The Trail Times begins its annual Year in Review feature. Over the next three days we’ll look back on events and photos from 2017.
January
1 —Seventy-seven hardy souls braved the -4 C air temperature to plunge into the Columbia River for the 31st annual Polar Bear Swim at Gyro Park.
3 —Keira Mackenzie Dowkes was the first baby born at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in 2017. Parents Stacy Schwab and Kevin Dowkes came over from Grand Forks the previous night for the 3:42 a.m. delivery.
4 —The prolonged cold snap and ensuing icy conditions is creating a spike in hip fractures reported to the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital.
6 — With byelection slated for February for two councillors and a mayor, Warfield is granted a Ministerial Order to allow the two remaining councillors the power to take care of everyday duties in council despite a lack of quorum.
10 —Trail council passes a bylaw that prohibits smoking in public areas and within six metres of any recreation facility.
17 — The Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital said it was in the midst of a violence risk assessment after a man walked into the Boundary District Hospital in Grand Forks and shot himself. The review will allow the facility to determine its security procedures and protocols.
20 —Despite the extended cool snap, most communities in the region remain on budget for snow removal although the valley was dealing with more snow removal than higher elevations.
24 —The high avalanche risk claimed the life of one skier near Ymir while four other skiers were injured in a separate incident outside of Rossland.
24 —The Warfield byelection nomination period ends with two people vying for the mayor’s chair and four candidates for the two vacant councillor seats. The election is set for Feb. 25.
26 —The Trail Historical Society is seeking the public’s help for artifacts for the new museum under construction. The society is hoping residents will look into closets and attics for any old artifacts from Trail to complete displays in the new museum.