Page A6 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, July 28, “1993 ec D.. 2 ~ i a: USINESS REVIEY Stewart appeal broadened High flyers nab tourists TERRACE — A Stewart tourist enterprise is settling into what it expects will be a solid summer business from now on in. Blue Ice Flightsecing has one Cessna aircraft offering flying tours of the various glaciers sur- rounding Stewart. Tt was started last year by David and Leslie Blais and this is ils first full year of operation. “It’s been a good year. These last two rainy days are the first we've had in three weeks,”’ said Leslie Blais last week. The couple opened the business after David Blais was laid off from his job at Westmin Fremier’s mine when it began phasing out operations. Blais already had a private pilot’s licence so it was a matter oF getting a commercial one and obtaining other approvals. The business prepared a scenic video over the winter to help mnarket its flights and has also been the beneficiary of word of mouth advertising. “We are getting repeats. The word is starting to spread,’’ said Leslie Blais. She said the business gets a lot of German lourists, is building an American clientele and recently took up three Japanese visitors. “That's really new. Stewart hasn’t really had any Japanese City permit break sought TERRACE — Builders who are members of the Skeena Valley Home Builders Association could soon be getting a cost break on city-issued permits. In a report to council, permits director Bob Lafleur said the 25- Member strong: association re- quested the fee reduction. Noting sever: association mem- bers were bullders, he said the conditions for entering the orga- nization were ‘such ‘that, builder members . wefe) “professional with proven track records.”? *..” That, in turn, ‘neant, less work for his department staff tourists,’ Blais added, Most of the company’s tour traffic comes from those stopping in a Stewart to take the Alaska Marine Highway ferry to Ketchikan. The’ single-engine Cessna air- craft holds: three people in addi- tion to the pilot. A sideline for the company are charters to other Canadian places or to Alaska. Greg Meredith of the North by Northwest Tourism Association Lafleur explained these builders submitted complete plans and fol- lowed permit procedures proper- ly; inspections were called for on time and the required work was: “almost always done’’;. and re- inspections and rejected work . were nearly eliminated. - While it was not. unusual for " homeowner” built houses to re- quire up to a dozen site inspec-. tions, he said.the. figure for. these proven professionals was about Ralflihat. ; Tiere was. also a sharp dif. ference i in the number of visits to city ‘hall, all of which took up Ours AND ABOUT. TERRACE’ — Local’ artisan Lena Chapplow, who has a sheep - wool and weaving business a Usk, recently. sat-on a highways ministry committee. — It examined the ‘issue of signs advertising tourist services and attractions... Recommendations are to given to the ministry the end of July. The ministry several years ago adopted a policy of having stan- dardized blue background and white lettering signs... - * 7 Ok k , Repap is still losing’ money but its performance is betler than this time last-year, * Second quarter results show the company made a cash profit of $7.7 million... ‘That turned into a $21. 4 million loss once depreciation was taken into account... > But these resulis are- better than the second quarter of last .veat . when a $53 million loss was Te-. corded. Z Revenues ‘from ‘the ‘second quarter were $360.1 -million,..up 25 per cent. from the same period in 1992. Lumber revenues are + helping the company’s performance. kkk There are changes going on at - Wayside Grocery on Keith. The store. has dropped its Cana- ds Post service and taking ‘ad- vantage of the change to do some interior renovating, says owner John Groot. He said the change from a Can- ada Post sub-office to a postal franchise outlet woulda’t have T been economical.” : | ~ “We're fot really adding any-— thing,” sald Groot of the renova- tions, “Groot has‘ -also closed Jotn’s * Grocery on Loen, : across” ‘the street... ftom - "Skeena -Sunlor Secondary School:.:: He. sald there. wasn't enough business from the, area to ree it. open ; ee ae Two. compatiles continue’ to work on. gold: showings on a property near Stewart... Tenajoha, Resources and: Wests . min Resources have already taken ore from the SB property and run it through the latter’s Premier mine mill. They drilled four dlamon¢ holes this year and now say further evaluation is needed to determine any economic significance. kkk Pacific Coast port officials meet in Prince Rupert Aug, 15 for the 80th annual Pacific Coast Assaci- ation of Port Authorities confer- ence. Included in the list of discus- sion topics is the North American Free Trade Agreement and.deal- ing with the new Russia. The Prince Rupert Port Corpo- ration is hosting the conference. kk kK The provincial liquor distribu- tion branch has yel to decide if it'll be moving to new quarters. The branch placed ‘advertise~ ments this spring to test the market because its current lease is expiring. the BER a f-lay ee Nyt _ Tie iiatter’ was referred : fo. the Tp said more businesses such as Blue Ice Flightsecing are needed. ‘More and more people have done that mecca to Alaska and are now coming back, looking for opportunities here,”’ he said. “They're looking for that one- day rafting trip, that half-day horseback riding trip or for some- thing like Blue Ice.’* “The more things we can do to give people options, the longer they’ ll stay,”’ Meredith said. He added that older tourists are interested in short duration “*soft’”” adventure offerings. staff time. Lafleur . recommended the residential permit fee for associa- . tion members be reduced by 25 @Pppmiep _ Premier Propane is pleased to announce ournew — ~ summer hours. LT me 20% Summer Clearance Special on select B.B.Q.’s Come in and see our selection of home gas appliances 4908 Highway 16 West Phone 635-7709 per cent. TE that reduction had been in ef- fect this year, he added, the city would have brought in $5, 000 less permit revenue, . Lafleur said that could be cov- ered by introducing extra charges for re-inspection’ of rejected work, a measure Permitted under +p, aR council’s finance committee. 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