News Leader News
PETROBANK SAYS TEST WELL A SUCCESS
Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd. has completed evaluation of its natural gas from coal (NGC) test well located 4.5km southwest of Princeton and is considering plans for future development.
"I can say this well was a success and has helped us to understand the geological characteristics of the reservoir," says Gregg Smith, Vice President Canada, Petrobank. "Without this knowledge about the composition of this basin we would not be in a position to advance further pilot activities in the area."
In the coming months, Petrobank will develop plans for an expanded pilot program in the Princeton area. The company expects to start-up a new project in the fall of 2006.
In the meantime, Petrobank will be running a series of information ads in the local papers to help residents better understand the operations of natural gas from coal facilities.
As the details for this project become available, Petrobank will commence a very active community consultation program through the local papers, one-on-one visits with residents and public town hall meetings.
"It's very important to us that everyone in the community clearly understands our project and what we hope to do," says Smith.
"Our goal is to share non-confidential facts about our work in Princeton and we want to do that in a very public fashion."
Petrobank is maintaining a dedicated toll-free line (1-866-764-4571) for Princeton residents to ask questions about NGC and the company's role in the community. The company also posts information about the project on its website at www.petrobank.com.
As the company completes its plans for future development, it intends to hold public meetings to explain how future development might unfold.
Further information about NGC can be found through the Canadian Society for Unconventional Gas at www.csug.ca.
Petrobank operates under the British Columbia Coalbed Gas Code of Practice which can be found on the Ministry of Environment website through www.gov.bc.ca.
TOURISM COMMITTEE MAKES PROGRESS
The Similkameen Valley Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) is made up members of the tourism industry.The Committee was created by the Similkameen Valley Planning Society to make recommendations on how to advertise the Valley and develop our tourism industry.
Committee members are contacting other tourism businesses in order to get input on how their business is doing and what can be done to increase tourism revenues. Everyone in the tourism industry is urged to contact the TAC.
TAC Chair, Philippe Batini, said, "The more input we have and the more people who know what we are doing, the more successful will be our strategy."
The TAC has gone through some creative exercises. They are trying to decide what the primary values and unique selling points of the Valley are. Based on that, they are developing 'the look' that Valley brochures and ads will have.
The Committee has met six times and meets every second Tuesday in Hedley. They have just begun to identify the tourism products with potential to draw people to the Similkameen Valley.
EDO Michael McLaughlin is facilitating the process. "We are at the stage now where we will begin to group tourism attractions into products for advertising. By combining historic attractions, wineries, farm tours, B&Bs, outdoor adventure, for example, we can make a product that appeals to certain types of tourists. Usually, people don't go to places, they go to products."
The TAC is trying to help tourism operators to know what other tourism businesses there are in the Valley. Batini expects one recommendation will be to have tourism industry members tour the valley to learn what other tourism operations there are in the Valley.
"Tourism is one business where working with your competition is good for everybody."
For input into the tourism development strategy, please contact Michael at (250) 295-7260 or 499-5130.
FORMER COP SHARES MEMORIES
The British Columbia Provincial Police (BCPP) served in Princeton for a total of 92 years, starting in 1858.
Railway construction and mining activity brought many people to the region, and policing a bustling frontier town in the early years was quite a challenge. Even more so when you consider the uniform of the first members of the Provincial Police was an officially-issued revolver and a set of handcuffs - nothing else!
The BCPP was disbanded and replaced by the federally-funded Royal Canadian Mounted Police on August 15, 1950. A plaque hangs on the wall of the Council Chambers in Princeton Town Hall to honour the service of the former BCPP, and serves as just about the only evidence of the change.
All BCPP constables in the district had been automatically accepted as members of the RCMP at the time of the change. A year before, in 1949, there were only three constables working in the Princeton area and although none of them had been officially sworn in as Mounties, policing continued without interruption.
While the Provincial Police paid more than the RCMP in 1950, existing officers were to receive the same pay as before, with the Province making up the difference in two years. By 1952, wages decreased and the switch to the RCMP was complete - although it was said that retirement pay was far greater through the RCMP.
There have been over 150 RCMP members who have served in Princeton since 1952.
One former BCPP member, Cst. Jim McCulloch, made contact with the News Leader last Summer. He shared with us many of his memories of working here during the late 1940s and early 1950s.
This week we are proud to present the first of a two part series on his experiences and reflections on the place we all call home.
by Jim McCulloch
I first came to Princeton as new member of the British Columbia Provincial Police. I was able to obtain a house for my family who would follow a month later. The house was the center one of three similar buildings next to the brewery and Joe Spangler's Grocery Store (near the current Billy's Restaurant).Across the street was the railway station and the CBC repeater office. The rent for the two bedroom bungalow was $27.50 a month. At the end of the month I was joined by my wife, June and daughter Terri J. who was then 4 years old.
On one side lived 'Bud' Becker and his wife. He worked in the CBC repeater station. He was also an amateur photographer who was called upon when we needed pictures of accidents and crimes taken. In those days the only police photographer available was in Vancouver or Victoria.
The police office was in the Provincial Court Building and consisted of the office and the two cell lockup. There were a further two cells in the basement.
At that time there were three of us on detachment, Corporal Gordon (Gordy) Neff was in charge, Constable Bill Hare and myself completed the roster.
During the time I was working in Princeton, Allan Gill was the Provincial Game Warden. From time to time the detachment gave assistance when requested.
The Government Agent, Charles Nichols also doubled as the Stipendiary Magistrate for the more mundane offences. For more serious crimes there was the Provincial Court room upstairs where the higher court could be held.
At this time the Provincial Library consisted of three shelves in the hallway just outside the Government Agents office. The books were changed by a bookmobile that visited periodically.
Duties ran the gamut from brand inspections on cattle being shipped to market, patrols on the roads for traffic offences and rendering aid in accidents, to criminal investigations which ranged from murder, armed robbery, theft and rape.
The Hope-Princeton Highway was in the course of being constructed. On Saturday nights the town used to get very interesting. Between 300 and 400 construction workers, a 100 or so hardrock miners from Copper Mountain and a large contingent of loggers, sawmill workers and cowboys. There was little available for entertainment for this number of men. There were two beer parlors, the Princeton Hotel and the Tulameen Hotel.
'Tug' Wilson, who owned the Riverside Motel also ran a closely supervised poker game in a small building on the main street. This was overseen by a professional gambler who made sure there was no dishonesty. When a miner from Copper Mountain wanted to cash his pay cheques to play, he would get only a part of it in cash, 1/3 to 1/2 would be held back and delivered to his wife the next day.
When the RCMP took over the policing this was closed down. The detachment then started getting complaints from people who were cheated or robbed in gambling games in various hotel rooms, usually run by card sharks from Vancouver. Because these games were mobile, by the time we got the complaint they had moved on. Tug Wilson was also keenly interested in "Rock hounding" and started the interest in this hobby in the area.
Every Saturday night was a workout for Bill Hare and myself. A faction of the men who came to town to celebrate considered the evening wasted if they didn't try to take the local police force to pieces. In the six years I served there they were doomed to disappointment. Most of them wound up in the lock up and had a visit with the Magistrate on Monday morning.
.....................continued Next Week
NEW OWNER MARKS SECOND ANNIVERSARY
February 1st will mark the Second Anniversary of the change of ownership in the Similkameen News Leader."2005 was a very encouraging year for us," says Bengel Publishing Inc. President George Elliott.
"Our expansion to include a regularly updated website has proven to be a beneficial addition to our products."
The News Leader website has averaged 25,000 to 30,000 hits a month.
"We get asked a lot online about real estate and rental properties from all over Canada. There's a lot of interest in the Similkameen."
As for future plans, Elliott says expansion plans will continue into 2006.
"We're only just getting started."
Elliott bought the newspaper from Dawn, Barry and Sharon Johnson. The News Leader was established in 1998.
