Bike riders galore at ‘Shifting Gears

Thrill seeking boys and girls were chomping at the bit Sunday morning to ride one of Williams Lake’s premier mountain biking trails, Snakes ‘n Ladders, for the 1st annual Shifting Gears fundraising event.

The event was organized by Red Shred’s Bike and Board Shed and the Boys and Girls Club of Williams Lake and District as an alternative to the club usual golf fundraiser.

The day started at 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning at the clubhouse with shuttle rides out to the popular trail up near Esler where registration was taking place. The ride started just after 10 a.m. for all the anxious riders who couldn’t wait to get on the trails.

Despite the cool morning weather, there were bikers galore and 75 riders took part in the event.

All the riders were broken into classes, and started on the trail individually, with the ending point being the river valley parking lot across from the graveyard, a good 20-30 minute ride, or bike park at Boitanio Park.

Monica Johnston from Boys and Girls Club said the day was huge success and that raised more than $7,000 was raised for the club.

“Some riders came from outside the community and had never ridden the amazing trails of Williams Lake and were very impressed,” said Johnson. “Our Club wishes to appreciate the fantastic group of volunteers that made the event successful.”

The ride was followed by a BBQ in Boitanio Park at the bike park, and Johnston said the whole day certainly met their goal of providing a fun, community event.

This summer City Council reached a Community Partnership Agreement with the Williams Lake Cycling Club to work together to sustain vibrant, progressive, and economic beneficial cycling initiatives.

Since then, signage at trail heads has greatly improved on area mountain biking trails, making Williams Lake an even more popular area for mountain biking as seen last Sunday for the Shifting Gears fundraiser.

Big win for first game of the season

Courtney Taylor

Cariboo Advisor

The Williams Lake Stampeders AA men’s hockey team won their first game thrashing the visiting Lac La Hache Tomahawks 14-5.

The Tomahawks are in their first year of operation, and it was their first game as a team,. They opened the scoring just minutes into the first period, but after that the Stampeders took control of the game.

Top scorers for the Stampedeers were Tyrel Lucas, Joe Morgan, and Wilfred Robbins; all had three goals apiece, as well as Francis Johnson who scored twice.

The stands were full for the opening game of the season, with fans from both Williams Lake and Lac La Hache.

Next for the hometown boys is a pair of road trip games in Smithers and Hazelton this weekend.

Next home game is October 15 against the Hazelton Wolverines.

Thankful to be home in the Cariboo for Thanksgiving- Editorial October 5th

So once again it’s that time of year. You know the time when the leaves are a changing and falling, and the air is crisp. No it’s not just fall, it is Thanksgiving, or it is soon. And that means giving thanks for everything we have and everyone we love.

But do people still take the time out at Thanksgiving to truly give praise for all the wonderful people and things they have in their lives, or is all about the turkey?

Don’t get me wrong, Thanksgiving dinner is truly wonderful with all its turkey and fixings, but there has to be more to this holiday than food right? Or is Thanksgiving another holiday where the true meaning has been forgotten, and a new meaning has taken its place?

Really, what holiday is still celebrated for the true meaning of the day instead of celebrating a day off from work or school, and food, and stuff? Not many.

Christmas, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s day, even Labour day, not one of these holidays is celebrated for their original intentions. Holidays weren’t just thought up by people for a day off, or a reason to go out and party or buy stuff, holidays were created for a reason, and many of us have lost sight of those reasons.

Thanksgiving is about giving thanks, and remembering that we are truly lucky for the lives we live, the food we eat, and the people who are taking that journey through life with us.

Thanksgiving is celebrated the second Monday in October at the end of the harvest season. It was made a statuary holiday in 1957 by the Canadian Parliament.

Its original purpose was to serve as a day of thanksgiving to the Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed. 

When I was younger, my family along with aunts, uncles and cousins celebrated Thanksgiving with a fabulous dinner (we still do), and before we could eat we went around the table and said one thing we were thankful for that year (which we don’t do as often anymore). 

As a child, I was always thankful for material things, toys and games and what not, but as I got older I began to realize that what I was truly thankful for was my wonderful family. I know too many people who don’t have a close family, and I love how close I am with my aunts and uncles that live in Williams Lake. 

This is my first Thanksgiving dinner back in Williams Lake in over four years, not that I was deprived in Calgary, I was lucky enough to have a cousin that invited me to dinner every year and the dinner was just as fantastic as the ones I grew up on (she grew up on the same) and there wasn’t a year that went by in Calgary that I wasn’t thankful to have her there, she did so much for me over the years and I would have been lost with out her. Thank you Tegan.

Thanksgiving may just be another holiday and day off to some, but I will give thanks for my friends and family once again this year. And I will once again enjoy some turkey; I mean it is Thanksgiving after all.

TRU-North a true destination for students -October 5th Edition

Courtney Taylor

Cariboo Advisor

The head of Thompson Rivers University says if anyone had plans of closing down TRU- William Lake they should have done it before they hired him.

Dr. Ray Sanders has big plans for our local university, not only does he plan on keeping it alive, he wants it to thrive.

“I believe that you bloom where you’re planted, and we’re not only going to bloom we are going to flourish,” says Sanders.

After 30 years in higher education in the United States, last year he felt it was time to find a job with more meaning for him.

 “Your job finds you as much as you find it,” says Sanders. “This job called to me, as much as I looked for it.’

Sanders has big plans for TRU-North that much is clear, he has no interest in walking away and is going to give it his all.

“I wanted to come to a place where I could really make an impact,” says Sanders. 

Sanders is American, and his wife is Canadian, and neither one of them have any intentions to go back to the States again.

“I love it here,” says Sanders. “The people here are my kind of people.”

Sanders has been the Director at TRU-North (the unofficial name they have been using), since August 27 2010, and says he is happy with how far the University has come, but still isn’t happy about where the university is.

“We are going to fulfill our destiny and step up and be a University,” says Sanders.

Sanders says he’s not as patient as he should be, and there are a lot items he has planned for TRU. 

He wants TRU- North and Williams Lake to be a destination chosen by students who not only reside in Williams Lake, but come from across Canada, and all over the world.

“We can offer a true Canadian experience (in Williams Lake),” says Sanders.

Sanders also says he wants to introduce new programs at TRU that are specialized and unique to

Canada, as well as make it possible for students to do all their post-secondary at TRU-North.

“There is no reason someone should have to leave (Williams Lake) in order to finish a degree.”

Sanders also says the campus needs childcare to help attract adult learners, and a wider range of student services.

One thing he is very proud of is the guarantee not to cancel classes, since that was a major problem in the past.

“If a student makes the commitment to us, we need to make a commitment to them,” says Sanders.

According to Sanders, this town is on the verge of a huge transformation, and the university is going to play a big role in it.

Sanders says the City and Regional District has been wonderful to work with. He says even though the current building, and location may not be ideal, there are upgrades that can be made like extending Western Avenue to Mackenzie Avenue.

Sanders is originally from Okalahoma and grew up very poor. He says he worked hard all the way through post-secondary and he just wants to help people live a better life.

Station House Gallery artists inspired by their Journeys -October 5th Edition

Courtney Taylor

Cariboo Advisor

The leaves are changing colour and it’s a brand new month, which means it is time for a new artist to set up shop in the Station House Gallery and this month there are two talented artists.

In the main gallery will be the mountain inspired paintings by Crystalynn Tarr from Prince George, along with Shannon Williamson whose paintings will be in the Upper Gallery.

Tarr’s showcase is titled, ‘ My Heart, My Land’ and was inspired by the mountains she’s lived in, hiked in, and driven through over the years. 

“I have enjoyed the process of learning to express how I felt in (the mountains) and the connection to God that I feel when I am in (the mountains),” said Tarr.

Tarr has been dabbling in art for most her life, but truly painting for the past two to three years. 

“I have had a love of art my whole life and been fascinated by both art and the natural world,” said Tarr. “I think my journey into art is best expressed as a merging of the two.”

Tarr lives in Prince George and works for the Community Arts Council of Prince George and District.

Tarr is sharing her time at the Station House Gallery with Shannon Williamson, and she says she is excited to meet her and see more of her work.

“I’m excited that our journeys through land, time, thoughts, dreams, struggles and successes will be displayed together, and that our paths will meet,” said Tarr.

Shannon Williamson’s show is titled ‘A Pilgrim’s Progress,’ and she is making the journey back to the lakecity from Calgary for the show.

“I am proud to be born and raised (in Williams Lake), and I return often,” said Williamson.

‘A Pilgrim’s Progress’ is about how everyone is going somewhere, and whether we move forward onto the road of least resistance or back sliding into the ruts of the past: we are always moving, according to Williamson. 

‘The Pilgrim’s Process’ is a chronicle of the life of a Christian, who on the road to the Celestial City encounters many trials and tribulations along the way by John Bunyan, and according to Williamson is the best story about the struggles of a pilgrim and the concept may be old, but is just as relevant today.

She says that this series of painting could not have been imagined without witnessing and encouraging her mother on her journey. Williamson’s mother passed away last year after a spirited battle with cancer. 

“I had never really considered coming home to have a show until my mother suggested it,” said Williamson. “I knew she would be filled with pride to have me return to Williams Lake to show my work back on B.C. soil.”

She said shortly after the show was discussed her mother fell ill, it was an hour after she passed when Williamson received an email from the Station House Gallery encouraging her to apply for a show.

“To say it was bittersweet would be an understatement, but not to accept the offer would be an offense to my mom,” said Williamson.

Williamson’s chosen medium is as unique as her inspiration for her latest painting series. She chooses to work in an age-old medium called encaustic, which is essentially coloured pigment mixed with resin crystals and beeswax.

“It’s a wonderful material because it has many translucent elements that regular oil and acrylics don’t have. I am also quite partial to texture and encaustic is a beautiful medium to work with if you like thick layers,” says Williamson.

Back in Calgary, she works as the Assistant Director at Wallace Galleries Ltd. She maintains a studio practice and teaches workshops dedicated to the practice of Encaustic painting.

Williamson says she fell in love with art of encaustic painting during her time at Red Deer College, and continues to master the material 10 years later.

“I will always strive for new and fresh, while anchoring myself in solid and tradition and practice,” says Williamson.

From October 7th to 29th, come check these two wonderful ladies at the Station House Gallery. Tomorrow night is the opening of the show at the Gallery starting at 5 p.m. and going until 7 p.m. 

City officials network at UBCM - October 5 edition

Courtney Taylor

Cariboo Advisor

Mayor Cook and councilors are fresh back from networking with the Premier at the annual Union of BC Municipalities convention in Vancouver that wrapped up Friday.

“It was absolutely fantastic,” said Cook. “It was a great opportunity to connect with ministers and the Premier.

The UBCM convention is a chance for BC municipalities to network with Premier Clark and the Ministers through meetings, workshops, and Mayors roundtables.

Cook said she personally met with Premier Clark four times and said she really got her attention, and many of the Ministers she met with.

“Premier Clark even mentioned us in her closing message,” said Cook.

As well as meetings with the Premier and Ministers, Cook said they had an amazing meeting with acting Attorney General, Shirley Bond.

The meeting with Bond centered around the need for provincial support for a Crime Analyst position in Williams Lake and the need for a new funding formula for police-based Victim Services that better reflects the high case loads of the police and the courts in Williams Lake.

Mayor Cook gave a presentation in a workshop about strategies the help make communities safer, and afterwards was approached by the federal Regional Director National Crime Prevention Centre about applying for dollars which Cook said the City is following up on.

“(The conference) is well worth it to make all these connections,” said Cook. “It’s really inspiring to hear what other communities are doing, and to share what we have been doing.”

Mayor Cook said she thanked the Premier and Ministers for everything they have done for Williams Lake, and Cook feels her and council members made a lasting impression on Premier Clark

Breaking ground today at Prosperity Way -October 5th Edition

Angie Mindus

Cariboo Advisor

The Williams Lake Mayor and Council have been invited to take part in a ground breaking ceremony on Prosperity Way (adjacent to Walmart) today with representatives from real estate development company Platform Properties.

Platform Properties principal Kyle Shury said he won’t be announcing just yet who is going to be filling the new buildings being constructed on the site, however he did say the first building to be constructed will be 10,000 square feet and house six to seven retailers.

“We are comfortable with our leasing efforts to date to proceed with construction,” said Shury yesterday, noting that he has deals pending for roughly three quarters of the first building.

Shury said the general contract has been awarded to Spruce Lee Construction while the civil works contract has been awarded to Lake Excavating, both local companies.

Shury expects to start a second, 10,000 square-foot building which is expected to house one tenant, sometime in the New Year. A third, 5,000 square-foot building is also in the works for a later date.

Shury said his company was drawn to the Williams Lake investment due to the “great business opportunity” it presented. He said Platform Properties has had a previous positive experience in Williams Lake with ownership of the Save-On Foods and the B.C. Liquor Store in the past.

“We were treated well the first time (doing business in Williams Lake),” Shury said, adding that being neighbours to Walmart also helps.

“It’s always a great opportunity to own real estate next to one of the world’s largest retailers.”

Shury said he expects to turn the space over to retailers in the first building April 1, with stores likely opening by June 1, 2012. Representatives from Platform will be on-site today for the ground breaking ceremony.

“This will be an opportunity for us to invite the mayor and council to our ground breaking event and introduce them to the upcoming development of the property” he said.

“We’re pleased to be breaking ground.”