It’s been quite a year our corner of the Kootenays. People jumped in the frigid water to start the year, hid from suffocating wildfire smoke in the summer then wondered when winter would arrive in December.
In between there were some landmark moments including the opening of the beautiful Riverfront Centre, Trail’s new library and museum. The Trail Sk8 Park came to fruition after years of prodding. And a new mayor, Lisa Pasin, Trail’s first female mayor, took the reins.
Over the next few days, the Trail Times will recap some of the moments, both good and bad, that made 2018 another one for the history books.
January
1 – Despite -5C temperature, the annual New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim saw 91 daring souls take the frigid plunge into the Columbia River at Trail’s Gyro Park beach.
3 – BC Assessment notices came out and the trend shows sales in West Trail boost property values while Fruitvale sees the biggest assessment increase locally.
5 – Teck Trail Operations wins a 2017 Leadership Award in sustainable mining. The local plant received a triple-A rating, the highest possible, in five forward-thinking initiatives.
8 – The new year brings a new leader to United Steelworkers Local 480. Interim president Brian Onyschak took the reins from retiring past-president Armindo deMedeiros. An election for a new president is set for the spring.
13 – Firefighters respond to a burning car along Highway 22 in Genelle. Days later the police report that a body, later identified as Jordan Workman, was found in the trunk of the car prompting a homicide investigation.
15 – Russ and Rose Beauchamp of Maglio Building Centre surprised the Downtown Dinner Committee and food bank volunteers by covering the full cost of a $3,000 commercial cooler for the group that helps locals with once-a-month free dinners.
15 – Trail City Council decides to cancel the Friday outdoor markets on the Esplanade and replace it with three evening editions slated for June, July and August.
24 – Another winter storm and another spate of accidents on Highway 22 between Trail and Castlegar. One involved four vehicles while a second accident saw a semi truck crash into a light standard at the Gulch intersection.
26 – After 60 years in the Trail Memorial Centre, the public library closed its doors in preparation to move into the new Riverfront Centre.
29 – Joint replacement surgeries resume at KBRH. Those surgeries were placed on hold in December following a number of surgical site infections.
29 – A crowd of supporters gathered at the Fruitvale Memorial Hall to cheer on Fruitvale native Joe Cecchini as he prepares for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. Cecchini is competing in the skeleton racing event for Italy.
30 – The Village of Fruitvale purchases the former Beaver Valley Middle School building on Columbia Gardens Road. The village paid $149,000 for the building and 2.6-acre parcel of land.
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