New luggage check regs The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, November 30, 2005 -.A3 Donation Guide “ue increase airport wait tim THINGS ARE a bit more crowded at the Northwest Regional Airport this week because a new baggage Screening system has been putin place. The main concourse was divided in half for the screening and is a temporary measure until renovations and an expansion take place to give the system a proper home, says airport manager ' Laurie Brown. 2 He’s also telling passen- gers to arrive far earlier than ever before to ensure their baggage is checked in time for departure. “Passengers should plan to be at the airport at a mini- mum of an hour and a half before the flight and two hours would be better,” said Brown. : The baggage screening system complies with new’: federal security. regulations and the airport here is one of the last to do so. Just as is the case with - carry on baggage, checked bags are now being x-rayed, aré subject’ to searches and are being screened by other security devices. Although the deadline to do so is the end of Decem- ber, Brown said the screen- ing is being introduced now to iron out any bugs ahead of the busy Christmas travel, season. _ The new system means ' passengers will go through two kinds of ‘check in, first for. their bags and then for themselves. Brown said a Jot of time was spent with the Canadian Air Transport. Security Au- thority (CATSA) to work out the temporary screening area and to create a flow for the procedure. " “We know there willbe a . few wrinkles but we will be ' able to work them out,” he said. « Once bags are screened and checked and passen- gers check themselves in and receive boarding passes, they’ll be free to wander ; around the airport, spend time in the restaurant or oth- erwise occupy themselves before going through secu- . rity and spending time in the - hold room until departure, _Brown added. He acknowledged that the CATSA baggage screen- ing requirement means: pas- sengers will need to change their habits. ‘But Brown’ also noted.’ f that the.need to arrive at the airport earlier should not be news for passengers used to flying out of larger airports on longer-haul. domestic or international flights. The’ temporary set up in the main concourse area will last until early next fall when the expansion and renova- tionis completed. — . Brown expects the con- tract for the work will be let within the next few weeks. ~ “We've sent off all the tender information to CAT- SA as they are partnering on this with.us. We’ve already selected who we expect will | be the contractor,” he said. © “Those renovations will start as soon as practical but _likely won't be finished until - next September. “When you are doing ren- ovations, it takes longer than -you think,” said Brown. The airport — terminal building expansion not only ‘means a.proper home for the. new CATSA baggage © screening system but will result in two additional sets - of washrooms, a set inside a: new hold room and and a set ' in the main concourse area. The new. hold room will hold approximately 150 people, more than triple the current room’ s 43-person * capacity. That and other improve- ‘ments from the expansion © and renovation reflect the ‘potential of larger aircraft being used on the Terrace- Vancouver route one day. The baggage ‘Teception area will alsd be‘made larger by extending the conveyor * belt system. NORTHWEST REGIONAL Airport manager Laurie Brown stands in front of the pas- senger check in area which has now been temporarily converted into a baggage screening zone. The baggage screening requirement means people will need to be at the airport far earlier than ever before. - “It can get kind of crowd- ed in there right now,’ ‘Brown. ’ said the airport earlier will: spur the airport to make. changes’ by increasing the quantity able for customers, he said. “In a way, CATSA’s cre- ated a market opportunity,” YOU CAN SHARE the spirit of the holiday season by supporting local charities and campaigns. Gifts for local children | _ TERRACE ANTI- POVERTY i is asking for your dona- tion of a new gift for a local child or teen as’ part of its annual Children’s Christmas Campaign. Select a gift tag for a child (newborn to ‘age 18) from Christmas trees set up at the Terrace Aquatic Centre, Wal-Mart or Pick up the Pace Health & Fitness. Pur- chase a gift to Dec. 14, when the donations will be wrapped and delivered by volunteers. Hampers will be’ wrapped and delivered by Dec. 21. To sponsor a fam-" ily, donate a gift, or make a financial contribution, call Rosanne Pearce at 635-4631. | The society, located: at 4628 Park Ave., is also ac- - cepting donations of toys, gifts, etc. Monetary dona- ions are also accepted and are tax deductible. oT Salvation Army appeal - “THE KETTLE Campaign and the local letter appeal are_ the Salvation Army's local fundraising drives. Dona- tions‘help pay for Christmas hampers, the soup kitchen, a year around food bank and other local needs. : ‘When you see the red kettle at the Skeena Mall, Wal-Mart, Safeway, Canadian Tire and the liquor store, please give generously. To volunteer, call Ian Mc- Donough, the thrift store and community services man- ager, at 635-5446. On Dec. 22-23 Christmas hampers: ‘filled with food and gifts will go to hundreds of local. families who would otherwise’ go without. There will two hamper registration dates: Nov. 28 and Dec. 2 both. from 1-4 p.m. at the Salvation Arniy on Kalum: ‘Ave. The Sharing Tree ’ THE MIX, CJFW, and NTV, and partner Terrace To- tem Ford are asking you to support the 34rd annual : Sharing Tree Campaign, which launches today. Donate . an unwrapped, brand-new gift suitable for a child, teen, or adult. » Gifts for teenagers are always in short supply: Sug- - gestions include gift certificates for ‘clothing, music or video games or gift cards. The presents are distributed by the Salvation Army along with Christmas hampers: Drop gifts off at the station office at 4625 Lazelle Ave., . or help Totem Ford fill its Sharing Truck. Deadline for ' donations i is Dec. 16. ee os a | Light up contest underway Beautification Society, the Northwest Real . fax entries to 638-8432 or send an email to A special feast | -VOLUNTEEERS FROM the Seventh Day Adventist - Church are offering the free meal Dec. 4 at the Carpen- ters’ Hall between 3 and 6 p.m. Donations are welcome. ., - For information, please call the Seventh Day. Adventist — Max of ‘Terrace, Steve Cullis Appraisals, Church at 635-3232 or Evelyn: Roesel at 798-2542. ‘Terrace Totem Ford, Appraisals Northwest, , ‘Terrace Interiors and The Terrace Standard. ; ye ‘Tree of Lights oe Judges will be going out Dec. 15 to look at entries and the results will be published in SHOW YOUR: support for local children with special - the Christmas issue of The Terrace Standard needs by donating to the Terrace Child Development on Dec. 21. Centre’s 19th annual Tree of Lights campaign from ‘You: can enter yourself or-enter anyone Dec. 1 to 15 in the Skeena Mall.’Sponsor a red, silvéror' else’s display you see. There’s an entry form “"] gold light ($25 to $100). Proceeds purchase specialized~ of Page A10 of today’s paper. You can also equipment for children ~ and support ‘therapy, educa- tion and prenatal programs. Call 635-9388 for info. The requirement to beat and kind of services avail-, Brown continued. IT’S DECEMBER tomorrow and that means . moré and more Christmas lights are ‘going up to celebrate the season. And that brings about the annual Christ- mas lights decorating contest, the 17th year it has taken place in Terrace. There are two categories and each has a first and second place -- favourite: residence and favourite business. The sponsors this year are the Terrace Estate. Board, Keenleyside Insurance, Re- newsroom @terracestandard.com COMMUNITY ” sciéncecelebration “everyone who made Science fun at the Community ; Science Celebration on Nov 19% at the NWCC, Y Santa’s elves are here all the time... Wée2RLD BRITISH COLUMBIA eall our toll-free number: 1-888-984-8880 for mail orders! 635- 1423: i888. 984 8880 hon-Sat 9- ‘6pm Sun 12; “Sp oe)