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10 YEARS AGO: Cellphone service could come to the Valley

Back in time: A snapshot of history
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Cody Gunn catches the eye of the CBC camera with his colourful tribute to Clearwater and hockey with his handmade sign with friend Devon Rotzetter sharing his excitement. This image originally appeared in the March 13, 2006, issue of The Times.

40 YEARS AGO:

Ida DeKelver of Clearwater will represent the Clearwater area during a two-day province-wide regional advisor conference on Heritage Conservation scheduled for Vancouver.

DeKelver is one of 30 Heritage Conservation branch volunteers who serves her community as a pubic government liaison in matters which relate to heritage conservation in the province.

Currently the operator of a small community museum, she is presently involved in monitoring local archaeological sites, and providing heritage education programs to Clearwater school children.

35 YEARS AGO:

Tons of earth, rock and trees poured over the Lost Creek Road near Birch Island following a quick thaw and a steady rain. The icy road became impassible in two places about 100 feet apart.

The sudden release of debris swept a Birch Island department of highways loader, operated by Frank Matusky, across the road and into the swamp ending on its side almost completely immersed by dirt and branches pushed by a heavy stream of water. The driver is reported as shook up and badly bruised.

Location of the slides was about two kilometres past the end of pavement on the back road connecting Birch Island with Vavenby.

30 YEARS AGO:

Kamloops businessman Barrie Clarke has agreed to restore land he excavated next to Hemp Creek near Wells Gray Park to its original condition, according to a Water Management branch spokesperson.

A photograph of the trench, which Mr. Clarke said was intended to be used for a water trap on a golf course he plans to build on his property, was carried by The Times several weeks ago.

Charges against the property owner have not yet been ruled out, said the water official. The restoration work is being done without prejudice.

25 YEARS AGO:

The Friends of Wells Gray Park Society have decided to withdraw their resolution — and therefore their application — to seek restrictions on the Clearwater River.

“We’ve decided to withdraw the resolution at this time,” said FWGPS President Steve Murray following a meeting of concerned users. “The community feels there are too many regulations already. They feel they’re being regulated to death.”

Persons who attended that meeting, including members of the Central North Thompson Rod and Gun Club and the Sno-Drifters, as well as other community members at large, also felt regulations or restrictions on the river would, in fact, allow commercial usage of the river (i.e., rafters) to become the priority, noted Murray.

20 YEARS AGO:

Is the Sportsplex roof in danger of collapse?

Thompson-Nicola Regional District and Clearwater Improvement District have hired an engineering firm to find out.

“We want to make sure that we’re prepared. We don’t want to put the public or staff at risk,” said CID administrator Kim Heyman.

Cost of the engineering study will be about $18,000.

The ice arena’s roof partially fell in twice during its first winter over 25 years ago, noted Heyman.

Since then there have been no more problems, but speculation persists that the roof might collapse again.

15 YEARS AGO:

Clearwater Improvement District should consider extending its fire protection boundaries to include Birch Island, says Bob Hickey.

“In my view, it is practical,” Hickey told a meeting of the CID board.

Now a fire protection consultant based in Kamloops, Hickey was formerly the fire commissioner for the B.C. Interior.

His suggestion regarding Birch Island was just one of a long list of recommendations made to the trustees in a report presented by Hickey at the meeting.

Residences at the east end of the fire protection district are already at the limit for insurance purposes, he said. If Highway 5 should be blocked for any reason, firetrucks from Clearwater could not assist in any case.

10 YEARS AGO:

Cellphone service could be coming to the North Thompson from Vavenby to Blue River.

Thompson-Nicola Regional District staff is recommending to the regional district board of directors that it support plans by Telus to install six cell towers within the regional district.

Three of five would be within the Valley — at Vavenby, Wire Cache and Blue River.

The board also is being asked to maintain land use planning consultation and wave public consultation in regards to five of the six tower projects — including all three of the North Thompson projects.

5 YEARS AGO:

Technicians are in the final stages of connecting Clearwater Secondary School to the province’s Next Generation Network, according to principal Darren Coates.

“Techs from the district and Telus have been working together on this for some time,” he said. “Our internet speed currently is workable but the increased capacity will help us avoid slow down during peak usage. Students and teachers use the internet in a variety of ways that enhance access to information and courses.”

Coates noted that the vast majority of research is now done online, plus CSS presently has over 30 students who take at least one course online.



newsroom@clearwatertimes.com

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