6 Terrace Review — Wednesday, December 7, 1988 ae

‘Season's Greetings, again mm

C ommentary — by Stephanie Wiebe :

by Stephanie Wiebe

Well, it’s started. I’ve received
my first Christmas card already,
Some energetically efficient
perfect person has started this
yearly custom that’s really get-
ting on my nerves. I dread
Christmas card time. Writer’s
cramp, glue breath, names and
addresses to organize — I’m
overwhelmed before I begin.

The first few cards I send are a
work of art. A perky greeting,
some family news, sincere good
wishes. Then it all goes down-
hill. I get tired and rushed, Peo-

_ ple change their addresses. I’m
- bored with writing the same
family news over and over.

Sometimes I just want to write,
“Hj — we're still alive. Have a

Contract
being

‘negotiated

The contract for the operation
‘of Furlong Bay, Gruchy’s Beach
and the Lakelse Lake picnic site
is presently under negotiation,
and the name of the successful
bidder is expected to be released

next January. And according to

Hugh Markides, Skeena Region

“manager for the Ministry of
Crown Lands, this is nothing
_ mew. ,

', Emphasizing the fact that the
parks are not being privatized,
Markides explained that the

parks will operate. under con--

tract with government supervi-
sion, as they have for several
years. “The park has been

operated under private contract |

for the past five years,’’ says
Markides. ‘‘The past contract
has expired and we’re only look-

ing for new offers. There will be-

no difference in the operation of
the park.”

_ Markides says that several
proposals havew been received
but it would be against policy to
release either the number or
names of those submitting pro-
posals until a contract has been
awarded. He added that con-
tracts for Kleanza Creek and Ex-
chamsiks River parks are also
under negotiation for new con-
tracts.

Kevin Hamer
gets UVic
degree

The University of Victoria re-
ported last week that Terrace
-resident Kevin Hamer was one
of 482 students that received
degrees from the school during
the ‘Fall 1988 convocation held
Nov. 26.
= Hamer graduated with a
Bachelor of Arts degree.
“During the same ceremony
aaniversity Chancellor Dr. Willi-
-am Gibbons conferred honorary
degrees upon architectural de-
‘signer ‘and plainer Donn Em-
mons, who has been an advisor
to the usiviersity since 1961, and
formet B.C, Lieutenant Gover-

, ror Robert Rogers.

good one. Love, the W’s.””

| can see how those photo-
copied Christmas letters became
popular a few years back. “Hi
friends and relatives! Milton and
I are happy to complete another
satisfying year in suburbia. We
put a new roof on the house this
year, and Becky graduated from

Junior High with honors. Little

Billy has stopped picking his
nose, and we finally got the cat
spayed. Merry Christmas from
the Smiths.”’ Just run off a hun-
dred copies of that and save
both time and energy.

An exasperating irritant is the

Christmas card you send full of

family news and pictures, only
to receive in return an empty
card signed, ‘‘Love,- Martha,
George and kids.’’ Either they
have nothing interesting to
write, or you were on the bottom
of their list and they were tired,
too. .

1 also find greetings from in-
stitutions to be bothersome. I'm
sure that the telephone company
and the bank do sincerely wish
me a wonderful Christmas
season, but it doesn’t inspire
awesome joy to see it written on
my bill. If they’re truly con-
cerned about my happiness, why
don’t they send a refund
cheque?

Ah well, ‘Tis not the season to
be a Scrooge. A few long eve-
nings of written correspondence
is-well worth the effort.

Think anyone would notice if

I signed'phony names?

Problems
smoked

out

A recent ‘smoke test” of city
sewers has indicated a few flaws
that can now be repaired. Ac-
cording to the city’s engineering
department, the intent of the test
was to determine sources of
storm water infiltrating into city
sewers. The test consisted of in-
jecting high volumes of smoke
under low pressure into isolated
sections of the system. Areas
where the smoke escaped were
recorded.

The test found five main
problem areas — roof drains .at
the Terrace Co-op, Northern -
Computer Concepts and the
Video Stop, Avco Financial Ser-
vices, Rose’s Shop and a
sidewalk ‘‘catch basin’’ near the
building which houses the Pizza
Hut and several other businesses.

Since the test, the engineering
department has recommended to
council that these businesses be
required to disconnect roof
drains from the sewer system
and reconnect them to the storm
drainage system.

Their report also recommends
that the catch basin in front of
the Pizza Hut be repaired, an
unoccupied residence «i 4604
Davis be disconnected until —
sewer lines on the property have
been repaired, and several other
minor repairs be made to city -

Recreational swim time for Gra
and becoming familiar with the
10-session swim program where students get some goo
clustered around teacher Cynthia Northridge.

ae stance om Re

de 1 E.T. Kenney Primary students means a half hour of fun
water. For those In Grade 3 however, it means a five-week,
d basic training. This group is

Rw Rt ee ae Bb wy

by Roy Greening

Bill:

Sid:

Bill and Sid at

Branch Thirteen
How come you don’t play
darts here at the Legion,
Sid? It’s a great game.
Uh, uh, Bill. It’s too tame
for me. I don’t.get much
of a thrill standing with my
toes on a line ‘and hurling
those little feathery darts
ataboard. 2
Sid, it’s a game that takes
great skill and concentra-
tion but it’s also a very

~ sociable “game. Good
friends get together and

enjoy a quiet game.
I heard of one place where
they played darts using

bicycles. Sort of like poto. -

As you ride by you throw a

dart and ride around the
~ target and back'to the star-
_ ting line. It would go a lot

Bill:

Sid:

faster and be far more ex-
citing.

Yes but, Sid, you would
lose that skill and you
couldn’t get that hand and
eye coordination that is. so
important when the throw
is made at the board.
Come on, Bill. Where’s
your challenging spirit?
Just think of all the people

it would attract as spec- ©

-tators. I can just hear,

Bill:

Sid:

amid the roar of . the ©

crowd, ‘‘Darters, mount
your bikes!”” And we'd be
off roaring around the
tables!
Dart players have to con-
centrate, Sid. They don’t
want a roaring crowd. Be-
sides, the two groups who
play on Mondays and
Wednesdays bring in
revenue.

Just think, you could have |

different colored shirts
and shorts. What team
spirit there would be, Bill!

‘Their slogan could be:
” «Darters unite — get on

Bill:

your bikes!’
L think our dart players

‘have tremendous esprit de
-corps, Sid. They don’t

‘ want a lot of publicity.

. ‘Sid:

manhole covers and clean-outs. —

The Legion is supposed to
be a quiet, relaxing club.

‘Who wants this sprit da
cups or whatever youssaid,  -

Like no riding double to ©

They had rules you know.

hand the darts quicker to
the rider; no stopping and

_ puitting your feet on the

Bill:

floor; two hands on the
handlebars except for
throwing; if you do run in-
to someone sitting at the

bar or a table you are dis-.

qualified; and of course no
steroids. “See, Bill;
everything under control.

Sid, that would be too

- dangerous riding around

tables. I don’t care how
many rules you have.

“We've got skillful dart

players here and they bring
in lots of people from

_ other Legions, Our club is
well known: for its dart

Sid:

‘ contests.

The Ladies’ Auxiliary

could mount a team of |

cheerleaders to harass

visitors. Their yell could
be, “Red Team, Red Team

"tear ’em apart; stick it to |

‘the Blue with your dart!”
- Come on, Bill. Where’s
your spirit of adventure

| Bill:

‘Legion,

Sid:

these days?

Right there you “would

cause unnecessary rivalry.
We would like, in this

our visitors with great
respect.
You disappoint

‘rivalry at our Dartmobile

Tournaments. We would
put all the teams’ fans in
separate places so there
wouldn't be any fights.
You see, everything would
be under control.”

Let me ask you this, Sid.
How did the ones who
tried the dartmobile make
out? Dt
Well, Bill, there was an ac-
cident right at the start; the
darter didn’t know - his
front. wheel hit a

spectator’s leg and the bike’

sent the rider skidding on
his stomach along the top
of the bar. I’m afraid one
of his darts ended up in the
rear of the barmaid. He
was disqualified, of

_ course, But . he. took .his..

to have warm .
friendly games and treat

| me, Bill,
There would be friendly: ;

Sid:

Bill:

- Terrace Legion report —

complaint to the M.D.A.
(the Mobile Darters’ Asso-.
ciation) about the theft
because the barmaid

wouldn't let him pull it

out, and she kept it, too.
There you are, Sid. It’s too
‘dangerous. Did they con-
tinue with that kind of
dumb competition?

Well, no, Bill. That was
the only time they tried it. .
I think we should just let
our dart players carry on |
with their old method and
come here to enjoy the .
game and be among.
friends in a warm and-
friendly atmosphere. Oh,
by the way, Sid, the
deadline for paying next
year’s dues is Jan. 1, 1989

- so make sure you pay them

Sid:

or you won’t be playing

any games at all. a
Maybe it would be safer if
we put the tables together .

and we rode around on |

top. - a ante

A If you are
getting married...

This basket -halds
information and
‘gifts especially
helpful for you.

Call your

Welcome Wagon

hostess today.

638-1204

SINCE 1938