20 good things that happened in 2020

Yes, there was a global pandemic and sadly, many people got sick and many people died. And yes, it caused an economic and social shutdown, the ramifications of which we’re just beginning to understand.

But even in the darkest of times, there’s light.

And that’s true here in the Slocan/ Arrow/ Kootenay Lakes region. Here at the Valley Voice, we’ve gone through our files and have asked you for ideas, and collected 20 of the best things – big and small – that made 2020 at least a little brighter.

So, between the meth alligators, toilet paper shortages and murder hornets, here’s some good news that might have gotten lost in the general uproar that was 2020.

And here’s wishing you a much happier 2021.

1. The Rx for better emergency services

After more than a year and nearly $2.1 million in upgrades, the ribbon was cut on the new emergency room in Nakusp’s Arrow Lakes Hospital. The ER area has more space for doctors and nurses to do their work – new exam bays, a triage area, and a multipurpose room. The $2.1-million project was funded by the Ministry of Health, regional hospital district, and the hospital auxiliary.

2. Birthday gift for bookworms

The Kaslo and District Public Library is getting its own home, after a century of operations in borrowed space. This fall the library’s board announced it was working towards a new $3 million library downtown, with the help of a big grant from the Columbia Basin Trust.

The news came on the eve of the library’s 100th birthday. The new library building will be on the corner of 5th Avenue and Front Street, across from Front Street Park.

The site purchase was made possible with a grant from the Columbia Basin Trust. If a federal funding application is successful, two-thirds of the building costs will be covered. The Village has set up a reserve fund for donations from community members and can issue tax receipts.

3. New future for Slocan

When Springer Creek Forest Products in Slocan closed down in 2013, it left behind an environmental mess, a damaging economic wound and an empty 20-acre lot in the middle of town. But that’s all going to change.

The Village took a dramatic step in September, buying the 20-acre property outright for $1.5 million. It was a huge step, but only the first one in what will be a massive effort to remediate the land and develop plans for it. What happens to the property will unfold over the coming years. The first step is community consultation. But citizens will likely look back at 2020 as the year when the town’s fortunes changed.

4. Village green

The West Kootenay took a few steps down the path to making a greener human world in 2020.

A plan to cut fossil fuel use in the West Kootenay to zero by 2050 was signed, sealed and delivered this year. It’s the first of its kind in Canada – a renewable energy transition plan that includes a regional district and small towns, cities, villages and rural communities. The West Kootenay EcoSociety spearheaded the effort, which saw nine villages and local governments agree to explore how the three-decade-long effort might work. Kaslo became the first community to adopt the plan in December. More are expected to follow.

Our regional government was also recognized for its work to reduce its impact on the environment. The Regional District of Central Kootenay was selected as a winner of a 2020 Sustainable Communities Award for the Accelerate Kootenays project. The Accelerate Kootenays project was the first community-driven project in Canada to build a clean transportation network by installing public EV charging stations throughout the region.

5. Public housing makes a comeback

For decades, senior levels of government ignored the looming housing crisis, as more and more Canadians found it harder to keep a roof over their heads. That finally changed this year, with projects to provide affordable housing getting underway or finding funding from more favourable federal and provincial funding agencies.

In Nakusp, two major housing projects were constructed. The Arrow and Slocan Lakes Community Services Society built ‘Arrow Heights,’ as the 10-unit project came to be known, while the Arrowtarians built a three-storey, 19-unit senior’s housing complex.

In Slocan, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation provided funding for the Village to begin planning an affordable, 6- to 10-unit housing project.

In New Denver, the local housing society has had preliminary plans done for a 10-unit building and is preparing an application for BC Housing funding as we speak.

Progress is being made in Kaslo, too. The Kaslo Housing Society has received the go-ahead and land from the Village for an 8- to 10-studio apartment block on A Avenue. Their proposal goes to funders in January.

6. Welcome the Koots

Walking trails in the Koots got a little more whimsical this year. A trio of artists from the Argenta area, the Koots Artist Collective, have spent the last few years creating ‘Koots,’ oversized forest ‘elementals’ – creatures that peer out of holes in the ground, knots in wood, or hide among groves of trees. Two big installations in 2020 included a series on the Kaslo River Trail, and along the Slocan Valley Rail Trail near Slocan. The artists’ goal is to create a world-class outdoor sculpture circuit in the Kootenays. Their work is getting recognized, too; they won the People’s Choice Award for their installation ‘Steppin’ Out’ at the 2020 Castlegar Sculpturewalk.

7. Caribou maternity ward

People worried about the future of the tiny, endangered Selkirk caribou herd were given a chance to help save the herd this year. The Arrow Lakes Caribou Society’s Caribou Maternity Pen Project was given the go-ahead in September. About a dozen females will be captured and housed in the pen in the new year, being built on a bench above the Nakusp Hot Springs. The cows and calves will be cared for and monitored over the spring by one or two shepherds under the direction of vets, and released back into their natural habitat in July. The society will work with biologists, researchers, Indigenous groups and others to try to improve the animals’ survival and reproduction rates.

8. Future for Winlaw School

Parents in Winlaw shed tears when the board voted in favour of the installation of a modular building on the community’s school property to house the kindergarten students, provide space for services such as speech pathology, and, in time, for before- and after-school childcare. There had been talk of reconfiguring Winlaw down to a K-3 or K-4 school to deal with its ongoing desk crunch. Stay tuned for news about the installation in the new year.

9. Paperback writers (and hardcover too)

Here are some locals who published books this year: Frantisek Strouhal and Chantal Robert co-wrote Illuminations: Art Embracing Awareness, Streams of Consciousness. Dana Rothkop wrote his first novel, A Village Between, a work of fiction with elements drawn from life. Shelley Rollier wrote Follow Your Heart, a collection of personal reflection and inspiring thoughts. Revelstoke author Laura Stovel released Swift River, a history of the Columbia River and its people. Tom Wayman released a new book of poems, Watching a Man Break a Dog’s Back: Poems for a Dark Time. Elizabeth von Ah released her first book, The Park of Gods, a natural and social examination of Valhalla Provincial Park. Peter J. Smith released an encyclopedic Silver Rush: British Columbia’s Silvery Slocan 1891-1900. Art Joyce published his eighth book, Dead Crow & the Spirit Engine, a hybrid of lyric and epic poetry to tell an apocalyptic yet deeply personal story. Lucia Mann’s seventh work, The Little Breadwinner, was published.

10. Daycare for New Denver and Nakusp schools

2020 saw an easing of the daycare crunch in one community and the promise to solve it for another. In New Denver, the Goat Mountain Kids Child Care Centre opened at the end of November. It will provide 16 full-time 0-5 year old spaces, and 24 additional childcare spaces for its before- and after-school program. In Nakusp, a project to build a $3-million, 95-space day and after-and-before school program was approved in September. It should be open in May 2022.

11. Ninja Fairies

Here’s one of those small stories that made us smile in 2020.

Worried about the impact of pandemic-mandated isolation on her neighbours during the height of the spring lockdown, a Nakusp woman started a kind of Secret Santa campaign to bring some joy to the village.

“It’s basically somebody who leaves a surprise gift,” says Koda O’Hara of the Ninja Fairies movement. Nearly 120 people signed up to give or receive small gifts from one another, to show they still care about their friends and neighbours during the pandemic.

12. Community revitalization

Some well-timed renovations brought several communities pride this year.

In Nakusp, the main street revitalization project replaced sidewalks, created seating space, improved accessibility and lighting. The work was finished in late October. The work came in on time, on budget, and best of all, didn’t cost taxpayers a thing – the $290,000 project was paid for by the community-owned NACFOR Legacy Fund, the CBT and federal gas tax funds.

Also in Nakusp, Mayor Tom Zeleznik began working on saving the marina breakwater – and succeeded. Using some well-timed grants and community reserves, he managed to secure the $320,000 needed for the project. The marina’s restoration means one of the community’s most important tourism assets is protected for at least 20 years, quite possibly longer.

2020 also saw St. Andrew’s United Church in Kaslo initiate an ambitious and much-needed restoration project. The goal was to bring the grand, century-old building up to modern fire and safety standards.

In November, the church celebrated the installation of sprinkler and fire alarm systems, the installation of a new cedar ceiling, upgrades to the heating system and electrical fixtures, the resurfacing of the concrete stairs and wall, the installation of Wi-Fi, and the completion of the restoration and painting of the exterior of the building. More than a quarter million dollars was spent on the necessary upgrades.

Residents of Winlaw have a brand-spanking new boardwalk system along the Slocan River, thanks to an $800,000 project to replace and restore the aging infrastructure. The Kootenay Adaptive Sport Association oversaw the project, which provided about 10 jobs and training for a dozen local workers over the summer.

And the first phase of a waterfront project to transform Slocan’s breakwater and former beach parking lot was completed in May.

“I’m overjoyed with the outcome of this project,” said Mayor Jessica Lunn, “and filled with joy to see the community able to enjoy and take pride in this beautiful public space.”

The project cost a little over $400,000, with support from the Columbia Basin Trust.

Knox Hall and the Silvery Slocan Museum building in New Denver saw substantial renovations, as did Silverton Memorial Hall.

13. Locals honoured

Several West Kootenay residents were recognized this year for their community work locally, regionally, and beyond.

Two Nakusp residents received honours for their years of caring for their community. Janis Dahlen received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her years of service to the community as a foster parent, Village councillor and RDCK rep. Ernie Knecht was the Citizen of the Year, in recognition of his work with the Nakusp Secondary School’s scholarship committee, the Arrow Lakes ATV Club, the Arrow Lakes Caribou Society and more. These awards are sponsored by the Nakusp Rotary Club.

Carol Koenig was named Kaslo’s 2020 Citizen of the Year. When presenting Koenig with the award, Mayor Suzan Hewat noted her many years of contribution to seniors’ groups, the Legion, Red Cross, the hospital auxiliary thrift shop, and many other community organizations and activities.

Slocan Valley artists Barbara Brown and Frantisek Strouhal were juried into the Healing Power of Arts and Artists (HPAA) exhibition from Manhattan Arts International and received Awards of Excellence.

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Kyle Kusch of Nakusp won a $500 Lieutenant Governor’s Historical Writing Award in the Community History category for Our Coloured Past: The Arrow Lakes in the Age of Colour Photography.

And Kaslo’s Dr. Don Hunt was selected as one of six recipients of the 2020 provincial Public Safety Lifeline volunteer awards. “I was just amazed and shocked,” says Hunt. “It was very nice to be recognized.” The awards, which are granted annually, recognize people who have made “exceptional contributions to emergency and disaster response” in the province.

14. Municipal finances fixed

It was a rollercoaster year for the people who manage the finances of the villages and towns of the West Kootenay. Local governments, although feeling the crunch caused by COVID, froze taxes or kept them low for their residents.

“We adjusted the budget and council approved a zero-net-tax change for the Village portion of taxes by eliminating travel, reducing reserve transfers, deferring some expenses and reducing the revenue outlook,” says Ian Dunlop, Kaslo’s chief administrative officer. “Overall, revenues were around $70,000 less than we were planning at the beginning of the year.”

But things were looking a lot different by the year’s end.

Senior levels of government have offered local governments millions for infrastructure projects, ‘shovel-ready’ as they say, that can begin next year.

But civic administrators got a little more sugar at the end of the year – in the form of a ‘use-as-you-will’ grant from the Province. Councils can use the money to pay for everything from plexiglass dividers in public spaces to training staff in case of an outbreak.

And the numbers were significant, at least for these tiny municipalities, where a 1% property tax hike only raises a few thousand dollars. New Denver is getting $262,000; Silverton $231,000; the RDCK, $761,000, among others.

All that money will, if not solve the long-term impact of the pandemic, at least allow some flexibility few CAOs thought they would have at the outset of the crisis.

“Overall, [Kaslo] fared fairly well in 2020, but the long-term impact of what we’re going through is yet to be realized. Upper levels of government were generous with their support to local governments, businesses and individuals but we know that level of support probably can’t be sustained.”

15. Blowing the whistle

Another human story that reminded us the world was good was when a piece of Nakusp’s history came out of hiding this fall. The son of an old-time memorabilia collector returned the whistle from the SS Bonnington, a paddlewheeler that plied the Arrow Lakes in the first half of the last century, to the local Rail Society.

“My dad was a picker before there were pickers,” says Shawn Pollard, the collector’s son. “He was one of those guys, if he’d see an old shed he’d go in and see what was in there.”

The whistle was found in Galena Bay a half-century ago, and remained in the man’s collection for the rest of his life. But as the end drew near, he asked his son to bring it back home, to Nakusp. “It was one of his last wishes,” recalls Pollard.

16. NACFOR dividend

A decision by Nakusp municipal leaders nearly a decade ago paid off in spades for the Village of Nakusp when times got tough this year. In November, Nakusp and Area Community Forest officials brought a cheque for $400,000 to the Village council. The Village is the sole shareholder in the corporation, and has received more than $1.5 million in dividends from its operations since 2014. The dividends are put into the NACFOR Legacy Fund and used to benefit local projects in the Village of Nakusp, rural Nakusp and RDCK Area K.

17. Sports improvements

While many sports and tournaments were cancelled this year, it was a rebuilding year, as sports coaches like to say. Several communities took the opportunity to improve their facilities.

In Nakusp, the Jackie James Memorial Park started out as a homage to a local sports hero, but over the years the diamonds had become a bit of a derelict eyesore. That ended this summer when volunteers from the Nakusp Recreation Society collected nearly $100,000 to restore the ball park to its former glory. With help from the Columbia Basin Trust, NACFOR, and other sources, the volunteers set to work rebuilding fences, the irrigation system, the infield, dugouts, and other parts of the old diamonds. Work went quickly with all the financial support, and organizers hope ‘Play Ball!’ will be shouted on the renovated fields by next spring.

Skateboarders in Slocan also got some good news this year when Village council supported the WE Graham Community Service Society’s application to build an extension to the park and pledged a contribution of $2,800.

And residents of the south Slocan Valley began a consultation process on what to do with the large Campbell Field at the junction that was donated to the RDCK.

18. Tires to Trees

A stretch of the Slocan River got a little cleaner this summer. The Slocan River Streamkeepers completed a massive cleanup along the banks of the old river with the help of Wildsight’s Youth Climate Corps. A large pile of tires left near the river by a previous landowner was finally disposed of, and trees were planted in their place.

The landowner passed away before completing his riverbank stabilization project, leaving the used tires in the floodplain. For years it seemed that nobody would take responsibility and dispose of the tires properly, until the Streamkeepers stepped in. With funding from the RDCK, the slightly-toxic eyesore is now rehabilitated riparian zone, with planted trees, shrubs and bird nesting boxes in their place.

19. Campgrounds boom

Travel restrictions over the summer could have spelled doom for local businesses, as the usual transborder flow of tourists turned into a trickle. And by June it was ugly… the Village of Nakusp reported it was more than $100,000 behind in revenues from its Village-owned facilities. But restrictions eased in the summer, and the mostly BC residents who visited the area ended up salvaging the season for many communities. Nakusp’s campground had a $28,000 surplus, and Slocan Village’s Springer Creek Campground, despite starting six weeks late, ended the season $5,000 over last year. The New Denver and Kaslo campgrounds also reported revenues greater than expected when the pandemic’s spring wave passed and restrictions eased.

“We initially thought tourism would be decimated, but it came on strong, even without Jazz Fest, and that really helped local businesses until recently,” says Kaslo CAO Ian Dunlop.

That’s good news for local taxpayers, as these facilities generate income for local governments to fund their operations.

20. Brave new entrepreneurs

Even in the midst of a pandemic, some Slocan Valley residents took the leap to start or expand their businesses. Faced with social distancing, cancelled markets, and other COVID-related restrictions, many went online to sell their wares globally.

“The year 2020 was challenging in many ways, and local businesses certainly felt the pinch,” concedes Ron Leblanc, the Slocan’s economic development officer. “Many businesses weathered the storm through the support of local residents and an influx of regional visitors during the summer.”

Here are eight Slocan Valley businesses that took a leap in 2020: I’m Addicted to Craft in Slocan Village; Ice Creek Lodge built new accommodation in Slocan Village; a processing co-op for Slocan Valley cannabis growers is in the works; Raven Roast did an online product launch; Viva Cacao! based in Lemon Creek rebranded and expanded online; Tim Garton launched Timewarp Tie Dye online; Morgen Bardati’s Handmade Heart online market launched in December to help local artisans market their work.

“I can’t stress enough the notion that we need to support local businesses, including those online. Use it or lose it,” adds LeBlanc. “Tourism-related businesses and performing artists were probably hit hardest, while hardware, farm and, I hear, alcohol sales were up.

“But the best thing about 202