A. boat launch and a campsite
presently being developed by the
Kitsumkalum Band Council is
just one more step towards their
goal of achieving a tourism-
’ based economy for the reserve,
an effort that first began almost
20 years ago. Now, with the
development underway, the
band council is waiting for a
decision from the city’s Plan-
ning and Public Works Commit-
tee on a request for help.

by Tod Strachan

According to Kitsumkalum
Chief Councillor Cliff Bolton,
an area between Highway 16 and
_ the CNR tracks which borders
on the Kalum River was first
slated for development in 1969,
and much of the community
pitched in to help. Architect
Alex Inselberg volunteered to
prepare preliminary drawings
while Terrace alderman Andy
Taylor organized volunteers
with bulldozers, graders and
dump trucks to level the land.

But Bolton said he left the
reserve about that time for other
work and very little happened
for the next 12 years. For the
past seven years their ideas have
been growing through studies
and discussion, and he says they

are now prepared to begin the .

first-phase of development. The
rest will follow as they can raise
the funds, —

He said that Duane Contract-
ing has already hauled in and
levelled 150 toads of clay and
300 loads of crushed gravel.
Another 250 loads of gravel are
presently being added.

Bolton says the boat launch
and campsite should be open to
the public within the next few
weeks, and in its initial stages it
will consist of a secure site well
above the high water mark, sur-

faced with packed crushed
gravel, a 20-by-40 foot boat
ramp, space for about 50 camp-
sites with firewood supplied,
parking for about 60 cars and
trailers, and outhouses.

He added that two summer
students will be working at the
campsite to attend to the
customers’ needs, and although
a decision hasn’t yet been made
there may be an onsite security
person to insure a good night’s
rest for visitors.

As the funds become
available, Bolton says, future
development will see shrubbery
between the campsites, picnic
tables, fire pits and, for a rustic
touch, old-fashioned hand-
operated water pumps.

Rates haven’t yet been deter- .

mined, but Bolton says they will
bein the neighborhood of two to
three dollars for use of the boat
launch. The campground is ex-
pected to be competitive with
Furlong Bay. They are also con-
sidering a seasonal pass system
that would cover both launching
- and camping for frequent users.

The boat ramp in the first
phase of development is where

Terrace Review — Wednesday, April 20, 1988 21

_Kitsumkalum Band reveals development plans

Levelling and tiling ¢ are already underway at this site on the west bank of the Kalum River, opposite Fisherman’s Park. The Kitsumkalum
Band intend the area to contain a boat Jaunch, recreatlonal vehicle park, campsite, and other tourist amenities.

the band has asked for help.
They say the cement slabs from
the dismantled Expo 86 sign that

"were given to the city are sitting

in storage and would provide a
first-class, erosion-free boat
launch. Bolton says the facility
will be an asset to the whole area
and feels the request is fair.
The long-range plan for the
Kitsumkalum development will
offer the tourist a unique out-
door experience that isn’t
presently available in the area.
Bolton said the House of Sim-
Oi-Ghets was originally built as
a native craft store in 1969 but is

now expanding into other areas.
The store already offers some
groceries and fishing tackle, and
a service station and laundromat
will be added some time in the
future,

Other plans include river
tours, an idea that could get off
the ground this year. The tours
will be conducted along the
Skeena, with native culture and
history as the theme. Bolton said
the tours will accommodate
eight to 10 people in a 20-foot jet
boat, taking about two hours
and ‘travelling about 15 to 20

miles downriver — but he said
there is room for expansion in
this service.

Also in the works is another
campground north of the
highway; nature trails, which
may go by the fish hatchery the
Band opened in 1984; and
playgrounds for the kids and
video displays of native culture
and history for the parents.
A separate development that
should be open in a month or
two represents the Band’s first
attempt in a venture off-reserve.
Bolton says a native craft store
will be opening at the airport

soon to provide tourists with an
opportunity for souvenirs and
insight into the region’s ancient
history.
Bolton says he believes the

overall development will help

keep tourists here a little bit
longer, and they’ll leave a little
bit poorer. And he says those
dollars that are left behind will
benefit everyone in the area.

“I think we have a great op-
portunity and a great potential
to attract tourists and keep
them,” said Bolton. ‘‘That’s our
goal — that’s what we intend to

do.”

school district predicts small tax hike

TERRACE — The deadline for
ratification of School District
88’s 1988-89 budget is May !.
The board of trustees will hold
a special meeting to discuss the
draft budget April 27 and, if

“necessary, will meet again April

28 to pass the budget bylaw.

At the board’s monthly
meeting April 12 Chair Val
Napoleon said no information
on the budget will be released
until the final dollar figures
come in from the Ministry of
Education,

Secretary-Treasurer Barry

Piersdorff, however, did hazard.

an estimate of six percent for the
increase in local property taxes.
Piersdorff also noted that the
figure will remain. an educated

- guess until the ministry’s con-

tribution is confirmed.

Parent Finders — continued trom page 16

ly, she contacted Diana Gaiger
of Parent Finders to make the
call. Diana explained that until
all the background information
was available, Parent Finders’
hands are tied.

Instead, Diana Gaiger check-
ed the 1945 and 1949 voter’s lists
from. Kamloops to try and deter-
mine where Pratt’s mother
might have lived when she was
pregnant 40 years ago. She
found the name Allewell and
wrote to the address indicated.

Amazingly, Jean Kernahan’s’
aunt still lived there. Diana iden-

tified herself as a :“iend of a

‘friend and requested that the

aunt contact Jean.
Jean wrote back from Saskat-
chewan and said she didn’t

_ know why anyone would be try-

ing to find her, but if it was for
the reason she thought it might
be, she’d be pleased to talk to
the woman. Misje knew then
that she’d found her . birth
mother, In January 1988, Parent
Finders wrote to Kernahan, ask-
ing if she wanted to make con-
tact with her daughter. The reply
came immediately: ‘‘Yes’’.

Terrace confirmed as
home-study center

Beginning this September Ter-

race will be the- most recently
‘established regional center for

students receiving education
through correspondence
courses.

The board of School District
88 received the notification in a
letter from the Ministry of
Education April 14 at their
monthly meeting. District Sup-
erintendent Frank Hamilton
said the Northwest region ad-
ministers a total of 1,300 cor-
respondence courses for more
than 200 students.

The ministry has begun open-
ing regional centers for cor-
respondence students to make
the system more accessible and
Tesponsive, The operation was
previously run from a single
center in Victoria.

Misje’s new “‘little’’ brother,
Ronny summed it up when they
finally met in Regina, “We
knew you were out there
somewhere,”

_Misje Pratt recounted her
story to the press with the hope
that other adoptees searching
for their birth parents might.
learn from her experiences. She
would be pleased to assist
anyone requiring information or
resources about adoptee or
parent finding, Call her at
635-7861.

The board approved a motion
from Chair Val Napoleon to
send a letter of thanks to Educa-
tion Minister Tony Brummet.
“It’s very nice to get good news
from Victoria,’’ Napoleon
remarked,

Go for the Gusto

After registering disapproval
of the Ministry of Education
funding priorities, the board of
School District 88 voted unani-
mously to apply for 80 percent
of the budget for the entire pro-
vince directed at native language
and culture.

In examining a letter headed
‘Further Initiatives’? from the
ministry, Terrace trustee Bar-
bara Johnson said, ‘‘It’s a sad
reflection that the Pacific Rim
Initiative is allocated $3.7
million, while only $200,000 is
dedicated to teaching native
languages.”

Counselling service

being, staff development and
training, or any other topic that
clients might suggest. Workshop
fees are negotiable.

Prevention therapy is en-
couraged at the Centre. The
staff is keen to work with in-
dividuals who want to increase
their ‘‘wellness’’ and ‘personal
growth" awareness. Individual
services include, assessments,
psychotherapy and counselling,
anxiety and mood disorders
therapy, relaxation training,
behavior problems of preschool
and primary school children,

The Pacific Rim Initiative is a
ministry program intended to
give B.C. students greater in-
sight into the Oriental cultures
that are predicted to become an
increasingly important factor in
the province’s economy during
the coming decades.

On a motion by Hazelton

trustee Kathy Ludwig the board -

voted to apply for $156,000 of
the native language and culture
fund. If the application is suc-

cessful the money will be used to | |

hire a Gitksan language instruc-
tor and to train other instruc-
tors.

Asa footnote to the ministry’s

letter, which outlined material.

from the 1988-89 provincial
budget, district superintendent
Frank Hamilton pointed out
that the Funds for Excellence are
conspicuously absent this year..

= _ continued from page 7

youth counselling, adoption
home studies, mediation
counselling, alcohol, drug and
other addiction counselling,
Employee Assistance Program
assessment and referral services,
and family counselling.

The group are presently
general practitioners, but may
specialize as the needs of their
clients are evaluated. The an-
swering machine is on 24 hours a
day and any messages will be
returned within a day, Phone
638-8311.

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