The news you need. The fun you want. August 2013www.flipsidenews.ca

By Bruce LantzA new initiative to block con-

struction of the Site C dam is under-way, The FlipSide News has learned.

The Peace Valley Environment Association recently filed a com-plaint with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) over BC Hydro’s bypassing of the com-mission’s regulatory requirements. The PVEA is asking the BCUC to confirm its oversight of Site C. Most public utility projects must be certi-fied by the BCUC before it can be built but the Campbell government passed a law in 2010 shielding Site C from the commission’s oversight.

The BCUC is an independent body with a mandate to regulate electricity utilities and ensure that ratepayers receive safe, reliable and non-discriminatory energy services at fair rates.

The Site C project as it is pro-posed significantly exceeds what the government exempted from the requirement to obtain a Certificate for Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) from the BCUC in Section 7 of the Clean Energy Act. As explained in the complaint, the proposed Site C is not captured by the exemption and BC Hydro is required by law to apply for a CPCN before it begins construction or operation of Site C. BCUC oversight is important, opponents say, because the process for obtaining a CPCN involves the kind of transparent and

thorough investigation and analysis Site C needs.

The PVEA is being backed by the Sierra Club of BC and the Yel-lowstone to Yukon Conservation Ini-tiative in asking Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett and the prov-ince for support. Bennett has said he will adopt a get-tough stance with Hydro, which has amassed stagger-ing debt, and has hinted at rate hikes for the utility company.

Site C, the proposed third dam and hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River, would require flooding about 5,340 hectares of land and nearly 100 kilometres of river valley along the Peace and its tributaries. This would include more than 3,000 hectares of wildlife habi-tats, heritage sites, and Class 1 and Class 2 agricultural land to build a dam with an estimated capacity of approximately 900 MW and an annual output of 4,600 GWh of elec-tricity.

In the complaint, PVEA lawyer Anna Johnston of Vancouver noted that much has changed since the Clean Energy Act was enacted, “and the Site C that BC Hydro wants rate-payers to back is a much different beast”, she said.

“For starters, its sticker price has shot up 58 per cent from the original $5 billion-$6.6 billion estimate. It will take years longer to construct, which means longer before any ben-efits would be felt, and more time

for additional delays and cost escala-tions to occur. And in light of BC Hydro’s budgeting track record, ratepayers can hardly be blamed for worrying about footing a much larg-er bill than $8 billion. The North-west Transmission Line (which was also exempt from the commission’s review) is currently projected to cost $617 million, a whopping 53 per cent inflation over the $404 million original estimate.”

She said the Northwest Trans-mission Line price has risen 82 per cent from Hydro’s original estimate. If that happens with Site C, “we’re looking at a cost of over $12 billion for a dam we’re not even sure we need”.

Johnston also noted the issue of BC Hydro’s debt, which at more than $15 billion is nearly double what it was in 2010 when the pro-vincial government decided to move forward with Site C and is expected to rise to $18.85 billion by 2015. “As a result, the dividends BC Hydro pays to the province will be cut almost in half,” she said.

“And who would foot the bill? Ratepayers, of course. As a Crown corporation, BC Hydro’s debt is borne by the public. That’s why the commission must be allowed to probe for holes in BC Hydro’s pro-posal.”

Continued on page 3

BCUC asked to review Site C project

CUTE COWGIRLSMadison Aitken, 11, left, and Montana Aitken, 10, have a bird’s-eye view of the opening day of competition at the Doig River Rodeo held July 20-21 on the rodeo grounds at the Doig River First Nation. Heavy rain didn’t faze the competitors, who travelled from across BC and Alberta for the event, or the spectators.

Bruce Lantz photo

2 The Flipside August 2013

EDITORIAL

Crime strategy needed to battle increased violence

No community has ever been immune to crime. And, as shown by recent events, the cities, towns and villages of Northeastern BC are no exception.

Fort St. John residents were perhaps surprised recently to hear of reports of shootings in a local apartment building, a motor inn and a local home, along with an incident in which Molotov cock-tails were thrown at a house. Thankfully no one was injured, but police are viewing the vio-lence with concern. They believe it’s tied to gangs and their involve-ment in the local drug trade.

Area residents have watched in recent years as evidence of gang activity becomes more apparent. Police have reported that as many as four organized gangs with ties to organized crime in the Lower Mainland are oper-ating here. Those who thought this kind of activity wouldn’t reach this far north were sadly mistaken.

It’s perhaps understandable from the gangs’ perspective. The region has a relatively young population that’s somewhat tran-sient, and with high disposable incomes – a recipe for drug use and the crime that often accompa-nies it. This circumstance doesn’t just mean that crimes are commit-ted by those with drug problems seeking to feed their habits, although that does occur. It also provides an environment for turf wars between the gangs and retri-bution for those who default on

drug debts.This situation is at odds with

efforts by local government to portray the community as one that’s attractive to working fami-lies. Considerable effort – and money – has been spent in the recent past on providing the ame-nities families want. Money has been spent on better facilities, better amenities . . . streets, schools…the list goes on. But how does that sought-after image fit with reports of gunfire and gangs? Not well. Unless some-thing is done, and quickly, such reports will keep the city from being seen as an attractive place to live, work and raise families.

As our municipalities approach next year’s budgeting process, and despite their reluctance to risk the wrath of taxpayers, our politicians must face the fact that the RCMP must be given the resources to combat this type of crime - for the sake of those who live here now and those who may arrive in the future.

This is a community problem and it will take a community effort to solve it. Pretending the problem doesn’t exist won’t get us closer to a solution. Strategies must be put in place to root out the criminal element and send them down the road. Citizens, police and local government must join together to show the crimi-nals that their actions won’t be tolerated. If we don’t, we can expect more of the same.

- Bruce Lantz

August 2013 The Flipside 3

By Bruce LantzFort St. John’s Pat Ferris has

long been known as the face of com-petitive cycling in the region. But soon he may be known as something else – an author.

Ferris, who has lived in Fort St. John since 1975, recently published his first novel, ‘Gypsies’, a 10-year labour of love (and sometimes frus-tration) that tells the story of an ille-gal immigrant woman striving to find her place and love against a backdrop of - what else? - competi-tive cycling in the US.

After finishing his career with Westcoast Energy (now Spectra), Ferris met author Sherril Guthrie in the mid-90s and immediately devel-oped an interest in writing. Ten years ago he got serious and began craft-ing a book of short stories, improv-ing with experience and eventually seeking advice from a professional editor who “really helped me focus”, he said.

“From that process, Gypsies came along and was a couple of years in the making. It was an evolu-tion based on one line in the early work,” Ferris said. “I’m generally happy with it. It’s a fun yarn and people can even learn something about cycling from it.”

Stranded in Tucson as an illegal alien, heroine Giselle Barnett was without means or money but her pride would not allow her to return to Trinidad. “She’s a stranger in a strange land,” said Ferris. “She doesn’t match with the locals but she’s trying to make a go of it.”

She finds a job in a local bicycle shop and meets an extraordinary group of cycling ‘Gypsies’: top-lev-el cyclists seeking professional star-dom, sacrificing everything to that goal. She enjoys the company of the

Gypsies, especially Larry and his happy-go-lucky outgoing personali-ty.

Together the Gypsies enter the Tour of the Gila to pit their talents against top European and US com-petition. “This is their chance to shine,” Ferris said. They’re tested to the limits to see who has the ‘right stuff’ to make it into the big leagues of international cycling, and at the same time the relationship between Giselle and Larry is tested, too.

The book draws extensively on Ferris’ own experience as a competi-tive cyclist. He started racing in 1968 and competed against some “very good” opponents before age took its toll and he focused on local riding and coaching local cyclists, some of whom came close to mak-ing it to the pros.

Fittingly, Ferris wrote most of the book in his bicycle shop, where he finds the best inspiration.

With 200 self-published copies in hand, Ferris is selling his hard-cover book for $22.25 plus GST and is currently organizing book sign-ings in the local area. People can contact him through the Gypsies Facebook page or at his business, Ferris Fast Cycles, 250-785-3711. He also plans to re-edit Gypsies and have a second printing, perhaps even finding a publisher to bear the print-ing and promotion costs.

And he already has a sequel in mind. Already in outline form, it’s an extension of the relationship between Giselle and Larry and might even have a murder mystery involved. “I hope it’s easier than the first go around,” he said, adding he hopes to have it done in about six months.

“But I’m not quitting my day job.”

Bruce Lantz photoFort St. John’s Pat Ferris with his first published novel, Gypsies.

Cyclist turns to writing

PUBLIC APPEAL

Police seek help against gangs

Continued from page 1Johnston said she believes the

PVEA stands a “strong chance” of having its request to the BCUC granted, based on the fact that the Site C Dam Hydro now wants to build is a much larger project than the one before the provincial gov-ernment when it passed a law exempting it from BCUC oversight.

“Christy Clark’s Liberal govern-ment campaigned on a promise of financial responsibility. A $12 bil-lion debt burden isn’t something any reasonable government would take on without a thorough, arms-length analysis, and certainly not when the

dealing with a Crown corporation that is already deep in the red and facing massive upgrades to aging infrastructure,” she said.

“The provincial government has promised to keep hydro rates low. At the same time, it has approved rate hikes that could have ratepayers paying 30 percent more over the next three years. Given that it is potentially facing a $12 billion bill for Site C, it’s pretty hard to imagine that the government would not want BCUC to investigate this project to make sure that it’s in the province’s best interests.”

Faced with what seems to be gang activity that’s escalating dan-gerously, Fort St. John police are asking for the public’s help in find-ing those responsible.

In just three weeks in July there were five separate incidents of shots being fired and another in which Molotov cocktails were thrown at a house. Police believe the firearm incidents, at least, are connected and directly related to the drug trade. The RCMP are using every resource available to them, including the Combined Special Enforcement Unit, the province’s anti-gang squad.

“Simply put, we want to stop this illegal and dangerous activity before somebody is hurt or killed,” RCMP Insp. Pat Egan said in a press release. “We are asking anyone with addi-tional information about these inci-dents to contact the police.

“We are confident that those responsible will be caught, but with the public’s assistance we can ensure that they will not have an opportu-nity to endanger others with their illegal actions.”

Egan asked anyone with infor-mation to contact the RCMP at 250-787-8100 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.crimestop-persfsj.ca. You do not have to pro-vide your name, address or phone number and you do not have to tes-tify in court. A cash reward of up to $2,000 will be paid for information that leads to an arrest and charges.

The crime wave started July 8 when shots were fired through the

back of a home in the 9600-block of 96 St. No injuries were reported. Then on July 15 just after 3 am shots were fired through an apartment door in the Marquis Centre apart-ment building on 99 Ave. at 104 St. The residence was unoccupied and there were no injures. On July 21, also after 3 am, shots again were fired through an apartment door in the Marquis Centre, but the lone occupant was not injured, and at 11 pm the same day shots were fired into two separate hotel rooms at the Northwoods Inn. One room was unoccupied and the lone occupant in the other room was not injured. Half an hour later, four Molotov cocktails were thrown at a house in the 1001-block of 96 Ave. There was no dam-age to the house and no one inside was injured. On the night of July 27 shots were fired on 101 Ave. but again no one was injured.

In the wake of this violence, a daycare located at the Marquis Centre has given notice that it will move from there, and The FlipSide News has learned that the tenants of four apartment units have left.

For several years police and civic officials have been concerned about the presence of gangs believed to have ties, at least in some cases, to gangs in the Lower Mainland. While there have been other isolated inci-dents of violence, including the use of firearms, the recent incidents would seem to indicate an escalation of such activity.

4 The FlipSide August 2013Answers

Be more concerned with your character

than your reputation,

because your character is what

you really are, while your

reputation is merely what others think

you are.- John Wooden

Across1. One ___ (form of baseball)5. “Robin ___” (old song)10. That, in France14. Eight: Comb. form15. African language family16. Inch or teaspoon17. “Go!”19. Gambling city20. High point for Moses21. City council members23. M’sieur’s daughter26. Boosler of comedy27. Butterfly, e.g.32. “___ Mine” (Beatles song)33. Ghastly34. State’s #2 executive: Abbr.38. Make coins and paper money40. Pluperfect, e.g.42. Hook’s accomplice

43. Opera house shout45. Cooks in a caldron47. Winter hrs. in Bermuda48. Having notable success51. Secret matters54. RFK Stadium player, e.g.55. Special features58. Feminine suffixes62. Snick and ___ (thrust and cut)63. Veteran Hollywood actress66. ___-Tass (Russian news agen-cy)67. Was aware of68. Auto body corrosion69. Home of Citta del Vaticano70. Online birthday greeting, e.g.71. Cancel a correctionDown1. Amazed expressions2. 202, to Tiberius

3. Letter abbr.4. Japanese floor mat5. Civil War prez6. Project Patriot org.7. Forest ox8. Like slanted type: Abbr.9. Glider section10. Seedless raisins11. Group to attack12. Sheets, tablecloths, etc.13. Make up for18. “Broom-___” (Russell Myers comic strip)22. Lod Airport carrier24. Unable to find one’s way25. Youths coming of age in ancient Athens27. Branch28. Kuwaiti pooh-bah29. Transportation Secretary Federico ___30. Mortise’s mate31. Coast Guard rank35. Detroit financing co.36. Platinum wire loop37. Docs for dachshunds39. What a news anchor looks into41. Twelfth Jewish month44. Chaplin, nee O’Neill46. Facilitate49. One in the Corps50. Rubinstein and Rodzinski51. Subject of the eddas52. Totaled, as a bill53. Dairy purchase56. Ray who created theMcDonald’s empire57. ___ high standard59. Carpenter’s metal piece60. First word in Mass. motto61. Paving block64. Sin or win add-on65. “Kookie” Byrnes’s first name

ADIAALRIGHTANGELANYTHINGANYWHEREBIG POPPABLACK CATCRAZYCREEPDEAR MAMADECEMBERDISAPPEARDISARMEVERLONGEVERYTHINGFINALLYFOOLISH GAMESHEROI KNOWI SWEARINFORMERJUMP AROUNDJUMPERLAST KISSLATELYLOUNGINMASTERPIECEMISSINGMR. JONESNO DIGGITYNO RAIN

NOBODY KNOWSNOT TONIGHTRUN-AROUNDRUNAWAY TRAINSAVE TONIGHTSAY ITSLIDESUKIYAKITELL METIMETOO CLOSETWO PRINCESUNBELIEVABLEWANNABEWHO DATWITHOUT YOUYOU’LL SEE

August 2013 The Flipside 5

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It’s a Wonderful Life! I understand, I understand, I understandBy Sue Stark

This time I want to remind you - not tell you, just remind you - about the word ‘understanding’ - and not even understanding others, or things, just understanding one thing: Our-selves.

We want to grow, excel, succeed, be happy, be healthy, have joy, live this wonderful life to the fullest - yet what is it that is missing? What is it that we just can’t seem to get? Yes, we know we must be grateful. Yes, we know how lucky we are with what we have, where we live, all the things . . . We know, know, know, know. . . Ya, ya, ya, we get that. So what is it, that one thing that we seem to miss? It is understanding our self!

Living our life to the fullest comes, I believe, when we under-

stand our self in it.To know our self, to me, is really

to cut our self some slack, to under-stand that, yes, that is what I do when this happens or that is how I react when that is said and that doesn’t make me bad or wrong. What I need to do is just understand that that is me. That is what I do. It is kind of admitting it, or ‘fessing up to something. It is becoming real, telling the truth about your self. Why do we need to do that? To get to that place of understanding is like say-ing, “Oh, ok, I get it. Nbd (no big deal). Now that I understand that, I think I could change that.”

If we do not understand it, we can never make a lasting change. Knowing we do something is one thing, but understanding and accept-ing what we do is something all

together different. We need to change from “I know, I know, I know” to “I understand, I understand, I under-stand”.

We should be looking with under-standing, hearing with understand-ing, feeling with understanding.

I love this quote: “It isn’t until you come to a spiritual understand-ing of who you are - not necessarily a religious feeling, but deep down, the spirit within - that you can begin to take control.” – Oprah Winfrey

Understanding is taking control of yourself, your life, your universe. Finally making those changes you want, or deciding that hey, those changes just don’t matter anymore. What matters most may be some-thing altogether different - once you start to understand you.

You are wonderful. Enjoy your wonderful week, month, life. Cheer-ing you on. xO Sue Sue Stark is the owner of Sue Stark Consulting.

Urban Systems is a professional consulting firm committed to sup-porting vibrant communities. This high-profile local office has created a diverse work place by hiring a per-son with a disability through the Fort St John Association for Community Living (FSJACL). In November 2010 they hired John Coulson and a position was created through a pro-cess called job carving. The job description was created by Urban Systems’ staff and our Supported Employment Co-ordinator, taking into consideration some of the tasks other employees were doing that could be done by someone else. This frees up the employees’ time to deal with more urgent or complex tasks.

Urban Systems gave John a desk and his own work area, which gave him a sense of belonging. FSJACL staff soon faded out and John began working independently. John shreds paper and will go around to all the offices, where he collects mail to be sent out. He works one day a week, however, he is an asset to the com-pany. John brings character to the office and assists in jobs his cowork-ers don’t have time to do.

The staff at Urban Systems sup-port John with clear instructions and always include him in their day. John looks forward to coffee and

doughnut time with his co-workers, as he enjoys socializing with the people he works with. They have recently given him a wage increase which John is very proud about.

John’s supervisor, Elissa Spidel, says, “We are happy to have John as an employee. He comes into the office comfortable and always con-tributes to conversation. People might not think it’s important but he is part of our company.”

Equal Opportunity in the Work-

place is important not only to the people we support but to the busi-nesses that hire them. If you are interested in hiring someone with a disability or just have questions, please call the Fort St John Associa-tion for Community Living’s Employment Coordinator, Sheri Ashdown at (250)787-9262, ext 234 or e-mail her at sheri.ashdown@fsjacl.com. We look forward to hear-ing from you.

Contributed photoJohn Coulson enjoys working at his own desk and contributing to the work Urban Systems does.

Equal opportunity important for Urban Systems, John

6 The FlipSide August 2013

250-262-9107or

250-264-8888for ad info

By Chelsea ToewsImagine a summer without mas-

cara! Sound good? Let me tell you how it is actually possible to have beautiful, long, dark lashes without having to put mascara on them. It’s called Permanent Lash Extensions.

These individual, synthetic lash extensions are applied to your single lashes one at a time, giving them a natural and full look. These exten-sions can last up to 4-6 weeks depending on the life cycle of your own natural eyelashes and other fac-tors that your lash professional will

review with you at your first eyelash extension consultation/appointment. There are different lengths, thick-nesses, curl types and colours. Some even have colored glitter! So wheth-er you would like short and natural or long and dramatic, you can have it.

After you have had them on for about three weeks you will need to get the lashes filled to keep them looking fresh and beautiful. Your lash technician will literally fill in the missing spaces (from the lashes that have fallen out due to your natu-ral lash cycle) with new ones and

reapply the waterproof sealant. Mascara can also be worn to drama-tize the look - as long as it is water-based - and you need to remove it with oil-free remover. Lash exten-sions are very easy to take care of and are very worth the price!

There are a couple salons in town that offer this service, so check them out and book your appointment if you would like to enjoy a summer free of mascara. They are water-proof, durable and lovely.

Chelsea Toews is the owner of Diamond Cherry Beauty Bar.

Do you want a mascara-free summer?

Bruce Lantz photoDespite some serious injuries from a ranch accident, Cliff Shuk gave it his all in the saddle bronc competition.

DOIG RIVER RODEO ACTION

Bruce Lantz photosTop photo, Shar Cooper and Wayne Spiers head out after their calf in the roping event and, below, snag it fore and aft for a time of 10:34 seconds and the victory.

Bruce Lantz photosTop photo, Shar Cooper and Wayne Spiers head out after their calf in the roping event and, below, snag it fore and aft for a time of 10:34 seconds and the victory.

Bruce Lantz photoWesley King Don shows how it’s done in the tie-down roping event.

August 2013 The Flipside 7

Places to findThe FlipSide

In Fort St. JohnA & W , Angelic Light, B&M Glass, Burgers & Brews, Bank of Montreal, Casey’s Pub, Credit Union, Cultural Centre, Esquires Coffee House, Dairy Queen, Fort St. John Hospital, Fort St. John Medical Clinic, Fort City Chrysler, Headspace, Humpty’s Family Restaurant, Jackfish Dundee’s, JD Fitzgeralds, Lone Wolf (Taylor), Mama Panda Restaurant, Mile 54 Cafe, Masterpiece Framing, Mile 36 Cafe (Taylor), Northern Grand, Northern Star, Northwoods Inn, On the Rocks Pub, On the Rocks Liquor, Razors Edge, Redwood Esso (Taylor), Rogers Trucking, Royal Bank, Rudy’s Car & Truck Wash, Systems Secure, Stonebridge Hotel, Taylor District Office, TD Bank, The Shed (Taylor), Tim Hortons (North & South), Quiznos, Urban Thredz, Whole Wheat & Honey

In Dawson CreekAlaska Highway House, A & W, Aurora Inn, Bill’s News, Brass Scissors, CIBC, Dawson Creek Visitor Center, Days Inn Lobby, Dr. Fletcher’s Office, Eljen Clinic, Farmington Store, George Dawson Lobby & Café, Hospital Main, Husky, Lees Restaurant, Rockwells, Stuie’s Diner, Subway, The Lodge, Tim Hortons, TD Bank, White Spot

STARS air ambulance was to unveil the Peace River Regional District (PRRD) logo on a STARS helicopter July 28 at the Fort St. John International Airshow.

This unveiling was in recogni-tion of the PRRD committing 1,022,638 to the STARS program.

“The Peace River Regional District Board has supported STARS initiatives to be a quick responder to critically ill and injured patients in our region,” said board chair Karen Goodings.

The PRRD has committed to funding $510,000 to STARS over three years, which pushed their total cumulative giving past the $1 mil-lion mark.

“This incredible support helps STARS save lives,” STARS presi-dent and CEO Andrea Robertson said in a press release. “Now, when

our helicopter and crew respond to emergencies in the region, we can proudly display the PRRD’s logo for all to see.”

The Peace Region is served by a STARS base located in Grande Prairie. The base has operated since late 2006, flying hundreds of mis-sions every year, including emer-gency responses into BC.

STARS is a non-profit helicopter air ambulance organization provid-ing rapid and specialized emergency care and transportation for critically-ill and injured patients. Its doctors, nurses, paramedics, and pilots work with a team of dedicated support staff and community partners to save lives. STARS operates from bases in Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton and Grande Prairie.

Contributed photosThe Peace River Regional District logo is now proudly sported on a STARS helicopter. Bottom photo, a STARS chopper in the air.

PRRD tops $1 million for STARS

By Sarah CoxI dip my paddle into the Peace

River and we are off. The river sur-prises me with its strength, swiftly conveying my daughter and me downstream. We bob in the water with hundreds of others: families with small children wedged into Clipper canoes, and a rainbow of kayaks.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the BC Union of Indian Chiefs floats downstream in a green canoe. There are even people in wetsuits paddling

on surfboards, slick and seal-like. Aboriginal drummers send us off ceremoniously, a steady background heartbeat for the eighth annual Paddle for the Peace. This year, the paddle takes on new urgency.

The Peace River, the largest waterway in the Mackenzie river system, has recently been declared BC’s Most Endangered River by the

BC Outdoor Recreation Council.On this overcast Saturday, close

to 500 people of all ages, from far-away places and different back-grounds, gather with one single determined purpose: to save BC’s Peace River Valley and stop the pro-posed Site C dam. Site C, now in the environmental assessment process, would cost taxpayers at least $8 bil-lion, at a time when huge cost over-runs on other BC Hydro projects are making headlines.

Site C would destroy nearly 100 kilometres of pictur-esque valley bottoms in the Peace, Halfway and Moberly Rivers, to cre-ate electricity that is not needed or slated for domestic consumption. Our paddle takes us past a green and yellow patchwork quilt of some of BC’s best farmland, all of it scheduled for the Site C wrecking ball.

Flooding from the proposed dam would wipe out 52 square kilometres of agricultural land . . . including BC’s only Class 1 farmland north of Quesnel. At least 78 First Nations’ cultural and spiritual sites and burial grounds would be obliterated. Vital wildlife habitat for grizzly bears and 19 other at-risk species would van-ish, threatening the continent’s lon-

gest remaining wildlife corridor.It’s difficult for me to fathom

how we would allow such wild beauty and BC heritage to disappear under a wall of water - potentially just to power one proposed Liquefied Natural Gas plant. Local First Nations recount stories from their ancestors about hunting woolly mammoth in this valley. The Hudson’s Hope museum just upstream has woolly mammoth teeth and locally-discovered dinosaur footprints and bones, and Peace farmers.

Site C, to be located just south of Fort St. John, was rejected twice in the 1980s. It was deemed too costly - and too risky in the event of a dam breach. One BC Hydro report says, “Site C would . . . fall into the ‘High’ or ‘Very High’ consequence catego-ry as defined by the Canadian Dam Association because of the potential damage downstream in the event of a dam breach and the economic loss as a result of dam failure.”

Nobody seems to know if the risk is even higher now in light of cli-mate change, with increasingly extreme weather and flooding events such as those seen recently in nearby Alberta.

As I paddle down the Peace, I reflect that something significant is happening in BC’s northeast, where the landscape has already been frac-

tured by speedy industrial development like the controversial practice of fracking for natural gas. First Nations families and ranching families and farming families are working together to stop Site C: fighting for their land and homes.

“There are other ways to gener-ate power that don’t include flood-ing this valley,” West Moberly Chief Willson tells the paddlers. “No one in the world right now is planning dams. They’re taking them down.”

Sarah Cox is the interim execu-tive director of the Sierra Club BC.

Tina Schleissler photoHundreds of paddlers joined this year’s Paddle for the Peace.

Reflections on a river: Paddle for the Peace

By Lori SlaterDid I leave you wondering about

Visitable Housing and if your home would be considered ‘visitable’? I’m sure you have had to take a second look and realize that most of your homes are not visitable, by definition.

As I mentioned there is a fourth principle to consider when building a home. The fourth principle of Visitable Housing is the addition of a main floor (first storey) living space with a living room or bedroom with doorways and hallways that are accessible for someone with a wheelchair or walker. Adding this last principle to a home when it is built allows for anyone to live there or visit.

Now what can we do and how can we do it? There is a lot we can do. Like most things, it takes educating and building awareness. We can follow in the footsteps of

other communities that have tackled Visitable Housing. We can use tools and resources available to communities to establish opportunities for Visitable Housing. Communities like Prince George have done an extensive study on the topic. They have formed a Visitable Housing Committee and are working with city council to incorporate bylaws and voluntary design guidelines into their Official Community Plan (OCP).

I have worked with our city planners to incorporate Visitable Housing into our OCP. It is my passion and hope to see our community become as accessible, inclusive and visitable as possible over the next few years. We can do it, working together to make our community the best it can be for all.

We have taken the first steps. Now we must continue to educate,

dispel myths and remove perceived barriers that surround Visitable Housing. We must encourage positivity around Visitable Housing so that it will become a reality.

If you are interested in Visitable Housing and how we can work together to make sure it happens in our community, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

“Visitability or Visitable Housing is an essential element that contributes to a more livable and sustainable built environment by addressing homeowners and community needs over time.” -Concrete Changes

Lori Slater is an Accessibility and Inclusion Advocate in Fort St. John. If you have any comments, questions or concerns you can contact her through the The FlipSide or slaterl@shaw.ca

Visitable Housing – Part 2: There’s lots we can do

Lori Slater

8 The Flipside August 2013

Local News Briefs Coming EventsAirport upgrades begin

The North Peace Airport Society parking and the water and sewer system construction projects have begun.

LB Chapman Construction Ltd. a civil earthworks contractor for site infrastructure and underground utili-ties has been awarded the water and sewer system tender. The parking tender was awarded to Interoute-DGS Astro Paving.

Airport officials say to allow extra time when flying out of YXJ. The flow of traffic will be different for a while and parking has been moved to accommodate the work being done.

“The window in the North to complete this type of construction is short,” said airport society president Fred Jarvis, “We know it will cause some inconveniences and delays because both projects are being done at the same time. The North Peace Airport Society thanks everyone in advance for their patience.”Waste transfer site closing

The Two Rivers waste transfer station site at the junction for 243 and 238 Roads near Baldonnel was permanently closed July 31 due to illegal dumping.

The Peace River Regional District (PRRD) operates several unmanned waste transfer stations in rural areas to collect bagged house-hold waste. The sites are unstaffed, therefore uncontrolled disposal of waste and the illegal dumping of hazardous waste is always a concern at these sites.

The Two Rivers transfer station was not scheduled to be permanently closed until next fall but at the June 7 meeting of the PRRD’s Solid Waste Committee the issue of increased and ongoing illegal dump-ing at Two Rivers was reviewed and the decision to close it at the end of July was made.

Area residents are advised to bring their refuse to the North Peace Regional Landfill, located at 7014-269 Rd. The landfill hours of opera-tion are: Monday-Friday: 9 am-5:45 pm, Saturday: 9 am-5:45 pm (win-ter), Saturday: 7 am-7 pm (summer).Job crunch coming

The likely advent of liquefied natural gas projects means 75,000 workers will need to come to BC, a study shows.

The provincial government’s new BC Natural Gas Workforce Strategy Committee report says the province would need more than 75,000 permanent skilled workers over time, 60,000 of them during peak construction.

Northern BC’s labour force like-ly won’t be able to meet this demand, increasing the pressure to recruit from other areas while maximizing the employment of local workers.

Who wants to be mayor?There are no takers so far for the

position of mayor of Dawson Creek. With a byelection set for the Fall, city councillors had two weeks start-ing June 26 to declare if they would seek to replace former Mayor Mike Bernier. Their candidacy would require them to give up their seat on council.

Now the process is open to all citizens. Nomination forms are available at city hall and will be accepted until Aug. 9. If more than one person seeks the position, a bye-lection will be held Sept. 14. Otherwise, the only candidate will be acclaimed. Voting will take place from 8 am to 8 pm at the Encana Events Centre, with advance polls available Sept. 4 and 11 at city hall.

Former councilor Alvin Stedel and Kurt Peats, who ran unsuccess-fully in the recent provincial elec-tion, are reportedly considering seeking the mayor’s seat.Money Stop shut down

The Fort St. John lender Money Stop has been ordered to stop its payday lending activity for several violations of lending laws.

Consumer Protection BC made the order and levied $9,500 in fines for obstructing an inspection and for operating without a license. The company has been ordered refund more than $4,300 to customers.

The company can appeal the decision.Expansion plan hits bumps

Plans by the City of Fort St. John to take about 600 hectares of land into its boundary are meeting with significant opposition from the affected landowners.

About 60 residents attended a recent meeting, many of them opposed to the move, which the city says was prompted by requests from other property owners in the poten-tially affected area who want to get city water and sewer services.

The province has to approve any expansion.Treaty 8 expanding?

The Treaty 8 Tribal Association has received a $37,400 grant from the provincial government to rede-velop property they recently pur-chased next to their downtown Fort St. John office at 100 Ave. and 102 St..

The money comes from a $1.5-million government program for renewal of brownfield properties - industrial sites that may contain environmental contamination.

Treaty 8 hasn’t decided what they would do with the adjacent property, but hinted that a new office building could be located there, or the current building could be expand-ed onto the site.

Aug. 7-11 - The 91st Annual Dawson Creek Exhibition and Stampede fea-tures four days of Agricultural Fair contests and exhibits along with five days of World Professional Chuckwagon and Western Professional Chuckwagon races. Friday includes a Downtown Parade and a ‘Tough Enough to Wear Pink’ Fundraiser. All day every day enjoy West Coast Amusement thrill rides, the Trade Fair, Sound Stage and nightly live band in the Watering Hole. Aug. 9 – Rotary Clubs Fall Fair Parade in downtown Dawson Creek. 8-11 am.Aug. 10 - Fort St. John Killbillies vs Grimshaw Reapers in BEAT IN THE HEAT roller derby action at the North Peace Arena. Doors open at 6 pm, game at 7 pm. Tickets $10 at the door, kids 8 and under free. Come and support the Killbillies and cheer your loudest!Aug. 10 - Come and support local artists at the FSJ Arts Market from 10 am-2 pm. at the Pomeroy Sport Centre. Featuring handmade jewelry artists, photographers, painters, and more! The FSJ Arts Market is always interested in having more local art-ists so if you’d like to join in, call 250-793-6599 or 250-261-3899. We have a monthly event for the com-munity to enjoy.Aug. 10-11 – Drag racing at Northern Lights Raceway. Come see the loud-est and fastest show in the Peace Region. Racers of all ages driving vehicles of all kind down the ¼-mile strip at speeds up to 200 mph! Admission is $10, with kids 12 and under admitted free. Racing begins around 11 am.Aug. 14 – Independent Investigations Office Community Engagement. Noon-1 pm at the Super 8 Board Room, Dawson Creek. $15 per plate. The creation of the Independent Investigations Office profoundly changes the way police in BC are investigated as it is mandated to con-duct investigations into police-relat-ed incidents of death or serious harm to determine if an officer may have committed an offence. Incidents of serious harm include injury that may result in death, may cause serious disfigurement, or may cause sub-stantial loss or impairment of mobil-ity of the body as a whole or of the function of any limb or organ.Aug. 15-18 - The 7th annual corn roast/music festival is happening at the Tupper Hall rain or shine! Free camping. Admission by donation. To

perform or for more information call Pat at 250-786-7913 or the Tupper Hall at 250-786-5522.Aug. 16-18 – North Peace Fall Fair. We do not have a beer garden or a midway but we provide family enter-tainment throughout the 3 days of our traditional country fair. We offer kids games, tractor pulls, horse pulls, talent contests, pet shows, and of course our evening “kick up your heels” dance! Located just 21 km north of Fort St John on Rose Prairie Rd. Family camping is also avail-able, so plan on staying for the weekend! Contact Eleanor Steffensen, secretary/treasurer. Phone 250-261-4899, email: elean-orsteffensen@gmail.com.Aug. 24 – First Annual Passion for Life Walk/Run starting at 8:15 am at Northern Lights College in Fort St. John. 8:15 am Zumba Warm-Up from World’s Gym; 8:30 am start for walkers; 9 am start for runners; 9:45 am Yoga Cool-Down from Mark Enriquez Yoga; 10:45 am start for kid’s 1K dash; 11 am award presen-tationAug. 24-25 - The North Peace Horticultural Society is holding their annual Flower Show in the North Peace Cultural Centre. Bring your entries on Aug. 23 from 6 pm-8 pm and on Aug. 24 from 8 am-10 am. Open to the public from 3 pm-7 pm on Aug. 24 and 11 am-4 pm on Aug. 25. Refreshments available by dona-tion. Contact Jessie Clarke at 250-780-3656. Cost: Adults $10, Students/Seniors $8, Children $12 and under free.Aug. 26-30 – Mad Science Summer Camp. Looking for a way to keep your kids entertained this summer? Enrol them in an exciting and enrich-ing Mad Science Summer Camp! Fun and Hands-on! Uniquely inter-active! Operates indoors, outdoors, even in the rain! Join us from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm for our Red Hot Robots Camp at the North Peace Leisure Pool! Learn about the uses of robots in our world and spend time experimenting with super cool, red-hot robots. Experiment with sound-sensing robots, line-tracking robots, amphibious robots, and robots that can even play soccer! Discover the science of circuits and how robots use sensors to explore things around them. Use your skills to build your very own working robot to take home with you! Camps are open to children ages 5-12. Cost: $325 + tax. Register online at http://vancouver.madscience.org.

Peace River Regional District Electoral Area Directors are meeting with constiuenmts in communities around the region to discuss the contro-versial Building Bylaw No.1996, 2011 and other issues important to each com-munity. Twenty meetings are underway and end Sept. 19.

“Rural area residents want to talk about the revised Building Bylaw and the directors also want to hear about other matters that are important to rural communities,” said board chair Karen Goodings. “The intent of these conver-sations is to listen, share information

and continue to increase the Boards relationship with our rural constitu-ents.”

A recent building bylaw passed by the regional district sparked outrage among many rural residents who felt they weren’t consulted, prompting the discussions.

The Regional Board Directors share a commitment to listen, consider the ideas and suggestions from the commu-nity conversations, and gain an under-standing of community needs to support and enhance rural communities, the press release says.

“We want to encourage these dis-cussions to broaden our collective understanding of what the regional dis-trict means to the people we serve,” Goodings said, “which will lead to increased understanding by the board about community issues, leading us to better decision-making that is informed by community input.”

The remaining meetings are sched-uled as follows:Aug. 1, 7 pm, Tupper Community HallAug 6, 7 pm, Hudson’s Hope (TBA)Aug 9, 7 pm, Prespatou Seniors Housing. Aug 13, 7 pm, Golata Creek

Community Hall. Aug 15, 7 pm, Cecil Lake Community Hall. Aug 20, 7 pm, Montney Community Hall. Aug 22, 6:30 pm, Charlie Lake Community Hall. Aug 27, 7 pm, Chetwynd Rec Centre. Aug 29, 7 pm, McLeod School/Hall. Sept 3, 7 pm, Cutbank Community Hall. Sept 5, 7 pm, Rolla Community Hall. Sept 10, 7 pm, Tower Lake Community Hall. Sept 12, 6:30 pm, Dawson Creek PRRD office. Sept 17, 7 pm, Baldonnel (TBA). Sept 19, 7 pm, Farmington Community Hall. Summaries of the meetings will be available online on the PRRD website: http://prrd.bc.ca/board/community con-versations, or at the regional district offices.

PRRD starts ‘Community Conversations’