On Friday, May 13, a Vavenby resident phoned small systems operator Tighe Hewlett to report a water leak at the corner of Ball Road and Lempfrit Road. Hewlett went from house to house on Ball Road and all the roads branching off of it – Guru Nanak Pl., Lempfrit Road and Ruby Road – to let everyone know to fill containers with water for when they the water was turned off on Monday in order to fix the leak.
By Friday noon water was pouring out of the leak like water out of a hose. That water had formed a small lake on the front yard of the corner house. The owners should not have to worry about watering their lawn for some time.
Work did not begin until Tuesday, as parts needed to be purchased. It was a nice day to work. The crew of three were at the leak by 9 a.m. It was a hard job to do because the ground was so saturated. The Borrows Enterprises backhoe from Clearwater had to dig a hole about seven feet deep. A broken one inch line was found. One of the workers went down into the hole, cut off the broken piece, and put on the necessary new ones. Work ended at 3:30 and everyone had water again.
Hewlett really appreciates the calls from locals to let her know if there is a leak. She says that it is like a community watch in always looking for leaks.
Students release fish
On Thursday, May 19, the Vavenby Primary School students went to the Dunn Lake Hatchery to release the 54 coho salmon fry that the students have been raising the fry were fertilized eggs. The children knew that it was time to release the fry as they were now six months old.
Tina Donaldson, a worker from the hatchery, came to the school, emptied the tank into two five-gallon buckets, and then went back to the hatchery. Everyone followed (and saw two deer on the way).
When everyone had arrived they walked to the creek. Each student was given a ziplock bag with two or three of their fry, "... which were no bigger than my pinky, " said Brayden Busse. All of the bags were emptied into the creek.
Next the children got to release two bigger bags, each containing a smolt, which is 1 1/2 years old, into the creek. Following was a lunch of fire-roasted hot dogs, iced tea, watermelon, carrots, and sliced cucumber which was provided.
Before returning to the school everyone saw different kinds of fish in an aquarium and a pit house, Thee children thought that it was neat.
The tank was left at the school so that the raising of fish could be used as a learning experience again.