Prince George Citizen February 12, 2019 by Prince George Citizen

Tuesday, February 12, 2019 | Your community newspaper since 1916

Downtown Winterfest celebrates the North Christine HINZMANN Citizen staff chinzmann@pgcitizen.ca There were smiles throughout Canada Games Plaza in the heart of Prince George Sunday during the third annual Downtown Winterfest that despite frigid temperatures saw hundreds in attendance. With his dad holding on tight a toddler sporting reflective sunglasses fit over her wooly tuque proudly took the lead on the Cottonwood Express mini rail train as it zipped along the tracks. Bright white hair peeked from underneath a faux fur cartoon fox hat and scarf combination sitting atop a senior’s head as she braced herself for the chilly, yet super-sunny day. The trend saw at least a dozen others donning cats, wolves, foxes and even a blue minion hat scarf combo as people tried to stay warm as they explored the many outdoor Winterfest activities. A family left the stroller and bundled the children into a sled instead, while two grown men decided to get down while DJ Ant played that funky music. GoodLife Fitness instructors encouraged many to Zumba their way to warmth, while others took a more traditional route and sipped on coffee, hot chocolate or indulged in a hot dog, fries, poutine or s’mores offered up at food trucks and outdoor booths. The Northern Capitals female hockey team took to the street at about noon to play a friendly game with anyone who was willing to pick up a stick and shoot the puck. “We know it’s chilly but Prince George is full of hearty people and they just had to come out and have some fun because this is a fun way to celebrate winter,” Colleen Van Mook, executive director for Downtown Prince George, said. Over at Community Foundation Park beside the Four Seasons Pool there were two big ice slides and several smaller ones, including one that was built inside a giant whale spouting snow that found many small children laughing as they whooshed through it. The snow wall featured cutouts of people frozen in action that offered a chance for those in attendance to try to fit

CITIZEN PHOTO BY JAMES DOYLE

The Central BC Railway and Forestry Museum provided miniature train rides on Sunday at Canada Games Plaza as part of Downtown Winterfest. themselves into different poses including one interesting shape in particular where the arms were far flung and the left leg was flexed at a jaunty devil-may-care angle. Many were smilingly successful in their efforts to fit their bodies to that one. Inside the Civic Centre was the Winter Market that saw many vendors selling their wares and non-profits raising awareness and funds for their causes. Matt Hutcheon, who attended the event with his daughter Erica, 7, said his family attends many events held in Prince George. “For us it’s just a way to feel connected to the rest of the community and when you live in a northern climate you do your best

to celebrate it,” Hutcheon said. “I think this event is brilliant. We’ve gone to it the last couple of years and we have a chance to bundle up in layers and get out and embrace the climate that we live in and it’s great.” Hutcheon had come in from the cold to explore the market with Erica after she had taken several turns on the ice slides and played street hockey. “The big slides were the best because they were super fast,” Erica said, holding a stuffed pink rabbit. Bun-Bun was the newto-her prize she got when Hutcheon gave a donation to the Thrifty Friends Society, which in turn offered Erica a chance to spin

the wheel for a prize. Thrifty Friends Society is a non-profit that runs the Thrifty Friends Boutique, 2930 Fifth Ave., where all the merchandise is donated and the entire staff is volunteers. All proceeds go to local causes and currently all funds raised will go to local children to attend Juvenile Arthritis and Juvenile Diabetes camps this summer. “I am shocked there are so many people here,” Mary Jackson, volunteer for the Thrifty Friends Society, said. “People are coming in here (to the Winter Market) to warm up and then they realize there’s just as much indoors as there is outdoors and it’s just wonderful.”

Car chase ends in arrest Council approves $30.3M capital plan Frank PEEBLES Citizen staff fpeebles@pgcitizen.ca The public got an eyeful of police activity on Sunday afternoon. The red and blue lights swarmed the ground while the RCMP helicopter circled overhead in pursuit of a suspected stolen vehicle. “Whoever the pilot was for that helicopter was incredible. It was like a scene from the movies,” said Britt Bruneau, one of the witnesses of the high-profile chase. According to RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Craig Douglass, the incident had a few chapters, beginning on Highway 97 South just outside of Quesnel. “Just before 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Quesnel RCMP received a report of a stolen pickup from the parking lot of a retail business in their community,” Douglass said. “Quesnel RCMP general duty officers located the vehicle travelling north towards Prince George on Highway 97. An attempt was made to stop the vehicle, however the driver fled at a high rate of speed. In the interest of public safety, officers did not pursue.” Instead, the situation was relayed ahead to Prince George’s detachment and North District RCMP’s traffic units. The city’s police helicopter was also activated. The suspect vehicle was located near the Red Rock community, the driver travelling in a northerly direction towards Prince George.

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“After the driver again refused to stop for police, the vehicle was tracked into Prince George,” Douglass said. The suspect vehicle entered the city and soon became noticeable to other drivers. “He almost smoked us,” said Bruneau. “He was driving like an absolute madman. He did a couple 360s and ended up swerving in behind me so I pulled over.” The helicopter was so close Bruneau could feel the vibration of the chopper’s air wash. She estimated about 10 police vehicles were converging on their position, which was in the vicinity of Ginter’s Field where the road comes to an end. The driver got out and tried to flee on foot, Bruneau said. It didn’t work. “Multiple general duty officers intercepted the vehicle near the southwest end of Massey Drive,” Douglass confirmed. “The driver and lone occupant was arrested without further incident. Alcohol was a factor. As a precaution, the suspect was transported to hospital to be checked by medical personnel.” The arrest came shortly after 4 p.m. Eric Roger Johnson, 27, of Quesnel remained in custody as of Monday on eight counts including motor vehicle theft, dangerous driving and two counts of assaulting a peace officer with a weapon. No police or bystanders were injured in the incident, but the suspect’s vehicle did collide with a marked RCMP vehicle during the pursuit.

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Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca

City council approved a capital plan that calls for $30.3 million worth of work for 2019 during budget discussions on Monday night. Excluded was a plan to replace the 22-year-old dasher board system in CN Centre with an acrylic rink board and acrylic glass system, a $578,000 bill. The Western Hockey League has mandated that this National Hockey League standard be in effect for the 2019-2020 season but council directed staff to negotiate a deal that would see the Prince George Cougars cover half the cost. “I think it’s a large amount of money for us to pay,” said Coun. Kyle Sampson, who made the motion. “It’s the user group (Cougars) that are going to require this, the other user groups in this facility don’t require this and it’s their league that has mandated this change so the request for us to pay 100 per cent seems to be a bit steep.” Coun. Garth Frizzell said the Moose Jaw Warriors footed half the bill for the new boards in their arena. Council voted unanimously in favor of Sampson’s motion. Other major projects include nearly $2.7 million worth of upgrades over the next two years at Masich Place Stadium in preparation for the 2022 B.C. Summer Games.

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The work includes upgraded field lighting, a replacement of the score clock and PA system, and new pathway lighting, electrical kiosks, fibre optic connection, irrigation, bleachers and site furnishings to support visitor services at the stadium. It follows on $4.5 million worth of work centred on installation of a new synthetic turf infield and a resurfaced track and the additional work was greeted with some concern from council but not enough to keep the item off the budget. Public works director Gina Layte-Liston said much of the work is interrelated and noted it will allow events to be televised. Not only is that a requirement for the Games but the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves have also asked for the capability. Bookings at the facility are on the rise, she also said. Nearly $1.4 million worth of upgrades and replacements at the Aquatic Centre are also on the books in advance of the B.C. Games. And an $8.6-million project to replace the Aquatic Centre’s building envelope including roof, stucco and reconstruction of the parapet is on the books for 2020. The mausoleum will be up for a $1.4-million expansion that will add 1,030 glass-front niches. The mausoleum is over 93 per cent full and, as of midSeptember, all of the glass-front niches have been sold as have 94 per cent of the marble-front niches, council was told.

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