News Leader News for January 2, 2007
2006 YEAR IN REVIEW
2006 started on a positive note with announcements of Olympic grants to Princeton and Keremeos.
Vermilion Trails Society received $42,000 to pave the trail in Princeton, improve lighting and build a roundhouse marking the location of the last spike on the Kettle Valley Railway. Keremeos received $32,250 to construct a skate park.
The other good news was the New Year's baby born in Penticton Hospital to Kurt and Shelly Lozinski, a boy named Jackson.
Two issues dominated the rest of the year: the federal election, and the proposal by Compliance Energy to build a coal and wood burning thermal electric power plant near Princeton.
The federal election for our riding became an embarrassment with the news that one of the candidates, Derek Zeisman, had a federal criminal charge hanging over his head. When the votes were counted, Alex Atamenenko of the New Democratic Party was our new Member of Parliament.
The Similkameen Valley probably never had a warmer January than the 2006 experience. The balmy winter changed to the real thing in February.
The Town of Princeton started looking for a new Chief Administrative Officer to take over when Cornie Froese retired. Patrick Robins was hired in March. Keremeos CAO Bob Lafleur resigned and Keremeos had to find a new CAO.
The warm winter slowed snowmobiling to some extent, but the Osprey Lake Snowheelers held their annual Christmas Poker Run and followed this with a snow golf tournament on New Year's Day.
Local people launched a new project: to establish a pathway around Princeton. They continued to work on it during the year.
The performing arts group began to work hard in January through workshops and planning the structure of their society. It was tough slogging, but by the end of the year, they were planning their first production, The Mouse Trap, slated for public exposure this spring.
They were to receive a lot of help from Dave Cursons and the Cawston Players: good advice and a good example.
Early in the year, several prominent local people passed away: Ada Ruth Currie, Bert Irwin (in Kelowna), Ruby Baillie, former Fire Chief Bob Dunn and Ed Cook.
It seemed the season for losing oldtimers, but younger folk were mourned too: Norm Cleven, Ross Tidsbury and Bob Gibson. Later in the spring, Princeton was shocked with the loss of Gordon Webster, a local prospector and expert on zeolite, and Marg Kelly, a longtime resident.
As the year went on, it seemed the numbers slowed a bit, but jumped again with the deaths of Bert Blanchette, an active community man, Margaret Stoneberg, longtime archivist at Princeton Museum, and John Kunderman, who moved to Princeton to be near his son, daughter in law and grandchildren.
After more than 40 years in operation, the Fall Fair's future was in doubt.
Nobody would step forward to be President. Finally, in February, Linda Allison agreed to run for President, and nobody wanted to oppose her. Plans for the 2006 Fall Fair proceeded well, and despite smoke and fly ash from the Tatoosh fire, the fair went ahead on schedule.
It was a "break even" fair financially, but none of the members complained. The Fall Fair Association held its annual general meeting in November, and a new slate of officers was elected without a problem, and new members welcomed. Linda Allison continues as President with firm support from members.
Princeton Community Arts Council moved into Riverside Wellness Centre in December, 2005, and started the new year in a new location. The Arts Council added the Potter's Guild and Princeton Performing Arts as members, bringing the total to 10 member groups. To celebrate the new accommodation, the Arts Council organized an Open House for Arts and Culture Week. Hundreds of people attended the afternoon event which featured a quilt show, art show, Community Band performances, acting, comedy and displays from all groups and tenants. The event was highly successful.
Princeton honoured its Junior B hockey players in an Awards Night banquet. Much as the fans loved the Posse, the team did not go far in the finals. Nobody complained: the team did their best.
Princeton Exhibition Association began its new year in February with high hopes of receiving a major grant from some source. These hopes were dashed by the end of the year.
In the meantime, a lot of work was done to improve the racetrack and the rodeo arena, new phone lines were installed and John Bey put up a new gate, much needed, as the old one was falling apart. The people who always do the work got out and did more. Princeton Rodeo Club, Racing Days, Fall Fair, Princeton Motorsports and the Fire Department all put on their events during the year, with success.
Princeton Golf Club saw its expansion debt retired thanks to a $250,000 grant from the Community Forest Corporation, which put the Golf Club in an enviable position for 2006.
For the first time, Upper Similkameen Indian Band hosted a powwow in Chuchuwaya Hall. They had hoped to expand the event to a summer outdoors powwow, but plans fell through.
Keremeos saw a rare police action in February as two fugitives hid out in a Cawston orchard.
The couple, driving a car stolen in Princeton with licence plates stolen in Kamloops, had managed to avoid a spike belt twice before going to ground in Cawston and abandoning the vehicle. Police were assisted by two off-duty officers from the Lower Mainland and local residents helping on cell phones as they spotted the fugitives.
Princeton Ground Search and Rescue, along with RCMP and a rescue helicopter from CFB Comox, were involved in the rescue of a Maple Ridge man and his son from a canyon in Manning Park.
Weyerhaeuser showed community spirit by several substantial grants to local organizations to a total of $17,500, and then funded Jobs for Youth Program in the Similkameen. The generosity was greatly appreciated.
The Community Services office on Halliford Avenue was sold in March, after 19 years housing the society's staff. The new office opened in the former public health building on Lime Street. New Beginnings moved from the Elks Hall to the same location.
Keremeos hosted a "healing arts" fair, which was very successful.
A student from Princeton Secondary School, Peter Newman, received one of the biggest scholarships seen in this area. He was awarded a $20,000 Seymour Schulich Academic Excellence Entrance Scholarship and was officially admitted to the Schulich School of Engineering.
Social life in Princeton got a lift in March with a bra auction at Copper Mountain Bar & Grill. Fancy bras were auctioned to raise money for the fight against breast cancer.
Some really unhappy occasions came last year as various organizations bid farewell to Katimavik participants, knowing Princeton would not be eligible for another contingent.
There was not much grumbling about ineligibility because Princeton had hosted Katimavik five years in a row, setting a record. MAYBE 2007?
Upper Similkameen Indian Band elected a new Council in March, returning Chief Richard Holmes to office, with Miranda Squakin and Carmelita Holmes as Councillors.
Fortis BC helped Keremeos and District Fire Department with $10,000 for Jaws of Life. In Princeton, where Fortis BC bought Princeton Light and Power, the community bid farewell to workers not retained by FortisBC.
Princeton Lions Club continued their role as generous responders to community needs. They donated a wheelchair ramp to New Beginnings, and took over the Karl Lang Park project. The Lions held their annual flea market and auction, always a big draw in April, to raise more money to give away.
Fire proved to be a threat to Princeton last spring. An early morning fire at SBC Firemaster plant on Copper Mountain Road demolished a large building.
Just 12 days later, on April 9, and early morning fire started in the historic Princeton Hotel. The fire burned for days, but the controversy over removing the rubble lasted for months. The Town finally had to do the job. What was left was a big empty space on Bridge Street.
An issue bothering Princeton residents was about deer. To date, nothing has been done to reduce the in town deer population. In fact, due to last year's crop of fawns, this year's population may be larger than ever.
Avian flu was a big scare topic last year, but there were no human cases in North America, despite dire warnings by major media, who also suggested the threat of a Spanish flu type of pandemic was imminent. It did not happen.
Unclaimed remains were discovered during an ongoing investigation into Princeton-Similkameen Funeral Services. To make matters worse, one of the boxes of ashes was identified as being those of an individual whose ashes had been buried two years earlier. Who was buried instead? The investigation into what police call "fraudulent activity" continued through the year.
Keremeos hosted its big race, the Keremeos Krunch, in May, organized by Moe "the eagle" Beaulieu.
For the 41st time, the Chopaka Easter Sunday rodeo was held on the Allison property just north of the international boundary. This rodeo, begun by Barney Allison, is a tradition in the Similkameen Valley. The Allison family, the Lower Similkameen Indian Band, and the Cawston-Keremeos community have kept it going after the founder passed away several years ago.
Princeton Highland Dancers hosted Spring Fling last year with a new dance instructor, Clara Coyne, joining Janet Banks.
The second rodeo of the year was in Princeton, where Pro rodeo and a bullarama, along with excellent music entertainment, kept everyone busy on the second weekend in May. Keremeos took the long weekend in May for their rodeo. Last year, everybody had decent weather (for a change!).
Hedley owned the first weekend in May with Stamp Mill Days, celebrating Hedley's gold mining history. There were outhouse races, an antique road show, parade, fun, and a roast beef dinner. The ringing of the old fire bell told everyone what was going on and when.
Princeton students won the regional Environmental Mind Grind again last year. We have bright kids in Princeton schools.
Spring saw the customary yard sales begin to pile up, which kept everyone busy every weekend. Teas (with strawberries) marked other special events. As always, Keremeos thrilled music lovers with Music Under the K at the end of May.
Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists, who spend much of the year hiking and birdwatching, led groups participating in the annual Meadowlark Festival. Trails BC challenged everybody to go hiking on the TransCanada Trail through Princeton on June 25, but there was a big group who wanted something more challenging, and they ran from Coalmont to Princeton on June 11.
As springtime weather improved everyone's energy, something was happening every weekend. Although hockey season was over, the arena was a busy place as the long-awaited expansion began. Down at Rotary Park, work commenced once more on the water park for the children, although many residents complained about the health hazards of the invasion of marmots in the park.
Three teenagers, Nicole Thomas, Jana McKenzie and Dana Luchsinger launched a project, with help from local citizens and Town Council, to plant 240 carigana bushes along the edge of the landfill in hopes of eventually concealing it from view. The project was successful at the planting stage. Time will tell as to the success of its purpose.
The season of golf tournaments began in June and lasted into September. The Motorsports Association held an event in June, and Racing Days geared up for horse racing while the rest of the community tried to decide on a float for the parade. Racing Days, combined with Canada Day, was filled with fun. A new event, in which musicians and vocalists from the community donated their talent to a Canada Day show at the museum, brought a lot of listeners and a lot of gratitude from their audience. Will we see it this year?
Three local school teachers retired in June 2006. Sylvia Adams, Jean Haugland and Darrell Brewer left their chalk and pointers behind (they finally got out of school!).
Otter Valley Fish and Game held their annual Pike Mountain fishing derby and camp-out, and were pleased there was no snow (no kidding, it can happen in summer!)
Hail hit Keremeos and Cawston crops in early July, doing a lot of damage, but the area harvested bumper crops as the weather turned hot and dry, perfect for fruit and vegetable growers. The weather was perfect for forest fires, too, and before autumn came, the valley was full of smoke. The fires were in Washington, but the smoke moved into the valley and hung there from mid-August to mid-September, killing tourist trade. Hedley's Mascot Mine Tours suffered most, as the smoke blotted out viewing opportunities and swirled around the old mine site.
The Town of Princeton planned to create a new town square, but faced a lot of concern from downtown businesses that might be affected by changes in traffic flow, and concern from the Royal Canadian Legion regarding any disrespect to the Cenotaph. The matter was resolved in December, and hopefully everyone will be pleased with the new town square this year.
Local realtors were critical of the town's restrictive bylaws and poor zoning which hampered development. Realtors pointed out there is opportunity for Princeton to grow, but more land is needed for development, and Council must address parking and zoning problems. Council entered into a partnership with Regional District, Upper Similkameen Indian Band and BCDC to develop some Crown land near Snowpatch Road for residential development. The Town received a grant to study the potential of supplying water to East Princeton.
Development potential of Princeton's airport was an issue left over from 2005, and Council appointed an airport standing committee with Dave Woodruff as volunteer airport manager. However, no real development took place.
Princeton hired a person to revamp and redevelop Princeton's website. This was not the first person hired to do this, as the website has been an ongoing issue with Princeton's tourism goals. Everyone hopes that, by the time tourist season hits this year, the website will be running full tilt with up to date information.
When autumn came, it was with its customary gorgeous weather and people went around congratulating themselves on living in the glorious Similkameen Valley. Gloating turned to dismay as one of the earliest worst snowstorms hit in November far earlier than anyone anticipated. November turned bitterly cold and the snow stayed. At one point, everyone feared a major flood as rain fell and washed snow downriver. Early December saw a gradual warm-up, but residents were very disappointed in losing the good weather they expect in November. By the beginning of December, the concern had changed to possible flooding due to ice jams formed as a result of heavy snow and bitter cold at the end of November.
The Christmas season began with the annual light-up and a good Christmas parade. Another Christmas parade featured a float from Princeton: for the first time, Princeton was in Vancouver's Santa Claus parade featuring the Community Band. This band, begun only two years ago, has become a real asset to Princeton. Earlier in the year, the band toured in Clearwater and for the second time, entered Music Under the K.
December brought a series of snowy days, with an accumulation Princeton receives only once in every five years. By Christmas time, everyone was tired of shovelling snow and walking on ice.
