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PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2007

We held 5 Executive Meetings and 4 General Meetings in the 2007 year. The main project involved acquiring a grant from Columbia Power to do work on the trails. We hired two workers to work on the trails and were also fortunate to get 2 Katimavik volunteers for 6 months during the summer. We were able to work on all of the trails which we have constructed. Trails were widened, graded, and generally made safer and easier to walk on. Work was done on the bridge at Big McPhee creek and small bridges built across Jordan Creek and on the Skattebo Trail The Columbia Power grant was $25,000 and we spent $6,000 of our own money. The Katimavik workers although not paid worked as hard as if they were. The City of Castlegar also gave us a grant of $800 to look after the Waldie Island Trail which is our most heavily used trail. Trail use is up considerably this year.

Friends of Parks and Trails is supporting the development of a park at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers. We are eagerly awaiting access to the lower Skattebo Trail by the Brilliant Bridge. This trail crosses property by the Brilliant Dam expansion. In anticipation of access a trail has been built from the park and ride, under the bridge to connect with this trail.

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Friends of the Rossland Range: Old Glory community hikes

Come along on the 2008 community hikes to Old Glory peak! Learn about the history of the Old Glory Forest Service Lookout, the Weather Station and enjoy a beautiful hike to the highest peak in the Rossland Range. Arrive prepared for a strenuous hike of 5-8 hours (total). Bring water, food, be Bear Aware. Hiking clothes advised (layers, jacket, no jeans)

Dates: Saturday, July 26, 2008 and Saturday, August 23, 2008
Meet: at the Old Glory Trailhead 8:30am
Call: Suzanne Paquin 362-6809 to confirm.
(Dates subject to change due to weather) www.rosslandrange.org

Green Power?

Recently there has been media coverage of Independent Power Production proposals in BC because of the Upper Pitt River – Pinecone Burke Provincial Park IPP proposal. As most know the future of that project is now uncertain. However, according to numerous articles, there are literally hundreds of very similar Independent (private) Power Production (IPP) proposals currently in process around the province. (check www.ippwatch.info/gmap/map.php for a Google Earth map that reportedly shows locations; the Kootenays is a key area.) It also appears that at least some IPP proposals (i.e. Ashlu River near Squamish, Cascade at Christina Lake) went ahead despite essentially unanimous local and regional community and local & regional government opposition. (According to some articles the new Bill 30 limits local input on private power projects and removes the opportunity for local communities and governments role in their approval or rejection.)

The IPP proposals include bioenergy, tidal, windpower and “run-of-river” hydro projects,

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