance tool, it will save you some time at the reception centre and simplify that process. You can do that whenever, it doesn’t have to be an evacuation alert to create that profile.”
As for emergency kits and grab-and-go bags, Hart suggests that people take a look at the basic guidelines.
“Everyone should be personalizing their emergency kits and needs for themselves. Obviously, there’s some basic guidelines that are applicable to just about everyone,” Hart said.
The B.C. government has a page on their website that lists basic supplies that people can follow to build their own emergency
and grab-and-go kits.
For emergency kits, it is recommended that people should stock non-perishable food for a minimum three-day to a one-week supply; four litres of water per person for drinking and sanitation; phone charger; flashlight; extra batteries; personal toiletries.
A copy of the emergency plan as well as copies of important documents, such as insurance papers and identification is also highly recommended.
As for grab-and-go bags, people should have in mind that it should be an emergency kit that is easy to take with them, in case they need to leave right away. It is recommended to make grab-and-go bags for your home, workplace and vehicle.
“I recognize that everybody has sort of unique circumstances and budgets and stuff that maybe some people can afford really fancy emergency kits and maybe other people can’t do that,” Hart said.
He also reminds people to be flexible with their emergency kits, especially considering that different natural disasters might hit Merritt.
“We do something called hazard risk and vulnerability analysis, which basically looks at what are the biggest or most significant threats to Merritt. Wildfire and flood are absolutely at the top of that list,” Hart added.
“But there’s a wide variety of other emergencies that may potentially happen in Merritt. For that reason, I would recommend keeping your emergency kits very flexible so that you can respond or be prepared for any different type of emergency.”
Hart highlighted the importance of having family discussions on emergency plans, such as where the predesignated meeting spot is, where you would meet the rest of your family if someone is out of reach.
“This could take five minutes out of your life to have that discussion, but it could make a really big difference if a major emergency does happen,” he added.
“Even just taking a moment out of your day, just thinking about what you might do during an emergency, I think it’s really important.”
He also recommends that people go over their bags and emergency kits during an emergency alert.
“Take that moment to go through your grab-and-go bag or your emergency kit and see what you have,” Hart said. “If your family circumstances change, if you suddenly have a kid in your family or a pet that you didn’t have before, consider how
Make sure to prepare your grab-and-go bags before any evacuations.
that might change your emergency kit.”
In terms of emergency preparedness by the City of Merritt, Hart reassures that the city is taking actions with regards to wildfire preparedness and flood preparedness.
“The fire department right now is producing a new community wildfire resiliency plan, that’s their project for basically wildfire preparedness or
mitigation,” he said. “Next month, we’re going to be putting together a more advanced plan for how our public works department could respond to flooding, including exactly where to be laying sandbags.”
“The city is taking this very seriously at this moment, not just when an emergency is taking place.”
PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES
AI FIRE PHOTOS MISLEAD PUBLIC
NONO SHEN
The Canadian Press
The BC Wildfire Service is warning about AI-generated images spreading misinformation and uncertainty during fire season, citing fake images being shared on social media that seemingly depict recent blazes.
The service shared two images it says were generated with artificial intelligence, showing dramatic scenes of aircraft fighting fires.
It says the images don’t accurately represent “the terrain, fire size, or fire behaviour” in the blazes they depict, but people who scroll past them could believe they were real.
One of the images was originally posted by
a self-described “digital creator” on Facebook on July 31 with a caption about the Drought Hill fire near Peachland, which was edited the next day with a disclaimer that the image was created by AI and was for “illustrative purposes only.”
The wildfire service says people turn to social media for updates during wildfire season, and whether it’s “well-intentioned or intentionally misleading,” misinformation is the last thing that’s needed in an emergency.
The Regional District of Central Okanagan has lifted an evacuation alert for 118 properties in the Peachland area, where Drought Hill fire has been brought under control delegation – all ready to command as an operations centre at the drop of a hat.
WILDFIRE RISK REMAINS HIGH ACROSS B.C. DESPITE RAINFALL
in the past 24 hours.
While rain is falling over parts of British Columbia this week, the risk of wildfires remains high.
During a press conference on Aug. 6, BC Wildfire Service director of provincial operations Cliff Chapman said the southern half of the province has seen “significant drying” over the past week.
While past devastating fire seasons like 2023 saw long periods of hot, dry weather, Chapman noted that this year has differed in that rainfall has broken up the periods of hot weather.
“The challenge is, it’s not enough,” he said. “It resets our conditions but only at a very micro scale. So we get a couple of days to really actively use direct attack on our fires ... it gives us the ability to do that but it doesn’t knock down the hazard for the whole province for the rest of the fire season.”
While fire seasons of years past would generally have a “season-ending rain event,” Chapman said those haven’t been occurring in recent years.
There remains about 120 active fires burning in the province, 12 of which started
Over the past week, B.C. saw about 70,000 lightning strikes, which sparked a number of new fires.
But Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar said that 85 per cent of this year’s fire starts have been contained to four hectares in size or less, thanks to the quick work of initial attack crews.
The BC Wildfire Service is also using new technology to help tackle this year’s fires.
“As our fire seasons have become increasingly more challenging tactically for us to suppress fires during the heat of the day ... night vision has allowed us to really step up our night operations game. We’ve always fought fires at night, we’ve just never done it with aviation resources, which is a critical step in our process of actively suppressing wildfires,” Chapman said.
“To be able to drop buckets of water on those hotspots, to protect people’s homes, to protect the forest, has really given us a leg up when it comes to our firefighting tactics and allowed us to really expand our successful suppression efforts that we use on the ground.”
A pair of AI-generated images shared widely on Facebook recently in relation to B.C. wildfires.
NICHOLAS JOHANSEN Castanet
NICOLA VALLEY VIEWPOINT
EBY’S NDP: RECORD DEBT, FAILING SERVICES
TONY LUCK
View from the Legislature
British Columbians know something is wrong—life is getting harder, and the services we depend on are falling apart.
The latest Public Accounts prove it: David Eby’s NDP is piling on record debt while delivering the worst public services in a generation.
When Eby became Premier, B.C. had a surplus of nearly $6 billion. Two years later, that surplus is gone and taxpayers are saddled with $24.5 billion in operating debt. This past year alone, the NDP added $15.78 billion in new operating debt.
What do we have to show for it? Here in Fraser–Nicola, ERs still close without warning, schools need urgent repairs, highways and bridges need investment, and wildfire readiness remains a constant concern.
The numbers are staggering. Total provincial debt is now $133.9 billion—up $26.4 billion in just one year, and $43.9 billion higher than when Eby took office.
That’s a 47 per cent increase in only two years.
Breakdown for 2024/25 alone:
– $15.78 billion in new operating debt
– $4.96 billion in taxpayer-supported capital debt
– $2.79 billion in BC Transportation Financing Authority debt
– $2.72 billion in commercial Crown corporation debt
Government spending on programs jumped $6.7 billion in one year, yet core services keep declining.
Debt servicing costs have soared nearly 30 per cent — now consuming 4.1 cents of every tax dollar, money
that could be funding health care, wildfire prevention, or rural infrastructure.
Eby’s approach is clear: borrow more, deliver less, and leave future generations to pay the price.
For families, seniors, and small businesses in Fraser–Nicola, that means higher costs, fewer services, and missed opportunities for investment in the things we actually need.
This is debt without delivery. Reckless spending without results.
If the NDP stays this course, they will be remembered for burying B.C. under a mountain of debt while leaving hospitals, schools, and transportation networks in crisis.
It’s time for common-sense change—spending that is disciplined, targeted, and delivers real results for the people who pay the bills.
Fraser–Nicola can’t afford more of the NDP’s mismanagement. Neither can British Columbia.
“WEAPONS” DELIVERS A CHILLING MYSTERY WRAPPED IN STRONG WRITING
Fans of crime, mystery and the occult have a film to look forward to this summer with Zach Cregger’s Weapons (2025).
Cregger’s second major feature film, Weapons feels like a natural extension of all the things that made his first horror film, Barbarian (2022), shine.
Weapons involves the unraveling of a supernatural mystery of finding out what happened to a class of 17 kids who walked out of their homes in the middle of the night to never return. The writing provides a delicate balance between discovery of the plot, and exploring the impacts the tragedy has on the townspeople through a variety of characters.
Much like his previous film, Weapons feels like a
jack-of-all-trades and master-of-none film. It’s neither the scariest, nor the most thought-provoking film - nor is it subtle with its themes either - in recent memory, but Cregger has been able to make its qualities shine through an intriguing mystery at the heart of the movie wrapped up in a tightly woven package.
I mean it when I say the writing really boosts the quality of the story. As in Barbarian, the film jumps between different characters’ points of view, often retracing events and revealing new pieces of the plot along the way.
This time, Cregger boosts the amount of characters that are highlighted in the movie, giving major screen time to six characters that all get to be the protagonist of their short story within the film.
Through these characters, we get to explore the different ways the kids’ disappearance affects the town.
While the diversity of its POV characters is one of the movie’s biggest strengths, it is also a minor flaw. Even though some of the minor characters are enjoyable to watch, and are strong enough to hold their own in this story, too much attention is spread out among them, leading to some
publisher@ merrittherald.com
disconnect between their lives and the main plot.
While the scares aren’t the most bone-chilling for a horror movie, Weapons’ ability to weave in and out of the mystery reminds the viewer that good horror isn’t about cheap scares, but the ability to keep you tense its entire runtime.
TY LIM Movies’ corner
The Merritt Herald welcomes your letters, on any subject, addressed to the editor. Letters may be edited for length, taste and clarity. Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
Email letters to: newsroom@merrittherald.com.
LETTERS to the Editor
RE: TRUMP INCREASES TARIFFS ON CANADIAN SOFTWOOD LUMBER TO 35%
Editor,
In Canada, we allow big business lobbyists way too much influential access to governmental decision-makers and -making — all without a truly independent news-media willing to investigative and expose corporate lobbyists’ corrupting overreach. This also applies to decisions made about our bulk/raw/unprocessed natural-resource exports. Yet, our governments consistently refuse to alter this practice, which undoubtedly is the most profitable for the corporations extracting and exporting en masse our natural resources.
After almost four decades of
consuming mainstream newsmedia, I cannot recall a serious discussion on why our national and provincial governments will not insist upon processing all of our own oil (and lumber) here at home in Canada, instead of exporting it bulk raw abroad and purchasing it back processed at a notably higher price (as we do with the U.S., for example).
(That is, without the topic discussion strongly seeming to have already been parameterized thus the outcome predetermined. And I’m not talking about just on the one and same day, open and closed topic, as I’ve witnessed two or three of those insufficient efforts.)
The salt on this open wound is that the U.S. has used these raw-log bulk exports to justify its antidumping duties (recently increased to 35 per cent) on Canadian softwood lumber, since the American lumber industry processes their logs for value
added.
ART-TASTIC!
This week’s submission is by Laísa Condé, entitled “Black Panther”.
Community members, teachers and students...
Submit your artwork to newsroom@ merrittherald.com for a chance to be featured in print each week!
Submissions are printed on a first come, first serve basis.
Processing our own lumber would dampen this justification/excuse — while also adding lumber-processing jobs and other economic gains up here. Is this not a no-brainer?
As for American tariffs, ever since the U.S. (under both Democrat and Republican party administrations) began applying tariffs on B.C. softwood lumber imports in (I believe) the early 1990s, the international trade tribunal has consistently ruled that there are no grounds for the tariffs under the trade agreement between the U.S. and Canada (albeit not much of it is now still intact).
Yet, U.S. governments have to this day disregarded those rulings, perhaps in large part due to the formidable lobbyist influence of the American big lumber industry. .
– Frank Sterle Jr., White Rock, B.C.
Do you have your graband-go bag ready in case of emergencies?
Have your say at merrittherald.com
LAST WEEK’S QUESTION
Are you in support of the implementation of water meters?
A LOOK BACK
From the Herald archives
AUGUST 26, 1998
BREAK-AND-ENTER BEAR ON LOOSE
No one knows for sure if Zellers bear Zeddy knows the A&W Restaurant mascot.
But if the weekend’s visit was any indication, they have at least one thing in common and that’s hanging out in Merritt’s downtown core.
Long-time Fields manager Barb McFadyen couldn’t quite believe the phone call she received about a bear breaking into her store during the early hours of Saturday morning.
AUGUST 7, 1908
LABOUR DAY ACTIVITIES
Big time is on the boards for Labour Day. The races at Quilchena will attract a large crowd who know a good thing when it looms up – $5.00 in prizes.
Joseph Collett of Stump Lake made a business trip to the coal metropolis on Monday.
UBC STUDY LINKS LOGGING TO INCREASED FLOOD RISK
TY LIM reporter@merrittherald.com
Severe floods like the 2021 atmospheric river event could happen as often as every 20 to 40 years instead of 200 because of the effects of logging, a new study finds.
UBC Professor of Forest Resources Management and researcher Younes Alila says 20-years of his research has proved that B.C.’s dominant forestry practice of clear-cutting has dramatically increased both the intensity and frequency of floods.
“I realized that forest hydrologists internationally have been misguided by a methodology and an experimental design that underestimated a great deal, the effect of the forest and the power of the forest at actually mitigating the flood risk,” Alila said in an interview with the Herald.
His latest study, conducted with support from the US Department of Agriculture and the US Forest Service, looked at the effects of 50 years of data of clearcutting in an experimental watershed in North Carolina, the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory.
The study looked at two adjacent watersheds, one north-facing and one south-facing, that were both clearcut in the 1950s. The north side, which received less sunlight, retained more water and the frequency of floods was increased by a magnitude of 18 times.
Alila explained, this was because the area of trees cut in that area removes cover, meaning more snow melts into the ground which provides more runoff in the water channels.
Combined with heating effects from global warming, Alila says this impact heightens the extremes of both a lack of flow in the water system and overflow, meaning both floods and droughts are more common.
Alila’s research has been going on for nearly 20 years, he said, advocating for a
new model for forestry management that takes into account the impact of floods on the watershed, and also moving away from clearcutting practices.
“At the university and the faculty of forestry, we teach the undergrad and graduate students different ways of logging, and clear cut logging is only one of them. It is the preferred way of logging by the industry and the government of B.C., because it’s the cheapest way to get their wood,” he said.
Before the 2000’s, clearcutting was widely used in B.C., removing millions of hectares in land every year. Since 1999, clearcutting numbers have dropped, mostly due to B.C. running out of harvestable trees.
Clearcutting still remains one of the go-to ways for forestry though, with clearcutting with reserves - a system which leaves a small batch of trees for future growth still standing - being one of the primary ways B.C. has logged its forests.
He said watersheds were extensively logged as well.
“We have excessively clear-cut-logged across watersheds of all sizes, the small, the medium, the very large watersheds, they’re all excessively logged,” he said. “You just have to fly using Google Earth over anywhere in B.C. and elsewhere in Canada [and you can see].”
Because of the amount of forest logged, Alila said his methodology can be used in predicting the frequency of floods in B.C. too.
“What clear-cutting does, it increases the severity of the floods, the runoff in the channel, it increases the frequency with which these flood levels are reached, but also it increases the duration of the floods,” he said. “The forest cover is protecting you against nine of the 100 years (of flooding).
4-H MEMBERS LEARN SHOW SKILLS AT CLIPPING DAY
LAYCEE HERMAN
The Grasslands 4-H Club
On July 20, the Grasslands 4-H Club hosted a clipping day which was taught by senior 4-H members Sydney and Jordan Bapty.
Five beef members attended, had fun and learned lots from the experience.
The members learned showmanship skills and did a practice show.
The rest of the day was spent learning about fitting and clipping skills and tricks.
The day was extremely educational and helped the beef members prepare for their upcoming shows such as Fall Fair and BC Ag Expo.
The Achievement Day and Fall Fair will be hosted on August 29-31 at the Nicola Valley Fall Fair and Rodeo Grounds, and the club encourages the public to come out and watch.
If you would like more information on 4-H and how to become a member, please email grasslands4hclub@gmail.com
PHOTO/BCPHOTOBYBREE
Water Meter Installation
PROGRAM — AT HIS OWN RESIDENCE
Mayor Michael Goetz officially launched the City of Merritt’s residential water meter installation program this week, marking a pivotal step in the community’s long-term strategy to conserve water and build climate resilience.
The Mayor, who once opposed water meters, acknowledged that his perspective has shifted significantly over the past year. “I’ve always believed in protecting Merritt’s best interests,” said Mayor Goetz. “As I’ve learned more about our water system and the growing pressures on it, it’s become clear that water meters are not just a tool for accountability — they’re essential for sustainability.”
Water meters will allow the City and residents to better track consumption,
identify leaks quickly, and reduce unnecessary waste. Data from communities across British Columbia shows that metered homes use up to 25 per cent less water on average. For Merritt, which faces seasonal drought conditions and rising infrastructure costs, this change is vital.
Mayor Goetz emphasized that his initial concerns were rooted in protecting residents from potential financial burdens. “My hesitation came from a place of wanting to shield households from unexpected costs,” he explained. “But with a fair rate structure, support programs, and a focus on conservation rather than penalties, this program is about empowering residents—not punishing them.”
Installation of water meters will begin this fall and continue in phases across the city. The City of Merritt will be providing information, assistance, and resources to support a smooth transition for all residents.
“This is about securing our water future,” said Mayor Goetz. “We owe it to the next generation to be responsible stewards of our resources.”
ALTERNATIVE LOGGING PRACTICES
You remove the forest, you’re going to see your watershed is going to experience these events once every 10 years, as opposed to only one every 100 years.”
For the Nicola Valley, Alila said that this means the one-in-two-hundred year event would be 10 times more common.
“When you hear in the news or out of a government agency, that the November 2021 (flood) was a once-in-100 year or 200-year (event), that’s based on the the historic record of flows, and that historic record of laws is no more representative of the current flood regime and future flood regime,” he said.
“Because you develop the watershed by mining, by urbanization, you disturb it by wildfire, by forestry activities, you change the way the hydrology responds, the way the landscape responds.”
From 2001 to 2024, Global Forest Watch states that the Thompson-Nicola region has lost over one-million hectares of tree cover. Of that tree cover with greater than a 30 per cent canopy, the losses are split almost evenly between the forestry industry and to wildfires at 54 and 44 per cent respectively.
Global Forest Watch states that there are 3 million hectares of forested land cover left in the Thompson-Nicola region.
The B.C. government states that 80 per cent of tree-harvested areas are reforested by tree planting. Even with this effort, Alila said there are still consequences, mainly because the coniferous trees take up to 60 to 100 years to grow back to the size needed to regain their use to the watershed.
Alila advocates for the government to adopt and promote different logging methods that cut the time to re-grow an area by 20 to 40 years. These methods are selective logging, strip logging and small patch logging.
“We actually can gain 20, 30, 40 years of regrowth, because we’re not abandoning the small and medium were not taken off along the way.”
This research paper is Alila’s newest in a 20-year-long career shedding a light on the issue.
Last month, CBC reported that the government is aware of Alila’s research, saying it is one of many pieces that will help them form a sustainable forestry sector.
But Alila said he’s seen the same response with his other research papers, and doubts the
UBC study says clearcutting raises risk of 100-year floods.
government will change their policies on their own.
“I have to point out that there are other ways of logging the forest that will cause much less effect, and we need to adapt the alternative logging practices. The only way to do that is the political will. Basically, there is no political will. The buck stops at the government period.”
Alila said the one “beacon of hope” for the watershed is the role of First Nations governance in having a say on logging.
“The Indigenous culture and the Indigenous experience for 1000s of years and the Indigenous knowledge is very well aligned by this new paradigm of forest hydrology that is now establishing the fact that the forest cover is one of our major natural asset in protecting the downstream community,” he said.
“The stakes are so high. And basically the forest brings so many values, not just the timber value, not just the value of the wood, it brings so many values. It protects biodiversity, and water is at the top of those values. And I think it’s about time we manage the forest for what it is, for biodiversity. We manage forests for what mother nature has created it for, wildlife, for all the biodiversity, for water, for tourism, for so many values, but we’ve just been managing the forest with only one value, and that’s the value of the wood, the timber.”
Tomorrow is what BC has to offer.
™
Tomorrow is on.
When we think of energy, it ’s easy to remember the technical terms like kilowatts and efficiency But what does it really mean to us , aspeople? It ’s warming up the house when it ’s chilly It ’s sterilizing medical tools for our doctors and nurses . It ’s firing up the BBQ to enjoy somedelicious salmon
Enbridge is proud to be at the heart of what makes beautiful BC thrive—supporting the things you love and driving key industries like healthcare, manufacturing, constructionand more Above all, we’re committed to keepingnaturalgas affordable, reliable and versatile—empowering BC today and for the tomorrows to come.
Visit enbridge.com/bc to learn more
TWO WAYS TO WIN
485956.pdf
F_Discover Downtown
City Furniture & Appliances (Merritt)
The file is missing!
F_Discover Downtown
Work Bc Attn: Deborah
The file is missing!
F_Discover Downtown
Nicola Plumbing & Heating
486345.pdf
The file is missing! 999174.1
DD
F_Discover Downtown 4 x 108
Hello Pharmacy
486342.pdf
The file is missing! 999168.1
DD
F_Discover Downtown 4 x 108
Moyes & Co. Home Building Cent
486335.pdf
The file is missing! 999165.1
DD
F_Discover Downtown 4 x 108
Work-N-Play
998680.1.pdf
The file is missing! 998680.1
F_Discover Downtown 4 x 108
Black’s Pharmacy
998682.1.pdf
The file is missing! 998682.1
F_Discover Downtown 4 x 108
Nicola Valley Sports Ltd.
486373.pdf
The file is missing! 999217.1
DD
F_Discover Downtown 4 x 108
Purity Feed
486371.pdf
The file is missing! 999204.1
DD
F_Discover Downtown 4 x 108
Breathe Bikes
PURITY FEED
486375.pdf
The file is missing! 999218.1
DD
F_Discover Downtown 4 x 108
Miss Vicki’S Petals & Plants
1. Code Word Challenge: Visit all participating businesses, collect their unique code words, and complete the entry form for a chance to win a $500 gift card bundle!
2. In-Store Giveaways: Each business has their own prize! Find the code word and follow the store’s special instructions to enter.
Drop off this double-sided page by September 5, 2025, with all code words filled in and the following information completed for YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!
MSS GRAD AWARDED $50,000 SCHOLARSHIP
LAÍSA CONDÉ editor@merrittherald.com
A Merritt Secondary School graduate is heading to university this fall with a major financial boost.
Liliana Noelle Taylor has been selected as a recipient of a $50,000 post-secondary scholarship with The Cmolik Foundation, in recognition of her achievements in overcoming adversity and excelling her studies.
The Cmolik Foundation was founded in 2008 to provide opportunities for youth who have experienced adversity in their lives. Its belief is rooted in the power of education to transform and empower as they support undergraduate and post-secondary education, mentorship, field trips and summer camps to support the healthy development of youth.
According to a press release, the selection committee at the foundation was impressed with Taylor’s application, her academic goals and her future career aspirations.
“The award recognizes and honours Taylor’s hard work and commitment with this financial award and is keen to support Taylor pursuing a degree in electrical engineering,” the release reads.
Taylor added that she strives to pursue applied research addressing real world
catastrophes with her degree.
“My goal is to design innovative disaster mitigation devices to empower vulnerable communities that are highly prone to disasters,” she said in the release.
“My goal is to design innovative disaster mitigation devices to empower vulnerable communities...”
— Liliana Noelle Taylor, MSS grad
Kalena de Wynter-Wilkie, teacher at MSS, expressed that she is sure that Taylor will be successful in becoming an electrical engineer.
“Most impressively, Lili has built a flood detector for our community. Having her own home flooded and being displaced during the catastrophic flooding was exceedingly challenging for her,” she said.
“Lili’s response to this was to think of others in her community and how she could give back.”
PHOTO/THE
Merritt Secondary School graduate Liliana Noelle Taylor has been selected as a recipient of a $50,000 post-secondary scholarship with The Cmolik Foundation.
WRITER MAKES FINALS IN INTERNATIONAL MICROFICTION CHALLENGE
TY LIM reporter@merrittherald.com
Merritt’s own is once again making waves in competition, this time internationally.
Amanda Pryzner-Dunn is an academic advisor at Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) and an occasional teacher of arts at the Nicola Valley Community Arts Council.
Showing her love of literature and the arts, Pryzner-Dunn had entered a micro-fiction contest, known as the NYC Midnight 100-word microfiction challenge.
In this competition, thousands of writers from around the world are tasked with creating a short story in under 100 words using settings, words and themes outlined in each group.
For Pryzner-Dunn, a lifelong enjoyer of both academic and creative writing, this is her first foray into competitive writing.
“Recently, I took a course here at NVIT about indigenous literature, and just really enjoyed it. And because it had been such a long break between me doing studies, it
2025-2026 Back 2Schoo l REGISTRATION
ELEMENTARYSTUDENTREGISTRATION
For “NEW” Elementaryschoolstudents,pleaseregisteryourchildatthe neighbourhoodschoolinyourcatchmentareafromMondaytoFriday, August25toAugust29,2025.Schoolswillbeopenfrom9:00- 11:30a.m. and 1:00 -2:30p.m. Pleasecallaheadtomakeanappointment.
CollettvilleElementarySchool:250-378-2230• DiamondValeElementary:250-378-2514
MerrittBenchElementary:250-378-2528• MerrittCentralElementary:250-378-9931
Nicola-CanfordElementary: 250-378-2172
KINDERGARTEN
Toregister, achildmustbe 5yearsold,onorbefore December31,2025anda birthcertificate,immunization record,CareCardandproofof residenceshouldbe presented.Kindergartenstartingdateswillbearrangedthroughtheschool.
FRENCHIMMERSION
sort of lit the spark again, and got me interested in creative writing. So that’s why this spring, I sort of thought I’m going to try and actually enter a contest or produce something that I wanted people to read,” she said.
Pryzner-Dunn describes herself as an imaginative person, which fuels her in her endeavor as a creative writer.
“My mind sort of wanders and thinks, ‘Well, what could their story be?’ Or you meet somebody or you see something happen, and I sort of create a backstory of, ‘wouldn’t it be neat if this is their story or this is what their future might look like,” she said.
Since the competition’s start in mid-March, Pryzner-Dunn has passed through two rounds of inspection from the judges and has reached the final round with 167 other writers.
While the opening rounds of the competition restricted competitors to a theme, the final round opened the floor to anything in the author’s
AllstudentsinthisprogramattendCollettvilleElementarySchool{GradesK-7), andMerrittSecondarySchool{Grades8-12).
GRADE8-12MERRITTSECONDARYSCHOOL
Phone:250-378-5131
Newstudents registerattheschoolfromAugust18 -29,2025.Counsellorswillbe available,andstudentsare tocallaheadtoscheduleanappointment.
KENGARDLEARNINGCENTRE·
Phone:250-378-4245
Ifyouhavenotcompletedsecondaryschoolthe KENGARDLEARNINGCENTREcanhelp.
TheCommunityLearningCentre offerscoursesforGrade10to12studentsto completetheirDogwoodDiploma.Alongwithacademiccoursework,studentswill havetheopportunitytoparticipateinanOutdoorlandbasedlearningprogram,have accesstoadditionalsocialemotionalsupportsandtransitionplanningintotheadult world.Newstudentscanregisterbycalling250-378-2157.
DistanceEducation:SouthCentralInteriorDistanceEducation
S.C.I.D.E.S. 250-378-4245or1-800-663-3536
SCIDESisthedistanceeducationschooloperatedbythedistrictwhichoffersBCMinistry approvededucationalprogramsforstudentsofallages,anywhere intheprovinceof B.C.{KindergartenthroughGrade12andadultlearners,tuitionfree).Registrationis ongoing.Foranappointmentcall250-378-4245or1-800-663-3536
Merrittonian Amanda Pryzner-Dunn earns spot in international microfiction competition’s finals.
CONTEST EXPERIENCE INSPIRES WRITER TO KEEP CREATING
WRITING: continued from page 14
imagination. Still, writers have to use the action, prioritizing and the word, stun.
Pryzner-Dunn has finished and submitted final story to the NYC Midnight contest. Since the round will not be judged until the end of the month, Pryzner-Dunn cannot share the full details of her story.
Still, the author hinted that her final piece will be a “horror-thriller” combination with a twist.
“I always like including a bit of a twist to it that, and it doesn’t, they don’t always have, you know, a resolved ending either,” she said.
In the first round, Pryzner-Dunn wrote a drama story about a couple experiencing problems in their relationship. She used the required word - a tray - to symbolize this.
Rules of Home Décor
She’s finally asleep. She might wake up when you stumble in, but I will be quiet.
I am always quiet.
I feel myself sinking.
Keep busy.
I start to rearrange items on the living room tray again. Candle, wedding photo, tiny crystal bird.
Or should it go photo, candle, then bird?
My pretty home magazines say that things should be displayed in threes---something about it being harmonious. I am not so sure. I think two could be a peaceful number.
I hear the door open. I close my eyes and see just the candle and bird together.
In the next round, she found herself writing a theme that was foreign to her, sci-fi. The required word for this story was “quad”.
Bound
A shadow spreads over the quad again.
The ship passes and I look up, bathed in temporary darkness.
The lucky bastards.
I tighten my visor, adjust my tank straps, and pick up my shovel again.
Wish I never fell for The Great Draft tagline:
“A six-month tour will set you up for life.”
Once you arrive, that all changes.
I keep a beat as I pound my shovel into the parched earth. In my head, I travel home. The ticket for one of them ships costs your last breath. The only way off.
I am not ready yet.
Pryzner-Dunn felt the entire competition provided invaluable experience, especially with the feedback on her stories given by the judges.
“I really just entered it to get feedback. I wanted to hear what others, like experienced writers, might say about what I write.”
She said no matter the result of her final story, she will be happy.
“Whether or not I turn out to be in the top 10, or whatever, I think it’s been quite a great experience and has encouraged me to continue.”
“FREE” DailyBREAKFAST, HOTLUNCHandSNACKPROGRAM
FULL-TIMEKINDERGARTEN
•Mustbe 5yrsbyDec31,2025
•BusServicesProvidedto most areasofr itt f Merrit
CURRICULUM:
•BcEducationCurriculum
•TwoRecessesPlusA Lunch
•Nle?Kepmxcin(K-7)
•CulturalStudies
•LearningAssistanceProgram
•SchoolSuppliesProvided
•Skate/HockeyProgram
•ScienceofReading
FACILITIES:
•Full-SizeGymnasium
•ClassroomLibraries
•A CalmingSpace
•Baseball/SoccerField
PLAYGROUNDEQUIPMENT
•ClimbingWall
•BasketballCourt
•Spinner
•Literacy& NumeracyBlitzesAfterLunchEveryDay
•WeParticipateInTheDistrictElementarySportsProgram
•WeAreOnTheLandForFieldTripsOften
•WeAreA PlayIsTheWaySchool
LOWERNICOLABANDSCHOOL -EDUCATIONCOMESFIRST
Phone: 250-378-5527
LETTHE VO TINGBEGIN
BUSINESS
BusinessCustomerService______________________
B utcherShop___________________________________
CannabisDispensar y_
Ta ttooStudio___________________________________
Senior sH ome__________________________________
LandscapingCompany_
PlumbingCompany_
Auto Pa rt sS tore________________________________
AutoRepai rS hop_______________________________
ClothingStore__________________________________
ColdBeerWine /L iquorStore____________________
ConvenienceStore______________________________
Daycare________________________________________
D og/CatGroomer_______________________________
F itnes sFacility__________________________________
GasStation____________________________________
G rocer yS tor e_
Spa___________________________________________ Salon_____________________ Hotel /M otel___________________________________
InsuranceOffice________________________________
L ogging Company_
UniqueBusiness________________________________
BuildingSupplyCompany_
T ireSho p_
Accountant /B ook ke eper________________________
Bank__________________________________________
Stora ge Fa cility_________________________________
Catering_______________________________________
Restaurant_____________________________________
Pub___________________________________________
Mas sage Office_________________________________
P harmacy______________________________________
RealEstateCompany_
O pticalBusiness________________________________
B uildingContractorCompany_
ElectricalCompany_
We ldingCompany_
CoffeeShop/Cafe_______________________________
PEOPL EA NDPL AC ES
( In c ludeName &B usines sN ame)
L ocalArtis t_
D entis t_
Doctor_________________________________________
Coac h_
HairDresser____________________________________
Nail Te chnician_________________________________
Cook__________________________________________
E yelash Te chnician______________________________
Mechanic______________________________________
Manager
Pe rs onal Tr ainer_______________________________
Photo gr apher___________________________________
Realto r_
Receptionist____________________________________
S erve r_
L oca lB and/Musicia n_
Te acher/Educator(Elementar yS chool )_
Te acher/Educator(Hig hS chool )_
People’s Choice Aw ards
A gricultural/ Fa rm /RanchBusines s_
HomeBase dB usines s_
Ve terinaria n( nameofvet)________________________
Vo lunteer______________________________________
Club/SportsOr ganiz atio n_
No nP rofi tO rganizatio n_
BestLocalEvent________________________________
FOODANDBEVERAGE
Breakfast______________________________________
Bu rger
Chinese Fo od___________________________________
S teak_________________________________________
P iz z a_
Soup__________________________________________
W in gs
Desse rt
Sush i_
Sandwich______________________________________
TO PB USINESSES
BusinessOfThe Ye ar____________________________
BusinessOveral l( Under10Employees)____________
BusinessOveral l( Over10Empl oy ees)_____________
NewB usiness -2 year’sorl essinbusines s
TWOWAYSTOVOTE:
1) Newspaperentry - nophotocopiesaccepted 2) Voting online -oneentry perpersonper day
It’stimeforpeopletomake theirchoice. IndicateyourtoppicksfortheMerrittHerald People’sChoice Awardsonthisentr ysheet,or usingouronlineballotfor mat https://www.merrittherald.com/peoples-choice-2025/
Name:
Address:
City:
Te lephone :
Onlyor iginal newspaperballotsandonlineentries willbeaccepted.Nophotocopiesallowed. Allballotsmustbereceivedorenteredonline by nolate rt han Fr iday, September12atnoonPST Somerestrictionsandconditionsapply 25% ofcategoriesmustbe fi lledinfo ry ourvotestobecount . Contestcloses Fr id ay Sept.12atnoon. Oneentr yperhouseholdper week. PLEASEPRINTCLEARLY
Ballotscanbedroppedoffatth e MerrittHeraldoffice, #201 -1 951GarciaSt. ,M erritt,BC
MERRITT SKATEPARK GETS SPLASH OF COLOUR
TY LIM reporter@merrittherald.com
The Nicola Valley Community Arts Council (NVCAC), with the help of the City of Merritt and local kids, are taking it upon themselves to “liven-up” the Central Park skatepark.
“This group is doing amazing things all over town, great creativity on their part and fantastic idea to welcome those new to town with art,” said Merritt Mayor Mike Goetz in an email sent to the Herald.
NVCAC President Mischelle Pierce said this is just one of the beautification projects going on around town.
She said NVCAC has been able to have a few of their summer students do a majority of the work using supplies partially funded from a United Way grant.
On Thursday night, Aug. 8, NVCAC and staff from the City of Merritt held a barbeque at Central Park, inviting the town’s youth to take part helping with the art, filling in some blank spaces purposely left for them.
“The (summer students) have said that the kids have been very responsive and really enjoy what’s happening, so hopefully they’ll take care of it. And that’s why we wanted kids to take part in the painting as well, so that they feel a little bit of ownership over it,” Pierce said.
PHOTOS/TY LIM
Artists and youth add colour to Central Park Skatepark during a community-led beautification project hosted by the Nicola Valley Community Arts Council and City of Merritt. While artists painted vibrant designs, local kids kept the skatepark buzzing with activity.
NICOLA VALLEY SPORTS
HOLLYWOOD EXPERIENCE FUELS BIG DREAMS FOR MERRITT DANCER
LAÍSA CONDÉ editor@merrittherald.com
A Merritt teen has taken her passion for dance to an international level, representing her community in Hollywood this summer for the first time.
After more than a decade of dedication to the art form, Kinley Stewart — who began taking classes at just two years old — was awarded a scholarship to the prestigious Hollywood Summer Tour. The opportunity came after she participated in Showtime’s Great Canadian Dance Challenge in Kelowna earlier this year.
“I was very excited and grateful for the opportunity and that someone appreciated the hard work I put into my dance,” she said.
The Hollywood Summer Tour is a two-week professional dance training program that immerses participants in the industry.
With help from a scholarship and funds raised through a local fitness fundraiser organized by the Dancing Diva Foundation, she was able to cover much of the registration cost.
“The support I received from the foundation meant so much to me.”
— Kinley Stewart
“The support I received from the foundation meant so much to me,” she said. “They made me feel so loved and valued. Words can’t express the gratitude I feel towards them.”
In the lead-up to the trip, Stewart said she polished her routines, maintained her fitness training, and prepared herself mentally for long days of learning from professional choreographers and meeting dancers from around the world.
Her arrival in Los Angeles
brought immediate impressions.
“The first thing I noticed was all the beautiful palm trees,” she said. “There was always something new to look at, lots of colour, loud and energetic activity in the city, and very famous dance studios to train in.”
The training style in Hollywood differed from what Stewart was used to in Merritt.
While local training focuses on competition pieces perfected over an entire season, the Los Angeles approach was fast-paced and industry-oriented—designed for music videos, commercials, and live productions. Quick adaptability was essential.
One of her most memorable moments came during an overnight music video shoot at Universal Studios. Filming from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. was physically challenging, but the excitement and camaraderie kept her going.
“It was so cool! Definitely have great memories from that night.”
For her, the biggest takeaway was the importance of networking in
the dance world.
“It is so important to make connections because it will help me get known better and give me people to reach out to when booking jobs or finding auditions,” Stewart explained. “But a bonus is that I made some really good friends.”
The trip also solidified her long-term ambitions. While Stewart said she has always envisioned a future as a dance teacher, she now intends to first pursue a professional career, with dreams of Broadway or touring as a backup dancer for a major artist.
In the meantime, she’s continuing her training, choreographing for local performances, preparing for competitions, and sharing her work on social media.
She also has a message for aspiring young dancers.
“Always believe in yourself. You can either be your biggest cheerleader or your worst enemy… Never give up, keep pushing even when it’s hard, and you will get there one day.”
PHOTO/KINLEY STEWART
Merritt dancer Kinley Stewart represented Merritt at the Hollywood Summer Tour.
NICOLA VALLEY COMMUNITY
QUILCHENA ADVOCATE HONOURED WITH MEDAL OF GOOD CITIZENSHIP
LAÍSA CONDÉ editor@merrittherald.com
Quilchena resident Dara Jan Vink has been awarded the province’s Medal of Good Citizenship for her years of advocacy and leadership in creating safe, welcoming spaces for members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community across British Columbia.
Vink said the recognition came as a surprise.
“I didn’t even know the medal existed,” she recalled. “Then I learned that members of the Cornbury Society and others had written letters in support. I was quite surprised.”
Much of Vink’s work has been through the Cornbury Society, a peer support group for transgender people and cross-dressers.
She serves as president, helping members find acceptance, connection, and resources.
The group operates dinner meetings in the Lower Mainland and beyond, drawing attendees from across B.C. and Alberta.
The society provides a crucial lifeline for those navigating complex personal circumstances, from gender expression to family relationships.
Vink said members often come forward at vulnerable moments, sometimes facing marital breakdowns, depression, or even thoughts of suicide.
“We share our experiences, answer their questions, and give them a safe space— whether they come dressed or not,” she said.
“It helps people feel less alone and avoid putting themselves in risky situations.”
The gatherings are held in venues like restaurants with private rooms, members’ homes, and other welcoming spaces.
Vink and her team work to make it easier for people to attend, offering changing areas and even overnight accommodations for
connection, and acceptance.
“Do what feels safe and be amongst friends,” she said. “People are so accepting—especially in B.C. and Canada— but so many of us are so scared we can’t make that first step. If you’ve got a friend, make that step together. The more you’re out there, the more acceptance comes.”
While the Cornbury Society has been the most influential part of her advocacy, Vink has also contributed to her local community in Quilchena, including helping organize and maintain connections for residents in the Stump Lake area and participating in the Merritt Pickleball Club.
those travelling long distances.
Beyond the Cornbury Society, Vink is active in the broader 2SLGBTQI+ community.
She has been involved in Chilliwack Pride’s organizing committee, regularly attends events in New Westminster and Kamloops, and helps connect members with other local groups.
She says these networks often lead to lifelong friendships.
Her efforts extend well beyond the Lower Mainland, with outreach to communities like Penticton, Kelowna, and Victoria, ensuring those outside urban centres also have access to support.
For Vink, the work is about visibility,
Receiving the Medal of Good Citizenship, she said, was an affirmation of the journey she’s taken and the lives touched along the way.
“It’s been wonderful,” she said. “At one point, I could have destroyed it all, but I made that big step. This work has made me more of a person of consequence, and I’m glad I did it.”
GOT SPORTS? Contact Laísa or Ty at newsroom@merrittherald.com or call 250-378-4241
Time: Sundays 9:00 a.m. St. Michael’s Anglican Church 1990 Chapman St. • 250-378-3772 Service Times: 2nd and 4th Sundays only - 10:00 a.m. Trinity United Church Corner of Quilchena & Chapman • 250-378-5735 Service Time every Sunday - 10 am Somang Mission Community Church (SMC) 1755 Coldwater Ave. (The Cadet Hall) Sunday Service Time: 4:00 pm • 250-280-1268 Nicola Valley Evangelical Free Church 1950 Maxwell St. • 250-378-9502
Service Times: Sunday 10 am
PHOTO/DARA JAN VINK
Dara Jan Vink earns provincial honour for supporting trans and gender-diverse people.
CLASSIFIEDS
Deadline for placing a classified ad is 5 p.m. on Monday. To place an ad please call 250-378-4241 or email: publisher@merrittherald.com
EdwardProc
August17,1935 ~July31,2025
It’s withheavyheartsthatthefamilysharesthesuddenpassing ofEdward(Ed)Proc.Leavingbehindtogrievearehischildren Katherine(Dan),grandsonsJustinandJoshua &greatgrandson’s Easton &Emmet.Dianne(Cliff),Susan(Harry), &grandsons Matthew(Karissa)& Kyle,Eddy(Mirta)andgrandchildrenNicholas &JacquelynaswellashisbeloveddogBailey. JonandAgnesProcimmigratedfromPolandin1930withfivechildren, arrivinginJasmineSaskatchewan,andthat’swhereEdwardwasbornand hissisterCarol.Eventuallythefamilypurchased ahomeinOntario.EdandCarolwalkedto schooleveryday.SometimesCarolwouldhavetoinvent astoryofwhyEdwasnotinschool. Daddiscoveredatanearlyagethathewouldratherlearnfromexperiencethanbooks.At theageof15hedecideditwastimetoheadwest,ArrivinginEdmontonbytrain(without aticket).HeworkedinEdmontonforabouttwoyears.ThenEdwasgettingrestless,sohe continuedhisjourneytoBC.Thistimethetraintookhimtoa smalltowncalledMcBride. Therehemetwonderfulpeoplethathelpedhimwithworkandaccommodations.Everyone startedcallinghimJuniorbecausehewassoyoung.ItwasatJim’s caféthatEdmet alovely waitressnamedBeatrice.Shewasn’tquitesureaboutthisbrazenyoungOntarioman.But intimeEdwonherheartandtheyweremarriedin1956.Thefamilygrewquicklywith theadditionofthreedaughters.DadwasnowworkingforBCHydroandgottransferredto Vernonandthat’swhereEddiewasborn.In1970DadwastransferredtoMerritt.Itwasthe perfectcommunityforthebothofthemtoraisetheirfamily.DadenjoyedworkingforBC Hydrofor40years.Throughouthiscareer, hewasfortunatetomakemanylifetimefriends. Dadwas ahard-working,selfeducated,generous,strongwilledman.Dadputhisfamilyfirst andwasalwaysavailabletohelp.Hewaseagertolend ahelpinghandtofriendsaswell. We willmisslisteningtohisstories.Dadlivedhislifeonhistermsbylivinginhishometothe ageof89.Heisnowreunitedwithhislovelywife. Mayyoubothrestinpeace.
Thefamilywouldliketothankalltheincrediblepeoplewhohelpeddadovertheyears. Yourkindnessismuchappreciated. Asrequested,therewillbenoservice.
January12,1939 –July28,2025
ItiswithfullheartsthatwesharethepassingofGeorgeMurrayNeilson—beloved father,grandfather, great-grandfather, mentor,andfriend—onJuly28,2025,inMerritt, BritishColumbia.Hewas86.
BorninBrandon,ManitobaonJanuary12,1939,Murraylived alifemarkedbygrit, generosity,andgroundedwisdom.Afterspendinghisearlyyearsexploringthecornerso thecountry,hefoundhisforeverhomeintheNicola Valleyduringthe1960s—wherehealso foundtheloveofhislife,MarilynRose.Thetwoweremarriedfor55years,buildinga home filledwithlaughter,resilience,anda wholelotofheart.
Murraywas amanofmanyhats—andheworethemallwithpurpose. Aloggerbytradeanda roadbuilderby legacy,heco-foundedACELoggingandcarvedpaths—literallyandfiguratively—thatotherscouldfollow. Ifyou evergotlostinthebackroads,chancesareMurrayhadbuiltthewayout—andifhedidn’t,he’dstillgetyouhome. Hishandsbuiltthings,buthisheartbuiltcommunity.MurrayservedaspresidentoftheFullGospelBusinessmen’s Fellowship,heldrolesintheKinsmen,coachedhockeyandsoftball,andspentyearsumpiringwiththesamecare hegavetoeverythingelse.Hewasthemaneveryonecalled—whethertheyneeded alaugh,advice,or alifeline.
Murray’ssenseofhumourwasunmatched—dry, unexpected,andoftenfollowedbya glintinhiseyethatsaidhe knewhegotyou.Hewaspresent.Thoughtful.Thekindofmanwhoshowedupforthebigthings,andespecially forthesmallones.
Inretirement,Murrayfoundjoyinrestoringantiquefarmingequipment.Hisprideandjoywashisrestored Farmall Tractor,hisyyracyormanbeingJackAlgrove.Murray’spassionforcollecting“Murray’sOld Time Tools” livesonthrough alogostartedbyDaveGross,whichhislovedonesstillwearproudlytoday.
MurrayispredeceasedbyhisbelovedwifeMarilyn;hisparents,RobertandMary;hisbrothersLorneandEddie; hissistersFrancesandHelen;hisdaughterSheila;hisgrandson Tyler;andhisnephewPhillip.
HeissurvivedbyhischildrenSharon,Marilee,Jonni,Donna,Sam,Heather, andTerry,aswellashismany grandchildren:Kassandra,Kaleb,Jacob,Isaac,Abram,Abra,Ashton,Reagan,Kristen,Heather, Holly,Charleen, Jarrod,andSammy.Heisalsosurvivedbyhismanygreatgrandchildren.
SpecialthanksareextendedtoTerryStockwellforher compassionateanddignifiedpalliativecare,andtoDonMcLeod, MarvinFraser,RaySchindler, DebShearer,DwayneFlett,and RhondaFlett-Murrayfortheirenduringfriendshipandsupport.
AsperMurray’swishes,therewillbenoformalservice. HewillbecrematedandreunitedwithMarilynintheNicola Valley—aplacetheybothlovedandcalledhome.
Inlieuofflowers,donationscanbemadetotheBCDiabetes FoundationorTheKidneyFoundationofCanada.
GeorgeMurrayNeilson
InMemoriam InMemoriam Obituaries Obituaries
Obituaries Obituaries
Obituaries
EugeneAndre Moffat
Aug.6,1955July25,2025
Coldwater School
Weare currentlyhiringfor thefollowing positionsfor theupcoming2025-2026 school year:
Never Quit
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
Itiswithgreatsadnessthatweannouncethepassingof Eugene(Geno)Moffat.Hewillbegreatlymissedbyfamily andmanyfriends,andhisfaithfuldogCapone.
e announce the passing of
Acelebrationoflifewillbeannounced andheldata laterdate.
ASPENPLANERS
PleasebeadvisedthatAspenPlanershaspublishedaFOMwhich ispublicallyavailablefor reviewandcomment.AFOMdepicts thelocationswhereharvestingand/or roadconstructionmay occur.ThePublicmayaccessand reviewthemapthefollowing waysduringtheperiodofAugust14,2025- To September14,2025 InpersonatAspensplaceofbusinesslocatedat1375Houston streetduringnormaloperatinghoursof8:00amto4:00pm, MondaytoFriday.
Onlineat https://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects
Public reviewandcommentbeginsonAugust14,2025andends September14,2025.Thosewishingtosubmitcommentsmaydo sothefollowingways
ByaccessingtheFOMwebsitelistedaboveandproviding commentsthroughtheonlinepublicwebsite.
Bypersonaldeliveryatthephysicaladdresslistedabove,during normaloperatinghours.
Bymailc/oPlanningforester,AspenPlanersLtd,POBox160,1375 HoustonStreet,MerrittBCV1k1B8
Byemailatapfom@apgroup.ca
Thisnoticeisapplicabletothefollowingprojectslistedbelow. AspenPlanersmay relyuponthesemapsforthreeyears commencingonAugust31,2025forthepurposeofapplyingfor acuttingauthorityorfora roadpermit.
FOMName GeographicLocation
FOM-Merritt-652-August2025
• EarlyChildhoodEducator –Startingwage$28.29, Commensuratewithexperience& qualifications.
• ResponsibleAdult –Startingwage$20.48, Commensuratewithexperience& qualifications.
• PrimaryTeacher –Startingwage$38.48, Commensurate with experience &qualifications.
• EducationA ssistant – Starting wage $32.97 Commensuratewithexperience& qualifications.
Applications will be accepted until4:00pmonAugust22, 2025.
Attention: ColdwaterS choolHuman ResourcesCommittee
Email: principal@coldwaterschool.ca
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill When funds are low and debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit. Success is failure turned inside out –
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt, And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far, So, stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit –
It’s when things seem worst that
CascadesFOMID: 2474
You must not quit!
SUDOKU
Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a Sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.
