Council Meeting tonight , Monday April 13th 6:00pm

The agenda package can be read at:

https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?ID=4688

Letter to Council and Public regarding Fire Hall #1

In recent Council meetings it would seem that some of our present Council, and city staff, are firmly committed to sell our Heritage Fire Hall #1 building.  It appears the time is now for you to ask Cranbrook citizens for input into this momentous decision to determine the fate of OUR heritage building.  I will include a brief description of its inception for those of you who may not have heard of the building’s early history.

In 1929 the new Council, under the leadership of Mayor Roberts, broached the subject of the need for a new fire hall. By early March Council had decided to draw up a by-law to raise $31,000, by the sale of debentures, to build the fire hall and to submit the question to the ratepayers for their approval.

Complete details of the By-Law No. 388 were printed in the March 14^th Cranbrook Courier.  Cranbrook citizens were given the opportunity to vote, by ballot, to accept this By-Law on March 25^th. The vote carried with a resounding 90% in favour of borrowing the funds so that Cranbrook could now have a fire hall worthy of the growing community. Mayor Roberts and his Council enjoyed the confidence of the ratepayers.

This was to be a totally Cranbrook-built fire hall. The design was by City Superintendent Philpot and the City Works Department, plans drawn up by Colborne, a Cranbrook businessman, and local builder Jones won the construction bid and used locally processed lumber and Cranbrook bricks.

The Cranbrook Courier of November 11, 1929 proudly displayed a photo of the new fire hall labelling it “The Lasting Structure”.  Since then the paper frequently reported on Cranbrook’s fire hall, the men who worked there and the adjoining gardens. It became a place people were encouraged to visit.  For several years it also provided a home for Fire Chief Gordon and his family.

Through the ensuing years Councils had the foresight to purchase the properties belonging to MacPherson’s Funeral Home, the Baptist Church, the Knights of Pythias building, the Masonic Hall and a small home that was preventing the City owning a continuous frontage on 11^th Avenue.  How fortunate our City Fathers of the day had this foresight as it allowed our City Hall to be expanded, a small park to be developed, parking for the firemen and lots on which to build our present Police Station.  In 1986 our Fire Hall #1 gained protection by Heritage Designation.

Our present Council, and staff, appear to be in a rush to push through the sale of the Fire Hall.  I was amazed to read Kevin Weaver’s report, on the City webpage, recommending the building be sold and this was before any Cranbrook groups had the opportunity to make presentations to Council. Other recent Councils would have suggested that the question of what to do with this Heritage building be passed along to their Wellness and Heritage Committee for input.  These Council committees were set up to provide exactly this type of feedback to you.  In your rush to put the building on the market you seem to have precluded taking this obvious step.

So now the time appears to have come for you to decide, what should happen to our building.  I have not heard any mention of going back to the public for our thoughts on this.  The citizens of Cranbrook voted to borrow the money to build this civic building. Even if present Council does not legally have to reengage the public, and gain its input, surely you and your present Council members must feel that it’s only morally right to do so.

So please, as a member of Council, don’t be too ready to break up the area of OUR city-owned properties or to dispose of one of OUR few remaining taxpayer-owned heritage buildings. I ask you to carefully consider whether, or not, you undo the careful foresight that has been displayed by the many previous City representatives in your Council positions.

Dave Humphrey

What's Happening.......

Library Display for April
Easter
Courtesy Kathy Simon

Until April 24th

Cranbrook and District Arts Council presents
A Junior Arts Exhibit
with representation from every Cranbrook Elementary School

Saturday April 11th

Midsummer Night's Dream
Globe on Screen
Columbia Theatre
10:00am

Cranbrook Farmer's Market
Ktunaxa Gym
10:00am to 1:00pm
Fresh produce already!

Back by popular demand
Cranbrook and District Arts Council
Zentangle Workshop with Cindy Hagen
$25 includes kit
phone 250-426-4223 to register

Folk Legend
Ian Tamblin
at the Stage Door
7:30pm
Tickets 250-421-7802

Symphony of the Kootenays
Classic Greatness
Key City Theatre
Piano soloist Susan Gould
7:30pm

Wednesday April 15th

Go Go Grannies presents
War Torn Health Care
Cathy Eaton will share her experiences nursing
in war torn Democratic Republic of Congo
COR lecture Theatre
7:00pm

Thursday April 16th

Canadian Federation of University Women
Artist Joseph Cross presents a Slide presentation of
Places and Paintings of David Thompson
created for the David Thompson Legacy Project
Room 189
College of the Rockies
7:00pm

Saturday April 18th

Swan Lake
Royal Ballet
Columbia Theatre
10:00am

Young Artists Reception
Cranbrook and District Arts Council Gallery
12:00noon to 2:00pm

Health Perks of Arts and Crafts

From Time Magazine

http://time.com/3814104/adults-arts-and-crafts/?xid=newsletter-brief

The Health Perks of Arts and Crafts for Adults
Alexandra Sifferlin @acsifferlin
April 8, 2015

Just as coloring books for adults are starting to fly off the shelves, a new study suggests that older adults who do creative activities like arts and crafts could delay the development of memory problems in old age.

The study, which is published in the journal Neurology, looked at 256 people who were between 85 to 89 years old and did not have any memory related problems at the start of the study. The men and women were followed for four years. The people in the study reported their levels of engagement in the arts, including painting, drawing, sculpting, woodworking, ceramics, quilting and sewing. They also estimated their social life—hanging out with friends, traveling, and attending book clubs and Bible studies—as well as their computer use, which included searching the Internet and buying things online.

People who exercised their artistic muscle were 73% less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment, a condition that can mean memory problems and reduced mental function, than those who didn’t partake in artistic activities. People who did a lot of crafts like woodworking and quilting were 45% less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment than people who did not, and computer users were 53% less likely to develop it compared to adults who didn’t use the computer. Social adults were 55% less likely to have memory problems later on than their antisocial peers.

Kathyn Teneese on Breakdown of the Treaty Process

Premier Clark Just Broke More than the Treaty Process

http://www.thetyee.ca/Opinion/2015/04/04/Premier-Clark-Just-Broke-More-Than-Treaty-Process/

Her recent moves risk a generation of effort, collaboration and goodwill.

By Kathryn Teneese, 4 Apr 2015, TheTyee.ca 

When Premier Christy Clark came to visit the Ktunaxa Nation Government Building last summer, she was all smiles. It was the first time we hosted a premier in our new government building. We had recently purchased the former headquarters of a forestry company that was bought out and no longer operates in our territory. There were smiles, handshakes and photos, too, and while we were not able to discuss anything substantive, we had a forum for discussions.

With the Premier's recent decision to pull support for the new Chief Commissioner of the BC Treaty Commission, no one is smiling now. There are more things that are broken than the treaty process in B.C. The province has broken trust and broken our relationship. Premier Clark is dangerously close to cutting the last thread of goodwill with First Nations, squandering a generation of effort to settle old partisan scores -- or was it a "principled policy decision?" As far as we're concerned, neither is helpful.
What we are left with is a reality that the Ktunaxa Nation, currently in stage four of the six-stage treaty process, could be minus one partner at the negotiation table. ......

The cloud of uncertainty that hangs over the province's economy has once again grown darker with the reckless decision to scuttle the treaty process without any discussions with the partners to the tripartite process.
The Premier's recent actions do not appear to be supportive of treaties, reconciliation or First Nations. This is evidenced by her government's support of projects like Site C and the Jumbo Glacier Resort, which are egregiously detrimental to First Nations' lives and culture.
She has seriously damaged any relationships that may have existed in Indian country, and that is a major liability for a province seeking economic development and for a society committed to social justice, recognition and reconciliation.

To read the entire article go to the link above.

Easter at Fort Steele

Fun was had by all on a glorious Easter Sunday at Fort Steele.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter

Cranbrook’s fire hall is a public building and a public building it should remain

Cranbrook’s fire hall is a public building and a public building it should remain

Perceptions by Gerry Warner   

It was early in 1929 when citizens of the fledgling community of Cranbrook took a big step into the future.

At issue was a false-fronted, wooden building next door to City Hall that served as the city’s third fire hall in pioneer days. A bent-up, old crow-bar hung in front of the building and when a fire broke out someone would bang on it until the loud clanging roused the volunteer fire team into action and they would trundle off with a hose and reel to the source of the flames.

But on March 25, 1929 the far sighted citizens of Cranbrook decided they needed something better and reached deep into their pockets and by a margin of 269 to 27 approved a bylaw to build a new $31,000 fire hall. Thirty-one thousand dollars was a lot of money on the verge of the Great Depression, but an editorial in the March 28, 1929 Cranbrook Courier congratulated the City on its move.

The real civic booster, the editorial said, “is the fellow who at all times is interested in all things for community betterment . . . he realizes that the success of the whole community is his individual success. Likewise, he makes his individual success reach out in good uses for the entire community.”

Oh that we had such far-sighted civic boosters in Cranbrook today!

Then again, maybe we do. At a recent City Council meeting an item was pulled from the agenda at the last minute that would have resulted in the city’s ornate, heritage, downtown fire hall being put up for sale to the highest bidder. This despite the fact that the previous Council had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Cranbrook District Arts Council (CDAC) to potentially repurpose the building as an Arts Centre and Gallery. A new Council, of course, is entitled to set its own priorities, but in moving so quickly to tear up the MOU to explore the possibility of creating the city’s first true, stand-alone arts centre and gallery can the current council claim to be acting in good faith? Hardly.

What’s the hurry here?

Since 1972, the CDAC has worked its buns off to elevate Cranbrook as the artistic centre of the region by promoting local artists, staging artistic exhibitions and bringing renowned artists to the community. Just look at this season alone: “Let Them Run,” an exhibition of paintings and sculpture dedicated to the restoration of the ancient Kootenay salmon runs. “Small Glories,” an in-house folk concert, “Stories of the Yukon,” by a renowned northern story teller and a “Junior Arts Exhibition” by local kindergarten to Grade 6 budding artists.

Not every exhibition draws a good crowd, but this is partly because the cramped, rented facility operates in a space that looks more like an office than a gallery.

But think what it would be like if the arts council operated out of a downtown, heritage building with the space to show major exhibitions like the Touchstones Museum of Art and History in Nelson, a city only half the size of Cranbrook.

In anticipation of Council falling through on the MOU, the CDAC has been furiously fund-raising and applying for every possible grant they can obtain to create a facility that would do Cranbrook proud and give the city a sensibility it now lacks and would add another civic attraction.

It would be as the Courier editorial writer said a facility for “community betterment” and “reach out in good uses for the entire community.” The Cranbrook Fire Hall was built as a public building, paid for by the public and served the public for more than half-a-century. That’s how it should remain. It would be a sacrilege to sell this building off for private use.

Gerry Warner is a retired journalist and former Cranbrook City Councillor.

News from Wildsight

Branch AGM Reminder and Events 2015 Wildsight Kimberley/Cranbrook Branch AGM Everyone is invited to attend our AGM on Wednesday April 15th 2015! If you are interested in what has been happening at Wildsight Kim/Cran or perhaps would like to mingle with some great folks, this meeting and mingle is a great opportunity to do just that. The evening will look like this: 7:00pm AGM agenda – Financials, Elections for Board of Directors, Summary of 2014 projects, and Discussions 8:00pm or earlier depending on length of the AGM portion; mingle with snacks and beverages! We will be hosting at the Wildsight Kimberley/Cranbrook office upstairs at 495 Wallinger Ave. Kimberley BC We look forward to seeing you there! Come out to the Open Gate Garden! Willow Weaving Work Bees April 18th and 19th 9am - noon Spring has sprung and that means it’s time to get out and play in the garden together! The first organized effort of the season will be a fun opportunity to learn more about the art of weaving willow. We will be reinforcing the Garden’s defenses against the local ground squirrel population and beautifying the existing chain-link. Goals: Weave willow, dogwood & cottonwood branches around the lower perimeter of the Garden Fill additional fence openings with woven recycled rubber Decide on the first priorities for spring plantings

Concerning the Arts and The Fire Hall

This open letter was also sent to us from the Hephers who now reside in Fernie. 

 Honourable Mayor and Council of Cranbrook,

As a former resident of Cranbrook (2001-2011), an artist, and a business owner (2003-present) I feel I have a unique perspective on the arts and the community. I have been heavily involved in arts and communities in Cranbrook, as well as in our new neighbouring home of Fernie. These two communities are so radically different that it is difficult at time to make comparisons or find parallels, but one thing that doesn’t change is that ALL businesses are creative at some level, and having a community that embraces and values the creative process is a huge asset to creating a vibrant and unique place to live.

In simple terms, businesses arise from someone spotting a need, and finding a creative way to fill it. When we were looking for a home for a new branch of our business (which we operated in Cranbrook from 2003-2011) and started looking for a storefront and chatting with people about it in Cranbrook, the kind response we got could largely be distilled to ‘Why would you do that?’. There was a lack of understanding about what we were trying to achieve that was so strong we decided to explore other options. 

Just up the road, Fernie offered a very different response: “Why not!” was the de facto response to our idea. What was our idea? To open a retail space for local artists and create a visible, working studio for my work in historic printing and print-making. In Fernie, all of these things were seen as contributing to the vibrancy, uniqueness, and therefore value of the downtown core and community as a whole. As a result, we packed up our family and moved one hour down the road to settle in Fernie. Despite the fact that the cost of living is higher here, Fernie has provided a supportive, nurturing and fiscally viable community to build our business in. The local arts council has supported us in many ways, partnering with us on projects, connecting us with customers, and including us in ongoing programs and participational opportunities that help us grow and connect in more ways than we can fathom.

The local community was divided about the project that moved the train station across the tracks, and rebuilt it for the purpose of the arts, but there was enough business, public sector, and community support to make it happen, and the community has never looked back. That building currently provides a foundation for artists, workshop space, arts guild space, concert space, gallery space, and even a restaurant. It has been a springboard for many local artisans. A quick count shows at least 4 downtown businesses that got their start as students at the Arts Station (The Arts Co-op, Clawhammer Press, The Pottery Hut and Angela Morgan Gallery) All of these things mean that arts funding that arrives in Fernie ends up being very efficiently used in the community to further understanding, education, appreciation and articulation of many forms of arts. This in turn creates a community that supports and encourages businesses and artisans to create opportunities for themselves. Artisans who create opportunities for themselves bring tourism dollars to the town, as well as cultural enrichment, and quality of life. The bottom line is that the Arts Station contributes to the town in all ways: Fiscally, culturally, educationally.

Additionally, art helps a community to define and identify itself. I feel that the Spirit Tree sculpture and the Reconciliation Sculpture (both of with I was part of designing as an artist team with Paul Reimer) have contributed in tangible ways to help give Cranbrook a public identity. The year after the Spirit Tree was installed (ironically the sculpture itself was paid for by a private donation) a 6-foot replica of it was built for the Cranbrook float to send to parades at every community parade in the Kootenays. Former mayor Scott Manjak, who was in office when it was erected, said that he felt the Spirit Tree did more than any other single thing to help give the community an identity. In Fernie, just one of the projects that happens annually is the Banner Project, which puts a banner with locally made and carefully curated art from the community on every lamp standard in the downtown core and along the highway. These banners help visitors and locals alike see how the community views itself, as well as adding beauty and vibrancy to core areas of town.

All of these things are part of making a community a rich place. Certainly art is not part of everyone’s life, but but there are many people in Cranbrook who are looking for those opportunities. To keep an body healthy you need to provide nutrients to all organs and extremities, and a city is very similar. With a permanent home, the Kootenay Ice have thrived in Cranbrook. Having a permanent home for the Arts Council will be a similar and a significant part of creating a community with rich depth and breadth, a place where businesses as well as artisans will want to build and grow. It also creates opportunities for young families and teens to create, to do something positive and creative. 

Overall, I wish for Cranbrook that this opportunity to save a heritage building and to create a permanent space for the local arts council is not missed. It will without a doubt make a real, tangible difference to the fabric of the community individuals and businesses alike. The Arts Council in Fernie is a big part of why we moved here, and now our business is growing and thriving to the point where we are providing job opportunities to people inside and outside our region, and drawing money to our community from all over Western Canada. Perhaps we would not have had to move if there were similar opportunities in Cranbrook. 

Thank you for your time, I encourage you to make a long-sighted decision and not miss this opportunity to create a permanent home for the arts in Cranbrook.

Regards,

michael hepher

Clawhammer Letterpress & Gallery

**************

www.clawhammer.ca

shop: 778.519.5010

cell: 250.946.6400

michael hepher

Clawhammer Letterpress & Gallery

**************

www.clawhammer.ca

shop: 778.519.5010

cell: 250.946.6400