Volunteers are needed for cmmunity programs at the Arts Station.  These programs include:

Puppet Carriers – for the Griz Parade
Friday March 5 at 6pm for about 1hr.  Have fun carrying an
‘Olympic’ oversized puppet!  Contact Lesley Graham at 423-3769
or Oz Parsons at 423-4842 or email info@theartsstation.com

Theatre help
Stage Manager: For ‘Waiting for the Parade’- assisting the director in taking notes,
prop placement during the show.  Time commitment: attend 2-3, 3 hour rehearsals
a week: Weds 12-3, and Saturdays 12-3. Also for Dress rehearsal Thursday March 4th 6-9:30,
and Shows March 5th and 6th- 6-10. Starting ASAP.

Prop Builders: For Waiting for the parade.

Door People Needed/ Ticket taking:  March 6th- 6:15 (show to start at 7pm)  Waiting for the Parade

Calling all actors/ musicians/ jugglers/ magicians/ stilt walkers/ dancers:
Needed for upcoming Cabaret. The show is on April 16th this year at the Art Station. Looking for
dedicated people looking to get involved. This year’s Theme “Under the Big Top”– examining the absurd,
illusions, and spectacle! The Cabaret is always a great project to get involved in! Rehearsal times TBD.
If you are interested in any of the following theatre related volunteer positions, please email Denise at db107@hotmail.com

Props Props Props!
Do you have a hankering for backstage?  Do you love period costumes?
- We are looking for a group of folks to get together and identify/categorize the wonderful things in the prop room.
If you would have a few hours one afternoon to play, please email vol@theartsstation.com

The Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CKCA) administers and manages the Arts, Culture and Heritage funding sector of the Columbia Basin Trust. The CKCA has a Steering Committee of 14 members from around the Basin elected for two year terms.

Nominations are put forward by the 18 local arts councils in the Basin as well as the Heritage Federation of South Eastern BC. Nominees can be any member of a community with a background in arts, culture or heritage, are involved in the cultural work of their region and have a background in working on committees and program development.

Funding from the CKCA is for all arts disciplines (visual art, theatre, music, dance, media, literary and inter-arts), includes grants to individuals as well as arts, culture and heritage organizations.

Funding applications are adjudicated once a year by local arts councils and the CKCA Steering Committee.

The Columbia Basin includes all communities within the area roughly bounded by Valemount, Revelstoke, Rossland, Creston, Sparwood, and Golden.

Working with community arts councils, individual artists, performers, heritage workers and cultural organizations, the goal of the CKCA is to build long-term sustainability for artists and to strengthen and support arts, cultural and heritage organizations.
Grant applications for:
·                                 Individual artists
·                                 Organizations capital grants
·                                 Touring
·                                 Master Classes
·                                 Organizational Development
·                                 Major Project Funding
·                                 Major Exhibitions
·                                 Major Capital - Heritage
·                                 Heritage Innovations
Application forms are now available from the Arts Station.
Please call before coming to the offices – 250-423-4842

Individual Artist grant submissions by Friday, March 19 at 5pm.

CKCA Special Seminar!
Need assistance or guidelines on completing you Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance submission?
Krista Patterson will be holding a workshop on Saturday, March 6 from 2-4pm at the Arts Station
– upstairs room, for those who would like help.

For info:  http://basinculture.com/funding.htm

In response to a large increase in after-hours uphill traffic, Whitefish Mountain Resort will restrict uphill traffic within the resort’s Special Use Permit boundary to a single route on the mountain, as well as limit the hours when the activity is allowed, starting Mar. 1.

As traffic has increased, resort staff have reported several near-miss incidents with winch cats. Some after-hours hikers ski down close behind or in front of grooming machines after their ascents, and follow routes that leave them hidden by blind roll-overs. The resort also has concerns about safety issues involving snowmaking operations and electrical lines.

Due to these concerns, uphill traffic will be restricted before, during, and after the resort’s operating season. Uphill traffic will not be allowed pre-season, or after hours during the season—times when the resort is likely to be conducting slope maintenance and snowmaking operations. During the operating season, hikers will have access to the mountain via a single designated route from 6:30 a.m. until the resort closes for the day. The same route can used between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. for the first 14 days after ski season ends. There will be no restrictions outside those dates and hours.

Whitefish officials said the hiking issue has blossomed due to an exponential increase in uphill traffic over the last few years. “It used to be that you’d see one or two people hiking the mountain on an average evening,” said Chester Powell, director of operations and risk management for the resort. “Now, our grooming operators will tell you they see 30 or 40 people on an average night, and many more if it is exceptionally clear or a full moon.” Hikers typically use climbing skins or snowshoes. Often, they switch to skis or snowboards to ride downhill.

The resort and the U.S. Forest Service emphasize that this is an issue of safety, not revenue. Resort managers estimate that as many as 90 percent of uphill travelers are current winter season passholders. “We see uphill traffic as an important part of the unique ski culture here,” said Donnie Clapp, public relations manager for the resort. “I guarantee you we would not risk upsetting all of the people who enjoy hiking the mountain if we didn’t feel we have to.”

To alert hikers to the rule changes, a large sign containing the policy and the Responsibility Code will be erected near the bottom of the uphill route. Ski Patrol also plans to hand out fliers to and talk with hikers between now and Mar. 1. The U.S. Forest Service plans to back the policy with a Special Order amendment to 36 CFR 261.53(e), which will allow them to send staff to assist the resort with enforcing the new policy.

“Most people I’ve talked to have been sad to see evening hiking on Big Mountain go, but have agreed that something like this is needed,” said Dan Graves, president and CEO of the resort. “I’m very hopeful that those people will encourage each other to work with us on adopting the new policy, so that going uphill can remain a part of recreating here for a long time into the future.”

For the first time, TV audience measurer The Nielsen Co. has been tracking audience ratings for individual Olympics events, and skiing came out on top during the first few days of the Games.

Freestyle skiing, in particular the moguls events, achieved an average of 26.9 million viewers during prime time, making it the most-watched sport of the 2010 Vancouver Games through Feb. 15, Nielsen said. Other top draws through the first three days of competition included downhill skiing, with 26.7 million viewers, and snowboarding, with 25.5 million. All those beat figure skating, at 25.4 million, and speed skating, at 22.6 million.

Viewership has closely reflected the success of the Canadian and US athletes. Alex Bilodeau and Jenn Heil took gold and silver, respectively, in moguls, while Ashleigh McIvor won Gold in SkiCross. In the US Bode Miller earned a bronze in the men’s downhill, and Seth Wescott won gold in snowboard cross. We can only imagine that ratings were high for Shaun White’s memorable gold in halfpipe, Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso’s gold and silver in women’s downhill, as well as their medals in super-combined and super-G, plus Miller’s silver and gold in super-G and super-combined.

Conventional wisdom has long held that figure skating and ice dancing, with a big appeal to women, are the biggest Winter Olympics sports from a viewership perspective. Could the latest ratings news help bring about a change in future Olympics coverage? We can only hope so.

New life will be brought to Fernie’s Legendary Griz tale at this years Griz Days.  The College of The Rockies MAST Program will take the event to a new level with the Winter Survival Skills Competition and pull the event closer to the Legend Of The Griz.

Poor visibility and snow conditions forced the cancellation of both the women’s and men’s alpine training runs Friday, bringing the cancellation of at least one scheduled alpine event this weekend and threatening others.The women’s super combined race on Sunday has been cancelled because there won’t be enough time to get in training runs. It has not been rescheduled.

The men’s downhill on Saturday is at risk, say race officials, due to rain in the forecast.

Fog initially forced the delay of the women’s training runs Friday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., meaning the men’s 1:30 pm. start had to be cancelled.

But the women’s run was also cancelled due to fog and soft snow. It is unsafe to race in soft snow.

“We came in prepared for this,” said Emily Brydon of Fernie, B.C., Canada’s best medal hope in the women’s downhill.

Brydon pointed out there is plenty of time for organizers to re-arrange schedules over the two weeks.

She said the fewer training runs the better for the Canadians, who have raced on the track more than anyone.

It was the third day in a row weather has played a role in Whistler. Puddles are forming where ice should be. The roads are slushy. It rained most of Thursday and rain is forecast for the next two days.

The women’s training schedule had included a session for downhill and super combined.

The men have completed the mandatory official training session for their downhill, meaning that Saturday’s medal event can go ahead weather permitting.

But the women haven’t even had one official training run.

Meanwhile, the world’s most fretted-about bruised shin appeared to be healing just fine as American downhill racer Lindsay Vonn skied right past reporters anxious for an injury update.

She didn’t stop to speak, but her fitness coach, Martin Hager, did.

“She looks fine. She’s happy to be in Whistler, the chance is great she can start. She’s doing all she can to perform in top shape,” he said.

As for the bruise: “We are working on it. It’s not fine, it’s not perfect. It’s getting better and better,” said Hager. “The pain is getting less and less.”

Vonn is the overwhelming favourite in the women’s downhill, which may be run Wednesday, depending on the weather..

As a leader in the development of JR Freeski events and a strong supporter of youth involvement in the sport of skiing and snowboarding, Fernie Alpine Resort is proud to host the Snickers Junior Freeski Competition presented by Rossignol this weekend on Saturday February 6th & Sunday February 7th.  This is a popular event for both competitors and spectators each season at Fernie Alpine Resort as everyone waits in anticipation to see how the talented 18 and under will rip it up in style on the unique terrain that Fernie is known for.

Competitors will be judged based on 5 categories: control, technique, fluidity, aggressiveness, and line of choice.  Age categories for the event include 7-11, 12-15, and 16-18 years of age for both boys and girls.  Athletes are competing for their share of product from Rossignol and other sponsors.  Competitors will warm up Saturday in the qualifying runs for Sunday’s finals and award ceremony.  PLEASE NOTE: Both the competition and waiting list is FULL.

Spectators are welcome to come out and watch these amazing, up and coming athletes in the sport.  Access for spectators will be designated at the finish area and the exact location will be determined closer to the competition. Spectators are required to have a valid lift ticket or 2009-10 season pass.

Tentative Schedule: (Note: Subject to change)

Friday February 5th:
3:00pm - 7:00pm: Early Check-In and Registration (Location: Daylodge).
It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that competitors try and register Friday evening to avoid the line ups and rush to register Saturday morning.

Saturday February 6th:
7:00am - 7:45am: Check-In and Registration (Location: Daylodge)
8:00am: MANDATORY Competitors Meeting (Location: Daylodge)
8:30am: Load Lift
8:45am - 9:45am: Inspection Runs (Venue Location: To Be Determined)
10:00am: Competition Start
10:00am - 4:00pm: Qualifying Runs
5:00pm: Day 1 Results (Location: Daylodge)

Sunday February 7th:
8:00am: MANDATORY Competitors Meeting (Location: Daylodge)
8:30am: Load Lift
8:45am - 9:45am: Inspection Runs (Venue Location: To Be Determined)
10:00am: Competition Start
10:00am - 2:00pm: Final Runs
3:00pm: Award Ceremonies (Location: Plaza or Daylodge depending on the weather)