Edmonton visitor Grace Hodgkinson giggles at the antics of Doodle the Clown at the Market and Music on Main kick-off event in Radium Hot Springs on Saturday, May 18th.

By Steve Hubrecht
Pioneer Staff

The Columbia Valley was a busy place during the long weekend with many businesses, hotels and resorts operating at full capacity and several seeing a record number of customers.

From Friday, May 17th through Monday, May 20th, the Radium Hot Springs Visitors’ Centre had 928 visitors, the Columbia Valley Visitor Centre on Highway 93/95 welcomed 277, and both Fairmont Hot Springs Resort and the Copper Point Golf Course were about as busy as they could be, according to their respective representatives.

“It was definitely busy in Radium,” said Radium Hot Springs Visitor Centre councillor Morgan Hendry, adding that people really only started to clear out when a bit of rain came on the Sunday.

“With the weather the way it was, it was definitely in everybody’s favour,” said Tourism Radium’s event co-ordinator Kara Cassidy.

The Radium community market, which featured local band Valley Forged playing as part of the Music on Main series, drew 1,500 people on Saturday, May 18th, according to Ms. Cassidy.

“It was quite a busy weekend,” said Columbia Valley Visitor Centre manager Kathy Tyson. “I think it was really successful.”

There have been quite a few European and U.S. visitors in recent weeks, and numbers surged even higher with Albertans popping over the provincial border for the long weekend, she said.

Radium’s visitor centre typically experiences more people coming in than Invermere’s visitor centre despite being in a smaller community, because Radium sits at the junction of two highways and literally at the gate of Kootenay National Park, said Ms. Cassidy.

Copper Point’s golf courses were pretty much booked solid for the weekend, with more than 500 people on both courses on Saturday, May 18th, according to the club’s general manager Brian Schaal.

“It was an excellent Saturday, probably one of our best ever,” said Mr. Schaal.

“Even on Sunday we had people cancel when the rain started, but they came right back when the weather turned around.”

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort had a record number of visitors in its hot springs pools, said the resort’s vice president of sales and marketing, Fiona Cull.

“We had a great weekend even with the iffy weather,” said Ms. Cull. “It was all rolling along. We are delighted.”

The resort’s lodge was completely sold out, the Fairmont RV Park and Spruce Grove RV Park and Campground were close to capacity, and the golf courses were almost as busy as they were on last year’s May long weekend when the weather was better, she said, adding that the resort also hosted the first wedding in its new outdoor ceremony site.

CasaVino restaurant in Radium had its best weekend ever with Saturday, May 18th setting the record for the restaurant’s busiest day yet, said owner and Village of Radium Hot Springs mayor, Dee Conklin.

Invermere’s Canadian Tire is celebrating the nationwide Jumpstart program for the first time on Saturday, May 25th. The program gives disadvantaged children the opportunity to play sports.

By Dan Walton
Pioneer Staff

With the high costs of sporting goods, many Canadian children are not afforded the opportunity to participate in sports. In a strong effort to offer underprivileged children adequate needs for any sporting activity, Canadian Tire hosts Jumpstart each year, a charitable program that offsets the high costs of sports and recreation for those who need it most.

Because the Invermere Canadian Tire was brand new at this time last year, 2013 will be the first year Jumpstart is celebrated in the valley. The event takes place nationwide this Saturday, May 25th.

While many charities that operate from a national level consume a portion of the donations for administration, the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program delivers over 100 per cent of customer donation to deserving local children.

“It’s a very grassroots program,” said Invermere Canadian Tire owner Craig Knapp. “The intention is that any monies raised here stay here in the community, and then those funds are topped up with additional support from the foundation in Toronto.”

A Red Ball Fundraiser has been ongoing throughout Canada, whereby Canadian Tire locations have been selling $2 red sports balls, a popular aspect of the program that will continue after the Jumpstart event.

“We also have donation boxes in the store where people give their change and Canadian Tire money, and that money stays local as well,” said Mr. Knapp.

All locally-raised money will support individual children, rather than a sporting league or organization.

“The child can do anything. He or she could be a hiker, play soccer, be a skier, kayaker — it doesn’t matter, as long as it’s an active sport,” Mr. Knapp said, “as long as it’s supporting physical activity. It’s a very flexible program, and that’s the purpose of it: it’s really trying to break down any barriers that an individual child might have to be able to participate in sport — it’s an awesome program.”

More than half a million Canadian children have benefited from the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program. During Jumpstart Day, every Canadian Tire will fill the day with fun stuff, food and raffles to support fundraising efforts.

Fundraising efforts will be made in Invermere on Jumpstart Day, as Mr. Knapp strongly believes in the mission of the program. He emphasized the slogan, “Giving kids a sporting chance”, before explaining that it enables kids who might be financially challenged to be able to participate in sports.

Canadian Tire Jumpstart covers every Canadian Tire community in Canada, except Quebec, where Canadian Tire locations celebrate a similar program.

The amenities offered by automobiles make it challenging for most commuters to travel without burning oil, but during some of the most enjoyable weather of the year, Wildsight has taken the initiative to promote Bike to Work Week in Invermere.

Between Monday, May 27th and Sunday, June 2nd, commuters are being called upon to leave their car in the driveway and pedal a bicycle to work.

“We’re encouraging people to commute to work via bicycle,” said Kelly Carlson of Wildsight. “Basically, we’ll be promoting healthy lifestyles, prevention of health issues through regular exercise, and also to try and break down the barriers that people perceive from cycling — the poor excuses not to cycle.”

Another Wildsight concern addressed by Bike to Work Week is the carbon emissions emitted by vehicles. Instead of paying to pollute, commuters are being encouraged to pedal to work — and ultimately save money on gas, reduce carbon emissions, and prevent long-term health problems.

“The prevalence of chronic disease is expected to increase 58 per cent among the B.C. population within the next 25 years,” Ms. Carlson said. “So Bike to Work week addresses risk factors such as physical inactivity, and helps lower the risk of chronic illnesses.”

While Bike to Work Week B.C. has operated as a non-profit for several years, 2013 will be the first year that Invermere will officially
participate.

According to Ms. Carlson, if there is only one week of the year that you will bike to work, then this is it. Participants are encouraged to promote it to other people and help them realize the health benefits of signing up.

Once the week is over, bikers can record their commutes online at www.biketowork.ca, where they register their participation and log their distance travelled.
To find out what’s happening locally, visit the Facebook page titled “Invermere Bike to Work Week 2013”. Local bikers will be eligible to win prizes that will be delivered through social media.

Choosing to cycle to work requires commuters to forego the speed and shelter found in a car, but a little preparation and planning ahead will make all the difference.
“If you’re worried about the possibility of rain, make sure that you have appropriate gear, and maybe implement a backup plan at your workplace, so if there is bad weather you’ll have an alternate plan to get home,” Ms. Carlson said.

While many short-term benefits come from Bike to Work Week, Wildsight is ultimately aiming to encourage people to more frequently commute to work via bicycle throughout the entire year.

“Everybody should participate, even if you can only bike on one of the days,” Ms. Carlson said.

UNIQUELY URBAN — Summit Youth Centre program co-ordinator Magali Larochelle recruited the help of local artist Shawn Wernig to bring a fresh new look to the centre. So far the response from teens who use the centre is overwhelmingly positive. Photo by Dan Walton

By Dan Walton
Pioneer Staff

After learning about a grant offered by the Home Depot Canada Foundation, Summit Youth Centre Program co-ordinator Magali Larochelle realized Invermere’s youth centre was in need of refreshment and decided to apply.

Her application was successful and the grant has helped foot the cost of an upgrade. In addition to ambitious teens willing to help with the painting, local artist Shawn Wernig, who was recruited by Magali, also volunteered his time to help spruce up the space. As a result, a vibrant new mural adorns one of the walls — a perfect compliment to the Summit’s lively atmosphere.

“[The teens] loved it,” Magali said. “All the kids who came in said things like, ‘No way – this looks awesome!’ It was a very positive response.” 

With minimal input, Shawn used spray paint to brand the Summit’s wall. He said the mural is a reflection of the community, done in a manner to which youngsters can relate.

“The Summit” is spelled out with a graffiti-like font, surrounded by the mountains and a creative interpretation of a Sasquatch. 

“It was pretty boring before, but then we received a grant from the Home Depot Canada Foundation, and we painted during the spring break,” said Magali. “The kids came to help and they chose the colours — and their colours went well with the graffiti. They wanted something more youthful.”

Shawn said he’ll return occasionally to touch up his work, and hopefully for another project if the youth centre decides to expand the art.

“I won’t rest until this whole thing is covered in graffiti,” he said. “The ceiling, the floors… ”

If you’re curious and want to take an up-close look at the new mural and design, or if you’d like to meet Magali and see what The Summit has to offer, consider visiting their open house on Saturday 25th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

“See the place and what we do,” she advises. “We’re a good part of the community for youth, because we’re the only place in town they can exclusively hang out.” 

All youth are welcome, especially those who have yet to go.

“And they can decide afterwards if it’s somewhere they’d like to hang out or not,” Magali said.

The Kootenay Brass Quintet plays Invermere’s Christ Trinity Church on Saturday, June 1st. Tickets are available either in advance from Pynelogs and The Book Bar, or at the door.

By Dan Walton
Pioneer Staff

The Kootenay Brass Quintet covers everything from classical music to classic rock, and they’ll be making their Invermere debut at the Christ Church Trinity on Saturday, June 1st.

“We’ve all played brass quintet music in university, and its really fun music to play,” said trumpeter Laura Ralston. “You get to do so much, it’s very challenging, and it’s really rewarding music.”

The quintet is comprised of Tim Bullen and Laurel Ralston on trumpets, Robin Clegg on tuba, trombonist Keith Todd, and Arnie Satanove with the french horn.

The five musicians met many years ago, all as members of the Symphony of the Kootenays.

“After literally years of saying, ‘We should get together and make a quintet,’ we finally did,” Ms. Ralston told The Pioneer.

The musicians will be following an exhausting schedule, as the Invermere performance will mark the band’s third of five shows over the weekend. While their two and a half days off from work will mostly be spent travelling and performing throughout the valley, the team can’t get enough.

“Everybody’s really fun,” she said. “We totally have a blast doing it, and I hope that comes through in our performances.”

The member of the Kootenay Brass Quintet come from a variety of musical backgrounds.

“We’ve all played in funk bands, and we’ve done classical music with the symphony, and we’ve all played jazz,” said Ms. Ralston. “We have a pretty rich musical heritage within the group.”

She said the quintet performs everything from reflective music to Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir.

“It’s pretty awesome what you can do on trumpet,” she said. “I had no idea my career would lead me in this direction.”

The Kootenay Brass Quintet show begins at 7:30 p.m. at Invermere’s Christ Trinity Church located at 110 7th Avenue. Tickets at the door are $15, with a $5 discount for students. Advance tickets can be purchased at Pynelogs and The Book Bar, or by phoning 250-342-4423.

A play performed by students will bring the stage to life at David Thompson Secondary School theatre on Friday, May 31st and Saturday, June 1st.

“It’s fast moving and entertaining,” said student actor Alaya Simpson. “It has a good twist at the end, and it’s a real thriller.”

The drama program adopted the play, “The Bold, the Young, and the Murdered”, from playwright Don Zolidis. The show will bring the audience onto the set of The Bold and the Young, a struggling daytime television soap opera with an imperfect cast. When the big boss tells his crew that the show will die if an episode isn’t whipped up overnight, the cast assumes their jobs are at stake — until their colleagues end up murdered, one by one.

“We wanted to do something that had sort of a darker edge to it.” Alaya told The Pioneer. “While we wanted a comedy, we wanted something that was also going to be twisty and turn to keep the audience on the edge of their chairs.”

Alaya said the David Thompson Secondary School drama students discovered the play online, and it was well-received from the onset as it’s able to delight audiences of all ages.

“It’s not violent, and it’s not an overly serious thriller, it’s still a comedy at heart,” she said. “And it has a really good twist at the end.”

“The Bold, the Young, and the Murdered” requires more than a dozen students as actors, and required the drama students to spend after-school hours preparing.

Tickets cost $5 for students and $10 for adults, and can be purchased at The Book Bar. Last year, advance tickets were scarcely taken advantage of, and many guests were turned away after the show sold out at the door.

During the play’s intermission, the school’s cooking class will be selling desserts. Proceeds will help to cover the expenses of both the cooking and drama classes.

The biggest annual celebration in Canal Flats will be even more memorable this year, as the 2013 Canal Days will be marking the centennial anniversary of the village.
Warming up to the main event will be a talent show to kick things off at the community centre at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30th. Event co-ordinator Lee-Ann Leachman said mostly kids dominate the contest, and reminded that a talent show doesn’t have to be just for singers.

On Saturday, June 1st, the main attractions come to life. Beginning the day will be a pancake breakfast, organized by seniors, at the Civic Centre from 8 a.m. until 10 a .m. while floats start lining the streets for the grand celebration.

At 11 a. m., the floats hit the streets as the parade gets underway. Those participating in the parade have been asked to go with a nostalgic theme to commemorate the village’s centennial.

“I challenged everyone in town to go back in time,” Ms. Leachman said. “The newly formed youth group in Canal Flats will be showcasing a float with one half themed 1913, and the other half 2013.”

Once the parade concludes around noon, Canal Days shifts into full gear.

For the first time, there will be a pie-throwing contest for which Canal Flats mayor Ute Juras and other members of council have pledged their faces as targets.

The winner of the annual Good Samaritan Award will be also announced during the presentation of a permanent sign commemorating the centennial.

During the evening on Saturday, an adult dance will take place at the community hall beginning at 9 p.m. Canal Days winds down on Sunday, June 2nd with a duct tape boat race at the beach that marks one of the final events.

“It’s a lot of fun and it’s part of our valley’s history,” Mayor Ute Juras told The Pioneer. “I’m excited to have as many people show up as possible to make them feel welcome.”

The sixth edition of the Crazy Soles trail run at Nipika Mountain Resort kicks off the six-race TREK (Trail Runs of the East Kootenay) series on Saturday, June 1st.

By Steve Hubrecht
Pioneer Staff

Trail runners from the Upper Columbia Valley and across the East Kootenay are lacing up their shoes and are already training for the first in an organized series of trail races across the region.

The sixth edition of the Crazy Soles trail run at Nipika Mountain Resort kicks off the six-race Trail Runs of the East Kootenay, better known as the TREK Series, on Saturday, June 1st.

The full 25-kilometre run follows the Kootenay and Cross rivers on a course that combines a 15-km loop with a predominately singletrack 10-km loop. Adult runners can opt to do just the 10-km singletrack loop, 10 to 13 year olds can run a five-km course, six to nine years can race a three-km trail, and kids under the age of six can do a short kilometer-and-a-half race.

“It’s a super fun, great scenic course — one of kind with natural bridge crossings, following the Kootenay River,” said race organizer and Crazy Soles running store owner Beva Kirk. “It’s a different atmosphere with a lot of families and a lot of dogs.”

The race typically draws 200 people, but this year it will probably have closer to 300 — perhaps because the 2013 race date is close to, but does not conflict with, the Calgary marathon, according to Mrs. Kirk.

Crazy Soles is an intriguing enough race that the majority of runners come from outside the Columbia Valley, although there is always a strong contingent of locals, she said.

In fact, Invermere’s John Swallow is the only runner to have participated in the race every year since it began.

“The scenery is absolutely breathtaking and the race has such a great range of racers that it is fun yet still competitive for runners of all levels,” said Mr. Swallow, adding that he almost always brings some friends and at least one of his sons to race with him.

His favourite part of the course are the natural bridges, which gap narrow but incredibly deep canyons.

“It’s unbelievable; you get a whole new boost of energy when you cross them,” he said, adding the surroundings are beautiful enough that he barely notices the big hills on the course.

The post-race barbecue lunch is a much bigger event than most post-race lunches, which makes it more of a family-day-out event than just a race, said Mrs. Kirk.

The other trail races in the TREK series are the Round the Mountain Race in Kimberley (later in June), the Swansea Run/Hike in Invermere (July), Heiko’s Hellish Half in Fernie (August), Tears and Gears in Fernie (September) and the Headbanger Trail Challenge in Radium (September).

Race fees are $60 for the 25-km option, $50 for the 10-km race, $20 for the five- and three-km courses and $5 for the under-six-years-old race.

Interested trail runners can still sign up at www.zone4.ca. Race packages can be picked up at Crazy Soles running store on Friday, May 31st or at Nipika Mountain Resort on Saturday, June 1st before the race starts.

Organizers are also looking for volunteers to help with the race. If interested, stop in to Crazy Soles running store on Invermere’s main street.