A16- The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 24, 2002 Kitwanga nursery turns away gardeners By JENNIFER LANG A NORTHERN gardener’s rite of spring is no longer. The Skeena Valley Nursery in Kitwanga, the largest bed- ding plant supplier outside of Vancouver, has massively scaled back operations and is no longer selling to the public. Clifford Goodwill, who owns the family-run nursery with his wife, Fern, said they have al- ready had to turn people away this season. “The word needs to get out,” he said last week. For hundreds of gardeners in search of a wide selection and reasonable prices, an annual trip to the nursery in Kitwanga was a tradition. But after 15 years, the Good- wills have scaled back operations to just one-sixth of their former From front College shifts aim to draw more students Student fees for English language training have also been dropped to help attract potential students. She said program changes designed to attract more students lie ahead. “The FTE targets allow us to justifiably decrease ser- vice in one area and increase it in another.” The first of five inter sessional university transfer courses offered in Terrace and Prince Rupert begin April 29, “The condensed format of these are exactly the kind of format some students have been requesting.” NWCC plans to offer a slate of timber frame courses, and short-term professional development trades courses. It’s also considering reinstating a millwright’s program, NWCC is now working on a degree program in envir- onmental science through the University of Northern B.C. Science courses would be offered in Terrace and Smithers next September, Another proposal is ta offer adult basic education courses to prepare students in Queen Charlotte City and Masset for an eventual bachelors degree program they would complete at UNBC. Other colleges in B.C. have introduced steeper tuition increases. Narth Island Community College on Vancouver Island increased tuition by 40 per cent and been forced to clase four of its rural campuses. _ 0 down payment °0 security deposit 0 reasons to wait Hurry, sale ends” ‘April: 30th size and will only .scll product wholesale. While the nursery produced as many as 30,000 plants in previous years, production is now down to just 5,000. Those will be sold wholesale to Prince George, Whitehorse, and: Kitimat. Goodwill said a number of Fac- tors were responsible for the deci- sion, including age — he’s 66 - and heating costs. For the past four years the nursery has relied on woodchips, ..- also known as hog fuel, to heat the greenhouses over the winter. “When the sawmills went down, thal made a difference in the availability,” he said. The news will come as a dis- appointment to gardeners across the north who made the annual trek to Kitwanga for bedding plants. Goodwill said last year in May _ eGucei ®Ralph Lauren LEASE FOR 202 Cee * PER MO, °1f60 MONTH LEASE DOWN PAYMENT “OR FINANCING FROM 0 Q” 750 customers came through the till on the weekend before Mo- ther’s Day. “A lot of people like it just for the trip,” he said. “We've enjoyed the challenge, and we've enjoyed the people,” he said, adding he’s grateful for their patronage over the past 15 years... : The nursery’s scale. was im- pressive. With 14 greenhouses, more than 30,000 plants were pro- duced annually.” Customers. also. liked the wide selection. For example, the nurs- ery grew between. 60 and 80 var- ieties of petunias, and as. many as 50 varieties of marigolds. “Put it-to you this way, if you. opened up a seed catalogue, there would be very few varieties, if any, that we didn’t have,” he said. The Skeena Valley Nursery was also known for its displays of hanging baskets. As many as YOUR “Harry Poter BUY ONE PAIR * Silhouette GET A SPARE Easy Clip for a friend or family member For your convenience & quick service, please bring in your prescription, OR PURCHASE FROM $13,380 3. GLASSES and CONTACTS “ONE STOP SHOP” 1,000 hanging baskets would be on display af a time, Goodwill said. He’s confident gardeners in the Terrace will continue to find en- ough selection at local retail out- lets. : “] think there’s enough compe- titiveness ‘and enough supply to keep the price low,” he said. The nursery has sold wholesale to retailers in Smithers, Terrace, Prince Rupert and Kitimat in the past. : It will still. supply plants, to out- lets in Kitimat, Prince George and even Whilehorse. The seasonal operation em- ployed between eight and 12 people part time, with two to three remaining for the entire sea- son. One employee has worked there for 12 years. “We think it’s just a good time to step out and see what happens to the plant world,” Goodwill said. SO ARE WE. 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