Cheryl Oakes and Joy
Davies of the Tumbler
Ridge Chamber of Com-
merce attended the B.C.
Chamber of Commerce An-
tual Convention the week-
end of May 29 to June 1.
One of the resolutions
sponsored by the Tumbler
Ridge Chamber, which was
wut before the convention,
was regarding a future
Monkman Pass. Highway,
which would connect up
with existing roads on the
eastern side of Prince
George.

‘The History of the
Monkman Pass dates back
0 Post World War II.
After W.W.I non-Metis
¢ttlers moved into the
kelly Lake area and more

and more people became
aware of the Monkman
Pass. With an elevation of
3550 feet, it was the lowest
pass through the Rockies
and the obvious favorite of
Peace River area farmers
seeking a direct road to
central British Columbia
and the grain port of Van-
couver.

By the early 1930s, sev-
eral parties of prospectors
from the Beaverlodge dis-
trict had explored the
Monkman Pass area. On
one of these expeditions,
Alex Watt and Harry Web-
ster sketched the local fea-
tures and returned with
rough maps. These maps
were in turn shown to Art
and Jessie Smith of Saska-

- Pageant judges

= The following individuals will be this year’s

_ judges for the Miss Teen Tumbler Ridge Pageant

to be held June 6.

| Dr. Hal Gunn has lived in Tumbler Ridge for
| two-and-a-half years. He is a graduate of U.B.C.
} Gunn spent two years in South Africa working
_ before he came to Tumbler Ridge. He is an advisor
| tothe Health Centre Board and enjoys taking part
| in softball, soccer, curling, cross country and

alpine skiing.

_ John Jack has lived in Tumbler Ridge for
e-and-a-half years. He is our local Sergeant of
the R.C.M.P. detachment in Tumbler Ridge and
_ has served on the force for 24 years. In Tumbler
| Ridge, Jack has been active with the Lions, Rotary
d Masonic Lodge and Recreation Commission.

Dennis L. Miller is one of the pioneers of
} Tumbler Ridge, having arrived here in March,
| 1983, employed with Edma Holdings as sales
| administrator for the Quintette Housing Program.
| Miller is a charter member and current president of
} the Lions Club, director in the Chamber of

| Commerce and chairman of the Chamber Civic
Committee. Formerly, in Elliot Lake, Ontario,

| Miller was employed

with Dennison Mines

}) Uranium Division as employment officer.
| Claudine Rigby is manager of the Tumbler Ridge
| Branch of the Royal Bank of Canada and has
| resided in Tumbler Ridge for approximately two

}| years. She has been an active member of District of

}| Tumbler Ridge Chamber of Commerce and Expo
| Committee. Rigby has acted as judge for similar
| pageants in both Ashcroft and Smithers and looks
| forward to assisting in judging of the 1986 Tumbler

; | Ridge Pageant.

| Donna Penner has lived in Tumbler Ridge since
| August of 83. ‘Mrs. P.,’’ as she is affectionately
| called in Tumbler Ridge, moved to Tumbler Ridge
| with her husband and children from Faro. She has

as

| been a dedicated volunteer in our community in

| Girl Guides of Canada serving as commissioner
| from 1983-85, has been active in the Toastmistress
| Club, and is Children’s Church Coordinator for the

lementary School.

rs ee Ga!

| Fellowship Baptist Church. Penner has been very
| involved in the teen T.R.U.S.T. group in Tumbler
| Ridge, and it is through her dauntless support of
| our young people that we now have an enthusiastic
| group of teens willing to work for their own facility
| housed in the Community Centre.

| Nina Crookes moved to Tumbler Ridge from Red
eer, Alberta, in October, 1983. Crookes is
arried and has three children. She is a registered
urse and is presently working at the Tumbler
idge Pharmacy as cashier/bookkeeper. Crookes is
resident of the Tumbler Ridge Unit of the
anadian Cancer Society and is a member of
‘OPS. She is the Government Appointee on the
ealth Centre Board and has assisted in Girl
uides and volunteered at the Tumbler Ridge -}

S$. 8 6.45444 a oe, es ee |

toon Lake who were very
interested in promoting a
Monkman Pass highway.
The maps reaffirmed the
Smiths’ contention that a

road was a real possibility,

and in 1936 the heightened

local interest led to the:

founding of the Monkman
Pass Highway Association.

While the Association
was informally organized
and functioned largely on a
volunteer basis, it chose to
elect officers and delegate
responsibilities from the
start. Crosby McNaught
was the first elected presi-
dent and Alex Monkman
was vice-president, Alex
Watt the first secretary and
Art Smith publicity direc-
tire

Over the years and
through changes in execu-
tive, the organization con-
tinued to promote its main
theme and objective: ‘‘sup-
port your own short cut to
tide water!”’

By 1937, a trail-blazing
crew was actively demark-
ing a 132 mile non-ferry
route from Rio Grande in

Alberta to connect with the

B.C. road system at Han-
sard on the Fraser River.
From there the existing
gravel road let to Prince
George.

The first road crew was

Monkman Pass—Northern link to Coquihalla

at work in 1938 with all
concerned donating their
time and efforts. Farmers,
merchants, husbands,
wives and children cut the
right-of-way, levelled the
earth, built stream cross-
ings, and _ constructed
bridges Over rivers.. |

Women worked in a
number of cook cars that
followed the constuction
party, providing hot meals
and coffee. Children hauled
cut brush from the right-of-
way, shovelled out ditches
and helped install culverts.
In the history of the South
Peace, there is no parallel
to this volunteer brigade of
road builders who laboured
from 1936 until the out-
break of W.W.II in the
cause of a road to the
Fraser.

Unfortunately, the out-
break of war halted con-
struction, as many of the
men volunteered for mili-
tary service. However,
work did not end until the
work gang managed to pull,
carry and push a pace car
over the Pass to within 28
miles of the goal—Han-
sard, B.C.

The first men to make it
through the Pass and down
to the Fraser River took
along a sack of registered

Continued on page 15

Northgate Furniture

cae Sofa & chairs Sofa & loveseats.
Sofa beds Recliners
Glider rockers |

Great Values on
Waterbeds

Super single, queen or king size
Headboards optional

Weekly Record, June 4, 1986 - 7

~~ Monkman Pass
Northern link to the Coquihala

™e, Fort St. John

e Dawson Creek

Chetwynd
S

Tumbler
Ridge

ss

‘To Grande Prairie —

Yellowhead

Peace River

‘Flooring & Interiors}

“for all your interior needs”
Do it yourself :
products for:

Wall paper, Ceramic
& Quarry tiles
Flooring, Carpeting

If you don't see it,
ask for it.

#101-230 Main Street }
Tumbler Ridge \ \
242-3118

Full Financing O.A.C.

Bedroom Suites

*Honey or walnut colour
*Headboard

_ ®2 night tables
®*Dresser with hutch mirror
°5 drawer chest
Footboard & rails

ay Reg. $1298

Now

20"
Colour TVs

Only

$399