A community radio station in the heart of Smithers is leading the way in bringing people together while supporting the arts and doing it all in as green a manner as possible.
The Smithers Community Radio Society is an incorporated non-profit that manages a locally-supported, volunteer-operated community radio station. They use the call sign of CICK and can be found on the radio dial at 93.9 FM.
According to their website, their mission is a uniquely-styled, nonprofit volunteer-produced radio and arts cultural engine focusing on inclusivity, sustainability, partnerships, innovation, and fun.
A LOCAL VISION
It all started in 2009 when Glen Ingram moved back to Canada from Minneapolis where he volunteered at a community radio station there.
Ingram loved the idea that a community radio station can represent people from all backgrounds and cultures and show that it is possible to work together in creating something positive.
He, along with two other people, did some research and made applications to CRTC and Industry Canada.
It took about a year to get everything in place and they started broadcasting from a small space on Main Street.
“We were broadcasting from this 20 feet long, 10-foot-wide little space. And people just started coming in and it was amazing,” Ingram said. “From all aspects of the community, a lot of people have worked from larger centres that had community and campus radio stations, and they wanted to emulate what they experienced there as well.
“Especially from a listener’s perspective, how can we bring different kinds of music into the community? How can I celebrate the music I love so much? And so they came with all their programming ideas, and we had created the board and the society and it all just came together.”
They decided that their space was a bit too small after about two years and went looking to expand.
A LOCAL LANDMARK
“We grew out of that space,” Ingram said. “There were no windows. It was very claustrophobic. We had some people (who) wanted to make programming but had claustrophobia issues. And we just had to move somewhere and someone said, ‘What about the train car?’ And a lot of us were, like, ‘What train?’ It had become invisible in Central Park.”
The local landmark was originally a 1929 executive lounge car named “Quesnel.” CN Rail provided the old dining car to the Lions who transported it from the rail yard to its current location via a lengthy process of towing it across rail laid by logging-loaders — a process that took two weekends to complete.
About eight years ago, CICK met with members of the now-defunct Lions Club, who offered to lease it to them. Ingram said they knew as soon as they checked it out, it was meant to be.
He also said it was practically set up for them. They put up some new curtains and the dining room became the studio, the galley/kitchen turned into the CD library and the other half of the train which was the actual lounge part of the executive lounge car was morphed into an area for live music.
“We can take performing artists, put them on stage within 15 minutes of notice and do the live broadcast and video stream all within that space in ways that helps touring artists, it helps local artists try out new things for a small and intimate audience,” he added. “It’s been used for multiple music videos. It’s such a great space.”
In 2020, CICK became the owner of the train car when the Lions dissolved their club.
A GREEN INITIATIVE
The station has been working on making itself more environmentally friendly and it is now off the grid— meaning in case of an emergency, they can send out emergency broadcasts for a long time after the power goes out.
Their trainsmitter is on the hospital roof, and that building has a generator that the station can take advantage of. They also have solar panels now on their own roof that can keep the sound on in the studio.
“We are ready and prepared to go to be on air for an extended period of time in the situation where an emergency happens and we lose power. We also are automated to receive all the municipal and national emergency alerts,” he said.
Another environmentally-friendly initiative is their new pedal-powered party machine. It has a bike trailer with a PA system that can be a remote broadcast centre.
“We just want to show some leadership in that sense of what a small community organization can do in terms of their impact on emissions,” Ingram added.
A PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY
He feels the station has found a place in the community.
“We’re now very comfortable with what we do. And now we’re just polishing. Now, thinking what else can we do more in the community?”
The station is always looking for more people to get involved and to create programming. They currently have more than 30 programs produced in their studio by volunteers in the community.
There are seniors and children as young as eight years old producing programs and their content is very diverse, from someone reading old fairy tales, to highlighting positive people in the community to students from the francophone school producing French shows.
“We also found a really good place in representing performing arts in the community,” he said. “Matter of fact, we’ve won awards for some of the work that we’ve done, representing and promoting and amplifying the work that people do. And creating music and performing arts in general, it’s a perfect place to take to take people’s passions and amplify them across the community. It’s really cool to see how that how that percolates, and gives people the confidence to do stuff themselves.”
The station’s goal is currently to have more voices and diversity on their air waves.
CICK also has a news department with two journalists. They had funding for that programming from the Community Radio Fund of Canada, however, that funding has not been renewed for next year.
Ingram said they are still hoping some sort of funding to continue CICK news will be allocated.
“So, fingers are crossed, we’d like to keep pressure on our local MPs and representatives in Ottawa. To let them know that it’s important for communities like us to keep that type of coverage going because we’re definitely filling a gap that isn’t being covered in any other way.”
The station currently broadcasts from Hungry Hill to Witset but can be streamed online from anywhere. The station would like to set up repeaters somewhere in Hazelton and possibly Houston so more people can hear them on the airwaves.
“We’re a community arts hub but we’re more than that,” Ingram added. “This community is a diverse community. And I see it as a place that potentially is becoming more diverse in great ways. And I love to reflect that on this frequency.”
The society’s membership drive is coming up next month. They currently have about 150 renewing members but Ingram said he wants to double that number this year.
“This is going to be a year where I want every person in this community to know who we are, what we do, and how they can become involved. Even if it is as something as simple and as easy as buying an annual membership. It shows they’re supportive of the work that our volunteers do for the community.”
Memberships cost $25 and more information on how to become a member can be found on the CICK website.
READ MORE: Smithers Community Radio station, CICK, offers free Podcasting workshops in November
@MariscaDekkema
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