The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, January 29, 1997 - Ad e to, ai aes HOWE CREEK is getting a face litt. That's Martin Forbes from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans with workers busy digging a path for the stream. By Spring, the creek will follow a new route, which will feature more open water for fish and bird habitat. Good news for Howe Creek IT’S NOT for condos and it’s not for houses. In fact, the excavation work at the north end of Eby Street docsn’t involve any construction at all. It’s for the re-routing of Howe Creck. "Tt looks bad now,’? says Department of Fisheries and Oceans community advisor Martin Forbes. ‘‘But in no time it will green up and Jook really sharp.”’ Some area residents are worried the excava- tion might’ be ruining fish and. waterfowl] habitat, but Forbes says the opposite is truc. “This will result in a net gain of fish habitat,’’ he says. “And if anything, more birds will come to the area, because there will be more open water.’” The plan is to divert Howe Creek, which now The Terrace Little Theatre, runs in a ditch alongside Eby Street. The stream will eventually meander along the bench, past Christy Park and Parkside School before flow- ing under Eby Street. The project is a joint effort between the DFO, Terrace Greenbelt Society, area landowners and city engineers. “A lot of thought bas gone into this,’’ says Forbes. “It’s a win-win situation for every- body.”” . 7 Forbes points out that the whole area used to be wetland which has since been filled in for residential development. He says the project, which began last summer, will help bring daylight to natural waler courses, rather than bury them in culverts, "The Terace Litle Theate An excavator is digging a new path for the stream — which will include a large, shallow pond area that Forbes says will be excellent for the approximately 40 resident ducks and lone blue heron who live in the area, “We've left lots of tall trees for bird perches and almost all of the evergreens,” he says. ‘And with all the moisture here, the brush and alders will grow back in no time.’’ Once the stream begins to flow, other com- munity groups, like the Terrace Beautification Society and Streamkeepers, will move in to help clean up the site and make trails. “Right now is the eyesore slage,’’ says Forbes, ‘‘But it’s going.to be beautiful when we're finished.’ ° Director Daniel Barnswell Presents the Canadian Premiere of | Sam Shepard’ Pulitzer Prize Winning Play buried child Feb. 6, 7, 8, 13, $}2 | News in Brief Radar on the hot seat TERRACE AND District Chamber of Commerce members get a chance tomorrow for a first hand expla- nation of the provincial government's photo radar pro- gram, An RCMP officer from the Prince George-based photo radar section covering the north will be on hand to give information and to answer questions. Photo radar is intended to slow dowa motorists on city strects and on the highways but it has been criti- cized as a revenue grab, Tomorrow’s meeting takes place at the Coast Inn of the West beginning al 11:45 a.m. with a lunch. Northerners needed LACK OF northern representation on provincial government boards and commissions is the latest target of a new society. Focus North, formed last year as a non-political body dedicated to ensuring the north bas more of a say in de- cision making, says not enough people from the north are on boards and commissions such as the B.C. Utili- ties Commission. The society most recently criticized increases during the winter months in natural gas prices in some north- em communities. “The natural gas issue is typical of what can happen when northern representatives aré not part of the decision-making process,’’ said Focus North president Murray Sadler, a Prince George lawyer. illegal fisher snagged A MAN was found guilty of using illegal fishing meth- ods, and fined more than $300 in Terrace court last week, Joseph Maurice Nadcau was found guilty on January 20 of snagging or attempting to snag fish, under the British Columbia Sport Fishing Regulations. Nadeau was found guilty on two counts and fined a total of $300, plus forfeiture of his rod and reel valued at approximately $300. Dope grower sentenced A TERRACE man was sentenced to six months in prison two weeks ago for operating a huge marihuana growing operation out of his home. Cultivation and possession charges against John Raymond Nystrom, 26, date back to July 1995 after po- lice searched his residence aad uncovered 180 marihuana plants, hydroponic growing equipment and some dricd marihuana, with a total street value estimated at $135,000. Nystrom pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to six months in prison on each count, to be ‘served concurrently. Judge Paul Lawrence dismissed defence counsel requests for use of the electronic monitoring program and communily service as an alternative to jail. He said a jail sentence will send a message that this type of criminal activity will not be tolerated in the community. Charges against Nystrom’s wife were stayed. ‘@7D9Y] OPI] S20VE] Oy) 14, 15 20, 21, 22 Showtime 8:00om At the McColl Playhouse | - | Tickets available at Uniglobe Courtesy Travel