B14 rerrace Review —~ Wednesday, November 21, 1990

_ National award

The. Tertace Regional Transit
System is the recipient of the 1990
Mobility Award for Innovation in
Accessible Transit. This announce-
ment was made Nov. 7 in Hull,
Quebec, during the annual meeting
of the. Canadian Urban Transit
Association. .The award was
officially presented in Terrace last
night.

According to B.C. Transit, the
association’s choice recognizes the
conversion of local public transit
system to a fully accessible service
in July of last year. The local fleet
was transformed at that time from
two full-sized conventional buses
to one. conventional bus, one 24-
passenger minibus and one seven-
passenger. van.

-Both smaller vehicles are wheel-
_ chair lift-equipped, and the smaller
vehicles are fuelled by natural gas.
The advantage of small size and
fuel choice has been demonstrated
in greater efficiency: for. a 33
percent increase in service hours,
costs increased only 13 percent.

According B.C, Transit, Terrace
met all their objectives in changing
local transit service: increased
accessibility for those with mobil-
ity impairments and an increased
in the number of people using the
system with no significant increase
in operating costs. This, says B.C.
Transit, serves as a model for
other small communities across
Canada to follow.

On behalf of the Canadian Urban Transit Association, B.C. Transit manager fo
presented the 1990 Mobility Award for Innovation in Accessible Transit to repr
Terrace/Thornhill transit system work: mayor Jack Talstra, Coastal Bus Lines president Alvin Zaharko,

Bus Lines Dave Storey, and Thornhill Area 'E’ regional district director Les Watmough.

r small community sytems Steve New (left)
esentatives of the people who make the

Terrace manager for Coastal

School district maintenance chief retiring — slowly

Lothar Heller: It's a great job, but sure busy.

by Nancy Orr
——=—=————————SSSS a

Lothar Heller, maintenance
superintendent for. School
District 88, is doing what
everyone would like to do —
move gradually towards retire-
ment after an active and varied
career that has spanned three
continents,

In September Lothar moves
from the highly demanding and
stressful job of maintenance
supervisor for the district to

construction of the new
$13,000,000 Hazelton Education
Centre. He and his wife, Riati,
have sold their home in Terrace
and are in the process of moving
to Hazelton this month.

Lothar arrived in Canada at
the age of 20 from the Black
Forest region of Germany,
armed with an education in
diesel and engine mechanics and
a spirit of adventure and. deter-

become clerk of Works for the. “mination. After a variety of

jobs, he went to the rain forests
of Liberia in 1964 to supervise
construction of a school and
ended up supervising continual
construction including houses,
hospitals, homes, air condition-
ing plants, sewers and all that
goes into a growing country. |
The Hellers returned to
Canada in 1969 and moved to
Stewart, to a similar position
with the Granduc Mine, but
what a contrast in climate! In
1971, Granduc- recorded the
world record for snow, - ;
Once again, it was to a
challenging position, general
surface foreman looking - after
all the buildings, supplies,
vehicles (and snow removal).

““We really enjoyed Stewart,”

said Lothar, ‘There -were so
many interesting activities to be
involved in. 1 even ran for

school board and served as’

'??

trustee for a two-year term

Then Granduc slowed down
and it was time to move on;
Schoo! District 88 was in the
middle of its building boom with
a new school opening or addi-
tion every six months.

In 1974, the Hellers came to

Terrace.

The same job, but with a big
difference — a public service.

‘‘Everybody. wants the ser-
vices yesterday,’ said Lothar
with a laugh. “Crews have to be
scheduled in advance, but
always there are emergencies,
floodings, glass, locks, busses —

but we have a great crew.”’

“There are 48 custodians to
keep the building clean and 20
maintenance men to keep them
in repair ~ plumbers, electri-
cians, welders, glaziers, lock-
smiths,’? Lothar continued.
‘Just think of all those windows
to replace, locks to change,
toilets to unplug throughout the
year. .

“‘And the regular mainten-
ance, the painting,. roofing,
busses, 135 acres of grass to cut.
It’s a great job, but sure busy.”’

There was one day in 1983

‘when it all came to a sudden stop

— a day Lothar does not like to
talk about —~ with an emergency
ride to hospital and Dr. Phillips
reviving him with artificial
respiration in the parking lot.

‘““So I learned to take it easy,
to be philosophical. I have really
enjoyed my work.”’

Now he will have more time
for his family: his wife, and
daughter, Heidi - Tilterton,
teacher at Clarence Michiel, and
son Brian in Port Hardy. ‘‘And
to enjoy our grandchildren,’’ he
ended.

>

Sing your way |
to the top of the charts

Come out to Karaoke Night and sing along
with the lyrics as they appear on video.

Sundays 8 - 12 midnight & Thursdays 8:30 - 1:30
Join the chorus at George’s Pub!
Northern Motor Inn, 3086 Hwy 16 E.,
Terrace phone 635-6375

“Karaoke - available for rent for Xmas parties

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SALLE TN Da oe