Local painter Mike Kroacher's "Prospect of the Peace" exhibit will be on display Friday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Peace Gallery North.
His oil paintings document the current beauty of the Peace region. Kroecher is an avid hiker and evidently in love with the aesthetics of northeast B.C.
"I want to highlight the beauty of what we have here. It is such a unique place, so I think it ought to be preserved," he added, continuing on by saying that voters down south are not aware of what the Peace has to offer.
A former teacher and art major, Kroecher hopes his work inspires people to object to Site C and its implications.
"I just love this area of the Peace River," began a passionate Kroecher before delving into the politics behind his work.
"I hate to see it being destroyed with Site C."
Kroecher, like many vocal residents of northeast B.C., is strongly against the prospect of Site C. He believes the provincial government cares only about money and not the environmental and residential impacts of the BC Hydro project.
"Most of the voters are in southern B.C., and they don't want dams in their own backyard. They think it's all right to put them up here in the Peace, and they don't even know this area. They do not know what is going to be destroyed."
"I think the B.C. government is lying to us," he said. "They say that they need the power for future needs."
He cited research he did on BC Hydro's annual report, which, according to him, says that BC Hydro will be fully self-sufficient in 2016 and Site C will not add onto it until 2020. In Kroecher's opinion, this proves that Site C is strictly for profit.
"Most people who live here, they recognize the beauty and uniqueness of the valley, but you know, sometimes they need to speak out against what is happening. This is my way of objecting to it."
Kroecher's exhibit opens Friday night and will be on display until Nov. 12.
