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PoliticsMunicipal15TuesdayMay282013ListentoExperiencerightfromthestart.caLearnmoreaboutEarlyChildhoodDevelopmentandwhatyoucandotogiveyourbabythebestchanceatsuccessinlifeatAninvestmentinearlychildhooddevelopmentcouldhelpcreatemoreproductivemembersofourcommunity.Itwouldtrulybeaninvestmentinourfuture.-TedBlondin.Proudfatherof2.Proudgrandfatherof2.Ages0to3arethemostcriticalagesinachildslife.Beinginvolvedinyourchildsdevelopmentrightfromthestartcreatesabrightfutureforthem.ByRENEFRANCOEURWinterwontbethesameforiceenthusiastsinFortSmiththisyearwithnouseablearenainthecommunity.TheFortSmithCentennialArenawillbeclosedforthe2013-2014iceseasonafterareburnedthroughpartofthestandsforafewhoursbeforeanyonenoticedonMay13.Theclosureanditsimpactonrecreationalactivitiesisaconcernandtoppriorityforthetownaccordingtocoun-cilwhovotedunanimouslylastTuesdaytoformanicestrategycommitteetotackletheproblem.ThecommitteemeetsforthersttimeonTuesdaytobeginbrainstormingideasaboutal-ternativeicesurfaces.Wecertainlyrecognizetheimportanceofthearena.ItsthecentreofmanyfamilylivesinthewinterandarealcommunityhubsowedontwanttositaroundandwaittoseewhatmighthappenornotwithregardstothenalreportondamageandrepairsJimHoodFortSmithsseniorad-ministrativeofcersaid.Wewanttobeproactiveandbehowmuchheattheywereex-posedtointheresoweretak-ingeveryprecautionhesaid.Inthemeantimethe12-personcommitteeisre-sponsibleformakingrecom-mendationstocouncilafterinvestigatingalternativeiceoptionssuchasanoutdoorrinkortemporarystructureHoodsaid.Whileatentativebudgetforalternativeicesurfaceop-tionshasnotbeendeterminedsomeofthemoneytypicallysetasideforthearenasop-eratingcostscouldbeputto-wardsitHoodnoted.Equipmentatthearenahowevercannotbemovedsuchasthestationaryiceplantwhichwasnotarenastemporaryclosurewontbeacceleratinganynewbuild-ingplansHoodsaid.Wewouldliketohavethepooldebenturepaidoffbeforegoingintodebtagainforan-otherfacilityhesaid.Whenwedeterminetheextentofthedamagesplansforanewarenamaybepushedaheadorpushedback.Italldependsonthein-vestigationsndings.Itmaybeacaseof...doesitmakesensetorebuildanewarenaifwerepairthisoneanditsstructurallymechanicallysoundorcanwelivewiththisoneformoreyearstocomeThecommitteewillbechairedbyCouncillorKevinSmithchairofthecommu-nityservicescommittee.OthermembersincludecouncillorsDonWebbandChrisWestwellandthreemembersoftheRecreationAdvisoryBoardincludingitschairJessicaCox.Onememberfromeachofthesixmainarenausergroupsincludingspeedskatingg-ureskatingminorhockeyrechockeywomenshockeyandoldtimershockeywillalsobeonthecommittee.Werelookingforthecom-munitysinputsoifanyonehasideasbringitthroughthecouncillorsoroneoftheusergroups.NooptionisoffthetablerightnowHoodsaid.CouncilapprovesletterofsupportforroadsouthInadditiontomovingforwardwithbackupplansforthearenacouncilalsopassedamotiontoprovidealetterofsupporttoformermayorPeterMartselosforhisFortSmithformscommitteetotakeonarenaclosureresurrectedproposaltostarttalksofacontroversialroadsouththroughWoodBuffaloNationalPark.The118-kmroadwhichcutsacrossbothMikisewCreeandAthabascaChipewyanFirstNationlandwouldrunfromPeacePointtoGardenRiver.Martselosrstproposedtheroaddecadesagowhenhewaspresidentofthenow-defunctThebachaRoadSociety.Theprojectwasdefeatedin2005whentheSupremeCourtofCanadaruledtheMikisewhadnotbeenprop-erlyconsulted.Thevotewas4-4withcoun-cillorsLouSebertDonWebbAlDumontandRonHoltorfsupportingthemotion.Op-posedwereChrisWestwellKevinSmithBobMcArthurandLynnNapier-Buckley.MayorBradBrakebrokethetieinsupportofthemotion.WedotheselettersquiteoftenBrakesaid.WellseewhathappensafterthatoncehegetshisThebachaRoadSo-cietyonthego.NofurtherstepswillbetakenatthistimeinregardstotheroadBrakesaid.Werelookingforthecommunitysinputsoifanyonehasideasbringitthroughthecouncillorsoroneoftheusergroups.Nooptionisoffthetablerightnow.JimHoodTownofFortSmithreadyfortheworstcasescenariosowehaveabackupplantoproviderecreationopportuni-tiesintownthiswinter.Thecauseofthereandtheextentofthedamagehaveyettobedeterminedhesaid.Itsstillintheearlystagesoftheinvestigation.Wehadourinsuranceadjustorsinthisweekandwillsoonexpectareportfromthem.StructuralandelectricalengineersfromEdmontonarecominginnextweektoassessthebeams.Thearenaisbuiltwithgluelaminatedbeamsthatwhenex-posedtoheatcandelaminatemeltingthegluethatholdsthestripstogetherHoodexplained.Wedontknowiftheyhavetoberepairedorreplacedyetordamagedduringthere.Mostlikelywedbelook-ingatanaturaliceoptionHoodsaid.WhiletalkofanewarenaforthetownhasresurfacedoverthepastfewyearsthecurrentByDONJAQUENorthCountryRockssig-naturecountrymusichashadtoestappingindancehallsacrosstheNorthforoverade-cadeincludingregularstintsintheGoldRangebarinYel-lowknifebutlastweekendinFortSmiththingsgotpersonalwiththepopularband.GeraldPoitrasthebandleaderdrummerandleadvo-calistandhiswifeSandycele-bratedtheir25thweddinganni-versarybyinvitinganextendedgroupoftheirfriendsandrela-tiveshundredsoftheminclud-ingmanymusicianswhohadplayedwithGeraldinhiscareer.OutdoorsunderthefullmoondeepintoSaturdaynightandwhatapartyitwasWellwishersfromValleyviewtoInuvikandalotofplacesinbetweenshowedupandthepoolofmusicaltalentrandeep.Theeventbeganwithabeautifulsunnyafternoonarelaxedmellowmoodandasumptuoussteakandribdin-nerforthehundredsofguestsunderahugetent.TostarttheactivitiesGeraldstrolledontothelargeplywooddanceoorwithawirelessmicthankedtheorganizersandhelpersbeforecallingonhiswifetojoinhim.TocelebratetheiranniversaryhecroonedalovesongLookatUsbyVinceGillwhilethetwodanced.ItwasatouchingmomentthatgottheKleenexyingforthegirlsandsetanunreachablebarforalltheotherhusbands.FollowingthatGeraldtookoverthedrumsandanchoredthebandsupportedbyhisbrotherNorbertPoitrasonbassandleadguitaristShaneDanielsasotherfeaturedmu-sicianssteppedup.Fiddlerssingersandcountrymusiclledthehumidnightair.Theaudi-enceroutinelyralliedonthelargedanceoorjiggingandtwo-steppingthenightaway.TheeventwasscheduledtobeheldintheFortSmitharenabuttheretheretwoweeksearlierforcedachangeofplans.Thelocalcurlingrinkwasbusybeingdecoratedforthehighschoolgraduationsoaplanforanoutdooreventattheballdiamondemerged.Alargestagewassetupforthemusiciansandagianttentof-feredshadeandshelter.Theballdiamondwasdecoratedasanoldtimeranchingtownandguestsdressedtothewesterntheme.Stetsonsandcowboybootswerecommonandafewsixshooterswereseen.Beyondthefoodandmusicthereweregamesandtheprizeswerebagsofgolddry-meat.Lookatallthepeoplehav-ingfunanddancingandcarry-ingon.Whatapartyandwhatawaytocelebrateananniver-sarywasacommonobser-vationbytherevelers.Itwasajointeffortbyfam-ilyandfriends.ItwasgreatnotedSandyonMondayafterthecleanupwasalldoneandthegoodmemorieslingered.Shesaiditwasamemora-blenightbutthebestpartwasGeraldsingingherthatsongastheydanced.Boycanmyhusbandsing.NorthCountryRockgetsupcloseandpersonalNorthernersCelebrationsPhotoLisaSaundersSandyandGeraldPoitrasshareadanceattheir25thweddinganniversaryparty.