4 - Weekly Record, June 18, 1986 OPINION Scene from the Ridge by Nancy Perkins The Monkman Pass is nothing more than a pipe dream, and a rather grandiose one at that. That was my first thought when | heard people mention the idea. After hearing the issue discussed by many varied parties, and after having read up on Monkman, | must now say that if it is a pipe dream, it is a darn good one. The B.C. Chamber of Commerce thinks this is a dream worth pursuing. They passed the resolution put forth by the Tumbler Ridge Chamber at their annual convention in Vancouver. That resolution agreed in principle with the develop- ment of the Monkman Pass Highway. The B.C. Chamber will now set about to lobby the government and other agencies as to the viability and importance of such a highway. As mentioned in the first edition of the Weekly Record in the Monkman Pass article, this is not a new idea. It has been kicking around for over 50 years. Men of vision wanted to see a Monkman Pass Road years before many of us were born. it is hard to understand why this route was not used instead of the Pine Pass. The two-hour mileage difference from Prince George to Dawson Creek via the Monkman Pass versus the Pine Pass is enough to make one wonder why the Pine was chosen as the route to the north. Those who have driven the Pine Pass in the dead of winter would surely raise the question of why the Pine Pass and not Monkman Pass. The Pine Pass, at the best of times, is a terrible road with its twists and turns and heavy snowfall. ert a The trade and commerce that must reach Dawson ze Creek, Fort St. John and north on the Alaska ‘Highway Yor wy, would all benefit a great deal by the shorter, more direct . x route. The towns served would become more readily accessible. Freight costs would drop for their citizens. of Looking at the Monkman Pass and its possible benefits to Tumbler Ridge is almost mind boggling. We would no longer be that town that is dead ended. No longer would we feel the raw bite of isolation. People and trade would pass through our little town. Around the province The Kinuseo Falls Road would be linked to the Monkman Provincial Secretary for the recor MAYBE YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT MOVING THAT LINE PRETTY DARN QUICK... revenue. At the mine, 130 and faculty offices. Tom Waterland. Pass. We would become a town on the crossroads, from Vancouver via the Coquihalla to Kamloops, the Yellow- head to Monkman Pass, Tumbler Ridge, Dawson Creek and the Alaska Highway. The Monkman Pass would complete a superior north-south corridor, and Tumbler Ridge would become a main crossroad on that corridor. Grace McCarthy has an- nounced a number of changes to bingo and ca- sino regulations. The first principle is that the events be in the interests of charit- schools. Environment Min- able organizations, she ister Austin Pelton said the said. material is meant to ensure A $750,000 low-inte loan will permit deve ment of an airport capi of handling Boeing 731 Fairmont Hot Springs will allow the resort a which also includes Radi and Panorama, to att people will return to work. A new. education kit called Resources’ and Wastes has been distrib- uted for use in secondary A new pressure cooling facility that gives lettuce and other. delicate vege- tables a longer shelf life is to be built in Burnaby through a $189,000 federal- provincial contribution. The structure, built by H.K. It would only be a matter of time before the road to Grande Prairie would be paved, for it would become a viable link between B.C. and Alberta. Monkman Park could gain status as a_ beautiful Provincial Park with easy accessibility. The park's drawing feature would be Kinuseo Falls. The north truly does have a great deal to offer, but people want comfortable and easy accessibility. We must have it to draw the people in. “‘Bingos are not a busi- ness and casinos must re- turn to being adjuncts to social occasions. The gov- ernment is not in favor of legalized, casino-type gambling.”’ that young people are able to deal with both the pre- sent and future challenges of waste management and resource conservation. The government has ap- proved $300,000 for plan- Wong Enterprises, will al- low 40 growers to obtain higher prices for higher- quality vegetables in dis- tant markets, said Agricul- ture and Food Minister charters from the eas Canadian and U.S. kets. The funding is w a federal-provincial ag ment that supports tour development. [ Most important, the Monkman Pass would go a long way in curing some of the more basic and deep-rooted problems of our town. There always seems to linger a certain amount of apprehension, vague though it may be, over our town. Much of this stems from the feeling of isolation that we fee!. There is a tendency to feel trapped. Placer Development Ltd.’s molybdenum mine at Fraser Lake, west of Prince George, will soon reopen using electricity bought at a discount rate from B.C. Hydro. Energy Minister Tony Brummet said the sale will yield Hydro an additional $15 million in ning a $4 million upgrading of Vancouver Community College’s Langara campus. Post Secondary Education Minister Russell Fraser said the improvements, a direct result of increased enrollment, will involve the library, instructional and support areas, the cafeteria If we were sitting on the crossroads of a main artery, that feeling would rapidly dissipate. We would experience the comings and goings of many travelers, giving us a greater feeling of freedom for ourselves. The service stations, restaurants, hotels-motels, ‘and confectioneries necessary to serve the highway would give Tumbler Ridge a seconary industry we desperately need and desire. The prospects are endless, as well as exciting. For the record Letters to the editor are a welcome part of our newspaper and offer you an opportunity to express your opinion. It is said that happiness is a state of mind. There is no | doubt that the state of mind, of our town and its citizens, would greatly improve if we lost that dead-end status, if Tumbler Ridge were to suddenly become nothing less than a permanent and diverse community, no longer just a mining town. We do ask that all letters be in good taste and legible. Also, all letters must be signed by the writer. Letters to the editor may be brought to the office or mailed to The Weekly Record, Box 1508, Tumbler Ridge, B.C. VOC 2W0O. | Tumbler Ridge 242-4789 Weekly Record Publisher Randy Hill Managing editor Nancy Perkins Editor Ruth Torgerson Contributing reporter Steve Simmons Paste up artists Paula Menard Angela Lockerbie Composition Lexcee Sims Address: The Weekly Record Box 1508 Tumbler Ridge, B.C. VOC 2W0 Telephone: [604] 242-4789 The Weekly Record is published weekly at Suite 215 Chetwynd Centre, 5021-49th Avenue Chetwynd, B.C. and i printed in Grande Prairie, Alberta. Subscription rates are $15 per year for Tumbler Ridge are residents. Subscription rates for those residing in Canad outside the local area are $21 per year. U.S. subscription: are $30 per year. Advertising should be brought to the Weekly Record office Suite 101-230 Main St., Tumbler Ridge, B.C. The deadline for ads is 5:00 p.m. Thursday for the following Wednesday edition.