TheColumbia Valley - Columbia Valley Pioneer

6 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer July 6, 2007
PERSPECTIVE
By Elinor Florence
Pioneer Publisher
Murder,
very rare
Th is week we are presenting a diff erent story about
a Valley Pioneer - the story of how one of our pioneers
was murdered back in 1940.
Harold Forster had several claims to fame, among
them that he was the donor of the Anglican Church’s
16th century Dort Bible, which may be viewed today
if you call the church in advance.
Reading about his murder reminded me once
again how fortunate we are to live in a place, and raise
our children in a place, where murder is so rare that it
seems like a fi ctional way to meet your death, something
created for television and movies.
Yet in many societies, murder is as commonplace
as catching a cold. A few years ago we spent several
months in Arizona and every day I would be shocked
and horrifi ed by the nightly news as it described that
day’s murders in Phoenix. Rarely did a week go by
when some luckless person, or several persons, were
not shot to death by each other, or by police.
It was amazing to us that our friends and neighbours
in the community accepted this regular bloodshed
as normal. My American friend even off ered to
let me go outside and shoot off her handgun, which
she kept under her pillow in case of home invaders. I
gracefully declined.
In the past ten years, I can recall only two violent
deaths in the valley. One of them was a woman
strangled by her husband, who then burned down the
house to cover up the evidence. Another was a bar fi ght
that turned nasty and resulted in someone getting his
brains knocked out on the corner of a pool table.
Our police no doubt have their hands full with
some ugly customers who perpetrate all kinds of violence
and sick behavior. However, it is our great fortune
to live in a country where murder is not considered
a viable option for venting our rage, or getting rid
of someone we don’t like. Let’s hope it stays that way.
The Columbia Valley
PIONEER
is independently owned and operated and
is published weekly by Abel Creek Publishing Inc.
Box 868, #8, 1008 - 8 th Avenue, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0
Phone (250) 341-6299 · Fax (250) 341-6229 Email: upioneer@
telus.net · www.columbiavalleypioneer.com
Th e material, written or artistic, may not be reprinted or electronically reproduced
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and statements in articles, columns and advertising are not necessarily those of
the publisher or staff of Th e Columbia Valley Pioneer. It is agreed by any display
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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
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Elinor Florence
Publisher
Dear Editor:
Brian Geis
Reporter
Historical Lens
Is the BC Ministry of Transport devoid of common
sense? Presumably to solve a potential problem
that may not even exist, it has eliminated what formerly
was a relatively safe northbound entrance to
the Skookum Inn complex and Red Eye Rentals, used
daily by some 100 vehicles, and replaced it with a concrete
death trap.
Rather than simply pave some 500 square feet of
gravel, over which dozens of us drove safely all winter
long when the gravel was hidden by snow and ice, the
Ministry has erected a labyrinth of concrete and yellow
paint.
Come winter, when snow and darkness obscure
this accident waiting to happen, some unfortunate individual
will smash headlong and be seriously injured
or killed as a consequence of some bureaucrat with a
book of rules.
Presumably this death trap was erected to pre-
Cayla Gabruck
Summer Reporter
Dave Sutherland
Advertising Sales
Bob Friesen
Advertising Sales
Zephyr Rawbon
Graphic Designer
April Sorensen
Offi ce Manager
Early
climbers
Charles D. Ellis, the
fi rst person to climb Mount
Nelson, and another man
were photographed with a
cairn on Mount Toby. Th is
photograph was taken in
1911.
Photo courtesy of
Windermere District
Historical Society
Concrete death trap on highway
vent southbound traffi c from turning left directly in
the new Stor-Edge facility. Is this problem potentially
serious enough to justify creating a far more serious
risk to drivers entering the Skookum complex from
the south?
Presuming the typical user of these storage units
is unlikely to access their storage unit more than once
per week, the potential number of southbound vehicles
choosing to turn left into Stor-Edge is unlikely
to exceed even 10 percent of the current northbound
traffi c entering the Skookum complex.
Th e Ministry appears to believe a 15-kilometre
exit sign will prevent any accident being caused by
their barrier.
If a sign is that eff ective, why not remove the concrete
barrier and install a no-left-turn sign for southbound
traffi c?
William (Bill) Croft
Windermere
Sarah Turk
Project Manager