At this time, we present our annual year in review, looking back at the events of 2012 as recorded in the pages of the Creston Valley Advance.
September
6 — Creston residents were hit by a rash of break-ins to vehicles and homes on the previous weekend, with cash appearing to be the key interest of the culprits.
“In a number of the incidents, items were stolen and then left nearby,” said RCMP Staff Sgt. Bob Gollan. “The thieves seemed to just be after cash.”
•Josh Hepditch became the new head coach and general manger of the Creston Valley Thunder Cats, and the recent arrival couldn’t be happier with his new home.
“I’m blown away. It’s an extremely friendly, supportive town from what I’ve seen so far,” he said, adding that he and his wife, Kathryn, were invited to spend their first night in town at her employers’ home, even though the Creston PhysioWorks and More owners hadn’t met the couple.
13 — A garage door that was scheduled to be removed as the Ingham Arts and Culture Centre renovations progress was the victim of a runaway construction trailer on Sept. 5.
“Thank goodness it didn’t hit a bearing wall or that no one was walking or cycling on the sidewalk when the trailer came free,” said Simon Lazarchuk, a director of the Friends of the Ingham Arts and Culture Centre Society, the group that took on the challenge of turning the building on Canyon Street at 15th Avenue into a performance and display space.
•Three Creston Valley names were among 13 Nelson-Creston residents nominated for a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Creston’s Phil Thomas and Anne Hepher, and Sirdar’s Shannon Nickisch were selected by a short listing committee that met Sept. 4 to narrow a list of nominations submitted to Nelson-Creston MLA Michelle Mungall’s office in August. From the 13, the public would vote online or by phone to choose the final four.
20 — What started as a homeowner burning grass in an Erickson Road yard led to a house burning to the ground on Sept. 13. Upon arrival, the fire department was met with a house that was significantly involved with fire, an adjacent shed fully involved in fire, as well as a vehicle parked next to the house.
“Due to the size of the fire, the only safe approach was a defensive mode, keeping firefighters outside of the structure,” said Creston Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Michael Moore.
•Two suspects in the recent rash of thefts and break and entries pleaded guilty to six charges on Sept. 17. They left court after receiving $650 fines.
One of the culprits was identified when an RCMP member recognized his face from a surveillance camera photo. He had ridden to the police detachment on a stolen bike. He was arrested and his accomplice was later located at a campsite, where police found some marijuana and a large array of stolen property.
The pair left Creston, returning to Ontario with a parent, who came when notified about the crimes the young men had committed.
•Creston-brewed Budweiser should hit store shelves in the spring of 2013, Labatt Breweries of Canada has announced. To produce Budweiser, an investment of $1.4 million will be made to expand the Columbia Brewery’s capacity and accommodate Bud’s unique brewing process.
•Five years after planting an orchard above Duck Lake, Wynnwood Cellars Estate Winery finally opened its doors to the public.
“We are getting a very positive response,” said winery partner Dave Basaraba. “We wanted to start with a soft opening so that we don’t create do much momentum — we don’t have a huge supply of wine just yet.”
•The Crawford Bay Store started a new chapter in June when it expanded and reopened as the Crawford Bay Market. At 6,000 square feet, the market is more than three times bigger than the original, a converted home that stands next door and has been owned by John Stocker and his sons, Darren, Greg and Wade, since 1983.
This community is just overwhelmed by it,” said general manager Jamie Cox. “Anytime I speak to the community about it, I say this is their market. They just wrapped their arms around that.”
•The Creston Valley Thunder Cats got the 2012-2013 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League season off to a good start when they won their home opener on Sept. 14, beating the Kimberley Dynamiters 6-1.
“As a team, I thought we played really well,” said head coach Josh Hepditch. “The guys really came together.
27 — Highway 21 received a big splash of colour on Sept. 20 when a mural was unveiled on the side of Yaqan Nukiy Heritage Centre, also the home of Legend Logos. Depicting various aspects of the Lower Kootenay Band’s heritage and way of life, the mural was created by six artists — Trina Williams, Rudy Luke, Carol Louie, Julie Draper, Nadine Riehl and Jaylin Louie — overseen by Robert Louie Sr.
“It was a big mix of people bringing their talents together,” said Riehl, a painter whose work can be found on the Canyon-Lister fire hall and Pharmasave.
•Ken Miller is a familiar face in many local volunteer activities — Knights of Columbus, Citizens on Patrol, the Regional District of Central Kootenay Area B advisory planning commission, Creston Valley Blossom Festival, the Canyon water board, New Life Furniture and Recycling and the local housing society — and his efforts were acknowledged by Senator Nancy Greene Raine on Sept. 20.
“His wonderful organizational skills are of great value in our community,” said Greene Raine, representing the government of Canada, in presenting Miller with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
• A motorhome and car were likely write-offs after a collision caused a fire on Sept. 18 in Erickson. Creston Fire Rescue was called to the scene at the corner of Highway 3 and 33rd Avenue South, where a Chrysler Intrepid had gone off the road, striking the motorhome’s propane tank.
“No one was in the motorhome at the time, fortunately,” said fire Chief Bruce Mabin.