2013 Travel Guide - Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce

Transcription

Creston Valley
2013 Travel Guide
om
nvalleybc.c
www.cresto
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Table of Contents
Published by:
1018 Canyon Street
Creston, BC
PO Box 1279 V0B 1G0
Ph: 250-428-2266
Fax: 1-250-483-1909
Publisher
BRIAN LAWRENCE
Editor
DIANNE AUDETTE
Office Manager
ANITA HORTON
Sales Manager
JACKY SMITH
Production
www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca
Published by the Creston Valley Advance
A division of Black Press Group Ltd.
Publications Agreement No. 40069240
The contents of this publication are protected by
copyright and may be used only for personal noncommercial purposes. All other rights are reserved
and commercial use is prohibited. To make any use
of this material you must first obtain the permission
of the owner of the copyright.
For further information, contact
the Creston Valley Advance
at 250-428-2266
or [email protected].
www.crestonvalleychamber.com
WENDY FRANZ www.ilovecreston.com
LORNE ECKERSLEY
Welcome ........................................................4
Location .........................................................6
Life in a Small Town ........................................7
History............................................................9
Four Seasons ................................................12
College of the Rockies...................................20
Parks............................................................22
Golf ..............................................................24
Creston Museum ...........................................26
Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area ......28
Wine & Dine .................................................30
Farm Fresh Guide ..........................................32
Agriculture....................................................36
Fresh Food ....................................................38
Farmers’ Market ............................................40
International Selkirk Loop..............................41
Arts ..............................................................44
Creston & District Public Library ....................48
Lower Kootenay Band ....................................49
Outdoor Adventures .......................................50
Yahk .............................................................53
The Lake Road ..............................................54
Maps and Kootenay Lake Ferry.......................57
Ripening Dates ..............................................62
The Creston Valley
Welcome to the Creston Valley
and thank you for picking up this
edition of the Creston Valley Visitors’ Guide.
The following pages highlight
many of the attractions, area business services and the idyllic lifestyle we enjoy in our beautiful
valley. Surrounded by the Selkirk
Mountains to the west, the Purcells
to the east, Kootenay Lake to the
north and the United States border
to the south, the Creston Valley is
ideally situated and is home to almost 16,000 people (with 5,000 in
the town of Creston).
ARNOLD LABRENTZ
Naturally abundant, the area is
rich in agriculture related businesses and services and thriving agritourism. With a burgeoning wine
industry, fruit and vegetable markets, handcrafted organic cheese,
animal and grain farms, secondary
food processing and the world famous Columbia Brewery, the Creston Valley lifestyle epitomizes the
“100 mile diet”, though in our case
it is really closer to 10 miles.
Our rich agriculture heritage is
celebrated in the spring at our annual Blossom Festival and in the fall
with our annual Fall Fair.
We have extraordinary outdoor
recreation. Enjoy world class boating, fishing, golf, hunting, hiking
back-country skiing and snowmobiling in the area.
The Ramsar designated Creston
Valley Wildlife Management Area
is rich and biologically diverse.
Over 300 species of birds, 57 species
of mammals and 29 species of fish,
reptiles and amphibians call the
area home.
Other key sectors include forestry,
secondary manufacturing, health
services, retirement, and arts and
culture.
Be sure to stop in at the Creston
Visitor Centre for more information. Our centre showcases local attractions and businesses, maps, free
wireless Internet, feature artisan
displays and the Creston Valley Rotary Club history wall. Our friendly
and knowledgeable staff can help
you plan your vacation or make
your relocation a smooth transition.
We look forward to seeing you!
Jim Jacobsen, Executive Director
Creston Valley Chamber of
Commerce and Visitor Centre
121 Northwest Blvd.
250-428-4342
1-866-528-4342
[email protected]
Creston Valley
Fest
Creston On The Move
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250-428-2234
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4 www.crestonvalleybc.com
Join us for the celebrations!
May 17 to 20, 2013
STAGE SHOW STARRING
AL SIMMONS
Mammoth Parade
Children’s Entertainment
Lion’s Street Fair
Duck Race
Chili Cook-off
Show & Shine Car Show
Millennium Park Showcase
Children’s Parade
Lion’s Kids Party in the Park
Lion’s Pancake Breakfast
Knights of Columbus
Breakfast
Creston Airport Events
... and much, much
more to come!
Best!
For more information, visit our website
www.blossomfestival.ca or call 250-428-4284
Discovery Real Estate
Plan ahead! Next year’s Blossom Festival is May 16 to 19, 2014
Welcome to the beautiful and historic Creston
Valley. If you’re looking for a great “quality of life”
you’ll find it here!
First established as a farming community,
Creston continues to produce a wide variety of
agricultural produce, drawing people from far and
wide. Crops include:
asparagus, peaches,
apples, cherries, and
“With a little
much more.
planning, you
can make your
visit to the
Creston Valley
truly
unforgettable.
We welcome
your stay and
invite you to
visit again
soon!”
Ron Toyota
Mayor
Beyond its abundant
agriculture, organic
cheeses, burgeoning
wine industries, and
award winning juices,
Creston
is
also
memorable for its
awe-inspiring vistas
and closeness with
nature. The majestic
Kootenay
River
winds
its
way
through this wide,
fertile valley that is
surrounded on all
sides
by
the
stunning Selkirk and
Purcell Mountain
ranges.
The Creston Valley
Wildlife Management Centre, located in the
heart of our valley, is a wetland of international
significance (a designated RAMSAR site). Come
check out the 17,000 acres of wetland that is rich
in bird, fish and other wild life. To be in our valley
is to be surrounded by unforgettable natural
beauty.
Community attractions are numerous:
Spend some time at our newly renovated
Community Complex and indoor pool.
Play a round of golf on the local 18 hole
course.
Pop in to our farmers’ market on Wednesdays
and Saturdays.
Tour the Columbia Brewery, home of
“Kokanee Beer” and have your picture taken
with the Sasquatch.
Browse the galleries and shops that display
local work.
Enjoy history with a visit to our local Museum
and Archives.
Participate in the Lower Kootenay Band’s Pow
Wow, held annually in May.
Experience the numerous festivals and events
that take place in the Creston Valley year
round.
www.crestonevents.ca
www.crestonvalleybc.com
or call the Visitor Centre at
1-866-528-4352
Town of Creston
Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
238 - 10th Avenue North, PO Box 1339, Creston, BC, V0B 1G0
Phone: 250-428-2214  Fax: 250-428-9164  Email: [email protected]
www.creston.ca
www.crestonvalleybc.com 5
LOCATION,
LOCATION
ARNOLD LABRENTZ
The town of Creston is easy to find,
located along the southernmost route
joining the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. It is just an hour-and-aquarter west of Cranbrook on Highway
3, or an hour-and-a-half east of Nelson
or Castlegar, travelling over the Kootenay Pass, Canada’s highest mountain
pass.
Travellers from Nelson also have the
option of a scenic trip along Kootenay
Lake’s West Arm on Highway 3A, followed by a trip on the M.V. Balfour
or M.V. Osprey 2000 between Balfour
and Kootenay Bay. The six-mile trip is
the longest free ferry ride in the world,
which makes it even more unique. From
Kootenay Bay, Highway 3A — referred
to by some locals as the “lake road” —
winds south, straight into Creston.
Creston is within two hours of two
major airports, the Canadian Rockies
International Airport (YXC) in Cran-
brook and the Castlegar Airport (YCG).
The Creston Valley Airport, six kilometres south of Creston, is suitable for light
aircraft and small charter planes. South
of Creston, in Washington, the Spokane
International Airport (GEG) is a threehour drive.
Creston is served by Greyhound Bus
Lines, with one bus each day to or from
Cranbrook and Nelson — and beyond.
The community also offers BC Transit
and Handi-Bus services, as well as Creston Valley Cab Co., the town’s only taxi
service.
The Essence of Home
Create a space that
surrounds you with
comfort and beauty
Live life comfortably.
True North • Elran
Ashley • Palliser • Buhler
England Inc
GE, GE CAFE &
Monogram Appliances
Simmons
I Comfort & Nexgel
Mattresses
Mattresses - all sizes,
special orders,
delivery & set-up
114 - 15 Ave. S.
Creston, BC
Commercial—Residential—Travel—Auto
250-428-5338 1-888-428-5361
www.falkins.com
114-15th Avenue South, Creston BC
250-428-2204
1-800-428-2204
(Across from Extra Foods)
www.vancefurniture.ca
LIFE IN
A SMALL
TOWN
BRIAN LAWRENCE/ROBIN EDGE-PARTINGTON
Creston is still a small town, but it keeps
growing. The 2011 census indicated a population of over 5,300 — more than 500 higher
than in 2006. Newcomers appreciate the relaxed, community-oriented lifestyle that permeates the entire Creston Valley, which entices them to purchase homes in the area.
“Creston has become a retirement destination for young baby boomers looking to
spend the next twenty years enjoying an
active but relatively inexpensive lifestyle,”
said Creston Valley Realty owner Elaine
Carr. “What brings them here are the beautiful views and warm climate — what makes
them stay are the great people and the peaceful pace.”
The many activities available in the valley also
draw younger people and their families to the
Creston Valley, where they enjoy everything
from hiking to fishing and music to sports.
20
13
101
YEARS
and
1912 - 2013 • 101 Years Farming In The Creston Valley
Friday, September 6
& Saturday, September 7
at the Creston & District
Community Complex
www.crestonvalleyfallfair.com
Fruit • Vegetables • Home
Baking • Photography • Quilts
• Needlework • Home Preserves
• Arts & Crafts
• 4H Demonstrations
• Poultry & Livestock
• Wine & Beer • Flowers
• Woodwork • Penmanship
• Student Section
• Grain & Foliage • Sunflowers
• Local Entertainers
Truscott Farms 2012
m,
Ice Crea Fruit
h
s
e
r
F
,
e
Coffe
ies
th
o
Smo
n
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s
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tr
En
Fresh L
o
Vegetab cal
Fruit • H les
Honey erbs
• Be
Cheese ef
Cornwall Farms 1912
NEW!
In-store
Bakery
3016 Hwy 3 Creston, BC
250-428-4983
Open Daily Dawn to Dusk
KOOTENAY
BUSINESS
BEST OF BUSINESS
PLATINUM
2012
Fruit Stand
Life in a Small Town
the valley — although the relatively
inexpensive real estate, both in town
and in rural areas, is also a big draw.
“It’s typically the quality of life
that we enjoy here, and the climate
— Creston has got one of the nicest
Centre and John Bucyk Arena, ensure that families have an endless
array of physical activities to keep
them fit and occupied.
The Creston Valley’s rich agricultural possibilities are another important
factor behind the decision to move to
in all of Canada,” said Re/Max Discovery Real Estate owner-broker
Michael Carpenter. “To boot, we
have very reasonable prices compared to other areas that are in a 5
or 6 agricultural zone. They want to
grow their own food, and get away
ARNOLD LABRENTZ
Major renovations to the Creston
and District Community Complex,
which began with the construction
of an indoor aquatic facility that
opened in 2010 and continued with
upgrades to the Creston Curling
from the city and get away from a
harsher climate. They also appreciate the beauty of the valley, which is
somewhat unsurpassed.”
Of course, a brief wander through
downtown Creston is enough to
make many people want to stay.
Several coffee shops and unique
businesses — where all the regulars
know each other on a first-name basis — make a first visit to Creston
feel like coming home.
New residents can easily learn more
about what the Creston Valley has to
offer by calling Hi Nieghbour Welcome Service hostess Christy Johnston at 250-428-7074. She is happy
to visit newcomers with a greeting
package of coupons and information.
“The most common thing said is,
‘What a beautiful valley,’ ” said Century 21 Veitch Realty managing broker Scott Veitch, a past president of
the British Columbia Real Estate Association. “They love the scenery, the
climate, the small-town atmosphere
and how friendly everyone is.”
Your connection to
Real Estate in the
Creston Valley
Providing one-on-one
personal service
Insurance • Drivers Licenses
Vehicle Registrations • Local Tips
Moving? Let us take you under our wing
for a smooth, enjoyable move
We will take care of the things that matter most to you
CENTURY 21 Veitch Realty – Creston
1131 Canyon Street, Creston, BC
1-866-428-9331
[email protected]
www.crestonvalleyinsurance.com
250-428-2294 or toll-free 1-888-853-6465
[email protected]
Conveniently located at the Mall
CRESTON
VALLEY
HISTORY
Once Upon a Time
(Above) The S.S. Nasookin, one of many sternwheeled steamships that plied Kootenay
Lake in the early 1900s, near Kootenay Landing, at the southern end of Kootenay Lake.
(Below) The 1000 block of Creston’s Canyon Street, circa 1910.
CRESTON MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES
For centuries, the Creston Valley and surrounding mountains and waterways were familiar only
to the aboriginals known today as the Lower Kootenay Band, one of the seven bands that make up
the Ktunaxa Nation. It wasn’t until the gold rush in
the Fort Steele area that the Dewdney Trail opened
east-west access in the southern portion of British
Columbia.
The Dewdney Trail, which enters the Creston Valley along Summit Creek and then follows the Goat
River eastward toward the Columbia Valley, provided land access to areas where only water transport had previously been relied upon.
The first white settlers, who came to the area only
125 years ago, arrived to find a broad, lush valley
that was flooded annually by the spring freshet.
Among those first settlers was J.C. Rykerts, who
was dispatched from Victoria in 1883 to set up a
customs house on the 49th parallel. Transport for
Rykerts upon his arrival was a rowboat, with which
he made an 80-mile return river trip to Bonners Ferry, Idaho, to pick up the mail. The Rykerts border
crossing featured a log cabin customs house.
Populating the area was a slow process and it
wasn’t until 1891 that the Creston Valley’s first
white baby, Christine Hood, was born. She would
eventually marry Charles Sutcliffe, one of the area’s
remaining pioneer families.
In 1892, Fred Little, John Arrowsmith and John
Dow, staked a claim to portions of the valley along
the benchland west of what is now 10th Avenue
North. Little’s property would provide the location
for the original townsite development.
John Arrowsmith married a daughter of William
and Jane Huscroft, a pioneering couple who had arrived by chuckwagon and raft from Utah, staking
their land claim on July 5, 1893. Jane was only a
few months late to lay claim as being the first nonnative woman in the Creston Valley.
Sarah Ellen Dow, wife of John, arrived on the
steamboat S.S. Nelson, which plied the Koote-
Once Upon a Time
CRESTON MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES
(Top) Marion and Geoff Collis with a horse pulling a harrow in the early 1920s. (Above)
John W. Dow (at the left facing right) at his cabin, about 1893. (Below) The S.S. Kaslo at
the Rykerts border crossing south of Creston in 1902.
nay River between Bonners Ferry and Kaslo, B.C. It
was her diary that would provide the first recorded
glimpse into life in Creston’s early days.
Canoes were used to transport the first white settlers
as they disembarked from the several steamboats that
had begun to provide regular service in the area. Sarah
Ellen’s husband, John, arrived at the steamboat with a
canoe, and soon the couple was paddling, then walking a mile-and-a-half, then crossing a slough in a dugout canoe before arriving at the cedar log cabin they
would call home.
Sarah Ellen gave birth to a son, Campbell, in Spokane, Wash., on Aug. 16, 1893, and mother and child
came home six weeks later, greeted by a large group of
Lower Kootenay Band members eager to see the new
white baby.
In 1883, a solution to the water-sodden flatlands that
made up much of the valley came in the person of entrepreneur William Adolf Baillie-Grohman, who envisioned a rich agricultural opportunity if the floodwaters
could be tamed. Good intentions were ignored by nature, though, and large floods often swept through the
dikes, until the project was successfully carried out in
the 1920s and 1930s.
Until the late 1890s, steam-powered sternwheelers
plied local waterways from Creston south to Bonners
Ferry, Idaho, and north to smaller Kootenay Lake settlements, and the ships played a large part in transportation until the 1930s. In the late 1890s, two railroads, Great Northern and Canadian Pacific arrived,
making transportation in the valley that much easier.
Roads developed in short sections, which connected
small communities throughout the valley and up the
East Shore of Kootenay Lake. Later, these sections were
joined, becoming part of a provincial highway system
in the early 1920s. The government completed the road
to Gray Creek in 1931, and the S.S. Nasookin made three
daily stops at Gray Creek until 1947, when the road to
Kootenay Bay was completed and the M.V. Anscomb
(now sunk near Kaslo) was launched to ferry traffic between that point and Balfour.
Traffic kept flowing along the lake, until two big
changes came about in the early 1960s — the opening
of Rogers Pass as part of the Trans-Canada Highway
in July 1962, and the Salmo-Creston portion of Highway 3 opening in October 1963.
Creston’s modern-day history is closely tied to the
development of the diking system, and the rich agricultural tradition has continued. Forage and grain
crops, fruits and vegetables, dairies and other agricultural industries have long contributed to the economic
stability of an area that also boasts a strong forest sector and mining history.
For more history of the Creston Valley, we recommend Sixty Bloomin’ Years by Helena White, which
was published on the 60th anniversary of the Town of
Creston’s 1924 incorporation. Reprints are available
from Kingfisher Used Books.
S
Welcome to Creston’s year-round
health and wellness facility!
s
o
u
i
r
e
Competition 25 metre 5 lane lap pool
1 metre diving board
Aquatic climbing wall
Leisure pool with lazy river
Hot tub and steam room
!
Fun
Fitness centre with indoor track
All the latest cardio, strength, free weights
and other workout equipment
Group fitness room with spin bikes
Physiotherapy clinic
Hockey arena and new dressing rooms
Six sheet curling rink and lounge facility
Large banquet room with kitchen facility
Meeting rooms
Park area with baseball & soccer fields
Rotacrest Hall facilities
Beach volleyball courts and horseshoe pits
New concession stand
Children’s playground
Childminding available
Your Creston & District Community Complex
Handicap
accessible
312 - 19th Ave N, Creston BC 250-428-7127
For more info:
email: [email protected] www.rdck.bc.ca\creston
Experience it!
FOUR
SEASONS OF FUN
So Much to See and Do
BRIAN LAWRENCE
Crowds line Canyon Street for the Saturday parade (above and below right), a key attraction of the Creston Valley Blossom Festival. (Below left) The Monday morning children’s parade is a big hit with families.
Spring comes to the Creston Valley in
mid-April, with green leaves, scented
blossoms and green grass seeming to appear overnight, prompting residents of
all ages to get outdoors and enjoy everything the valley has to offer.
It can often feel very much like summer
by the middle of May, when the apple and
cherry trees bloom and Creston hosts the
annual Creston Valley Blossom Festival
on the Victoria Day weekend. The festival
opens with a Friday night concert featuring Al Simmons and the announcement
of Creston’s citizen of the year, and the
weekend includes three pancake breakfasts, two parades, a street festival, a classic car show and a chili cook-off.
This year marks the 72nd annual festival, which began as a way to raise the
community’s morale during the Second
World War.
“It’s a wonderful way for people of all
ages to celebrate the spring,” says festival president Joanna Wilson. “It is a tradition for everyone in the valley.”
Outside the town, a demolition derby
is an action-packed event in Kitchener,
and the Lower Kootenay Band’s Yaqan
Nukiy Powwow draws large crowds to
see First Nations dancers from around
the province.
The May long weekend also sees the
opening of the 17,000-acre Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area’s Wildlife Interpretation Centre in West Creston (see page 28).
Earlier in the month, the Creston Museum opens for its season, which runs
until mid-September (see page 26).
A visit to the Creston Valley in the
summer isn’t complete without paying
a visit to the many orchards and fruit
stands in the area. A few offer meals,
as well as fresh-off-the-tree (or -vine
or -bush) produce.
One of these is the Blueberry Patch
in Lister, which offers country lunches, soups and homemade baking. It is
opens the first day of spring and features a shop with country giftware,
and gourmet jams and spreads — as
well as a candy cottage for the young
and young at heart.
In addition to U-pick and readypicked blueberries, the farm also has
its strawberry pavilion, with 18,000 hydroponically grown strawberry plants.
“That’s something they won’t see anywhere,” says owner Michael Sproule.
Cherrybrook Farms is unique, too,
with a cherry tree leasing system that
allows families to pick all the fruit
from “their” tree. With an orchard on
Erickson Road, and a Highway 3 location that opened lin 2011, owners
Gord and Caroline Martin enjoy selling produce and other food products
made in the Creston Valley, and visi-
tors can also take a look a scale model
train sets around the place.
“Our dream is to become a community
hub for local producers,” says Caroline.
For a variety of local products all in one
place, a visit to the Creston Valley Farmers’ Market is a must. It runs on Saturday mornings from May to September
behind the Creston Valley Chamber of
Commerce, and October to December
at Morris Flowers Garden Centre. In addition to fresh produce, it features live
music and vendors offering crafts, art,
flowers, plants, wood products, baked
goods, freshly roasted coffee and breakfast — all made, baked or grown in the
Creston Valley (see page 40).
Naturally, swimming is a summer pastime, and the Creston Valley offers several great spots to enjoy the clean, cool
water of the Kootenays, as well as the indoor pool, which opened in 2010 at the
Creston and District Community Complex. In addition to public swimming,
the pool offers many swimming courses
and lessons for everyone, from boys and
girls to new moms to lifeguards in train-
ing — and that’s just in the water.
“From swimming lessons to soccer camp, from scuba to underwater
hockey, from outdoor boot camp to
aquatic kick boxing, there is something for everyone,” says aquatic programmer Brooke Cherfils.
Miniature golfing is always a popular pastime, and visitors can enjoy it at
Cheyenne Creek Mini Golf on Northwest Boulevard. Owners Dave Schellenberg and Stephanie Soderling
opened the 18-hole course in 2007, and
it features waterfalls and rustic bridges,
and misters spray cool water near one
of the holes to give players a reprieve
from summer heat.
It’s also pleasant to stroll through
Creston’s downtown, browsing in
stores — including the East Kootenay’s
largest beading shop, a smoke shop
and a flower/antique shop — and being refreshed at one of several restaurants and coffee shops.
On Erickson Street, a tour of the Columbia Brewery is also a must, where visitors
learn how “the beer out here” is made.
CRESTON
Curling Centre
Creston & District Recreation Complex
Six sheets of ice hosting Seniors curling
Mixed Curling, Junior League, Ladies League, Men’s League,
and open leagues – it is all there for you to try
ANNUAL LADIES’ VALENTINE BONSPIEL - February
ANNUAL MEN’S BUTTERFLY BONSPIEL - March
The curling lounge is available for rent for your next
family gathering, wedding, reunion, curling game or meetings
www.crestoncurling.com • 250-428-7512
n Valley Cruise
o
t
s
rs
Cre
C
l
u
r
a
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C
8th Annual Blossom Festival
Show & Shine • Canyon St
Sunday, May 19, 2013
10am–3pm
Info: 250-428-7723
25th Annual Creston Valley Cruisers
Fall Campout Show & Shine
September 20, 21 & 22, 2013
at Centennial Park
Info: 250-428-5005
www.crestonbc.com/cruisers/
Pan for a Pocketful
We carry a large selection of MINELAB metal detectors
mining equipment
and
...and semi precious gems,
sterling silver beads,
men’s and women’s jewellery,
lapidary equipment,
locally made Lampwork beads,
Swarvoski crystals...
1217 Canyon St., Creston, BC
250.428.4020 • 1.877.428.4020
www.beadazzled.ca
(Clockwise from above) Santa arrives in Creston during a parade in his honour on the first
weekend of December; the Creston and District Community Complex hosts community events
and activites, including the Creston Valley Figure Skating Club’s annual ice show, the Black Eyed
Cherries roller derby team, indoor swimming and the Creston Valley Fall Fair.
BRIAN LAWRENCE
BRIAN LAWRENCE
While you’re at the brewery that
makes Kokanee, Bud Light and Alexander Keith’s, be sure to have your
picture taken on the brewery grounds
with the sasquatch sculpture, created
by Canyon sculptor Karl Lansing.
Canyon Park is always hopping on
Canada Day. A slo-pitch tournament
and barrel racing are a big part of the
event in Canyon, a few miles east of
Creston, while kids’ activities and
live entertainment are the highlights
of the festivities in town.
The entire community will enjoy
socializing at the 96th annual Creston
Valley Fall Fair, which showcases —
but isn’t limited to — local produce,
baking, livestock and artwork.
“A true traditional country fair,”
is how longtime volunteer Randy
Meyer describes the September
event. “There will be displays of the
valley’s finest fruits and vegetables,
flowers, grain and hay, as well as
crafts, photography and woodworking that will fill the arena.”
The Creston Valley’s youth are well
represented at the fair with presentations by 4-H dairy, beef and horse
clubs. Visitors to the fair will find
commercial booths inside and outside the arena, and activities will be
scattered throughout the various section displays.
This is also the time of year when
the Creston Valley Thunder Cats
kick off the hockey season. The
Junior B Kootenay International
Junior Hockey League team has
been around for more than 25
years, and fans continue to flock
to the John Bucyk Arena to cheer
on the team.
The Thunder Cats season usually begins with exhibition games
in early September and continues
through the playoffs in March.
For those who like their entertainment to offer finesse without brute
strength, the Creston Valley Figure
Skating Club, with over 70 members,
presents an ice show each season.
The Creston Curling Centre is
also located at the community complex. The club hosts the Valentine
Bonspiel (for women) in February
and the Butterfly Bonspiel (men)
in March, which brings to Creston
players from across B.C., Alberta
and Idaho.
“The social aspect is a lot of it,” said
curling club member Evelyn Tingley.
“They come every year and see the
same old friends. And the competition is good.”
Cross-country skiers won’t have
a hard time finding the perfect spot
to practice their hobby. The Creston
Valley Wildlife Management Area
has more than 30 kilometres of trails
to follow, some of which weave
through the marshy area surround-
ing the Wildlife Interpretation Centre at 1760 West Creston Road.
Summit Creek Park, a former
campground located a few minutes
west of Creston on Highway 3, is
also a popular choice, with trails
that extend into the flat land on the
valley floor. More trails can be found
about 40 kilometres past Summit
Creek Park on Highway 3 at the
top of the Kootenay Pass, complete
with a heated cabin to recharge after
a day of vigorous skiing. (For more
on hiking, see page 50.)
JEFF BANMAN
HAYDEN WOLF
CRESTON & DISTRICT COMMUNITY COMPLEX
Downhill skiers will be pleased to
discover five ski hills within a threehour drive. West of Creston are the
Salmo Ski Hill, renowned for its
nighttime skiing, and Rossland’s
Red Mountain, where Olympic gold
medallists Nancy Greene and Kerrin
Lee Gartner got their start. North of
Salmo off Highway 6 is Whitewater Ski Resort, which, well-known
for its powder, bills itself as being
“pure, simple and real ... deep.” East
of Creston is the Kimberley Alpine
Resort, which features 80 runs.
An hour to the south, near Sandpoint, Idaho, U.S.A., is Schweitzer
Mountain Resort, where skiers take
in panoramic views of Canada,
Washington, Idaho and Montana
— after travelling on Stella, Idaho’s
only six-person high-speed lift.
Self-propelled sports aren’t the only
ones that take place.
Snowmobiling is also popular,
and about 70 members of the Kokanee Country Snowmobile Club
enjoy miles of logging roads winding through incredible scenery.
“We have a number of amazing areas to ride, and each is a little bit different so you can always find something new,” says president Dean
Bala. “With lots of riding areas, and
not a lot of snowmobilers, there is always lots of fresh snow to be found.”
Among the regular events held
each season are a tailgate sale (a
swap meet for snowmobilers, with
local dealers showcasing new products), a poker run and a hotdog
dash (eat a hotdog, then ride your
snowmobile through a course up
to the top of a hill), followed by a
year-end banquet with dinner and
prizes. For a map that shows what
areas are off-limits to snowmobilers, as well as more information,
visit kokaneecountry.webs.com.
There is also the Creston Valley
Quad Squad, which was formed in
April 2002 to provide an opportunity
for ATV enthusiasts to enjoy their
sport together. The club members
clean and maintain trails in the area,
and the club offers day trail rides,
overnight campouts, poker rides and
safety seminars. More information is
available at www.crestonquads.com .
Take Out
Patio
Lounge
Coffee Shop
Dining Room
Licensed
Dinner
Lunch
Breakfast
Restaurants
Ad on Page
Places to Eat
A Break in Time Caffé
1417 Canyon St. Creston, BC 17
250.428.5619
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Bayshore Resort
13165 Hwy 3A Boswell, BC 56
250.354.4370
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Buffalo Trails
250.428.5730
Creston & District Community Complex
312-19 Ave. North Creston, BC 17
250.428.4671
Creston Golf Club Mallory Restaurant
1800 Mallory Rd. Creston, BC 24
250.428.5515
Creston Hotel - Jimmy’s Pub & Grill
250.428.2225
Creston Valley Bakery
113 - 10 Ave. North Creston, BC 17
250.428.2661
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Extended hours during events
Concession provided by A Break in Time Caffé
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250.428.9800
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Home Style Café
Hwy 3 Kitchener (East of Creston), BC 17
250.428.5011
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Kootenay Thai Restaurant & Tony’s Bar
800 Northwest Blvd, Creston 18
www.kootenaythai.com 250.428.7779
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Real Food Café
223 - 10 Ave. North, Creston 17
www.realfoodcafe.ca 250.428.8882
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Ricky’s All Day Grill
Junction Hwy 3 & 3A, Creston 63
www.gotorickys.com 250.428.8826
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Kokanee Pub
123 - 9 Ave. South Creston, BC 17
250.428.4241
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GOODBYE DRAMA,
HELLO DINNER!
1809 HIGHWAY 3A
250.426.3501
creston.gotorickys.com
Down to earth.
Wholesome. Goodness.
Our name
says it all
e Style Cafe
Hom
250-428-5011
Hwy 3 Kitchener BC
Just 10 minutes east of Creston
EXPERIENCE a fine selection of breads and baked
delicacies from locally produced wheat!
• Daily Lunch Specials
• Full Bakery Selection
• Deli Counter
• Gourmet Sandwiches
• Roof Top Sundeck
• Delectable Desserts
• Artisan Bread
• Licensed
KOOTENAY
BUSINESS
BEST OF BUSINESS
PLATINUM
2012
BAKERY
EAST KOOTENAY
nt, Origin
da
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e
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ce
in
,S
98
18
Loc
al,
In
de
113-10th Ave. N Creston
250-428-2661
Creative Dining
freshly made every day
with locally available produce
Hearty Portions • Great Prices • Local Organic Beef & Cheese
Traditional British Fish & Chips • Really Good Homemade Desserts
Licensed • Non-smoking Patio
Lunch Mon-Fri 11am-2pm
Dinner Mon-Sat 4:30-8pm
Real Food Cafe • Creston
223-10 Ave North (across from the Firehall)
250.428.8882 realfoodcafe.ca
International Cuisine
and Coffees, plus
Vegetarian and
Traditional Favourites
OPEN DAILY
WiFi • Outdoor Courtyard • Music Nights • Take-Out
SECOND LOCATION
Full Menu • Cold Beer
123 9 Ave. South, Creston
Just south of the grain elevators
250-428-4241
Concession OPEN DAILY
at Creston and District Community Complex
www.abreakintimecaffe.com
1417 Canyon St, Creston • 250-428-5619
Valleyview
Motel
clean, quiet and affordable
cabin-like units
overlooking the valley
250-428-2336
Toll free 1-800-758-9334
[email protected]
www.valleyviewmotel.info
S:
YOUR HOST
ose
aR
L
is
Lillian & Denn
Coffee House
Eat • Drink • B for Buffalo
• Locally Roasted Coffee
• Specialty Coffee
• Icy Cold Drinks
• Grilled Sandwiches
• Homemade Soups & Salads
• Delicious Homemade Treats
• Happy Trails Ice Cream Parlour
Open 7 days a week • Wireless Internet • Art & Live Music Venue
1215 Canyon Street • Downtown Creston • 250-428-5730
•
•
•
•
•
sunset
M TEL
CLEAN, MODERN ROOMS ($75*)
FULL KITCHEN SUITES ($95*)
DOWNTOWN LOCATION
FREE BREAKFAST WITH STAY
PUB & LIQUOR STORE ON SITE
*starting rates
2705 Canyon St. on Hwy#3
Creston, BC • 250-428-2229
YOUR COMFORT
OUR MissiOn
[email protected]
www.sunsetmotelcreston.com
1-800-663-7082
Pets Welcome • BCAA Triple Rating
1-800-663-7082
Skimmerhorn
“The Place to Stay”
• Executive Suites
• King Size Beds
• Full Kitchens
• Seasonal Heated Pool
• Air Conditioning
• Wireless
• Horseshoes
• LCD TVs
• BBQ Pits
• Playground
• RIDER FRIENDLY
INN
250.428.2225 • 1418 Canyon St. Creston • www.crestonhotel.com
City Centre Motel
Chain quality,
PLUS MORE...
at a family price!
2711 Hwy 3E Creston
250-428-4009
1-800-661-1998
www.skimmerhor ninn.com
250-428-2257
220 15th Ave North, Creston • 1/2 Block off Hwy 3 (Canyon St)
www.crestonvalley.com/citycenter
For Reservations Only, Call Toll Free 1-877-506-2211
OPEN FOR DINNER Tues-Sun 4-9pm
LUNCH Tues-Sat 11:30am-2pm
Closed Mondays
Open mic, karaoke, free internet
Award Winning
Thai Cu
isi
ne
Located in
The Hacienda Inn
800 Northwest Blvd, Creston
250-428-7779
& Tony’s Bar
Close to everything
but the noise.
www.kootenaythai.com
Formerly Montri’s Thai Restaurant in Vancouver
Pheasants Run Bed & Breakfast
your home away from home
Creston Valley
REALTY
LTD
Finding the right mortgage
Gorgeous panoramic view
Large, comfortable, modern executive suites
Satellite TV, Wireless Internet
Private patios, Tranquil setting
is as important as
finding the right home
1506 1st Ave. NW • 250-428-0045
BV
EI
LS
LT
AA
Bella Vista Bed & Breakfast
Modern & luxurious: Best suited for business people,
travelling couples and honeymooners.
Complimentary business centre. Espresso breakfast.
One call can do it all
DLC Producers West Financial
Dean Bala
1206 Lilac Street, Creston BC
www.bbcanada.com/11111.html
250.428.4847 • 250.435.0307
YOUR LOCAL
MORTGAGE BROKER AND REALTORTM
250-402-3903
[email protected] www.deanbala.com
THE
HACIENDA INN
OVERLOOKS THE BEAUTIFUL CRESTON VALLEY
51 units with fridges
16 full Kitchen Suites
Licensed Family Restaurant
Sports Lounge
Seasonal Outdoor Pool
High-speed Internet and A/C
Executive, Private Jacuzzi, and Large Family Suites
Corporate/Senior/Family/Group Rates
Smoking and Pet-friendly Rooms available
Championship Golf Course Packages available
haciendainn.ca • 1.800.567.2215 • 250-428-2224 • 800 NW Blvd
NO END TO
LEARNING
“The strength of a ‘community college’ lies with the
community — this is our college,” College of the Rockies (COTR) campus manager Kathy Tompkins says.
For a quarter of a century, the College of the Rockies
has been delivering quality education opportunities to
Creston Valley residents, and to visitors, too, thanks to
activities like a summer arts program. In the summer,
a series of courses on a variety of arts topics are taught
by working artists.
We carry a wide selection of
fresh produce and meats.
Enjoy our full service
deli and bakery.
Our pharmacy can assist you
with your health care needs.
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
3-1000 Northwest Boulevard, Creston • 250-428-2555
Toys
Candles
Housewares
Party Supplies
Canadian Souvenirs
Electronics
Cards
Balloons
Incense
Seasonal Items
and so much MORE!
Open 7 days a week
Creston Valley Mall • 11 - 1000 Northwest Blvd
1000 Northwest Blvd, Creston
250-428-0221
• GroceryRetailer
• Pharmacy
• LiquorStore
• MovieRentals
• InsuranceAgency
• Men’sandWomen’s • Restaurant
Clothing
• HairStylist
• DollarStore
... andMORE!
• PastryShop
• MedicalClinic
Plenty of FREE Parking!
Located in the downtown core on an old mill site
donated to the Town of Creston by the former Crestbrook Forest Industries, COTR’s Creston campus offers full-time programs like resident care aide, adult
basic education, licensed practical nursing and hairdressing, some in rotation with other COTR campuses
in the East Kootenay region. Shorter courses, such as
activity assistant and practical herbalist, provide opportunities for educational upgrading.
And the local campus has been at the vanguard of online education, with more than 170 general interest courses available through the Internet. Check the college office
or website for credit course opportunities, too.
Always popular has been the range of general interest courses, ranging from first aid to computers, class
one driving certificates to stained glass and other arts
instruction.
The COTR campus is also home to the Community
Greenhouse, which was the setting for a two-year winter
harvest program, and allows members of the Therapeutic Activation Program for Seniors to work in the garden
with the community’s children and young families.
For more information, visit www.cotr.bc.ca, phone
250-428-5332 or e-mail [email protected].
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Hacienda Inn
800 Northwest Blvd. Creston, BC
1.800.567.2215 250.428.2224
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19
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Pilot Bay Resort & Charter Services
16961 Pilot Bay Rd. Kootenay Bay, BC
250.227.9441
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Skimmerhorn Inn
250.428.4009
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Sunset Motel
1.800.663.7082 250.428.2229
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Valley View Motel
216 Valleyview Dr. Creston, BC
1.800.758.9334 250.428.2336
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Playground
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Sani Dump
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Fire Pits
Tent Sites
50
Pool
Hookup
56
# of Pull
Through
# of Sites
Scotties RV Park
1409 Erickson St. Creston, BC
1.800.982.4256 250.428.4256
v
See Ad on Page
Bayshore Resort
13165 Hwy 3A Boswell, BC
250.354.4370 250.223.8270
Kozy RV Park
250.428.4143
Mountain Park Resort
4020 Hwy 3E Erickson, BC
1.877.428.2954 250.428.2954
Pair-A-Dice RV Park & Campground
1322 Northwest Blvd. Creston, BC
1.866.223.3423 250.428.2347
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Monthly
Downtowner Motor Inn
1218 Canyon St. Creston, BC
1.800.665.9904 250.428.2238
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Marina
18
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Lake / Beach
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RV Parks
& Campgrounds
Senior / Corp Rates
v
Creston Hotel and Suites
1418 Canyon St. Creston, BC
250.428.2225
Kitchen
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View
2
City Centre Motel
220 - 15 Ave. North Creston, BC
1.877.506.2211 250.428.2257
Pheasants Run Bed & Breakfast
1506 - 1 Ave NW Creston, BC
250.428.0045
Pets Welcome
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6
Cable
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Fruit Stand
20
Golf Packages
Weekly / Monthly
Off Season Rates
Restaurant / Lounge
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56
Lake / Beach
Bella Vista Bed & Breakfast
1206 Lilac St. Creston, BC
250.428.4847 C:250.435.0307
Family Oriented
v
See Ad on Page
Bayshore Resort
13165 Hwy 3A Boswell, BC
250.354.4370 250.223.8270
Bed & Breakfast
Accommodations
Hotel / Motel
Places to Stay
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A WALK IN
THE PARK
Creston h
a
Daylight Ssn’t observed
aving
since 191 s Time
8
west
In 1948, the flats
der
un
e
er
w
of Creston
er
BRIAN LAWRENCE
Residents and visitors alike often take advantage of Creston’s many parks, suitable for a quick game of catch with
the kids, a peaceful place to read or even enjoy a romantic
picnic.
•Centennial Park (Birch Street, entrance at Ninth Avenue
South). This well-shaded park is popular with families, for
obvious reasons: it has a playground, picnic sites, a gazebo,
a baseball diamond, a basketball hoop, a water fountain and
washrooms. An exciting feature is the Creston Rotary Splash
Playground (right), an excellent way for the kids to cool off
while Mom and Dad kick back and relax.
•Burns/Farstad Park (312 19th Avenue North). This is the
site of the Creston and District Community Complex. The
park has a new indoor swimming pool, a playground, two
baseball diamonds, the Alex Nilsson Field for soccer, horseshoe pits, a skateboarding park, basketball hoops, volleyball nets, curling and ice rinks (in season).
•Millennium Park (300 block of 16th Avenue South).
The park, created by volunteers, opened in the summer of
2004. It features walkways, one-of-a-kind wooden benches
and an amphitheatre, which is often used for musical and
theatrical productions in the summer. One of the park’s
A young visitor cools off at the Creston Rotary Splash Park.
HOME AND
GARDEN SHOW
Tons to See, Do, and Buy.
fourteen feet of wat
The first steam
ship
on Kootenay
Lake
was built in N
orway
beside the
The cabin highway
n
April 12 + 13, 2013
April 11 + 12, 2014
o
Salmo-Crestrdan’s Cabin
o
J
d
e
ll
a
is c
“Best trade show in the Kootenays”
There’s a crypt in the floor
of the Creston Museum, and
a ghost legend to go with it
We can tell you why
219 Devon St • Creston
creston.museum.bc.ca
250-428-9262
• Picnic Area
• Model Railway
• Gift Shop
121 NW Blvd., Highway 3
250.428.4342 \ [email protected]
May 11-Jun 7: Mon-Sat, 10-3:30
Jun 8-August 24: Daily 10-5
August 25-Sep 21 Mon-Sat 10-3:30
THE CRESTON
MUSEUM
www.CrestonValleyChamber.com
A Walk in the Park
tures 30 picnic sites, a baseball diamond, a horse arena, a horse racing
track, horseshoe pits, a playground,
a pavilion, a rental kitchen and pay
showers.
•Canada’s Smallest Park (Canyon Street Walkthrough). This one
is home to minature shrubs and
small plants — definitely something to write home about!
LORNE ECKERSLEY
A gymkhana is a popular Canada Day event at Canyon Park.
The goal of College of the Rockies in Creston is to provide
quality, timely education and training for our area. We are
a vital part of our community – and we want to ensure we
grow and develop as our community grows and develops.
Check out our ever-changing programs at:
Phone: 250 428-5332 Email: [email protected]
or drop by: 301 16th Ave, Creston BC
Kathy Tompkins
Campus Manager
www.cotr.bc.ca/creston
fun shopping?
raised funds for local charities by
plusreducing
and reusing donated items?
Gleaners
807 Canyon Street • 250-428-4166
Tues & Fri 9:30am-4pm • Every Thurs 4pm-7pm • Closed Saturday
Gleaners Too
113 - 8 Ave North • 250-428-4106
Tues & Fri 9am-4pm • Every Thurs 4pm-7pm
Food Bank
807 Canyon Street
(behind main store)
Tues & Fri 9am-1pm
Gate Drop Off Hours
ERS
GLEAN
(both locations)
Mon & Wed 6am-6pm
Tues & Fri 6am-4pm
Thurs 6am-7pm
Sat & Sun 1pm-5pm
ladies’ clothing • shoes • crafts • linens • men’s clothing • toys • jewellery • kitchen items • games • puzzles • housew
Serving Our Community
When is the last time you had so much
• collectables • books • CDs • DVDs • small and large appliances • furniture • infant clothing • miscellaneous goods
COLLEGE OF THE ROCKIES
ares • work wear • boots • jackets • ornaments • pictures • wall art • mirrors • hardware
most striking features is the Japanese garden, which was developed
thanks to a donation from Creston’s
Japanese sister city, Kaminoho. The
park may be rented for weddings
or special functions on the grounds
or in the amphitheatre; contact the
Town of Creston for details.
•Burns Park (Elm Street and
25th Avenue South). This park has
a playground, picnic tables and
washrooms.
•Kinsmen Park (Birch Street and
25th Avenue South). This park has
tennis courts, a baseball diamond
and a running track.
•Schikurski Park (Regina Street
and 14th Avenue North). Walking
trails are a major feature of this park.
•Lister Park (16th Street and Huscroft Road). This rural park has a
covered outdoor dining area, rental
kitchen facilities, a tennis court, a
basketball hoop, a playground and
a baseball diamond.
•Canyon Park (48th Street and
Samuelson Road). The park fea-
ON THE
GREEN
located in pristine natural surroundings, golfers can often enjoy a glimpse
of wildlife sharing the course.
An hour north on Highway 3A,
golfers will be delighted to find the
18-hole Kokanee Spring Golf Resort
CHERYL JAGGERS
Visitors to the Creston Valley who
are interested in spending a day on
the links are in luck — 17 golf courses
are located within two hours of Creston. Two, the Creston Golf Club in
Lister and the Canyon Heights Golf
Course in Canyon, are minutes away.
The 18-hole, par-72 Creston Golf
Club was the home of B.C.’s 1992
juvenile, 1998 junior, 2002 senior
amateur, 2004 ladies’ amateur and
2006 high school championships.
Spectacular views of the Kootenay
River and surrounding mountains
can be seen from the course.
“The Creston Golf Club has been
built on a unique piece of property
that gave our architect the opportunity to create a golf course with
a great deal of character as well as
spectacular scenery and strength,”
said Creston Golf Club profes-
sional Randy Panton. “We have
holes you simply couldn’t build
anywhere else!”
If you want to get in a game, but
don’t have a lot of time, the fivehole Canyon Heights Golf Course
Putting at the Creston Golf Club.
in Canyon is your best bet. The
course also features an 18-hole putting range, located at the foot of the
magnificent Skimmerhorns, part of
the Purcell mountain range.
“It’s in a gorgeous corner of the
valley,” says owner Dave Perrin. “It
is fantastically beautiful.”
Due to the Creston Valley’s mild climate, golf season starts in mid-March
and usually runs until the end of October. And because the courses are
in Crawford Bay, which is situated
beside the 60-room Kokanee Lodge.
Twenty minutes away is the ninehole Riondel Golf Course, a few
minutes off Highway 3A on Riondel
Road.
Outside the valley, courses in Balfour, Kaslo, Nelson, Salmo, Champion Lakes, Trail-Rossland and
Cranbrook, as well as Bonners Ferry and Priest Lake in Idaho, ensure
variety for all skill levels.
CRESTONVALLEYADVANCE.ca
The Creston Valley Advance is a weekly newspaper with a circulation
of 3,000 in southeastern British Columbia. First published in 1948
by Alex Carruthers as the Valley Advert, the Advance was published
twice weekly until 2003, when it became a weekly paper serving the
communities of Creston, Erickson, Lister, Canyon,Yahk, West Creston
and Wynndel, as well as the East Shore of Kootenay Lake.
Its strong readership is attributed to a commitment to keeping readers
informed in all areas of life, from entertainment to government to
education to the arts.
For your Advertising needs, contact
[email protected]
ARNOLD LABRENTZ
All Access Subscriptions Mail Subscriptions
give online readers full
access to all our online
tools and hyper-local
content.
If you already subscribe to
the print edition of Creston
Valley Advance, your All
Access Subscription is free!
[email protected]
1018 Canyon Street, Creston • 250-428-2266
CRESTON MUSEUM
& ARCHIVES
Bringing Life to History
living room of a former apartment on
the museum grounds.
The publicly funded non-profit facility
plays an active role in the community,
hosting several events during its season
(May-September). The first is the museum’s opening day, which also marks
the opening of the temporary exhibit, Elemental: Earth, Wind, Fire and Flood in
the Creston Valley.
“It looks at the impact these events
have had on the community, its residents, and its industries,” said museum manager Tammy Hardwick. “The
windstorm of December 1924, for example, set the local fruit industry back
five years; and the flood of 1948 is
still talked about as one of the pivotal
events in local agricultural history.
“Because we have virtually nothing
in the way of artifacts relating to these
events, this exhibit relies on photographs, newspaper articles, and firsthand accounts to tell the stories of
these natural disasters.”
A second exhibit opening this sea-
Creston Veterinary Hospital
Farm & House Call Service
24 Hour Emergency by Phone
Dr. Robert McLeod • Dr. Emma Davis
Dr. John Pfeffer
Ph: 250-428-9494 • 1605 Dogwood St • Creston, BC
BRIAN LAWRENCE
With more than half of its 10,000 artifacts on display, the Creston Museum
and Archives is the place to go to learn
all there is to know about the Creston
Valley’s history — from forestry to agriculture to transportation.
“Many of our visitors are surprised at
how big the museum is, and how much
there is to see,” says manager Tammy
Hardwick. “There are a lot of corners,
and something new to see around every one of them.”
The museum, which opens May 11
and runs through mid-September, has
two main buildings, both built in the
1960s by master stonemason Rudolph
Schultz. Other buildings on the property include a century-old schoolhouse
from Kingsgate (near Yahk), a trapper’s
cabin and a shed that shelters farm
equipment, including a 1920s Ford and
Caterpillar.
The Creston Museum is also home to
the Seventh Siding Trackers, a model
railway club that has created a miniature version of the Creston Valley in the
Many of the museum’s artifacts and displays
depict early life in the Creston Valley.
TASTE THE
DIFFERENCE.
CRESTON VISITOR CENTRE
121 NW Blvd., Highway 3, Creston, BC 1.866.528.4342
www.CrestonValleyBC.com
Bringing Life to History
BRIAN LAWRENCE
son is a permanent one, focusing on the history of women in the Creston Valley.
“We’ve chosen three broad time frames —
pioneer women, women of the 1950s and
women of today — and explored the changing — and, in some ways, unchanging —
roles of women from one period to another,”
said Hardwick. “A big part of the exhibit is
made up of items contributed by members
of the community — items that represent the
women whom those people feel have made
a difference in the community.”
A few regular events — Kid’s Day (June 8,
featuring vintage games from hopscotch to
marbles) and the quilt show and sale (Sept.
14, with quilts all over the buildings and artifacts) — will keep volunteers busy.
And then there’s the perennial favourite,
the Old-Fashioned Tea on Aug. 10, at which
guests enjoy tea, lemonade and dainty treats
on the museum’s patio. This year’s theme is
the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, sure to be an entertaining combination of Alice’s Adventures in
Wonderland and Creston history.
“Events give our visitors a chance to live
or relive history for an afternoon, and they
give people opportunities to share their stories,” says Hardwick. “Museums should be
places where people can gather and enjoy
an hour, an afternoon or a day. Our static
exhibits let the people do that in a quiet,
peaceful way, and our events let visitors
enjoy in a more hands-on way.”
These events allow museum employees,
tour guides and volunteers to glean new information to pass on to future visitors.
“We collect the artifacts that illustrate local history and the stories that go with them,
and we pass those stories on to others,” says
Hardwick. “It’s ongoing — we’re always collecting both artifacts and stories. In fact, the
best days we have are the ones when people
come in and start reminiscing.”
The Creston Museum’s annual Old-Fashioned Tea is popular with locals and visitors.
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
AREA
Preserving Our Unique
Nature
There may be no better internationally
known feature in the Kootenays than the
Creston Valley Wildlife Management
Area (CVWMA). In fact, Rand McNally
voted the CVWMA and the Wildlife Interpretation Centre as a Best of the Road
Editors’ Top Pick in the 2009 Rand McNally Road Atlas.
Located 11 kilometres west of Creston,
CVWMA is a Ramsar site, an internation-
ally significant wetland. It is also recognized as a nationally important bird area
because it provides important habitat for
migrating and nesting birds.
The Wildlife Interpretation Centre at
1760 West Creston Road is open from
May to September, but boardwalks and
trails throughout the marshes welcome
visitors year-round. The centre offers
something for everyone during its sea-
son, which runs from May to October,
including guided canoe and walking
tours, youth programs and educational
displays. A science and nature gift shop
in the centre has an excellent selection of
books, natural history and educational
resources, nature related gifts, souvenirs
and refreshments.
An impressive feature of the 32 kilometres of trails is the three-story
Wildlife
Centre
Birding expeditions
Professional presentations
Workshops
Art tours
• Guided Canoe & Walking Tours
• Hiking & Biking Trails • Wildlife Viewing
• Educational Displays • Science Lab • Gift Shop
Centre open May - October
Programs and tours May - August
Contact us @ (250) 402 6908 [email protected]
www.crestonwildlife.ca
May 10, 11 & 12
2013
©Bruce Paterson
Info: www.crestonvalleybirds.ca • Watch for 2014 events!
Preserving our Unique Nature
BRIAN LAWRENCE
viewing tower along the Marsh
Trail Loop, a popular destination
for schoolchildren, birdwatchers,
photographers and nature enthusiasts to view wildlife and enjoy the
breathtaking views of the wetland.
A second tower is located north of
the Wildlife Interpretation Centre,
by following trails that cross under
Highway 3.
Why is the CVWMA important?
It is home to over 300 bird species,
50 mammal species, 30 fish, reptile
and amphibian species, thousands
of invertebrate and plant species.
The valley is a migration corridor
for tundra swans, greater whitefronted geese, and other waterfowl
and is the largest regional locale for
wintering birds of prey in the interior of the province. It is considered
that in British Columbia the CVW-
MA is second only to the B.C. coast
as a flyway route for numbers of
migrating waterfowl that follow it
twice yearly.
Warm shallow waters encourage
luxuriant growth of the most important aquatics such as sage, clasping leaf and other pondweeds, duck
potato, duckweed, muskgrass and
many more.
The richness and diversity of life
forms would not be present on the
Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area without habitat management. Because of careful management of water levels, vegetation
and other habitat features since
1968, there are now more species
and larger breeding populations of
birds and other wildlife at CVWMA
than in previous years.
The wildlife area will be a key lo-
We Make Your House a Home!
cation for birdwatching during the
Creston Valley Bird Fest on May 10,
11 and 12, planned to be the first
year in a proposed annual event.
Wetlands are important because
they sustain as much life as many
tropical rain forests, play a critical
role in maintaining the global environment and provide a natural flood
barrier that slows down the runoff
of spring melt and rainstorms. Additionally, extensive wetlands in
agricultural regions play a large role
in water purification by filtering the
water of lakes, rivers and streams,
reducing pollution. Marsh plants
remove excessive levels of nitrogen
and phosphorous. Basically, wetlands are the kidneys of the earth —
understanding and preserving these
wetlands is as important for our future as it is to Canadian wildlife.
Eat IN
Take OUT
Drive THRU
For appliances, electronics, beds and mattresses, fitness equipment,
home and garden equipment, plus your Sears catalogue store and MORE!
1510 Cook Street, Creston, BC • 250-428-5301
Tues to Fri 930am-530pm • Sat 930am-500pm
1804 Canyon Street Highway 3
250-428-9800
FOOD
WITH
WINE
Wine lovers and foodies delight in
pairing food with appropriate libations, and what better way to celebrate the bounty that grows in the
Creston Valley? With three wineries
now open to visitors, and dozens of
venues to pick up locally produced
food, the area has become a gourmet — and gourmand — heaven.
For a perfect weekend meal, first
visit the Creston Valley Farmers’
Market or drop in to a fruit stand
or farm gate vendor to pick up fruit
and veggies in season. A stop at Famous Fritz Meats and Deli and Kootenay Meadows cheese might be in
order, too. Think grilled sausages
and a hearty red wine! Or a cheese
plate to go with just about any local
wine you happen to enjoy.
Need some inspiration first? Talk to
your host at the winery, or check out
the menu at Skimmerhorn Winery’s
bistro, where there are plenty of ideas
to whet the palate and stimulate the
appetite. The bistro recommends Pinot rosé or Pinot Gris with Caesar
salad or Pinot Noir with coq au vin —
no surprise there, as the same wine is
used in the sauce! The bistro’s recommendation for grilled strip loin steak
is Devil’s Chair or Marechal Foch, the
winery’s heartiest wines, sure bets to
stand up to the charred red meat. The
off-dry Autumn Tryst naturally pairs
with citrus flavours.
Looking for a place to enjoy a picnic
with your freshly purchased bounty? Check out the pergola at Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery, where
guests are welcome to bring their
own food to eat along with a glass or
bottle of wine purchased in the tasting rooms. Glasses are supplied!
Asparagus is a notoriously challenging vegetable to pair with wine.
But a little creativity in the way it’s
served can be gratifying, and worth
Meet Your Milk Maker
the effort, too, with Sutcliffe Farms
being the largest asparagus producer in B.C. We recommend grilling the tasty spears after tossing
them with olive oil, salt and pepper,
laying them atop a couple of slices
of hearty Creston Valley Bakery’s
artisan bread, then slathering the
works in an easy cheese sauce.
To a basic white sauce, add your
favourite cheese — we are equally
happy with Alpindon or Nostrala
— stir until it’s almost melted and
quick as Bob (or Fred) is your uncle,
you are ready to enjoy with any
wine you prefer. The addition of curry in the sauce makes it a wonderful
match with Gewurztraminer. Want
to make it especially suitable with
a red wine? Kick it up a notch with
a slice or two of crispy fried double
smoked Famous Fritz bacon or one
of Thomas’ fabulous sausages.
Restaurant owners have been
thrilled to offer local products, and the
Real Food Café and A Break in Time
Caffé both have menus with tasty
Creston Valley produce and meat.
Anthony Kwan, proprietor of
Kootenay Thai Restaurant, is a big
• U-pick & ready picked blueberries,
strawberries, raspberries & more!
• Unique hydroponic strawberry pavilion
• Delicious lunches, fruit smoothies,
baking and preserves
• Ice cream, candy shop and Belgian berry waffles
Great family experience!
Summer Hours (May to September)
Monday to Saturday 9:30am to 4:30pm
Spring, Fall & Winter Hours - Please call
Blueberry Patch products now available at
Tasty Pastry Shop in Creston next to Overwaitea
You’re going to need a bigger bag!
Visit our certified organic, grass-based
family farm and expanded farm retail shop
www.blueberr ypatch.ca
2782-20th St Lister • Hwy 21. S and follow signs 250-428-4647
THE HEALTHIER CHOICE!
NO FILLERS, NO BINDERS, NO SUGAR, NO MSG ADDED
Farm Fresh Milk in glass bottles
Handcrafted Kootenay Alpine Cheese
Pasture raised pork and ground beef
NEW!
HORMONE-FREE
BEEF & BUFFALO
www.kootenaymeadows.com
Summer (May-Thanksgiving): Thurs, Fri, Sat 10-5
Winter: Saturdays only 10-5
meadows
kootenay
meadows
otenay
“good food from the soil up”
“good food from the soil up”
3071 - 16 St Creston BC
Naturally Omega 3 enriched & Cholesterol reduced
• Gluten Free Deli Meats
• Everything proudly made on premises
(beside Lister Park)
250.428.9655
Tues - fri 9-6 • sa
saT 9-5 • 1420 NW Blvd, HWy 3. CresToN • PH: 250-428-9055
Food with Wine
LORNE ECKERSLEY
fan of Creston Valley wines, so much so
that he’s created a special menu that pairs
Baillie-Grohman wines with some of his
favourite Thai dishes. Four different samples of wine and seven dishes are sure to
excite those who enjoy Asian food.
The following acts as a general guide to
wine and food pairing:
Light whites: Ehrenfelser, Bacchus, Siegerrebe, Riesling, Muscat, Chenin Blanc,
Chasselas, Auxerrois, unwooded Sauvignon
Blanc and Viognier. Try with Asian style
prawns or fish grilled on skewers, pork kabobs, or marinated grilled vegetables.
Medium whites: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris,
Gewürztraminer, Semillon and unwooded
Chardonnay. Try with chicken satay, fish
with a latin kick or calamari.
Rich whites: Oaked Sauvignon Blanc,
Meritage blends, oaked Chardonnay
and reserve (oaked) Pinot Gris. Try with
grilled turkey breast, coho salmon or tandoori chicken.
Rosé: Try with Italian sausages — or almost anything.
Light reds: Unoaked or lightly oaked
Gamay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet
Wine made from local grapes has been a hit with both locals and visitors.
Sirdar Vineyard, Wynndel, British Columbia
Tasting Room open June to October
W
ynnwood Cellars vision is to create distinctive wines that reflect the terroir of this unique site above Duck Lake in the Creston
Valley of the Upper Columbia Basin. These wines will be wines of the “first shores” as this site, according to geologists, was
the original west coast of North America. Above our southwest sloping vineyard one can see remnants left by ancient oceans and
glaciers. This mineral rich soil gives our wines complexity and an ethos of antiquity.
5566 Highway 3A • 2 km north of Wynndel Store • 250-402-3687
Your guide to local food and Farmers’ Market products
CRESTON VALLEY
crestonfoodaction.ca
Grown and Made Locally
FM
Abbey Lane Farm
Naturally grown garlic (fresh & dried), herbs, berries, fruit &
vegetables. Phone sales.
Joanne Gugelyk • 979 Sinclair Rd, Lister • 250-428-5832
Brunham Farm Greenhouse
Bedding plants, cactus plants, perennials.
Isabel Brunham • 3212 Beam Rd, Creston
250-428-5756 • [email protected]
Blueberry Hill Farm
U-pick & we-pick blueberries. Vegetables in season.
Betty Armitage • 911 32 Ave S, Creston
250-428-8455 • 250-402-9812
Evanly Creations FM
Homemade soaps, lotions (no laurel sulfate); large variety of
scents. Made with quality ingredients.
Donna Evans • 1621 Evans Rd, Creston
250-428-9150 • cell 250-402-3284
FM
Blueberry Patch Country Market
Strawberry Pavilion late May to late Oct, pesticide free greenhouse.
Lunch room & gift shop. Blueberries late July to mid Sept.
Raspberries mid July. • 2782 20 St. Lister • 250-428-4647
www.blueberrypatch.ca
Orde Creek Pottery FM
Wood-fired stoneware pottery, all food safe & completely
functional. Studio sales also. Gunda Stewart •250-428-4803
Castle Meadows Ltd. FM
Vineyard with seven varieties of grapes; fresh, whole clusters,
crushed with stems removed, or juice only. Farm gate sales.
James McLeod • 2182 Corn Creek Rd, Creston
Itty-Bitty Seeds
FM
Naturally grown in Creston. Open pollinated, heirloom, GMO-free
garden seeds. Tomato, lettuce & bean seeds. Shop online.
250-428-4339 • [email protected] or blogspot.
Morris Flowers Garden Centre
Bedding plants, ornamental & fruit trees, shrubs, berries, foliage
plants, nursery stock & garden accessories. Hothouse tomatoes,
vegetables in season. Corn, blueberries & strawberries.
Lloyd Morris • 1403 Erickson Rd • 250-428-5262
FM
Paper Garden
Baked goods; including gluten free. 100% pure beeswax candles,
all natural & smell wonderful, slow burning & air purifying.
Lisa Forcade & Terry Vanderwolf • 250-428-904
www.papergarden.ca
FM
Tabletree Juice
Black cherry & apple juice, culinary sauces. “Best Pure Juice
Product 2012” World Juice Awards, Barcelona, Spain.
Gary & Susan Snow • 3020 Erickson Rd. • 250-428-2470
Watercolour Artist FM
Specializing in floral and still life vignettes that celebrate our daily
lives. Original paintings, limited edition prints & note cards.
Laura Leeder • 250-402-6599 • Shop online
www.lauraleeder.com or www.etsy.com/shop.lauraleedersart
Wynndel Lavender FM
Naturally grown French and English lavender, handcrafted dried
lavender products. Sachets, dryer bags, bath salts, bundles fresh
& dry, wreaths, eye pillows & cushions. Email inquiries and
purchases. • 250-428-5756 • [email protected]
LEGEND
Certified Organic
Natural (uncertified, but organic principles)
Conventional (conventional farming practices)
FM
Farmers’ Market Sales
Kootenay Mountain Grown Certified Organic
Good Agricultural Practices
Integrated Pest Management
Environmental Farm Plan
Fruits, Vegetables and Garden
Beltane Nursery
Bedding plants & nursery stock. Cherries, apricots & peaches in
season. Evan Davies • 2915 Hwy 3, Creston
Cherrybrook Farms
100% natural dried cherries, cherry juice, hydroponic lettuce,
family tree memberships, local produce, Dutch licorice, loose leaf
teas. See ad page 34
2931 Hwy 3 • 250-428-3070 • www.cherrybrookfarms.ca
Creston Valley Vineyard
Skeena cherries, Gala apples, Red Haven peaches, New Haven
peaches, Early Crest Haven peaches, walnuts, hazelnuts.
Sandi & John Haley • 1227 27 Ave S, Creston
Duck Lake Berry Orchard
U-pick saskatoons, chokecherries, red & black currants,
jostaberries.
Hetty & Hans Vermeeren • 1331 Channel Rd, Wynndel V0B 2N1
250-866-5792
Faramon Farms FM
Fresh fruit & vegetables. Cherry orders by phone. Large selection
of apples & pressed apple juice. Farm sales starting September,
closed Sunday • 4730 Canyon/Lister Rd • 250-428-7278
Featherstone Farm
Norwegian Fjord horses, Togg/Alpine dairy goats, heirloom birds,
Angora bunnies, bees. Vegetables, herbs, fruit, processing &
wildcrafting medicinal plants. Internships avail.
Jana Siminiuk-Doyle & Mike Doyle • 1550 Granary Rd, Creston
Goat River Gardens
Naturally grown herbs, fresh produce, saskatoons, greens, cukes &
rhubarb. Jean Hoover • 4340 Hwy 21 • 250-428-7540
[email protected]
JRD Farms FM
Apples, peaches, pears, Plums, apricots, & apple juice
David Mutch • 250-428-1442 • [email protected]
Let’s Grow • Let’s Share • Let’s Eat
Leyh Orchard
13 varieties of apples. Apricots, peaches, pears,
cherries, prune plums. Bill Leyh • 2717 Erickson Rd, Creston
250-428-7324
Margo’s Farm
Pesticide-free fruits: cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums,
apples, pears. Jim & Margo Beaudry • 2813 Hwy 3, Creston
Marianne’s Greenhouse FM
Bedding plants. Freshly picked berries & vegetables in season.
Farm gate sales
Marianne Knopfler • 3621 Muzzy Rd, Canyon
250-428-9540
Mo & Mikey Farms
FM
Garlic, soft fruits & vegetables. Phone sales.
Maureen Byrne • 4281 Canyon-Lister Rd, Canyon
OM Orchards
Lapin cherries; Gala, Jonagold, Elstar & Spartan apples, prune
plums. Farm gate sales by appointment
Reghan Ottenson • 250-402-8372
The Pickle Patch
FM
Pickle cannery – homemade tasty pickles of all varieties: dilled,
sweet, spiced, pickled eggs & relishes. Fresh eggs. Farm gate sales.
Charlene Rast • 973 Reclamation Rd, Creston
Romano’s Blueberries
Blueberries. Virginia & Cliff Romano • 2603 Sunset Blvd, Creston
250-428-2194
Sanders Produce
U-pick strawberries. Raspberries, melons, apples, peas, beans,
squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onions,
wheat & flour.
Roger Sanders • Channel Road, Wynndel
4902 Canyon-Lister Rd, Canyon 250-428-7351 • cell 250-428-6788
Sun Beam Farms
Pumpkins, hay.
Ginger & Ian Knudsen • 875 Hwy 3, Creston
250-428-4506
Sutcliffe Farms
FM
Asparagus approx May 1-June 15, 250-428-9961
All other veggies - farm gate & Farmers’ Market sales
250-428-2734 • Doug Sutcliffe • 1300 Hwy 21, Creston
Webber’s Mountainside Cherries
Farm-gate sales of Lapin cherries. Hand-dipped chocolate dried
cherries in season, dried apples, & all-natural chocolate bars with
fruit.
Michele & Wade Webber • 5293 Bossio Rd, Wynndel
250-866-5573
Willowbrook Farm
Mixed vegetables, onions & squash.. Case lot sales available in
season.
Merv Sloss • 734 35 Ave N, Creston
Big Rock Simmentals
Purebred Simmentals breeding stock, beef & hay.
Larry Rast • 973 Reclamation Rd, Creston 250-428-8980
Golden Flax Farms
Naturally-grown golden flax seed; flax straw.
Judy & Don Bala • 250-428-2837 • (c) 250-402-8178 • 2673 24 St, Lister
Dean & Nadine Bala • 250-402-9839 • [email protected]
King Creek Farm
FM
Fresh unpasteurized honey. “Homestead” and “Lavender” honey.
Jim & Valerie Comer, Joel & Jen Comer • 732 Wilson Rd, Creston
[email protected] • www.kingcreekfarm.ca • 250-977-5362
Kootenay Meadows Farm
FM
Certified organic, grass based, family farm & home of Kootenay
Alpine Cheese. Handcrafted alpine cheese, fresh glass bottled milk,
organic beef & pork. • 250-428-9655 • See ad page 30
Kootenay Natural Meats
FM
Grass-finished certified Angus beef, heritage pork, chickens, turkeys &
grass finished lamb. Wendy & Dale McNamar • 1205 15 Ave S
250-428-4034 •kootenaynaturalmeats.com
Lawrence Farm
Spelt, hard red winter wheat, red fife wheat, lentils, & oats. Member
of Kootenay Grain CSA.
Roy & Sherry Lawrence • 325 Swan Road, West Creston
250-428-7556 • kootenaygraincsa.ca
Lydia’s Lamb
Katahdin lamb (hairsheep) halves or whole. Farm visitors welcome.
Lydia & Hans Bissig • 2372 20 St, Creston
Mountain Harvest Farm
Organic registered Berkshire hog producers. Pork, breeding stock &
weaner pigs for sale. MSG, gluten and soy free sausages, smokies &
full deli line. Kyersten & Ian Kerr • 165 Reclamation Road
250-428-0390 • www.mountainharvestfarm.com
R&S Meyer Farms
Chicken & beef. Sides, quarters & ground beef available.
Hay of all types in small bales, delivery available.
Randy & Sheila Meyer • 2912 28 St, Creston • 250-428-7013
Sponsored in part by
Root and Vine Acres
Vegetables, fruits, berries, culinary herbs, pasture raised eggs,
poultry & pork.
Jessica Piccinin • 2826 Erickson Rd, Creston
Eggs, Meats, Grain & Honey
FARM FRESH GUIDE
JR Kids Orchard & Greenhouse FM
Bedding, pond & exotic plants. Fruits & berries. Specializing in
tomatoes. Pasture raised eggs, pork & poultry. Farm gate sales.
Joy Tomlinson • 2826 Erickson Rd • 250-428-5438 • 250-402-5438
Your guide to local food and Farmers’ Market products
Fruits, Vegetables and Garden
Shell’s Little Greenhouse
Blue, green, pink, brown free-range eggs, lamb.
Shelley • 1302 Lakeview Arrowcreek Rd, Creston
Swan Valley Honey (2012)
Honey, pollination, pollen, propolis & comb honey.
Doug & Nora Crumback • 220 E. Placsko Rd.
250-866-6861 • www.swanvalleyhoney.ca
Tarzwell Farms
FM
Beef: quarters, halves, whole, $100 packages. Ground beef available.
Abbattoir. Tom Tarzwell • 250-428-4316 • [email protected]
Farmers’ Market
EVERY SATURDAY
May-Sept
9am-1pm
Behind Chamber
of Commerce
Oct-Dec
9am-1pm
Morris Flowers &
Garden Centre 1403 Erickson St
indoors
Cook Street
Food with Wine
LORNE ECKERSLEY
Jamie O’Neil and Lisa Elsworth own Real Food Cafe,
which offers local wines and uses local produce.
Franc. Try with pork chops, game
hens, lamb popsicles, mushrooms or
burgers.
Rich reds: Oaked Merlot, Cabernet
Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Meritage blends, Syrah/Shiraz, Zinfandel.
Try with steak, ribs, pork tenderloin
with Cajun rub or butterflied leg of
lamb.
Skimmerhorn Winery winemaker
Mark Rattray, who spends most of
the year in his native New Zealand,
is a food enthusiast whose hobbies
include cheese making. He shares his
own views about food pairing with
Skimmerhorn wines:
Ortega: Although not high in acid
as a Riesling, it is still better suited
to fish and more delicately flavoured
foods where it will not swamp or be
swamped. With its citrus flavours, it
will complement lime- and lemoninfused dishes.
Pinot Gris: Quite low in acidity, it is
best suited to richer dishes where butter based sauces prevail; the one will
enrich the other. Well suited to fish and
Estate Winery
1140 -27 Ave South, Creston, BC
Tasting Room open 11am - 5pm
Wednesday - Sunday • June 12 - Sept 2
Wine tours by appointment
250-428-8768
www.bailliegrohman.com
Like us on Facebook: BaillieGrohman
Follow us on Twitter: @bailliegrohman
W I N E R Y
&
white meats only — with red meats at
a stretch — and blue cheese.
Gewurztraminer is very similar to
Gris but able to handle spicier dishes,
notably Asian, but really quite an allpurpose wine from aperitif with nibbles to salads and the main event, although definitely not recommended
with red meat.
Autumn Tryst (a white blend) is an
aromatic sweeter white but not sweet
enough to be a dessert wine. It is a
great match with fresh stone fruits and
a cheese platter, including blue cheeses.
Marechal Foch is an intriguing
earthy red with a full but very soft
mouth-feel and a touch of acidity,
an excellent match with game and
other red meats, tomato based casseroles and pasta dishes. Try also with
cheese, but not blue.
Pinot Noir is a classic wine for wild
game but also a great match with pasta and Camembert and brie cheeses.
For red wine lovers, its weight and
softness means it will go with nearly
everything!
V I N E Y A R D
Open
March 27 to
December 22
Wineshop and FREE tasting bar 11am – 5pm
Open daily July & August • Wednesday to Sunday Spring & Fall
Summer Bistro • Open Wednesday to Sunday 11am – 3pm
June 12 to September 27 • Reservations recommended
Tours Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30pm, July through September
1218 27th Ave S.
Creston, BC
250.428.4911
www.skimmerhorn.ca
“FRUIT GROWS... WE NURTURE... YOU ENJOY!”
A Unique Family Experience
Local Produce,
Dutch Licorice,
Train supplies,
Loose leaf teas
and more!
2931 Highway 3
Creston, BC V0B 1G1
250-428-3070
www.cherrybrookfarms.ca
[email protected]
• 100% NATURAL DRIED CHERRIES • CHERRY JUICE
HYDROPONIC LETTUCE • FAMILY TREE MEMBERSHIP
FARMING STILL ALIVE
AND WELL
From Asparagus to Zucchini
LORNE ECKERSLEY
Agritourism may be a growing area
of tourism, but it’s hardly new to visitors to the Creston Valley. In fact, parents have been loading the kids into
the car and driving to Creston to pick
up fruit and vegetables for as long
as most of us can remember. There’s
something special about getting one’s
food straight from the source.
Fitting into the larger sector of cultural
tourism, agritourism offers a variety
of unique experiences, from learning
about the history of agriculture to sampling made-on-the-property products to
picking strawberries right off the plant.
With skyrocketing interest in food quality and security, more and more visitors
to the Creston Valley are taking the time
to learn about where their food comes
from and to get hands-on experience.
Visitors might want to start their agritourism experience with a stop at the
Creston Museum, where the valley’s
rich agricultural history is honoured.
And tours abound — invest a few hours
to learn about orchards or beer brewing
or winemaking. Take some time to learn
about making cheese, raising bison or
growing blueberries. Talk to the maker of your candies, the baker of your
breads or the cook who creates your
jams and jellies. Wander through a local
market garden or shop at the Saturday
Creston Valley Farmers’ Market next to
the Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce. Bite into a juicy cherry, nibble a
piece of cheese or sip an award-winning
wine or beer. Just ask the friendly staff at
Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce
— they’ll be happy to answer questions
and provide directions.
Some Creston Valley farmers still use horses when haying.
BRIAN LAWRENCE
Visitors to the Creston Valley experience an up-close-and-personal
look at orchards as they change
through the seasons. A variety of
fruit crops means that blossom time
generally begins long before the
May long weekend’s Creston Valley
Blossom Festival — and lasts long
after. But the thrill of seeing trees in
full bloom in spring or, a few short
months later, hanging heavy with
apples, cherries, plums, peaches,
apricots or pears — or grape-laden
vines — never seems to fade.
Creston still has the Spartan apples and other varieties that made
it a destination point over the decades. But changing market conditions have encouraged local
growers to switch to cherries, particularly to the late-season varieties like Lapins, Sweethearts and
Staccatos. With buyers around the
world, including Asia and Europe,
Creston’s orchards and several
packing facilities are a hive of activity each summer as the race begins
to get top quality fruit to its destination in pristine condition. Some orchardists are adding value to their
cherry crop by drying the fruit or
making juice.
A mix of the traditional (cherries
are all hand-picked, often by travelling workers from Eastern Canada
or Mexico) and the modern (rainfalls at ripening time are quickly followed by helicopters flying low over
the orchards to blow water drops
from the fruit, and a couple of orchards feature trees that are covered
by white nylon “tents”), the harvest
employs hundreds of local and visiting workers, and injects millions of
dollars into the local economy.
Visitors can enjoy making their
fresh produce purchases directly
from growers or from the fruit
stands that line roads in and around
the Creston Valley, home to most of
the area’s fruit production. One local orchard, Cherrybrook Farms,
even offers customers the opportunity to lease a tree, which assures
leaseholders a quantity of cherries
from a well-tended tree.
A climate that features mild winters
and warm summers, and some of
Cherry orchards buzz with pickers in late July and August when the ripe fruit is harvested.
the country’s most fertile soil are
contributors to a diverse, thriving
agricultural industry. Grain, beef,
dairy and even bison operations dot
the Creston Valley flats and the wide
valley is an enticing lure, especially
to prairie residents, many of whom
have chosen to make this area home.
Of course, there’s more to agritourism than we can mention here, but
think of bed and breakfast accommodations nestled into orchards, the
opportunity to experience firsthand
the benefits of a local diet, enjoying a
conversation with a farmer or grower, the chance to buy fresh asparagus
from the province’s largest producer,
Sutcliffe Farms, or making a visit a
fruit and vegetable stand where you
can wander out back where trees are
dripping with produce.
You will soon understand why
Creston Valley residents don’t want
to live anywhere else in the world.
FRESH, FABULOUS
FOOD
Enjoy A Local Lunch
NATALIE SANTANO
Planning a picnic? How about putting it together with all locally made
products? Don’t plan the menu just yet.
Take a drive out and meet the folks who
work hard to provide quality food products, and enjoy the scenery as you move
around the Creston Valley.
Start with a visit to Famous Fritz
Meats and Deli, where Thomas, a European-trained meat cutter and sausage
maker, produces delicious European
sausages, smokies, deli meat and much
more, all on-site!
Many of the shop’s products are cholesterol reduced and enriched with
omega-3 fatty acids. Thomas uses only
the finest ingredients according to old
family recipes. Enjoy the wide variety of
all-natural beef, bison and pork from the
Creston Valley and Dawson Creek, B.C.
“Our customers love our quality and
the fact that nothing gets added to our
products that isn’t in the original family recipes — raw spices and meat,”
Thomas said. “There are no fillers, no
binders, no sugar or MSG added to
our products and they are gluten free,
which is hard to find these days.”
Your next stop might be for organic
cheese from Kootenay Meadows cheese
in Lister, right in the heart of farm country. There you will find three types of alpine-style cheeses made on the organic
dairy farm of Denise and Wayne Harris
and family — which are also served at
the Real Food Café, which uses as many
local products as possible, including
beef, pork and cherries in its cooking.
How about some wine to go with your
purchases? Located in Erickson, the
Skimmerhorn Winery and Vineyard now
Gary and Susan Snow’s Tabletree cherry juice was a winner at the 2012 World Juice Awards.
has a half-dozen vintages behind it and
the accolades continue to roll in. Wines
made from Pinot Gris, Ortega, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir and Marechal Foch
grapes have proven to be popular with
critics and in the marketplace.
Marleen and Al Hoag will be happy to
show off the many medals and trophies
their wines have already accumulated in
a few short years, in large part the result
of skilled winemaker Mark Rattray, who
has come to Creston for the fall in each
of the last several years from his home
in New Zealand. The wines can be taken
home or enjoyed at the winery’s bistro,
which features a patio overlooking the
Skimmerhorn mountain range. In 2011,
the winery even developed a limited
edition of icewine, featuring flavours
that had to be tried to believe!
Right next door, Baillie-Grohman
Winery produced its first vintage in
2009. Another Kiwi, Dan Barker, is in
charge of making the wines. Sip from
a selection that includes Chardonnay,
Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Pinot
Noir, from the winery owned by Petra
Flaa and Bob Johnson.
Enjoy a Local Lunch
Creston flats is a must. With about
100 acres devoted to growing asparagus, is Western Canada’s largest asparagus farm, and 1,200-1,800
pounds per acre are picked each
year.
“Some say frozen asparagus is
almost as tasty as it is when it’s
fresh,” Sutcliffe says. “I say eating
no asparagus is better than eating
some with sourdough starters. All are
created with Jmaeff’s commitment to
use the finest ingredients and timehonoured traditions. In 2010, he introduced loaves of 100 per cent whole
wheat flour made from wheat grown
at Sutcliffe Farms.
“I think I have the only bakery
in Canada that is growing its own
wheat,” Jmaeff says with a smile.
LORNE ECKERSLEY
Just west of Wynndel, Wynnwood
Estate Winery opened its doors to
customers last summer. Made from
grapes grown on a spectacular vineyard further west, on a hillside that
slopes down to Duck Lake, Wynnwood wines promise to be distinct
and of high quality.
The vineyard is located on a rare
Creston Valley slope that includes
limestone, the same mineral that
is found in the Bordeaux region of
France. The vines benefit from the
late afternoon and early evening
sun reflecting off the lake, adding
to the heat units available to allow
grapes to ripen to their full potential. Drop into the Highway 3A winery and tasting room for a sample
and the chance to chat with winemaker and vineyard manager Dave
Basaraba.
A non-alcoholic drink option can
be found in the form of Tabletree
black cherry, apple or plum juice,
where a pound of fruit results in a
lip-smacking 8.5-ounce bottle of locally grown goodness. The juice is
made on-site at the orchard owned
by Gary and Susan Snow and is
available at LW Truscott Farms, and
was developed as a means to use
fruit that can’t be sold fresh.
“Because the fresh market expects
such a perfect cherry, we needed to
come up with an alternate process
for these cull cherries that are going
to waste,” says Susan.
Tabletree now also produces a line
of culinary sauces that are reductions
of black cherry, plum and apple juice.
They are perfect for cooking and baking, adding intense, fresh and all natural flavours.
And it’s become a world-renowned
success — the value-added product
was named the best pure juice in
the world at the 2012 World Juice
Awards.
Fruits and vegetables can be found
all around the Creston Valley — just
watch for the signs. Local cherries —
fresh and dried — other produce and
Creston Valley Jam Company products can be found at Cherrybrook
Farms on Highway 3 in Erickson.
And for freshly picked asparagus, a visit to Sutcliffe Farms on the
Lying down on the job is encouraged — in fact, required — when picking asparagus at Sutcliffe Farms.
the frozen stuff. But that’s just me,
I guess.”
Then make a final stop at Creston Valley Bakery where owner Yuri
Jmaeff and his team turn out a dizzying array of baked goods, including
a different artisan bread each day.
The artisan breads are a healthy
choice, made with whole grain flour,
The Creston Farm Fresh Guide
features more than 40 food producers and related organizations with
farmgate or market garden sales.
Produced by the Creston Valley
Food Action Coalition, an organization that promotes the access to and
consumption of locally grown foods,
it can be found on pages 32 and 33.
FROM THE FARM TO
YOUR TABLE
Creston Valley
Farmers’ Market
BRIAN LAWRENCE
From a modest beginning nine years ago, the Creston Valley
Farmers’ Market has grown stronger and bigger, with booths
offering fruit, vegetables, honey, baking, jam — everything
you might expect to find at a farmers’ market — and more,
from locally-written novels to woodcarving to artwork.
“It offers visitors a real cross-section of life in the Creston
Valley,” says Jen Comer, a former manager.
Those visitors are plentiful, with a whopping 1,200 attending the weekly Saturday market. And the average 45 weekly
are a far cry from the average 28 a few years ago.
Comer attributes part of the success to the willingness of
volunteers, who take on the task of promoting local food in
their own way. When a monthly column slot became available in the Creston Valley Advance, she was quick to suggest
that Heidi Bjarnason, a Creston resident who writes a blog
at fooddoodles.com, use her skills to promote local food. In
turn, Jo-Anne Schultz of the Great Canadian Cooking School
used Bjarnason’s first published recipe in a demonstration at
the farmers’ market two days later. Several other local food
items found their way into Schultz’s popular weekly demonstrations.
Last year, farmers’ market managers and volunteers
worked with the British Columbia Association of Farmers’
Markets to detail the social and economic benefits of the
market in the Creston Valley — and it was estimated that
the market contributes $1.72 million annually to the Creston
economy.
The market is co-ordinated by a Creston Valley Food Action
Coalition committee, which took over from the Creston Rotary Club — it having taken over from volunteers — in 2010.
Starting this year, it runs on Saturdays in a permanent location behind the Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce from
May through December, giving it a far longer season than
most B.C. markets. The new location will allow the market
to utilize the chamber’s basement, which will offer fine arts
vendors protection from the elements.
“Our eventual goal is to become a year-round market,” said
coalition president Len Parkin. “The goal for the food action
coalition is food security, and that means supporting local
producers and keeping them economically viable. The market
can play a large role in making that happen.”
ONE PROVINCE,
TWO STATES,
ONE LOOP
International
Selkirk Loop
In 1999, the International Selkirk Loop
was formed to promote international touring opportunities. The loop entices thousands of visitors and local residents to
enjoy the scenery and towns in two states
and a province, and to celebrate the close
ties between neighbours on both sides of
the border.
Marvel at the awesome beauty around every corner of the International Selkirk Loop,
a 450-kilometre (280-mile) scenic drive encircling the spectacular Selkirk mountains
in northeast Washington, northern Idaho
and southeast British Columbia. Play on
the loop’s crystal clear rivers and lakes, or
traverse its mountain trails to view snowcapped peaks and the extraordinary variety
of wildlife. Explore charming communities
with fascinating history, fun festivals and
picturesque settings.
Nearly the entire loop route follows rivers and lakeshores — creating great rides
for motorcyclists — which historically were
used for transportation by native tribes, explorer David Thompson, gold seekers on the
Wild Horse Trail and early settlers. Today,
the loop’s lakes, rivers and trails are a vast
uncrowded playground with a myriad of
opportunities for year-round recreation, scenic beauty and unique cultures.
The loop is one of only 32 All-American
Road National Scenic Byways in the U.S.,
and is one of the top 10 scenic drives in the
Northern Rockies. Rand McNally Road Atlas cited the ISL as one of its top 5 Best of the
Roads.
Explore the International Selkirk Loop and
discover the wonderful surprises that await
you around every corner! For more information and driving, cycling and birding maps,
visit www.selkirkloop.org.
Creston Souvenirs
Summer Toys
Art Supplies
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Diabetes management services
Easy refills • Flu shots • Delivery
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Yes! We have cosmeticians on hand
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250.428.7928
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Creston Valley’s only
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• Oak barrel aging
• Carbonation for coolers, beer & sparkling wines
• Full line of wine, beer, cooler & specialty kits
• Country Wine from YOUR frozen fruit
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Tues - Fri 9am - 5pm • Sat 9am - 3pm
Sun/Mon - Closed
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250-428-8969
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Mon-Sat 8am-6pm
Sun and holidays 10am-5pm
CANADA’S LEADING INDEPENDANT HEALTH & WELLNESS RETAILERS
Your trusted neighbourhood nutrition source, offering you guidance on all your natural health product needs,
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CANADA’S LEADING INDEPENDENT HEALTH & WELLNESS RETAILERS
Monday-Saturday 9:00-5:30 • Phone: 250-428-7700 • Toll Free: 1-877-428-0449
127 - 10th Ave. N. Creston, BC
(across from the Post Office)
CANVAS, PAGE AND
STAGE
The Arts Abound
in the Valley
BRIAN LAWRENCE
Creston Valley residents hardly bat
an eye when they learn a newcomer
is an artist. The area has become a
cultural magnet to artists skilled in a
wide variety of disciplines.
“Arts and culture are what define us
and are very important components of
a healthy community,” says Community
Arts Council of Creston president Simon
Lazarchuk. “Artists are drawn here because there is such a vibrant and supportive arts community in this valley.”
If there is a common thread to the
many attributes of the Creston Valley, it
is the diverse creativity of its residents.
It is especially evident among the area’s
hundreds of artists and craftspeople.
Two of those, Sandy Kunze and Bruce
Johnston, have turned a small building
behind the Wynndel Community Hall
into the Wynndel Arts Centre, now a
regular home to workshops and classes.
“We decided it was time to get more
utilization out of what is a very nice
little structure, and to get more community involvement in arts and cultural programs,” says Johnston.
Classes offered have included a beginner’s clay workshop, tile mosaics,
ceramic jewelry and learning to draw,
and in the works is an after-school teen
program that will feature clay work,
drawing, painting and jewelry.
Visitors won’t have to drive or walk
far to get a firsthand look at the local
arts scene. Murals large and small are
scattered around the downtown area
and a fun few hours can be enjoyed by
wandering around to find them.
A huge bronze casting of the legendary sasquatch, created by a local art-
The Footlighters Theatre Society presents three productions each year.
ist, can be seen at Columbia Brewery
on Erickson Street. Appropriately, the
eight-foot high creature is making off
with a case of Kokanee beer.
Art shows are a recurring theme in
the Creston Valley, with local and regional juried shows held at varying
times throughout the year.
Both art lovers and those simply curious can drop by to see the creations
of dozens of artists in businesses and
galleries from Yahk to Kootenay Bay.
Travellers and locals alike delight in the
many opportunities to meet artists and,
often, see them busy creating works in
their home galleries. More than two
dozen galleries welcome visitors to see
paintings of every description, pottery
and ceramics, beadwork, fabric art,
candle making, ironwork, blown and
stained glass, and even straw brooms.
Art of the written sort is everywhere,
too. Many visitors will be familiar with
the poignant and humourous series
of books by bestselling author/veterinarian Dr. Dave Perrin. From her
home near Boswell, writer/teacher
Luanne Armstrong writes fiction and
non-fiction, much of it with a focus on
her life in the Kootenays. Local environmentalist Tanna Patterson-Z is the
author of Butterflies in Bucamaranga,
which tells the story of a Creston man
who was kidnapped while working in
Columbia. Works by other local writers
are available at Black Bear Books and
The Arts Abound in the Valley
Kingfisher Used Books. And there
are writers’ and readers’ clubs that
always welcome new members.
Movie fans will enjoy the chance
to see first run films at the Tivoli
Theatre, a cinema with an old-time
feel — that has an upgraded sounds
system and shows 3D films.
The Friends of the Cinema presents a monthly series of international films and documentaries at
Prince Charles Theatre. Proceeds
from Friends of the Cinema showings go to the Friends of the Library
and the Creston Community Auditorium Society. The library also
presents regular showings of National Film Board documentaries, as
well as a monthly opera on video.
Top-notch live entertainment is
brought in from out of town by
the Creston Concert Society, which
organizes an annual subscription
series of visiting professional entertainment in the Prince Charles
Theatre, a 330-seat venue attached
to Prince Charles Secondary School.
tion of Anita Stushnoff and Monte
Anderson. The group presents
two concerts each year, one in the
spring and one in December.
The spring concert has long been
accompanied by a tea, which is enjoyed by people of all ages.
“They like any excuse for a tea,”
says Anderson with a laugh. “They
like hearing some familiar songs,
and they like hearing four-part
harmony.”
The December concert features
Christmas and holiday-themed music, performed by the Blossom Valley
Singers along with guests choirs and
groups.
“The Christmas concert has become
quite a tradition,” said Anderson. “It
makes people feel like it’s Christmas
when they go to that one.”
And for something more intimate,
the Snoring Sasquatch arts house,
a business run by owners Paul and
Shelli Hutcheson, regularly hosts
concerts and performances by local
and touring musicians.
The Creston Valley also has dozens of volunteers who present live
productions throughout the year,
entertaining residents and visitors at
venues including the Prince Charles
Theatre and Millennium Park.
Audiences have enjoyed nearly
five dozen Footlighters Theatre Society productions — ranging from
comedies to thrillers, musicals to
plays, concerts to Shakespeare —
since its creation in 1995. The group,
which won best production at Theatre BC’s Mainstage festival in 2002,
performs three shows each year.
The Footlighters 2013-2014 season
kicks off at the Prince Charles Theatre
in July with a comedy, the melodrama Headed South from the Great White
North. In late November, Footlighters will present Almost Golden, the
premiere of a play written by local
authors, before gearing up for Arsenic
and Old Lace in April 2014.
For more than 20 years, audiences
have enjoyed hearing the Blossom
Valley Singers, under the direc-
Footlighters
Original
Art
2 013 P r o d u c t i o n s
April 11-13
Annie
Nov TBA
Almost Golden
Jul 11-13
Headed South from the Great White North
s© • Laura Leeder
www.facebook.com/CrestonFootlighters
Creston, BC
by
Amazing
Local
Artists
Purple Stocks© • Jenny Steenkamp
Chrysanthemum
pottery • woodcraft • paintings • pewter
handmade jewelry • cards
Live Music & Arts Venue
221 11
th
Avenue N. Creston, BC
www.snoringsasquatch.com
Gallery Open
Mon-Fri 9-5 • Sat 9-3
Sundays by appointment
609A - 33 Ave S, Erickson, BC
250.428.7417 or 250.402.8752
[email protected]
www.crestonframing.com
JC’s Self Storage
Your storage solution
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Full perimeter security fence
Heated storage available
Boats • Cars • Inventory • Furniture • Records • Machinery
Phone: 250-428-9933 Fax: 250-428-7717
620 Payne Street, Creston www.jcstorage.com
MOVING
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1241 Northwest Blvd, Creston BC
Centrally located at 401 Helen St Creston, B.C.
Hwy 3 & 3A • Ph: 250-428-5321 • Fax: 250-428-7055
email: [email protected] • www.crestontruck.com
SALES • SERVICE • PARTS
www.kokaneeford.com
KOKANEE
CRESTON PUBLIC
LIBRARY
So Much More Than
Books
movies and TV series on DVD, as well
as a facility to create audio-visual presentations, and even Skype privately.
Its eight computers were upgraded and
equipped with the latest versions of Microsoft Office, as well as photo editing
software. Low-cost scanning, printing
and faxing is also available.
“Every Saturday morning, we offer
drop-in computer help sessions, and
community meeting space, and regular
workshops and programming for all
ages, the library is the cultural and intellectual hub of the community,” said
chief librarian Aaron Francis. “Creston
is an amazingly diverse and active community — our meeting room alone has
over 60 bookings a month!”
The library’s focus extends beyond
books, with an extensive collection of
our friendly staff are always available
to assist you,” said Francis. “Record a
CD or produce your own radio show
in our one-of-a-kind audiovisual room,
or transfer your old VHS and audio cassettes to CD/DVD in a flash. We even
host our very own Minecraft server for
the gamers out there!”
The technological features of the
Creston and District Public Library are
BRIAN LAWRENCE
It’s one of the Creston Valley’s bestused and most beloved institutions.
The Creston and District Public Library
opened in its expansive new premises at
531 16th Ave. S. in 2006 and it quickly
became one of the community’s focal
points.
“With over 50,000 books, the latest
newspapers and magazines, free public access computers, 24/7 Wi-Fi access,
a big draw for tourists, who are also
able to sign out books if they have a BC
OneCard.
“BC OneCard provides out of town
visitors with access to our collections
free of charge, just as if you lived here,
with a few restrictions,” said Francis.
“All you need is a valid public library
card from any library in B.C. You can
even return books you borrowed here
to your home library.”
The library also features a permanent
art collection in addition to month-long
displays of works by local artists.
“More than just a library, we are also
a venue for local artists to display
their works, with a donation made to
the library for each item sold,” said
Francis.
Traditional library events haven’t been
forgotten, with baby time running every
Tuesday at 11 a.m. and family storytime
on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
And there’s more!
“The Living Book speaker series is a
monthly forum for community members to share their unique knowledge
and experience with the community,”
said Francis. “Through a partnership
with the National Film Board of Canada, we offer free documentary film
screenings in our meeting room, and
opera lovers can enjoy our PseudoNight at the Opera, held monthly.
“We carry all of the latest works by
local and Kootenay-based authors,
and check out our local history collection for more information about Creston and area.”
For more information, call 250-4284141 or visit www.crestonlibrary.com.
LOWER KOOTENAY
BAND
Keeping Tradition
Alive
BRIAN LAWRENCE
They are only about 200 strong, but members of
the Lower Kootenay Band are closely associated
with all historical and cultural aspects of the Creston Valley. From their traditional hunting, fishing and foraging history, Lower Kootenay elders
continue to promote the values of environmental
responsibility and respect for the band’s rich past.
From a business that sells modern and traditional Lower Kootenay creations (and which houses
a wealth of information about local heritage) to a
large expanse of managed wetlands to the annual
Yaqan Nukiy traditional powwow, the band members strive to live in the modern world while still
honouring their past.
All visitors are invited to the annual powwow,
held on the May long weekend, where First Nations people gather from miles around to dance,
feast, socialize and celebrate their culture.
Chief Jason Louie says he is committed to building stronger relationships with residents and local
governments in the Creston Valley.
“There are aspects of being from Creston that are
unique — swimming in the summer at the Goat River, going to the Broaster House or Sun R Restaurant,”
said Louie, a former second lieutenant in the Canadian Forces. “Only in Creston will traffic come to a halt
to allow you to jaywalk! Being from Creston means
having a strong sense of community.”
Located on Highway 21, south of Creston, Lower
Kootenay isn’t just home to its members. It boasts
a cultural and administrative centre, a lively school
and a growing industrial development that includes
a log sorting yard and log home building operation,
as well as Legend Logos, an embroidery business
that offers culturally-inspired clothing and home decor. Historical and cultural displays help visitors get
a greater appreciation for the role the Lower Kootenay people have played in the Creston Valley.
Nearby, thousands of acres on the flatland are
managed for sustainability, with an eye to responsible economic development opportunities.
A dancer at the Yaqan Nukiy Powwow, held each May.
HIKING AND HUNTING
Outdoor Adventures
Many locals will admit that hiking
in the Creston Valley is one of their favourite pastimes — one that everyone
should experience. Not only does it promote good health, but it’s also a great
social activity. Difficulty levels vary, but
it’s easy to find an outdoor experience
suitable for almost everyone.
“I like taking to the trails here because they offer a wide variety of
landscapes, wildlife and serenity, as
well as various levels of ease or difficulty,” says naturalist Ed McMackin,
who writes an outdoors column in the
Creston Valley Advance. “People will
find a trail here to suit any level of
ability and time available.
“There are trails from level to steep,
and from short to long. Some are best
for viewing wildlife while others are
ARNOLD LABRENTZ
A moose on Mount Thompson, east of Creston.
interesting for their historical value.
There are many trails away from
the noise of traffic, which can be enjoyed without driving long distances
to reach them. There are organized
hikes so people don’t have to hike
alone, making hiking a social and
safe experience.”
A couple of books — Exploring the
Creston Valley by Tanna Patterson-Z,
available at Black Bear Books, and
Hiking Around Creston by John and
Jean Davis, available at Kingfisher
Used Books — are comprehensive
guides to Creston Valley hiking,
complete with maps, photos and
sketches.
Here are a few favourites:
•Balancing Rock Trail. Ten minutes west of Creston, this is one of
many trails on Mount Creston. It
takes about 30 minutes to climb the
winding trail, parts of which are
quite steep. Balancing Rock (hikers
will understand the name when they
see it) sits atop a ledge overlooking the Creston Valley and Purcell
mountain range. A small pullout on
West Creston Road, near its intersection with Highway 3, serves as a
parking area.
From Balancing Rock, the trail leads
west into the woods. When the trail
forks, heading left takes hikers on a
very steep hike a few kilometres further up Mount Creston. The trail to
the right winds its way down the other side of the ridge and into Summit
Creek Park.
•Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area. Although the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area’s interpretive centre isn’t open all year, the
trails surrounding it are. From Highway 3 west of Creston, turn onto West
Creston Road and drive to the parking lot on the left. The trails are well-
Outdoor Adventures
picnic with a panoramic view of
the Selkirk mountains to the west
and south, and the Purcell mountains to the east.
— maintained by the BC Forest Service and the Lockhart Creek Heritage Committee — are suitable for
beginning hikers, while advanced
ARNOLD LABRENTZ
marked and easy to find on maps
posted in the area.
•Lady’s Slipper Trail. A wide
variety of wildflowers, including
orchids, may be found on this trail,
located north of Creston atop Goat
Mountain. To access this trail from
Creston, follow Highway 3A north,
then turn right onto Lakeview-Arrow Creek Road. Follow this road to
Foster Road, then turn left onto the
BC Forest Service road and follow
it for about seven kilometres until it
ends at a parking lot.
•Mount Thompson. To access
the top of the mountains overlooking Creston to the east, head east
on Highway 3, then turn right
onto Canyon-Lister Road. After
crossing the bridge, turn left on
Whimster Road and follow it to
a forestry road (suitable only for
high-clearance or four-by-four vehicles), which winds to the top of
Mount Thompson. After parking,
hikers may wander through alpine
meadows on the ridge, or enjoy a
Trails at the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area offer spectacular views.
•Lockhart Creek. This trail is located about 45 minutes north of
Creston on Highway 3A at Lockhart Beach Provincial Park. The
first seven kilometres of the trail
outdoors enthusiasts can continue
to the 2,134-metre summit. The
park offers treed campsites, picnic
tables and beach, located across the
highway near the trailhead.
Outdoor Adventures
Canyon-Lister loop (Highway 21,
Canyon Lister Road and Highway
3) and the West Creston loop (Evans
Road, West Creston Road, Nick’s Island Road and Highway 3) are popular. An interactive cycling map is
online at www.selkirkloop.org.
Looking to bag the “big one”?
Want to try your hand at fly fishing? Planning to fill the freezer
with fresh game? The Creston
Valley is an excellent place to
make these outdoor dreams become reality.
Duck Lake is famous for bass fishing, and Kootenay Lake is teeming
with rainbow trout, Dolly Varden
and kokanee. And the seemingly
endless streams and alpine lakes in
the Kootenays certainly make fly
fishing a viable option.
Duck Lake is also a popular winter
fishing spot, and is almost always
frozen by the end of December. This
small lake 20 minutes north of Creston is well-known to summertime
bass fishers, but makes an excellent
•Pilot Bay Lighthouse Trail.
Near the Kootenay Bay Ferry
Landing, just over an hour north
of Creston on Highway 3A, turn
onto Pilot Bay Road. After 4.5 kilometres, a sign reading “Lighthouse Trail” will alert drivers
to pull well off the road, or park
a short distance away at a circular turnaround. At the end of the
15-minute walk along the trail is
the Pilot Bay Lighthouse, which
operated from June 13, 1904, to
June 20, 1993, and is now maintained by the Friends of West Kootenay Parks.
•Mountain biking is also popular, and many local bikers enjoy
frequenting the numerous logging
roads in the area. The more adventurous prefer to take their bikes
off-road and onto bumpier trails
— a helmet, water bottle and riding
buddy are a must!
For bikers who prefer the open
road, the Wynndel loop (Highway
3A and Lower Wynndel Road), the
Scotties RV Park
RV PARK & CAMPGROUND
& campground
Pair-A-Dice
NW Blvd. (Hwy #3)
Hwy #21
to Salmo
to USA
to Kootenay Lake Ferry
Pair-A-Dice
Creston
Town Center
Canyon St.
The best place to stay!
N
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GOL GES
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K
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AVA
to Cranbook
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Creston’s Newest and
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The Only GooD Sam PARK
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Big Rigs Welcome
15-30-50-Amp Service
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OPEN ALL YEAR
Sparkling Clean Washrooms
Telephone/Fax: (250) 428-2347
Toll FREE: 1-866-223-DICE
WWW.PairaDiCeParK.Com
spot for families to enjoy this winter
activity — and try out some skating
for good measure.
The Creston Valley has some of the
Kootenays’ best big game hunting,
and the marshland on the flats is a
prime location for setting up blinds
and decoys to hunt waterfowl.
To hunt or fish, a valid licence is
required, and these may be purchased at Sirdar General Store,
Wynndel Foods or the Service BC
office on Canyon Streeet.
All the necessary equipment is
available at Mawson’s Sports in
Creston or at Wynndel Foods.
Vic Mawson, father of current proprietor Fred Mawson, founded the
shop in 1918.
“We’re one of the oldest sporting
businesses in B.C.,” says Mawson.
Anytime you’re in the great outdoors, be wary of bears, both grizzly and black. A visit to www.bearaware.ca is the best way to find
information on dealing with the
creatures.
44 sites incl Pull-thrus & Big Rigs
High Speed internet•Cable TV
Tents • Pets ok
15 or 30 amp with full hookups
Close to downtown & parks
Clean Washrooms • laundry facilities
1409 Erickson Rd • www.scottiesrv.com
Open Year Round
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Full & Partial
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3003 Hwy #3 Creston
[email protected]
250-428-4143
TO YAHK AND BACK
Small But Unforgettable
For those who don’t like to camp,
Yahk has two motels — one of which,
built in 1912, still operates under its
original licence — and the small settlement even has a laundromat for visitors’ convenience.
Many tourists are excited to find good
shopping in Yahk — the Yahk Soap
Company offers soap and other related
bath products. The soaps include Kauai
ginger blossom and blackberry musk,
while others are a bit more fun, with
names like Beaver Butt and Cougar
Booger. There’s also the Skinny Dipper Delight soap, which actually glows
in the dark! The products, made with a
goat-milk base, aren’t the only unique
things about the business — the goats
on the roof are also a popular attraction.
To top it all off, the residents of Yahk
really know how to have a good time.
The community hosts an annual Winterfest and Summerfest, both of which
feature seasonal games and fantastic
food, with music jams and concerts in
between, at the Yahk-Kingsgate Community Hall, which offers a pavilion
in the woods for music acts.
“We have a community full of spirit
and camaraderie, working together to
create a community we want to live in
and share,” says Anderson.
LORNE ECKERSLEY
A visit to Yahk is the perfect way to relax. The Moyie River burbles softly, the
forest smells fresh and — best of all —
cellphones don’t work (seriously).
The fact that it’s not a bustling metropolis is what draws thousands of
tourists each year. It’s quaintness and
small-town friendliness are welcomed
by many big-city visitors — and even
some rural ones.
Just down the street — actually, Johnson Road — is Two Scoop Steve and the
Coffee Cabin, which offer the best ice
cream and coffee in Yahk. While sipping
a cup of joe or licking a scoop, a stroll to
the Moyie River is a must. Visitors simply wander behind the shop and follow
the signs through the forest.
“Yahk’s atmosphere is quiet and
relaxing, and the people are helpful
and friendly,” says artist and Yahk
resident Penny A.P. Anderson. “It is a
destination for outdoor activities such
as snowmobiling, quadding, hiking,
hunting, fishing, rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, rafting and swimming
— or taking a leisurely walk along the
river with an ice cream cone.”
A nine-hectare provincial park is
located at the heart of Yahk, with 26
campsites available from the Victoria
Day long weekend through Sept. 30.
Cold weather is celebrated at Winterfest.
EXPLORING THE EAST SHORE
Take the Lake Road
Located about 25 kilometres below
the southern tip of Kootenay Lake,
Creston is the perfect starting point for
a variety of daytrips — which should
definitely include a tour north along
Highway 3A, which offers far more
than breathtaking scenery.
Resorts, beaches, art galleries and
pass up a visit to Garden Hoe Farm,
where owners Bev and Barry Timpany
will tour you around, and you will be
amazed by the many different scents
of fresh herbs and vegetables.
Wynndel is also home to Sutcliffe
Farms, operated by Doug Sutcliffe,
grandson of Roy Staples, the master-
Kootenay Lake, located on Highway 3A.
artisan shops can easily be found
throughout the journey, which takes
just over an hour — if you can possibly keep from stopping.
Ten minutes north of Creston on the
way to Kootenay Lake is Wynndel, a
small community strongly rooted in
agriculture. Once one of Canada’s largest fruit producers, the community
now has smaller farms growing strawberries, raspberries and saskatoons.
On Lower Wynndel Road, don’t
mind behind the dike between Creston and Wynndel, which keeps the
spring freshet from flooding the prime
agricultural land on the Wynndel
flats. The farm is the largest asparagus producer in the province, turning
out about 150,000 pounds each season
from April to June.
While passing through Wynndel,
one can’t help but notice the Wynndel
Box and Lumber sawmill, which was
started by Monrad Wigen in 1913 to
build crates for Wynndel’s then-thriving strawberry business.
Farther north is the hamlet of Sirdar, where visitors can enjoy the oldfashioned feel of the Sirdar General
Store, built in 1913, where many of
the goods offered are kept behind
the counter. Next door, the Sirdar
Pub and Grill is the perfect place for
a tasty meal — and the non-drivers
may enjoy the longest beer menu in
the Creston Valley.
A bit past Sirdar, a visit to the Glass
House is a must. Although the area
is filled with unique architecture, the
Glass House is the most unusual — its
walls were made from over 500,000
empty embalming fluid bottles by David H. Brown upon his retirement from
his funeral business. Guided tours of
the attraction are available seven days
a week from May through October.
Continuing north on Highway 3A
brings travellers to Boswell, the home
of Flickering Goddess, a shop that
specilizes in fairies and candles, many
of which are handmade at the shop,
which you can’t miss — it’s hot pink.
Just past that is the Destiny Bay Store,
a convenience store around the halfway point of the trip from Wynndel to
Kootenay Bay.
Travelling still farther north brings
visitors to Gray Creek, home of Sacred
Journey, a relaxing shop packed with
original artwork by local artists as
well as quality imports from around
the globe — just try to leave without
buying something!
For almost 100 years, the Gray Creek
Store has been the small community’s
one-stop shop, with everything from
books to boots and candy to wood
Take the Lake Road
stoves. Arthur Lymbery started the
store in 1912; the current owner is
his son, Tom Lymbery, who is always happy to talk about the community’s history.
Gray Creek is also the starting
point of a forestry road that connects to Kimberley — although
you’ll need a high-clearance vehicle
to get through and take in the rarely
seen alpine scenery.
to light switch covers are made from
glass melted on copper — owners
Lorna Robin and Helene Carter agree.
“Customers come in a lot and say,
‘I never imagined that was how it
was made,” says Robin.
“People like to see something being made and have that connection
to buying it,” adds Carter.
Add to the mix pubs, restaurants,
Kootenay Lake, hiking and the
the Order of the Phoenix and Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
“We’ve gone from people coming
in and being surprised to find us
out here in the middle of nowhere
… to coming in and saying, ‘This is
the famous broom shop,’” says Rob.
An event that draws many visitors to Crawford Bay is Starbelly
Jam, held this year from July 20-22.
Past editions of the music festival
BRIAN LAWRENCE
(Left) Jennie Hodgkinson of Sunny Woods Farm. (Right) A blacksmith at Kootenay Forge.
From Gray Creek, it’s only a
hop, skip and a jump to Crawford
Bay, which is home to more than
a dozen artisan shops, including a
blacksmith, a broom maker and a
glassblower. None of them are in
competition — in fact, they enjoy
having each other nearby.
“One thing I really enjoy about
being here is the camaraderie,”
says Janet Wallace, who runs Barefoot Handweaving in a straw-bale
building. “I can hear the forge, I can
hear the glassblowers working. If I
really feel like being inspired, I just
go over and watch them getting a
buzz on about what they’re doing.”
Visitors also get a kick out of the
rare opportunity to see so many artisans hard at work.
“People are just astonished,” Wallace says.
Across the highway at by Fireworks
Copper and Glass — where everything from jewelry to fridge magnets
well-stocked Sunny Woods Farm,
a garden centre and produce stand,
and you have a recipe for a great rural getaway.
“We have so many amazing things
to do that I find people are staying, which is nice,” says Wallace.
“There’s enough to do now that
people will come for the day.”
Across Highway 3A and slightly
west of Wallace’s shop is the home
of North Woven Brooms, which you
may not have heard of, but have
likely seen — the brooms have been
used as props or set dressing in such
films as Bewitched, The Assassination
of Jesse James and Shanghai Noon, on
TV series including Star Trek: Enterprise, Lonesome Dove and Road to
Avonlea, and on Broadway in the
2004 revival of Fiddler on the Roof.
The best-known brooms owners
Rob and Janet Schweiger have made
were promotional items for the Canadian publisher of Harry Potter and
have included a wide range of entertainment from acoustic rock to
hip hop to jazz, which creates a
weekend that is as entertaining as
it is memorable.
“There is one beautiful moment
after another,” says founding board
member Brigitte Picard.
Ten minutes north of Crawford
Bay is the Kootenay Lake ferry
landing, which is serviced by the
M.V. Osprey 2000 and M.V. Balfour,
which were launched in 2000 and
1950, respectively. Although the Osprey 2000 can carry more than twice
the capacity of the Balfour, both free
ferries are capable of taking aboard
semis, logging trucks and RVs.
Be sure to arrive in plenty of time
in the busy summer months, as
waits of several sailings are common. But once you get on, enjoy the
ride — the longest free ferry ride in
the world — as you prepare for the
next adventure!
Sunny Woods Farm
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Garden Centre &
Produce Market
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Home of
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Your Kootenay Lake
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THE GLASS HOUSE
A B O S W E L L AT T R A C T I O N
This showplace of
Kootenay Lake
is located
25 miles North
of Creston
on Hwy 3A
Boswell, BC
Ph: 250-223-8372
CENTURY 21 Veitch Realty – Creston
1131 Canyon Street, Creston, BC
1-866-428-9331
[email protected]
Kootenay Lake
Photo by: Sara Rainford; Courtesy of KootenayRockies.com
FOOD SERVICES:
Beverages & snacks are available on the
MV Osprey 2000 only.
WINTER SCHEDULE:
January 1 - June 17,
September 10 - December 31
(Pacific Standard Time)
SUMMER SCHEDULE:
June 18 - September 9
(Pacific Standard Time)
Anticipate Delays during peak times
between 9am - 7pm daily.
KooTenaY BaY Terminal
Vessel
Osprey 2000
Summer
7:10 AM
Winter
7:10 AM
Osprey 2000
9:00 AM
9:00 AM
Osprey 2000
10:40 AM
10:40 AM
M.V. Balfour
11:30 AM
Osprey 2000
12:20 PM
M.V. Balfour
1:10 PM
Osprey 2000
2:00 PM
M.V. Balfour
2:50 PM
Osprey 2000
3:40 PM
M.V. Balfour
4:30 PM
Osprey 2000
5:20 PM
M.V. Balfour
6:10 PM
Osprey 2000
7:00 PM
12:20 PM
2:00 PM
3:40 PM
5:20 PM
7:00 PM
Osprey 2000
8:40 PM
8:40 PM
Osprey 2000
10:20 PM
10:20 PM
Balfour Terminal
Vessel
Summer
Winter
Osprey 2000
6:30 AM
Osprey 2000
8:10 AM
8:10 AM
Osprey 2000
9:50 AM
9:50 AM
M.V. Balfour
10:40 AM
Osprey 2000
11:30 AM
M.V. Balfour
12:20 PM
Osprey 2000
1:10 PM
M.V. Balfour
2:00 PM
Osprey 2000
2:50 PM
M.V. Balfour
3:40 PM
Osprey 2000
4:30 PM
M.V. Balfour
5:20 PM
6:30 AM
11:30 AM
1:10 PM
2:50 PM
4:30 PM
Osprey 2000
6:10 PM
6:10 PM
Osprey 2000
7:50 PM
7:50 PM
Osprey 2000
9:40 PM
9:40 PM
www.westernpacificmarine.com
525,000
5,460,000
To Kootenay
Lake Ferry
530,000



      
                     
     

            

Hw
y
3A

5,455,000
5,455,000







ARNOLD LABRENTZ
5,460,000
520,000




















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




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
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
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
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


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
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
5,450,000



5,450,000







.
Rd



l
ne
an
Ch






Duck Lake Rd.




Summit Creek
Recreation Area
5,445,000



 



5,445,000


To Nelson
and Trail







Hw
y3
5,440,000



To Creston
and Cranbrook
5,440,000
CVWMA
Administration
Office


Legend








Wildlife
Intrepretation
Centre
Gate
Parking
Canoe Launch





Non-motorized Boat Storage (Permit Required)
Dyke



Road
Railroad



Highway
Dyke Road(Vehicle Access)


Area Closed to Hunting at ALL Times
0
Scale: 1:85,000
0.5 1
2
Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area - Boundary
Kilometers
UTM - Zone 11 - NAD83
Ministry of Environment Region 4 LEH Zone C Boundary
Wildlife Management Unit Boundary
www.dynamicoutlook.com
58 Creston
Valley Chamber of Commerce
520,000
525,000
530,000
BRIAN LAWRENCE
3A
Junction
of Hwy 3 & Hwy 3A
Creston, B.C.
?
McLaren St
Murdoch St
Goat River Rd S
Columbia
Brewery
26th Ave N
2 4 t h Av e N
2 3rd Ave N
2 0 t h Av e N
21st Ave N
St
Cook St
Elm St
Elm St
S un
Blvd
set
Dogwood St
2 2 n d Av e S
Cedar St
Birch St
Maple Pl
Erickson St
Connell Rd
25th Ave S
Coo k St
yon
24th Ave
S
1 6 t h Av e N
Library
Can
Birch St
Ash St
Aspen Pl
27th Ave S
11th Ave S
7th Ave S
Rd
1 4 t h Av e S
10th Ave S
Ash St
RCMP
Pine St
Crawford St
Cedar St
Birc h St
Juniper St
25th Ave S
ett
Centennial
Park
3
Millennium Dogwood St
Park
Cedar St
11th Ave S
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7th Ave S
6 t h Av e S
5 t h Av e S
Birch St
Ev
College of
the Rockies
Cedar St
9 t h Av e S
eS
8 t h Av e S
6th Ave S
3 r d Av
Davis St
16th Ave S
Park
Pine St
20th Ave S
lvd
Dogwood St
Dugan St
14th Ave N
Smallest Cook St
Elm St
Cedar St
15th Ave N
Canyon St
16th Ave S
yB
12th Ave N
11th Ave N
7th Ave N
5 t h Av e N
4 t h Av e N
?
i
a
2 n d Av e S
Ra
lw
Canyon St
Cook St
Creston
Valley
Hospital Community
Complex
22nd Ave N
Hillside St
Lilac St
Vancouver St
Pine S t
Arena
& Pool
Hurl St
27th Ave N
Alder St
18th Ave S
12th Ave N
11th Ave N
1 0 t h Av e N
12th Ave N
Alder St
8th Ave N
ve N
Murdoch St
Schikursky
Park
14th A ve N
11th Ave N
9th Ave N
6th A
Regina St
21
Hurry Rd
11th Ave N
r
Ibbitson St
Hillside St
Arrowsmith Rd
Dale St
Scott St
Scott S t
18th Ave S
st Blvd
lkir
Cavell St
Westridge St
12th Ave N
7th Ave N
Northwe
Valle
yvi
D
ew
Se
Hawkview Dr
Purcell
Crescent
r
kD
y
tena
Koo l
P
Kootenay
River Rd
10th Ave N
Devon St
Creston
Museum
Visitor Centre
121 Northwest Blvd.
250-428-4342
24th Ave S
3
Skimmerhorn
and Baillie-Grohman
Wineries
DISCOVERY REAL ESTATE
OUTSTANDING Agents
OUTSTANDING Results
TWo offiCeS SerVinG
THe CreSTon ValleY
106 33rd ave. S. Hwy. 3 erickson
Toll free: 1-877-428-2234
office: 250-428-2234
www.remaxcreston.com
Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce 59
Creston
Valley
ks
I s la
nd
d
hee
ug
Lo
Du ck La
ke
India n Rd
Rd
Wilson Rd
la
Win
Ur i R d
d
P um p
wR
Rd
Westv i ew
Mo nro se Rd
Wynndel
Rd
g
ed
el R
st
d
Lach at Rd
Ea
nnd
Sh
Wy
3
3A
k e v ie w
Crus her Rd
Rd
Alice
Siding
-A rr ow C reek
1
Lepitzki Rd
2 Kilometers
1 Mile
1.5
Arrow
Mountain
d
0.5
ek R
w Cre
-Arro
view
Lake
0.5
v
ke
iew
-Ar
row
S t ac
eR
d
Rd
La
Plasko Rd
0
0
R
at
Arrow
Creek
ive
rR
3
r
ve
Ri
at
o
G
dN
C
To Kitchener
and Yahk
B
Creston Valley, B.C.
La
d
Mc
Mu
C
B
LEACH
LAKE
A bbo t Rd
e Rd
t hi
Ba
Du
Rd
ry
Co
ck
Cr
ee
kR
d
Rd
2
nt Rd
A
North to Duck Lake
Ni c
Ro cky Poi
d
Rd
W iebe R
y
gen
r W y nn
we
dan
Ne w
SIX MILE
SLOUGH
1
E ls i e- H o l me s R d
.R
Ck
W i l li am s R d
l
ne
Wi
Lo
Rd
C ha n
Pa
in
ck
Rd
n Rd
te r
Bos s io R d
bso
F os
Hw
Ro
Go
3A
Ea s
ro w
t Ar
C
d
eR
Val
Rd
k
ree
Wenger Rd
Cardinal Rd
Daignault Rd
Vincent Rd
r tr i
e
d e l Rd
Rd
Rd
West Cre st on R
Wild Lif e
F
E
D
Rd
Hig
dC
r
Wa s
yk
Smith Rd
hlan
Birchmond Dr
1
yR
W est Cre s
2
French
to n R
d
iver
tena
Koo
d Rd
© Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce 2012
121 NW Blvd • 250-428-4342
C o rn C ree k Rd
Mc Ka y R d
Wes t Creston Rd
ote
na
Gr a
n ar
yR
Potato
d
Ha
ns
Sw an
Di tch
on
Rd
Christenson
d
West
Creston
Ko
Teet z el Rd
Cedar Hil l
s
m on
Si m
e
sR
d
Sp
er
Is la n
Nick s
Pe terma n R
d
B al sa m R d
yR
tc
Su
eP
3
t
1 s t Av e NW
Ho od Rd
Hil ton S t
ch
Rd
Sim
on
Creston
at
Ri
ve
rR
Creston
Golf
Rd
Club
3 7t h St
dS
C on n e l R d
Ca nyon S t
Rykerts
Rd
LKB
Office
Go
21
Er ic k so n St
40th St
Al dr
i
Lower
Kootenay
Reserve
Simon Rd
H i lt o n S t
Payne R d
Ramsier R
d
li ff
D ow Rd
Helen S t
R iv erview Rd
Col lis St
7 th St
sR
d
8th St
16th St
2 0t h St
24 t h St
4
ll
rth i
Po
18th St
28t h St
3 0 th S t
38 t h S t
Rd
37th St
14th St
Rd
Rd
4 th St
Huscroft
at
Go
u ce
an
Rd
o a t C any o
nR
d
16th St
46th St
40 th St
3
8th St
12 th St
24 th St
t
28 t h S
Lister
nt Rd
28th St
Rd
Rd
Syl vester R d
Ha s k i n s
Knigh t
Mas uch Rd
h
Ch urc
t
z
To o L amo n
er
Riv
Riley Rd
Beam Rd
Erickson
Creston Valley
Regional Airport
A i r p o rt R d
P h i ll i p s R d
rR
i ve
3
Rd
re e
Fox
t
Reclamat io n R d
er
Ryk t
Rd
Recla ma tion R d
As h R d
A dle r Rd
3 3 rd A v e S
32nd Av e S
33 r d A v e S
P ogany Rd
44 t h S t
3 2n d S t
52nd St
44 t h S t
48th St
4t h St
36th St
43rd S t
51st St
5
Ho
b de
Canyon
yton Rd
Cla
nR
d
J a c k so n R d
Wildlife
ry
Wellspring Rd
lo
Ha g ey R d
35 th Ave N
h Ave S
35t
Rd
e
C r es t v i e w R d
ve N
th A
36 t h A v e S 3
6
Si ncla ir Rd
L i s t er R d
Rd
P a rker
40 th Av e S
Z app Rd
38th Av e N
S et t leme
l
Ma
Sinclair Rd
Everett Rd
Lister Rd
25th Ave S
H u sc r o f t R d
Bl v d
Muzzy Rd
Va nce R d
Eva ns R d
Wh im ster Rd
es t
Canyon-Lister Rd
hw
Can yon-L ist er Rd
rt
No
16th Ave S
C an yo n -Lis t e r R d
Av e N
27th Ave S
C a ny o n-Lister Rd
11th Ave S
Spr
Lloyd Rd
8th
S amuelson Rd
eN
De
Lyon s Rd
v
th A
G
Quin t on Rd
10
r Rd
Pu rce ll Rd
Management
Area
R o ge r s R d
Rd
Mehre
Well
Rd
spri
ng
F
E
D
Farm Fresh
Ripening Dates*
Early fruits
Strawberries ....... June 20-July 10
Raspberries ........ July 10-31
Blackberries ....... July 10-31
Cherries .............. July 20- August 25
Blueberries ......... July-Aug
Soft Fruits
Apples
Transparents ...... July 25-August 7
Wealthy (pies) .... August 15-Sept 15
Sunrise ............... August 20
Tydeman Red ..... Sept 1-15
McIntosh ............. Sept 15
Spartan ............... October 1
Delicious............. October 7
Apricots .............. July 20- August 12
Peaches .............. August-Sept 15
Plums .................. August 15-Sept 15
Bartlett ................ Sept 1
Italian Prunes ..... Sept 10
D’Anjou ............... Sept 30
Grapes ................ Sept 20
*All dates are approximate depending on weather
Pears
kmetric
thin
Asparagus .......... May 1-June 15
Carrots ................ July 15-Sept
Potatoes ............. July 25
Tomatoes ............ August 1
Peppers .............. August 10
Pickling Cukes ... August 10
Table Cukes........ August 10
Corn .................... August 15
Squash................ Late Sept
Pumpkins ........... Late Sept
imPorTanT numBerS
10-DIGIT DIALING- The Creston Valley and surrounding areas are serviced by the
250 area code. When placing a call, all 10 digits of the number must be dialed.
Mileage Conversion
1km = 0.621 miles
10 kms = 6.214 miles
50 kms = 31.069 miles
100 kms = 62.137 miles
emerGenCY numBerS
Creston
Visitor Centre
121 Northwest Blvd
(next to the grain elevators)
1-866-528-4342
250-428-4342
Ambulance/Fire/Police
Creston Valley Hospital
Poison Control Centre
BC Nurse Line (24-hr health information)
Crisis Line
Report a Forest Fire
911
250.428.2286
1.800.567.8911
1.866.215.4700
1.800.667.8407
1.800.663.5555/ Cell *5555
informaTion for DriVerS
DriveBC road information
Creston Radio
BCAA Emergency Road Service
ICBC Dial-A-Claim (24-hour)
1.800.550.4997/Cell *4997
CIDO 97.7 FM/ CFKC AM 1340
1.800.CAA.HELP, (1.800.222.4357)/Cell *222
1.800.910.4222
TouriST informaTion
Celcius to Fahrenheit
Conversion
C° ___________ F°
130___________ 266
120___________ 248
110 ___________ 230
Boiling point 212
100___________
90____________ 194
80____________ 176
70____________ 158
60____________ 140
50____________ 122
40____________ 104
30____________ 86
20____________ 68
10____________ 50
Freezing point
0 ____________
32
-10 ___________ 14
-20 ___________ -4
-30 ___________ -22
-40 ___________ -40
Vegetables
Kootenay Lake Ferry
Creston Visitor Centre
Tourism BC
Greyhound Bus Lines
Conservation Officer (fish & wildlife permits)
250.229.4215
250.428.4342/1.866.528.4342
1.800.HELLO.BC (1.800.435.5622)
250.428.3255
250.428.3220
CloSeST CanaDa/uS BorDer CroSSinGS
13km (8 miles) south of Creston
Hours: 7am to 11pm (winter time differences*
mean winter hours on the BC side are 8am-12am)
48km (30 miles) east of Creston
KINGSGATE BC/ EASTPORT IDAHO
Hours: 24 hours/7 days a week
*Creston Valley is on Mountain Time in winter and Pacific Standard Time in summer.
Idaho is on Pacific Standard Time all year.
RYKERTS BC/ PORTHILL IDAHO
Pharmasave Creston
1919
For everything
you and your
family need to
Live Well.
Congratulations to Mike Ramaradhya and Jody McBlain, Co-Owners of
Pharmasave Creston on the achievement of the prestigious 2012 Commitment
to Care and Service Award for Rookie of the Year.
Store Services
• Locally owned & operated
• Fast, friendly service
• Prescription blister packing
• Compounding, including veterinary
• Bio-identical hormones
• Vaccinations and injections
• Free local delivery
• Cosmetics
STORE HOURS: Monday - Saturday 9am - 5:30pm. Sundays & Holidays 10am - 4pm.
1118 Canyon Street
(250) 428-9080
E-mail: [email protected]
www.pharmasave.com
Tour times:
Mid-May to Mid-October: Mon. to Fri. 9:30 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 2:30 pm
Tours run on Weekends & Statutory Holidays in July & August
Please visit our website for summer schedule
Closed-toed shoes must be worn on tour
Columbia Brewery Beer Gear Store:
Open Monday to Friday 9 am – 4:30 pm year round!
Open Weekends July & August
1220 Erickson St, Creston, BC
250-428-9344
www.kokaneebeergear.com

2013 Travel Guide - Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce

Transcription

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