’|-FOR THIS SPECIAL OCCASION! |

A special supplement to the Terrace Review and Prince Rupert This Week

by Betty Barton

"IF you came here after 1918, you were considered a newcomer," laughs Randy (Sandhals) Penner, a | long-time Terrace resident. | Randy’s grandmother, Blackie McConnel, arrived in Terrace when she was only one year old and the family has been here ever since.

Randy explains her inherent interest in local history, "When they know you and you hear the oldtimers tell stories, it becomes a part of you." Trained as a regis- tered psychiatric nurse, Randy says, "Geriatrics is my first love." Randy came straight out of train- ing from Riverview to Skeenaview (now known as Terraceview Lodge), and, “still a youngster", she is a member of the Old Age Pensioners, Branch 73, Terrace.

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RANDY PENNER: "You’re talking to a frustrated artist. I would like a chunk of day to paint." Randy and other local artists will have that day at their ART IN MOTION exhibit in George Little Memorial Park, Saturday, August 3 from 1 - 3 p.m.

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decision to quit Skeenaview when she and her husband, Bill moved to the old Gunnar Edlund home- stead at Kitselas eighteen years ago. Bill had logged out there years ago and loved the area. In those days, the Copper City ferry was still running. Although it’s only nine miles, the road didn’t go through in those days, and "it was horrendous getting out there," says Randy. One was, and still is, very regulated by the seasons. .

All the supplies were brought in by train, "The CN crews were great!" remembers Randy thankful- ly. The phone on the rail line was the only communication to town at the time. Although they never had to use it, Randy felt secure know- ing it was there, They often

TERRACE'S FIRST AMBULANCE was’ a donation from the Kinsmen Club of Terrace. It was operated by the Terrace Fire Department. a Casey Braarm illustration from Terrace Olden Days Colouring Book

Randy says it was a difficult

hitched a ride on a ‘speeder’ and then were dropped off before the Skeena Bridge so the CN crew wouldn’t get into trouble. Then they packed it all in on snowshoes or pony wagon.

Randy says it’s been interesting living in Kitselas. It’s alot more modern than the carly settlers (despite the lack of running water and electricity) would have experi- enced, but she feels a real sense of what it must have been like.

Randy, Bill and later, their daugh-'

ter, Dana (now 15), lived at Kit- selas for five years. They are still clearing fields and building fences. For awhile, they logged with Bel- gian logging horses with Harry Houlden. Now, they are seasonal residents, but "it’s a lifetime of work", says Randy.

"That lifestyle forces you into very traditional male/female roles", explains Randy. She says it’s hard to accept, especially when she reverts to less traditional roles during their time in Terrace.

"You're talking to a frustrated artist," sighs Randy, "I would like a chunk of day to paint." Randy worked at Rainbow Embroidery for four years, is a local artist and the co-ordinator (under the umbrella of the Terrace Art Asso- ciation) of the Art in Motion exhibit held annually during River- boat Days weekend in George Little Memorial Park, near the library. Randy wants to paint. and

photograph everything she sees at Kitselas, but there’s not enough’

time. | For two seasons, Randy practised filleting and smoking fish with

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Riverboat Days guide 23

"| F~ | Oldtimers are a gold mine

Mel Bevan. She discovered that it isn’t as easy as it looks. She took photographs of the whole process. Randy remembers fondly time spent with the Bevan sisters, Emma and Rhoda, while they worked diligently day after day during fishing season, "They were wonderful company."

Company came few and far between before the road went to Kitselas. Gunnar Edlund was their only neighbour year-round in the old days. They’d stop in on their way to or from town. Gunnar, an avid gardener, was a wealth of gardening information; he grew peas from seeds he’d cultivated - himself and he grew the most wonderful strawberries for sale as far away as Prince Rupert. He painted his house in very bright colours, a Scandinavian custom, Randy thinks. This ’stubborn Swede’, as Randy calls him, finally moved into Terrace last fall. Randy finds it strange not to have him for a neighbour any more, "He’s always been there."

Randy remembers Archie Hippis- ley visiting on numerous occa- sions. He was born, and had gone. to school, in Copper City, so he enjoyed the trip down memory lane. Randy says,"He always had pocketsful of pictures and a mem- ory! Older folks are a gold mine. It’s sad that alot of the history has already been lost."

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