Crowds turned out in droves to the Bridge Lake Ice Caves trail entrance to see the two majestic new totem poles carved by Canim Lake First Nation (Tsq’escenemc) artist Jerome Boyce unveiled on April 1.
Snow and rain persisted through most of the ceremony but didn’t daunt the dozens of folks who turned out to witness the unveiling and to also celebrate the completion of the Jobs Creation Partnership (JCP) Project in the 100 Mile House area.
The importance of this event was further highlighted by its recognition of the many people who contributed to the JCP, including politicians, workers, designers, artists, organizers and other project partners through individual mentions in the speeches, while several key project contributors were also presented with plaques.
These included New Pathways to Gold Society (NPTGS) representatives, who both accepted, on behalf of their society, the sincere thanks expressed by others, as well as passing on the group’s own gratitude to the various groups and individuals they credited as essential to the success of the project.
The unveiling of the new 10-foot totem poles was done by Minister of State for Rural Economic Development Donna Barnett and Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Cathy McLeod, along with Boyce and representatives from the JCP project.
This area at Bridge Lake is known to local Secwepemc First Nations as the Entrance to the Bear World, so many noted the artistry carved into the totem.
Boyce explained his designs on the cedar poles feature bears holding a local river fish, Coho salmon or Kokanee, along with a frog carved into one of the poles.
“The bear represents strength for our people and the fish and the frog at the bottom represents the water that flows through the area [that everything survives on]. We have got to protect and keep it for our generations to come.”
These twin totems now greet visitors at the Ice Caves entrance to the parking area and trails off Highway 24, a unique site being transformed into a family-friendly heritage facility.
Ice Caves Heritage Trail co-ordinator Helga Zeiner said the society is “very fortunate” to have Boyce take on this project with his high-calibre artistic talent now heralding the historic trail’s entrance.
“These amazing totem poles will provide a unique experience for visitors,” Zeiner said.
In her speech, she also pointed out that since the society’s first glimpse of the ice caves, as members of the Fishing Highway 24 Tourist Association, they knew if managed properly, the spot could be an important recreational attraction for area residents and visitors alike.
“I’m very happy about this because we not only have created a recreational path here, which is good for the tourism and for the locals to come and enjoy themselves but also shows the traditional connections we all have with our First Nations bands – Canim Lake Band and all the others – and we can all enjoy it together.”
The Jobs Creation Partnership Project is a $400,000 initiative with the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation’s Community and Employer Partnerships Branch and other organizations, including the Highway 24 Ice Caves Project and dozens of new amenities at heritage and recreation sites along the Gold Rush/Spirit Trails Corridor.
At the Ice Caves site, the JCP Project crew also built three foot bridges, railings, connecting stairs and 2.5 kilometres of low mobility trail, as well as installing bear-proof waste containers, picnic tables, benches and two outhouses.
In the many speeches wrapping up the five-month project, the JCP crew and supervisor, Thomas Salzbrenner, were also recognized for their hard work and quality construction in installing several much-needed amenities at Canim Lake and along the Gold Rush Snowmobile Trail (GRST), as well as some picnic tables and outhouses for Recreation Sites and Trails BC (RSTBC).
JCP Project partners are NPTGS, Canim Lake Band, GSRT Regional Management Committee, Cariboo Regional District, and the federal and provincial governments, including the RSTBC branch of the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.
More information is online at www.newpathwaystogold.ca, under the Projects heading.
