pgmace —

in spite: of. apes
‘position’ from more than a dozen -
- ‘McConnell Ave. and other area
oe =) Residents, ‘Phase I of the Ter--
".... ‘Yace Youth Soccer. Christy Park.

Development will 1 proceed: ¥ with
the construction: of two- more:

: soccer. fields, , The. ‘decision: As.

conditional on the. formulation.

. ‘of a “*development: agreement”

“between. the ity: and Youth’

Soccer. cos
Prior. to: the city’ Ss: --decision,

* Youth. Soccer.” ‘president: Don.

Highe, t the lone defender of the

eal it here and now”,

project: at: t last «4 Monday’ s council

Ineeting, told city ‘aldermen to

“bite _ the bullet”’ and either -

allow the project to proceed or.
This

a

These silent sentinels to idle schools tell'a story of the economic backlash caused by tk the labor dispute between :
board and teachers in District 88. Although not directly Involved in the dispute, local. school bus drivers represent |
early $1, 000 ¢ a aay in lost-wages. That's $17,000 to date that will never. be recovered.

“Strong support” for skiers”

“Not even the. trappers could

agree — at least not those. who
. are.now on the Kitimat-Stikine
‘Regional District board of direc-
. tors —» but nevertheless the’
board has strengthened its posi-
‘tion from. integrated use to
for the

‘“‘strong support’
development of cross-country

Ski ‘trails at Onion Lake, Op- —
~ posed to this support were direc-
- tors Les Watmough and Gordon
- Robinson.
Hazelton director and trapper

Pete Weeber, a

for 14 years, joined other board
members, however, and sup-

2 _ ported the project.

The strongest proponent of
the project was Kitimat director
Dr. Chee Ling, who described

the proposal as well thought out —
. and a boon to tourism, eco-
nomic development and. the
general health and fitness of all

Northwesterners. According to

- Ling, unlike downhill skiing,
cross-country is a family recrea-

tional activity where all age

groups can participate at a
minimal cost. -

He-adds that the sport is en-

‘vironmentally. safe and with

| “top quality’? organized ski :
trails such as those proposed for —

Onion Lake, the possibility of
regional, provincial and national
meets adds potential to tourism

‘and economic growth in the area

— particularly when combined

with facilities like the nearby

Mount Layton Hot Springs.
‘Watmough disagreed with

Ling’s evaluation of the devel-
opment by saying simply, “Why

can't they (skiers) use the
highway? Joggers do.’’ He add-

‘ed that the development would

make trapping ‘‘very difficult’
because trappers would have to
re-adjust everything they do.
“Things will never be the same
as they were before,”’ he says.
Weeber allowed that trappers
would be required to make
“some adjustments”’ and admit-
ted there was some possibility of
“reduced revenues”, but he

maintained that the two land:

uses could co-exist. According
to Weeber, trapping could be
carried out in the fall and spring

_ and cross-country skiing would
be an activity taking place dur:.
ing the winter. ,

Robinson agreed i in part with

Watmough by pointing out that.
logging and forestry, as well as

cross-country skiing for that

matter, were relatively new to_

the area, but the Native popula-
tion has been in the region for

‘hundreds of years and many of

their trap lines are considered as

a part of the family. When the .

final vote was taken however,
Robinson and Watmough were
the only directors who opposed
the development.

The Onion Lake proposal was
submitted by the Kitimat Cross-
Country SkiClub almost a year
ago. Plans call for a network of
ski trails suitable for both

‘recreation and competition. «

LOCAL BUSINESSES ‘ILLEGAL’ FOR A FEW DAYS|

TERRACE — Several local

. business operations were “‘il-

legal”’ earlier this month, but no

charges were laid. Alderman

Darryl Laurent brought this

_ matter to light recently by saying
‘he had received a complaint

from the Chamber af Com

Legislative Library, OT
Parliament Buildings, 0
Victoria, B.C.

V8V 1X4

result of more than a year of
presentations . and negotiation

with council, council committees -
and the Terrace Advisory Parks

and Recreation Commission.
Highe and city aldermen agreed,
however, that when the project

‘|. -was initiated in 1983 there was a
|.-“gentleman’s agreement” which
_» said that construction on the re- -
. Maining two fields could com-
“7 omence once.the initial three had
ae been: completed to the city’ $s.
| satisfaction.
' "The project has been delayed

with recurring. waves of protest.
over the destruction of the Howe
Creek habitat, predicted parking
and noise problems and, most
recently, flooding - problems

which the city and Highe agree

existed long before the project
and would eventually become
the city’s problem at some point
with or without
development.

The only ‘rift in council oc-
curred during a discussion of

‘> eoneerns*-and- solations~ wher

Alderman. Danny Sheridan. :

reminded fellow council member —
“Dave Hull,

development; that his position

| was .different prior to his elec- -
‘tion as a city alderman when he

who opposed the

‘was promoting the construction:
of an adult clubhouse at the

_ park. Hull’s lone opposition to
the completion. of the Youth -
Soccer project was officially °°

recorded following the vote.

_ Trappers endorse plans
for ski trail development

‘The Northwest ‘Trappers’ Association has given conditional sup-
port to a proposal for the development of cross-country ski trails in

the Onion Lake area.

In a recent statement association president Otto Lindstrom said
the group reached a consensus on the matter at # general meeting

Dec. 16.

The trail development plan, designed by the Kitimat Cross-
Country Ski Club and backed by the Ministry of Forests, has been
criticized by two local trappers who have traplines in the area. Lind-
strom said, however, that the association feels the development
would be an asset to the community and they’re prepared to support
the program as long as the trappers who will be affected receive

compensation,

“It’s only fair and reasonable,”’ Lindstrom sald and indicated
that the compensation, whether in cash or in the form of other
trepline assignments in different areas, should be jointly born by
the ski club and the Ministry of Forests.

‘We've had discussions, and they’re aware of our position,’’ he
said, “I think we can reach an agreement,’’

Apparently, the city normally -
mails notices of the expiration of
business licenses early in
December, but according to
Laurent, in 1988 they missed the
mark by about 30 days. Most
businesses received their notices

on Dee, 3f and were then ex-.
pected to renew their licensés

prior to the commencement of
-business on Jan. 1.

City treasurer Keith Norman
says the problem arose due to
staff trying to update records
and was complicated by the
December flu epidemic, He says,

however, everything is now ‘up Com

‘0 date.

frustrated ‘ultimatum, was’. “the a

the park |

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