PRINCE GEORGE
High today: 15 Low tonight: 7 Details page 2
MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2002
Serving the Central Interior since 1916
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Water levels rapidly rising
Hot weather, upcoming rain could push Fraser River past flood level
by SCOTT STANFIELD Citizen staff
A week of above-average temperatures combined with the potential of steady rain in the coming days could push Fraser River water systems in the north and south Peace region to the flooding stage, says a spokesperson for the Provincial Emergency Program.
Officials at the River Forecast Centre expected the Fraser River in Prince George to pass the first alert flood stage — 9.4 metres, or localized flooding — by Sunday evening or today, and to possibly reach a level of about 9.7 metres by Tliesday, depending on the amount of rainfall.
When the water level hits 10.3 metres, large-scale flooding is expected.
“It (the Fraser) has been rising fairly steadily,” said Dave Gooding of the River Forecast Centre in Victoria.
This week’s potential flood levels around the province could potentially equal those reached in 1972, when B.C. experienced its worst flooding since the 1940s, Gooding added.
For the past two weeks, a short stretch of flooded out road at the east end of Third and Second avenues near the Fraser River has been shut down. As well, water at Paddlewheel Park had reached a high level by the weekend, to the point of encroaching on park benches.
“Probably by tonight they’ll be completely under,” Dave Barry of the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection said Sunday.
The PEP program advises people living in low-lying areas along rivers to take precautions to protect their homes and valuables from flood damage. Gooding said this may involve sand bagging, moving livestock, or even vacating the premises.
People are also advised not to leave children unattended near fast-flowing streams or rivers.
“We prefer to see people keep a safe distance from the water,” Barry said.
For more information about flood prevention tips check www.pep.bc.ca, or a toll-free message line at 1-888-811-6233.
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Ann Landers ..
Bridge....... ..........20
City, B.C...... .3,5,13,15,24
Classified .... .......18-22
Comics ...... ..........16
Coming Events ...........2
Crossword ... ..........16
Entertainment .......16,17
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Lotteries.....
Lifestyles ..... ..........23
Nation ....... .........6,7
Sports ....... ........8-12
Television____ ..........17
World ....... ..........14
canada.com
Citizen photo by Brent Braaten
Car buffs check out a 1931 Model A, while a 1935 Ford Pick-up, foreground, is looking its best at the Fathers' Day Crulsin’ Classics Car Club Show ‘n’ Shine held Sunday In downtown Prince George.
Classic weekend on the streets
by SCOTT STANFIELD Citizen staff
There were twice as many cars and twice as many spectators at this year’s Cruisin’ Classics Car Club Show ‘n’ Shine, which invaded the downtown core of Prince George on Sunday.
Organizers of the 24th annual Father’s Day event estimate more than 15,000 people turned out to view at least 500 antique vehicles, trucks, motorcycles and muscle cars. Last year, by comparison, there were about 6,000 people and 225 cars.
“Everybody’s having a hoot,” Charlie Fletcher, a director of the Downtown Business Improvement Association, said Sunday. “And it’s good to see people treating the cars with respect.”
Spectators marveled at the 1933 Ford Cabriolet, the 1939 Buick Coupe and the 1949 Ford Meteor which were among the mint-condition classics lining George Street. Others drooled over the 1979 Porsche 911 Carerra, while motorcycle enthusiasts feasted their eyes on the 1924 1200 cc Ace and the 1953 Harley David-
B.C. diocese first to authorize 'blessing’ for same-sex couples
son, owned by Carmen Brown of Prince George.
“My son and I have a large collection of American bikes,” said Brown, a former rider who now sticks to restoring bikes as a hobby.
Aside from the cars, the day also included a number of special events such as the P.G. Auto Wrecking-sponsored Auto Trike Wars, a spin-off on the TV show Junk Yard Wars, where participants manoeuvred a course on motorized “trikes,” which Fletcher called “works of art.”
There was also the engine blow-out contest sponsored by North Central Motor Sports, the Mechanics Challenge sponsored by Action Auto, and the J&A sound off and rap off contests.
Stay tuned for a listing of the award winners of the nine categories, which include the newly-formed “Motorcycle Show Stopper of the Year” and “Kid’s Favourite” awards.
The Show ‘n Shine was a joint effort of Special Events Creators, the DBIA and the Cruisin’ Classics Car Club.
— See Tuesday’s citizen for a special pictorial page of the event
VANCOUVER (CP) — The head of the Anglican Church of Canada says he supports the process laid out in a proposal to formally bless same-sex couples in B.C.’s Diocese of New Westminster.
But Archbishop Michael Peers stopped short of saying whether he personally condones the creation of a blessing rite, which proponents have said would not resemble a legal marriage ceremony, reserved by Anglican doctrine for heterosexual couples.
He would only say he presides over Canada’s Anglican House of Bishops, which is “not prepared to endorse the blessing.”
On Saturday, a majority of delegates at a meeting of southwestern B.C. Anglicans voted to formally authorize the blessing, making their diocese the first
diocese in Canada to do so.
The motion to bless committed homosexual relationships was passed with 215 in favour and 129 against it.
“What I supported was the way the bishop proposed to deal with people who would be unhappy with the decision,” said Peers.
Specifically, the blessing proposal included a ‘conscience clause’ for priests unwilling to perform the blessing and a provision allowing individual parishes the opportunity to vote on whether they would endorse it.
On Saturday, a small group of B.C. parishes, including representatives from one of Canada’s largest Anglican congregations, St. John’s (Shaugh-nessy) Church, walked out of the diocese meeting after it was announced the blessing proposal would go ahead.
Tent caterpillars yet to show themselves
by PAUL STRICKLAND Citizen staff
Forest tent caterpillars have yet to make an appearance in Prince George, horticulturists say.
It remains to be seen whether the pests were cut off by a cold spring or just delayed in their development by the cool weather, said Jos Van Hage of Art Knapp’s Plantland.
City personnel have not seen any forest tent caterpillars, nor have callers reported anything significant, said Mark Fercho of the City of Prince George horticulture department.
Van Hage said no customers have come in to any of the three Art Knapp’s locations to report problems with forest tent caterpillars or to purchase the sorts of insecticides required to deal with them.
In past years tent caterpillars
swarmed through the district, stripped leaves off aspens and poplars, damaged ornamental plants and sometimes created safety hazards covering steps and sidewalks. Normally, the population of the voracious leaf-eaters balloons over about a five-year cycle, and then their numbers eventually dwindle because of naturally occurring diseases and attacks by predators. It may be the case that Prince George and district are enjoying the low point of the cycle, horticulturists say.
“This year, so far there’s nothing," Van Hage said. “Maybe, due to the cold snap, they got too cold coming out of dormancy.
“In the middle of June they should be out.”
B.C. Forest Service entomologists were unavailable for comment.
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