Printers.Express 8.14_12 pg 8/11/02 10:18 AM Page 8 Page 4 EXPRESS August 14, 2002 express on line – www.expressnews.ca ADVERTISING: Kirsten Chapman ADMINISTRATION: Kari Magnuson / Marina Kiborn DISTRIBUTION: Eugene Schmunk PRODUCTION: Kent Nelson and Matthew Culp ISSN 1196-7471 EXPRESS PHONE (250) 354-3910 EDITORIAL 354-1118 OFFICE HOURS Monday to Friday 9 am to 4:30 pm The Express Newspaper is owned by FAX 352-5075 Kootenay Express Communication Corp. Publications Mail Agreement #0654353. Paid at Nelson, B.C. E-MAIL express@expressnews.bc.ca PUBLISHER / EDITOR Nelson Becker ADDRESS 554 Ward St. Nelson, B.C. V1L 1S9 OPINION & LETTERS Commentary We have a role in making by George Penniket, Nelson WAPP'S WORLD BY JOSH WAPP A Dream for Nelson Y ARE CANADIANS SUCH GOOD HOCKEY PLAY peace in the world I had a dream the other night. I w ABouT A SoF,wooD L dreamed that I had been given Last week was the anniversary of the American atom- plenipotentiary power ("full author- ic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. World War II was a war ity") to do what I thought best for of enemies. Lt. Hampton Gray was the last Canadian sol- the future of our beautiful city. Who gave me this power? That wasn’t dier to die in combat in World War II. He died shortly clear in the dream, but I had it! This after bombing a boat in the harbor of Oganawa, Japan meant authority over all political and killing more than 150 Japanese people. Lt Gray was and other bodies, even up to the a Nelson boy and because of that, we are connected to Federal Government and the C.P.R. Oganawa. The Canadian government asked for and was Wow!! What couldn’t I do?!! But where to start? Well, the granted permission to erect a memorial to Lt. Gray in first thing I did was to have a four Oganawa. lane elevated highway built above the C. P. R. tracks, coming off the Every year for the last seven years, representatives orange bridge, and going right from Oganawa have come to Nelson to honour Lt. Gray. through town to the foot of Baker The Mayor of Oganawa, in Nelson on Hiroshima Day, said we can no longer see war as a solution. It is his St. This got the heavy traffic off the residential streets. Of course there were off- and on-ramps at I II community’s wishes that by honouring Lt. Gray and his such places as Poplar, Cedar, Hall A: BECAUSE WE'RE SICK OF LIVING IN SUCH A POLITE SOCIETY. bravery, and by remembering the horrors of the past, we and Stanley Streets, to allow peo- will be one step closer to the peaceful world we deserve. ple to exit and enter the highway at the most convenient place for their built serving both ice surfaces. The ed on the space behind the Civic Today, it is inconceivable that Japan and Canada needs. new arena could be used for other Centre, with a green space as well. Oh, I forgot to say that money functions as well as hockey. A new I did something about would ever fight again in a military war. Yet, only 57 museum and art gallery were pro- Sidewalks, too. I had new side- was no object in all these schemes, years ago, we were bitter enemies. People do change. Where it came from who knows, vided by demolishing part of the walks built all over the city wher- Attitudes do change. It is wrong to say there will always but it was there. After all, as any- present Civic Centre (the East ever they were needed, and insti- be war. It is not true that war is part of human nature. It one knows, anything can happen in end), and building a new section tuted a program of plowing and a dream. with access from Vernon St. and by sanding them in the winter. is human nature to love and to take care of each other. elevator from a parking area The airport also came in for One of the next things I did was There will be an end to war. It will take work on all of to persuade the I H A that the pro- behind the building. The remainder some attention. I had the runway posed Health Campus should be of the Civic Centre building was extended by 500 feet down river, our parts to end military and all violence in the world. completely refurbished. and a taxi-way built parallel to the built, and made the Regional Hospital with some new specialists I expanded the Aquatic Centre runway, which kept the pilots Let us all look into our hearts for ways that we can turn in much the way proposed by the happy. And oh, yes, the transfer being recruited to staff it, along our enemies of the past into our friends and family of the with the requisite number of nurs- Facilities Planning Committee, station - well I moved that to the present and future. es and other staff. The present hos- except that I had a new Olympic East end of the old K F P property, pital building was converted to size pool built at the East end of a piece of landfill which is of no affordable “assisted living” for the present building, so that inter- use for anything else, and the West Correction: seniors and other people with national style competitions could end of the lakefront was turned In last weeks Internet training story, Doris Kaplan was incorrectly be held in our fair city. Parking into a lovely park where dogs were identified as Margaret Smith. physical disabilities. The remaining BCBC land was always having been a problem, I allowed to run free. This park also all taken over, decontaminated as next turned my attention to that, included another sports field and necessary and mixed development and had a new five-storey parkade ball ground with bleachers, was encouraged there, including a built in the 600 block of Vernon dugouts, and rest rooms. FISH HEADS •••••••••••••• new tourist park and a space for a carousel. Tokens could be pur- chased which gave the holders the option of riding either the carousel St., where the ground level parking lot is now. Parking in that was free for anyone working in Nelson who committed to car-pooling. Those The C. P. R. station was restored and made the Visitors’ Information Centre, operated by the Nelson and Area Tourist Association - lots & FLOWERS or Street Car No. 23. Then I turned my attention to a new recreation complex. I had a new Olympic size ice arena with using the parkade who did not car- pool were required to pay a small monthly or daily fee to use the facility. The same rule was institut- of parking there for tourists. Oh well, it was only a dream, but when I woke up and remem- bered all the details, I thought to FLOWERS – There is nothing FLOWERS – To the gifted writer seating for 1500 people built adja- ed for the present parkade. This myself, "I wonder how many of like an inspired, joyful perfor- who lent me his helmet so I could cent to the present arena but closer new parkade was, of course, nice those things we could do if we mance by our young people to experience my first Harley ride. to Hall St. The old ice surface was and close to the new arena. A really put our minds to it?" raise the spirits of our community. – Born to ride enlarged by removing the seating, pedestrian overpass connected the It makes a person think, doesn’t Bravo Capitol Theatre cast & and could be used for hockey and parkade to the arena complex, so it? crew. FLOWERS – To my two friends figure skating practice as well as that people could walk between – Grateful citizen who entertained me with their public skating several times a the two without going out in the George Penniket is a long-term amazing company, incredible per- week. New change rooms were weather. Parking was also provid- resident of Nelson. sonalities and stunning looks. Hope things go well. – One for the road Letters to the Editor We encourage our readers to write to us. and are more in-depth than letters. All submissions to the Express Fish Heads and Flowers section will be considered pro- Please address letters meant for publication to the If you wish to write a commentary, please first contact vided that no individual is directly identified in the text or signature, all signatures are Editor. We do not accept open letters. Letters must be the Editor. anonymous, and the submission is both concise and written in good taste. We reserve the right to withhold publication of submissions if these standards are not satisfied. To short (200 words maximum) and to the point. We reserve All letters and commentaries must be signed and submit your gift of Fish Heads or Flowers, you may send email to express@express- the right to edit letters, and the decision to publish or not include your name, address and phone number. We will news.bc.ca, drop off or mail to 554 Ward Street, Nelson, B.C., V1L 1S9, or fax to (250) 352- to publish is completely at the discretion of the Editor and not print “name withheld” letters. Opinions in the Express 5075. We will not accept submissions over the telephone. The Express cannot guarantee Publisher. are not necessarily those of the publisher or the Express that your submission will be printed due to space limitation. Commentaries can be longer (500 words maximum) advertisers.