L E T   'E R   R I P !!!

I think the city and province should join forces to build a swimming channel through the back side of Fishtrap Island for PG's first safe and secure place to swim on the river during the summer months. The channel is already there it just needs to be opened up near Foothills Bridge to allow water to flow through the channel. We don't need anymore people drowning in the Fraser river, because they went for a swim at Fort George Park.

Before Foothills Bridge was build that was a spawning channel for Salmon that always had fresh water trickling through the channel keeping oxygen level up for the fish. Now it is all stale polluted water seeping into our new water well that kills anything that tries to live in it....

I'd rather see a RV park developed at fishtrap Island for tourist as a safe central location on a bus route located where tourists could enjoy their stay here in PG. This would be the nicest campground anywhere near the city. It would do a lot to change the city image in the minds of tourist that currently only have highway side parking lots to stay at when 'passing through' town.

I also think this location could be an anchor for a potential trail system from Otway ski club to town, then either along the Cranbrook Hill Crest to the University, or along the river to the Cottenwood park onwards to the downtown.

just a thought....

Amid all the man-made difficulties and constant negative vibrations in the false reality of this plastic world..... it was wonderful to hear a pair of ROBINS singing in the trees this morning !!!!

Blessings. :-)


V.

We need to put on our track shoes and race at getting Wally Oppal trashed in the upcoming election. All he has delivered is: concealment and coverup. His work in the Attorney General's office can be explained in one word: garbage.

Well the good news is it seems this week is the last kick at the can for winter, the weather channel shows that temperatures will be above 0 by the middle of the month.

I find the news depressing these days. I mean are we as citizens not in charge of what we want to hear? I would rather hear how the kids are doing a the soccer fields, or how the new Mayor is doing with the challenges he is facing, or like Eagleone suggests a new plan to open up some more tourism in the city.

By constantly trading shots about gangs and their movements, aren't we doing nothing more than advertising for them?
The whole point of terroism is to get the message to the people to hold them in constant fear. without media, terroism is just a bunch of nutcases running around in their backyard.

Is it possible to deal with gangs without having the hourly update on how bad they all are? I mean the flu affects more people and has a greater danger to everyone, yet we don't hear about that on an hourly basis.

There are more important things going on in our community that concerns our community and our families.

Just a thought.

Happy Friday and have a great weekend everyone.

Did anyone read about the BCTF "Social Justice" conference. Here is the opening

Although the stated purpose of the conference was to show teachers how to approach the Social 12 curriculum adopted under BC's Corren Agreement an underlying purpose was clearly revealed by a graphic of a staircase distributed by the BCTF in it information packages: the goal is to move students attitude towards lesbian,gay,bisexal,transgender and questioning people to beyond tolerance to acceptance and then further along to support, admiration, appreciation and finally celebration of deviant sexuality.


Were does the BCTF get off. Parents of kids going to public schools were not even asked about this. Its time our MLA's get off the pot and get the schools teaching reading writing and arthmitic. Another course that would be better than teaching kids how to become gay or lesbians would be a course in law. Teach what is right from wrong. Would be money better spent than this crap.

Eagleone has a good idea with fishtrap island. It makes sense that we find ways to get the tourists into our town.

How embarassing is it that we do not even have a city RV Park. Come on. Why don't we have one. The ideal RV park will be having it behind the EXhibition yard on the other side of the proposed Foothills extension up against the hill side. Than install a waterpark complete with a 200 ft water slide. Make this a destination RV Park.

...up against the that hill is one of the places in town that loses sunlight before any other. What a horrible location for an RV park, and especially a water one.

Eagle & Hespeaks: No No No, what for we want to bring the tourist? We need to feex up the fourth avenue, get community energy on the go, and build it new police station first! Who needs it tourist?
Just kidding. I really like the idea of a municipal campground, not to take away from existing private facilities, but to augment. The municipal could charge more than the private ones, so as not to compete with them, but to be situated at the fairgrounds, a most excellent location indeed. Think about swim meets, soccer tournaments, gymkhanas, and any of the events that currently take place in or around the fairgrounds. The city could concede the pine valley property to private development, and build a new
par 3 9 hole course near the campground, and a waterpark, excellent idea.
metalman.

I agree when we had a municipal campground before at the exhibition grounds it was sold out all summer long... when we built the wave pool it just never got replaced showing our cities view towards tourism....

I agree the exhibition lands (good for over flow IMO) would be cheep to convert to a campground, but getting that daylight is a huge thing... and the biggest asset PG has is Cranbrook Hill and the Nechako River... no one wants to be in the shade in PG (maybe Arizona, but not PG), so it makes sense to me to utilize that prime river front land for a tubing channel for the general public going around fish trap island with a central campground among the old growth trees on the island itself... probably even possible to shape the pit next door into a large out door theater for a 50th the cost of PAC and far more unique... and in a lot of ways better and far more PG then a $50 million dollar bloated elephant that we would all pay for otherwise.

Add into that easy motor home access off Foothills, Otway, Ospika, possible river boat drag races in the summer on the river... all infrastructure is mostly in place already for a campground, buses already run by there on a hourly basis taking people to all corners of the town... logically anyone looking at future trail systems would notice this is like the central axis of everything 20-years out going up river, down river, across to the North Nechako ridge, or through Moores Meadows and along Cranborook hill to the university... all those strengths for that location and its an amazing wonder to me that it hasn't happened already thirty years ago... imagine if the Salmon Valley Music Festival had instead been the Nechako South Side Music Festival with on site camping, city services, and profits going to a good cause.... maybe I'm the only one that sees that potential?

It sure would be cool to see something like that in place for 2010....

I sure would like to see sidewalks on streets where there are none before we tackle paving a trail for the tune of 11 million (borrowed) and an art centre for 52 million (borrowed). :) Have a nice weekend all

Eagleone,
I totally forgot we used to have RV there. Brought back memories of my grandpa/grandma coming in from Calgary and staying there. Would be nice to see something like that setup again.


Truth,
I agree with you. Time to take out the garbage and release the crows on it.

Eagleone
You sure are full of great ideas.
Maybe you can open up your wallet and pay for them all your self cause the majority of taxpayers in this city don't have anymore money for people like you and your grandiose ideas.

4th highest crime rate in Canada, worst air pollution in the province...and you think tourists will want to stay in Prince George?? Maybe they'll shop downtown where the police can watch criminals damaging their vehicles? Or dine at one of the fine establishments where gangs shoot it out in the parking lot??

Sounds like a tourist destination for sure.

Now I don't know about anyone else here but if I were driving a company vehicle to and from work I would be driving while under my best behaviour.
Unlike the two I have had the pleasure of having near miss's with on Tyner and Ospika this week.

If that was you, how did your head office react to the emails they received regarding your childish behaviour while driving vehicles with their companies names plastered all over them?

One of you, (Vern was it?) even had the nerve to call the radio station this morning and cry about someone that passed him.

Ya Jim13135 but Eagleone has all the money in the world to pay for all thats wrong and all he would like to see done in this city.

Wow! Saskatoon beat us... rats!


...you can say that again! ...and again!

Since tourism seems to be the theme of todays soundoff I'll add my own experiance in this area:

How about the American I met from Oregon, who had been coming to BC on fishing trips for 30 years, telling me he was not going to come anymore because he finds the moonscape of clear cuts too depressing to look at. When I asked him about the clear cutting in Oregon he said something to the effect of, "yes, but you Canadians make us look like beginners, you don't seem to have any respect at all..."

Or how about the other American I met, a logger, who was in BC on a contract, telling me he was amazed at how little attention Canadians paid to basic environmental considerations. Coming from an American logger!(This contact happened a good 10 years ago).

If you want tourism I've got a tip: Tourists don't want to look at a moonscape, they want beauty and wildlife and fish to catch, birds to watch... all the things the criminal logging practices of this province have been trashing for the past generation. Tourists or logging? Which is sustainable over the long haul? Which is most healthy for the planet?

Tourists also don't want to see valleys of dead trees, Kevin. You can't have it both ways.

So almost every day this week it has been bitching about how city hall and higher levels of government are spending our tax dollars. Why would any sane and presumably intelligent citizen suggest they ALSO piss up another few million on recreation like an unnecessary "swim channel" or water park?
If you want to go swimming, there are literally thousands of bodies of water around here. Or are you too wimpy to touch real earth with your bare foot?

Come on people! Lets all be honest and call it how it is. Prince George is not a nice city to look at. It stinks most of the time and there is not one architecturally pleasing building here. Well, Ok the pool is nice. My point issss...it is an ugly town. The only thing it really has going for it is the location as a hub and the people who live here CARE. Tourists unfortunately blow right on by. Sorry.

Why would the tourists want to go to a campgound and pay money when they can park in any number of places...FOR FREE! including some city properties.....ie: the parking lot by the Swimming Pool....
or private properties such as Wal-Mart....or Pince Center Mall....to name a couple.....
can see the taxpayer paying to bail this out....

My 7yr old brings home these so called english assignments,they have taken the U out of most words.If I wanted to talk like americans I would have move there long ago,I do not and do not want my child being taught there crappy language.

I'll take logging Kevin. Tourists don't put money in my wallet. And, swingline is right, nearly 100% of what is going thru the sawmills is bug kill. Those valleys of dead trees, are logged and reforested. It just takes time for them to grow.

This post is absolutely priceless:

"My 7yr old brings home these so called english assignments,they have taken the U out of most words.If I wanted to talk like americans I would have move there long ago,I do not and do not want my child being taught there crappy language."

Oh, the irony.

Ha ha ha! That is funny rambleon.Shellshadow, you're right, Prince just isn't a beautiful town. It's an industrial town. It's funny how many people forget that and think it's a diamond in the rough of something. However the people who live here do care about it and make it a nice place to live. Now if those idiots who stop at all the merge signs would just move to another town...

What is happening to the Cadilac Ranch? It still is open, you would think the Liquor Board would have closed it down by now, drugs in a liquor establishment used to be a definite no - no. Instant door closer.

What is up w/ the disgusting air in N.Nechako earlier this week!!! It was DISGUSTING - People should be forced to STOP burning wood, I seriously got a sore throat walking my dog! WTF?

Can anyone here today tell me why the Cadalac Ranch is still an operating business? I would have thought with all the drugs found in the office of that establishment, they would have yanked their business liscence, or are they waiting to catch them 6 more times so as to build a stronger case? Hence the guy stealing and damaging cars.

I agree with Truth!
Wally Oppal is about the worst thing to happen to the Attorney Generals's office in B.C.!
He is a politician and a power broker for the Campbell gang first and foremost.
He needs to be gone before anything will change in our justice system here in this province.

Take it form someone who moved somewhere else. The beauty of Prince George is (most of) the people and the surrounding area and all it has to offer. Sure the downtown is not the prettiest place in the world but the cost of living is still 'reasonable' (if there is such a thing these days). I think schools are probably still decent. The town is never going to be tourist destination beyond being the gateway to the lakes, rivers and valleys that surround it.

AG and the DA,s are affraid of the GANGS,may come beat em up like they did to Ugal dou@#bag.We need a DIRTY Harry!!

Whats that smell??

I agree somewhat, Prince George is a whole lot nicer than some other "industrial" towns, anyone here ever been to trail? talk about indistrial, is hard to find the homes of people there. and ugly?? trust drive around BC and there are alot more ugly towns than PG,

I like the idea of a municipal campground, a nice one though not some mock up of a KOA gone bad, it wouldn't cost as much as an Arts centre, it sure wouldn't cost as much to keep up, as you could do that through volunteer programs, or even private contractors.

and everyone could go and bring their families, how many families are going to go to a multi million dollar arts facility?

Yes PG has lots of beautiful lakes and rivers,although not all that accesible to a motorhome towing a small car.

and why would an oregon logger come to PG to see wildlife?? you ever been to oregon, its has beautiful beaches, forests, etc.. hhmm, just like BC! maybe the purpose of the trip was not to see the wildlife but like most Americans, everything was half price!!

If I go to the states for .69 cents on the dollar i would go too, the only difference is I wouldn't go, get great deals on everything and then bitch about the scenery!!

When they removed the towel of a municipal campground from the Rotary Soccer fields area, the City was going to create a new one at the condluence of the two rivers where Kline had (has?) his property that they are filling to get above the flood plane.

Even though one has a view of the mills in the distance, I think that is a reasonable area to have a municipal RV park.

Trail has Rossland within a 10 to 15 minute drive. Prince George has Giscome and Stoner and Salmon Valley.

LOKI says: "So almost every day this week it has been bitching about how city hall and higher levels of government are spending our tax dollars. Why would any sane and presumably intelligent citizen suggest they ALSO piss up another few million on recreation like an unnecessary "swim channel" or water park?"
Aintcha got it yet Loki? some of us just want to bitch! ;)
metalman.

hey Gus,

Leave Giscome out of this. Its a nice place now.... ha ha.

Hey read about that guy that forgot about his kids in the middle of winter. a 3 yr old and a 15 months old kid froze to death. He only gets 3 yrs.

There is something wrong with the system. he should be sent up to Resolute Bay in the Middle of September. With all the food he can carry and a canoe. that will sober up the bas@#%d.

Highlanderpg writes..."Yes PG has lots of beautiful lakes and rivers,although not all that accesible to a motorhome towing a small car."

I totally disagree. There are a whole lot of lakes and rivers that are easily accessible to motorhomes towing small cars.
Just have to get out there and look.
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Posted by: gus on March 6 2009 1:05 PM
When they removed the towel of a municipal campground from the Rotary Soccer fields area, the City was going to create a new one at the condluence of the two rivers where Kline had (has?) his property that they are filling to get above the flood plane."

Gus you gotta give up the afternoon drinking sessions.

Well metalman, I did not realize this was a bitch session. Here i thought it was about bringing issues and opinions to light so they could be corrected.

highlanderpg: give up the motor home and actually experience the world. Motor homes piss me off. I go camping to get away from electricity, TV, radio, and the frivolous consumer tripe foisted upon us.
There is not much worse than being on a serene lake watching the sunset over a lake when some pinhead fires up his generator, then keeps it going all bloody night so the air conditioning and the home theater work. Dude, if you need all that crap so bad, stay home.
That is why I love the forestry site. Most motor homes cannot even get there.

wicked post Loki. So true. Keep those gas guzzling RV's out. Pitch a tent folks..

Chrisopher Pauchay from the Yellow Quill reserve in Saskatchewan just got 3 years for leaving his two little girls to die in the snow while drunk.
They both died of hypothermia.
Anyone who lives in the north knows what that must have been like for them.
He had 52 prior convictions and was busted for being drunk while waiting to go to trial for the death of the two girls and out on bail.
He may serve about a year...maybe.
The band wanted him released back to his wife and remaining child with no jail time.
His wife wanted him released with no jail time.
She negelcted to mention that she was drinking it up at a party at the time of her childrens death.
The judge said Pauchay did not accept responsibility for what he had done so he gave him 3 years.
3 years for the death of two little babies.
We now know what the the life of 2 little babies is worth in a canadian court...3 years.
This makes me sick to my stomach.
I am ashamed to be canadian.

Pauchay got 3 years? What a joke. The guy from Edmonton who left his horses on the mountain could get a more severe sentence.
It is time ALL Canadians be treated equal. If this was a white man the sentence would have been 10 years for each.

Think again red2b
The drunk that killed the family of 3 a few years back at Domano and 16 did 3 years.
He was white.

He speaks, I totaly agree this man should have been put on some island somewhere with no food and see how far he gets. Imagine those little kids not even knowing their are freezing to death. The law really does have to change and make those people pay for the crime. It is getting disgusting on how little time the criminals get.

Before the city spends money on tourist attractions of any kind, they have to fix all the potholes first. Many places on city streets that you can loose a tire or other damage and that is only doing the speed limit.

We need to adopt Chinese ways of doing things. Pave the streets which Tourists will travel on, maintain the "green" areas and fencing, spruce up the buildings along the routes, give them the nicest rooms at the Inns, and forget about the rest of the city.

Far too expensive for the taxpayers to pay for the whole city.

Be glad you are not living in Cape Town SA.

http://www.queensu.ca/msp/pages/Photos/Potholes.htm

Some cities are so jealous of places like Prince George that they actually install fake potholes.

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/images/fake-potholes3.jpg

lol...that's hilarious Gus!

I think the parents of the children attending Ron Brent and Carney Hill Schools should look out side the box on the First Nations School Issue. Carney Hill has been the chosen School. If the children that do not want to attend this type of private School move out of Carney Hill School to other Schools, they will have to fill up Carney Hill with First Nation children from Ron Brent, that will empty out Ron Brent and they will use that as an excuse to close down the School. Do they want the land and the School maybe for another Homeless Shelter? This is all about politics and the losers are all the children. What if this School Fails?? Why does the Government need to provide the School District with an extra $1000.00 for every First Nation child ?? Where is the money going ??

Gus I disagree about building a municipal campground at the confluence of the two rivers... its a bad location for safety (from criminals and the river current) and scenery and who would want to make their stay under the clouds of pollution across the river, especially if they are elderly and had breathing problems (good way to kill a good idea)... CN trains banging back and forth in the yard all night and the buzz of the mills keeping you awake... that location makes no sense other than its cheep land on the river... cheep land gets you cheep and not great.

The city owns Fish Trap Island lands, so we wouldn't have the land expense we would at the confluence of the two rivers... the confluence of the two rivers location doubles the cost of a municipal campground... and really that is the only alternate location on the river.

I disagree this is a waste of money when its a project that would likely pay its own way with campground fees... I would argue that it'd be hard for a tourist to get a camp spot anyways, because the locals would be booking them up for themselves through the summer months for evening hideaways and places to get away, but still be close to work the next day (this would never happen on River Road, but would at Fish Trap Island)....

Its strange how we will spend 5 times what would be needed for a municipal camp ground to beautify 4th avenue for pawn shops that will not draw a single tourist to this town, where as a municipal campground gives tourism in PG a fighting chance... IMO it all comes down to priorities of city council.

Pollution????

Fish Trap Island??????

Asphalt plants?????

Remember the asphalt plants. Just upriver a bit from those pesky things. I live further away from them than fishtrap island is and can smell it.

Railway???? I thought the main line goes right by there. The back channel there is about 200 to 300 metres removed from the ril line according to a measurement taken from Google earth. The back channels in Cottonwood Island Park - specifically the shelter - are 500 metres from the rail at the bridge. The property frontage on River road is about 250 metres from the rail.

Two asphalt plants are within 1.2 km from the main part of fishtrap island and the shelter at Cottonwood is 1.8 km from the refinery.

The wind blows from west to east downriver more frequently than it blows from east to west at the refinery. An inversion is not needed to pick up the smell from the apshalt plants. A low wind from the west is all that is needed.

The refinery is 24/7 and a thousand times worse than an asphalt plant... the milling noise from Lakeland and the pulp mills up river and the moving of cars back and forth in the CN yard is far far on a significant scale worse then the limited noise of a train passing by 4-times a day.

The only reason to pick the Klien site is because the 'everything has to be downtown lobby' that in effect kills everything that could be good for PG unless it involves public dollars for the downtown. On every other scale that I can conceive of the Kline site fails the comparison test... especially the cost aspect.

Only in PG would we see locating a tourism RV park in the middle of an industrial site as a better location than a safe residential area of town with excellent greenbelt, trails access, and river frontage. I think for Gus it would have more to do with municipal politics than anything that like picking the right location for the intended purpose of maximizing a municipal campground's full potential.

BTW I just realized Kline has the rights to both locations lol....