INSIDE SECTION B COMMUNITY CRIS LEYKAUF EVENTS B2 638-7283 Adventures in England OURISM IS not a major indus- try in Terrace but judging from the number of American licence plates in town, it could be im- portant. Any merchant will tell you about the need for courtesy in the hospitality industry. Wit- ness the following. I have just returned from three weeks at a tourist resort in England. It is known for it’s twenty square miles of beach and hundreds of shops and is always crowded. I however, was not impressed with the hospitality of the place. On my first day in town, I went to the post office to buy some stamps. There was a long line up. When it was my turn, I showed the clerk my postcard so she could see the destination and I asked politely, “*What do I need on this?’ The answer came back quickly — ‘‘a stamp.’’ I let this pass and eventually got what I needed. A few days later, my wife went into a su- permarket and when she presented my Visa card, the cashier refised to take it. She had to come oti to the car ahd get itie. | The supervisor who had now arrived asked me to sign the cash register receipt. This of course was narrower than my card so [ signed with my first initial and last name. The card of course had my name written out in full and the supervisor would not accept my short form, When a driver signals, it is to tell you that they are going to cut you off so you might as well brake naw. I thought it unlikely that someone would use a stolen North American credit card for thirty dollars worth of groceries so I wrote my name out in full, beginning on the paper and extending it across her counter top. She accepted this, These and other adventures in shopping began with trying to get to the stores. The drivers and pedestrians in this town use the kami kaze technique. When a driver signals, it is to tell you that they are going to cut you off so you might as well brake now. Pedestrians are no better. I saw one pedestrian push the button to get a green light and he immediately stepped out onto the road without looking. Cars came to a screeching stop and he was across the street before the light had changed, while we sat and waited for it to allow us to continue. Maybe I should close with a few words about the beach. It costs four dollars to drive your car onto the beach, which as | mentioned earlier, is massive. The speed limit is ten miles per hour and Strictly enforced. Trying to do donuts will get you escorted off by the shore patrol. On the land side, the sand is bone dry. You sink up to your ankles with every step and it is no good for building. The ocean is almost a mile away and if you ignore the red flags to go and get some water the shore patrol comes over and tells you off. In the middle the sand is moist enough for the kids to dig but by the time they are down four inches it is black and soaked in oil. It is often too windy for Frisbee but if you want to feed the gulls, look at the horses being exercised, or just go along and pick up litter as my wife seems compelled to do, it is a nice beach. From The Standard’s foreign correspon- dent, having a wonderful time, best wishes and happy holidays. A new community centre Kermode centr By CRIS LEYKAUF THE FACELIFT and ad- dition proposed for the Kermode Friendship Centre will do much more than revitalize an aging building. Directors are also hoping the added space and new facilities — will allow the centre to offer even a wider range of programs. The Kermode Friend- ship Centre, located on Kalum, is a multicultural drop-in centre. It offers advocacy ser- vices such as advice on welfare rights, native status, housing and medi- cal issues, and gives sup- port to people in distress. The centre also offers a drug and alcohol counselling service, recreation programs for youths, a tutouring pro- gram, home comfort worker, parenting pro- gram and a variety of ac- — livities and workshops. “We're don’t have enough room,”’ explains Stu Cotterill, the econom- ic development officer at the centre. The new building would allow the centre to better meet its goals, he says. Whal’s planned is ac- tually a new building, built overtop of the exist- ing one. “Tt’s cheaper than tear- s? ing. it dowa, terill. The new building would be three floors, and would be about 26,700 sq. ft. It would contain a large lobby, four good sized training rooms, general office, three separate of- says Cot- e plans new home THIS IS WHAT the new Kermode Friendshi p Centre might look like in a few years, The new building would be built overtop the old one, greatly expanding available space, as well as giving it a much needed face Ilit. The board of directors hope the new building would become more of a community centre for Terrace, outdoors play area on the For starters, city council main level. The second level would be a large multipurpose room with a slage, which could be used for presentations, " per- formances and sports events. There is.also sig- nificant office” space available on the second floor, and even more on a planned third floor, which would be developed at a later date. It’s an ambitious plan, and Cotterill! = admits there’s a lot to be done before breaking ground, still has to approve centre’s application rezone the existing prop- erty, The new building will cost an estimated $3 mil- lion, says Cotterill. Right now he has applications into BC21 and Wome Equality for grants to off- set the costs. If that doesn’t pan out, Cotterill says the centre will pay for the project it- self, via lotteries and ather projects, The centre owns land and building it’s that alone is a good start, the he says, to What they want to do with the new building is make it into a community centre, available to be rented out for weddings, non-liquer dances, meet- ‘ings—and a variety of n’s functions: ‘It’s a perfect location for it,’’ he says, pointing out that the centre is lo- cated close lo the pool and the library, as well as downtown. The centre also plans to the rent office space to com- in panies such as an service centre for home-based business, and other com- panies that could train people. These are businesses the centre itself could start, says Cotterill. But the most important emphasis of this new centre will be to promote multiculturalism. “We try to create a non-threatening, non- judgmental environ- ment,”’ says Cotterill. ‘“We’re a friendship centre and friendship has a tendency to be colour blind.” fices and a daycare and Jamie Gibson Great show TALENT NIGHT is coming up soon for the nine contestants in the Miss Terrace competi- tion. And this year the night will bea bit different from many of the traditional talent nights past. The evening starts with a separate effective speaking cvent. Each contestant chooses her own topics, and is judged on the quality of delivery of her speech. Then comes the talent portion. This year will feature a photography exhibit, a few native dances a poem and a drama skit, to name a few. - There will also be some events which will be- pre-taped, such as one girl who will ride her horse i a serics of movies which are set to music, Talent night starts at 7 p.m. on July 20 at the Pentecostal Church. Tickets are $7 and are available at Erwin’s Jewellers, ladles wear in the Co-op and from any contestant. hopefully by next spring. now free and clear, and Darlynne Larsen Bonnie Vivelros planned for talent night Three finalists will from the evening will per- form their talents again at Awards Night, a week later al the REM Lee Theatre. And below you can meet three more contes- tants. The final three will be featured next week, Jamie Gibson entered the Miss Terrace con- test to gain sclf esteem and to meet new people, She graduated from Caledonia in 1994 and Is currently working at Tim Hortons. : In her spare time in the winter months she en- joys snowmobiling, and this ycar she plans to _ try skiing for the first time, She’s hoping that being involved in the Miss Terrace pageant will belp ber ‘to be more com- fortable around people,’’ and teach her how to work with groups, oo Her future goals involve a career with chil- dren. Her sponsor is Skeena Sawmills, ~Darlynne Larsen is currently in her first year at Northwest Community College. There’s she’s starting to work on a bachelor of applied arts in journalism. Larsen entered the Miss Terrace contest for the experience and to work on her people skills, She hopes it will teach her to be the best person she cai be, and to use her best attributes. She's currently employed by McDonalds, and in her spare time she enjoys playing softball and badminton. ‘Larsen is sponsored by McDonalds. Bonnie Viveiros just graduated from Caledonia, and is planning to attend college next year. She Joined the Miss Terrace pageant to lear new skills and meet new people. She hopes to tearm how to speak to large groups of people and expects to gain a great deal of personal salisfaction from being involved in the contest. Vivelros is sponsored by the Terrace Co-op.