There was dan Sp PACIFIC NORTHERN Gas is currently investigating whp is responsible for the gag spill in Terrace Jast Thirsday, ecording to Ron Vander- lee, regional manager for Pacific Northern Gas, the ngtural gas spill could have been a serious situation. fT it had ignited and United with the wind push- _ihg towards downtown, ‘there would have been big — problems,” he said. The spill occurred when an. excavator (Vanderlee - wouldn't name the compa- “#ny) struck a portion of a six- inch gas line with a back- ‘hoe. The city is laying new Fpavement behind the Ter- ‘race Hotel, \ Manderlee said the ex- cavation; company had called “the toll free BCICALL before digging, which is a service that does a free line location check for companies, to lei them know. what lines are buried below digging sites, But somehow the lines of communication were crossed, Within minutes of the ac- -eident, firefighters and po- lice closed off the area to traffic ..and started the evacuation procedure. Approximately 43 firefighters were on duty along with countless RCMP, Pacific Northern Gas crews A SIGN in the window of Totem's tells the tale of last Thursday's gasleak, Countrywide Fumiture and Appliances which led to downtown's evacuation, atid ambulance workers to help stop the spill and evacuate the downtown area from Kalum Street to Atwood Street and from Lakelse Avenue to the rail- road. Many locals complained about gas headaches and the strong gas smell, PNG crews soon set about the area with gas metres, measuring the gas-to-air ratio, which was 1.5 per cent. : "There needs to be a 5 to 15 per cent gas to air ratio for gas to ignite,’ said Vanderlce. It won't ignite before or after this.” Once the leak was isola- ted, 400 gas valves leading to homes and businesses in the area had to be shut off _ for safety reasons. It took all day Friday for PNG employees to turn everyone’s gas back on. Businesses, like the Ter- race Inn, last money from the evacuation and because they werea’t able to cook any food until late Thursday night when PNG turned its gas back on. “We lost revenue from the time the gas shut down ‘© pm.) until 10:30 at night,”’ said Dulss Kleamyck, manager of the Terrace Inn. ‘“‘We tost all dinner trade.”’ She added that after people were evacuated from the lounge, they didn’t return. ; According to fire chief Randy Smith, it took ap- proximately an hour to patch the two-inch hole in the pipe, He said he was thankful that it was natural gas that spilled, and not propane, © since natural gas dissipates into the atmosphere, while propane is more dangerous because it’s heavier than air and therefore more flam- mable. The patching of the pipe is a temporary measure until the proper equipment from Kamloops arrives to com- pletely cut out the damaged area. Rebate an added bonus FOREIGN VISITORS to campgrounds aid RV Parks across the country will go home with a little more change jingling in their pockets this summer. , Effective June 1, a federal government rebate on the Goods and Services Tax was extended to outdoor accom- modation. : Joss Penny, executive director of the B.C. Motels, Camp- grounds and Resorts Association, says the move will make it easier for Canadian resorts to compete with other juris- dictions. “It just gives us another advantage,” he says. Since the GST was implemented, ton-roofed accom- modation has been excluded from the rebate provision, For years, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada has been lobbying the government to change the policy. ‘What we wanted to do is have level playing field,” _ Penny says. “If someone was coming to ren{‘a motel room, we felt it The Board of Directors of McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd, announces the retirement af Lyle R. Staples and the appointment of Chris Newcomb as President ard CEO of the Company. Mr. Newcom joined ~ McElhanney in 1981, and he has served as Manager Vancouver Region Engineering, Vice President, and a Director of the “company. His most recant responsibilities have included ~ development of the company's . business averseas. » | -McElhanney Consujting Services Ltd. is an emplayee-owned member “Of the McElhanney group of companies and provides consulting - engineering, surveying, mapping and planning services to private ‘and public sectorcients from eight offices in Western Canada and -. South East Asia; South America and Africa. ; © Under the leadership of Mr. Newcomb McElhanney will continue to expand the range and diversity of its services to the infrastructure and resource development markets both domestically and “Internationally Hanky Panky’s | Chris Newcomb, P. Eng. Friday, Aug 14 & Saturday, Aug 15 Cruise the strip with us. Get here early and get a good parking spot. i fr cated in the Coast Inn of the West was similar to renting an RV spot.” . The GST will be refunded on all campsite fees, including hookups, and applies to both tour packages and single uavel use. According to the BCMCRA, Canada is the only country i the world that offers a tax rebate on short-term accom- modation, although not all countries have a tax comparable to the GST, Campground operators must give their visitors a receipt that shows the number of nights stayed, the rental amount and the amount of GST paid. Visitors qualify for a GST refund if: Wi They are not a resident of Canada i They have the original receipts 7 Wi They have purchased and paid GST on short-term ac- cammodation and goods worth at least C§200, before taxes. i ° Park Report b Marie-Josee Banville [ How do we choose whal to protect? Life is full of choices, Choosing one thing can often maan giving up something else. By protecting a natural eraa, wa may not have a housing development where peopla could live, of a factory or logging region where people could work, It may also maan giving up activities such as hunting, trapping, fishing or plant harvesting. Yet, if we do not protect nalural areas, plants and wildlife disappear and may even go extinct, Wa may also loose tourism and opportunities for recreation. The government of BC has recenlly developed a Potected Areas Strategy as a method of choosing which areas to protect, but the cholcas ara difficult. Decision makers hava much to consider, What does it mean to protect an area? How do we decide which areas to protect? What lavat of protection is raquired? Haw large should the areas ba? What are the costs? What are the benelits? How can (he multituda of opinions about protected areas be taken into account? How should decisions ba made? How shouid protected areas ba managed, and by whom? What role should First Natlons ave in managing protectad areas? These are all difficult questions to answer. The provincial government has decided on two major goals for a system of protection. The first goal is to protact examples of the natural diversity in BG. This means choosing representative examples of our many landforms and ecasystams from the snowclad mountains, timbered hills, “and grasslands, to rocky and sandy coastlinas, lakes, rivera and fjords, It means finding out where plants and animals make their homes, and locating areas important to our cultural history and our currant recreation interests. Tha second is to protect special natural features. This means delarmining where rare or endangered plant and animal species live, and localing areas eritical for wildlife survival, It means focking for unique geological formations as well as cultura! heritage features such as ancient village sites and recreational faalures such as trails, Still, the question ramains complex. Small, scattered protected araas do not necessarily pravent species extinction. Tha design, shape, spacing and linking of protected ereas are al! elaments being studied. | hope you are enjaying BC provincial parks and that you will visit other parks soon, Whather you come to camp, plonic, play on the beach, aki, hike, or watch wildlife, remember thal parks are for conservation and for people. ; BoRy LAKELSE LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK VISITORS PROGRAMS THURSDAY AUGUST 13 Forest Critters Learn about animals in the park and make your own animal ta take home. Hike-A-Tree Looking through a magnify glasa can reveal a whole new world in our forests. 4:00 pm 7:00 pm ERIDAY AUGUST 14 Plunge In Explora the homes and habits of the aquatic animals that live in 8C Parks, Bring little fish neta If you have some. Walk with the Giants Learn some sacrets about old growth coastal rainforests. Moet at the information sign near the R.V, dump station. 4:00 pm 7:00 pm SATURDAY AUGUST 16 Weird Weather Weather shapes the way we liva. Find oul mora about what makes precipitation. Jerry's Ranger "Tree Frlanda” Sas the forast without your eyes. Nature Nut. 4:00 pm 7:00 pm SUNDAY AUGUST 16 Jerry's Ranger “Camouflage” Life ls often an amazing display of how ta stay alive, Dogged Detective. Hug-A-Tree Learn what to do if you are lost in thea woods, Family prasentation and slides. 4:00 pm 7:00 pm MONDAY AUGUST 17 Buttarfliea Discover the world of butterflies and make a sun cathcar to take hame. 7:00 pm All ara Weicomel All Programe are FREE! All programe will be held In the Amphitheatre unless oiherwise posted, | COMPUTERS | Overhead Projectors, Laminators in : SCANNERS Systems& (M8 Monitors PRINTERS INDIVIDUALLY INDIVIDUALLY PRICED PRICED 75% off Dictation Equipment, Accessories & 70% orf wv. we Enter £4 Door Prize BARNEY pou * c/w Software Pack Value $189.00 fr f ee a ee en ee)