Vol. 4, Issue No. 9

Two special quests at the recent grand opening of the Mount Layton Hot
Springs, Justine Ewart and Carrie McLeod, demonstrate that Bert Orleane’
creation |s truly a resort for all seasons. by embracing a snowman after
taking a plunge down the waterslide. Ewart (left) Is the granddaughter of

- Ray Skoglund, who developed the hot springs during the 1970's, and

McLeod Is the great-granddaughter of Bruce Johnstone, who pioneered

tha original development In 1907.

Local .
preservation of four
Northwest ridings |

TERRACE — The message was
clear — we don’t want any
changes. But did Westminster
County Judge Thomas Kemp
Fisher hear it? MLA Dave
Parker doesn’t think so,

by Tod Strachan

Because 69 MLA’s work out
of 52 ridings (17 ridings are two-
MLA ridings) Fisher was select-
ed by the provincial government
to determine an appropriate
number of electoral districts for
the province, each with one
MLA, and to establish new
boundaries for each district.

He was told that in making his
recommendations he was to con-
sider the principal of an ‘‘elec-
toral quota’’ for each electoral
district, any historical and

Hot Springs officially open

‘Opening ceremonies were a
gala affair at Mount Layton Hot
Springs last Saturday afternoon,
Sentries of lifeguards, helium-
filled balloons and an enthusias-
tic gathering of dignitaries and
guests surrounded the outdoor
pool as Master of Ceremonies
Marylin Davies introduced area
pioneers Lloyd Johnstone and
Bill McRae, developer Bert
Orleans, Skeena MLA Dave
Parker, Minister of Tourism,
Recreation and Culture Bill
Reid, and Mayor Ray Brady of
Kitimat, who presented Orleans
with a photo enlargement of the
Kitimat Valley as a token of ap-
preciation for his investment in
the. future of the Northwest.

Fantastic, second to none,
and a product which can be

Marketed internationally were
‘just a few of the words used by

Reid following the ribbon-
cutting to describe Bert Orleans’
Mount Layton Hot Springs
Resort.

“Enough compliments cannot
be paid to Bert Orleans and his
wife,’’ said Reid. ‘I want to say

Silas Clayton and Mayor Jack Talstra kicked off Special ol
major event during the month will be a
organizers will ba hosting Prince Rupert, Smithers and Vanderhoof.

how proud we are to be here to

witness it, and to be a part of the
system. and. a part of the govern-
ment that will help’him make a
reality of the dream by inviting
other people from- around
British Columbia, North Amer-
ica and the world to come and
see what he’s had the vision to
build,’’

Tom Lee, Assistant Deputy
Minister of Timber and Land
Marketing, worked closely with
Orleans from the beginning of
that dream and briefly described
how the project had become a
reality. According to Lee, the
government had tried unsuc-
cessfully to find a developer for
the land for about four years but
eventually found five interested
parties, one of which was Bert
Orleans.

‘*He was not only the highest
bidder on the property,’’ he
said, ‘“but he was the person
who we selected as being the
most qualified and committed to
carry out the project.”’

Lee added that there were
skeptics at the time, but: “From

the day we closed those tenders
and selected Bert, if there were

. two. people: who weren't. skep-

tics, F think Bert and I were the
two. When we made a deal I was
convinced we had the right
guy.”

Orleans said the potential for
a successful resort was obvious
from the very beginning and he
failed to understand why the
resort had lain idle for so long.
And for Orleans, that potential
is only beginning to grow. With
Phase I of the resort now in
operation, the demand has
reached the point where it is
necessary to book three weeks in
advance for a weekend stay —
and that’s only the beginning.

Because of this, Orleans said
that the next stage of property
development and construction
of the golf course are already
underway, and Phase II of the
resort complex will begin soon.
soon.

“TI didn’t expect success as
fast as it would come,’’ said
Orleans. ‘‘But ‘it’s here. The

-response has been amazing.”

ymplcs month with a friendly challenge last week. One
Regional Bowling Championship Jn Terrace on March 19. Terrace

Legislative Library, Cy
Parliament Buildings,
Victoria, B.C.

V8V 1X4

YOUR HOMETOWN LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
TERRACE, B. C., WEDNESDAY, March 2, 1988

regional claims for représenta-
tion, special geographic con-
siderations such as population
density and accessibility, and
any special community interests.

With those instructions,
Fisher began a tour of the pro-
vince to gather information and,
while chairing the public hearing
at the Desiderata Inn in Terrace,
said that ‘‘as a guide” he was
suggesting 75 electoral districts
with a population of 38,523 in
each district based on 1986 cen-
sus figures.

In his presentation to Fisher,
Kitimat Mayor Ray Brady
stressed the importance of main-
taining four electoral districts in
the Northwest — Skeena, Atlin,
Prince Rupert and Omineca —
but, if it were absolutely
necessary to change the boun-
daries of the Atlin riding in
order to boost its current
population of 5,511 and main-
tain it as a riding, add the
Hazeltons, Smithers and Telkwa
to Atlin and move the Nass
Valley-frony. Atlin. to Skeena.

Former Terrace Mayor
Helmut Giesbrecht was more
open to changing the present
boundaries, but he told Fisher
that talk by southerners of
redrawing the electoral map on
the basis of a rigid adherence to
population figures would change
the north into.a colony of the

92, basically agreed with Brady.

._ 50CENTS

south — a move he said would
give him a “strong urge. to
secede from the province’, |

However, Giesbrecht sug-
gested that some change to ex-
isting boundaries may be
desirable and pointed to the
economic similarities of Terrace,
Kitimat and the Nass, and
Smithers, Hazelton and Stewart
to suggest the same changes
Brady was willing to accept as a
compromise to prevent the loss
of Atlin.

Skeena Social Credit Consti-
tuency Association President
Marylin Davies was less flexible
in her presentation. She sug-
gested that existing boundaries
are perfectly acceptable and sug-
gested that a small population in
a large riding represented the
same, if not more, work for the
MLA.

Davies recommended to
Fisher that the four Northwest
constituencies be left intact and
“*MLA effectiveness in the north
could be achieved with more
realistic office and travel-
allowances proportionate to the
distances travelled.”

Brian Domney, the Adminis-
trator for Nishga School District

If any change were to be made,
attaching the Nass to Skeena -
riding would be logical. But he
continued on page 24

Young sklers from all over northern 8.C. 5 converged on Kiteumkalum Moun-
tain recently for a run dawn the giant slalom course, See Story, page 19.

Betty Barton photo

Inside
Business Guide 18
Church Directory 10
Classifled Ads “21
Coming Events 18
Comics _ , 20

’ Grossword 20
Dining Directory . 2
Entertainment - 2
Horoscope 2
Letters _. §,6,23
Opiniona |
Sports ee -|
Stork -.6
§

Tatk of the Town

~ Outside

~ Date HI Lo... Prec.
Feb. 22 2 4 ys, ni
Feb. 23 4 2 ie nil
Fab. 24 44 nil
Feb. 25 5 OD 5.8 mm mixed
rain & snow

Feb. 26 3.°«O8 14.0 mixed
rain & snow

Feb. 27 7 4 trace of rain
Feb. 28 6 44 nll

Forecast: Very unsettled mild
weather as a seties of Pacific
disturbances move across the
district giving some clouds
with occasional precipitation,
Afternoon highs to 8 with over- f
night lows around 2,