Publisher's Note

Yes, that’s right, it’s spring and all that litter that’s been discarded by those that just don’t care, or had no role models in their early lives, is about to come out of hibernation. For years I’ve written about the people behind the problem, but unfortunately that’s seemed to have fallen on deaf ears as each spring is the same. I’m totally disgusted by the amount of litter, empty cans and bottles, cigarette butts and the multitude of full dog poop bags that have been chucked into every corner of this resort community.

Am I missing something, or are young people being taught these days to just fling their trash in the bush or the snow bank and let someone else pick it up? After all, once it’s out of your hands, who really cares anyway, right?

Guess what? I care and so do lots of other Sun Peaks workers and residents. Unfortunately now it’s the job of those that live and work in Sun Peaks year round to go out on our own unpaid time to clean up the bloody huge mess left by others.

Well enough yelling at litter bugs, who’ve probably already left the mountain anyway, and time to move to what we can do as a community about this scourge. While we all understand the litter on our streets or in front of our businesses was not our doing (I hope), the fact is it’s now really our responsibility to it clean up. Those areas are the first impressions our guests or customers get of our homes, our businesses and Sun Peaks as a whole, and frankly these days it’s not much of an impression.

So, as the snow melts please do your part and pick up any litter you see around your home, or anywhere else, and put it where it belongs—in the garbage. If we all chip in just a little as the snow recedes then this community can return to the natural beauty it should enjoy all year. Let’s all be part of the solution and not part of the problem and please mark Wednesday, May 16 on your calendar, as this is when the whole community comes out for the 14th annual Sun Peaks Trash Bash; the day we take back our town.

Publisher's Note

After decades of hearing locals’ ranting about how Sun Peaks Resort Corporation (SPRC), Tourism Sun Peaks (TSP), Sun Peaks Utilities Company Limited (SPUCL) and now Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM) should do this and that to improve this, that and/or the other in our community, I feel compelled to let those that rant about these bodies know how it works around here.

Firstly, SPRC isn’t an omniscient big brother to all that is Sun Peaks Resort, but merely a wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Cable of Japan, a privately held company with resort holdings in various parts of the world. SPRC’s role in Sun Peaks is to operate the ski hill, golf course and other resort features within the Controlled Recreation Area (CRA) as well as to develop real estate land in the base area of the CRA as visitor numbers grow. This is all structured and governed under a 50 year Master Development Agreement (MDA) with the Province of B.C.

TSP isn’t a little brother of SPRC as many people think, but a non-profit membership-based Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) that’s governed by a member-based Board of Directors. Membership is based on real estate or business holdings in Sun Peaks and, like any DMO, TSP is bound by the Society Act of B.C as a non-profit organization and by the Resort Associations Act of B.C. with regard to the fees and dues it charges it members, of which SPRC is the largest contributor.

TSP’s mandate, somewhat vaguely described, is to use their members’ fees and dues to market Sun Peaks Resort to the rest of the world to increase visitor numbers.

SPUCL, on the other hand, is a wholly owned subsidiary of SPRC and is a private water, sewer and gas utility company that’s governed by the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) and the Water Utility Act (WUA).

Now throw the relatively new local government of the Sun Peaks Municipality (property taxes, roads, bylaws, etc.) into the mix and who does what in Sun Peaks may get confusing, unless you either pay close attention to these types of things or just ask the right questions of the right people.

Do the SPRC, TSP, SPUCL and SPMRM business lines cross from time to time? Absolutely. Does any one entity have control of any other’s business model or mandate? Absolutely not, unless you’re talking SPRC and SPUCL. So, to all those that still think the SPMRM is controlled by SPRC and that TSP is in control of the MDA as a DMO within the CRA, then you might want to study what SPMRM has to do with the BCUC or the WUA before spouting off that SPRC should plow the roads and that TSP should get the SPMRM to lower the gas prices at SPUCL so they can better market the resort.

You’ll only be as informed as you care to be and should you really care about your community, you’ll inform yourself about what really happens in it.

Publisher's Note

While the world is certainly a changing place these days, look at the dictators and African thugs falling like dominos for example, is it really going to hell as many are predicting? I think if you truly look around your own world, the answer is “no.” Are times tough in many business sectors, like the tourist sector, that most of us depend on for our livelihood? Yes. Things certainly may not be as rosy as they were, say, six or even 10 years ago, but if you put it in true perspective, it could always be worse.
Being a cup-half-full person most of the time, I truly feel the key to success in life is staying positive when things are in a state of flux or when they’re not going exactly as we want. We can all do this.

This type of positive attitude not only makes us work harder when things are down, it also triggers the laws of attraction. Bad people attract bad people, good people attract good people, etc. The simple fact is that Sun Peaks as a ski resort, a community, or as a global tourist destination is only as successful as the attitude of the people that live and work here. If we all ran around like “Chicken Little,” declaring the end of the economic world as we know it, then that type of negative attitude would eventually prevail.

While skier visits and vacation spending per head may be down over past years, are the foreclosure wolves actually howling at the doors of every home and business in the community? I think not. All one has to do to judge the true success of Sun Peaks, and those that call it home, is hit the slopes and talk to the guests from far and wide. People love Sun Peaks and come back with their families year after year after year, and most say it’s the positive attitude and the friendliness of the locals that make the difference in where they’re choosing to spend their holiday dollars.

Now is the time, more than ever, to keep that positive focus and ride the wave it creates. Just stop for a second and actually think about it. We all have an amazing lifestyle that would turn most people on the planet green with envy and what, if anything, are you truly lacking in your life if you live and work in Sun Peaks? The winds of change are inevitable but if we all stay focused and positive on the products we deliver to our friends around the globe, we can all weather any storm.

Publisher's Note

Since its inception in December 2002, Sun Peaks Independent News Inc. has published nearly 1.5 million copies of SPIN, the Sun Peaks summer and winter magazines and the Sun Peaks Visitors Guide. To put this in perspective, that’s close to 30 million pages of information about Sun Peaks and close to 15 billion printed words. I tried to calculate the number of letters typed but got lost in the zeros.

To date SPIN has inserted over 1 million copies of Sun Peaks literature directly into homes and businesses in various regions of B.C. and to stay in the positive I try not to think about how many cat litter boxes SPIN has lined, how many rainbow trout it’s wrapped up or how many woodstoves or campfires copies of SPIN have lit. Old copies only please folks.

When I look at the numbers, I say “holy cow,” but as with any small publication like SPIN, we’re only as good as the people behind it and it’s those people that truly have made the difference. To date SPIN Newsmagazine has had six editors behind the wheel and each one has not only brought a unique style of writing and English composition to the publication, they’ve also grown with the community through the eyes of SPIN. I also need to take my hat off to the dozens of writers who’ve graced the many pages of SPIN over the years with their tales, stories, articles, letters and sometimes heated opinions on any number of subjects. Without these seasoned writers, journalistic hopefuls and, in some cases, opinionated so and so’s, we could never have become an informative, engaging, news and information source to our readership and the people of this great community.

Many people may not think about it when they’re reading a copy of SPIN with their morning latte or their après beer but no one has ever paid to pick up a copy of SPIN Newsmagazine. SPIN is free and it’s the loyal and continued support of our many advertisers each issue that keep this publishing ship above water. Whether it’s a full page colour advertisement or a black and white business card, we hold all our advertisers in the highest regard as, without their trust in us to market their businesses, SPIN would simply cease to be. In closing, I think that SPIN Newsmagazine has become many things to many people in this community over the past decade and be it good, bad or indifferent in your Sun Peaks world, Sun Peaks Independent News, or SPIN, is here to stay.

Publisher's Note

As will happen in other resort towns, people from around the globe flock to Sun Peaks, B.C. each winter to ski, work, holiday, party, and do whatever it was that inspired them to come here. While the success of Sun Peaks Resort as a resort community is based on the positive experiences of all our guests and visitors, it’s also directly tied to the positive attitude of those that call it home—the Sun Peaks “locals.”

As SPIN publisher I’d like take this time to enlighten all those new to this great community on a few subjects as the locals see them, so while they’re here they too can also live the positive Sun Peaks lifestyle that sets the tone in this great community.

As we’re a global community, being a Sun Peaks local isn’t really based on years lived here, but is based instead on a positive attitude while living here. True locals don’t litter the ski hill, parking lots, village core, or anywhere else, with their garbage, cigarette butts, dog crap or anything else, as these same locals are the ones who invariably pick all this garbage up each spring. Snow doesn’t make litter, empties or dog crap go away, locals make it go away. Locals never walk on Sun Peaks Road as that amounts to Russian roulette with cars and trucks. They walk the lit and ploughed Valley Trail, night or day. Locals don’t fight, smash bottles and scream at the top of their lungs when leaving the bars and restaurants at 2 a.m., they quietly leave the village core so as not to disturb others not attending their after party. Locals don’t drink and drive, they get a sober ride home or they walk the whole 15 minutes it takes to get anywhere in this town. Locals are respectful of those visiting Sun Peaks and instead of saying, “What do you want?” to a guest or customer, locals say, “What can I do for you?” or, “How can I help?”

While everyone that lives, works and breathes Sun Peaks may be here for different reasons, the simple fact is we’re only as good as the collective show we put on to the world, and the success of that show is on everyone’s shoulders. If you want to be a Sun Peaks “local” during your stay here then we’ll happily welcome you with open arms, but with that title comes the same responsibilities that one would expect if we all moved to your hometown.

Publisher's Note

On Saturday, Nov. 19, eligible voters will cast their ballots to elect the first full term mayor of the Mountain Resort Municipality of Sun Peaks. While municipal status was granted on June 28, 2010, this year we fall in line with all municipal elections in B.C. and will, going forth, vote every three years for our mayor and council.

The Sun Peaks election is different from other municipalities in B.C. this year, as all three of the Sun Peaks elected councillors were re-elected by acclamation with no one challenging their positions. Furthermore, the one provincially appointed councillor (a first in B.C., if not Canada) will be named by the Province after the election. The same cannot be said for the mayor’s race, as Sun Peaks’ first incumbent mayor, Al Raine, is being challenged by local resident Ms. Renate Kals.

Ms. Kals, a long-time resident of the community, has been a very outspoken opponent of the new mayor and council and other community leaders over the past years and currently uses her own web blog to further her “Save Sun Peaks” cause. On the other side of the race is incumbent Mayor Al Raine whose first 18 month term as mayor has been full of new and sometimes bumpy territory in guiding the community through the municipal transition process of bylaws, taxes and legal challenges.

While the democratic system of Canadian politics allows anyone eligible for public office to run in an election, sometimes one has to question the true rationale of political candidates. The job of being a mayor in B.C. is truly a thankless one in the end, and the annual salary, simply put, is less than my truck’s fuel bill per annum.

So the question begs, why would someone run for mayor? There are only two reasons that come to mind. One: they have lots of excess time on their hands and want to do something positive for their community. Or two: they feel that the leadership is lacking and their goal is to smooth out the rocky road of community governance as it stands.

I think it can be safely said that while both may very well be valid reasons to throw your name in the political ring, does the latter really do any good for community well-being as a whole? Is the new municipality of Sun Peaks already broken after only 18 months in existence?

That’s a question you’ll have to ask of or answer yourself once you step to the polls on Nov. 19. All politics aside, just make sure get out and vote as that’s your Canadian right.

Publisher's Note

It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost 18 months since Sun Peaks Resort became the first Mountain Resort Municipality (MRM) in B.C. While there are a total of 13 resort municipalities in the province, Sun Peaks’ designation as an MRM allows for special features such as an appointed councillor, additional hotel tax rebates, and other grant/funding streams that many other municipalities don’t have. Although there’s been considerable debate on both the supporting and opposing sides of this new municipality, the reality is, it’s now legislated and written in law that the people of Sun Peaks, B.C. can collect their own property taxes and govern their own destiny from within.

As a long-time local and publisher of the local newspaper, I tend to hear a lot of scuttlebutt about how council should be or shouldn’t be doing this or that, and what they’re doing is good, bad or indifferent to the needs of this community. The funny side of it is that many people, regardless of their feelings toward the new municipality, or Sun Peaks as a whole, have no real clue what they are talking about or what they are really for or against, because they don’t understand local governance or read the bylaws or meeting minutes in the first place! The term “knowledge is king” comes to mind whenever I hear someone complaining about something in this community they really know nothing about.

Democracy is a wonderful thing and it shows in no uncertain terms what the true will of the community is. People running for municipal office are either elected by their peers to represent their community or they’re not, Palin and simple. Pun intended. Local governance is just as it sounds—a town, hamlet or small village governed by elected citizens of that community for the betterment of that community.
It takes a huge amount of personal time and effort to represent your community on council and it’s the people with a willingness to make a positive difference that tend to succeed in these positions, because we all know they don’t do it for the money.

If political change is what the people of Sun Peaks wish for, and this I truly question, then people should not only educate themselves in the governance of Sun Peaks, they should also step up and run for the position of mayor or councillor in the Nov. 19 election.

In closing, I’d like to truly thank our current mayor, council and staff for their baby steps, take our time, let’s do this right the first time, fiscally responsible approach to the governance of Sun Peaks over the last 18 months. To all those that think you can do a better job, you have until 4 p.m. on Oct. 14, 2011 to put in your nomination papers. Good luck to all on Election Day.

Publisher's Note

As September dawns clear and cool, many of us are drawn to the actuality that summer is on its way south and the days of colourful leaves and morning frost will soon be a reality. The change of seasons signal major changes to come—imminent or not.

For many people who live in the Sun Peaks area, this means it’s time to get busy. Having your house ready for severe winter weather can be a major task if you wait too long, so now is the time to winterize your home. Check your windows, doors and attics for drafts or cold spots, get your chimney cleaned and make sure to get any gas appliances checked and serviced before the snow flies. I’m sure you don’t want to miss an epic December powder day because you forgot to service your gas heater.
An amazing thing about living in the mountains is that one day you have your doors wide open in the brilliant sunshine and the next day you’re lighting a wood stove or your gas fireplace in an effort to stay warm. Be smart and be prepared.

Fall in the mountains is also foraging season for our friendly neighbourhood black bears. This spring was a tough one on our local bear population with a long snowy winter and a cold wet spring with little food available. This was made obvious by several “too close for comfort” bear encounters in the community. As fall cools, the bears of Sun Peaks will once again start to forage for whatever food they can find around the valley and if you let them find it, they will. From now until early December, the bears will be making the rounds looking for any scrap food, garbage or anything else that will help with their winter survival. It’s our job to make sure the food is not the man-made kind.

It seems year after year, lazy or just plain ignorant people leave their garbage around and wonder why they have a bear wrecking their house or car. Please be bear aware and don’t keep any garbage or food sources outside or near your house. As they say, “A fed bear is a dead bear” and it’s never their fault. They just do what’s natural and that is to look for food.

In closing, I would like to say that SPIN Newsmagazine is sadly losing one of its long time employees after this issue. SPIN editor Lailani Mendoza is moving to Edmonton to take a position as news editor for the Living Light News. Lailani has been with SPIN for three years and the team here is very sad to see her go. In her time with SPIN, Lailani has risen to the job of editor, learned how to ski and come to understand the inner workings of this small but complex community. Her professionalism, work ethic and outgoing attitude was always present and we wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavours.

Publisher's Note

Unlike the rest of Canada and most of the United States who’ve been scorched beyond belief over the last few months, summer has finally arrived in the B.C. Interior. While it’s been a tough haul for anyone in the tourism industry in British Columbia with less than stellar weather in June and July, now is the time to make the best of it because before too long, the mornings will start to cool and the kids will be back to school.

So before the time flies by and you start busting out those old ski movies to get your winter stoke on, get out and enjoy what this great place we live in has to offer. While no one likes a rainy, cool summer it does offer up some great positives. The alpine blossoms on the upper mountain of Sun Peaks, while late to bloom, are a kaleidoscope of brilliant colours and are an absolute sight to behold, and they probably will continue to be until the end of August. The golf course at Sun Peaks is as lush and green as I’ve ever seen it and our forests are not tinder dry and burning like in Ontario. I know that many things like work, family and busy lives tend to get in the way of our summertime fun, but as August rolls on you better make some time to enjoy what we have.

At the beginning of this month, I finally went on a hike to Tod Lake and Mount Tod—my first, I hate to admit, in a decade of living here. We passed tourists in flip flops and hikers of all shapes, sizes and abilities going in every direction. But one thing I noticed was a distinct lack of Sun Peaks locals. I thought to myself, I wonder if all the locals are like me and just spend too much time working and not enough time enjoying what is just outside our door? Well, guilty as we all may be of getting wrapped up in life, make some time and get out there.

I’m sure most of the people that have read this far probably are the same people that already have a 2011/2012 Ski Pass in their junk drawer or at least have paid for it. If you smiled at that last sentence, do you realize that with that season’s pass, you get two-for-one tickets for biking, hiking and golf at Sun Peaks until those respective seasons end in a few short weeks?

Don’t let these tickets for fun summer activities sit until November when you say to yourself, “Damn; I should have used those before they expired!” Invite a friend up from Kamloops, have some family up for a day or even donate them to a charity like Big Brothers and Sisters that might use them, but get outside and enjoy what little precious summer we have left and do something you haven’t done in a long time—if ever before. After all, when was the last time you played 18 holes in your backyard, went for a hike to Tod Lake/Tod Peak or jumped on a mountain bike and tested your fear factor? As the saying goes, “Just Do It!” You’ll be glad you did.

Publisher's Note

Like any other tourist town in beautiful British Columbia, Sun Peaks depends on local, regional and international tourist traffic and the dollars spent by those visitors to keep the wheels greased and the local economy flowing smoothly. After several years of economic uncertainty, things finally appear to be turning around in our favour. While an economist I am not, I do think that the future of this great resort community looks brighter than it has in some time.

What really set me along the path that there is light at the end of the economic downturn tunnel was the recent Canadian Enduro Championship motorcycle races held on July 9 and 10. While events like this do not meet the traditional model of mom and pop, kids in tow events at Sun Peaks, it shows that if you think out of the box, true change can come from within.

The vision of Kamloops off-road motorcycle legend Guy Perrett and his local crew, this two-day event has put Sun Peaks Resort on the map for all the off-road motorcycle enthusiasts from across Canada that came out for the inaugural race of the World Enduro Canada racing season. A record 183 riders registered for the event and to say they brought their entourages with them would be an understatement. All one needed to do was look around at all the expensive trucks with expensive dirt bikes in the backs of them, let alone all the wives, kids, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends and dogs that came along to watch them race.

Some residents and visitors may scowl at the sound of 180 dirt bikes ripping up the countryside around Sun Peaks; but the smell of money was unmistakable. Hotels were booked, restaurants were hopping and the word on the street was “Wow, this place is great, we’ve never heard of it before; everything we need is right here. We’d love to bring our snowmobiles back next winter.”

While I appreciate the fact that many people choose to visit or even live in Sun Peaks for the natural tranquillity it offers, the stark reality is that tranquillity does not pay the bills. While two-stroke motorcycle smoke may smell awful to some, it smells like money to me. In conjunction with the other Sun Peaks summer events like the Symphony of Flavours and the Retro Concert weekend, it’s the large festival/race events like this one that will truly make Sun Peaks a successful year-round destination.

A huge shout out to all the local Sun Peaks dirt bikers that put their blood, sweat and tires into making the first Sun Peaks race a true success. The grass and bushes will grow back, the mud puddles will dry and the money will stay where it belongs, right here in Sun Peaks. Hats off to all the organizers, volunteers and the many Sun Peaks businesses and organizations involved in making sure this new breed of Sun Peaks visitor keeps coming back year after year. Now let’s talk $nowmobile racing, shall we?