Area B Regional District Director John Kettle say's it is a GO on the Fire Protection Referendum!
The Provincial Government released the RDCK by-laws establishing the taxation and service area for a new Yahk Kingsgate Fire Protection area. Director Kettle noted, "This has been an extremely frustrating exercise from the start. We have now dotted all of the i's and crossed the t's and it's time to give the people of the Yahk Kingsgate area the democratic right to vote. We have met as a Regional District the parameters set out for us by the province and now we need to get on with providing fire protection for the people. Because of the delay , we are now looking at September 17th, 2005 date for the referendum. This time schedule meets the guidelines set out by the province and we will meet those guidelines."
For more information contact John Kettle Director Area "B" of the RDCK
Phone: 428-5560 or e-mail: jrkettlejgalt@shaw.ca
RDCK UPDATES:
WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE SCALES?
3.1 million dollars is being spent as part of a Federal Provincial Infrastructure Program. This enhancement will accommodate any future increase in traffic from the United States if the Kingsgate port is deemed a "super port" by the Americans.The Ministry of Highways project Supervisor is very happy with the progress of the facility. It may also help us get a new Tourism booth for travelers coming into Canada.
GRANTS HELPING AREA "B"
We received a "grant in aid" of $1000 for Clean-up in our community. These are descretionary funds that our Regional Director, John Kettle, also gave to the Friends of Kitchener Community Clean-up and the Canyon Hall Community Clean up.
RDCK COLUMBIA TRUST
is a regional initiative whereby monies are allocated to AreaB and John Kettle our Director works with a public group to receive and distribute the grant monies throughout the area. This year Area B gave out approx $40,000 in CBT grants in our area." I want to thank all of the volunteers and organizations who work so hard to make our area better. I look forward to continuing this relationship for the future and sincerely thank Columbia Basin Trust for the Community Initiatives Program that allows us as Directors to work hand in glove with our communities".
The RDCK has funded $4650.00 toward the project through a grant from the Columbia Basin Trust. Thank You and Bon appettite
$4650.00 received for OUTDOOR KITCHEN!
9:00 am SATURDAY August 6TH 2005
OUTDOOR KITCHEN REPAIRS & WORK BEE
Please join community members as we clean up the grounds around the community hall and do repairs to the outdoor kitchen. For more information contact: Bill Currier at 424-5452
Summer is here !!!!!
Pictures courtesy of penny ap anderson
ELECTOR QUALIFICATIONS
RESIDENT ELECTORS:
- age 18 or older; and
- a Canadian citizen; and
- a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately preceding the day of registration; and
- a resident of the proposed service area of the Regional District of Central Kootenay for at least 30 days immediately preceding the day
of registration; and
not disqualified by any enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law.
NON-RESIDENT PROPERTY ELECTORS:
- age 18 or older; and
- a Canadian citizen; and
- a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately preceding the day of registration; and
- a registered owner of real property in the proposed service area of the Regional District of Central Kootenay for at least 30 days immediately preceding the day of registration; and
- the only persons who are registered owners of the real property, either as joint tenants or tenants in common, are individuals who are not holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust; and
- not entitled to register as a resident elector; and
- not disqualified by any enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law; and
- if there is more than one registered owner of the property, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the owners, register as a non-resident property elector.
These rules are set by the provincial government under the Local Government Act.
The Regional District will be advertising in August which will indicate how to register as an elector in advance of the vote as well as the day of the vote.
Ken Boyd's Birthday Bash!
Storms Don’t Last—Do They, Darling?
by R. Lee Rose
It has become a tradition, here in Yahk-and a darn good one, too. Every year, in late summer, Ken Boyd makes an open invitation to people in the area to a musical pot-luck party at his house. To avoid conflicts with other activities, he chose August 23rd this year, and at about 1:30 pm, cars and RV’s started filling up the space in the spacious lawn east of his house. Everything was trimmed, mowed and tidied up like a school marm’s parlor. Lawn chairs began to appear in the shady recesses beneath the cotton woods where the bright rays of the sun were reduced to mottled patterns of filtered sunlight. Cool drinks, introductions and good friends re-met, activated the social atmosphere, and soon everybody was involved. Meanwhile, casseroles and covered plates of food, in addition to the cakes and fresh-baked pies, accumulated in the room at the back of the carport.
It was a beautiful sunny day, and before long, the instruments resting in their stands along the left side of the covered area were taken up by the musicians Ken had invited to take part in the festivities. The first song was played and sung by Kauno Kattelus. Hardly had the applause died away before Lyle Draper sang another, and from that point on, the music didn’t stop for over two hours. Ken scattered dry straw over the asphalt to make it smoother for dancing. The hint was well taken, and soon dancers were whirling around the floor—some sedately, and some boisterously—but all enjoyably.
The musicians played as if they had practiced together for ages, smoothly taking “breaks” in the performance, adding runs and rich harmonies in a most professional way. In addition to Kauno and Lyle, both of whom played acoustic guitars, Gordon Stewart sang a fine assortment of good country songs, accompanying himself quite masterfully on his electric guitar. Cal Beebe played rhythm banjo and mandolin as well as acoustic guitar. He also sang several songs in a voice reminiscent of Hank Snow’s. Later on, he did a couple of very colourful yodeling songs. Hedley Lewis’s collection of double-noted harmonicas added a beautiful quality to the music, and as unlikely as it may sound, he even played and sang one number.
One of the key players was Roy Bredly who played his fiddle in a real “down-home” style that warmed the hearts of us all. After a little urging, Myrt Draper joined Lyle in several selections, adding her rich harmony to his mellow voice. Later on, Cal Beebe switched to a mandolin, and Allan Midtdal sat in with his four-string banjo. His wife, Wendy, skillfully rounded out the tones with her accordion, and the involvement of the audience just got more and more enthusiastic.
Sometime during the afternoon, the bright sunny day, changed to a thunder storm, and the lawn chairs moved under the roof, but the festivities were unaffected. Kauno sang “Storms Never Last--Do They, Darling?” and we all carried on. Neither the music nor the dancing ever stopped until it was time to eat. If anything, the closer seating just brought the crowd together, both in proximity and mood. We clapped for the music, laughed until our sides hurt and danced up our appetites.
There was no lack of food or drink. The two coffee makers were charged and waiting, and vegetable plates, and salads complemented the steaming dishes. The desserts were delicious.
After eating, the tables were removed, and the music and dancing resumed. Towards the end of the evening, we all sang “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” to Ken, and he, in his shy, almost boyish voice, said, “Well, if it hadn’t been for you people coming, there wouldn’t have been much of a party.”
That’s odd. We thought he was the one who made it all happen. And we were glad he did. What a fine tradition he has fostered! We can’t wait until he does it all again, next year. Thanks, Ken!
On the 24th of June 2005, Jared received THE GRANT LANKHAAR AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN THE TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT. He is a Grade 11 student at PCSS.
Love Andy, Mom, Kaitlynn, Jacob and
Aiden .
Happy 50th Anniversary
Myrt and Lyle Draper!
Photo's courtesy of Terry & Joan Draper
Paul McCartney was out of town when the meeting was held to collect the names of the volunteers to organize and facilitate the Yahk-Kingsgate Raft Race Weekend. There was a glaring lack of attendance. A second meeting was called at which even fewer people attended. A motion was made to abandon the whole project. A vote was taken and the motion passed. The Raft Race was effectively cancelled. Then Paul returned from his trip, and got permission from the Recreation Society to at least put on the Slo-Pitch tournament—doing the work of organizing and contacting the teams himself. He was just unwilling to see a good thing die for lack of interest.
The weather on Saturday was perfect, in spite of a discouraging forecast. Sunday was beautiful, until about 3:30 pm when a thunder storm brought a fairly heavy rain shower. It prevented the bocce ball tournament, but was not enough to dampen the enthusiasm of the slo-pitch teams. They played on through the rain, right to the end of the last game. The tournament was won by the “Ball Bingers” from Creston. Second place was won by “Booya” from Creston, and third place was taken by “Rickshaw PD” from Cranbrook. Paul and the volunteers who helped him were quite impressed with the good attitudes and team spirit demonstrated by the players. It appeared that a good time was enjoyed by everyone—even those who took home no trophies.
At the spring craft sale and flea market, Sherry Elder made a suggestion that we put on an art show. It appeared on the agenda at the next board meeting, and the idea was approved. Elizabeth Cotton and Lee Rose, climbing cautiously onto the Y-K DAYS’ band wagon, set about to make it happen. Although several of the artists we contacted were unable to attend, six local people did bring their art for exhibition. Our display space was nearly filled. Signatures of our walk-in guests took up two pages in our “guest book”, and Marion Evans (from Creston) did an “on-site” watercolour demonstration, showing and explaining some of the techniques she used to produce the striking paintings she had on display. Computer enhanced photographs and paintings by Anne Pique’ attracted a lot of interest as did some excellent photographs and paintings of local scenes by Pirjo Mawley. Heather Rose displayed some exquisite miniatures and other works done in mixed media, and Sherry Elder’s oils fairly glowed with rich tones featuring some very imaginative landscapes and other subjects. Lee Rose contributed several of his acrylic wildlife paintings. The Art Show resulted in at least two sales of the artists’ works. The promoters count it as a success, in spite of its inadequate advertising, and small size.
The pancake breakfasts (Saturday and Sunday mornings) were well attended, and the appetites were exceeded only by the amount of food available. The efforts of the volunteers succeeded in raising an (as yet) undetermined, but significant amount of money for the Recreation Society. The cooks were occasionally entertained by the capricious outbursts of the gas range in the kitchen whose sense of humor was not universally appreciated. The many volunteers who manned the grill and sales window in the outdoor kitchen provided vital snacks and beverages for the players and fans. They managed to strike a workable truce with the gas range in their work station, and produced tasty hot burgers, smokeys and dogs along with cold drinks and frozen treats. Although sales were down from last year, their efforts were well rewarded in terms of money raised.
Hats off to the clean up crews who helped to put everything away, and tidy up after the kitchens closed. Another tip of the hat goes to the folks who phoned in the orders, and made the supply runs to the wholesalers. Those jobs were not actually scheduled or assigned, but they got done, anyway. A further vote of thanks to Dexter for contributing trophies, and to Jim who also provided a trophy (for first place) and bought back some of the unsold products.
There was no lack of praise and appreciation from our guests. Complaints were light and scattered, mostly having to do with inadequate communication with the community as to the scheduling of events. We recognize our shortcoming in this respect and hope to do better next year. And yes, we would like to see it all happen again. When I think back of the various activities, each one makes me smile. If they had been there, I think Mike and Marlene’s goats would have giggled, too.
Finally, a special THANK-YOU to all the tireless volunteers that made it a all go along so well!
--- R. Lee Rose
Y-K DAYS WEEKEND By all accounts,
it was a success!
The Drapers would like to thank everyone for attending their special day.
Happy 50th Birthday Mike Mitchell! and all the other 1/2 centurians! (he sings too!)
Disclaimer: All article are provided by community members. They are the opinions of the writers. No editing has been performed.
Fall 2005
2006Yahk Centennial
...MUSIC FESTIVAL and more...
Recently there was a planning meeting to discuss putting on a bang-up celebration in July of 2006 when Yahk will be 100 yrs old. (In the year 1906 the Tipper property was the first deeded land in our area.) It was a good meeting, with 26 in attendance. Lots of good ideas were brought forward. There will be Entertainment , Food and FUN...
PLEASE ATTEND planning meetings and get involved. Join this community building experience. 7:30 pm Third tuesday of the Month at the HALL
Contact:
wonder how many people living in Canada now come from the first people in Yahk?
Another question I ask myself is how many people have passed through Yahk since 1906. The first people through were likely pretty travel weary bumping their way along the Moyie River on horseback or in wagons.
Some came along the Dewdney Trail…and our school children still use a portion of that trail everyday on their way to gym class in the Hall from the school. Then the railway came and passengers went through here twice a day, some stopping and resting, others staying. Then the bridges were built and the highway was improved and more and more people traveled by car through Yahk. I wonder how many people have traveled through here since 1906…and how many people travel through here everyday? Let’s show off to these hordes how proud we are of our location, our
No matter who you are or what your life story is all about, learning to think of yourself with warmth, generosity and nurturance will add a huge measure of abundance and joy to your life and to the lives of those you touch.
Take the
Thyme
for
Rosemary
Welcome to Yahk, you’ll want to come back!
That is a new slogan for our village, or hamlet, or unincorporated whatever…what ever we call ourselves, we are privileged enough to be able to live in this very beautiful rural community. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of tourists stop here at our local businesses and many comment on how lucky we must be to live in this naturally beautiful spot.
Did you know that it has been over one hundred years since the first settlers came to Yahk and the area?
The Rec Society has decided to chose the year 2006 to be our centennial. Lets do it up big! We have such a wonderful and exciting history. Have you read Rita Dickson’s book, The Unforgotten Memories of Yahk? In her book she shows two Pre-emption records, one made out for John Thomas Tipper and another for Albert Barnhardt. They each purchased land in the fall and winter of 1906…. seems
like a good time to mark our beginning. They bought land in the area they called Glenlily…as do so many still do….after Curzon Junction in the general area of Karl and Kathy Mahlbergs. Other settlers in the area were Art Lythgoe and Ernest Lythgoe and their families. Some Descendents of these families still live nearby. Rita’s book is full of great pictures of the people of the community getting together and celebrating the holidays, or having great picnics outside…and there were a lot more people here then. There was a school, and churches and a hardware store and the train station and dairy farms and a great big sawmill. The main street was across the railway tracks back then…in her book, Rita has a picture of the main street as it was in 1922. It is very interesting to realize that some of those buildings still stand!
One hundred years of history…if a woman born in 1906, married and had children and when her children got married and had children, and they
had children…. that can be a lot of children. I
history and our future! There are a lot of newcomers here this year, permanent and seasonal residents, won’t it be great to all come together next year to share our gratitude in finding ourselves surrounded by this natural beauty.
The Rec Society has a bulletin up in the post office with some ideas for events to be planned to celebrate our centennial. If you want to help, or if you have an idea for an event, put your name up on the board.
It’s hot now, and time to enjoy the cool breezes that come off the river or thru the forests. We haven’t had rain for a while. The bush dries out so fast, seems within 4 days of no rain, we are in serious dryness. We must be careful to avoid forest fires.
Soon the saskatoons will be ready to pick and cooks will be pulling out the kettles to make the prize winning jellies and pies for the Yahk/Kingsgate Fall Fair…see you there!
Disclaimer: All article are provided by community members. They are the opinions of the writers. No editing has been performed.
WHERE IS YAHK ?
Because of its location, the little village of Yahk, along with its neighboring community, Kingsgate, has a remarkable economic opportunity. Nor is it the first time its location has influenced its fate.
Just prior to 1879, the provincial government urged the C.P.R. to push the rail line across the province of British Columbia, and as an incentive, awarded vast forest reserves from which the railroad could harvest ties. These reserves were largely contained in the same watershed, which drained into the Moyie River at a point just east of the present village site. The name “Yahk” is a Kootenay Indian word meaning “bend in the river” and the wide level areas here made this location the logical place to build railway facilities. Shortly, flumes and independent railways hauled the millions of ties from the reserves to the main rail line in the valley. Soon the C.P.R. needed lumber as well as ties, and established a mill where the topography made it possible to dam a stream to create a mill pond. More workers came and Yahk’s population eventually swelled to nearly 3000 souls. Jobs were plentiful, workers had families to support, and homes, stores, schools and meeting halls were needed. Farms were required to complement the food supply. The first deed for private property was issued to John Thomas Tipper in the fall of 1906. Times were good and people prospered—until the great depression. Even then, with the abundant wildlife and fertile soil, the people of Yahk were not as destitute as those in some other parts of the country. The railroad, and the logging industry which produced the timber it needed, were the engines that kept Yahk growing, but its location was the real reason for its existence.
Today, the railroad continues to be an important presence in Yahk. The lumber industry is still important, too, but the rapid mechanization of that industry has dissolved many of the jobs that our residents used to hold. As a result of the absorption of small logging companies into larger ones, most of the logging jobs our residents used to hold are now done by residents of other communities. We are fortunate, however, to be in just the right location for the natural gas companies to utilize nearby areas for their pipelines and control facilities. The taxes they pay help to keep our school open and support other community services.
However, for a person in his or her prime employable age, Yahk holds very slight attraction. It is just far enough away from both neighboring towns to be an inconvenient (and expensive) commuting distance. Furthermore, almost none of the industries in our area require local employees. Now Yahk’s location would seem to be liability rather than an asset. But that is about to change.
As many other towns have done, Yahk must change its economic base from its natural resources to one that capitalizes on the cultural and historical attraction it holds for the tourists who pass through its boundaries. Here again, its location is central to its future.
From the conspicuous upgrade occurring on highway 95 south of the border, it is obvious that the U S is planning to make East Port a main entry point and either close or restrict other lesser ports nearby. We hear the term “Super Port” more and more frequently. Traffic using that entry point is obviously headed east, north or northeast, since other major ports would be used for travel to the west. Those travelers will naturally pass through Yahk. Our job is to get them to pause long enough to spend some of their money. We have several definite ideas about how to make that happen.
At the present time, there is little to catch the eye of the traveler driving through Yahk—with one noteworthy exception. The Goat Mountain Soap Factory has a wide shady porch with a roof slanted toward the highway. On the roof is a layer of sod and a small house in which lounge a family of goats, including several cute kids. This catches the eye of more tourists than anything in town. Upon turning in to see the goats on the roof, they notice a sign advertising an ice cream stand, which fronts a little dining room. It is a simple device, but it works better than a neon sign. There are several relaxing places to sit, or walk and charming things to see in the wooded area between the buildings and the river. Our village has a motto. “Welcome to Yahk—You’ll wanna come back!” That motto is becoming a truism for the tourists who stop to see the goats on the roof.
However, we need more points of interest to make a visitor’s visit to Yahk memorable. For instance, David Thompson, a famous explorer for the North West Company passed through the present location of Yahk on his perilous return from a trading expedition to Idaho. Also, portions of the legendary Dewdney Trail that ran from Hope to Wild Horse Creek (near Ft. Steele) across the southern part of the province can still be traced alongside the town of Yahk. Most tourists never realize what historical features they are passing by.
The first and most pivotal item we need is a Visitor Information Building, located right beside the entrance to our Provincial Park. (We are presently in negotiations toward this end.) Tourists who stop there can be directed to other points of interest that are not readily seen from the highway.
Second, we’d like to convert the old Provincial Police Barracks into a museum. It is in a sad state of repair at present, and could be a colourful and interesting building if it were restored. It is worthy of heritage status. Its several rooms could be filled with artifacts from our past. We need to acquire it and refurbish it. We have several other old buildings (hotels, homes, and cabins) which could be featured in interesting ways if they were acquired and refurbished.
Third, we have numerous local musicians and entertainers. We need a bandstand/stage and bleachers for them to present their talents to large audiences in an outdoor setting. We have ambitious plans to host a musical event in July of 2006 to celebrate our village’s Centennial anniversary.
Fourth, we have a pioneer cemetery, which would prove interesting to a certain segment of the tourists who may stop here. It too, is in a sad state of repair, and needs work to make it presentable and to show respect for those hardy settlers who lie there.
Fifth, We have numerous points of historical interest that could be highlighted by appropriate signs and markers. David Thompson’s route and stopping places, the old Dewdney Trail, the Cross Canada Trail, the old mill site, Hawkins Creek, and the old bush train’s tracks only comprise a partial list. There are many stories to be told about each one.
Such items are all valuable cultural and historical assets, but they will never be appreciated unless they are effectively presented. That presentation process takes money, vision, and effort. However, if it is managed properly, no one will have to ask, “Where is Yahk?” in the future. Most people will know.
Seniors’ Bungee Jumping
by Lee Rose
It was a simple misunderstanding. I don’t feel bad about that. It could happen to anybody, but it was a bit unsettling. I don’t put all the blame on Jeff, our president. He does have a pronounced Dutch accent, but I have to admit, I have, for some time now, had occasional indications that my hearing isn’t quite as good as it used to be. I may be suffering from a slight hearing loss. My wife, Dorothy, snorts a bit at the word “slight”, but then, she is under the impression that I am going through some sort of “denial” phase. That is a silly notion. I am not going through a “phase”. Actually, my hearing is quite acute when it comes to things like bird calls, engine noises, musical instruments and train whistles. However, human speech does occasionally give me trouble. That is not my fault, of course. People in general have fallen into deplorable diction habits. In fact, eighty percent of the people you meet converse in mumbles. I blame TV acoustical programming in general, and rap “singers” specifically. Mumbling avoids criticism. If they speak rapidly enough, and mumble sufficiently, no one can say if he agrees or disagrees with what was said.
So when I heard Jeff ask me if I thought our Seniors’ group would enjoy “bungee” I had an instant vision of us lined up on the Canyon Bridge, waiting our turn to have great dangling elastic cords strapped to our ankles, and watching my friends, some of whom have difficulty moving from one chair to another, plunging down into the gorge like a lead sinker on a light fishing rod, rising and falling in slowly decreasing undulations.
Dazed, I shook my head. “Bungee jumping is really strenuous, Jeff,” I frowned. “Some of our people have heart conditions. I know some of them are pretty gutsy, like Carol riding on the back of that VW tricycle with Elmer, and you and Theresa sitting through that long tedious meeting in Invermere, but I really don’t think bungee jumping is a good idea.”
It turned out later that Jeff had asked if I thought the Seniors would enjoy bocce – not bungee, but he is not the sort of guy to spoil the humor of the situation by a simple explanation, so he just smiled and walked away, leaving me wondering how he could possibly think we would enjoy…
So when Theresa invited us to a Senior’s barbeque at their house last Wednesday (July 13), I assumed the whole bungee issue was dead. I was glad they had decided on a lawn party instead of the other thing. Theresa does a great barbeque. The food that comes from the grill is always juicy and delicious, and even though I saw Jeff turning the burgers, her supervision must have been quite effective, because the burgers and hot dogs were done “to a turn”, and our plates were loaded with all the fixin’s.
Most of us were about half way through our first burger when Jeff pointed out a strange stuffed figure hanging upside down from the roof of his shop by a bungee cord affixed to one leg. It had a vague resemblance to my own physique. He explained my misunderstanding about his “bocce” question, and everybody had a good laugh. Even Dorothy thought it was funny. What could I do? I just smiled, perhaps a bit stiffly, and finished my burger. Dorothy had made a Polynesian Wedding cake for the party, and just to get even, I had two pieces. Jeff only got one. ( I think Elmer had two, as well.)
As a matter of fact, we did play bocce, and a funny bean-bag-toss game Ken Boyd brought. Neither one of them was as easy as one would think. My partner and I never did win a game at either one. We really had a good time, though, and there was coffee and lots of cold drinks. Their dog Casey took up the slack with a ball game of his own whenever he found someone sitting idle. He’s a neat dog.
The game activity finally diminished, and everybody sat around telling jokes, and well—you know, just talking. Even Casey made a few unobtrusive comments. The shadows grew long across the lawn, and one by one, people began saying goodbye. Carol climbed on the back of Elmer’s three-wheeled Volkswagen, and they roared away. Soon afterwards, we said our goodbyes, too, and left. What a great afternoon it had been. Then we were soon back home, with full tummies, lingering smiles and no dislocated skeletal parts. Thanks Jeff. Thanks Theresa.
Small School—Grand Ambitions
by R. Lee Rose
Yahk Elementary School’s teacher, Mrs. Linda Allred feels that the most important thing a student can learn in any educational setting is that with reasonable goals, and a positive, self-confident attitude, coupled with a willingness to keep trying in the face of disappointment, each student can succeed and learn.
She was born into a Saskatchewan farm family along with three sisters and two brothers. Having experienced small-school education first hand, during her first ten grades, she still remembers her early school years fondly. Faced with financing her own college tuition after graduation, she worked for two years, before enrolling in Rick’s College, in Idaho. From there she went to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where she earned a bachelor’s degree with a double major (B.S Elem. Ed., and B.S. in Child Development and Family Relations.) She taught grade two for one year in Vernal, Utah before returning to Canada. She moved to Calgary, teaching kindergarten and first grade for a year each. Then she moved to southern Alberta to teach for three years, completing a fifth-year program at the University of Lethbridge to earn her Permanent Professional Teaching Certificate for Alberta in 1974. She is the only member of her family that ever worked as a teacher.
In 1978, she married Mr. Brad Allred, and moved to Coutts, Alberta, where she took several years off from teaching to be a stay-at-home mom for her own children.
They moved to Yahk in 1987, and in 1989, she began working as a substitute teacher for School Dirstrict #8. Although she was already qualified for an Interim Teaching Certificate in British Columbia, she chose to take additional courses from the College of the Rockies in Cranbrook to earn her Professional Teaching Certificate which was awarded to her in 2001. She did not work as a full-time teacher in Yahk until 2002. Since then, however, she has had steady employment at Y.E.S.
The school is an important hub of activity in Yahk-Kingsgate, and an important asset to the community, because younger residents will not find Yahk an attractive place to reside if no school exists for their children, and without the steady influx of young people, the community will atrophy as its elderly citizens pass away. It is a modern, well-equipped school, where students find much to stimulate learning. Most residents fear that once closed, it would not likely be re-opened, for financial reasons. Due to the low number of students attending this year (11 kindergarteners and two in other grades) the School Board is considering closing the school.
When asked what she thought was the most important goal of education, Linda replied, “The most important thing in education is to find which mode of education best fits the individual student—whether it be classroom instruction, art, social activities, or work experience—whatever works for the student. Children must feel secure, loved, and appreciated; able to make wise decisions for themselves without being led by the crowd.”
When asked what she felt was the most important lesson a child could learn in school, she mentioned a good self-image, self-respect, respect for others, and perseverance.
When asked what was her best vision for Yahk Elementary School, she said, “ I’d like to see it return to its capacity of forty or so students with two or three full-time teachers, offering grades K -- 7. She mentioned that she has been approached by several parents who anticipate sending additional children to the school if it remains open (including one family with six children). Those parents expressed concern about the possible closure. Several parents who have chosen to bus their children to Creston said their reason was to afford their children with an educational experience within a larger group of students their age.
As for her own plans, she said, “I will continue to teach here as long as I can, but if the school does close, I will seek a position in another school.”
What do you enjoy about teaching here? She answered, “I love the children, and the thrill of seeing the look in their faces when they suddenly comprehend something for the first time—that bright spark of enlightenment in their eyes. In our little school, there are so few problems. We almost never see bullying, or scornful, profane language. Discipline problems are rarely serious, or numerous. It is so different from the big city schools, where learning situations may be more exciting, but stressful experiences may be traumatic.”
Yahk Elementary School Teacher: Linda Allred
photo by R.Lee Rose
Little Orphan Raymond
By Lee & Dorothy Rose
This is Raymond, a house chicken. Left to die in his shell by his mother, we rescued him by keeping his egg warm with hot water bottles and towels in a cardboard box. His voice could be heard peeping inside his shell, urgently begging to be let out.
Carefully and patiently, telling each other all the while how impractical it was, we picked at the shell, gradually freeing him from his prison, where he had been immobilized in a head-between-the-ankles position. Once freed, he immediately bonded with us--and our several dogs. We scratched and pecked with our fingernails on the floor to teach him to drink, and eat the baby cereal we offered him.
He grew and grew, developing real chicken feathers after a time, instead of the “baby fuzz” with which he had hatched. He came to enjoy running and playing with the dogs, and loved to sit on our hands, knees, arms (or heads!) He seemed uninterested in T.V., but content to sit with us by the hour while we watched. Perhaps this could be taken as a commentary on our tastes in entertainment.
When he grew bigger, we returned him to his chicken family, only to see him rejected again--chased and pecked so viciously, that he had to be re-rescued, and returned to his box in the house. It looked like he was doomed to forever be a “house chicken”.
People who came to visit enjoyed him, so we called him “Raymond”, because “everybody loves Raymond”. Visitors sat for hours, holding and feeding him, with a towel on their laps—for those moments of indelicacy so common to his kind. His favorite activity during the summer was to ride on someone’s arm out in the yard, hunting for grasshoppers, which he found to be delicious when properly prepared. When the excursion was over, he willingly came to our hands and returned to the house.
He lives in a special pen of his own, now, next to that of his kinfolks, where he can safely observe how other chickens live.
Lately, there have been some questions about his gender orientation, and he/she may require a name change—possibly to “Ramona”, but we’re sure everyone will love him/her just the same. He is loosing some of his affinity for humans, but he still runs joyously to the gate to greet his doggy friends.
photo by R. Lee Rose
photo's by penny ap anderson
We will be having a meeting soon on this issue. It is important to get the correct information for the Fire Protection Service Area. Please watch the local Creston paper for referendum details and your mail for an information brochure.
We were standing around the dumpster last Saturday, talking. Our conversation ranged over a number of topics, including the remodeling of the outdoor kitchen, and the possibility of building a new bandstand for the Yahk Centennial Celebration in July of 2006.
“I can see preparing for the Centennial, but a lot of the projects that are being considered don’t really seem relevant,” one fellow said.
“Like what,” I asked.
“Like putting a museum in the old Police Barracks, for instance. Why would we want to do that?—and the tourist information booth--why do we want more tourists to stop and ask for information? I like Yahk just the way it is. It’s a retirement community. I don’t want more traffic.”
“I like it, too.” I replied. “But, it is a little awkward sometimes when you need something and have to go all the way to town to get it. What if someone opened a drug store in Yahk?
“Well, that’d be handy. But I don’t think it would survive. There wouldn’t be enough trade to support a drug store.”
“What about a hardware store?” I asked.
“Same thing,” he answered, somewhat guardedly. “What are you getting at?”
“I think a few more businesses would be a convenience,” I said.
“Yeah, maybe,” he answered.
“And if we had more businesses, there’d be more jobs.”
“Who wants jobs? Most of us are retired, and drawing a pension.”
“If there were more jobs,” I answered, “we might attract more young people to Yahk. Have you noticed the predominant hair colour in Yahk?”
“What’s wrong with old people?”
“Nothing. Except they don’t make very good volunteer firemen, and retirees don’t get jobs as pharmacists, or physiotherapists. And when you need your car fixed, it’s nice to have somebody who’s still strong enough to pull a wrench.”
“They got air wrenches, now-a-days. Don’t have to be very strong to pull a trigger.”
“Sure, but you have to crawl under the car to use them, sometimes.”
He ran his fingers over the top of his shoulder, thoughtfully.
“So, what’s the point of making a museum out of the old police barracks?”
“It’s all part of the plan. If you have an information booth, you can mention our points of interest, like our museum, to anybody who inquires, and coax the tourists to stop long enough to spend some of their money, by entertaining them with old memorabilia and historical accounts.”
His eyes brightened. “We could charge them admission.”
“Or, not,” I said, “We might sell them souvenirs, but even if we don’t, there will be spin-off trade somewhere in town. After spending time in the museum, or looking at our old cemetery to see if they recognize any of the names, or listening to stories of how the famous explorer, David Thompson spent time here in the old days, or taking a walk along the Dewdney Trail, they might decide to spend the night in an RV park, or buy a pizza in town—or a bottle of sun block at our new drugstore. Maybe in the evening, after they set up camp, they might take a stroll down to the Horny Owl Saloon--or go down to Two Scoop’s to buy ice cream and pet the goats. Who knows? Anyway, if they stop and ask, we at least will have a chance to get them interested in something they can spend their money on.”
“Does it have to be tourism? Why can’t we provide jobs some other way?”
“What other way do we have?” I asked him. “We don’t have a mine to work, or any factories. The logging is done by out-of-town people. There are very few government jobs, and those are getting down-sized.”
“You’re right about that,” he snorted. “We don’t even have enough guys working on the highway crews to keep the roads in good shape.”
“We have to resort to commercial enterprise,” I said. “And that depends on customers--customers that we attract from the steady stream of tourists that flow through our little town every year.”
“We have flea markets, and yard sales. They have a spring craft sale here in the hall, and some of the local artists and crafters do good work.”
“Sure, but we can’t make any money buying our own products from each other. We need outside money to attract new businesses and jobs.”
“You are sure talking this thing up. What are you getting out of it? Are you going to open a drug store?” he asked, suspiciously.
The First Nations Technology Council (FNTC) and the BC Community Connectivity Cooperative (BC3) have received a total of $600,000 in funding from NetWorkBC (Ministry of Management Services) to provide Community Networking Infrastructure Grants (CNIG) of up to $20,000 each in support of “last-mile” infrastructure to communities on the Provincial Digital Divide list. The funding is available for the purchase of equipment required to connect from a local broadband point of presence (POP) already existing in the community, or existing in a nearby community in the case of some First Nations, (see list of First Nations ‘in proximity’ from FNTC), to other community buildings. The Grant can also be used for labour in the installation of this equipment. Approximately 30 communities will receive funding Grants. .Only the 151 communities on the NetWorkBC Digital Divide list and the First Nations on the ‘in proximity list’ are eligible for this Grant.
Any communities applying for the Grant are required to complete the attached Community Networking Infrastructure Application form, describing how they plan to use the funding to successfully deliver broadband to their community. Applications will be evaluated by an independent committee and all applicants will be notified of the results. Regardless of whether or not your community submitted a Letter of Intent, if you meet the criteria you may apply for the grant.
Please contact NetWorkBC with any further questions regarding community eligibility. The list can be downloaded from the NetWorkBC website at http://www.network.gov.bc.ca, or you can contact the NetWorkBC office at 250-356-6118.
Hard as it is to imagine, there are some people who don’t know where Yahk, BC is located! This is true, even though it has been here for almost one hundred years. The name, “Yahk” is even older than that. It is a Kootenay Indian word with apparently two meanings. It means “a place where the river bends” and also “a place where life necessities are plentiful”. It was reportedly a wintering ground for certain Native groups, long before persons of European stock came to use this area. In 1808, the famous explorer and trader, David Thompson, spent time here on his return from a trading session with an Indian band to the south.
In 1864, when gold was discovered in Wild Horse Creek, the governor assigned a civil engineer named Edgar Dewdney to the task of constructing a trail from Hope to the gold field. Parts of his trail, can still be seen in the outskirts of Yahk where it follows what David Thompson called the “Lake Indian Road”.
The Provincial Government accepted a mandate to extend a continuous railway across the province. The Canadian Pacific Railroad addressed the challenge, in return for concessions of timber reserves to provide a supply of cross-ties. The flurry of industrial activity that arose to provide those ties, swelled the population of the community to about 3000 people. In spite of the influx of Europeans, the Indian name stuck, and present-day residents say it with pride.
As loggers reached farther and farther into the timberland for additional trees, they sought more efficient ways to deliver them to the rail line. Soon, skid roads, wet (and dry) flumes, and eventually narrow gauge tracks with suitable steam engines all led to the same marshalling point, like the roots of a tree all leading to the main trunk. That point, incidentally, was Yahk.
The industry grew, sometimes actually producing millions of ties. A photograph exists in which one can calculate the number of ties in one stack to be over 400 000 ties, all produced in one winter’s work by one crew of sixty men. Later, the railroad needed lumber as well as cross-ties. A mill was built just east of town, and the C.P.R. bought lumber from that mill, and later, bought the entire plant. Millions of board feet of lumber were produced there. Its operation attracted even more employees and their families, and soon, houses began to spring up, and infrastructures were required. Electricity was provided from a local generator. A large depot, hotels, meeting halls, a church, a school and stores were built. Gardens and farms supplemented the food supply. Yahk began to look like a town.
The first private property was deeded in 1906. Because our village has never incorporated, we’ve chosen that occasion to be the first legal evidence of Yahk as a community. So…
Next year, will be Yahk’s 100th birthday. Our Centennial!
We are planning a big celebration, with a “Homecoming” theme. The date is July 15th and 16th. We are looking forward to old-time music, dancing, video presentations of interviews with elder residents, visits from such residents who have moved on to other communities, story telling sessions, games for both adults and children, (cowboy?) poetry readings, contests, 1930’s costumes, Pancake breakfasts, and potluck dinners, etc.. Of course, everyone is invited, especially anyone who has an interest in Yahk, personal or otherwise. Persons who have old photos , documents, or stories of Yahk are asked to bring (or send) them to us for display during the celebration.
For more information, contact me, R. Lee Rose, Ph: 250-424-5043
Or Mike Mitchell, Ph: 1-250-424-5166,
Or Penny A.P. Anderson Ph: 1-250-424-5596
Oh, by the way, if you are one who doesn’t know, Yahk is located about three km east of the junction of highway #95 and highway #3. ( About 30 minutes east of Creston, BC.)
We think after next summer, very few people will need directions.
Irma Matten and Tim During took over as new owners of the Yahk Motel on August 15th. " If anybody's driving by drop in for a visit as we would like to make some new friends." call 424 - 5556.
The incident occurred on the morning of September 25, south of Yahk. There were no injuries. The southbound train contained 123 cars of potash with 14 derailing. None of the 14 derailed cars entered the Moyie River. Two of the rail cars did lose product, but any potash that spilled down the embankment toward the river’s edge remained in a non-flowing back channel of the river. No potash reached the main channel flow of the Moyie River.
Due to our company’s rapid response procedures, the potash that made it to the river was contained, as a result of getting special bo
