Page 4 THE EXPRESS" "Maf1,-1996 TuB EXPRESS !LETTERS TOTHEEDITOR PHONE (604)354-3910 EDITORIAL 354-1118 FAX 352-5075 554 WARD STREET, NELSON, B.C. VIL !S9 Thanks to City I find it most difficult to imagine how my tele- phone conversation could have been so miscon- E•Mail:expre:;s@worldtel.com Dear Editor, OFFICE HOURS: Monday to Friday, IO a.m. to 4 p.m. strued. Would a letter or a skidoo visit not have EDITOR-IN-CHIEF and AD DESIGN and PRODUCTION: A big hurrah for City Hall waiving the "insur- sufficed? In fact, I'm sure it would have cost us tax- PUBLISHER: Nelson Becker A. Tremblay & A. Lockerbie ance" stipulation this year on the Collonwood payers less to have simply opened the slide. EDITOR: Ethan Baron "S.P.U.D." community garden. Eventually April 10 this was done. ADVERTISING: Colleen Weber RECEPTION: Thanks to those enlightened folks and all the oth- & Kelly Brigden-Wade Alison George If the people in the New Settlement want their ers who contributed to the lirst year of a community road kept private and Highways wants another road May I, 1996, Volume 8, Number 25 ISSN 1196-7471 garden in Nelson. Special thanks to the SUB pub to work on, perhaps they could turn their interests Now or never for opening up their arms and garden space for future development. to the Duncan River Forest Service Road. Apart from the days when it was very cold and we had to Speaking personally, I'm proud to live in a com- ride out for feed, it was peaceful and fun to do Nelson City councillors are going to have to decide whether to munity that backs community-minded projects like require an easement for a waterfront pathway along the develop- everything by horse again. • gardens for those who without civic support Incidentally, Rainbow's End stays on the time ment of the old Kootenay Forest Products site east of the orange wouldn't even have a chance to garden. Thank you bridge. zone we have now, we didn't change our clocks. Nelson for giving the community garden a chance! Bossie and Elsie milk around 7 p.m. Six o'clock Last week, they came close to approving a commillcc recom- R. Loewen, Nelson would just have seemed too early. mendation to require that Millennia Financial Corporation provide access to the water only every 200 yards along their proposed $60 million project, with no lakeside pathway. Councillors Donna End of the rainbow Happy trai Is, Gabriela Grabowsky, Kaslo Macdonald and Marianne Bond argued that public input through Dear Editor, meetings held by the City and the developer should precede any My husband and I ranch on a remote small decisions on the pathway. They persuaded councillor Doug Jay, acreage not far from Duncan Lake. For our first two Murders show and the recommendation was defeated. winters here, the main Duncan River Forest Service Much of the debate on the path has revolved around the Official road was kept open due to logging activity. On this,• misogyny Community Plan. Mayor Gary Exner noted at last week's council our third winter, the main road was left unmain- Dear Editor, meeting that the plan was "totally silent" on the pathway in the sec- tained, which did not present too much of a prob- The murders of the Gakhal family and extended tion on the east waterfront, and added that the plan is open to vari- lem to our trusty 4X4 until the avalanche that came family members that occurred in Vernon on April 5 ous interpretations regarding the path and that area. down in December finally got too big to climb with are yet another blatant indication of the depth of But policy number six of the OCP refers to the entire city water- front, and says, "The waterfront will be unified by a continuous a car. We left the car at the far side of the slide hatred for women in our society and the determina- public walkway and cycling path which follows the water's edge, which was at 6 km. Our homestead lies 9 km tion of some men to exercise control over women's wherever possible." beyond this. lives. Exner said "wherever possible" are the operative words in that I telephoned the Ministry of Forests to ask if it What a tragedy that an entire family lost their policy. was possible to just open the slide so that we could lives because of the rage and power of one man, We agree. keep it open ourselves. Once a slide is frozen in who felt he had the right lo abuse and control a In this case, re4uiring an ~asement for that path could be a condi- place, you need more than a shovel to tackle it. We woman. tion of subdivision, a requirement if Millennia is to get permission were now in the position of having to bring in all There are endless statistics (which sadly are to divide up the property for sale. our supplies by pack horse and this included pack- increasing) that show violence against women is The City should demand that right-of-way. ing in grain for over 40 head of cows, horses and common, accepted, tolerated and crosses all races, Millennia partner David Ehrhardt opposes the idea of a water- sheep. Nothing came of my phone call so I phoned cultures and socio-economic groups. Women arc front pathway. He's stated concerns about privacy for residents in again and spoke with someone else. harassed, abused, confined, stalked, raped, assault- the single-family lakcfront homes. It's certainly a legitimate worry, but those homes could be built and landscaped to provide for maxi- At the end of January, when the helicopter landed ed and murdered. mum privacy. just near my pen of very pregnat ewes, I was less We have co ask ourselves who is responsible for Do the rights of a few waterfront dwellers outweigh the interests than enthusiastic. I stormed over to demand just this violence and why do we let it continue? Who is of a community that has clearly stated it wants a path along the what they were doing landing where they did. A responsible for the solution? We all must be and waterfront wherever it can be built? Provincial Emergency Program representative and must work towards zero tolerance of violence in our Such a pathway will bcnelit our entire community. Tourists will a Ministry of Agriculture agrologist from Creston, communities and educating people on the myths of enjoy it, tell their friends, come back themselves. Residents will emerged from the chopper, both anned with cam- women perpetuated in the media: Stop all violence have an enticing ribbon to follow by the water, keeping them eras and sceki ng an emergency. against women because when one woman is killed healthy and keeping them sane. Many who would jog or cycle According to the PEP lady, they had been all women are persecuted. more but for the hills would have a place to exercise. Parents of informed that a slide separated us from our animals Rhonda Schmidt, young children-many of whom drive as far as Kokanee Creek and made feeding them impossible. She was also on behalf of the staff at Park for a safe, flat place for their kids to ride trikes and bikes- asked to inform us that the road would remain The Advocacy Centre, would have to go no further than the lakeside for an all-day adven- closed so as to not set precedents. Nelson ture. It's important that councillors not struggle through this issue on their own. They need guidance from the people they represent. Meetings on the development are planned for the coming weeks. Lesson in the work force. Two years ago I was stuck in who have not yet considered such options, please keep your Letters to councillors will aid them in their consideration. Tell the City and the developer what you want. After the decision a blizzard a job that I was unsatisfied with. I often thought of pursuing my minds open and create the much-needed opportunity, so on public access is made, you won't have another chance. Dear Editor, inspirations but I was terrified that I may provide my family As a young woman in the to try. One cold, snowy day I with the economic stability that Opinion Policy unemployment line I would like was trudging through a blizzard is necessary for the quality of We encourage our readers to opinion. If you wish to write a to share my experiences and to work. I saw an amazing life that I desire. write to us. Letters are a way for commentary, please contact the inspirations on non-traditional you to speak to your community, Editor. woman navigate her snow plow Regardless of the skepticism I jobs in the 1990s. There are not faced or the hurdles involved, I to give new information, participate All letters and commentaries through very icy road conditions in a discussion or express an opin- must be signed and must include many good job opportunities with such confidence that I, at was determined to achieve my ion. your name, address, and phone available regardless of individ- Please address letters meant number. that very moment, decided to goal. I gave I 10 per cent and ual status. It is very hard to find for publication, to the Editor. We do We will not print •name with• pursue my goals. Since then this through much determination not accept Open Letters. employment and I feel that held• letters, unless there is a good aspiring woman has become my and persevering I am proud to Letters must to be short (250 reason for anonymity. some changes need to be made. mentor and support system. say I have successfully complet- words maximum) and to the point. As to subject matter, we are Many women do not think of We want to print all the letters we guided by good taste. This in- People's allitudes are chang- ed the requirements and I have non-traditional jobs as an receive but since we have limited cludes not printing letters or com• ing and awareness is growing. obtained my Air-Endorsed space, we reserve the right to edit mentaries that are personal at• option; neither did I. Even lor length and clarity. But I feel that we still have a Class I Professional Driver's tacks, derogatory, or promote via• though this is where my dreams Commentaries can be longer Jenee, racism, or sex.ism. long way to go and I am trying Licence. Now I am certified to had been for many years. (500 words) and are more in-depth Opinions in the Express are my best to fulfill my potential. I drive virtually anything with than letters. Commentaries usually not necessarily those of the pub• Instead I ended up with the will ·take comfort in knowing wheels. require some research and should lisher or the Express's advertisers. majority and ruled out this that this too may be an inspira- For the past six months I have offer new information, as well as an option. Many young women tion to other women, so that been trying to achieve my next have a hard time deciding what CARD @NA they want to do even more so than young men, as their options tend to be traditionally their journey need not be alone. To make the movement of women into non-traditional jobs successful, both the employee goal--employment--so that I can prove to myself and co the world that yes, it is possible to be a successful woman in a non-tra- The reproduct.ion of any material contained in this publicaiion is strictly fewer. The education system for-bidden without the prior consent of the publisher. and the employer must be ditional job. If anyone has a should note that women are THE KOOTENAY WEEKLY EXPRESS IS PRINTED IN CANADA involved. Anything is possible comment or suggestion please ON RECYCLED PAPER. capable and can qualify for non- if we look to each other for co- contact me personally. Publications Mail Agreement #0654353. Paid at Nel1;01i, B.C. traditional jobs, therefore plac- operation. For those employers Laura Hopkins, Nelson ing a base of skilled women into