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Game Face On

What’s Inside 2014 8 Mayor Shari Green ....................................................3 Venues get a lift for the Games...................................4 Jobs, jobs, jobs..........................................................6

New RCMP digs will be ready soon........................8 Port of Prince Rupert has plenty of plans....................9 Northern Hardware celebrates a milestone .............. 10 Lots to read about at the P.G. library ....................... 12

Arts group mapping out our culture ................... 14 Canada’s Green University celebrates a birthday ..... 16 The tallest wood building in the land ....................... 17 YMCA of Northern B.C. celebrates a milestone ....... 20

A history book for our centennial ............................. 24 The rise of wood pellets .......................................... 27 Singing their hearts out ........................................... 29 Allan WISHART/Outlook Nothing says ‘Game Face On’ more than Milan Basic’s mural on the side of the 2015 Canada Winter Games office downtown. We thought it was an appropriate cover for Outlook 2014, which focuses on the city as the countdown to the Games goes into high gear. The city certainly has its game face on as we prepare to host the nation in February 2015.

DBIA prepares for Games and more ........................ 30

Chamber burns bright with energy savings .............. 32 UNBC enjoying CIS status .................................. 34 Ringette ringing in the Games ................................. 35

Plenty of changes at Two Rivers Gallery .................. 36

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March 2014

OUTLOOK - Prince George Free Press - Game Face On!

March 2014

City prepares for Games and for 100th birthday party bash in 2015

ith 2015 Canada Winter Games countnt-down now in days rather than years,, city ciity preparations are moving into high gear. earr. “The anticipation is growing, the excitement and the momentum is certainly growing,” ssaid aid ai Mayor Shari Green. “The city has lots of work, internally, naalllyy,, in terms of what services we will be providing and what hatt assistance we can give to the host society.” So, there aree lots and lots off Bill Phillips meetings, at all ll Outlook 2014 levels. While logistically there eree is lots of work to be done in preparation for the Games, es,, the 17-day event next winter will have a lasting impact. ct. One that will endure well past the Games, says Green, n,, physically and psychologically. “My No. 1 legacy that I know we will be able to celeebrate is the amount of capacity building that we will have havve done,” said Green. “It’s such a massive organizational undertaking, we really are creating a wealth of knowledge edge and skills in a large group of people who live in the city, itty, that we will be able to take advantage of other events and and opportunities.” on In addition, the national spotlight will certainly be on roPrince George for the two weeks of the Games. The pr proTeresa MALLAM/Outlook s, vincial and national media will be here for the Games, Artist Laura Chandler adjusts a light on a snowcake sculpture in front of Studio 2880. The oess project celebrates Prince George’s 99th birthday and is a prototype challenge for others to following some of Canada’s top athletes. And, if all goes na- create a 100th birthday sculpture when we will be hosting the 2015 Canada Winter Games. well, a special guest to the Games may cause an internadiaa tional media construction, sporting which const tructi tion the th downtown downttown skyline skkyli line is is sporti ting ttwo wo cranes, cranes whi hich h iisn’t sn’tt a normall frenzy. sight. Also, Lakeland Mills is rebuilding its mill that was destroyed by fire two Prince George, the city, has invited years ago. Prince George, heir to the throne of “There’s energy and momentum around the resource activity in the North,” she England, to pay a visit during the said. “Pretty exciting time to be here. We’re seeing some confidence and some Games as well. investment in Prince George.” “If anyone from the Royal FamAt the city, the Community ily chooses to join us, it will elevate Services Master Plan consulour city for a few weeks,” she said. tation process is under way “It’s something no advertising budget could ever afford. It’s just tremendous and that will continue over the next few months as the exposure for the city.” city looks at developing a There is no word yet on whether any members of the Royal Family will 10-year capital plan. Plus, 2014 will be the “sumattend, but an invitation has gone out. mer of paving,” said Green. “It’s a very, very formal process,” “We have, for the first time Green said. in history, attained a sustainAnd, if any of the Royals do come, able level of road repair,” it involves much more than an invitaGreen said. “We’re at $7 miltion from the city. Such a visit would lion a year for road repair.” be a visit to Canada, not just Prince This year there will also be a one-time injection of about $2.8 million to put George, likely with several stops along the figure at close to $10 million, which will include sidewalk repairs as well. the way. That means dealing with the Mayor Shari Green “Those haven’t had as much attention as the roads have,” she said. province and the federal government when extending the invitation.

If anyone from the Royal Family chooses to join us, it will elevate our city. - Mayor Shari Green

CITY OUTLOOK As for the city overall, things are progressing well, said Green. “Our unemployment rate is under the national average and under the provincial average, so certainly people are working in the community,” she said. With the Wood Innovation and Design Centre and the Delta Hotel under

100TH ANNIVERSARY

Next year will also mark the 100th anniversary of the City of Prince George and plans are now underway to celebrate. “We’re seeing lots of creative ideas and interest from people around the community who want to help, volunteer, participate and help celebrate 100 years of the city.”

March 2014

OUTLOOK - Prince George Free Press - Game Face On!

Venues get a

ome of them have already been tested; others aren’t even created yet. They are the venue improvements for the 2015 Canada Winter Games, and they make a very impressive list. Phil Beaulieu, the director of sport and venues for the Games, says the overall story to this point can be summed up simply. “We’re generally on track and on budget.” One venue which is literally on track is the Otway Nordic Centre, which will be the site for cross-country skiing and biathlon when the Games are here next February. “We developed a 30-lane biathlon range, penalty loop and a wax test area. We also put in more than 10 kilometres of new trails.” Allan Wishart The changes weren’t all from the Games Outlook 2014 side, though. “The user groups out there added two technical buildings which aren’t ready yet, but will be for the Games. “This is now a world-class facility.” The Otway facilities have gone through their test events, and passed with flying colours, if initial reactions are any indication. “Everybody was a little tired from working on the facility for the last six months,” sport chair for biathlon Pierre Beaudry said after the Zone 8 BC Winter Games qualifying races at the new range in late December. “But everybody had a good time seeing how well it all worked.” That’s not to say there weren’t some problems, but they are things that can be taken into consideration for the Games. “There are some things we need to work on, and one of them is better implementation of a snow management plan. We got all that snow overnight, and while we were able to work to get the course and range in shape for these races, for the Games, we have to meet a higher standard.” For instance, he says, the snow in the shooting area has to be hard, and the area has to be level, two things they weren’t able to accomplish before the recent races. “We didn’t want to start playing around with the conditions 10 minutes before the event,” he says. “Something we realized was that we were going to need to have a lot more volunteers available for getting the course ready for the Games in case we run into the same situation then.” Other venues for skiing events at the Games have also seen a lot of work, Beaulieu said. Tabor Mountain Resort, for instance, was set up so less snow would be needed to run the races there. “We’ve done extensive work at Tabor in partnership with the resort owners. This is one of the first resorts to develop all the courses on a base of earth, so you need very little snow to make the courses safe to use.” Those changes proved their worth during a recent test event. “At the test event, snow volume was less than average, but the courses still worked.” Once again, there is still some work to be done at Tabor, though. “This summer, we will be doing some more work with the moguls and aerials courses.” The work the Games did at Purden Ski Village was also designed to get things rolling with less snow. “We did some significant widening to many of the courses to improve safety, and we also took some of the rough features out of the terrain. This will allow them to start grooming the trails earlier, with less snow.” That’s not to say the runs are completely flat, though. “You don’t want tot take all the rough spots out. There has to be something of a challenge for the racers.” Purden hosted a major test event in February and, again, initial reaction was overwhelmingly positive. “We got great reviews from across the province,” Beaulieu says. “Some clubs were talking about coming here to train in the future. “It’s one more example of the Games leaving a legacy for the local clubs.” Work has also been done on the Outdoor Ice Oval, where the long-track speed skating will be held. “We’ve done some development on the track,” Beaulieu says. “We added a less permeable layer reduce the risk of damage to the ice in warm weather. What they had before tended to create air pockets in the ice. “Now, the soil retains more moisture and the water doesn’t drain as quickly.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

OUTLOOK - Prince George Free Press - Game Face On!

March 2014

lift from the 2015 Games A new technical building will be constructed in the summer, meer, with the idea of leaving the local volunteers with a place to store oree their equipment. “As it is now, their equipment is stored some distance from om the Oval, in an unheated building, so you’re using fuel to get the th he equipment heated up, then having to drive it down the hill to get gett to the Oval. “The new technical building will meet their long-term needs. s.” The Kin 1 Arena, which will be renamed the Lakewood Dental nttal Arena for the duration of the Games, saw a major reconstruction io on take place, including changing the ice surface itself to internana-tional size and revamping the seating in both that arena and Kin Kin n 2. Work at the Coliseum, Canada Games Plaza and Aquatic Cenen-tre is being undertaken in conjunction with the City of Prince ncee George, he said. “In many of those facilities, the main work being done iss upgrading the lighting, and the plan is to do that during their eirr regular maintenance shutdowns.” One other venue has already seen improved lighting: the Prince ncee George Golf and Curling Club. “We used LED lighting,” Beaulieu says, “which reduces the carar-bon footprint of the building by drawing less electricity. It’s also oa cooler lighting system.” The new lighting drew great reviews during the BC Women’s Curling Championships held at the club earlier this year. “We decided to make the upgrade across all the sheets, rather than work on the ones which were more likely to be used for things like TV coverage during the Games.

Allan WISHART/Free Press Arthur for his during for the

Roots readies his rifle first round of shooting the Zone 8 playdowns BC Winter Games.

“Aga “A g in, we were looking looki kingg att what wh hatt was b ett tter ffor tth he cl lub b iin n tth he llongg tterm. erm”.” “Again, better the club the He says the work they’ve done and will be doing is not just the work of the Canada Winter Games. “There have been countless volunteer hours to put in to facilitate the development and construction. We’ve also seen some business sponsors step up to help us do more than we could have with just the capital dollars we had.”

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OUTLOOK - Prince George Free Press - Game Face On!

March 2014

Jobs, jobs, jobs – lots of them and British Columbians come first, says Bond

ritish Columbians must come first when it comes to filling job vacancies. “We believe that British Columbians should come first, absolutely and unequivocally,” Jobs Minister Shirley Bond said at the recent Premier’s Natural Resources Summit in Prince George. And, she said, there will be enough jobs coming open over the next little while to employ everyone who is currently unemployed or under-employed. Between 2010 and 2020, government estimates there will be one million job openings in B.C. Bill Phillips “Two-thirds of those aren’t new jobs, Outlook 2014 they’re jobs opening because we have an aging demographic,” Bond said. “People are going to leave the work force over the next little while and we’re going to have to replace them.” The other one-third of the jobs will come about as a result of new economic development in the province, in such areas as liquefied natural gas, mining, and forestry, and tourism. “There’s something that common to all of those sectors and that’s people, skilled people,” Bond said. While the goal is to employ British Columbians first, Bond says, it won’t be enough and the province will have to look at attracting workers from outside the province. “We have to have that conversation in an respectful and informed way,” Bond said. “It means we are going to have to look beyond British Columbia’s borders, but not until we’ve expended every ounce of effort making sure British Columbians are at the front of the line.”

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Two-thirds of the jobs will require some post-secondary training, she said, and 43 per cent of the jobs will require trades and technical training. “When we talk about skills training and filling those jobs, it’s about a whole variety of programs,” she said. “It is about immigration and looking across our country. We need to attract those workers back to British Columbia.” Premier Christy Clark has tasked Bond, and the jobs ministry, with developing a 10-year strategy to fill the job vacancies that will come open in the next few years. “Do we have a challenge on our hands, you bet we do,” Bond said. “But it’s far better to have jobs looking for people than people looking for jobs.” Bond says the ministry is examining labour market analysis data trying the establish what the jobs are, where they’re going to be, who needs to be trained, where that training needs to take place, and how the province needs to train them. The ministry has charted every major project across the north, looking at what kinds of people they need and when they’re needed. Eventually the entire province will be charted.

British Columbians should come first, absolutely and unequivocally. - Shirley Bond

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

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March 2014

FROM PAGE 6 “Take heart, that work is underway,” Bond said. “It is significant and it will be the data that provides us the information to create the skills training program.” She says the ministry, and the province, has to bear down and stay focused on what needs to be done. It takes the province, industry, and post-secondary institutions working together. “We’re going to develop the plan and close the gaps,” she said. When it comes to the trades, an attitudinal shift also has to occur. “Most parents today, when you ask them what they want their son or daughter to do, not a lot of them say they want them to be pipefitter, a machinist, or a plumber,” she said. “So despite a lot of discussion, there still needs to be a fundamental shift in the way people think about skills training in our country. It’s valued, it’s lucrative.” She added the educational system also has to change and steer students towards careers in trades long before Grade 10. It should be happening in elementary school, she said.

Teresa MALLAM/Outlooks Lheidli T’enneh elder Edie Frederick dances to the beat of the Lheidli T’enneh Khas’tan Drummers as they perform two songs at the official opening March 13 of the Nekeyoh/Our Home group exhibit at Rustad Galleria. Featuring works by Lheidli T’enneh artists, the pieces on display include masks, paintings and a traditional dugout cottonwood canoe. The canoe was made by a team of UNBC students under the direction of Edie and Robert Frederick and has on its sides figures depicting Astas and the Salmon. The story was passed on to Robert Frederick by his grandfather, he said, before retelling the story to his delighted audience.

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OUTLOOK - Prince George Free Press - Game Face On!

RCMP digs set to opening soon

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t’s a little behind schedule, but if all goes well, the RCMP will soon be in their new digs on Victoria Street. Superintendent Eric Stubbs told city council they expect to be in the new facility sometime this spring, a little later than the expected fall 2013 date. A group of about 30 guests, including Canada’s top cop, Commissioner Bob Paulson, city council, and the media were on hand for the official opening and tour of the 5,912 square metre facility on Victoria Street in November. Paulson wasn’t the only high-ranking RCMP officer in attendance, and he pointed out that Prince George is a “construction zone” for police officers. “There is something profound that hapBill Phillips pens to RCMP RCMP officers o off ffic icer erss when when they tthe heyy come come Outlook 2014 to Prince cee George,” he said, referring to some of the people in attenndance: B.C.’s top officer Deputy Commissioner Craig Callens, who started his career in Prince George; Saskatchewan’s top officer, Chief Super-intendent Brenda Butterworth-Carr, who served d as Superintendent in Prince George for two years; arrs; Deputy Commissioner Peter Angel; and MLA Mike Morris. who was the North District Chieff Superintendent before he retired from the force. e. “There is no better place to start one’s career, r,,” said Callens. n And while the RCMP’s top brass was in town for the event, so was the city’s top brass as city council was on hand too. The new detachment wo o is, after all, a city building. The work started two ed mayors ago and both former mayors who worked ey to get the funding for the building, Colin Kinsley and Dan Rogers, were in attendance. ob bro ro roug oug ught ugh ht tthe he p he ro roj oje ject ct home. h hom ome om me. But it was the current mayor and council who brought project “This building will be a testament, for years to come, of the priority that council has placed on infrastructure investment in this city,” said Mayor Shari Green. “I’m very proud to be part of the building of this much-needed detachment … This day has been long in coming and many councils have debated long and hard over the years to ensure that this building became a reality. Lesser politicians might have wavered under some criticism about spending these kinds of tax dollars.” Part of the money came from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund that contributed $500,000. But it will be Superintendent Eric Stubbs and the Prince George detachment’s 140 officers who will actually move into the new digs in a few weeks time. And for Stubbs, who will move into a corner office overlooking Fourth Avenue and Victoria Street, moving out of the cramped quarters on Brunswick Street will be welcome. “This is a truly significant event, he said. “We’ve been looking forward to this day and this building, for years … We are going to move into a fantastic, extraordinary building.” And that it is. The building is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified. Roof and parking surfaces will reflect heat, energy use is slated to be 61 per cent below the Model National Energy Code, solar panels will be used to for the hot water system, a solar wall preheats the fresh air intake, a groundwater well will be used to provide cooling, storm water is collected and is used in the toilets, and it is connected to the city’s district heating system. Stubbs also pointed out that the detachment works closely with the Lheidli T’enneh and members smudged the facility prior to the ceremonies. “We will continue to relentlessly work to drive down crime in this community,” said Stubbs. “But now in a work environment that will do nothing but help our members achieve more success.” And for those who might celebrate a little too much … take note that the drunk tank now has a heated floor.

OUTLOOK - Prince George Free Press - Game Face On!

March 2014

Port of Prince Rupert expansion plans in the billions of dollars

on Krusel doesn’t feel the Port of Prince Rupert is in the transportation business, it’s in the export business. “We are blessed with a wealth of resources,” he told delegates at the Premier’s B.C. Natural Bill Phillips Resources Outlook 2014 Forum in Prince George in January. “Those resources can only be translated to prosperity if those resources can be transported to markets.” That’s where the Port of Prince Rupert comes in because a great deal of the natural resources produced in B.C. go through the port to markets. Krusel said that if the port is used as a barometer of the economy then things are looking up, and the port is well positioned to be a conduit for resources to get to market. “We have a competitive edge,” Krusel said. “We are the closest gateway to the Asian markets. We are closer than Vancouver, Seattle by a day-anda-half, three days closer than Los Angeles. That translates into a huge advantage on the water side.” On land, the Port of Prince Rupert’s advantage is that it is connected to CN, the largest railway net-

work in North America, and the line itself, which has a lower grade through the Rockies than other railways. That advantage is paying off with increased busi-ness for the port, which means increased economicc activity in terms of exports and imports. Export traffic, mainly forest products, was up 21 per cent last year. The growth in exports is growingg faster than the inbound goods. A total of 12 million tonnes of coal, mostly from the Tumbler Ridgee region, went through the port last year. The grain terminal had one of its best years, Krusel said, at 5.1 million tonnes. The port just opened up a wood pellet facility. “It’s a great poster child of what the port is all about,” Krusel said. “It creates a doorway for resource facilities in northern B.C. We have to move resources to international markets.” He said they are expanding the coal facility and planning is underway for a potash facility and another major bulk facility similar to the Fairview Terminal All told, there is more than $20 billion of investment, just at the Port of Prince Rupert. That wouldn’t happen, he said, without a lot more investment elsewhere in the province.

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Teresa MALLAM/Outlook Kelly Green is the CEO of the Prince George institution known as Northern Hardware. The iconic store marks its 95th year of operation this year.

elly Green has been working at the family owned Northern Hardware and Furniture Co. Ltd. since she was a teenager. Now in her early 40s and a busy mother of four, she’s CEO of the store which is celebrating its 95th birthday this year. She took over from her father, Ted Moffat, who passed away in 2012. Her brothers Dan Moffat and Glen Blair also help out with running the business and other family members are employed there as well. But Green has the big title that goes along with the duties Teresa MALLAM and responsibilities – many duties that she Outlook 2014 only found out existed since taking over the helm several months ago. “I am continually finding out all the many things my father did because he liked to do everything himself from working behind the desk to helping customers. He didn’t delegate to others that much. And he was very sociable and he liked to know what was going on.” Fortunately Green inherited her father’s strong work ethic but his are still very big shoes to fill, she agrees. “He was here 70 to 80 per cent of the time when I was growing up – because

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

OUTLOOK - Prince George Free Press - Game Face On!

March 2014

celebrates a milestone Northern Hardware turns 95 this year FROM PAGE 10 he loved it not because he had to be here. That is one difference that the staff will find with me because I have a young family at home and my youngest is just starting kindergarten this fall, so I need to be a little more flexible. I need balance in my life.” It helps too that she’s worked for Northern for a long time, she says. “I’ve worked here since 2005 in the office, in payables, and a lot of our staff [of about 40] has been with us for many years, some over 20 years, so that all helps. They know their jobs.” Hilliard Clare for example, has worked 69 years with Northern Hardware and on the day of the interview was leaving the office briefly at lunch time so that he could drive the Northern Health cancer van. That’s the kind of caring and compassionate people that work there, says Green. Still, for her there is a learning curve when it comes to her new position. “Usually in a business succession, you have five or ten years to kind of grow into your role but Dad fell ill and was diagnosed with cancer and died within a year. It all happened so fast, so that meant I was filling in very quickly and trying to learn everything even while I was still grieving.” It is hard work but it comes with lots of fun and enjoyment, too. She and her cousin Diane Froescul who also works at the store, like to keep up with the latest trends in hardware and house decor by attending trade shows in big cities like

Toronto and Las Vegas. “We are competing now with big box stores, so we always try to find really different things for the store that you don’t see everywhere else. And we pay close attention to social media and research online. We know that when customers come here to buy something, they’ve already done their online research and know what they’re buying, so we have to keep up. We like to help people and customer service is so important to us.” Another thing you won’t find with a big box store, she says, is free delivery of items bought at the store. “We deliver washers, dryers, fridges, furniture and we will set up a barbecue or other things if the customer requests that.” Northern Hardware has three locations including a wholesale store and an appliance centre. The “showcase window” store on Third Ave. has everything from lighting, plumbing and electrical supplies, to sportsman’s gear, outdoor furniture, interior decor, seasonal items and kitchen ware on the main floor to a showroom upstairs filled with high end treasures from leather sofas and chairs to modern decor lamps, pillows, throws and other accessories, tables and chairs and beds. So Happy 95th Birthday Northern Hardware. Oh, and if you are celebrating their birthday or just enjoying an evening at home – they have candles in every size and colour too.

I am continually finding out all the many things my father did. - Kelly Green

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Allan WISHART/Outlook Acting chief librarian Janet Marren stands by the Aquascape, installed as part of the door when the Keith Gordon Room at the downtown branch was renovated.

here are a lot of changes coming to the Prince George Public llibrary ibra system in the next year, yye ear but there is one that sseems eem m to have staff most eexcited. xci “It sounds strange,” acting “I chief cch hiee librarian Janet Marren ssays, ayss “but we’re getting new washrooms. ” w ash SShe h and communications Andrea Palmer ccoordinator oor both bo b oth laugh at how thrilled tthey hey are with that news for tthe th he downtown branch. ““It’s I something we’ve needed n eed for a long time,” Marren says. “We’re makM ar in the whole library more ing in so making the aaccessible, cce washrooms accessible was a w ash big part of that.” b ig p The decision to add the T washrooms meant a lot to w ash tthe th he other changes being llooked lo ook at. meant we had to ““That T look llo ookk at a redesign of the main m ai floor,” Marren says, ““which wh will include an teen section.” eexpanded ex xp a The new look to the T CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

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March 2014

Read all about it lots of changes coming to P.G. public library downtown branch is just part of the changes the whole system is undergoing. “The biggest thing,” Marren says, “is the hiring of a new chief librarian, which we’re hoping to have done by April. We’ve also had lots of new staff with new ideas come on board.” Some of those new ideas will be seen later this year and into next, with a number of special events coming up. “We’re still preparing for our role with the Canada Winter Games next year as well as the city’s 100th birthday, and it’s also the library’s 60th anniversary in 2015.” Allan Wishart Initial plans for the Canada Winter Outlook 2014 Games have the library as a resource centre, with special areas set aside for the use of athletes and other team members. “We’ve had visits from people with the Canada Winter Games,” Marren says, “looking at what we have to offer, but nothing is settled yet.” Not all the new things at the libraries – the downtown branch and the Nechako branch on the Hart Highway – are coming from staff. “A lot of the new programs we’re developing are coming from the needs and wants of the community,” Marren says. “People are coming forward with ideas and our staff say, ‘That sounds like it would be really neat’, and they go ahead and do it.” One of the more noticeable changes at the downtown branch will be clearly visible from the outside: a new entrance. “We wanted to have a single entrance into the library,” Marren says. “We wanted it to more welcoming, feeling safe and secure. There will still be

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stairs, but they will be covered, as well as an elevator.” She says many of the changes in the redesign work into a changing public perception for the library. “We want people to see the library as a safe meeting place for everyone. It’s not just a place where you go to be taught. It’s a place you come to share ideas and learn from each other.” That same sense of belonging is also happening at the Nechako branch. “They’re starting a Conversation Cafe. It’s a place where they will have hot beverages and places to talk, just to pass some time. “A lot of the people up there already see the library as a meeting place, so this just reinforces that.” While the focus in the near future will be on the redesign of the main floor (including the washrooms), there has already been a lot of work started or completed recently. The Keith Gordon Room was completely renovated and fitted with a glass front (including an aquarium). Marren says it makes the room more inviting. “You see people going by when there’s something going on in the room, and they stop and watch. Sometimes they’ll even end up going in to take part.” As well, the Knowledge Garden between the library and the Civic Centre is nearing completion. “We’re ready to start planting as soon as we can,” Marren says. “We’ve received a lot of community support for the garden. People are taking a real interest in it. “We’re planning to do some of our programming out there this summer.”

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March 2014

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Mapping out our culture is what the Community Arts Council is doing The Prince George and District Community Arts Council has launched a cultural map for our region which provides a “live” comprehensive resource for all things arts and culture. ARTMAP.ca connects the dots between local artists, galleries, venues, suppliers, clubs, public artwork and events. People can access the map to find public art, visual artists, performance venues, art supplies, music teachers and more. It is a useful feature for local people but it could take on an even bigger role during the 2015 Canada Winter Games when visitors and participants may also want to tour the city and see everything Prince Teresa MALLAM George has to offer in the way of arts and Outlook 2014 culture. “This should be an invaluable tool for our community and for visitors,” said Wendy Young, the council’s executive director. “This will help them find any art genre they are looking for. It is a live document that can be added to and there is no cost factor to the artists. So people can look at that and contact them.” Karen Heathman is the creative force behind the ArtMap. “The council is undertaking an ambitious project to map all the cultural resources for our region. Creativity, culture and quality of place are important elements of a sustainable community. ARTMAP.ca will provide an essential tool for effectively leveraging our community’s existing cultural assets and will be valuable for planning cultural and economic development,” she said. “The cultural map will identify, classify and plot resources linked to our region’s creative sector. By sharing this inventory, we will be able to identify activities, strengthen our networks and spur creative collaboration between individuals, groups and organizations.”

P. ARTMAP. rca is an Internet-based d database and map that bincludes public art, visuall orrartists, perfortss, mance artists, venues, clubss rss. and suppliers. “We need w help to grow our cultural inventory,” said Heathu man. “If you ult lturall organization, organizati i tion a gallery, gall llery a supplier suppli lier to to the the arts arts t or if if you are are an artist, a ccultural involved with cultural events and spaces, we invite you to put yourself on our map by creating an online profile. Creating a profile is free, quick and easy.” For visual artists there are categories such as bead, clay, digital, fabric, leather, glass, precious metal, multimedia, wood, photography and graphic/web design. Performing artists will find categories in genres such as acting, dance, film, literature, writing, vocals and more. The project is being funded for the CAC through a project called BC Creative Communities with the Ministry of Community, Sports and Cultural Development.

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OUTLOOK - Prince George Free Press - Game Face On!

Canada’s green university celebrating its 25th birthday next year Community. Growth. Welcome. There are three axes of dark-grey bricks intersectct-ing in the centre of the Agora Courtyard of the UniUn ni-versity of Northern British Columbia. They are not ot there by accident, says Tracy Summerville, the chair airr of the steering committee overseeing the upcoming ng 25th anniversary celebrations. “The idea ea came from m Allan Wishart the late Paul au ul Outlook 2014 Zanette, w who ho o was from Prince George, and was working as an architect att a firm in Boston. That firm was chosen to design the he original master plan, and Paul basically said, ‘I’ll d do o it. I know Prince George quite well’.” One of the key components to the plan was the three axes. “The ‘welcome’ axis is the first one people find when they come to UNBC,” Summerville says. “It’s t’’s the one you drive in on, and it points to the academic heart of the school, the library.” The ‘growth’ axis is the one along which most off the growth of UNBC has taken place, and as for the ‘community’ axis . . .

Photo courtesy of UNBC Members of the steering committee for UNBC’s 25th anniversary decided some fresh air might stimulate thinking. They include Erik Jensen, back left, Rob van Adrichem, Katherine Scouten, Tracy Summerville, Troy Hanschen, Theo Kunkel and Titi Kunkel. Missing (and probably staying warm) are Caroline Sewell and Tina Gallanders.

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“It celebrates the connectivity of the university to the city and to the region. It leads from the courtyard to the lookout point, overlooking the bowl. “It ties the school and the community together.” Celebrating that connectivity is what the anniversary committee wants to do, and Summerville says there are two components they’re looking at. “The first component is looking back over 25 years of UNBC. We want to hear from people about what the impact of the school has been, not just on Prince George, but across northern B.C. Our regional campuses will be participating in the events we plan.” As well as celebrating the past, the committee is looking at ways to celebrate the future. “What will the next 25 years look like? We want to get ideas from people on what the future of UNBC and northern B.C. looks like.” The celebration is scheduled to run from September of this year until June of 2015, with the major ‘party’ being at the end of the celebration. “That covers the official creation of UNBC in 1990 by the Government of B.C. It also runs, basically, through the next school year, so we can involve the students in a lot of the events.” Part of that involvement will be for first-year students in September. “We have a new program this year for the first-year students. Rob van Adrichem (vice-president of external relations and UNBC alumnus) will take them to the axes and tell them the story of what it all means.” Summerville says UNBC’s designation as Canada’s Green University will also take on new meaning during the 25th anniversary celebrations. “It’s a GREEN university, which stands for growth, renewal, engagement, energy and nature. That concept of GREEN can mean whatever people want it to be. “For some people, it may be the bioenergy plant we have on campus; for other, it may be the energy of creativity we have here.” That energy will also flow out from UNBC to the city as a whole for other events, she says. “It’s just such a celebratory year in 2015 here. We have our 25th anniversary, the city celebrates its centennial, and we have the Canada Winter Games here. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

OUTLOOK - Prince George Free Press - Game Face On!

March 2014

Look up, look way, way up it’s the tallest wood building in the land

he downtown Prince George landscape has certainly taken on a different look. Gone is the old Prince George Hotel and rising up in its place is the Wood Innovation and Design Centre, the tallest wood structure

in the land. The controversial project was in the throne speech three times before work actually began and is still the subject of ongoing litigation between two local developers, but the big red crane is busy hoisting glulam columns and beams, cross-laminated timber and laminated veneer lumber into place. All are produced in B.C. Bill Phillips With much of the building currently wrapped to protect it, and workers, from Outlook 2014 the elements, it is beginning to take shape. At 29.25 metres high, it will be slightly taller than the Ramada, directly across the street. It incorporates a structural system that uses wood products manufactured and engineered in B.C. The 4,600-square-metre building will be six storeys tall and is made up of 1,846 cubic metres of wood. The only concrete will be on the base. “This is an extraordinarily unique building,” said architect Michael Green. “It’s really a first of its kind in the world.” What makes it unique, he said, is that it is a new way of building. “These new products that we’re looking at, allows us to build much bigger buildings than we’ve ever built before in wood, taller buildings,” he said. “Because the material is glued together, it just allows us to build in this unique way fairly quickly.”

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A lot of the wood be in the building will be exposed. The most complexx z-levels (first and mezzanine) have been completed, and this ree ee includes the first three levels of the building core. The core iss ainstalled in two sepacrate three-storey sections. The building will itiiees house research facilities and classroom spacee for the University off Architect Michael Green Northern BC’s new grams iin n wood d en gineeri i ing and d science, sciience and and d office space for for masters degree programs engineering industry organizations. As such, the WIDC will be a meeting place for researchers, design professionals, product manufacturers, contractors and others to generate ideas for innovative uses of wood. “It’s on time and on budget,” said Jobs Minister Shirley Bond. Victoria has put $25.1 million in the project, saying it will create 250 new jobs during the life of the project. “For me, that’s a big win for Prince George and for the province,” she said.

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March 2014

WELCOME TO

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Walk into any Integris Credit Union branch and you will feel something … different. Staff are enthusiastic about their work! They are motivated and empowered to assist Integris Members build their wealth, and are optimistic as we move into the future of North-Central British Columbia!

services - banking, insurance and financial planning for both personal and business – into one compelling, local package. For our Personal Members, our ultimate priority is to build your wealth by providing the best service and expertise in the industry. We understand wealth is defined differently by people depending on their stage of life. We ask the question, “What does wealth mean to you?”, and then we find the answer together. We are dedicated to your pursuit

“Isn’t it Time to Experience the Integris Advantage?” of wealth, not our own. The Integris Advantage means that we create a complete plan in concert with you to ensure that all aspects of your financial life are covered. But Integris would not feel this way if Staff were not equipped with the right tools. Integris’ founders – your friends and neighbours – knew that to compete with the big banks, established insurance agencies and opportunistic investment firms, Integris needed to offer something special... Something the others did not have and could not get. We have come to know this as the Integris Advantage. It is simple: we’ve combined the full spectrum of financial

I feel as though Integris Credit Union is so in touch with the region that partnering with them can only strengthen my business. As a Member, I feel that Integris has a certain ﬂexibility not available at other institutions and it is clear that they understand the needs of business in Northern BC.” - Aron Alexander, EVOLVE Bike, Board and Ski

For our Business Members, we apply the same philosophy. We get to know you, your business and your industry. From there, we identify ways to leverage the Integris Advantage – our integrated approach to business banking, business insurance, and group health beneﬁts. This will improve the bottom line of your business and protect your most important asset – your people. Our Commercial Services Team is in business to help you build yours.

Integris is in the well-being business. Since 2005, Integris has invested over $2 million in our communities in support of youth & seniors, recreation, a clean environment, healthcare, arts & culture, sports, charitable organizations - just to name a few. We truly stand by the saying “people before proﬁt”. For us, it’s about enhancing quality of life by enriching our communities and building this region we call home. That is why we say, ‘Welcome to Integris Credit Union Country!’ If you’re looking for excellence, look no further! Integris was named Community Booster of the Year (2011), Corporate Citizen of the Year (2012) and Business of the Year (2013) by the Prince George Chamber of Commerce. We have also won the Service Excellence Award twice (2009, 2013). Isn’t it time to Experience the Integris Advantage?!

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March 2014

WELCOME TO

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OUTLOOK - Prince George Free Press - Game Face On!

Serving city for 50 years The YMCA of Northern B.C. is planning a party

or Norm Schmitz, the purpose of the YMCA of Northern BC was seen during a recent visit. “It’s the diversity of the people you see there,” says the long-time member. “I saw a couple of older ladies coming down one side of the ramp, and running up the other side were the kids in child care. The Y is servicing everybody. “It’s great to be a part of.” It’s a formula the YMCA has been using in Prince George for 50 years, and CEO Amanda Alexander says there are plans for a party. Allan Wishart “The tentative birthday party date is in Outlook 2014 December, but we’re still just in the planning stages. We’re looking at having a 50/50 draw, a lip-sync contest which will be run through Childcare, a display on fitness through the ages, and more.” She says there will also be the chance to become just another brick in the wall. “It’s one of the problems of being in a building that’s 40 years old, things start to need replacing. We have a wall in one of the gyms that we want to replace, so we’re giving people the chance to buy a brick in the wall, which would then have their name on it when the new wall goes up.” Someone who saw the Y building on Massey Drive when it first opened in 1971 probably wouldn’t recognize it today. “There has been a fair bit added on,” Alexander says. “One of the other things we’re looking at having to replace in the near future is the boiler. It’s being asked to do a lot more than it was when the place opened.” Schmitz was a member of the Y’s Men’s Club, which was a fundraising group

(“like a Rotary chapter”), and they came up with the idea of getting a Y established in Prince George. That first YM-YWCA was officially incorporated in 1964, although the first office didn’t open until 1967. “We were still looking for ways to raise funds for the Y then,” Schmitz says, “and walkathons were a fairly new idea then, so we started one up. We ran it for the first three years, raised about $100,000, then turned it over to the Y to run on its own.” The Y’s Men’s Club stayed around for a few more years, then disbanded when it was clear the local Y could make its own way. “We gave them the bell we used to use at our meetings, and I know they still bring it out for some of the big events they have.” Schmitz joined the Y in 1980, but says he didn’t set foot in the Y building for a few years. “When I started, they had aerobics classes at the old Civic Centre downtown, and then they used the basement at the Inn of the North. “It was probably four or five years before I actually stepped into the building.” And after he set foot in there, it was tough to get him out. “Just going to the facility got me more involved with the programs, and then they asked me if I wanted to sit on the board of directors as treasurer.” It was a position he held for 13 years, and, like most other groups in Prince George in those days, “we had our highs and lows financially”. And things may be coming full circle. Just as it took Schmitz a number of years to go to the Y building after becoming a member, now the YMCA of Northern BC is looking to take things outside the main location, according to Alexander.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

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OUTLOOK - Prince George g Free Press - Game Face On!

March 2014

FROM PAGE 20 â€œWe want to take fitness beyond the walls ls of Massey,â€? she says. â€œWe want to support th the he community in different ways. That may bee doing field trips for schools that have an active ctiv ivve component, we may do corporate wellnesss pr preree-sentations.â€? And they are also taking their name to heart. heeart r t. â€œWe launched a new childcare program in in Vanderhoof last year, and thatâ€™s something w wee hope to continue with across the region.â€? She says all Yâ€™s have committed to meeting in ng specific child-protection standards. â€œWe feel strongly that all children should d be be safe at all YMCAs.â€? Alexander also got a taste for what the Y does beyond the gym, when she took part in n the annual Strong Kids Challenge. â€œI was playing Bingo with the residents att Simon Fraser Lodge, making cookies at Youth ou uth Around Prince, playing pickleball.â€? Taking part in events like these, which scored her points in the challenge, wasnâ€™t al all ll fun and games. â€œItâ€™s given me a new perspective on whatt kind of work goes in to keeping the facilityy running. â€œI was cleaning treadmills, and I was thinknking, â€˜How many pieces does this thing havee that need to be cleaned?â€™ â€œAnd then you realize thatâ€™s something that hat needs to be done on a regular basis, and you ou multiply it by the number of treadmills wee Allan WISHART/Outlook have, and multiply that by the number of Y Yâ€™sâ€™ss YMCA of Northern BC CEO Amanda Alexander holds a bell donated to the group by the Yâ€™s Menâ€™s Club across Canada. Itâ€™s a lot of work.â€? when it disbanded. The club had been a fundraising organization for the local Y for a number of years.

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March 2014

Canadian Home Builders’ Association of Northern B.C., an Association of Professionals Since 1943, the Canadian Home Builders’ Association has been “the voice of Canada’s residential construction industry”—one of the most vital and enterprising industries in Canada. Representing more than 8,000 member firms across Canada, CHBA members come from every area of Canada’s housing industry new home builders, renovators, land developers, trade contractors, product and material manufacturers, building product suppliers, lending institutions, insurance providers, service professionals and others. The Canadian Home Builders’ Association is built on a vision and commitment - a vision of a strong and positive role for the housing industry, and a commitment to support the business success of our members and their ability to provide affordability, quality and choice for consumers.

Our activities are focused on three key areas: Achieving a stable business environment for our members. The CHBA is committed to a fair and competitive marketplace, where all members have the opportunity to operate their business profitably. Promoting and protecting the interests of consumers. The CHBA believes that all Canadians have the right to decent, safe and appropriate housing. We also believe that all Canadians have the right to a reasonable opportunity to own a home. Supporting the professionalism of our members. Skills, experience and integrity are the cornerstones of professionalism. CHBA provides members with opportunities to learn, grow and take pride in what they do. We believe that the CHBA logo is the sign of Canada’s home building professionals.

What We Do For Members The Canadian Home Builders’ Association exists to serve the interests of our industry and to help our members succeed and prosper. In a constantly evolving business environment, the CHBA is the industry’s agent for positive change. We keep a constant eye on the regulatory environment and the marketplace. We develop clear, practical positions on issues that matter to the industry and our consumers. We make sure that our voice is heard, loud and clear, and that we reach and influence decision-makers at all levels of government. Here are some of the issues we are working on, on behalf of our members: • Taxation reform • Regulatory reform • Housing finance • Housing affordability • Infrastructure financing • Builder liability

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March 2014

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Getting our centennial with a unique â€˜history bookâ€™ for the future

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committee and he was happy to team up with the museum in order to use the best available technology to get the message out about Prince George and its history and its people. â€œItâ€™s really important to acknowledge, first off that the First Nations people were here first and when European settlers came this was sort of the bush, so weâ€™ve really come a long ways,â€? said the five-term Prince George city councillor. â€œWhen you look at where we started and where we are today with the university, a major health centre and all the facilities that we have weâ€™ve come a long way and I think we need to be proud of it.â€? The Lheidli Tâ€™enneh have also had input into the database and are working with the 100th anniversary committee. Krause, with a family history in the Prince George area that dates back to his great-grandparentsâ€™ arrival in Saxton Lake, said heâ€™s interested to learn about

Did you know?

The Prince George Montessori Education Society offers education programs for ages ranging from pre-school to high school. The Montessori Child Care Centre and Early Learning Centre offer affordable fees and Ă exible class times. Prince Georgeâ€™s Montessori elementary school and high school programs are public choice programs offered at no cost to parents. There are no monthly fees to attend a Montessori school in Prince George. Prince George Montessori teachers follow the B.C. curriculum established by the Ministry of Education taught within the context of the Montessori philosophy. For more information about Montessoriâ€™s unique, hands-on approach to learning, please visit www.pgmontessori.ca or contact Shelley Bond at 250-562-6560.

The Ă€rst duty of an education is to stir up life but leave it free to develop. - Maria Montessori

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Members of the 100th anniversary committee of Prince George are looking to trace the history of the city and its people to have a permanent record before the cityâ€™s century celebration on March 6, 2015. In order to achieve the monumental task of discovering the stories of the peoples of Prince George, Tracy Calogheros, CEO of Exploration Place Museum and Science Centre, and her team have Sheri Lamb made their database of more than 300,000 photographs interactive online so people Outlook 2014 can share their stories of coming to and living in the city. Calogheros said itâ€™s like writing a history book of Prince George for future generations. Due to a fire in the 1970s many of the historical artifacts at the museum were lost. Many of the photos in the current database are of unknown people and Calogheros is hoping to identify them through friends and family who visit the website. â€œWe have an awful lot of documents and photos where we donâ€™t know whoâ€™s in them or what theyâ€™re about and we have only limited information around them,â€? said Calogheros during a press conference March 6 for the launch of the publicâ€™s access to the website. â€œThe goal is to deepen our own collection and strengthen our own knowledge of our pioneers and our innovators and to really make sure thatâ€™s captured and expanded on.â€? The cost of the upgrade to the museumâ€™s database for the online project was about $40,000. Prince George Coun. Murry Krause is the head of the cityâ€™s 100th anniversary

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March 2014

FROM PAGE 24 peoples stories and how they came to reside in Prince George. “I think too often we have been too self-deprecating and d I think it’s really important to o acknowledge that we have lots tss to be proud of and to say it out ut loud,” said Krause. Anyone who wants to add their input to the database just st needs to visit the museum’s webpage (www.explorationplace.com), click on the collections link at the top of the th he main page and, once they’re redirected, click on the search h database option. Calogheros said once userss have created their account it’ss a simple exercise and they’ll b bee able to make comments, sharee information and tweet. Once people have created an account they will be able to o post their stories in the database, which will then be vetted ed d by museum personnel for conntent and if deemed acceptablee posted online. “I’m really hopeful that it will willl get so much use and be so busy ussy that I’ll need a full-time person on to man it,” she said.

Sheri LAMB/Outlook Amanda Tisseur, deputy director of Exploration Place Museum and Science Centre, demonstrates how users can add information to the database on the history of Prince George as museum CEO Tracy Calogheros introduces the project on the morning of March 6.

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March 2014

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March 2014

The rise of wood pellets Pinnacle Renewable Energy at the leading edge

t wasnâ€™t too long ago the idea of producing wood pellets and exporting them wasnâ€™t a mainstream idea. With humble beginnings in B.C.â€™s interior, the industry is now a fullfledged industry. If you drive from Williams Lake up to Prince George and west to Prince Rupert, you wonâ€™t go much farther than 100 kilometres or so before encountering another pellet plant. There are a couple of key elements in the success of the industry, Pinnacle Renewable Energy President and COO Leroy Reitsma told the crowd at the Premierâ€™s Natural Resources Forum in Prince cee Bill Phillips George in January â€Ś access to fibre and a Outlook 2014 solid transportation network. â€œWe had to invest heavily in infrastructure, rail cars, port facilities,â€? he said. â€œWhat needs to flow through that network is product.â€? One of the things Pinnacle has done to try and expand its fibre available is diversify its ability to process wood. The company, in 2009, started processing â€œharvest residual,â€? which is wood left over in cutblocks after traditional logging has gone through. Itâ€™s not an easy task. â€œYou can imagine the effort that a button-top operator has to go through to disassemble that pile of pick-up sticks,â€? he said. â€œWhile it worked, it was not efficient and not well planned.â€? They got to work to try and come up with a better way. One way was to have the loggers, when dealing with the timber originally, sort the smaller ends for Pinnacle while sorting the sawlogs. â€œItâ€™s a much better plan,â€? he said. The companyâ€™s fibre basically comes from the residual they get from the saw-

mills, miill m mil lls, lls s, the tth he harvest he h haarv arve ar vest st rres residual, essid id du ual,l, and ua ual and nd standing sstta tand ndi din ing timber. timb ti mber mber er. r. â€œIn this province today, there is basically eight million cubic metres of volume that is biomass,â€? he said. In terms of what Pinnacle needs, thatâ€™s 4,000 years of production. Thereâ€™s lots there, but the question is how to get to it economically and to ensure that the pellet industry has access. â€œWe have to have revised vehicles that donâ€™t focus on sawlog, but focus on biomass as the outcome, sawlog being incidental to that process,â€? he said. â€œThat going mean changes in the way we look at silviculture, forest management, annual rent, because this is our shock absorber. When the industry is our primary supplier, the sawmill industry, goes through dips, we need to have a mechanism to fill that void and keep our commitments to our customers.â€? The industry, like most others in the North when it comes to filling positions, is finding itâ€™s tough. â€œItâ€™s challenging to find talent,â€? he said. â€œAs we contemplate more and more economic activity, we have to concentrate on growing northern communities.â€?

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March 2014

Singing their hearts out

hey aren’t as famous as touring youth choirs and it’s never been as dramatic during rehearsals as it is on episodes of Glee but seniors with Forever Young Chorus are having the time of their lives exercising their vocals. Andrea McKenzie, 94, joined the choir 25 years ago when it was just starting out. She took a break during rehearsals at Elder Citizens Recreation Centre for their Over the Bounding Main to talk with Outlook. “When we started out we were known as the Rainbow Singers, with just eight women. We used to sing mostly what Teresa Mallam they call ‘oldies but goldies’ songs and we Outlook 2014 would sing at nursing and convalescent homes, schools, the local hospital, at community events – really anywhere people would ask us to come and sing.” Singing talent and experience singing in public was always welcome but no special vocal training was required, she said. “If you liked to sing, then you could join and sing with us. That’s all you needed.

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“We came up with a special team of singers from our choir to do the shows – like this one [Over the Bounding Main] but really just the desire to sing was all you needed. We have a lot of retired teachers, secretaries and nurses in the choir.” As the years passed, and ECRA expanded, renovated and revitalized their building on Tenth Avenue to include a new stage with curtain, theatre room, changing rooms and a space for the audience, the senior drama and choir members had a chance to spread their wings. The Forever Young Chorus now includes men, and the shows get bigger and bigger with the group looking very impressive, often in same colour outfits and taking up three or four rows on stage when they sing as an ensemble. The choir truly does keep its senior members “forever young” in mind, spirit and body, says McKenzie, looking up to see male vocalists from the choir singing a rollicking, high-energy version of A Pirates Life For Me. “We really love what we do, going out into the community and performing at seniors teas and the like, we like to spread the joy of singing that is so close to our hearts.”

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March 2014

Hotel resurgence in city as Delta Prince George under construction It’s one of the city’s largest privately funded developments. Ground was broken last November on the new $35 million Delta Prince George hotel, adjacent to the library downtown. “This project, right here, we couldn’t be more proud of,” said Delta Hotels’ president and CEO Ken Greene. “It will create more than 100 jobs ob bs … This project really represents all the things that Delta’s doing. We aree transforming our brand to be the best, four star, full service, upscale hotel ottel in all of Canada.” He said the hotel will embody Bill Phillips the new design of all Delta hotelss Outlook 2014 in that all 170 rooms will be techhnologically enabled. It will have a full-service restaurant and lounge, a fitness centre, heated indoor pool, and 7,000 square feet of meeting space including a 4,000-square-foot ballroom. “All the ingredients for success are here,” he said. Delta Prince George is owned and being developed by River City Hotel tell Bill PHILLIPS/Outlook Management Corporation, and will be managed by Delta Hotels and Delta Hotels president and CEO Ken Greene. Resorts. Over 15 months of construction, there will be an average of 120 200 construction jobs. D ltaa Hotels De Hote Ho tels ls aand nd R Res e orts currently currre rent ntly ly has ha n in ne pr p op perties iin n Br Brit itish Columb mbia Delta Resorts nine properties British Columbia Clint Dahl, of River City Hotel Management Corp., said the project, which hi h gott d 42 properties i across C d and Canada. its start about three years ago, took a lot of grit and determination. The hotel development marks somewhat of a resurgence of hotels in Prince “It’s going to be an awesome thing for 2015 to showcase (the city’s) 100th anni- George in the past few years with the Ramada Inn and Coast Inn of the North versary,” said Dahl. “… This is a significant private investment into the heart of both undergoing extensive renovations, the Sandman Signature Suites hotel Prince George that speaks volumes to the confidence the proponents have on our opening on Highway 16, and reports that the Days Inn is becoming a Holiday city and the region.” Inn.

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DBIA gears up for Games and a whole lot more in downtown core Carla Johnston has fond memories of being raised in Prince George, buying her school supplies at SpeeDee Printers, enjoying birthday dinners out at The Keg, and choosing new skates at Northern Hardware. “I’m very passionate about the downtown,” she told Outlook. Indeed her passion for the downtown has only grown over the years and now she will be able to put her own stamp on it as she realizes some of her dreams for making it an even better place to live and work. In November, she accepted the job as executive director of the Prince George Downtown Prince George Business Teresa MALLAM Improvement Association (DBIA). Even Outlook 2014 before that, she saw that the downtown badly needed a facelift. “I was so disappointed to see what the downtown had become, especially on George Street where there was open drug dealing, open prostitution and open gunfire. It really needed some attention.” As part of her work, Johnston regularly talks finances, meets with, and makes plans with individuals and groups that can help realize the DBIA’s vision of a more beautiful, dynamic and revitalized downtown. She works with groups such as the City, IPG and policing to make sure issues like graffiti on buildings and businesses are addressed. Other issues include parking policies and changes, and projects like hanging baskets, business facade improvements and planning for downtown art displays remain a priority. “They provide the infrastructure, my job is to build it up,” she says. She also plans for events and shopping promotions that draw attention to the downtown and encourage people to enjoy what it has to offer. And she keeps in touch with people’s wants and needs through their membership, website, social

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media and media outlets. ns Summerfest remains the “flagship” event of the DBIA. Now in its fourth year, it has become a widely fu ul popular and successful event, she says. “Even in torrential rains (like we had Teresa MALLAM/Outlook last year), people stilll DBIA executive director Carla Johnston ne came out and they line i and d really ll enjoy j it. i Summerfest S f has h bbecome really ll popuup for the food pavilion lar and one of my personal favourite downtown events.” With the 2015 Canada Winter Games only one year away, there is another huge component added to Johnston’s already big job. “We want to give all the business owners the heads-up about what they can expect and be prepared for. We’ll be helping them with business readiness – what happens if 100 people are lined up outside the [restaurant] door, is there enough food, staff, etc. to handle it – and so things like service and supply.” Sponsorship, volunteering, arts and culture, as it relates to things like the opening ceremonies and VIPs, and medals protocols are all things that need to be planned for and organized, she said. The downtown effectively becomes the Games Village in 2015, a venue where

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FROM PAGE 30 downtown leaders will host a party for 18 days. It will be an exciting and colourful time and a per-fect opportunity to shinee light on the downtown, Johnston said. “There will be carvers doing their thing outside, poets in the bookstores, and buskers in the streets. The Gamess organizers will be bringing in artists to play at venues and they will be putting up banners and we will be planning whatt is happening block by block. It’s going to be a big exercise.” And shhh ... it might be a secret, but if Johnston has her way, the fun and excitement and exhilaration will keep on n long past the 2015 Canada Winter Games. “Just like Summerfest ... I am hoping we can leverage the Games and have a Winterfest every year in downtown Princee George.”

File photo One of the most popular events in the summer in Prince George is the DBIA’s Summerfest.

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Chamber burns bright by saving businesses some energy costs A considerable milestone in business energy savings was recently achieved in Central British Columbia: a total of onee million kWh (kilowatt-hours) in electricity savings was real-ized among 70 regional businesses participating in the Prov-ince of B.C.’s LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program. Since January 2011, the LiveSmart BC: Small Business Proogram has been delivered within the Cariboo Development Region by a full time Business Energy Advisor on staff at thee Prince George Chamber of Commerce. With only three per cent of all B.C, small businesses located within this region, engagement among Cariboo businesses has been significantly ly high. Thirteen per cent of total energy saved by businesses that have worked with a Business Energy Advisor has been in n central B.C. With colder climates and shorter daylight hours during winter months, small businesses in central and northern B.C. C. have considerable energy challenges compared to their moree southern counterparts, and so have the potential to benefit significantly from improving their energy efficiency. Sorin Pasca, Business Energy Advisor for the LiveSmart Cariboo Development Region, stated: “One million kWh File Photo annual savings between 70 businesses might not seem like Sorin Pasca conducts an energy audit at a Prince George business. very much; it’s about $100,000 back in their pockets for this past year. But it’s going to be another $100,000 next year and their energy consumption while saving money with free energy-efficiency advice, $100,000 again the year after and so on for many years to come.” improved access to incentives, and help connecting with contractors to complete The LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program helps eligible businesses reduce upgrades.

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March 2014

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UNBC enjoying CIS status

fter two seasons as a member of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), the UNBC Timberwolves are right where they figured they would be. That’s the word from athletic director Loralyn Murdoch, who is finishing her first year in the position after being the head coach of the women’s basketball team. “We have the final Canada West vote coming up in May,” she said, “so that’s what we’re working on right now. The teams are getting ingg be in bett better, tter er,, we we’re re gr ggrowing owin ow ingg in Allan Wishart ability and suppOutlook 2014 port from the students and the community. “It’s going to take time and support for us to compete at the highest level.” Murcoch was appointed to the athletic director’s position in 2013 after coaching the women’s basketball alll team since it started in 1997. “It really broadened my perspectives,” she said of her first year in the new role. “I’d been focused on thee women’s basketball program for so long, it was quite a change.” alll And while learning more about the men’s basketball lay di did d take takke some ti time team wasn’t hard, the other sport the Timberwolves pl play “I’ve never spent so much time on soccer fields as I did this season,” she says with a laugh. “I played some when I was growing up, but I was never really involved with it.” She talked to men’s coach Alan Alderson and women’s coach Andy Cameron a lot. “I talked to them about what it had been like for them during the first year in

CIS.” For both coaches, it was their first year at UNBC, since CIS regulations mandated full-time coaches for all sports. “We looked at where the teams had been in the past and where they saw them going forward. “I saw a lot of similarities to what I had gone through in building a program.” With Sergey Shchepotkin stepping in to Murdoch’s former position as the women’s basketball coach, men’s coach Todd Jordan was definitely the veteran on thee staff. th staf st afff. “All the coaches have their offices at the NSC ((Northern Sport Centre), and they seem to have a ggood rapport. Todd has been able to help the others b because he knows more about UNBC and Prince G George.” As for Murdoch’s new office . . . “My own office now isn’t at the NSC, but I spent aas much time as I could with the coaches and the aathletes. I like working with that age group of athlletes, between about 18 and 25. “This year, now that I’m more comfortable in my n new role, I’m hoping to be able to spend even more ttime over there.” For now, she says, the program at UNBC will stick with ith basketball baskketb tball ll and d soccer. soccer “We’re in it to be the best we can be, so we’ll focus on these two sports. “If, in the future, there is a chance to expand, we will look at it and plan accordingly.” So there won’t be a CIS volleyball program at UNBC in September? Murdoch laughs. “No. We definitely would need more planning than that.”

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t can be a long road tto o get to the 2015 Canada Winter Games. Years of training and practice, moving up through the ranks in your chosen sport, trying to get the chance to compete at thee highest national level. And then sometimes “the long road” is more literal. Just ask Sydney Irving and Justine Lamothe. The two Prince George ringette players will be travelling to Ottawa to try and become part of Team BC, which willl be at the Canada Winter Games next year – in Princee George. Irving laughs when asked about the trip to Ottawa. “It is a long way to go,” shee said. “I think they want to see eee how we play under pressure..” The tournament will be on n the May long weekend, and sees Team BC taking on the Allan WISHART/Outlook best of the other provinces. Sydney Irving, left, and Justine Lamothe are After that, Irving says, thee two Prince George ringette players who are final selections for Team BC C hoping to be part of Team BC for the 2015 Canada Winter Games. will probably be made. “We’ll be getting together about once a month between then and the Games,” she says. “I think a couple of those times. we’ll be in Prince George, getting used to the ice here.” Irving played ringette for six years before taking a three-year break to play hockey. “I wanted to try something new,” she says, “but last year, I really found myself missing ringette, so I came back.” Irving and Lamothe have spent a lot of time this year on the same forward line. Lamothe, who’s been playing ringette for 10 years, says she got into it for a simple reason. “A lot of my friends were playing it. I like that it’s a team sport.” Part of that is because of the rules which require the ring to be passed across both blue lines when a team is on the Allan Wishart attack. It’s a rule some hockey players have Outlook 2014 a bit of trouble with – but it’s not the one they seem to have the most trouble with, Irving says. “We played a game against some of the Spruce Kings a while ago. It was a lot of fun. They seemed to catch on to the idea of having to pass over the blue lines pretty quick, but they had some problems remembering they couldn’t touch the ring when it was in the crease.” That rule applies to both teams, with the goaltender being the only person allowed to play the ring when it enters the crease. They then have five seconds to play it away, usually by throwing it to a teammate. The emphasis on team play surfaces again when the two Prince George players are asked about what they see as their strong points on the ice. “Making plays in the offensive end,” Irving says after thinking about it for a few seconds. “I think I’m a pretty good passer, and I’m always looking for my teammates.” Lamothe also has to think for a couple of seconds before answering. “I’m a hard worker, I guess. I never give up on a play at either end.” For both of them, the chance to play for Team BC on their home ice sounds like a great idea. “It would be so cool to play here,” Lamothe says, “with our friends and family in the stands.” Irving agrees. “It would be exciting to be playing here. It would be kind of different, not having to travel to the tournament.”

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Making changes at Two Rivers When one thinks of Two Rivers Gallery one imagines the wonderful architecture, thoughtful exhibitions of contemporary art, unique gift shop and exciting classes for all ages. One doesn’t think of electronics, 3D printing, woodworking and tool sharpening. Yet in late 2013 Two Rivers Gallery introduced a new program, MakerLab 2RG, welcoming a new category of creative people and changing the gallery’s role in our community. Prince George is full of people with a passion for making things; creative folk working in isolation in their studios, shops, kitchens or garages. MakerLab 2RG and Two Rivers Gallery are bringing those people together where they can share tools, knowledge and ideas. Makerspaces are cooperative community spaces found in schools, libraries or industrial buildings, but not often in art galleries. However, Director of Public Programs Carolyn Holmes believes a Makerspace couldn’t have found a more perfect home. “Two Rivers Gallery is all about lifelong learning and it is our goal to encourage creativity in our region. Creativity isn’t just about painting and drawing, it is about experimenting with materials, playing with ideas, collaboration and innovation – that is what MakerLab 2RG is all about.” Each Thursday the gallery rolls the MakerLab out of its studio home and converts the entire upstairs Atrium into a lab. After school they welcome kids ages 9 to 13 to the Youth MakerLab where the young Makers are introduced to new technologies, traditional tools and lots of fun. The youth have worked with metal, built zip lines, tinkered with simple electronics, learned about 3D printing, and created costumes. From 5-9 p.m. teens and adults are invited to join the mix for Open Make Night. Individuals may bring a project to work on in the company of others or try their hand at one of the MakerLab projects. Whether they are interested in art, engineering, crafting or technology, people will find projects, tools and company to match their interests. In addition to Open Make Nights the Gallery offers a variety of Maker workshops facilitated by Mentors, the name for Makers who

have a skill to share. MakerLab workshops include everything from vermicomposting to making silver bangles and from hair cutting to an introduction to Arduino computers. The workshops are offered at a low cost as an introductory session that will teach some basic skills and get the students started so they can come back and explore more on their own. MakerLab Coordinator Kathleen Angelski explains that the MakerLab has become “a community creative space for people to meet up, hang out, share skills, ideas, and make all sorts of different things. It’s like a potluck; everyone brings something unique in terms of their knowledge, interests and background, and when you put all that on the table the range of possibilities becomes exponential.” StartUp PG gathers on the second Open Make Night of each month for their monthly Meet-Up and the local Wood Turners’ Guild hosts its monthly meetings at the MakerLab. It has only been a few months and already MakerLab 2RG is attracting a new kind of gallery visitor. On any given evening the Lab is home to couples on dates, a group of techie young men playing with 3D printers, teens and their parents “checking things out”, and friends making things together. The momentum will continue this spring with a planning session gathering people who are interested in building a solar vehicle, fly tying classes, a “ReMake it” challenge, and more. Two Rivers Gallery is collaborating with community partners to plan a Mini Maker Faire on Sept. 20 marking the one-year anniversary of the MakerLab 2RG. The original Maker Faire event was organized by the group behind MAKE Magazine in 2006 and by 2013 98 independently-produced Mini and Featured Maker Faires occurred around the world, including Tokyo, Rome, Santiago, and Oslo. Billed as “the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth—a family-friendly festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement.” It will be great to see how the MakerLab and the Maker movement evolve in Prince George.

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