6 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer August 19, 2005

PERSPECTIVE

is independently owned and operated and is published weekly by Elinor Florence.

Box 868, #8, 1008 - 8th Avenue, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0Phone (250) 341-6299 Toll Free 1-877-341-6299Fax (250) 341-6229 Email: upioneer@telus.net

www.uppercolumbiapioneer.com

Bob EdeCreative Director

Lisa EdeCreative Director

Dave SutherlandAdvertising Sales

is independently owned and operated and is published weekly by Elinor Florence.

is independently owned and operated and

PIONEERThe Upper Columbia

Elinor FlorencePublisher

Adrian BerglesReporter

Shannon CrossOffi ce Manager

Th e material, written or artistic may not be reprinted or electronically repro-duced in any way without the written consent of the publisher. Th e opinions and statements in articles, columns and advertising are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff of Th e Upper Columbia Pioneer. It is agreed by any display advertiser requesting space that the newspapers responsibility, if any, for errors or omissions of any kind is limited to the amount paid for by the advertiser for that portion of the space as occupied by the incorrect item and there shall be no liability in any event greater than the amount paid for the advertisement.

Historical Lens

Circa 1923 Photo from the Ede Family Collection.

By Elinor FlorencePioneer Publisher

Th e report presented to Invermere council this week should have come as no surprise.

Th e fi rst draft of a report commissioned by Inver-mere council and mostly paid for by three large devel-opers merely restates what observers and residents have been saying for several years, and more vociferously, in recent months: “We’re running out of water.”

In fact, that was the headline in a Pioneer article six months ago when a previous report referred to the limited ability of Paddy Ryan Lakes to support the ex-pected volume of development.

Council’s response at that time was to berate the editorial writer for being too pessimistic and to con-tinue on its merry way, issuing building permits and entertaining new proposals from developers.

Th e town redoubled its eff orts to fi nd groundwa-ter in Athalmer but so far hasn’t struck the deep aqui-fer that is believed to have enough volume and quality to service the whole town.

However, it’s far too serious a situation to take any pleasure in saying we told you so. Th e council, staff and permanent residents of Invermere are now in a real bind.

We can’t issue new development permits because we don’t have enough water, and we can’t pay for a water system big enough to service new development without asking the developers.

Our town is too small to raise enough money through taxes and too small to qualify for the big bank loans needed to pay for it ourselves.

Moreover, there are some legal and ethical issues around clamping down on building permits when we have already given the green light to some develop-ments.

We have let the problem go on for so long that we practically don’t have enough water for our own use. Th e report suggests the water shortage could become “critical” by next summer, even without new develop-ment.

It’s a complex issue and one that will be the talk of the whole valley for months to come.

Th e situation has an upside: in the long term, it has created an opportunity for council and developers to get together and fi nd solutions to the water short-age before it gets any worse.

In the short term, there’s only one thing we can do: save water.

Bob FriesenAdvertising Sales

Report dashes

cold water on

town council

By Bob EdePioneer Staff

Th e draft report from Urban Systems has hit town offi cials and developers like a hammer.

Growth and building starts have been unprec-edented within the past fi ve years, with additional development being proposed to see the town of Inver-mere potentially grow to an estimated population of 10,000 by the year 2010.

Th e question is can the municipality sustain and service this growth? Will infrastructure keep pace with development? Th e report warns of potential problems with water and sewer, roadways, and quality of life is-sues.

Water is an immense concern, as the report states: “Th e District could face signifi cant, even drastic, wa-ter limitations within the next two years during the months of July and August, assuming the rate of de-velopment as planned by the developers is achieved.”

Th e report explores other water sources and the costs associated with each. Th e town has for some time now been looking for other sources of water. Mean-while developer permits continued to be issued with-out a solution to the water shortage. Th e Invermere mayor and council have stated on many occasions that development will pay for itself.

History shows us that this does not always bear out. Th e town today suff ers with torn-up roads, rising taxes, overcrowded beaches, and downtown brawls. If you think these things have nothing to do with growth, think again. Th ese are signs of a town growing too quickly.

Th e council has previously stated publicly their opposition to the Jumbo Resort development. Perhaps

it now feels that it might be perceived as anti-devel-opment if it doesn’t approve any and all development within town boundaries.

Even without a study, many long-time residents and local newcomers have been concerned about the rate of growth. Th eir concerns are often met by labels levelled by town offi cials and local media, of “NIMBY” (not in my back yard), or “intolerant” and are told at every turn that they just can’t stand change.

Numerous residents have even gone as far as to move away, since Invermere is no longer the town they originally loved. One person even described it like watching a loved one die.

Th e council is now forced to make a diffi cult deci-sion of freezing or limiting building permits and al-lowing only for growth that it can honestly service.

Th is solution is almost a worst-case scenario, and could have dreadful legal consequences for the town. Furthermore, aff ordable housing, if it ever did have the possibility of fruition, will be as good as dead in the foreseeable future. But after four years of an abun-dance of development getting a rubber stamp of ap-proval, it was only a matter of time before the pendu-lum swung - or, more to the point - reality set in.

Th e mayor and council may very well continue to lead us after the upcoming election in November, as it is unclear, given the circumstances, who would want to inherit this mess.

Editor’s Note: Bob Ede is a lifetime resident of Invermere who has serious concerns about the over-development of the valley. He chose to write this piece as a guest editorial because he wishes to ex-press his own viewpoint without speaking on behalf of Th e Pioneer.

GUEST EDITORIALCouncil must get used to change

The Upper Columbia Pioneer • 15August 19, 2005

LAKE WINDERMERE ALLIANCE CHURCH Sunday, August 21st • 10:30 am

Worship and Life Instruction. “True Life and Death.” Children’s Church for ages 3 to 5 and Kindergarten to

Grade 2, during the morning service.Senior Pastor Rev. Dieter Magnus • Associate Pastor Rev. Jared Enns

326 - 10th Avenue, Invermere • 342-9535

WINDERMERE VALLEY SHARED MINISTRYSunday, August 21st

10:15 am Invermere - Christ Church TrinityWorship & Sunday School

New Minister Sandy Ferguson will give his fi rst sermon on Sunday, Sept. 4110 - 7th Avenue, Invermere • 342-6644

VALLEY CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLYSunday, 10:00 am Celebration Service

Children’s church during the message part of the service. Children 4 - 12 years. • Sunday, 7:00 pm Prayer MeetingSenior Pastor Rev. John Cuyler • www.vcassembly.com

Highway 93/95, 1 km north of Windermere • 342-9511

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHCanadian Martyrs Church, Invermere

Saturday, 7:00 pm Mass • Sunday, 9:00 am MassSt. Joseph’s Church, Hwy 93/95 Radium

Sunday, 11:00 am MassSt. Anthony’s Church, Canal Flats • Sunday, 4:00 pm Mass

Father Jose Joaquin712 -12th Ave., Invermere • 342-6167

ST. PETER’S LUTHERAN MISSION OF INVERMERERegular weekly worship services every Sunday at 1:30 pm

Sr. Pastor Rev. Bryan K. SchindeAssoc. Pastor Rev. Fraser Coltman

at Christ Church Trinity 110 - 7th Ave., Invermere • 1-866-426-7564

RADIUM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIPEvery Sunday 10:00 am

Pastor Wayne and Linda Frater Radium Seniors’ Hall • 342-6633

Valley Churches

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Downtown Invermere 342-0402

Invermere Christian Supplies

1229-7th Ave., Invermere 342-6415

Invermere ChristianSupplies

www.invermerechristiansupplies.com

Propane delivers the power. We deliver the freedom

Box 669Invermere, BC V0A 1K0

Bus: (250) 342-0123Fax: (250) 342-0262www.superiorpropane.com

A division of Superior Plus Inc.

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Pioneer Photos

5 x 7 - $7.508 x 10 - $10.0011 x 14 $15.00

Colour or black & white

Phone 341-6299

FAITHBy Dieter MagnusLake Windermere Alliance Church

Many have watched the latest development in the space program with great interest. Th e launch of ‘Dis-covery’ – would everything go safely and smoothly? Th e work on the space station – using the ‘Canada Arm’ (don’t you love it!). Th is is reality television that is powerful, simple and actually is real.

What still amazes me the most when I watch the news coverage of these events are the pictures from space. Th e vastness of what is beyond this earth is in-credible. Th e pictures of earth from space remind us of how small a space we take up in this universe. Who are we? Why are we here?

Here is a poem written by Greg Asimakoupoulos.

Th e Cape Canaveral carnival has only one real ride. It’s called the Shuttle. What a thrill!It travels far and wide.

Th e Shuttle’s fast. You buckle up. Th e lift-off makes you sick. Th e fl ame that thrusts you heavenward is not your common wick.

From out in space you see the earth. It’s round and green and blue. It fi lls each rider with God thoughts. It’s such an awesome view.

But you don’t have to go Mach speed to see God’s grand design. Discovering his handiwork can happen anytime.

Th e complex patterns we observe within a star-fi lled sky are matched by backyard hornets’ nests or redwoods standing high.

Th ere are the lightning bugs that glow

and swallows that return. Th e way the body heals itself, the symmetry of ferns.

Although the view some have from space is really quite amazing. You need not ride Discovery to see what leads to praising.

As we look at the world around us, honest con-sideration leads us to see that intelligent design is far more likely than evolution. Th e mainstream of scien-tifi c thought is moving in that direction. Th e more we learn, the more impossible progressive evolution becomes. If the design of the earth and the universe is intelligent, whose intelligence is it? If the trail leads to God, is it logical to believe He would create and abandon this world without further communication? Would He lay down contradictory beliefs that end up in the same place? Or would He clearly say: “Here I am. Here is the truth. Believe it.”

Th e author of Psalm 19:1-6 writing 3000 years ago said this:

“God’s glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening. Th eir words aren’t heard, their voices aren’t recorded, but their silence fi lls the earth: unspoken truth is spo-ken everywhere. God makes a huge dome for the sun - a superdome! Th e morning sun’s a new husband leap-ing from his honeymoon bed, the daybreaking sun an athlete racing to the tape. Th at’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies from sunrise to sunset, melting ice, scorching deserts, warming hearts to faith.” (“Th e Message” Translation)

In this valley we see an incredible picture of God’s glorious work. On your next hike, on the 12th tee box, or as your boat gets to the middle of the lake, stop! Look around. Soak it in. Enjoy God’s creation and marvel at the creation He has given us to enjoy. Th en answer this question. What might the God who created this want from me?

New Frontiers - Old Truths

COLUMBIA VALLEY HOMES FOR THE BIRDS - Th ese colourful birdhouses are not only an attractive addition to this back yard in Radium, but they are a way of attracting our feathered friends.