History: Motion Picture Machine Lost

Here is a story that many oldtime families of Fish Lake have heard repeated. It happened in July 1924.

Motion Picture Machine Lost

C.P.R. Publicity Photographer Drops $4,000 Camera Into Water of Fish Lake

Mr. J.M. Alexander, official photographer of the C.P.R. publicity department, met with an expensive accident while taking moving and still life pictures of Fish Lake last Monday. Alone in a boat on the lake, Mr. Alexander had lashed his camera, valued at $4,000, in the bow. A squall sprang up and the rolling of his craft broke loose the lashings and let the valuable machine down into twenty feet of water and an unknown depth of Fish Lake mud. The spot was marked and divers from Kamloops sent for but they had no success in locating the lost machine. An expert diver from the coast was then sent for but he met no better luck, finding that when bottom was reached so much mud was stirred up that sight was impossible. Effort after effort proved wasted and now Mr. Alexander is offering $300 to the person who can bring his lost moving picture camera from the depths of the lake.

(Reprint from the Kamloops Sentinel - Friday - July 25, 1924 - page 1)

(Newspapers read at Thompson Rivers University or Kamloops Museum & Archives)

Submitted by Neil Burton

Loki and JoJo

Thanks to LLJ resident and TRU Animal Health Technology instructor Sonia Walczak for drawing our attention to these pets that are ready to be adopted.

From the Animal Health Technology website...

Loki

Loki is a handsome 4 yr old Shepherd cross. He is an energetic dog that enjoys playtime with other dogs and going for long walks. Loki has a curious nature and likes to investigate new things. He gets along well with most dogs (females are best) but is not good with cats. He would do best in a home where he gets lots of daily exercise as well as a consistent routine to help keep him focused.

JoJo

JoJo is a pretty little female that is 2 yrs old. She is an independent kitty that is affectionate on her own terms. JoJo enjoys sitting in the window watching the great outdoors or basking in the sunlight. She is okay with other cats as long as they don't get in her space. JoJo would do best in a quiet, indoor home environment.

Lac Le Jeune's First School

A request was made to the then School District 24, by Mrs. J. Whitaker, in October 1954, for a school at Lac Le Jeune as it was expected that by the next September there would be sufficient pupils. The area now had 6 children, the School District required 8.

The log school sat on the Lodge's property (north-east) corner near the creek. The school building was rented to the SD 24 by the Whitakers.

Fire destroyed the school facility in November 1959 and the 10 pupils took classes in the lodge's dining room.

SD 24 had to move quickly, as the ski season was coming. Back in those days, it appears SD 24 had to seek approval of expenditures, from the City of Kamloops, the Village of North Kamloops and area ratepayers. What SD 24 needed was $4500 for a trailer. Kamloops City Council were in agreement.

In February 1960, finishing touches were being made at SD 24's maintenance shop of a fully equipped trailer-classroom to move to Lac Le Jeune. This would be the second trailer-classroom of SD 24, as one was supplied to the Deadmans Creek area in the Fall 1959.

What would school be without a Christmas concert and Santa and the hospitality of John and Muriel Whitaker the owners of Lac Le Jeune Lodge (Home of fighting Rainbow Trout and downhill skiing)?

In this photo, of the late Reginald Burton, is shown Miss Beulah Philip, a high school student and lodge employee holding a young one to meet SANTA (Alex Seibel), a townsite propertry owner and Kamloops businessman.

Submitted by Neil Burton

(Source: Kamloops Daily Sentinel - read at facilities of Kamloops Museum & Archives and the Thompson Rivers University)

Support the Junior Race Team

The Overlander Ski Club's Junior Race Team can use your help. Support our young athletes by saving and submitting your receipts from Nature’s Fare Market. The Overlander Ski Club receives 3% of the value of the receipts. Last season this added up to $380! The next submission of receipts will be Dec 31.


View Larger Map

A bit of Lac Le Jeune history

Here is a bit of Lac Le Jeune history before forest fires and pine beetle kill.

A native of the Punjab province of India is said to have walked all the way from California, in 1921, to become a resident of Canada, first at Kelowna.

He moved to the Kamloops area, in 1921, engaging in farming.

Later in 1930, he was chopping cordwood and formed Fish Lake Lumber Co. at Lac Le Jeune, in 1938. 1940 saw him develop Punjab Lumber Co. selling it to Terrace Forest Products Ltd. in 1962.

The gentleman was SHER SINGH, who purchased land, in the early 1940s, in the Brocklehurst area of the City of Kamloops. Singh Street is named after him.

Submitted by Neil Burton

(Information located in obituary - Kamloops Sentinel - 08 March 1967 - Wed. - p. 03)

Ski Trails Open December 4

The Stake Lake Ski Trails officially open tomorrow! Most of the ski passes are available at the booth and the debit/Mastercard is in the midst of being set up. Bring cash until the system is up and running. Thanks to Dwayne Geiger for the notice.

Become an Overlander Ski Club member to get regular updates by email.

Injured Swan

If anyone is willing to help the swan that appears to be stranded on large LLJ, please call Kecia at 250-377-8881. Conservation, Wildlife Park, SPCA and various Search and Rescue departments as well as the LL Fire Chief have been contacted for guidance. This is what was gathered:

The Wildlife Park will take the bird if it can be caught. To catch it we will need a flat bottomed fly-fishing type boat. Smaller would be better. We will need 2 people willing to go out in the boat and try to get the bird. Ideally, they would stay in the boat and push themselves out on the ice in case it gives. The boat will need to have a rope that will allow contact with the shore the entire trip and a winch, if possible, to help pull it back to shore. I am willing to go in the boat but need some help…..Everyone in the boat needs proper flotation devices. We will need a large blanket to try to subdue the bird with.

If anyone is willing to try, let’s do this! I work every aft so would have to do it first thing in the morning.

Thanks,
Kecia

Snow Removal @ LLJ

Does anyone know of who may be available to provide snow removal services at LLJ? Would be good for some of us seasonal residents to call ahead of time before we head up for a stay.

Please advise if you know of anyone.

Thanks

2011 Polarthon

Trapping Season

Little Bob + Maggie

Trapping season is almost upon us! There are 3 active traplines in the area so you need to pay attention when out with dogs and children.

Unfortunately, we don't know the locations of traplines. Your best guess is to watch for human tracks off of logging roads. If you are aware of trap locations please let us know!

Thanks to Bev Lorimer for the reminder.

Logging Truck Crash

By now most residents will have seen the pile of logs on Lac Le Jeune Road near the community mailboxes. If you're wondering what happened here is the article in the Kamloops Daily News. 

As Bev Lorimer mentioned to reporters, we have witnessed some fast-moving logging trucks in our area. Thankfully, nobody was seriously injured in the accident.

Gym Membership Anyone?

I don't understand why people drive to Kamloops to workout at a gym when we have everything we need right here in our own community. ;-) Do you know where to find this fantastic outdoor facility?

Ski Passes

It's time to buy your Stake Lake ski pass! Early bird registration is in effect until November 13, 2010. You can purchase your pass and pay for lessons online or by regular post. Check the Overlander Ski Club website for details on season trail passes or value punch cards, and programs offered this year.

NEW! There is now lighting on 4 kilometres of the trail around Stake Lake.


photo by nikkitambo

Lac Le Jeune Annual Pumpkin Hunt

 

Photo by clockwerks

Where: The Cassidy’s house - 3808 Pineridge
When: Saturday October 23rd @ 11:00am - 3:00ish
Who: Any ghosts, goblins or family and friends of Lac Le Jeune residents!!

The pumpkin hunt will start at 11:00 and you MUST (must, must we say), drop off your pumpkins on the Friday at the Cassidy’s house. One per child and this will allow us time to hide them. As in previous years, you may not go home with the same pumpkin that you dropped off. Please explain this to your little goblins!

Chris the clown will be arriving for fun times at 12:30!!

We will be grilling up hot dogs (chicken and beef) along with drinks and snacks.

Come out, meet the neighbours, and join in on the fun and games!!

Hope to see you there,
Casey and Karen

Work Party! Annual Trail Clean Up

It's time to clean up the trails to prepare for the ski season at Stake Lake. The Overlander Ski Club has organized a Work Party for club members to help out.

What: Pull/cut seedlings, move rocks and limbs off trails
When: October 16, 2010
Where: Meet at the Day Lodge at 9:00am
What to bring: Gloves, pruners, and a bow saw might be handy

 

Photo by Alarobric Alan Richards

Stake Lake Observatory Opening

The Kamloops Astronomical Society invites you to the Stake Lake Observatory Opening on Saturday, October 2. The ceremony begins at 6:00pm followed by refreshments, presentation, and a viewing session (weather permitting). Bring a chair and warm clothes. You may also choose to bring your own binoculars or telescope.

6th Annual Fine Art Show

This is show you won't want to miss! Thanks to Pat Burton, a local artist, for passing along the poster. Click on the image for a larger version.

Lac Le Jeune Sunrise

photo by Frank Morton

The Neighborhood Beaver

One of our friends from the beaver lodge on the little lake was enjoying an aspen tree snack a couple of nights ago and I happened to have a camera with me.

Photos by Jenny Perry.

LLJCA Membership

The Lac Le Jeune Conservation Association (LLJCA) membership fees are due. At the Annual General Meeting on August 7, 2010 it was decided to change the fee structure to payment every two years. To renew your membership until July, 2012 or to join LLJCA, print and complete the membership form and mail it along with $10 to:

The Lac Le Jeune Conservation Association
PO Box 5044
Lac Le Jeune, BC V1S 1Y8

Memories of Skippy

Skippy lived a long and happy life at Lac Le Jeune, and sure appreciated all the pats, treats, hugs, and smiles you gave him over the years. He loved to ride in his "skippy mobile", an all terrain/all season stroller that we converted to the perfect solution for a 3-legged dog that wanted to go everywhere with us but couldn't do it on his own. He was photographed in that stroller by so many tourists passing through Lac Le Jeune that he must be in hundreds of photo albums around the world!

Skippy April 13, 1998 - August 6, 2010

Dog missing

During yesterday's thunder storm the Lorimer's dog jumped the fence and has been missing ever since. Kootenay is a German wire-haired pointer, brown and white, and is wearing an orange collar. If you have seen Kootenay please call Sylvia 250-318-2907 or email sylvia@webbedfeat.com

UPDATE August 6th:  Kootenay has been found! Thanks for your help!

Bear Aware

News Release:
Bear Aware Arrives in the Thompson Nicola Regional District

Kamloops. BC (22 July 2010) – Bear Aware is here! The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) is excited to announce a new partnership with the British Columbia Conservation Foundation (BCCF). The popular Bear Aware program will be available to residents of TNRD Member Municipalities and Electoral Areas throughout the summer and into the fall.

Bear Aware is an education program that works with communities to manage bear attractants. Attractants are things that bears eat in our communities such as garbage, tree fruit, bird feeders, pet foods, compost, beehives, barbeques, and almost anything else that is edible. Over 900 habituated bears are killed in BC each year. An habituated bear is a bear that is comfortable around humans. A food-conditioned bear relies on finding food near people. When bears become habituated and/or food-conditioned they may become a safety risk to people. .

Bear Aware is a program of the BCCF. Bear Aware strives to reduce the number of habituated bears and potential bear-human conflicts. The program has been effective in many B.C. communities. TNRD Bear Aware Community Coordinator Katelyn Leitch, plans on running an equally effective program in the TNRD. Katelyn will also be addressing the importance of responsible disposal of household waste as well as the negative environmental impacts of illegal dumping. These duties are unique to the TNRD Bear Aware program and complement some of the recent changes to the Regional District’s Solid Waste Management Plan.

Bear Aware works with communities in many different ways. Presentations, door to door campaigns, and garbage tagging are just a few examples. Bear Aware relies heavily on volunteer participation. If you would like to get involved in any of the above activities, you can contact Katelyn Leitch, TNRD Bear Aware Community Coordinator.

BC is bear country, so we will always be living with bears. We need to manage our attractants to keep bears out of our communities. Bear Aware and the TNRD thanks those residents that have kept their properties free of animal attractants.

To report damage caused by bears or human safety issues as well as illegal dumping, call the RAPP line at: 1-877-952-7277.

Be Bear Aware!
www.bearaware.bc.ca

For more information on how to manage attractants - contact bearaware@tnrd.bc.ca
and Katelyn Leitch at 250-319-6265

Campfires prohibited

This news release was just posted on the Wildfire Management Branch - Ministry of Forests and Range - Website:

KAMLOOPS - Effective at noon July 29, 2010, all open burning, including campfires and fireworks, will be prohibited across the Kamloops Fire Centre's jurisdiction to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety.

The fire danger rating is currently high to extreme across the Kamloops Fire Centre making the risk of a campfire sparking a wildfire a concern to forest officials. Resources from the Kamloops Fire Centre have responded to 55 campfire related incidents so far this season. This takes away valuable resources that are needed to respond to naturally occurring wildfires.

This ban applies to open fires of any size, including campfires, fires with a burn registration number and industrial burning, fireworks, tiki torches and burning barrels.

The ban does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to portable campfire apparatus with a CSA or ULC rating using briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, as long as the flame is kept under 15 centimetres in length.

The ban covers all of the Kamloops Fire Centre's jurisdiction. Within this area, the ban covers all BC Parks, Crown and private lands, but does not apply within the boundaries of local governments that have forest fire prevention bylaws and are serviced by a fire department. Please check with civic authorities for any restrictions before lighting a fire.

Anyone found in violation of an open fire ban, including campfires, may be issued a ticket for $345. Should a wildfire occur as a result of recklessness, a person can be fined up to $1 million or spend three years in prison and be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

The ban will be in place until September 30, 2010, or until the public is otherwise notified.

The Kamloops Fire Centre covers an area from the northern border of Wells Gray Park, north of Blue River to the US border in the south, and from the Bridge River Glacier west of Goldbridge to the Monashee Mountains east of Lumby.

To report a wildfire or unattended campfire please call *5555 on your cell or toll-free 1 800 663-5555.

New Transfer Station Hours

The TNRD has issued new transfer station hours which will begin on Wednesday July 28th. They are following the results of our survey.  

The new hours will be: 

Wednesdays from 8:00 am - 12 noon and on Sundays from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. 
The hours will remain the same throughout the year.

Raw Food Class

Julie Bayman, a recognized Alissa Cohen Raw Food Chef and Instructor from Pure Cuisine, is coming to Lac Le Jeune to offer a Smoothies and Deserts raw food class.

When: August 22, 1:00 - 3:00pm
Where: Lucy Lindros' house

We'll be making chocolate cherry bomb smoothies, banana ice cream, coconut cream pie, and MORE. As part of the day we are also planning a bike ride around the lake in the morning 9:00 - 11:00am to work up an appetite. Optional of course!

If you are interested in taking this class contact Lucy Lindros: lindy17@telus.net

LLJCA Annual General Meeting

Lac Le Jeune Conservation Association 

Annual General Meeting

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Lac Le Jeune Resort

(downstairs - use outside entrance)

10:00am - 12:00pm

A barbecue will follow the meeting

AGENDA

Annual outdoor music concert

All residents of Lac Le Jeune were invited to attend the private music festival tonight. Following the original notice about the concert there was a brief flurry of email from residents. Some individuals were opposed to the idea, citing possible violation of criminal code. Others stepped forward to add their vote of approval, emphasizing that live music in our community is not an everyday event and, furthermore, we were given plenty of notice. 

As of 9am today, the results of the public poll show support for the outdoor music concert, with 76% in favour or indifferent, and 22% opposed:

How do you feel about an annual, evening, outdoor music concert hosted at a LLJ residence?

• I like it 38 (57%)
• I don't like it 15 (22%)
• Doesn't matter to me 13 (19%)

Votes so far: 66

Unfortunately, it's impossible for everyone to be happy with the outcome. Nevertheless, it has been useful to openly discuss issues that are important to us in our community.

Late afternoon concert

If you happen to be out on the lake or wandering down Water Street Thursday, July 8 at 4:30pm, stop to listen to Patchestra, an eight-piece string quartet that will be playing on Hugh and Pat Burton's deck for a private party. What a relaxing way to spend the afternoon!

Happy Canada Day

Happy Canada Day from Skippy and his friends

New B.C. campfire limits start July 1

photo by wharman

News Release: Ministry of Forests and Range

SMALLER CAMPFIRES COME INTO EFFECT CANADA DAY

New regulations that shrink the size of legal campfires will come into effect July 1 to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires, Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell announced today.

“As we head into peak camping season, I want to remind people that more than 850 fires resulted from careless human behaviour in 2009. That number must come down,” said Bell. “We want people to enjoy the great outdoors, but not at the cost of public safety.”

Under the new regulations, campfires cannot be larger than 0.5 metres in height and 0.5 metres in diameter, or approximately a foot-and-a-half by a foot-and-a-half. Previously, campfires were permitted to a maximum size of one-metre by one-metre.

The new rules also require campers to build a fireguard around their fires by scraping down to the dirt and clearing away potentially flammable debris, such as twigs, leaves and needles. A shovel or at least eight litres of water must be stored nearby to extinguish the fire.

Provincial staff will begin educating campers about the new regulations during the Canada Day long weekend, giving people an opportunity to learn about the changes. As summer progresses, failure to comply with the new rules will result in a $345 fine. An additional $345 fine will be levied for campfires lit during a ban.

“Make no mistake. If we catch people being careless and causing wildfires this summer, we will aggressively pursue penalties for those responsible,” said Bell. “The message we want to deliver is that we take wildfires seriously – and so should you.”

An advertising campaign has been launched to reinforce the province’s zero tolerance for people who start wildfires. A new website, www.firesafebc.ca, is also available that encapsulates all provincial information related to wildfire activity, campfire bans, health advisories and evacuation orders.

Facebook and Twitter users can follow the latest wildfire information at BCForestFireInfo (www.facebook.com) and BCGovFireInfo (www.twitter.com).

Since April 1, fire crews have responded to 310 fires across the province, of which 260 were human-caused. Anyone who causes a wildfire through arson or recklessness can be fined up to $1 million or spend three years on prison.

To report a wildfire or unattended campfire, call *5555 on your cellphone, or toll-free to
1 800 663-5555.

Young fly fishers of Lac Le Jeune

We have some young and very skilled fly fishers in our community! These trout were caught in May and June.

Jennee Lindsay

Foster Wynne (with Pepper)

Park Educational Programs

The Lac Le Jeune provincial park offers free educational programs. The Jerry's Rangers program is a great way for kids to learn about local plants, insects, and wildlife. They also have safe camping and hiking classes. The information is posted at the kiosk at the park entrance. Here are two upcoming events:

Many Faces of Lac Le Jeune
Sunday, June 27 at 7:30pm, Amphitheatre

Jerry's Rangers Careful Camper
Monday, June 28 at 3pm, Day Use Area

Reminder: Community Garage Sale!

The Lac Le Jeune Community Garage Sale is tomorrow!

Saturday June 26th - 9:00am - 4:00pm

Remember to put up signs, especially at the end of your street. Balloons help, too!

Big Brothers and Sisters will pick up 'leftovers' from the Garage Sale on the June 28th. Post a comment here on the blog if you'd like for your house to be a pick-up location.

Thanks to Karen for organizing this event.

Twice as Many Rainbows

This evening we had a double rainbow at Lac Le Jeune!

Bear Aware

photo by Lucy Lindros

Sonia Walczak contributed some excellent advice to the recent email broadcast to the the Lac Le Jeune Conservation Association about bears in the community. She reminds us that "education is the key and many folks that move up here from urban centers may not know just how easy it is to live with the bears". Sonia shared a link to the BC Bear Aware website.

Are you willing to help to raise awareness in our community? Contact the Kamloops Bear Aware Community Coordinator who is willing to assist local volunteers in identifying and resolving bear-related issues. The responsibility to manage bear-human conflicts rests with everyone!

Kamloops
Rishelle Klassen | 250 828 3379 | bearaware@kamloops.ca

Lac Le Jeune Transfer Station Hours

We encourage all Lac Le Jeune residents to complete this survey to help with future planning.

Rainbow Sighting

Lac Le Jeune has had lots of much needed rain during the last week, so it was nice to have a little break from it this afternoon. The sun came out briefly and conditions were just right for a faint rainbow...and then the rain continued.

Open Fire Bans in Kamloops Fire Centre

Effective at noon June 1, 2010, medium and large-sized open fires will be prohibited within the Kamloops Fire Centre’s jurisdiction to help prevent human-caused wildfires and limit the impact of smoke.

Specifically it refers to:

• Waste, slash or other burning, whether piled or unpiled, larger than one metre in height and one metre in width.
• More than two piles of waste, slash or other burning, whether piled or unpiled, of any size.
• Stubble or grass burning over any area.
• Fireworks, including firecrackers.

This ban does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to open fires, including campfires, that are one metre by one metre or smaller.

Check the Wildfire Management Branch of the BC Ministry of Forests and Range website for full details about fire restrictions and bans. 

June 5: Hazardous Household and e-Waste Day

June 5: Hazardous Household and e-Waste Day

10 am to 3 pm - 800 Mission Flats Rd

Dispose of electronic waste products and household chemicals for FREE! On June 5th the City together with the TNRD will be holding a free drop-off day for residents with household hazardous waste and electronic products, including:

• Electronic wastes such as computers and all computer related products and peripherals, TV's, photocopiers, large printers, cell phones
• Products normally accepted at the Product Care Depot 

and products that cannot be accepted at the Product Care Depot such as:

• Products that cannot be identified (unknowns)
• Products that are leaking or improperly sealed
• Agricultural products (pesticides, herbicides)
• Insect repellents, disinfectants and pet products
• Diesel, propane, butane fuels
• Fertilizer
• Acids, cleaners, bleach, and other corrosive materials

This TNRD brochure (PDF) lists acceptable and unacceptable items (click image for a bigger view):

 Thanks to Jim Phillips for this information.

Community Yard Sale

Rain or shine!

When: Saturday June 26, 9am - 4pm
Where: Lac Le Jeune

photo by j.sanna

Seedlings

The tree planting crew has left us with a gift! At the back of the Burton's house (enter Rainbow Street side) there are 3 boxes with seedlings: spruce, fir, and pine. Help yourselves! Then be sure to close the boxes and cover with the tarp to keep them cool.

Here are some steps for planting seedlings:
- Dig a hole wide and deep enough to cover the root system, and remove rocks and other debris from hole
- Handle seedlings by the base of the stem
- Lower gently into hole, being careful not to bend roots
- Cover with soil and tap with toe to remove air pockets.
- Create a mulched area around the tree. Wood chips, pine and needles work well

Claire Lindros - Belly Dancer

Have you ever seen an outstanding belly dancer? You don't need to go far! Claire Lindros has been busy this past year teaching belly dancing at Let's Move dance studio in Kamloops. Some Lac Le Jeune residents have been talking about how much fun it would be to take lessons close to home. It can be arranged! Send a note to Claire: cbear_7@hotmail.com

ICE OFF 2010

Here's the end of the movie, folks! Thanks to Steve Roy for posting part 2, and helping to keep our records straight. The official date for 2010 is Friday, April 30.

Lisa Van Shie-Wynne

On Saturday, April 24th we lost a beautiful and strong member of our community. Lisa Van Shie-Wynne passed away peacefully in her home. She was just 44 years old.

Members of the Lac Le Jeune community will remember Lisa participating in many outdoor activities. She competed in nordic ski races, and following the birth of her first son, Evan, she continued to ski faster than any of us could imagine -- even while pulling Evan in a pulk! We saw Lisa playing tennis, swimming across the lake, running, cycling, building snowmen with Evan and Foster, out walking with her dogs and family, gardening.... She'd always have a big smile on her face. Lisa was involved in helping her kids and others enjoy sports by coaching speed skating and x-country skiing. She loved to be with her family and to spend time outdoors. We all admired her strength and determination; she lived her life like she was planning to stay.

The service will be held at the Holy Family Parish on Monday, May 3rd at 1:00pm.
Here are some links to heart-warming photos and stories about Lisa:
In Memorium
Schoenings condolences

This photo was taken in 2005 in front of the skating oval on Lac Le Jeune with some of the original River City Racers.
Left to right back row – Lisa Van Shie-Wynne, Sara Spence, Eric Spence
Left to right front row – Evan Wynne, Tori Spence, Josie Spence, and Foster Wynne.

Sorting recyclables

Ever wonder what happens to your recyclables after you take them to the Lac Le Jeune Transfer Station? This short video shows the sorting process.

Equipment for hire

Do you have a use for an excavator or dump truck? Contact Ed Duffy: revcon2006@gmail.com, 250-372-3370

Looking for Friends, Part 2

Some of you will recall Looking for Friends, Part 1 starring Benji and the lynx. Watch who came to visit this time!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

ICE OFF - the movie

There have been some questions about the accuracy of the Lac Le Jeune ICE OFF records. This year Steve, operator of the Lac Le Jeune webcam, decided to record this historical event. Here you have it folks, ICE OFF -- the movie! This section only covers April 12 - 17, 2010. Stay tuned! It can only get better!

Ice Off

Well, it's that time of year again when we inspect the shore line each day to see if the ice is receding and watch for pools of water forming on top. It's a daily topic of conversation for LLJ residents out on their walks. Will it be earlier this year than last? We're always hopeful on days like today with that nice, warm breeze.

Well don't hold your breath! Mike Brugger drilled a hole 5' in front of his wharf and the ice was 21" thick. His report: "Sorry, but NO fishing this weekend."

Last year we posted ice off dates back to 1982.

Community Fuel Management Plan, update #3

This is an update prepared by
Tim Cole, RPF
Lonely Mountain Consulting Co.
tim.cole@telus.net

250-377-7654office

250-318-3196cell

I am pleased to inform you that we are approximately 60% finished the fuel management plan and are on time and on budget. There are now significant changes observable in the community and so far, we have had tremendous positive feedback. We have been completing the sites as conditions allow as the ground is still frozen in many sites and we will complete these in the next few weeks. Many of you are also aware of the fire guard that we constructed south of the community on the ridge that can only be seen from viewpoints north of Lac le Jeune, however very little is visual from the community itself. The guard does cross the trail accessing the top of the ski hill as well as the old road accessing Ridge Lakes on the west side of the ski hill. If you are crossing the guard or are inclined to walk or ride on the guard, please use caution as there are numerous hazards such as lose logs and small stubs that can sneak up a pant leg and do some damage. We will be moving a hand crew to go through in the spring and remove these stubs, but please be careful in the meantime. The construction of the multi-use trail on the main guard will also be completed when the ground thaws.

There has been some discussion in the community regarding the construction of a multi use access trail on the south side of the lake that will access properties on Lookout, Marmot, Osprey and Ridgemont and I wanted to inform all concerned that our fuel management plan does not address this issue and we have no plans or budget to construct a trail. I did not add this proposed trail into my initial proposal and referrals, so it would have to follow a separate approval process.

We are happy to see the popularity of the firewood that has been made accessible to the residents as well as the kind gestures to the crews. Currently there is firewood available on the Park Dr West Road near the cattle guard. Next week, there will be firewood available at the end of the Walloper Lake Road near the wildlife fence/gate. Please refrain from cutting firewood yourself while the crews are on site as this is a safety issue for yourself and the crew. If you enter the worksite you are under the supervision of the site crew leader and need to follow their instructions to maintain a safe work site. H.I.S. also incurs liability for all people on site including visitors and visitors with chain saws is not acceptable. You are welcome to cut firewood from designated logs set aside after hours when the crews are gone and still welcome to collect pre-cut firewood while the crews are on site. Thank you for your understanding. Also, please do cut logs that are left on site and generally away from the road as these are prescribed for wildlife and soil conservation purposes as well as any standing trees on site. All dead and/or dangerous trees close to the road will be removed and all remaining standing timber has been prescribed to be there. If there are logs along the ditchline, you are free to cut and remove this as firewood.

The main access road will be treated within the next two weeks as we are waiting for it to be mostly snow free. Please watch for warning signs, trucks and crews along the road as we all travel this route a bit faster than the internal residential roads where the crews have been so far.

As this plan addresses fuels outside our property boundaries and tactical suppression in the event of a wildfire, we also need to address fuels on our own properties to enhance the plan overall. Some of us have had the pine beetle do this work for us, however there many other things we can do. Here is a link to a Fire Smart brochure (PDF) from the Ministry of Forests that has some very good information for rural residents. The more residents that fire smart their properties, the more effective our fuel plan as a whole becomes, reducing the threat of catastrophic loss of our homes and community.

Thanks to everybody for the positive and constructive feedback and understanding as this project continues. Please call or email me if you have any questions or concerns and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.

Pine Grosbeaks

This important information about Pine Grosbeaks is from Bev Lorimer and Edel Mattfeld.

In the past week there have been a number of deaths of pine grosbeaks. They are the male red/gray birds and the mustard/gray coloured females. I have been quite concerned as I have been feeding them all winter and feel some responsibility as to their well being. At first I wondered if it had something to do with the cleanliness of the feeders but Ross and I are very careful about that. We use only black oiled sunflower seeds from Purity Feeds. I feed a large population of common redpolls, chickadees, evening grosbeaks and pine grosbeaks. They remain healthy.

Today I called a local veterinary clinic and spoke to one of the technicians. We reviewed the situation and she wondered if anyone in the neighbourhood had put out poison to control rodents (squirrels). If you have, please do it safely so that other species are not affected. I then called the Conservation Officer Service and reviewed the problem with Francis at the CO office. After a long discussion he wondered if the birds might be eating food not intended for bird consumption. This would include table scraps, especially bread.

The symptoms of the sick birds include bloating, especially in their abdominal area, lethargy, very slow and sleepy. They do not react to other birds flying around them, as if they do not see them or are too tired to care. They still come to feed and drink but seem to have trouble swallowing. They die within 3-5 days of the symptoms being noticed.

The CO suggested that we DO NOT FEED BREAD or other food not intended for the bird population. Please alert your neighbours and friends. Hopefully this will be a starting point for solving the problem. If the deaths continue to occur the CO or Wildlife services will come out to investigate.

If you notice birds with the symptoms mentioned above, or deaths, please call me at (250) 828-2160 or email blorimer@telus.net (I am unavailable after April 3) or call Edel at (250) 374-7838 or email her at hmattfeld@yahoo.ca. If you are unable to reach one of us please call Ministry of Environment, General Inquiries at (250) 371-6281 and leave a detailed message for Francis.

UPDATE

More information about our grosbeak population from Bev Lorimer:

Today I spoke with a veterinarian who specializes in wild birds and he gave me a couple of suggestions as to what might be happening.

• Poisoning unlikely as only 1 species involved.
• Bread will not kill the birds, it just does not provide any nutrition.
• More likely to be a digestive upset…leading to enteritis…possibly leading to “salmonellosis”. Birds have salmonella bacteria as normal flora in their digestive gut. If for some reason it increases, as it would with enteritis, it becomes a big problem (as it does in humans). If this is indeed the problem please be very careful handling sick or dead birds. Wash hands very well when cleaning out feeders.

Now reasons possibly explaining what has happened:

• STRESS environmental or otherwise
• OVEREATING. As the temperature increases the birds increase their activity resulting in overeating especially if there is an abundance of food easily available( as in our feeders).It is important to decrease intake of carbohydrates as the weather and activity change. This overeating leads to digestive upset….as noted above.

The plan would be to feed the birds good nutritious food in the cold of the winter…start to slow down as the temperature goes up. Keep feeders very clean. Do not stop suddenly but if you are still using your feeders gradually stop over the next week.

This is likely what has happened as the distended belly kind of matches the disease. Please keep in mind the vet has not seen the birds he has just listened to me via a phone conversation. The next bird that dies I will take into the vet clinic.

Please let Edel or me know when you find sick or dying birds. No need to call Francis at Min of Environment.

A Thank You from the Heart & Stroke Foundation

Jenny Perry and Pat Burton would like to thank all the generous members of the Lac Le Jeune community who helped to make the 2010 House to House Campaign for Heart and Stroke so successful. Once again we raised almost $700.00. Your response has always been very warm and welcoming, despite our inundation with so many needs worldwide. If anyone is interested in joining us in canvassing next year, particularly from Park Drive East, please let us know, as it is a large community and the two of us can't always visit everyone.

Again, thanks very much! Jenny Perry jennyperry@gmail.com ~ Pat Burton hughlejeune@telus.net

Congratulations to local speed skater!

Congratulations to Gillian Michell, age 9, of the River City Racers Speed Skating Club for winning a gold medal in the bantam girls category at the WorkSafeBC Southern Regional speed skating championships held in Kamloops this past weekend. Gillian also skated personal best times in all four of her distances. She skated to 2 first place finishes and 2 second place finishes. Gillian took off up to 5 1/2 seconds off of her previous times.

Update on Community Wildfire Plan

This is an update prepared by Tim Cole on the Community Wildfire Plan.

Hello everyone at Lac le Jeune and Walloper Lake. I want to let everybody know we have started operational work on the wildfire plan for our community and to be aware of our activities.

Ground work has started on the Park Drive West Road and the first 800 meters of the Ridge Mountain FSR. This area consists mainly of Douglas fir and the focus is cleaning up ground fuels and latter fuels. We have also started heavy equipment work on either end of the fire guard and this work should take 10-14 days.

We had to plough out the Rossmore road today to gain access to the east end of Lac le Jeune for pickups and heavy equipment. If you have been using this route for snowmobiling, please be aware that snowmobiling is always prohibited on ploughed forestry roads. If you have to use it, please use caution and reduce your speed. If you are going to access Rossmore Lake via the trail from the east end of Lac Le Jeune, a portion of this trail has also been cleared. You will only be on it for a short period of time, but please use caution if you have to use it. This road will be maintained for approximately 2 weeks and hopefully we will get some more snow after we are done. If you use the ski trails at Stake Lake, the crossings have been maintained but use caution when crossing as there may be traffic or exposed gravel. Sorry for any inconvenience opening up this road may cause.

The areas that have been logged in the past three years and adjacent to roadways will be treated after the snow melts as most of the fuel in on the ground and under snow.

There have been some inquiries about the availability of firewood from this activity and the answer is yes. Cutting firewood for residents saves us time and money and allows us to do more work. The fire wood will be bucked and stacked adjacent to the roads and everybody is welcome to it. Please do not cut any logs on the ground within our treated areas as many of these are to be left for wildlife and soil conservation purposes. All the firewood will be bucked so you will not need your saw.

We have started burning at 2.5km on the Ridge Mountain Road and will continue to burn as long as it is safe to do so. You will see smoke on the ridge to south on and off for the next 5-6 weeks. We will also start burning our smaller piles within the next week.

Thank you for the tremendous support for this project, everything has been very positive.

Once again, please feel free to email me if you have questions or concerns and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible. I will be sending out periodic updates to keep everybody informed.

Tim Cole, RPF
Lonely Mountain Consulting Co.
3776 Pineridge Drive, LLJ
250-377-7654
250-318-3196 cell
tim.cole@telus.net

Feeling Lucky?

This "Feeling Lucky" article published in today's Sun Peaks News was written by local photographer Peter Sulzle and features the photo of our neighbourhood lynx.

Update on community wildfire plan

This update is from Tim Cole:

(click to enlarge map)

Hello everybody, I hope everyone is having a great “winter”.  As many of you know, I have been working in conjunction with the LLJCA to apply for funding to start a community wildfire plan that would help reduce the risk of wildfire to our community. After 18 months, we have secured $430 000 from the Ministry of Community Development through the Job Opportunity Program as well as from the Union of BC Municipalities. We were also granted $16 000 to develop a plan for the area which consisted of planning, layout, referrals and liaison with all the numerous public agencies.  I am sure many people have seen my flagging in and around the community which is mainly orange in color with black stripes. We are now at the final stages of approvals and may start work as early as next week. The main areas of our work will be along access routes in and out of the community and on crown land adjacent to private lots. Work will focus on ground fuels, spacing and pruning immature stems and spacing out dense of small-pine stands (mainly on north side of sub-division and south side of lake). All dead pine will be spaced firstly and the intent will be to leave as much green healthy stems as possible. The impact of the treatments will not be drastic but will help improve the aesthetics of our area, especially along the clearcut areas on the north side of the lake.

Many people are also aware we are looking at a fireguard/fuel break along the ridge above the ski hill. We will be putting in this feature and this will be done using heavy equipment this winter with follow up work in the spring. This guard will be 50 meters in width, however it will still contain green, well spaced stems reducing the original densities by about 70%. As the stands are very dense on the ridge, a full clear-cut strip would be highly visible from many areas and would not blend into the natural landscape of our area. Within this guard is an access trail that will be constructed as a multi use recreation trail (<2.0meters in width). This trail is engineered to be constructed as an industrial road only if a wildfire threatens our community to provide quick and easy access to the ridge for wildfire managers and act as a point of attack from the air. This trail will also help motorized recreation users to access the Ridge Lakes area from the east LLJ and Rossmore areas as the only current access is along the lake or the Gus Johnson Trail. Hopefully this will take away pressure from the Gus and allow non-resident users to by-pass our community. This trail will not be open to full size vehicles (unless there is a fire).

All debris will be burned on site and will be conducted when conditions are favorable that allow for the smoke to blown out of the valley quickly and when the fire hazard is low. If works start this month, we will burn as much debris as possible and burn until the snow melts. The remaining debris will be burned in the fall when the snow returns. The company conducting the on-the-ground work will be H.I.S. Venture Ltd. from Kamloops. This company has been instrumental in helping us secure this funding and is taking on the accountability and responsibility for managing this project. One of the conditions of the funding is that HIS hire unemployed forestry workers that will help train and employ many workers impacted by the recent recession. The trucks will be white crew cabs and will be parked at many locations on the public roads so please use caution when passing a work site as there will be many workers near-by. Please obey any posted signs as these will be for your safety.

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns and I will try to get back to you as soon as I can.

Thanks, Tim

Tim Cole, RPF
Lonely Mountain Consulting Co.
3776 Pineridge Drive, LLJ
250-377-7654
250-318-3196 cell
tim.cole@telus.net

Spanish Lessons

¿Usted quiere aprender español?

Spanish lessons...coming to Lac Le Jeune! Beatriz, a certified and experienced Spanish teacher from Spain, will be visiting Lac Le Jeune for several months starting in February. She will be offering private or small group lessons right here in the neighbourhood! All ages and levels are welcome.

To sign up for lessons send email to Beakm83@hotmail.com or call 250-320-0255. Beatriz will gather names and contact information and work out a schedule.

photo by uggboy

February is Heart & Stroke Month

During the month of February Lac Le Jeune residents Pat Burton and Jenny Perry will be canvassing our community for donations to the Heart & Stroke Foundation. In the past the Lac Le Jeune community has donated generously to this organization. A donation of any amount is welcome.

As a leading funder of heart and stroke research in Canada, hundreds of research teams depend on the Foundation to support their work year after year. This important work leads to earlier diagnoses, leading-edge treatments and world-class prevention strategies. Please help us continue to support this vital research by making a donation to the Heart & Stroke Foundation. If you would like to donate, but will not be around during canvassing, you can reach Pat by email at hughlejeune@telus.net or Jenny at jennyperry1@gmail.com.

Update on obtaining ID and punch cards

Another update on obtaining ID and punch cards was sent out to Lac Le Jeune residents by email this morning:

Seasonal residents may call Adriana Mailloux at TNRD at 250-377-8673. She will send out the ID and punch cards for the Lac Le Jeune transfer station. Adriana will also be at the Lac Le Jeune transfer station Sunday January 17th to hand out more cards. She will post a notice on the transfer station gate.

Note there was a comment (anonymous) on an earlier blog post about the Sunday hours to say they are 1:00 to 4:00, and not 2:00 to 5:00 as originally posted.

UPDATE
Further to the above, this is the latest public notice from TNRD arrived today.

To: Lac Le Jeune Residents

Subject: UPDATE New Transfer Station Eco-Cards and ID Tags

In follow up to public meetings held in your area during 2009, the Thompson Nicola Regional District (TNRD) is introducing area specific Eco-Cards and ID tags for the Lac Le Jeune Transfer Station. The new cards and ID tags will be distributed Sunday January 17th between 1:00 and 4:00.

Each Lac Le Jeune household will be provided with an Eco-Card with 104 punches for 2010 (2 bags per week) and is covered under the new Electoral Area “J” service. An ID card will also be provided to identify you as a legitimate user of the site. During Eco-Card/ID tag distribution, residents are asked to bring a piece of addressed mail for registration. Please be advised that specific dates and times for registration will be announced shortly.

For any questions please contact the Environmental Health Services Department at the TNRD office at 1-877-377-8673 (toll free) or direct at (250) 377-8673.

Thompson-Nicola Regional District
#300-465 Victoria Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 2A9
Phone: (250) 377-8673
Toll Free in BC: 1-877-377-8673
Fax: (250) 372-5048

Pop Goes the Weasel!

If you've walked along the Lac Le Jeune Park Drive West recently you may have spotted this little neighbourhood ermine. He likes to hang out along the edge of the lake, and he's been known to pop his head up ice fishing holes! This photograph was taken by Frank Morton.