Western Front - 1999 July 28

              WEDNESDAY, July 28,1999
The Western Front Western Washington University Volume 109 Issue 6 Bellingham, Washington
Salmon seminar
crosses borders
By Jennifer Hibbs
THE WESTERN FRONT
The United States and
Canada find salmon a whale of
an issue.
Approximately 20 teachers
gathered to discuss salmon and
whale issues affected by politi­cal
impacts and cultural influ­ences
between Canada and the
United States. The six-day
workshop included issues such
as the Pacific Salmon Treaty
and hunter-gatherer perspec­tives
on whaling.
Jean Melious, assistant pro­fessor
of Environmental
Studies and Canadian-
American Studies, is coordina­tor
of the two-credit workshop,
"Who Owns the Sea?"
"My goals are to expose
teachers to resources and look
even broader at the difficulty
and complexity at two different
nations and cultures looking at
the same problem," Melious
said.
"This (salmon issue) has
been symbolic and significant
here, but to have two countries
help each other out, rather
than fight away the last fish is
important," she said. "Whaling
is a different kind of problem to
solve."
Most teachers attending the
seminar are from the Pacific
Northwest and are familiar
with the issues, but other
teachers attending the seminar
are from Texas and Kansas.
The workshop was geared
towards educators who teach
grades six-12. Community col­lege
teachers, Western gradu-
See SALMON, page 3
Whatcom Falls park re-opens
Consultation firm
assesses Western for
new recreational facility
Chris Fuller/The Western Front
As part of a continuous watch, Whatcom Security Agency Officer Aaron Hardy ensures
nobody disturbs the gas-tainted and off-limits Whirpool Falls in Whatcom Falls Park.
By Justin Hall
THE WESTERN FRONT
Western's proposed recreation
facility took its first step toward
becoming a reality last week.
Pepsi contract money has been
used to hire a consulting firm to
determine if the new facility is
needed.
The facility, if approved, would
include a pool, climbing wall,
weight lifting areas, an eatery
and courts for various activities.
The facility appeared on the
ballot last spring, asking stu­dents
to pay a $40 fee.
"The reason it didn't pass last
year was because it was done at
the last minute," Viking Union
Adviser Jack Smith said. "We
had no idea what the students
wanted and had nothing to show
them."
Smith explained they hired a
nationally recognized consulting
firm from Washington, D.C. It
has done previous work for the
University of Montana,
University of Idaho, Oregon State
University and Washington State
University.
. "The consulting company will
See BUILDING, page 3
Youths dig skate park
By Jaime Martin
THE WESTERN FRONT
A group of skateboarding
enthusiasts protested city delays
in the construction of a skate
park next to Civic Field by break­ing
ground themselves Saturday.
During light rain, about 10
youths began preparing the site
adjacent to Civic Field for a skate
park. Using hand shovels and
muscle power, youths began
moving old tires off the site and
digging a trench that will become
the 12 foot deep basin in the
skate park, they said.
The city promised to have it
built this summer just like they
said last summer, Western
senior Neil Johnson said.
Last summer Bellingham City
Council allocated $250,000 for
the project. About $17,000 addi­tional
dollars were raised by the
Skate Park Foundation.
Leslie Bryson, Design and
Development Manager for
Bellingham Parks and
Recreation Department
explained the delays.
"Bellingham City Council said
they'll fund the rest of it and
See SKATE, page 3
Volunteers clear
Silver Beach trail
By Jennifer Hibbs
THE WESTERN FRONT
Volunteers got down and dirty
Thursday, clearing a trail route
from' Silver Beach to Silver
Beach Elementary School, at the
site of the Peters Street Trail
plantings.
A series of work parties has
improved this trail, but this was
the first this summer.
Eleven volunteers weeded,
Competition encourages biking to work
A bicyclist
work day.
Chris Fuller/The Western Front
carefully crosses an intersection at the end of the
By Craig Kanaya
THE WESTERN FRONT
Companies and organiza­tions
throughout Whatcom
County are encouraging their
employees to trade their cars in
for bikes, as part of the 1999
Business Bicycle Challenge.
For the last two weeks of
July, employers are asking
employees to bike to work.
The sponsor of the contest,
Whatcom County Council of
Government, works with
Whatcom County employees to
promote alternatives to driving
alone. For the last two weeks of
July, the WCCOG has put bicy­cle
commuting in the spotlight.
"We had 284 participants in
last year's Business Bicycle
Challenge," said Susan Horst,
employer outreach coordinator
for the WCCCOG. "First-time
bicycle commuters were proud
of every fraction they pedaled."
"The Business Bicycle
Challenge was a natural fit for
us," said Dale Plant of Kona
Mountain Bikes. \Ten out 15 of
our employees a r \ participat­ing
this year."
"We have been promoting the
reducing of single-occupancy
cars going to work," said Steve.
Hoffer of Hextel Corporation
said. "We have been working
internally to get more people to
ride to work. It is a challenge to
get more people involved."
Many Whatcom County resi­dents
are discovering the bene­fits
of bicycle commuting.
"There are so many benefits
to bicycle commuting; it's hard
to choose just one," Plant said.
"A .few are exercise, a healthy
lifestyle and it makes Whatcom
County a better place to live."
"I think bicycle commuting is
See BICYCLE, page 3.
See TRAIL, page 3
IN THIS ISSUE
Endless winter at
Whistler
Summer
snow-sport
f a n a t i c s
drive about
three hours
north to hit
the slopes.
See story page 7.
Nooksack tribe
powwows for sobriety
Dancers of all ages jive to
tribal chants and drum
beats to celebrate a drug-and-
alcohol-free lifestyle.
See story page 4.
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