Volume 1 Issue 3

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Local business watch! New regional park in the works

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Community members protest Dunster school’s lock-up MondayLaura [email protected]

Laura KeilThe Dunster Fine Arts School student population has dwindled, but supporters say its focus on fine arts, small classes and local building are a valuable part of the community.

After 94 years, students spent their last day at the Dunster Fine Arts School on Monday, but some area residents en-sured the school grounds were occupied a little longer. The protesters say they have no inten-tion to leave until a deal is reached with the school district to keep the school open for local education. Some 30 people arrived by 4 p.m. on Monday to protest the closure of the two-classroom building, and several stayed overnight in the gym which was left unlocked. They had originally intended to pre-vent the lock-up of the classrooms, but teacher Joel Zahn locked the doors by 3:30 Monday, before most people had arrived. Julie MacDonald, the parent who or-ganized the sit-in, said they will con-tinue to lobby to keep the building open for the people educating their children in Dunster. “I don’t think anyone’s willing to give up this school – the actual school build-ing.” The Dunster PAC was dissolved to-day with the closure of the school, but some community members say they are founding a new group called the Dun-ster Community School Association with money fundraised for local educa-tion. MacDonald says the next step may be to protest in front of the Minister of Education’s office in Vancouver. “We’re just asking to keep the building, which isn’t asking too much, seeing as it’s sitting here anyway, empty, with the heat on,” MacDonald says. Last Thursday several hundred com-munity members gathered for a fare-

well celebration of the school. After the potluck, the students sang a song they wrote with their teacher. The song in-cluded memories of playing outside, getting stung by bees, making art and how everyone at Dunster school knew each other’s name. Principal Kairyn Jeneke stood by the wall as each student added their memo-ry to the song. After it ended she clapped and seemed to choke back tears. Aeron Williamson an educational as-sistant at Dunster school says it has been an emotional time for both staff and stu-dents. “There are tears and it’s hard. It’s hard for us trying to hold it together but also

acknowledging that it’s ok to cry.” “They’ve said they’re sad that the school is closing and they’re worried about their friends and where they are going to go, and their parents don’t know.” Williamson’s family is moving to Mc-Bride. Her son Owen finished Kinder-garten at Dunster school and will begin Grade 1 in McBride. She says the com-mute is 45 minutes by car to the new school from their current home. “He’s only six, so it’d be way too long,” she says. The children showed off some of their work from the three-day arts festival at

the school last week: photographs, wil-low art, drama, song writing, and other arts. Some of the visual arts were on dis-play in the gym and in the school hall. Terri Lewis, mother of students Jes-sica and Derrik Lewis, both 12, says her grandson would have been the fourth generation to attend the school. Her two other children, Joanna and Lorrie, went to this school from kinder-garten to Grade 7. She says it’s sad to see the school close down. “We’ll lose that sense of belonging, because the school is the centre of any-thing that goes on,” she says.

Cont’ A2

(Cont’ from A1) Visit our website for ongoing coverage!

A2 Tuesday, June 29, 2010 www.therockymountaingoat.com

From left clockwise: Dun-ster students sing a farewell song at the 94-year celebra-tion last week. Raphael Rauter, Daniel Haaf and Sean Dempsey stand with community members for a group photo outside the school. Carrie MacDonald and sis-ter Iris wait for the potluck to begin. Owen Williamson waits for the cutting of the cake. Rachel Baker, 17, and Terri Lewis looking at an old memory book with photos from past years. Baker went to Dunster from Kinder-garten to Grade 6. Two of Lewis’ children attended Dunster school this year.

Visit www.therockymountaingoat.com

to listen to Dunster students sing their farewell song

Photos by Laura Keil

focussed school. “Parents can come in and wander around and see how their kids are do-ing – it’s family.” She says she was one of many people to write letters to governments to try to keep the school open. “Everybody’s worked hard and put a lot of effort into keeping it open, and doing all the letter writing so we’ll just have to wait and see.” The tables, chairs and other school equipment is slated to return to the Prince George School District or Mc-Bride says Joel Zahn, Grade 4-7 teach-er. He will be teaching at McBride next year, along with other staff. Enrollment has been roughly 30 stu-dents from Kindergarten to Grade 7 for the past decade. This year, the school had two full-time teachers, two part-time teachers, along with TAs and par-ent helpers. While the school had three split classes parent MacDonald says it made the children stronger in character. “You get the older children playing with younger children. And they’re teaching the younger children without even knowing it. They’re having fun.” “I think it’s important for the children to stay together with the other children they’ve grown up with.” She is one parent who is not not giv-ing up the option of educating her chil-dren in Dunster. MacDonald says she plans to home school her children next year. “It’s not an ideal thing at this point, but we really feel like we’ve got no op-tions,” she says. “I have a lot of family here and that’s what we plan to do is to exchange and trade and share. I think it’s our only hope at this point.” She says family members have vol-unteered one day per week to teach a group of children locally. “It is amazing. I think they’ve seen what this type of an education or a life-style that this school has provided.”She and her husband brought their children to Dunster partly due to the presence of family and partly due to the good school. “We realized the city was not for raising children,” she says. “I asked my daughter, ‘Carrie, where do you want to go to school?’ She wants to stay here as long as she can. To me, that’s fine. I can provide that.”

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 A3 www.therockymountaingoat.com

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A group of citizens is aiming to build a new park in Vale-mount out of an old dump site.The new park would span some 15-20 hectares along McKirdy Road along the north side of the Starratt Marsh, which al-ready connects to the 6-km trail system that encircles the marsh. Wayne Van Velzen, one of the people pushing for the park, says the land is in a valuable location as it is a sheltered site and affords the best view of the marsh and Canoe Mountain. “It’s always been a very popu-lar site,” he says. “People have used it for years and years.” The potential to retain tourists is also an incentive, he says. “The more things we can put on the ‘Things to do menu’ for folks, the longer they’ll hopefully stay in the Val-ley.” The park would reclaim an old dump site, which was capped in the 1970s. The site is already used for dog walking, picnick-ing, launching canoes into the marsh and for skating in the winter. Potential upgrades in-clude interpretative signs, a heated log shelter for skating in the winter, two pump-out pit toilets, picnic tables, a tobog-ganing hill, bear-proof garbag-es and benches. There should beparking for 12 to 15 vehicles. The proposed site is Crown

land bounded to the south by the protected areas of the marsh, to the north by McK-irdy Road, to the west by Aspen Road, and to the east by private property. Van Velzen says the next step is to get the land designated as a regional park. The area is already ear-marked in the Re-gional District of Fraser-Fort George’s draft regional parks plan for 2010-2020. Van Velzen says the idea would be for com-munity members to partner with the Village, the District, the Chamber of Commerce and the other stakeholders to

develop and fund the park. The site is Crown land adja-cent to a provincial Wildlife Manage-ment Area. The trail that fun-nels hikers along Aspen and 17th

Avenues will continue along the road, not over the marsh. “There’s little or no way a trail can be built in the marsh here. It’s really fragile habitat,” Van Velzen says. “The expense of doing it with any boardwalk system would be outrageous.” The marsh complex allows visitors to view many species of birds and other wildlife and is the only viable location on the marsh to launch a canoe, the draft parks plan notes. The site is already used for this purpose with no discernible negative impact on the bird and wildlife populations, according to the

draft plan. If increased canoe traffic were to affect nesting birds, then boats would not be allowed on the water during nesting season. The park may eventually be used as a location for events such as the Valemount Bird Festival and the Valemount Winter Festival according to preliminary plans. The regional district has given a high priority marking to the potential proposal for McK-irdy Park. The Integrated Land Management Bureau and the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands are also supportive of the concept, Van Velzen says. If it is approved as a regional park, he says proponents would develop a conceptual plan in conjunction with Valemount’s Economic Development Offi-cer Silvio Gislimberti. Funding could come from the Room Tax Authority since Valemount is a Resort Commu-nity. BC Parks would be willing to assist with planning and site development with respect to fa-cility plans, specifications and standards. If the proposal is ac-cepted by the regional district board, the next step would be to apply to the Province for a Crown grant or long-term lease for the property.

New regional park proposed for Valemount areaLocal groups aim to convert old garbage dump into scenic picnic stopLaura [email protected]

Photos: Laura Keil

“Canoe View” looking south, south east, and south west.

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“The more things we can put on the ‘Things to do menu’ for folks, the longer they’ll hope-fully stay in the Valley.” Wayne Van Velzen, on the park proposal.

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The Valemount Fire Hall is getting a face-lift this summer, the first phase of a project that will add a water hose tow-er, garage, back laneway and women’s washrooms, which will be installed for the first time to replace the co-ed wash-rooms. The offices and training class-room will be expanded by 240 square feet, as the office currently houses three desks, with one chair preventing the of-fice door from closing. “The biggest issue is there isn’t enough room,” Valemount fire chief Rick Lalonde says. “We have a larger crew now.” The first phase of construction will add a 30-foot by 80-foot section and last sev-eral months, says Donna Munt manager of public safety for the Regional Dis-trict of Fraser-Fort George. The cost of

the first phase is just over $202,000; the second phase will upgrade the electri-cal, mechanical and plumbing; the third phase may be the insulation and vapour barrier, and the fourth phase would be painting and other minor upgrades. The Fire Hall building was complet-ed in 1984, before highway rescue was added as a mandate for the fire squad in Valemount, Munt says. “They are operating two services out of a location that originally operated only one service.” This way they can minimize costs for both services by running them out of the same building. Lalonde says right now they lay the wet hose on the floor to dry, meaning the hose is out of service temporarily and they must have additional hose on

standby. The hose tower will allow them to hang up the hose and dry it faster in the tower, which will be outfitted with fans. He says the building design also fits in with the Village’s theme. “It takes the box look away from it.” He says they can also use the hose tow-er for rescue training. The renovations will allow the fire hall to save money as well, he says, since the electrical heating system will be re-placed by a high-efficiency water boiler. The truck bay has to be kept at about 18 degrees. Lalonde says he anticipates they will heat the whole building plus the addition for the same cost as now, which is about $14,000 a year.

Comments? e-mail [email protected]

New upgrades for Valemount Fire Hall

Valemount Fire Chief Rick Lalonde examines illustrations of the fire hall upgrades which have already begun.

Photo: Laura Keil

A project geared to re-vegetate Kin-basket Lake and Arrow Lake Reservoir is underway again this year, with the aim to attract wildlife and insects. Jen Walker-Larsen, spokesperson with B.C. Hydro, says the idea is to re-plant in the drawdown zone, the area where water drains and fills each year. The program is being delivered under the Columbia River Water Use Plan, a suite of monitoring programs and proj-ects developed by a committee of Co-lumbia Basin stakeholders. They hope to benefit non-power interests includ-ing fisheries, wildlife, vegetation, recre-ation, and archaeology. BC Hydro began the re-vegetation project in 2008, what is mandated as a five-year plan. The program is supposed to benefit fish and wildlife as well as im-prove aesthetics, dust control and recre-ation. In Kinbasket Reservoir, the planting

work has largely focused in the Canoe Reach area near Valemount and Bush Arm area at the Golden end. Walker-Larsen says BC Hydro is experimenting with a number of differ-ent planting and fertil-ization techniques in res-ervoir drawdown zones. Last year in Kinbasket Reservoir they planted over 193,821 sedge seed-lings over 19 hectares. Over 3.7 hect-ares of live of stakes and shrub seedlings were also planted. In addition to these, they also planted over 14 hectares of seeds, and fertilized 10 hectares. More planting work was carried out this year. All shrubs and sedge plants used in the planting program have been grown from locally-collected seeds or stakes,

Walker-Larsen says. BC Hydro is also conducting a moni-toring program to assess whether the planting program provides the expect-ed benefits to wildlife. Field crews this summer are currently working to col-lect a second year of baseline data to determine wildlife use of the drawdown zone. This study will periodically moni-

Kinbasket re-vegetation project underway again this yearLaura [email protected]

tor insects, small mammals, and ungu-lates to determine whether patterns of wildlife change as the planted sites grow and establish.

Below: Hilde and Willem Van Basten Batenburg enjoy the view along Highway 5 while waiting for daughter Mashall and friend Noor Holsboer to arrive from Van-couver on their cross-Canada cycling trip.

Photo courtesy of BC Hydro

Photo: Laura Keil

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 A5www.therockymountaingoat.com

Laura Keil [email protected]

After surviving an abusive childhood, a divorce and much sorrow, The Camping Queen finally found her calling

Last week, The Camping Queen rolled through Jasper and Valemount. That’s what Susan Little calls herself on her blog, anyway. The 55-year-old San Diego native is on a pilgrimage through all of America’s 58 National Parks, camping in rain, wind and pitch darkness on her own as she writes a book documenting the parks. It is also a personal journey, one that began from a childhood of abuse, an unfaithful husband, public divorce, and a life lived in the shadow of other people. “I had a very small existence,” she said last week at a stop-over in a café in Valemount on her way to Clearwa-ter and then Vancouver. “I have found a real deep connection with the natural world, and I find that when I’m in it I feel whole and safe.” In 2005 she started travelling by her-self. She stuffed a duffel bag of camping gear into her Subaru, along with her guitar, maps and a compact point-and-shoot. For safety she carried bear spray and a knife. The first trip became one of a series of healing treks into the wilder-ness. She says she had a lot of sorrow in her life. “I was abused as a child – really se-riously abused. My marriage fell apart; my husband was unfaithful. I’d sort of put all my hopes into him. Because my dad was so abusive I thought my hus-band would never hurt me, but he did. I was pretty devastated and I couldn’t get any better. I kept trying and trying and kept crying. I could hardly work.” Then she remembered how much she had enjoyed camping with her aunt in Yellowstone when she was a child and got the courage to take a trip alone. She planned her first trip for many months, took some money out of her retire-ment fund and went on the road for six months. “Each day I got better. I felt closer to God. I felt connected with the natural world.” She says her therapist had told her it’s a big world. She should explore. But her life had long been ruled by fear and liv-ing in the shadow of her husband, who was a pastor. “I was terrified to go see it by myself. I didn’t know if people would accept me just by myself. And that is the most im-portant thing I’ve learned, is that I am a person, I am a woman, and I am accept-able just by myself.”

When she first saw the Grand Tetons in Grand Teton National Park in Wyo-ming she says she felt challenged by the scenery. “They are so rugged and so wild and so magnificent and I just was dwarfed,” she says. “I didn’t understand. I had to run and hide from it, it was so power-ful.” She compares the expe-rience to astronauts who look down on earth. “You are so small and this is so large, but you are important. That’s kind of a freaky feeling.” Little started her Camping Queen blog in 2007 after people asked how they fol-low her travels. She updates with photos and information about the parks. The people she has encountered have been as important as the scenery, she

says. In Great Sand Dunes National Park, she met an 80-year-old woman sliding down a sand dune. “She said ‘I need to slide down when I can’t walk.’” The most recent leg of her journey began in Calgary. She travelled through Banff, visited Johnston Canyon, and spent a couple nights in Jasper.

She says her goal is to inspire other women to begin the same journey she has. “Women my age they tend to feel they’re all washed up. They can’t

go out and do these things. They don’t have a husband. They’re not going to ac-complish anything. They’re just sitting around. And I’m thinking, ‘You can get out. You can get in your car, go to your local places, you can join a club. You

can venture out and make a friend. You can do it.’” Little says she doesn’t take any chanc-es when it comes to safety. She sticks to the national parks, which are clean, well-maintained, and populated. For her, nature is a safe place. In the city she feels restrained. “It’s like a plant in a pot and the roots are cracking the pot and I need to get out.” Little has seen 39 of 58 national parks in the U.S. so far – her goal is to see them all and finish the book she is writ-ing about them. Her next goal is to trav-el from East to West through Canada working on organic farms. After that, she wants to venture into Europe. She says she has come a long way in the past five years. “I feel whole again. I feel happy. I don’t feel I gotta have a man. I’m waiting for the right man to come and if he doesn’t come along, then at least I’m enjoying myself, seeing the places I’ve always wanted to see.” You can follow Susan’s travels at her blog www.thecampingqueen.blogspot.com.

Susan Little has been taking trips by herself to north america’s national parks since 2005. She started her blog The Camping Queen in 2007.

Photo: Laura Keil

“It’s like a plant in a pot and the roots are cracking the pot and I need to get out.” Susan Little

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A6 Tuesday, June 29, 2010 www.therockymountaingoat.com

Corrections:Issue 1, Tuesday June 08 2010, “Interview with Jean-nette Townsend”. Funding for GPS and Light systems at the airport was provided by the Provincial Government, not the Federal Governemnt.

Issue 2, Tuesday June 22 2010, “Valemount Senior Housing...” Bobbi Roe is Ad-ministrator of the Valemount Senior Citizen’s Housing Committee. Jim Stewart is Chairman.

After a decade of waking up before 4 a.m., serving people from around the world and keeping their recipes a secret, Manfred and Natalia Zumbrunn are placing Valemount’s Swiss Bakery into new hands. Come July 1st, the bakery will belong to Silvia Jungo and Bogdan Wasaznik, a couple who recently moved from Ed-monton to take over the business. “They’re young, full of energy, full of ideas,” Natalia says. But after all the years, she says Manfred is hesitant to see it go. “It’s his child and he’s nervous about all this. But that’s it: his time is over.”Manfred was in the bakery kitchen last week, busy as ever. “There’s another one,” he says, point-ing to a motor home pulling up to the front. “There’s another one. There’s another one,” he continues, as more motor homes pull up and people enter the store. At 65, Manfred says while he will no longer have to cater to the ever-busy bakery, he will continue to bake on the side. He grew up in the Alps in Swit-zerland where he helped out with his family’s store, and began baking as a teenager. “He cannot stop,” Natalia says. “He’ll bake as a hobby.” Manfred purchased the bakery property 10 years ago, when it was still the old post office. After many renova-tions, including a new roof, it became the building that now stands on Main Street. “People stop here from all over,” Man-fred says. He developed all the recipes himself. “They stop for world-famous strudel, stollen, home-made bread.”

But he insists he’s not retiring. “I’m just going to bake from another place.” Jungo and Wasaznik plan to con-tinue with the same recipes, but will add washrooms and will start making cinnamon buns. Wasaznik baked in Germany for six years, then for Costco for 20 years – doing a lot of baking for smaller bakeries. Jungo is from Switzerland ad Wasaznik is from Poland, but both moved to Canada many years ago. They would meet in Valemount, as it was halfway between Edmonton and Kelowna, where each was staying.They say their goal with the bakery is to keep making people happy.

Business WatchValemount’s Swiss Bakery changes hands

Above: One of Valemount’s old post offices. After much hard work, Manfred and Natalia’s bakery.

Right: Manfred mixing bread dough.

Bottom: Passing the torch. Man-fred and Natalia Zumbrunn with the new owners, Silvia Jungo and Bogdan Wasaznik.

Laura Keil [email protected]

Photos: Laura Keil, Manfred Zumbrunn

Another business is shutting down on Valemount’s 5th Avenue. Janet Kunka, who has owned the store with her husband Nester Kunka for 10 years, says shutting the store down was a difficult decision. “It’s very trying times right now,” she says. “With there being no economy here all the young families are moving away.” She says part of the issue is not knowing whether there is anything in the works to bring families back.The store has been in Valemount at least 40 years, she says. They will shut down the store permanently at the end of August.

Closing Down: Valemount Sporting and Clothing

Photo: Laura Keil

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 A7 www.therockymountaingoat.com

The highway along McBride will not be as dry or grey a place now that logging contractors Kevin Taphorn and his uncle Melvin Taphorn have opened their ice cream stand next to the Husky. “It is a bleeding heart effort diversify our com-pany” says Taphorn. The ice cream business is still going to be part of “Crazy Horse Contracting Ltd.” The shaded stand is adjacent to a treed picnic area, colourful deck chairs, and hammocks. Kevin says he saw a need for a place for people to stop and relax as they drove along the high-way. They used materials from McBride builders and suppliers, and will be installing informa-tion on how to contact each local business, if someone is interested in stone work, carving, or concrete, for example. They serve hard and soft Foothills ice cream, hot dogs, milkshakes, and subs, among other things.

This ain’t no logging show! Crazy Horse now serves ice cream

Photos: Laura Keil

The Canoe Mountain Restaurant is getting a different personality this summer with its new owners. Barbara and Steve Kelly have re-opened the 5th Avenue business in Valemount as a fast-food cafe with 27 flavours of scooped ice cream, hot dogs and other quick treats. By mid-July they will be fully stocked to offer foot-long hot dogs, pizza by the slice and ... wait for it .. smoked salmon. Home-smoked, no less. Their children Johnathan and Liz will also work behind the counter. The restaurant encompasses an old trapper’s cabin that is near a century old.

A family from Edmonton has taken the wheel of the Twin Peaks Resort in Vale-mount. Donna and Alexandre Hamilton visited the resort two years ago while vacationing in the area. Donna was a dental assistant for a holistic dentist. Alex-andre teaches at NATE in trades. Between the two of them, they have five children between the ages of 12 and 19. They arrived last week to begin running the camp-ground, cabins and lodge. They plan to expand the campground and eventually perform marriage ceremonies on the side of the mountain.

Canoe Mountain Restaurant re-opens Twin Peaks Resort changes hands

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A8 Tuesday, June 29, 2010 www.therockymountaingoat.com

SMALLER CAMPFIRES COME INTO EFFECT CANADA DAY New regulations that shrink the size of legal campfires will come into effect July 1, 2010 in an effort to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires. Pat Bell, Minister of Forests and Range, says more than 850 fires resulted from careless human behaviour in 2009. “That number must come down,” said Bell. “We want people to enjoy the great outdoors, but not at the cost of public safety.” Under the new regulations, camp-fires cannot be larger than 0.5 metres in height and 0.5 metres in diameter, or approximately a foot-and-a-half by a foot-and-a-half. Previously, campfires were permitted to a maximum size of one-metre by one-metre. The new rules also require campers to build a fireguard around their fires by scraping down to the dirt and clearing away potentially flammable debris, such as twigs, leaves and needles. A shovel or at least eight litres of water must be stored nearby to extinguish the fire. Provincial staff will begin educating campers about the new regulations dur-ing the Canada Day long weekend, giv-ing people an opportunity to learn about the changes. As summer progresses, failure to comply with the new rules will result in a $345 fine. An additional $345 fine will be levied for campfires lit dur-ing a ban. “Make no mistake. If we catch people

being careless and causing wildfires this summer, we will aggressively pursue penalties for those responsible,” said Bell. “The message we want to deliver is that we take wildfires seriously – and so should you.” An advertising campaign has been launched to reinforce the province’s zero tolerance for people who start wildfires. A new website, www.firesafebc.ca, is also available that encapsulates all pro-vincial information related to wildfire activity, campfire bans, health advisories and evacuation orders. Since April 1, fire crews have respond-ed to 310 fires across the province, of which 260 were human-caused. Anyone who causes a wildfire through arson or recklessness can be fined up to $1 mil-lion or spend three years on prison. To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call *5555 on your cellphone, or toll-free 1 800 663-5555.

Briefs

Mount Robson Provincial ParkAll events will take place at the Visitor Information Centre10:00 am – 3:00 pm: Wildlife Nature Walk– Test your knowledge of Mt Robson, on our ½ km self guided interpretive trail10:00 am – 3:00 pm: Local Artisan Fair – Local Artists will be displaying their art11:30 am – 1:00 pm: R.C.M.P. – In attendance for photo opportunities, wearing tradi-tional “Red Serge”11:30 am – 1:00 pm: Jerry The Moose – Have your picture taken with Jerry or just give him a big hug.12:00 pm: National Anthem 12:00 pm: Cake, Coffee & Tea – Free cake and beverages for visitorsVisit the Info Centre for your FREE Canada Day Souvenir. Canada Day Events at Valemount Museum 11am – 3pm11 am–12:30 pm: Face painting and Family Scavenger Hunt 12:00 pm–2:00 pm Hotdogs for Sale 1:00 pm Cake cutting by Mayor and R.C.M.P 1:30 pm–3 pmOld Time Music (bring your own instrument)

Show N Shine July 1 11am – 1pm at the Valemount MuseumThe Old English Car Club will be park along Main Street by the Museum. The Show N Shine will end at 1:15 pm

Upcoming events from around the valley.

Friday night jams at The Gathering Tree Cafe in Valemount. Come on out to play or listen starting at 7:00pm

Photo: Laura Keil

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Below: Rob Morley, Gary Traub, Collin John, Byron Hoeller, Dustin Olson, Clint Meek, Ken Seime, Ryan Smith, Super Dave Fry, Kevin Clark, Chris Hoodicoff, Wayne Nazaroff are working at TransAlta’s Bone Creek hydro project near Blue River, but are shuttled back to the Valemount area every evening where they live or stay.

Celebrate Canada Day! July 1, 2010

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Tuesday, June 29, 2010 A9 www.therockymountaingoat.com

The Tourism Directory

The Business Directory

Teepee Meadows CottageSpectacular mountain and marshland scenery

Located 3 km west of ValemountHosts: Claude, Alke & Noland Germain

545 Jack Adams Road, Box 786Valemount, BC V0E 2Z0

Phone:250-566-9875

$50 for 4 weeks, or $20 for one weekCall Joe at 250-566-1444 or

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Valemount Secondary School Awards

VALEMOUNT SECONDARY AWARDS - JUNE 16, 2010

VSS Cultural Awards Group - None Individual - Carey Newby

Athletic Awards - Grade 8 Girl - Hannah van der Roest Grade 8 Boy- no award Grade 9 Girl- Kaylie Byford Grade 9 Boy - Linden Salayka-Ladouceur Grade 10 Girl - Linnaea VanderZwan, Rebecca Lerch Grade 10 Boy - no award Senior Girl- Nina Grigat Senior Boy- William VanderZwan Coaches Award – Alana Duncan Most Improved- Grade 8 Dillon Knelsen Grade 9 no award Grade 10 Jake Clancy Grade 11 Amber Stroomer Grade 12 Britney StoneMost Improved Student/R.C.M.P.- Britney StoneEffort Award - Winner Kelly Roy Runner-Up Kelsey Griffin, Hannah van der Roest Citizenship Junior - Linden Salayka Ladouceur Jurior Runner-Up Rebecca Lerch Senior - Meetul Patel Runner-Up Kate Soucy Sandy MacLean Citizenship Award - Meetul Patel

Scholarship - Grade 8 Hannah van der Roest Grade 9 Linden Salayka-Ladouceur Grade 10 Linnaea VanderZwan Grade 11 Logan Salayka-Ladouceur Grade 12 no award

Best All Around Student - William VanderZwan

Coming next week:McBride Secondary Awards night

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Salvaged metal siding for sale. Perfect for any out-building or shop. Approxi-mately 550-600 square foot coverage. Will consider any offer! Call Joe 250-566-1444

Hanging propane shop heater for sale. Listed as 65,000 BTU. Comes with mounting bracket. Will consider any offer! Call Joe 250-566-1444.

Varying lengths of flores-cent light fixtures for sale. Will consider any offer! Call Joe 250-566-1444

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If it is for free, it is free. Up to 20 words for $2, 30 words for $3, 40 words for $4 etc. If the asking price is over $499, then it is $5 for 20 words, $6 for 30 words etc.

Non-business announce-ments are welcome at the same rates. The Rocky Mountain Goat reserves the right to refuse to print any classified submission that is not an advertise-ment of a private sale, or rental arrangement.

Post your non-profit event announcement for free on our website! Just go to “Community Sub-mitted News.”

Used Building Materials

Twenty for a Toonie: The Classified Ads Plain Talk HoroscopesBy Craig Elder, M.A. Economics

Aries: Today is a bad day to be honest.Taurus: When confronted by a problem, just do what you did last time, it probably worked.Gemini: No one understands you today, switch back to English. Cancer: Success is coming your way, best start look-ing down on people now so you get the hang of it.Leo: You should flip your mattress soonVirgo: Your feelings of being forgotten will fade this week.Libra: Don’t do what others want of you, maybe they’ll still like you.Scorpio:Your emotions will get the better of you and make you completely irrational.Sagittarius: The pieces of your master plan are coming into place.Capricorn: If you talk to people they will think things about what you said.Aquarius: Leading with your heart may bring you heartache, best to just live a cold lonely life. Pieces: You have the courage to follow your dreams, you just can’t remember them.

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Trusses for sale. Approxi-mately 42 foot span. 14 units. Single slant, could be modified with a chalk line

A10 Tuesday, June 29, 2010 www.therockymountaingoat.com

To submit your classified ad, e-mail or call the goat, or place your ad in an envelope with pay-ment and drop it in our mailbox, 1070 5th Ave

Exclusive 2.25 inches high by a whole page width at the bottom of the calssified page for $100/week

and skill saw. Now consider-ing offers! Call Joe 250-566-1444

How to submit an ad 500 gal. single-wall fuel tank. Asking $200. Call 250-566-5069, ask for Jared

Equipment Tank

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 A11www.therockymountaingoat.com

Congratulations McBride Class of 2010 from...

Robson Valley Home Hardware

256 Main Street, McBride BC

The Goat Congratulates the McBride Secondary Class of 2010

Grad photos continued on back page...

Congratulations McBride Secondary Class of 2010! from The Rocky Mountain Goat

The Rocky Mountaing Goat is now available weekly on Wednesdays. Next issue: July 07, 2010

Names in alphabetical order: Georgia Betkus, Kyle Betkus, Ellise Bressette, Megan Harstad, Paislee Hickerty, Sherry Kelly, Spencer Kimpton, Chantel Kozachenko, Robert Miles, Mathue Miskie, Erich Monroe, Jordan Neal, Kaylee Pawlyszyn, Anya Richter, Mark Roth, Logan Roussel, Danielle Rowley, Craig Ryan, Justin Starlund, Matthew Vogel, Amy von der Gonna, Alysse Weedmark.

All graduation photos: Laura Keil

Visit www.therockymountaingoat.com for more photos

Pruning tomatoes is akin to pulling teeth for some gardeners, but don’t worry, the first thirty years is the worst!! (Just kidding!) First I want to define some terms so we are all speaking the same language: STEM – The main stalk of the plant. SUCKER - The branches that grow in the axil of the leaves. AXIL – The point where the leaf joins the stem. DETERMINATE TOMATO – This is the shorter bush type plant. Flower clusters grow on the ends of the stems and suckers. Usually grow 1 to 3 feet high. INDETERMINATE TOMATO – Vine tomato, which can grow 6, 10, or 50 feet! Flower clusters grow out of the stem and the stem keeps on growing. SEMI-DETERMINATE – Have some characteristics of both of the above. (Just to mix us up!) FRUIT SPUR – The stem of flowers, which will become tomatoes. It is best to check on the seed package or ask your bedding plant grower if you have a bush or vine tomato. Once the fruit spurs begin to form, you can check it out for yourself. A vine tomato has a fruit spur, three or more leaves, and then another fruit spur. If there are less than three leaves between fruit spurs, you have a bush tomato. FOR BUSH TOMATOES – I prune out the first

two or three suckers and then let the plant grow. This seems to get the fruit up off the ground a bit so there is less rot and disease. If the bush plant gets too thick in mid summer so no sun is reaching the middle of the plant, then I thin out a few more suckers and leaves to encourage ripening. I stake or train all my tomatoes to hold the fruit off the ground. (Slugs, mice and voles seem to like tomatoes as much as we do.) FOR VINE TOMATOES – I prune them to a single stem and train them up a twine to a height of 6 feet. From the time they are 6 – 8 inches high, I prune off all suckers so all that is left is a single stem with leaves and fruit spurs. Once the fruit is set (small tomatoes where the flowers were) I prune off all leaves below that spur. When the second spur sets fruit, I remove the leaves below it too. By mid-summer, the vine tomatoes are 6 feet tall with 3 to 6 spurs of fruit on a bare stem with a canopy of leaves at the top of the plant. These leaves manufacture the food to feed the tomatoes and also shade the tomatoes from sunscald. The filtered sunlight and warm air moving around the fruit help to ripen them. Some gardeners leave all the leaves on the plant to help the plant manufacture more food. You can try using both methods and see which works the best for you, but be sure to remove all the suckers from between the main stem and the leaves.

From mid-August on, I pinch off all new flowers, as most of these won’t have time to develop into decent size fruit. I find it best to let the plant direct its energy into ripening the fruit that is already there. The main things to watch out for are: 1. Too many leaves usually give you less fruit 2. Too few leaves give you sunscald on the fruit and can’t produce food for the tomatoes. 3. Pinch or cut the suckers and leaves with a sharp blade being careful not to tear or rip the stem. 4. Prune suckers and old leaves every week. 5. Don’t be afraid to prune!

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call.

Gardening with PetePeter AmyoonySpecial to the Goat

Pete Amyoony is a gardener in the Robson Valley of cen-tral B.C. high in the Rocky Mountains near Mount Rob-son. He has lived, worked and gardened in the Dunster area for almost thirty years.

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