September
Wells Gray Mantracker attracted trackers and prey of all ages to the annual event in Upper Clearwater.
Improvements to Murtle Crescent in Clearwater were used as one of the case studies in “Rural Complete Streets,” a nationwide report on how safely to integrate foot traffic, bicyclists and other users with automobiles.
Residents of the upper North Thompson Valley joined those in Barriere for the 67th annual North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo.
Terry Lake announced that he would seen another term as MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson riding. A former mayor of Kamloops, he was first elected to the provincial legislature in 2009. The next provincial election was scheduled for May 2017.
North Thompson Valley carpet bowlers Pete Verhoeven, Donna Smith, Linda Verhoeven and Hector Denton tied for first place at the Canada 55+ Games in Brampton, Ontario. At first they were awarded silver medals, but then both teams got gold.
A small propane explosion resulted in the temporary evacuation of Dutch Lake Community Centre. One person was injured in the blast, but apparently not seriously.
Youngsters of all ages gathered on the beach at Dutch Lake as the Clearwater Canoe Regatta made a comeback after an absence of one year.
Student numbers at Clearwater Secondary School and Raft River Elementary were above expectations. “We projected our enrolment at 174 and will likely be closer to 200,” said CSS principal Darren Coates. After many years of steady decline, similar growth was reported across School District 73.
Close to a dozen party members and other local residents attended a meeting in Clearwater to confirm Barbara Nederpel as the NDP candidate for Kamloops-North Thompson in the upcoming provincial election. “This government has done nothing but give tax breaks to and defend the wealthy and big corporations,” she said.
Footings were being poured for a new Tim Hortons restaurant being constructed in Clearwater Shopping Centre near Buy-Low.
Canfor-Vavenby's sawmill typically produces about 600,000 board feet of lumber per 10-hour shift, according to John Gerber, the sawmill’s human resource manager. He was speaking during a public tour of the sawmill and planer – part of National Forest Week activities.
Annual allowable cuts (AAC) throughout much of the B.C. Interior are being drastically reduced following the end of the mountain pine beetle epidemic. That was the word from Al Card, acting resource manager at Thompson Rivers District, speaking at a workshop on timber supply held as part of National Forest Week.
An interim transit review found that Clearwater and area's transit system generally worked well but could be improved by changes to routes, schedules and fares. It recommended further public input before implementing any major changes.
Ed Peekeekoot gave a workshop on how to carve cottonwood bark at Dutch Lake Community Centre. The multi-talented Cree artist, who lived in the Clearwater area from about 1966 to 1976, also gave a concert in Blackpool Hall.
October
Wells Gray Community Forest was planning for the longterm, according to manager George Brcko. It was the first community forest in B.C. to have sophisticated mapping using terrestrial ecosystem (TEM) and vegetative resource inventory (RIM), he told a public tour held as part of National Forest Week.
“Fast Eddy” Dostaler ran through Clearwater on the return leg of his “There and Back Again” journey on foot across Canada and back. The support he received in Clearwater was the best of anywhere along his run, the former local resident said.
Former Vavenby student Bryan Cederholm returned to be the teacher at his former elementary school. He had won the Governor General's medal in 2008 for being the top academic student at CSS.
District of Clearwater was asking for input on what to do with the Loggers' Memorial in Reg Small Park. The memorial, which featured a slab from a giant Douglas fir, was falling apart. “I think we should build something that lasts,” said Robin Mann, the logger who fell the fir in 1984.
Clearwater Baptist Church and the nearby bible camp lost their property tax exemption with District of Clearwater. The property had a new owner – Liquid Lifestyles whitewater rafting and kayaking.
New owner at Clearwater Dental Clinic was Dr. Sarika Kishore. She had moved here with her family of four from Ontario.
A major era in Clearwater's history came to an end with the demolition of the old Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital. “It served an important function in this town for many, many years,” commented Mayor John Harwood. The hospital had officially opened on Sept. 23, 1972. It was replaced by the new Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital, which opened on Sept. 13, 2002.
Students from Raft River Elementary and Kay Bingham Elementary in Kamloops took part in the first annual Dan Coleman Classic cross-country run. Coleman had coached a succession of track and field teams. “In our heyday we took 15 BC Summer Games medals,” he said.
Clearwater town council amended an earlier motion that had imposed a 30 km/hr speed limit next to Dutch Lake beach. The limit would only apply during the summer months, the councillors decided. “Our timing was not really great,” said Ken Kjenstad.
The section of Camp Two Road from the end of the pavement to the eco-depot should be built up with crush to help prevent potholes, John Meyers, owner of Moose Camp fishing resort told town council. Better yet, it should be paved, he said.
The annual Christmas Tree Light-up at Wells Gray Infocentre in December would include a craft market, organizers announced.
November
Residents of Blue River raised money during their annual Harvest Dance to raise money to assist Kathy Chambers, the Red Cross Outpost Hospital nurse for 25 years. Devastating health issues had confined her to a wheelchair. The former nurse now lived in Kamloops.
Construction was underway on a new firehall for Little Fort. The structure was attached to the community hall.
Former Clearwater resident Iain Scott was sentenced to life with no chance of parole for 13 years for the second-degree murder of his estranged wife, Angila Wilson. The killing took place on April 20, 2014.
Al Kirkwood, the former publisher of the Clearwater Times and the Barriere Star/Journal was charged with distributing and possession of child pornography. He had been chief of the Barriere fire department for 23 years.
District of Clearwater's Toolcat used a fork-lift attachment to move the large Douglas fir slab from the Loggers Memorial in Reg Small Park. The slab was to be refinished and repaired at Clearwater Secondary School in preparation to being rehung.
Between 450 and 500 people attended Remembrance Day ceremonies in Clearwater.
Local realtor Randy Hedlund proposed to Clearwater and District Chamber of Commerce that Clearwater should have a main street, which would run from Brookfield Mall across Highway 5 through the Flats to the ski hill. There are currently more than 50 businesses along the proposed business route, he said.
MLA Terry Lake presented a $3.56 million cheque from the provincial government to Yellowhead Community Services, represented by board chair Louise Weaver and executive director Jack Keough. The money was to be used to construct a 26-unit apartment building in Clearwater. “This investment will expand affordable rental housing options for seniors,” said Lake.
Enrolment at North Thompson schools was up by about 1.6 per cent, according to numbers from School District 73. The number of students at CSS went from 183 at the end of October in 2015 to 201 at the same time in 2016.
Clearwater's Alli Borrow celebrated her 17th birthday by scoring a goal during a bronze medal hockey game during a national championship and by being named the all star player for that game. “The hockey program in Clearwater was a big part in my development as a hockey player,” she said.
December
Clearwater town council directed staff to apply for funding for two projects: a third well and supply main, estimated to cost $2.1 million; and upgrades to sewage treatment cell No. 1, estimated cost $1.2 million. The Canada-British Columbia Clean Water and Wastewater Fund provided 50 per cent funding from the federal government plus 30 per cent from the province.
A large crowd turned out for interview to work at a new Tim Hortons restaurant that was expected to open soon in Clearwater.
Recent improvements to the playground on Diamond Drive in Avola included a picnic shelter, a new climbing complex and deep pea-gravel.
A playground installed at Lake Eleanor Park during the summer featured equipment for smaller children plus several retained favorite pieces.
The proposed twinning of Kinder Morgan's Transmountain pipeline might cause some disruption but overall will be a benefit to the North Thompson Valley, according to Mayor John Harwood. He was commenting on an announcement by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that the federal government was approving the project.
A fire at Mountainview Trailer Park took the life of a 61-year-old woman. The structure was fully involved when firefighters arrived.
Ron Rotzetter of On Call Services gave a $1,323 cheque to Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. The money was from the sale of copper wire salvaged when the old hospital was demolished. Rotzetter also donated a mobile made from some of the wire by Barriere artist Marie Downing.
Clearwater town council approved a simplification in the rates for the local bus system and minor alterations in routing and scheduling. Staff was work with BC Transit to implement the changes, which were expected to come into effect in the spring.
Kelsey Rexin, age five, won first place in the junior division of the Times' Christmas story contest. Ethan Smith, a Grade 3 student at Raft River Elementary, won first in the second division. There were 90 entries.
TNRD decided to nearly double the rates being charged for septage disposal at a new facility in Clearwater. This was significant because nearly all residents of Clearwater as well as Electoral Areas A and B used septic tanks.
The regional district board also approved water rate increases for Vavenby and Blue River. In Vavenby, the new rate was to be $186 per three-month quarter for the first year, while in Blue River it was to be $177.
Former District of Clearwater chief administrative officer Isabell Hadford was appointed municipal advisor for the Village of McBride by the provincial government. Three McBride municipal councillors had resigned the previous month, leaving the council without a quorum.
“The growth in tourism seen throughout B.C. was certainly reflected in the record numbers of summer visitors to our area this year,” said Stephanie Molina, marketing manager for Tourism Wells Gray. The year 2015 saw a record number of tourists visit Clearwater-Wells Gray and this year was an improvement on that.
Interior Health advised everyone who had eaten at a Clearwater restaurant during a certain period of time to be immunized against Hepatitis A after a worker at the establishment was diagnosed with the disease.
Inset photos:
Top - District of Clearwater fleet, equipment and roads manager Mike Smith removes a 30 km/hr speed zone sign near Dutch Lake beach on Oct. 18. The change came after town council decided the speed zone should not apply during the winter months. It will be brought back in the spring.
Bottom - The parade marches out at the end of Remembrance Day ceremonies at Reg Small Park on Nov. 11. Leading the way are (l-r) Korean War veteran Bob Freeston, RCMP Cpl. Mark Labossiere, Cst. Steven Schenkeveld, and Sgt. Kevin Podbisky.