The eagerly awaited launch of Lil’wat Radio into local airwaves has arrived.

The Lil’wat Nation/Mount Currie Band has entered a cooperative venture with Spud Valley Radio, said Tim Schmitt, interim general manager of Creekside Resources, so that Lil’wat Radio and Lil’wat content and communications can be broadcast to the community.

The recent launch of the revamped station means there’s now Lil’wat programming coming over the Spud Valley Radio signal at 98.9 FM, and the new shows and sounds are now transmitting from the studio in the new Ullus community complex.

Clint Andrew, a trained actor and former broadcaster for the N’Quatqua Band, has been working with online content for Lil’wat Radio, and creating awareness and excitement about the idea of the station, for about a year.

“It feels good to be on air again,” Andrew said, after a “long year” of people asking about the station and how plans were coming along.

When he was seeking feedback from the community about plans for Lil’wat Radio, Andrew said, “It was all positive, people were very excited.”

The Lil’wat station manager/radio broadcaster said part of his vision for the station is to “kind of coexist for Pemberton and Lil’wat, to inform both communities equally, to get the information they want out there for the community.” When Andrew heard that Lil’wat Radio would be joining forces with Spud Valley Radio, he said it “excited me that it was going to be the whole valley.”

He said he’s also excited about plans for programming such as a Lil’wat legends and stories show, “to get our culture out there, our language.” A noon-hour show featuring First Nations content, music and events is also among the ideas in the works.

Andrew is also tossing around ideas such as having an Ucwalmicwts word of the day that could be featured in shows throughout the day.

Andrew hosts a morning show from Monday to Friday, running 7 to 10 a.m., while Pemberton’s David Banka, also known as D.J. Hollywood Dave, does the drive-home show from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. featuring classic rock – mainly playing what Banka calls “the best of the best” – and introducing community bands to promote local talent.

Schmitt said the Lil’wat Nation/Mount Currie Band will essentially run Spud Valley Radio, allowing them to communicate better with Lil’wat nation members and disseminate more information over the airwaves. Chief Leonard Andrew has agreed to come in regularly to share messages for the community, Clint Andrew said of his uncle, and the broadcaster also hopes to ask Pemberton Mayor Jordan Sturdy to participate too once the new studio’s phones are ready.

The studio in the Ullus complex is ideally placed over the beautiful new gym, in a spot that Clint Andrew picked out himself when he saw plans for the building.

“I was excited that the studio was going to be here in Mount Currie, as opposed to somewhere neutral,” Andrew said.

Radio, says Clint Andrew, “is just fun. To come in and inform the community and play music, it’s exciting.”