BC Hydro Power Pioneers are gifting school libraries across the province with more than 600 copies of Voices from Two Rivers, a book that chronicles the history of dam construction and power generation on the Peace and Columbia rivers projects.
The story is told through those who lived and worked around the building of those projects.
Engineers, First Nations elders, ranchers and construction workers and their families all have a place in this narrative. The projects were engineering feats that involved tens of thousands of people and touched the lives of many more British Columbians with tremendous benefits as well as abundant challenges.
“In light of current challenges in the energy industry, this book is a great resource to understanding regarding huge energy projects,” North Quesnel Power Pioneer Rae Daggitt said.
“So far the schools have been very pleased to receive a copy of Voices from Two Rivers.”
The projects covered in this book provide the majority of BC Hydro’s current electricity, power British Columbians depend on.
The book is well illustrated, with more than 120 illustrations, maps and photos and shares the human story behind implementing large-scale government policy. It is sure to interest not only British Columbians but communities Canada-wide that are part of similar energy projects.
The book is being distributed to libraries which serve the Grade 8 – 12 student population and provides an excellent resource to those students in their school studies.
It is the hope of the BC Hydro Power Pioneers that this book provides students important insights and understanding of this significant era of dam construction in the province, along with the impacts on the people and communities involved.
The book is dedicated by the BC Hydro Power Pioneers to the men and women whose hard work, energy and pride built the great dams on the Peace and Columbia Rivers and particularly to those who contributed their stories about those remarkable achievements in the larger story of building the province of B.C.
In addition to acquiring the book as a tangible reference, teachers can access a series of lesson plans spanning Grades 8 – 12, based on Voices from Two Rivers as a resource. Teachers are directed to Firstwave – the BC Hydro education/school programs website.
“Throughout the province, we’ve had nothing but rave reviews for this book and the lesson program,” Daggitt said.
Approximately 4,000 copies will be sold through the website www.powerpioneers.com and through Power Pioneer members with 100 per cent of the proceeds of these
sales dedicated to Power Pioneers’ Miracle Million Campaign for B.C. Children’s Hospital.
Voices from Two Rivers was published in 2011 to honour B.C. Hydro’s 50th anniversary.