~ Iey image _ WINTER'S LATE arrival jast week provided a bit of rare ~~ scenery this year. This frozen waterfall near Gossen Creek ex- oe :- amplified that the cold weathe? can 1 strike anywhere, at any “a time. From Our ‘Family To Yours | Service, Quality and Value TERRACE — Seven Sisters Ventures Inc. is the sole remain- ing applicant for a licence to build a wilderness hiking resort near here, . But lands ministry officials admit they don't yet know how the proposal will be judged. “It’s not clear what the next stage is,’? regional lands manager Jim Yardley said, ad- ding the ministry is waiting for Victoria to decide how the new policy on granting such licences should evolve. He was speaking after a com- peting application for a. com- mercial backcountry recreation licence, fram the Gitksan cagle clan of Gitwangak, was rejected last month. -"“The application from the eagle clan didn’t meet some of the basic requirements of the proposal call,’’ Yardley said. He said the eagle clan didn’t provide the required $10,000 letter of credit or a sufficiently detailed business plan. The Gitksan have said they will oppose any tourism business venture in the area that isn’t agreed to by the hereditary chiefs. They have so far been at odds with’ Seven Sisters Ventures president Titus Nelson over his plan for a wilderness hiking and: . skiing resort on the north side of the Skeena River, opposite the Seven Sisters mountains. “T don’t think the process is going to go anywhere,’’ said Gitksan spokesman Don Ryan, “The issue of the dispute on the land is stili there. The Delgam Uukw (Gitksan land claim ap- peal) case is going ahead April 6. Yardley and those guys can say whatever they want — I’m not worried about it.’’ Ryan says natives filed their application last fall to put their plans for an overall resource planning process into the public record, He said the eagle clan wants an overall development strategy worked out that would set out provisions for selective logging, fishing, trapping, mushroom picking and tourism. He said they oppose any piecemeal ap- proach of granting development - licences before that strategy is finished, “Lf you turn a given area into an exclusive type of tenure, you’re excluding options,’’ he explained. Nelson says he will wait for the province to decide what’s going on with the tenure gran- ting system before attempting to negotiate with area natives again, “There is currently no con- sensus (among: the natives),”’ Nelson said: ‘Don Ryan ‘is beating around the bush with his public statements, But the real issue is that there is no con- sensus,’”. He said there will probably be no productive talks between the Gitksan and his company until there is agreement. But Nelson believes a deal can Terrace Standard, Wednesday, February 26, 1992 — Page A7 Trail developer waiting for government response evenutally be worked out. He said it’s clear the eagle clan application wasn't a com- petitive application, but rather a statement designed to further their land claim. And he says some cooperative arrangement may still make it possible for the development to go ahead without undermining, the Gitksan land claim. “What's important to them is land ownership,’ he ‘said. “And land ownership i isn’t im- portant to us.”’ _ Nelson said he is continuing to look at placing the develop- ment elsewhere. His company has been looking at the Wood River wilderness area in Wyom- ing as well as the Siberian wilderness of the eastern Soviet Government regulation is easier, he said, and natives seem more eager to cut a deal that would bring in tourism dollars. Nelsan’s company proposes an 11,000-square foot lodge near Dorreen, numerous remote cabins and bridges connected by 55 miles of trails in the Fiddler Creek area. Arson nearly claims store TERRACE — A local corner store had a narrow escape from destruction after an arsonist struck in the early hours of Saturday morning, Feb. 15. John’s Grocery at the corner of Loen and Munroe was one of two places to be hit by the firebug. In the other incident, a fire was set outside the front doors of Skeena Jr. Secondary school, just across Muriroe from the store, Owner John Groot said he ar- rived at the store just. after 6 a.m. to find it full of smoke, He woke up the people in the living quarters attached and then call- ed the fire department. Groct said the fire was started on the outer wall of the at the EIRE=Iif! LnilteIUt store and when he. arrived. the flames were just beginning ‘to. lick up the interior walls toward the ceiling. Fire chief Bob Beckett said the timing of Groot's arrival was fortunate because another half hour and the building would have been fully ablaze. It was also fortunate the. goods stored on shelves against the burning wall had been non- cumbustible. Noting the school fire had: been set at approximately 4 a.m., Beckett said it was likely the John’s Grocery arson had occurred at about the same time. The store was closed for several days for repairs. q = ot i FURNITURE GA APPLIANCE ITD. eyes, Spaeanee 7 Since 1963 BONUS FREE DRAW DAILY 4 » FOR14PC.GOLD — PLATED NECKLACE & BRACELET SET > GRAND PRIZE OF < PROCTOR SILEX COFFEE MAKER | ovERSTOC Feb. 29th is # Year End Wr @ may be slightly distressed. TTEMS SUBJECT 70, PRIOR SALE : D We need to reduce J” a a es me es erm oe WEN FURNITURE & APPLIANCE LTD. Since 1963 i) Name: ~ENTRY( FORM Address: Phone: Enter At The Store Only {4501 Lakelse Ave., Terrace, B. c. No Purchase Necessary _ FURNITURE & APPLIANCE LTD. Since 1963 Some sale items may be slightly distressed. ALL ITEMS SUBJECT TO PRIOR SALE