Creston, B.C., is home to hardworking volunteers from the Kokanee Country Snowmobile Club. Saturday, September 21, marked a very important celebration, as a newly constructed cabin was dedicated to Terry Watt, who passed away February 4, 2010. The cabin is located about 20 minutes up the Salmo-Creston Pass near Boundary Lake.
Watt’s daughter Llana Malmberg, from Blackie, Alberta, attended the dedication ceremony. Looking at the cabin and its surroundings, she smiled. “I know this cabin is a place my father would have loved,” she said.
Tenacious and dedicated are two words Malmberg used to describe her father. Never backing down from a fight, Watt contributed much, not only to the Kokanee Country Snowmobile Club, but to the Association of British Columbia Snowmobile Clubs. He fought for the preservation of land and was responsible for getting the funding needed for this cabin. Watt personally forged a trail to the cabin site, which was carefully chosen by him and other members of the club.
Groundbreaking started the summer of 2012 by Ken Fleck, Darryl Ringheim, Mike Arlt, Jennifer Hutzkal and Stu and Connor Durning.
The construction was not an easy task for this remote cabin. Home Hardware had to deliver a massive load of building materials 16 kilometres up a deteriorated logging road. Then it was up to the volunteers to make it happen. Dave and Judy Kriese, JayDee McClure, Ken Fleck and Darryl Ringhem did much of the construction, often staying overnight at the location to maximize their working hours.
“We hope this cabin will be used by many outdoor enthusiasts,” club president Dean Bala said. “It can be something of an olive branch, reaching out to unite us.”
The club expects many snowshoers and cross country skiers to frequent this cabin, as they do the Char Creek cabin.
This cabin will stand for many seasons to come, as will the memory of Terry Watt. His passion for the sport of snowmobiling reminds us to continually reach out and make things happen, and never be idle when you can make a difference.
