Prince George Citizen February 6, 2019 by Prince George Citizen

DOES PRINCE GEORGE WANT TO KEEP THE COUGARS? Editorial, page 6

Wednesday, February 6, 2019 | Your community newspaper si since ince 11916 916

Let’s rock

Prince George announced as host city for 2020 World Women’s Curling Championship

Frank PEEBLES Citizen staff fpeebles@pgcitizen.ca

he globe is coming to rock P.G. Prince George has been selected as the host city for the 2020 World Women’s Curling Championship, one of the top tournaments the sport has to offer, and the only one outside of the Olympics where the very best on the planet try to sweep to ultimate victory. “This is a great opportunity for Prince George,” said this city’s veteran curling star Patti Knezevic. “Really, women’s curling has evolved and elevated unbelievably in the past 10 years, so this will be incredible for all of British Columbia. “Curling in B.C. has been a little down in numbers, for various reasons,” Knezevic added, “but I think we can use this event to draw some inspiration to the sport, draw some attention, and see some good light cast in Prince George on a sport that we do really well here.” There could be no fresher or plainer example of that than Prince George’s Kristen Pilote (nee Fewster) along with skip Sarah Wark, second Carley Sandwith and lead Michelle Dunn (all of Abbotsford) plus P.G.’s Jen Rusnell as fifth and Rick Fewster as coach, winning the B.C. women’s title only days ago. That rink will now represent the province at the 2019 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Prince George’s Brette Richards and Blaine de Jager were part of a rink that took bronze in the same tournament. Their coach, Doug Dalziel, is from Prince George and their fifth...Patti Knezevic. Another sign of Prince George’s overall curling connection was the man Knezevic grabbed by the arm at the Tuesday announcement and proclaimed “this is who first taught me to curl.” The passerby was Gerry Peckham, the director of high performance for Curling Canada. “I have just enough Fraser River

CITIZEN PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATEN

Hometown boy Gerry Peckham, the Canadian Curling Association’s director, high performance, makes the announcement that the 2020 World Women’s Curling Championship will be played in Prince George. water in my veins to make this always home,” said Peckham, now based in Ottawa, who emotionally told of the way this city formed his love of the sport and shaped his lifelong motivations. “Curling is a fabulous sport, Prince George is a fabulous town, and I’m thrilled at the possibilities.” Mayor Lyn Hall is originally from Dawson Creek and remembers coming to Prince George for tennis tournaments only to fall to Peckham on the court. Even then, said Hall, sport was clear a strength. “I can’t think of a better person to make this announcement, Gerry, thank you very, very much,” said Hall, who pointed out that curling icon Jennifer Jones is about to be in the city as the

VIP guest speaker at the UNBC Timberwolves Legacy Breakfast on Mar. 6, and she won this championship twice (both times on Canadian soil) so would have some insight into how Prince George fans should feel about hosting this prestigious event. Scott Braley, CEO of Curl BC, was on hand to express his confidence in Prince George’s facilities and abilities. “You’ve done very well here to attract this event,” Braley said. “2020 is the 125th anniversary of curling in B.C. and the 100th anniversary of curling in Prince George. These are incredible milestones... This will be one of those events that others will build from. You’re going to be wonderful hosts yet again.” — see BID COMMITTEE, page 2 CITIZEN PHOTO BY BRENT BRAATEN

CN Centre manager Glen Mikkelsen gives a geography lesson, showing on the globe where the countries are located that will be represented at the 2020 World Women’s Curling Championship.

cards Civic facilities upkeep estimated at $79 million Gaming exempted from Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff mnielsen@pgcitizen.ca The city will need to spend $79 million over the next 10 years to keep its civic facilities in proper condition, city council was told on Monday night. The number comes out of an assessment carried out over the last three years of 53 of the 62 facilities under the city’s wing. To meet that goal, the city will have to spend an additional $5.5 million per year over and above the $2.2 million it has spent historically on the item, Dave Dyer, the city’s engineering and public works general manager, said following a presentation outlining the work staff

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had conducted. “This is a very large number and something we will have to address,” he said. The total does not include the cost of adding new assets or upgrading facilities to a higher standard. At nearly $24 million, the city’s arenas represent the largest portion, followed by leased buildings at just under $15 million, then cultural facilities at $11 million, administration buildings at $10 million, parkades at $8 million and the Aquatic Centre at $4.4 million. Fire halls, the RCMP detachment, the cemetery and Masich Place Stadium round out the remaining $6.6 million. However, Dyer said staff will be suggesting a different approach when the item comes up for

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discussion during city council’s budget meeting next week – to tackle many of the roofs in need of repair at the same time, “in one big project.” In particular, the roofs at the SPCA building, South Fort George Recreation Centre, Kinsmen Community Centre, the 1310 Third Ave. building, the Via Rail building and the cattle barn at Exhibition Park are all in high need of repair, according to the assessment. The roofs on a further 28 buildings are in moderate need of repair. Looking at individual facilities, the cattle barn at Exhibition Park is in most need of repair. An estimate for work on that specific building was not provided but collectively $4.8 million worth of work is needed on them while their total replacement value stands at $700,000.

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holding period

Mark NIELSEN Citizen staff City council voted unanimously in favour Monday night of exempting previously-owned trading and collectible cards from the 30-day holding period under the city’s secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers bylaw. Kelsy Polnik of Game Quest has been pushing for the exemption, similar to one made in 2014 for video games. — see PROPOSED, page 2

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