Water conservation begins in Ashcroft
Stage 1 water conservation measures came into effect for the entire Village of Ashcroft on May 1, and will continue until September 30 unless further conservation measures are necessary.
Under Stage 1 restrictions, watering of lawns is allowed by house-supplied sprinklers between 6 and 9 a.m. and 8 and 11 p.m., and by underground automated sprinklers from midnight to 6 a.m., on even calendar days for even-numbered addresses, or on odd days for odd-numbered addresses.
Other allowable uses include hand-watering or drip irrigation of any garden, trees, shrubs, and planters; washing vehicles and boats using a hose with an automatic shut-off device; filling and topping up pools, hot tubs, zand ponds; water slides or sprinklers for the enjoyment of children; watering of community spaces and sports fields; fire suppression and control; and the health and safety of any person.
In times of drought, the Village may be required to put in place more restrictive water conservation measures. The Village of Ashcroft will communicate this information to residents if and when additional measures are necessary.
In the event of a power outage of any duration, the Village asks that all residents assume that Stage 4 water restrictions are in effect until power is restored. In Stage 4, watering of any kind by any means is not permitted, and the use of water is limited to the prevention and control of fires and the health and safety of any person.
Free water conservation kits are available at the Village office on Bancroft Street. For more information about the various stages of water restrictions, visit the Village website at www.ashcroftbc.ca.
UniTea concert
Join singer-songwriter Saltwater Hank as he sinks his teeth into tales of the land, loss, and absurd circumstance, drawing from stories, legends, and musicians who have come before him as he looks at ageless characters who put their hearts, and lives, on the line.
Hank will be at UniTea in Ashcroft on Thursday, May 10 for a concert that starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 each, and are available at the door, or in advance from UniTea. Call (250) 457-1145 to reserve tickets or for more information.
Exhibition of Learning
All members of the public are invited to the Exhibition of Learning taking place at Desert Sands Community School in Ashcroft on Thursday, May 17. From 2 to 3 p.m. all students will be on hand to share, discuss, and answer questions about their recent learning, with older students staying until 5:30.
From 3:15 to 4 p.m. District staff and the school will be presenting Sharing Our Story, which will include annual reporting from the school, District staff, and the Board of Education.
At approximately 2 p.m. there will be the official unveiling of a mosaic artwork piece created by several high school and Grade 4/5 students over the last year in collaboration with artists Marina Papais and Daniel Collett.
Community members are encouraged to come out to the school for the mosaic unveiling and to engage with the students about their exhibits and learning, as well as to find out about the many exciting projects and initiatives taking place.
Tourism symposium
Gold Country Communities Society will be hosting their third annual Tourism Symposium in Cache Creek on May 25 and 26. This is an excellent event for Gold Country stakeholders, and will include the award presentations for the businesses nominated through its Excellence in Gold Country program at the weekend’s networking evening.
The event is an excellent opportunity to hear from destination marketing organizations and local politicians, and to network with peers in the tourism industry. This year’s symposium includes a familiarization tour of Cache Creek and a networking evening (May 25) and a SuperHost workshop and a “Social Media for Business” presentation (May 26).
The event is being hosted by Gold Country with the support of the Village of Cache Creek and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. It is open to all stakeholders within Gold Country, but space and tickets are limited. Information and the registration form can be found at www.exploregoldcountry.com/symposium; anyone interested in attending should complete the registration form, noting the events they would like to attend, and they will be contacted regarding the details and availability.
Workshops rescheduled
Community Futures Sun Country has rescheduled its workshops with John Singleton for May 26 and 27. The workshops will now take place at the Ashcroft Community Hall at 409 Bancroft Street.
The “Communicating as a Leader and Conflict Management” workshop will take place on Saturday, May 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with refreshments and lunch provided. The “Stress and Time Management’ workshop will take place on Sunday, May 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with refreshments provided. While the workshops are designed with business people in mind, they are open to anyone.
With the generous support of Western Economic Diversification, these workshops are being provided for free for all participants. However, in order to make them the best possible experience for participants, pre-registration is required. Call the Community Futures Sun Country office at (250) 453-9165, or toll-free at 1-800-567-9911.
Early Learning Program
The Ashcroft Early Learning Program has opened registration for the 2018-19 school year. Three Early Childhood Education-certified programs are offered: an 18–36-month-old Early Learning Program, which operates every Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.; a three-to-five-year-old Early Learning Program, which operates from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, and which is available for two, three, or four day options; and before and after school programs that operate Monday to Friday from 7 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m.
Spaces fill up fast, so register by calling Tanya (250-457-3813) or Shauna (250- 457-7408).
Gold Trail trustees elected to BCSTA
The Gold Trail Board of Education congratulates co-chair Valerie Adrian and trustee Nancy Rempel on their recent appointments at the British Columbia School Trustees’ Association AGM in Vancouver. Adrian was elected to the BCSTA’s board of directors, while Rempel was elected as the BCSTA Thompson-Okanagan branch vice-president.
Ashcroft councillor elected to SILGA
At the recent Southern Interior Local Government Association conference and AGM in Revelstoke, Ashcroft councillor Barbara Roden was elected to the SILGA board as a director at large. SILGA is made up of the municipalities and regional districts in the Southern B.C. Interior; among its policies are to improve and refine the quality and level of service provided by local government to its citizens, and to educate and assist members in the provision of good government for their citizens.
Arts scholarships available
The Kamloops Arts Council invites students graduating high school and going on to post-secondary studies in fine arts, as well as post-secondary visual arts/design students in any year of study, to apply for two scholarships.
New this year and sponsored by local artist and wearable art designer Kristina Benson, the Kristina Benson Art Scholarship was created to honour emerging artists pursuing post-secondary education in the visual arts and design fields. The scholarship will be awarded to a current or prospective student demonstrating eagerness, determination to succeed in their field, and a passion to intuitively create. One scholarship of $250 may be awarded each year.
Students graduating high school this year and going on to post-secondary studies in the fine arts (i.e. music, theatre, dance, creative writing, visual arts, film) are encouraged to apply for the Kamloops Arts Council’s Julia Appley-Mitra Scholarship. This award is named after long-time KAC supporter Julia Appley-Mitra.
The deadline for applications for both scholarships is May 31, 2018. More information and application forms may be found on the KAC website at http://bit.ly/2wiMmSb.
Board volunteers sought
Community Futures Sun Country is looking for volunteers to serve on its board, and is now accepting applications from entrepreneurs, or anyone involved in regional communities, who would like to join an organization that supports small businesses and community development.
Eligible people who live in Ashcroft, Cache Creek, Clinton, Lytton, Lillooet, Logan Lake, Hope, Spences Bridge, Thompson-Nicola Regional District Areas E, I, and J, and Fraser Valley and Squamish-Lillooet Regional Districts Areas A and B can apply. Send your resume, personal biography, and a cover letter to Deb Arnott at darnott@dfsun.ca by May 25, 2018.
Southern Interior road paving
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has announced 450 kilometres of road paving in the region during this year’s resurfacing season. In our region, the only project that has been announced is Highway 12 near Lillooet, where 46 kilometres of resurfacing will be done from Lillooet to Lytton on Highway 12.
Enhancing B.C.’s parks
BC Parks is making $240,000 available to support volunteer projects that will enhance park services, and protect the conservation and heritage values of these natural spaces for all British Columbians to enjoy.
Volunteers can apply for up to $5,000 per project for 2018–19. Each of the five BC Parks regions have been allocated $20,000 to support conservation projects, and $20,000 to support recreation projects. There is also $40,000 available for multi-regional projects.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of BC Parks, and we want to give them the support they need to continue doing their great work in parks throughout the province,” says George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “From conservation projects to public outreach, our parks volunteers take on important projects, and we appreciate and recognize the wonderful job they do to enhance the visitor experience in our beautiful provincial parks.”
In past years, funding has gone to volunteer projects that include putting up interpretive signage; building huts, docks, and trails; controlling invasive species; providing information to visitors; and gathering conservation data.
Interested volunteers and community groups must submit a project proposal. Selected volunteers will be chosen by the end of June 2018, with projects to be completed by March 31, 2019. For more information, including criteria, deadlines, and how to apply, please visit the BC Parks blog at http://bit.ly/2Fu4BTZ.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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