October
A crew was installing new mailboxes as Canada Post changed from post box numbers to street addresses. Postal codes also were changing.
Wells Gray Country (Area A) director Tim Pennell and Thompson Headwaters (Area B) director Max Lentz received Level 2 certificates in Local Government Leadership during a UBCM convention in Vancouver.
Several local youngsters took part in a Junior Glacier Kids’ Camp put on by Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing.
Raft River Elementary School Grade 7 student Nicole Madden raised $5,000 for the fight against cancer. She had her shoulder-length hair cut off.
Rick Sommer took over as district manager of what was formerly the Headwaters Forest District. The former Tolko forester also was in charge of the former Kamloops Forest District.
Seven people turned out for an orientation session for interested candidates put on by District of Clearwater. Being a town councilor is hard work and the pay ($8,920 per year) is not outstanding, they were told.
Tourism Wells Gray received a reprieve from District of Clearwater when it was given about $50,000 in bridging funds. A hotel tax that had been expected to begin early the previous summer wouldn’t come into effect until November.
After eight years and four months, Sgt. Stu Seib made his last police report as NCO-in-charge of Clearwater RCMP detachment. “After working in Nanaimo, Prince George, Ashcroft, Alert Bay and Clearwater, I can unequivocally say that Clearwater is the best community that my family and I have lived and worked to date,” he wrote.
Simpcw First Nation members Mike Loring, Shelly Loring and Tina Donald welcomed a busload of Clearwater students to a rock near Little Fort decorated with numerous petroglyphs. Young members of the band had used the site in earlier times during their vision quests.
Delays by consultants working for the federal government meant Clearwater’s new eco-depot would not be completed that fall. “I can only assume this company must be being paid by the hour,” said Clearwater Mayor John Harwood.
Amanda Kennedy won a trip for two to anywhere that WestJet flies during the Dessert Extravaganza hosted by Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.
Wells Gray Community Forest held a workshop on non-timber forest products in Chu Chua. Royal Roads University researcher Tim Brigham and local herbal specialist Sharon Neufeld were the main presenters.
Wells Gray Community Forest gave away nearly $100,000 in its first major disbursement. Clearwater Ski Hill, Clearwater Secondary School and Evergreen Acres Seniors Home each received $20,000.
B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office approved Yellowhead Mining’s application information requirements for its proposed Harper Creek copper-gold-silver mine near Vavenby. The AIR or terms of reference spell out what information must be included in the project application.
November
A moose hunter from Logan Lake, Ray Hawkins, found a wedding ring at the Ray Farm in Wells Gray Park. Belgian journalist Nele Vermoesen had lost it the previous September while on her honeymoon.
More than 100 people attended a District of Clearwater all-candidates' forum at CSS. Economic diversification, doctor recruitment and fiscal responsibility were three themes that cropped up repeatedly.
Barriere Mayor Mike Fennell received a 30-day driving prohibition plus over $4,000 in penalties after failing a roadside alcohol-screening device. "I made a terrible decision to drive after having a few beer," he said.
Josh Newel won first place in Clearwater Volunteer Fire Department's coloring contest and got to push the button to set of the grand finale during the department's Halloween fireworks show.
Kevin Deckert and Les Sakals received 25-year pins for their service with Wells Gray Search and Rescue.
Yellowhead Mining announced it had bought the former Weyerhaeuser sawmill site near Vavenby. Purchase price for the 79.3 ha property was $2.2 million. The company intended to use it as a rail load-out for its proposed Harper Creek copper-gold-silver mine.
Tim Pennell, incumbent TNRD director for Wells Gray Country (Area A), faced off against challenger Cheryl Thomas during an all-candidates' forum in Vavenby. About two dozen people attended.
Local people want more local control of local forests. That seemed to be the main message coming out of a Healthy Forests - Healthy Communities forum held in Clearwater. About 60 people participated. Forest technician Sandy Mackenzie moderated.
School District 73 reinstated Clearwater schoolbus driver Bill Dowds. He had been acquitted in September of a charge of sexually touching a girl but was not given his job back right away while the district conducted its own inquiry.
TNRD approved spending $80,000 in federal gas tax funding to upgrade the roof, siding, insulation, exterior doors, lighting and bathroom fixtures at Vavenby Community Hall.
Clearwater town council approved awarding a $76,000 contract to build a fire gear locker addition next to the existing firehall. The addition would take the place of the old firehall.
Cpl. Kevin Podbisky took over from Cpl. Chris Newel as second-in-command of Clearwater RCMP detachment. Podbisky came here from Mackenzie while Newel was on his way to Kimberley.
Orlynn Braaten was named Citizen of the Year during Clearwater and District Chamber of Commerce's annual awards gala. Lloyd and Jean Strickland received a special Lifetime Community Dedication award.
John Harwood defeated Bert Walker to retain his position as mayor of Clearwater in local elections. Members of the new town council were Ken Kjenstad, Gord Heisterman, Jon Kreke, Shelley Sim, Barry Banford, and Merlin Blackwell.
Wells Gray Country director Tim Pennell retained his seat, beating out challenger Cheryl Thomas.
Willow MacDonald became the new TNRD director for Thompson Headwaters after she defeated incumbent Max Lentz.
Approximately 50 people turned out for a radon safety workshop in Barriere. Those attending were given a free kit to measure the radon concentrations in their homes. More kits were available from the BC Lung Association.
About 14 people met in the Community Resource Center to discuss setting up a small business cooperative for producers and service providers.
December
A second shift started work at Canfor-Vavenby's sawmill. The planer mill was to start a second shift in January. When both shifts were at full capacity about 145 people would be employed.
Christine Parsons was expanding the student outreach program at CSS to include the whole community. Money for the trial program was coming from District of Clearwater.
About nine youngsters in Vavenby participated with 2941 Wells Gray Cadet Corp, plus another nine in Barriere, Capt. Hethar Macintosh reported to Clearwater council. Since being created 12 years earlier the Corp had had as many as 45 involved and as few as six.
The provincial government announced that the Barriere - McBride corridor had been selected as one of three regional economic development projects as part of the Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan.
PetroCanada announced it was closing its cardlock facility in Vavenby.
Two Pokomchi Indians from Guatemala, Glenda Mo de Suram and Sebastian Suram Cal, spent time in Chu Chua and at Raft River Elementary School during a visit to the Valley. They were guests of Linda and Bill Brierly of Upper Clearwater.
Eve Labranche won the Kindergarten - Grade 3 division in the Times' Christmas story contest. Tiffany Schwaiger won the Grade 4 - 7 division. A total of 98 youngsters entered.
Clearwater Community Baptist Church received $500 from North Thompson Community Foundation for new tires and maintenance of the church's bus. "It's more of a community bus than a church bus," said Pastor Wayne Richardson.
Jeff Lamond took over as president of Clearwater and District Chamber of Commerce from Merlin Blackwell. The annual general meeting set up a committee to look into hiring a manager. "When you do everything on a volunteer basis, you get what you pay for," said Blackwell.
About 150 primary students performed to over 300 parents, grandparents, other family members and friends during Raft River Elementary's Christmas assembly. The Polar Express was a tale of a magical train to the North Pole.
The family of Fort St. James forester and biologist Randy Sulyma won the right to name a recently discovered species of lichen after him in an auction. The $17,900 raised would go towards a wildlife corridor to connect parts of Wells Gray Park.
Clearwater Food Bank delivered 109 Christmas hampers, about the same as the year before. A total of 115 boys and 117 girls received Christmas gifts through the program.
Simpcw First Nation and District of Barriere hosted a delegation of Chinese officials and investors during a tour of the North Thompson Valley from Louis Creek to Blue River.