The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, February 25, 1998 - A3 . Road wreaks havoc on trucks: Damage caused by highway conditions, dealers say THE NISGA’A Highway is shaking vehicles to pieces. Nass Valley _ residents have’ been complaining about the poor state of the road for years. But this winter’s warm, wet weather has made conditions espe- cially bad. And that’s causing prob- lems for car dealerships who seem to be forever repairing damage caused by potholes and loose rocks, “We're seeing all sorts of suspension-related damage,” says Tim Wiebe of Totem Ford, a local dealership that sells many vehicles, to Nass Valley residents, “The problem has been here year after year but this year has been worse, It’s been particularly bad.” Wiebe says he has customers coming in almost daily complaining about road conditions. And every weck be sees vehicles with damage related to the rough Toads. ‘We're even seeing vehicles with frame damage,’’ he says. “‘We had a rental truck up there and it came back with a bent frame, He (the driver) hit a pothole or something.” The road isn’t just taking a toll on older vehicles. Many of the vehicles are brand new trucks, and Wiebe says the situation is making it tough on customers and the dealership. “The customer has just spent a whole lot of money on a new vehicle,” Wiebe says. ‘‘But we can’t always give them warranty for road-relaled problems if the wear is excessive. Some customers are having to pay.”’ Wiebe says he doesn’t think the siluation is fair to customers or to Ford, and he sees the dealership as stuck in the middle. “It’s not good for our business in the long run,”’ he says. The conditions are so bad that the dealership recently sent a letter to the highways ministry asking for road work to be done. And Ford isn’t the only dealership to find itself con- CHECKING FOR DAMAGE: Mechanic Dave Kumpolt points aut some, vehicle parts that are routinely damaged by poor road conditions in the Nass Valley. slantly repairing road- ing in to the dealership with damaged vehicles, problems duce to the roads. “Tt’s an ongoing problem ‘We're talking about and it seems fo have gotten worse in the last couple of years,’’ says McEwan GM service manager Steve Smyth. Smyth says Nass Valley customers are always com- wear on suspensions, ex- haust systems falling off, tire damage, broken lights and windshields, you name it,”’ he says, George Nabulak of Ter- race Chrysler says he’s not sure if the problem is any worse this year, but he agrees that the road is a mess. “There’s no two ways about it,’” he says. ‘ ‘Having driven that road myself, its ugly. try Money needed for road repairs THERE MAY be good news in this year’s provincial budget for people driving the Nisga’a Highway and Hwy 37 north. The budget will released in March, and if highways regional director Dirk Nyland gets his way, it will in- clude money lo upgrade those roads. Nyland met with the regional district board Saturday to address their concerns about the state of the roads. He told the board that his priority for the year will be to upgrade both highways to a more maintainable state and hopefully start work on paving some arcas. And he agreed that the Nisga’a Highway was in worse shape this year because of the warm weather. “It’s been hard on the contractor,’’ he pointed out. “He’s done everything he can to keep that road open.” The problem is that the road needs major upgrades, not just maintenance. To pave it will cost from a low of $30-40,000 per kilometre on the lava beds to about $1.5 million per kilometre around Lava Lake. through he plans to replace ail the old seal-coating that was torn up last year because it had become a hazard. But if the government doesn’t come up with the cash, Nyland told the board that another 30 km of damaged seal-coat will need to be tom out. As for Hwy 37, Nyland says if the funding comes | On Heaven’s Doorstep, You'll Chamber asks for Bay department store THE COMPANY that provided the basis for European settlement of the northwest is being asked to return. Letters are going out to Hudson’s Bay Company asking it to con- vert the Kmart store here toa Bay. Right now, the heavy speculation is that the loca] Kmart will become a Zellers, a subsidiary of the Hudson Bay Company. The possibility of either a Bay or Zellers locating in Terrace opened up three weeks ago when Hudson’s Bay Company bought all of the Canadian Kmarts for $240 mil- lion. Although the chances are a decision will be weighted toward a Zelicrs, the chamber of commerce believes the city and area can support a Bay. The key, says past chamber president Skip Bates, is to emphasize the role Terrace .. plays as the. service.centre fora healthy regional population. I really do think the region can support the kind of store a Bay is up here,’’ said Bates. He did say there was debate at a chamber execulive meeting about the viability of a Bay store here but noted that the chamber won't get an answer if it docsn’t ask the question. Bates added that there is already a Zellers in Smithers and in Prince Rupert yet the nearest Bay store is in Prince George. The regional draw aspect of Terrace was heightened just last year with first the open- ing of the Great Canadian Wholesale Club here and then the construction of a Cana- dian Tire store, In addition io the chamber, city economic development officer Ken Veldman has con- tacted the Hudson’s Bay Company, “Tf there’s a way we can work with them, we will,’’ said Veldman. He also believes there may be a role in the regional retail mix for a Bay store, but did add that. Bays tend. tobe. large and upscale enterprises nowadays. Hudson’s Bay plans to convert 85 per cent of the Kmart stores to the Zellers name, five per cent to a Bay format and close the others. News In Brief Guide fined $25,000 A PRINCE RUPERT hunting guide was fined $25,000 Feb, 17 in Prince Rupert for 23 Wildlife Act violations, many of which occurred near Terrace. Robert Aaron Milligan, 28, was convicted of unlaw- ful guiding, unlawful possession of dead wildlife, ex- ceeding the bag limit for black bears and failing to sub- mit dead wildlife for inspection and others. He was charged afler undercover conservation officers and US. Fish and Wildlife officers went on a guided hunt with him in 1994, Judge Agnes Krantz ordered that $20,350 of the fines be given to Norlhwest Wildlife for the Future, a non- profil organization comprised of regional, guide out- fitters, rod and gun club members, private environmen- tal interests and the BC Wildlife Federation. The group works to enhance and sustain northwest wildlife. While the $25,000 fine is considerably less than the $60,000-$80,000 penalty sought by conservation of- ficers, Milligan still faces another hearing and an even sliffer penalty under Section 61 of the Wildlite Act, That section allows the environment ministry to can- cel a guide's licence and revert his territory (in Mil- ligan’s case worth about $500,000) back to the Crown for resale. The date for that hearing has not been set. Thornhill pot busts POLICE RAIDS in Thornhill last week busted two marijuaua-growing operations there, Terrace RCMP say they uncovered a small, but sophisticated indoor growing operation at a home on Simpson Crescent in the Kirkaldy subdivision, Feb. 16. A total of 63 marijuana plants were seized from three Separate growing rooms in the house, One room was for starting the plants, one was for growing plants and the third was for flowcring, ar budding plants. The grow operation was hydroponically maintained using timers, external vents and short growing cycles. Police describe the operation as a commercial venture that would yield at least four crops per year, each with an estimated value of $40,000-$50,000. A single adull male was arrested at the home. He has been charged with possession for the purposes of traf: - ficking, production of marijuana as well as possessing the proceeds of crime. Three days later the police made another bust, seizing 48 plants found growing in a hydroponics operation. Two residents were arrested and charged. Biologist honoured A SMITHERS biologist has received a conservation award from the province’s oldest flyfishing organiza- tion. Bob Hooton was awarded the Roderick Haig- Brown award in December and received it last week. In presenting the award, the Totems cited Hooton for what they called bis ‘‘extraordinary efforts’ to save- { the Skeena River watershed’s wild steelhead. Totem President Brian Bird praised Hootom’s work, referring to him as an “Olympic gold medalist’? among fisheries biologists. Hooton joins 16 others who have received the award Since it was_first presented in 1978, " “It’s nice recognition for all that Bob’s done for the Skeena River,” notes Jim:Culp of the Deep Creek Hatchery. ‘‘He’s an outspoken biologist who’s willing to stand up and be counted when he needs to be.”’ 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO Power windows/locks/mirrors, air conditioning, crvise control, rear tonneay cover, AM/FM cossefte, reclining bucket seats, aluminum rims, 6 cylinder oluomatic, roof rack, rear wiper with rear window defrost. $26,500 1990 MERCEDES Fully Louded, 4 door, power windows /locks/mirrars, 6 cylinder automatic, air concifioning, cruise contral, stereo cassette, leather, $19,999 Need A Sled This Wiehe! | 700cc liquid-cooled high output twin * New Mikuni 1M flat silde carburefors « New digital ignition « AWS V front suspension with 37° ski stance * FasTrack Long- | Travel Rear Suspension ‘ O> Sytem with Torque eee (7 = Sensing Link (TSL) and eee” —_—_—Extra Travel Tunnel (ETT) * Unpainted tunnel * Fox gas shocks * Roller cam riven clutch « Wide plastic skis ¢ Gamoplast Challenger track with 2” deep lugs © New larger fuel tank for added range * Mountain Bar Extra Early Cat Casn They'll be talking about this year's crop of Cats for years to come. 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