FRIDAY DEC. 27 2013 VOL. 40, NO. 30
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Knit one, purl a friend
Christmas at the Ranch
Resolve to be healthy
The comraderie is palpable at weekly knitting group gatherings
Santa Claus remembers to treat all the nice dogs enjoying a Bowen holiday
Christmas is a time to indulge; the New Year is a time to make amends
“Lo, your King comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass....” The Little Red Church held its annual Christmas pageant on Sunday, complete with two of the rescued donkeys at Endswell Farm. See more photos on
Are you for the birds? Then join the Christmas Bird Count PAM DICER SPECIAL TO UNDERCURRENT
O
n January 5, Bowen Island volunteers will be taking part in the annual nation-wide Christmas Bird Count. Most of the birds are resident throughout the year, i.e. they do not migrate with the seasons, although there are a few exceptions. So what can we expect to see on Bowen and has anything changed? A stunning little jewel called Anna’s Hummingbird now chooses to live at our latitude during the winter. Thirteen were recorded last year. Since the 1930s, this bird’s range has been gradually expanding northwards from California and Baja reaching Vancouver about 12 years ago. Until now, I have only seen them near the coast but this winter I
have two in my own garden at 800’. During the recent freeze-up, it took only an hour-and-a-half for the sugar water to freeze, necessitating the rotation of three feeders. Sugar water is their flying fuel but hummingbirds are carnivorous and feed on insects many of which I’ve found swimming in the feeders. Their choice of wintering ground has nothing to do with people forgetting to remove feeders after the Rufous Hummingbirds have left to migrate south. Many birds form large flocks in winter but their numbers can change hugely from year to year. For the past two years Pine Siskins numbered 1,225 and 1,036 respectively but there were only 36 in 2010. Siskins are an irruptive species. This means a dramatic, irregular migration of large continued, PAGE 11
page 6; read Susanna Braund’s story on the important role donkeys play in history, and the modern world economy, on page 8. Debra Stringfellow photo
‘Styro-spill’ exposes gaps in environmental enforcement MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
W
hen Brian Hodgins found a large piece of styrofoam washed up on the beach near his house, gradually shredding into pieces with the tide, he dealt with it himself. “I took a saw to free it from the concrete that’s holding it together and hauled it up to my property,” says Hodgins. “It scared me how much was there. And I want to go down and get more but I am 72 years old so it may not be such a good idea for me to be going down there. Fortunately my son in-law, when he comes here, he’s going to help me haul more up and take it to the transfer station.” Hodgins says creosote logs wash up near his property all the time, but he just pushes them back out into the ocean. A weak solution, he says. “There’s no agency to deal with these things,” he says. “Like for this styrofoam — I’m not going to call DFO because they’re never going to come.”
When asked whether he thought about calling the municipality, he said he drafted an email, but doesn’t think it’s their responsibility. “Why overload them?” said Hodgins. “They have enough to do.” The municipality has stepped in to help concerned citizens clean up the styrofoam mess. When Brenda McLuhan organized the first clean-up at Cape Roger Curtis, the municipality spoke to the property owners of the lot near the affected shoreline to ensure that volunteers could get to the mess without trespassing, and offered up a giant trash bin where they could put the mess. In order to deal with the styrofoam and wrecked dock that was too large and in too precarious a position to move by hand, the Municipality hired Cormorant Marine to haul it away at a reduced rate. Squamish resident John Buchanan got assistance from the district of Squamish, as he was allowed to dump three loads of both his pick-up truck and his continued, PAGE 2
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If styrofoam causes such a problem, what about coal and oil? from PAGE 1
and his boat filled with of debris (including styrofoam) into the local landfill. “They did ask me, ‘How much stuff is this? Because at a certain point we are going to have to re-assess whether or not you can dump it for free,’” says Buchanan. The mess he hauled into the Squamish landfill was collected from the shoreline of Porteau Cove to Lions Bay the week of December 13. He believes the mess, like the mess on Bowen and another mess on Gambier and another near McNab Creek, came off of a giant dock structure with 15 styrofoam sections that he found on Anvil Island on November 24. After finding the docks, Buchanan started making calls to try and find out more about it. Ruth Simons from the Future of Howe Sound Society confirmed that the dock originally belonged to the Thunderbird Marina in West Vancouver, and they’d sold it for $1 to a scrap metal collector. Buchanan believes that the dock structure found on Bowen in late October may have broken off from the larger structure as it was being towed to Anvil Island. After he found the dock, Buchanan called the provincial Ministry of Environment RAPP line (Report All Poachers and Polluters) to inform them about it. He didn’t hear back initially, but now knows that the scrap collectors who own it have been contacted by the province and asked to clean them up.
“The docks are no longer on Anvil Island,” says Buchanan. “But other than that I don’t see any effort to clean up the debris scattered all over Howe Sound.” Ruth Simons has spoken with the owners of Thunderbird Marina, and has asked them to make a contribution to the dock clean-up efforts. Simons says this incident also points to the lack of regulation and enforcement at higher levels of government. “The result of this is that volunteers, NGOs and municipalities are left to invest time and money in these kind of clean-up efforts,” says Simons. “Fortunately there seems to be more and more communication between group and between governments about these issues, and that helps a lot.” Closer communications between municipalities over the past year has been driven, not necessarily by singular incidents such as the “styrofoam bomb” that has exploded in Howe Sound, but by federal deregulation and three major industrial projects to be proposed for the region in the past year. Bowen Island Municipality councillor Andrew Stone says that when the proposal to ship coal from Port Metro Vancouver to Texada Island, and then onto China, came under consideration, it became clear that responsibility for the environment has been downloaded to the municipal level. “Every single municipality from here to Abbotsford said no to the whole coal proposal,” says Stone. “We have every single city
B O W E N I S L A N D M U N I C I PA L I T Y
A piece of styrofoam floats by a seal on Anvil Island. and town in the entire region, we have left-wing, right-wing and all shades in between, and they all said, ‘no.’ It also became clear that the federal government had essentially removed any and all regulation in terms of the approval process, leaving it up to us. That is my own observation.” The proposal to turn the Port of Metro Vancouver into a coal port is only one of three major industrial proposals made in the past year, all of which will directly impact the Salish Sea — and those do not include the expansion of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Pipeline, which will bring crude oil to tankers leaving from the company’s port in Burnaby. Kinder Morgan filed its application for the project last week. The expansion of the pipeline would mean that 400 oil tankers would travel through the Strait of Georgia every year, and the company admitted that, even without an oil spill, the impact of the tanker traffic on Southern Resident orcas would be ‘high magnitude, high probability and significant.’
John Buchanan photo
Stone says that the realization of the impact all of this will have on Metro Vancouver’s municipalities is relatively new, but he doubts whether there will be a co-ordinated strategy among them beyond dealing with each proposal at a time. “We’re supposed to come to the table with an open-mind,” says Stone. “Also, it would be difficult to form an alliance considering that each municipality has its own economic interests.” For Howe Sound’s coastal municipalities, the situation is slightly different. As Stone says, they are galvanized with the idea of ensuring the Sound thrives as a tourist destination, instead of as an industrial zone. A resolution put forward by the Sunshine Coast Regional District, and agreed upon by the 18 municipalities of Howe Sound at the Union of BC Municipalities asks for the provincial government to work on a comprehensive management plan for Howe Sound. “Municipal governments are all overworked, and none of
them have enough money,” says Ruth Simons with the Future of Howe Sound Society. “But by sharing information, and working together, I think they really do have the power to preserve and protect Howe Sound.” Simons says that anyone who finds evidence of marine pollution or any kind of spill should report it to the Future of Howe Sound Society, as the information can be used to see understand the big picture of what’s happening in Howe Sound and take action to clean things up. Note from Editor: In the next several issues of the Undercurrent, I will explore industrial projects proposed for Howe Sound, and their potential impacts on Bowen Island. One of these projects, the proposal to build a liquid natural gas facility on the shoreline of Howe Sound southwest of Squamish is seeking public comment on the project and its potential impact on the environment. If the facility is built, at least three LNG tankers would bypass Bowen Island every month.
B O W E N I S L A N D M U N I C I PA L I T Y
Fire Chief Bowen Island Municipality has an opening for a Fire Chief. This is a permanent parttime position at 24.5 hours per week. Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, the Fire Chief will administer, plan, direct and control all aspects of the Fire Department including the administration, fire suppression, fire prevention and rescue activities. In addition, the Fire Chief will abide by and implement applicable local, provincial and federal regulations. Please visit the BIM website to view the full job description at www.bimbc.ca The successful applicant will: • Have completed, or enrolled in, the Level III Fire Officer Training from the Justice Institute of B.C. • Have knowledge of Provincial Fire and Emergency regulations. • Have strong organizational, interpersonal and communication skills, and a demonstrated success in working effectively with volunteers, staff and elected officials in a team environment. We thank all applicants, but advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Please submit your covering letter and resume via e-mail, fax or mail by Wednesday, January 15, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. to: Christine Walker, Human Resources Manager Bowen Island Municipality 981 Artisan Lane Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2 FAX: 604-947-0193 EMAIL: hr@bimbc.ca WEBSITE: www.bimbc.ca
Mayor Adelaar, Council & Staff Would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! Please be reminded of the Bowen Island Municipal Hall Office Closure Bowen Island Municipal Hall will be closed for the holiday season starting at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, December 24, 2013 and will re-open at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 2, 2014. December 31, 2013 is the deadline for paying outstanding property taxes. Payments dated December 31, 2013 that are in our mail or our drop box by 8:30 a.m. on January 2, 2014 will be accepted as December 31, 2013 payment.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 604-947-4255
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 604-947-4255
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FRIDAY DECEMBER 27 2013 • 3
Pat Durrant displays some mitts she made, at left, while above, Susan Hillman pays attention to the fine details. Meribeth Deen photos
Spinning yarns at the Knitting Circle EDITOR
I
t takes a jog of the memory and a bit of calculation for the ladies of the Bowen Island Knitting Circle to figure out exactly how long they’ve been holding their weekly meetings. There’s the recollection of the year a friend died, the age of a child and his trip abroad and finally the decision to meet on Wednesdays at Bowen Court. Pat Durrant declines to be called “the boss� of the knitting circle but she is its unofficial founder. She taught knitting at the former Foxglove Studio and when the studio closed, the group she was teaching got along so well they wanted to find a way to continue knitting together. Members come and go, and occasionally skip weeks. Attendance drops during gardening season. Maggie Ama, who calls herself, “a remedial knitter, and happy to stay that way,� is one of the many people Durrant has taught to knit. “For the first five years I only did the knit stitch,� Ama says as she works away on a yellow and brown lap blanket. (She doesn’t like the colours but she bought the wool at a market in Buenos Aires and feels the need to use it up.) Durrant interjects, saying you can make hundreds of patterns with just two stitches. “People don’t realize the possibilities when they begin to knit,� she says. “I think a lot of the people who come here have learned those possibilities over the years.� Susan Hillman has been coming to the circle for six years. Members of the group recall her first project, which
involved re-knitting all of her mother’s old sweaters. “When my mother died, she left me all these sweaters — which she’d knit for herself,� explains Hillman. “None of them were anything I would wear, so I unravelled them and wrapped the wool around books to straighten them. Then I re-knit them into squares which eventually became a blanket. I hadn’t knitted since I was a little girl; my mother taught me, but re-knitting her sweaters got me going again.� The newbie of the group is Bridgette Karst, who’s always wanted to be a part of the knitting circle but was always too busy working. She’s a nurse at BC Women’s Hospital, and has recently started working a bit less. “I find, when you’re waiting for a late ferry and you’re desperate to get home
there’s no better therapy than pulling out your knitting project.� Of course, that comment launches the group into a tirade about BC Ferries.... The stories in this group are as long as the yarn, and as diverse, from Maggie Ama’s naturally dyed Argentinian wool to the black wool from the sheep at Endswell Farm on Pat Durrant’s recently knit mittens. Durrant says the meetings provide a refuge for people who want to spend an afternoon sitting and knitting guilt-free, and new members are always welcome. The knitting circle asks for a donation of $5 per session, and it takes six people to cover the rent of the Bowen Court lounge. Any extra money goes into a contribution to the Bowen Christmas Hamper fund.
Kami Kanetsuka tells the story of why this hat, which she bought at Knick Knack Nook, is so special to her. Meribeth Deen photo
Best Nook finds of 2013
T
he Undercurrent wants to hear about the your favourite scores from the Knick Knack Nook in 2013. Write to editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com with the subject heading “Nook find.� Name: Kami Kanetsuka Occupation: Writer, traveller Find: The hat on her head, and every other item of clothing she is wearing in the photo, except for the jacket. The hat is special though: “The hat jumped out because the first time I ever saw them was on the Khyber Pass when I was going to Afghanistan to Pakistan, and then on to India in 1966. It’s called a Pakol. I wore one of them when I was in London; my mother always told me to take it off because it looked terrible. So when I saw it here I had to have it. It was too big so I’ve re-sewed it. It’s pure wool, lined and extremely warm. Perfect for our winters.�
Holiday bus schedule
T
he staff at Bowen Transit wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and also reminds them of the holiday schedule: • On Christmas Eve, the buses will follow the regular weekday schedule; • There will be no bus service on Christmas Day; • On Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, the weekend schedule will be followed.
Brigette Karst puts her feet (in handknit socks) up at the weekly gathering.
Places of Worship Welcome You BOWEN ISLAND UNITED CHURCH Rev. Shelagh MacKinnon
FOOD BANK DROP-OFF
BOWEN ISLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH Pastor Clinton Neal 1070 Miller Road 604-947-0384 Service 10:00 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m.
ST. GERARD’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Mass: 10:30 a.m. Priest: Father James Comey
604-988-6304
CATES HILL CHAPEL www.cateshillchapel.com 604-947-4260
(661 Carter Rd.)
B N 8PSTIJQ r 4VOEBZ 4DIPPM 5PUT UP 5FFOT 1BTUPS Dr. James B. Krohn
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BOWEN ISLAND Snug Cove
VANCOUVER Horseshoe Bay
5:30 am *** 6:00 am ** 6:30 am ** 7:00 am ** 7:30 am ** 8:00 am 8:35 am 9:05 am †10:05 am 9:35 am 11:05 am 10:35 am 12:10 pm 11:40 am 2:35 pm 12:45 pm 3:45 pm 3:10 pm 4:45 pm 4:15 pm †5:15 pm 5:50 pm 6:20 pm 6:50 pm 7:20 pm * 7:50 pm * 8:15 pm 8:45 pm 9:15 pm 9:45 pm 10:10 pm
Distance: 3 NAUTICAL MILES Crossing Time: 20 MINUTES
Leave Horseshoe Bay
Service and Sunday School: 10:30 a.m. Collins Hall Bookings: Helen Wallwork Minister of Music: Lynn Williams
TI D E S
REGULAR SCHEDULE
In Effect December 20-29, 2013
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MERIBETH DEEN
HIGH FEET Fri.
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DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAYS AND STATUTORY HOLIDAYS
*
DAILY EXCEPT SATURDAYS
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DAILY EXCEPT DECEMBER 25
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DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY & DEC 25
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THE WEDNESDAY SAILINGS WILL BE REPLACED BY DANGEROUS CARGO SAILINGS. NO OTHER PASSENGERS PERMITTED.
H: 6 L: 1
0159 1212 Sat. 0314 1255 Sun. 0410 1343 Mon. 0457 1433 Tue. 0541 1527 Wed. 0622 1623 Thurs. 0702 1721
11.5 14.8 12.5 14.8 13.5 14.8 14.4 14.8 15.4 15.1 15.7 14.8 16.1 14.8
LOW FEET 0558 1955 0721 2042 0839 2129 0944 2216 1042 2303 1136 2349 1230
10.2 4.6 10.8 3.3 11.5 2.3 11.5 1.3 11.5 0.7 11.2 0.7 10.5
4 • FRIDAY DECEMBER 27 2013
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viewpoint The Write Stuff. The Undercurrent encourages reader participation in your community newspaper. You must include your full name and a daytime phone number (for verification only). The editor reserves the right to edit for clarity, legality, brevity and taste. Here’s how. To submit a letter to the editor, fax 604-947-0148 or mail it to #102, 495 Government Rd., PO Box 130, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G0 or email editor@ bowenislandundercurrent.com. B.C. Press Council. The Undercurrent is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2R2. For information, phone 1-888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org.
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Premier responds to ferry concerns The following letter was sent to Mayor Jack Adelaar in response to council’s letter to Premier Christy Clark about BC Ferries.
Sacrificing for the greater good To the Editor: It requires courage to raise a lone, dissenting voice among the loud chorus of discontent for BC Ferries’ proposed service cuts to Bowen Island. It feels like throwing oneself into a pool of hungry sharks waiting, with jaws open, to gnarl any perspective which might put these cuts in a positive light. But I feel brave and compelled, as a Climate Justice activist, to offer my perspective that highlights opportunities rather than scarcity. You could also say I’m just acknowledging the elephant in the room when I remind us all that Bowen Island, with nearly hourly service every day of the week, has a carbon footprint which should make us feel embarrassed due to our enormous per capita contribution to climate change. It doesn’t matter if you are a person who stays on island six days a week or one who travels across the water every day. Collectively, we create this huge carbon footprint by our demand for almost unlimited options for travel. As a dancer, not a statistician, I won’t bother speaking in exact numbers about how much carbon each sailing burns or how it compares with single occupancy vehicle traffic elsewhere in our region. I know in my bones that every time our ferry sails in order to maintain a voracious appe-
tite for options, we as a community are demanding more than what is fair in this heating-up world. When looked at differently, we can see this current proposal by BC Ferries as an opportunity to condense our community’s needs into less. Fewer sailings, fewer carbon emissions and less hypocrisy about the self-respecting global citizens we care to be. According to my read on Bowen Islanders, most of us hold a value system of living lightly on the Earth and here is our chance to align our values with our lifestyles. This is something to be thankful for. I grew up with parents and grandparents who spoke of the sacrifices they made during the Second World War for the future of democracy. I thought I understood what that meant, but sacrifice is only understood when it is felt and now collectively we must begin to understand sacrifice. The ferry may be our lifeblood to the extra things we desire in our lives but we live on Bowen Island and we need to find ways to expect less and contribute more as global citizens. The proposed ferry cuts will eliminate ski team practice for my child on Sundays. That will be our sacrifice for a better future so that we collectively have a healthy future to look forward to. Gail Lotenberg
Island views that attract us here are worth protecting To the Editor: On a recent episode of the TV show “ Love it or list it “ from Vancouver, the commentator mentioned that the first question asked about coastal communties is “What about the view?” We had a house by the sea in Italy and the neighbours living on the slope of the hill behind us had the right to maintain their view of the sea. The municipality insisted that no trees could go above a certain height to protect every citizen’s right to enjoy the view and safeguard the value of their home. It was calculated that each window with sea view added the equivalent of $100,000 to a property. In a small island such as ours, where residents rightly consider the welfare of their neighbours a matter of civilized behaviour, there should be no #102–495 Bowen Trunk Road, PO Box 130, Bowen Island BC, V0N 1G0 Phone: 604.947.2442 Fax: 604.947.0148 Deadline for all advertising and editorial: Monday, 4:00p.m. www.bowenislandundercurrent.com
occasion of refusing to accede to a neighbour’s request to maintain their original view when the growth of evergreens starts to block it. Simply allowing qualified arborists to trim some branches during the most suitable months, to avoid disturbing nesting birds, would resolve the distress caused by the gradual encroaching of a green barrier that obliterates the joy of an open view to the water and/or mountains. As one cannot rely on every neighbour’s sense of fair play, surely one could expect that our local council would be able to enact a by-law to protect the rights of residents to keep their original view (proven with photos or videos and at their own expense) which was often the reason they bought or built in the first place. Lori Brind
Dear Mayor Adelaar, Thank you for your letter related to BC Ferries’ recent service announcements. I note that you have shared your concerns and proposals with Minister Todd Stone as well and want to assure you they have been noted. The announced changes are part of the tough decisions government needs to make today to ensure the ferry service is sustainable for future generations. They protect basic service levels and are in keeping with the fiscal realities facing taxpayers. As you may be aware, there will also be an analysis to examine how to achieve additional savings and efficiencies on the three major routes between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland and a pilot project will be considered on the viability of introducing gaming on the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen route with net revenues being reinvested into the ferry system. Thank you again for writing with your thoughts for consideration. I hope you will allow me to take this opportunity to wish you a very pleasant holiday season. Christy Clark, Premier
Transportation double-speak? To the Editor: I have just read an article about the opening of the South Fraser Gateway. BC Transportation Minister Todd Stone apparently has travelled the province to emphasize the value of the Gateway to the provincial economy. A lot of British Columbians, he said, do not yet understand its long-term significance. “We really want to make sure British Columbians understand the connection among all of these major infrastructure investments and their quality of life”. I wonder if Minister Stone has understood the long-term significance on the quality of life that his decree that the BC Ferry Corporation save $235,000 over two years by cutting early morning sailings to and from Bowen Island on the weekends. There have been 35 families personally interviewed who would either lose their jobs or have to move their families from the safe environs of Bowen Island to the mainland. The economic impact of this is well over $1 million per year to the island’s economy. What about the effects of the BC Ferry infrastructure cut and their long-term significance to our economy and our residents’ quality of life, Mr. Minister? Murray Atherton
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Stella’s quilt lives on to help more seniors To the Editor: Stella Meal had been coming to Bowen Island all her life, first as a baby with her parents and sister in the 1920s. Childhood and teenage holidays were spent on Bowen Island and, after she married, she and her husband Frank spent many summer holidays here. Finally, Stella moved to Bowen Court in 2001. Sadly, Stella died on October 5 this year. Stella won a beautiful Bowen Island quilt made by the ladies of the Community Church in 2003. She carefully wrapped it in tissue and put
it in a box and kept it safe for years. Her own daughters were quilt makers and she had only a limited amount of room for displaying or using quilts. About six weeks before she died Stella donated the quilt to Snug Cove House. She had always hoped to see assisted living for seniors come to pass before she died. Snug Cove House duly held a draw on December 15 and the delighted winner of the lovely quilt was Reo Risley. Thank you, Stella. Irene Wanless Snug Cove House
Tiny Tim is right To the Editor: Once more the holiday season is upon us. Unfortunately the line-ups at the food banks and soup kitchens get longer and longer. I am asking Bowen Islanders to make soup from their left-over festive fare. It can be put in the freezer outside Collins Hall [next to the little red church] from whence it will be taken as if by magic to the downtown soup kitchen. Many, many thanks to that
elf Don Nicolson! After a cold night on the mean streets, our thick homemade soup, as the first meal of the day, is very welcome indeed. We are blessed indeed in living in such a caring community. My own recent tragedy was made much more bearable through your loving concern. May your holidays be joyful and the New Year bring you peace and happiness. As Tiny Tim says ‘God bless us everyone’. Angie McCulloch
Nimbyism at its worst To the Editor: Try Googling “The Cape on Bowen Island” and go down to about the fifth item. It’s titled “Worries for purchas-
ers of lots at The Cape on Bowen”. Or go directly to http://thecapeonbowenisland.com. It’s Bowen negativity and NIMBYism at its height. Rondy Dike
FRIDAY DECEMBER 27 2013 • 5
On being side-tracked at a hockey game MARCUS HONDRO THE SLOW LANE CHRONICLES
H
ere it is: This week I don’t intend to write about one thing but shall allow for tangents and getting side-tracked. I shall eschew focus and the creating of an unwavering storyline and instead make this final Lane of 2013 also about whatever events, or thoughts, happen along. After all, life is about what happens when you’re on your way somewhere else. I think. So: the festive season is a good time to go a Canucks game and today, December 22, I am off to see Henrik and Daniel and the lads play the Winnipeg Jets. Warren Wayne and I stand now in a place most of us stand in — the waiting area to get on our beloved Q. of C. Sabina, Warren’s wife, and Pablo, their dog, are here to see us off and the 12:45 is pulling in. It’s confusing going back to the summer schedule but B.C. Ferries deserves a rare kudos for it. I think. I wear an old-style Winnipeg Jets hat I got when playing a Metis fur trapper at the Firehall in a play called Wawatay set in Manitoba. Fellow cast-member Jay Brazeau (now touring in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Wizard of Oz’) gave it to me and said I could keep it. He’s a very nice fellow, Jay is.
We figure the hat will get us attention at the game and it does so immediately. As we wait for the Cap, a fellow asks if we’re going to the game. By the time we’re on the ferry, Christopher Laing, up from Seattle, has offered us a ride to the arena. Christopher was visiting islander Len Gilday, a photographer and camera operator who has taken photos of the well-known, including David Suzuki, and islanders. In fact, Mr. Gilday shot the library’s Bowen Reads calendar, which features locals such as Pat Buchanan from the Irly Bird, Tyler Matzen and Louise McIntosh (photographed reading in the ferry line-up). The hat got us to meet Christopher and now instead of taking the bus downtown, we’re riding in style in an awesome car (I don’t know the make, but it’s very comfortable). Mr. Laing actually saw the new Jets’ first game three years ago, being a friend of David Thomson, who’s a part of the ownership group. I think. We’re dropped off at Earl’s downtown and joined by Tom Wilson, the generous person with tickets. Tom is a great storyteller and friend of Richard Brodeur, former Canuck goalie, and has hung around with Bobby Hull. Tom tells us about the time a friend accidentally spilled something on people in front of him at a game and how he bought them all team jerseys to make up for it. This is what I tell Tom: I once spent the better part of a weekend figuring out which NHL family had the most ‘family’ points ever in the league. I’d looked for that information for an online story but it didn’t exist so I started adding numbers.
Most people think the Sutters are on top, given there were six brothers in the NHL and now two of their sons, but it’s the Hulls. People forget that besides all the points from Bobby and his son Brett, they had Dennis Hull, Bobby’s brother, who scored a ton of points, too. The Hulls collectively had 3,215 points. The Sutters are second and, thanks to the kids, closing in, about 150 points behind. Third? The Gretzkys (Wayne’s brother Brent had four NHL points). Then it’s all the Howes and then all the Stasnys. The Sedins are in 16th place. Say I’m almost out of space. That’s what going off on tangents can do. The game? It was good. The Canucks won, 2-1 and our seats were behind a net and we had a great view. The Boy’s a goalie so next time we’ll bring him to see Luongo up close. There was a young couple next to me who talked incessantly. I wanted them to stop. It was a date for them, not a hockey game, and it was annoying. Tom’s gonna take us to the same seats next time and if they’re there I intend to spill something on them, but not buy them jerseys. Hey wait — I can’t end the Slow Lane for 2013 with meanness! Something else. Anything! Okay, so the wife picked us up and we made the 8:45 and saw people on the ferry and I’ll choose one to be the last name in the Slow Lane for 2013. But the one that comes to mind doesn’t like being in the paper. He told me not to put him in the paper. But I have to. I can’t think of anyone else. Right. Chris Speight. But is putting Chris in the paper mean, too? No, it’s okay. I think.
Docks, memories, and why they matter DENIS LYNN SPECIAL TO THE UNDERCURRENT
I
was browsing through our photo albums recently and came across the photograph that accompanies this article. It got me to thinking about docks — not as infrastructures for safely mooring boats, but as places of significant experience. My first experience of docks, which I don’t remember, was in 1947; at four months, my parents and I boarded a ship in Montreal bound for England. I am sure that those docks were, as others have been and still are, places of fond farewells, warm welcomes, sadness looking back at places and people left behind, and anticipation and anxiety looking forward to the voyage ahead. My first memories of docks are of those my grandfather built on Georgian Bay. My grandparents owned a rural waterfront property and, to supplement his farm income, my grandfather built a small marina with rental berths. I remember the mystery and the magic at the end of the big “anchoring” dock as we peered beneath the water’s surface: the mystery of what might lurk there among the logs of the giant crib that supported the dock’s end and the
magic when small fish would dart out from between the logs to catch their prey. In the springtime in older days, I would help to bring logs and repair the damage of the winter’s ice. The older logs were slippery and slimy with their biofilm of algae and bacteria that formed the base of the food web on these “artificial crib reefs”, created by our work. When I first visited the marine environment on the East Coast of North America, I was delighted to be able to walk along the beach and under the docks at low tide. I marvelled at the diversity of species that had colonized this infrastructure: barnacles on the shortest pilings near the high tide mark; mussels making use of this additional and valuable real estate, crowding each other out for space at the next level down; deeper still, sometimes interspersed between the mussels, were the filter-feeding polychaete tubeworms and here and there an anemone; and sometimes, at the bottom, caught by the receding tide, a starfish or two, which had continued their feeding and had not yet had time to abandon their prey. And now we know that these pilings, properly covered, are appropriate habitat on which herring can lay their eggs — docks are partly enabling us to help in the recov-
ery of this species to Howe Sound! At the end of docks at many times of the year are the top predators — men, women, and children, with their fishing poles and baited hooks. What proud fishermen we were to bring our catch of rock bass, sunfish, and yellow perch home to our grandmother, who would clean them and fry these sweet tasting morsels up for dinner! Without the dock, fisherfolk we would not have been…. The ends of docks are also the places from which many of us first entered that watery realm — jumping and diving — on a hot summer’s day. Running happily, and as fast as we could — the longer the dock, the better — leaping, splashing, climbing, and repeating until we were exhausted. And then we would collapse on our towels, at the dock’s end, lie in the warm sun, smell the moist aged wood, perhaps with a lingering odour of creosote, and dissolve in the gentle noise of the waves beating on the cribs, pilings, and boats. Or maybe we would plan on a clear summer’s evening to walk to the dock’s end and lie faces up, staring at the night sky and wondering at the immenseness of it all! So I am taken back by this family photograph to those happy times of my youth,
The author’s children looking over the edge of a dock into the mysterious and magical medium below at St. Andrews, NB. to the times when I remembered them again with our own children, and to the moments these days when we visit docks with our granddaughter. There is a mystery and a magic to docks. As we step off the land and onto the dock, we leave the security of Terra Firma, and leaving this security we are on an adventure –— a big one or a small one, depending upon our perspective.
6 • FRIDAY DECEMBER 27 2013
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Add a little whimsy to your 2014 by buying Bowen Reads, a calendar of photos by Len Gilday. It features islanders, such as Pat Buchanan on the cover, reading in some of the most unexpected places. It’s a fundraiser for the library. Len Gilday photo
Calendars raise money for new library annex TINA NEILSON BOWEN LIBRARIAN
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ur Bowen library is no longer just a book storage facility. Community members visit the library to read, work, tutor, learn, check their email or online social media, play online games or just hang out. People congregate to collaborate on projects, homework and research. Students read and do homework while waiting for a ferry or a parent. Toddlers, babies in arms, and preschoolers gather to sing and hear stories. Eager tech students of all ages bring their gadgets for an appointment with one of helpful tech tutors. Authors visit, read from their latest offerings and sign books. Book clubs discuss and debate books. Island visitors stop off at the library to pick up a map, ask for directions, enquire about the ferry or bus schedule and discuss hiking options. We are happy to be providing these services, but our beautiful heritage building can no longer meet all these demands or the needs of a 21st century library. Luckily we have a simple short-term solution: a modular addition behind the library. The addition (called the Annie Wood Annex) will be connected to the library by a breezeway from our back double doors and will give us approximately 1,000 additional square feet of multipurpose space. There students can study or collaborate on projects; telecommuters and local business-owners can get some work done; Bowen groups can hold meetings or offer workshops; and the library can offer expanded events and programs. In fact, “Annie” will offer enough space for up to 60 people to attend a lecture, cultural activity, or gathering. Why the “Annie Wood Annex”?
The first library on Bowen was the Annie Laurie Wood Memorial Library, established by the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Legion in 1961. Annie Laurie Wood (1879-1957) was a long-time, and much-loved, member of the Ladies’ Auxiliary and a tireless worker for all good causes. Two of the guiding principles for the Bowen Library are “meeting the future” and “preserving the past”. As we add to the library to meet the
On Sunday, the Rev. Shelagh MacKinnon led the annual Christmas pageant both inside and outside at the Little Red Church. While angels were heard on high, thanks to the choir, at left, they also created some earthbound joy when they joined the outdoor telling of the nativity, read by Helen Wallwork. Deb
needs of the future, we also want to pay tribute to our past. So, in homage to our original namesake, we are building the “Annie Wood Annex”. When will the Annex be operational?
Our goal is to purchase a modular building in 2014 and have it operational by the end of 2014 or early 2015. This ambitious goal is achievable due to the speed and ease with which a modular building can be delivered and installed. Finishing details (siding, roof, deck) may require another month or more dependent on weather and funding.
Stringfellow photos
How much will it cost?
The budget is $200,000 including purchase, delivery, installation, added roof, siding, breezeway, utilities connection/upgrade, walkways and parking lot rehabilitation. The Bowen Library Foundation (a charitable organization) will be funding the project with library reserves ($50,000), the Friends of the Bowen Library support ($20,000), calendar sales, and contributions from grants, foundations and private donors. The Calendar
This fundraising project was completed by a team of three volunteer library board members and one staff member. Len Gilday took the photographs, Donaleen Saul wrote the text, Tim Rhodes did the layout and design and Tina Nielsen managed the overall production. Along with the kind support of our 41 volunteer models, our only cost is printing. The calendars are packaged and shrink wrapped ready for shipping or wrapping. How can I get a calendar (or three)?
Calendars are currently for sale at the Library, the Bowen Building Centre, The Office, Phoenix on Bowen, Cates Pharmacy, and the Bowen Island Roasting Company. Each $20 purchase will move us closer to completing the Annie Wood Annex. You can also support the Annie Wood Annex project, or the Tech Tutor program through the Library Foundation. Find out how to donate at BowenLibrary.ca.
These snowmen — across from the firehall, at left, and at BICS, above — put smiles on the faces of passersby. Deb Stringfellow photos
On the Calendar SKY at Bowen Court: December 30: no program. Next session: January 6
Gallery. $20 adults/ $12 seniors and students, available at Phoenix and The Gallery
Rob Wall Gallery: Digital works on giclée and digital/art/music demonstrations by Rob Wall. Show runs Dec. 28 & 29 2-3pm. Free between shows with lots of art to look at. Show admission $10 - Children $5. Call 604-288-0787 to book tickets.
New Year’s Eve at the Pub; Live Music from Mindil Beach Markets. $20, Available in advance from the Pub
Spirit of Solstice Concert: Dec. 28 7:30pm, BIAC
New Year’s Eve at Doc Morgan’s: Buffet Dinner 7-10pm. $25 Live music featuring Rob Bailey trio. Please call to reserve table 604-947-0808
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FRIDAY DECEMBER 27 2013 • 7
Christmas is a treat at the Dog Ranch LORRAINE ASHDOWN SPECIAL TO THE UNDERCURRENT
M
r. Beagle is having a very good day. Mr. Beagle is just that — a purebred Beagle. He has enjoyed several happy Christmas holidays at the Bowen Island Dog Ranch. This is a fabulous opportunity for Mr. Beagle and all of the other beloved dogs spending Christmas at the dog ranch. For dogs, as well as humans, Christmas can be a stressful time. They may be separated from their families, their routines are most likely different, they may be with people they don’t know and in new places they have not been before. And as families travel to connect with others at Christmas, they in turn need to know their much-loved pets are in good hands. Karen Munro is the owner of the Bowen Island Dog Ranch. She has been at the Adams Road location since 2006, building her business, growing the staff and services and providing dogs on Bowen and beyond a wonderful, safe, fun and playful environment. This Christmas, as in many other Christmas seasons, the Dog Ranch is 100 per cent full with many pooches coming back for a repeat experience of Christmas. The mission to provide every dog with what makes their inner pooch thrive guides the philosophy of Munro and her staff. They know their customers well and they give them what they need. At Christmas time, the boarding facilities are decorated with red bows and stockings for the canine critters are provided. Special treats are handed out and, because dogs are sensitive and intuitive animals, they just might sense, with their keen sense of smell, that there is a special magic in the air.
“This facility,” Munro says, “has the ability to provide extra touches that other facilities simply cannot do.” Whether it is the winter holidays or any other time of the year, dogs at the Bowen Island Dog Ranch are very lucky. It is no wonder that the boarding facility is fully booked at Christmas with over 30 on the waiting list and that the owners of the Twelve Dogs of Christmas bring their pets back each year. The spirited animals have five acres of doubled-fenced land to run through, guided by expert staff members who know the ins and outs of handling packs of dogs. The dogs also have a sandbox to dig in, balls to chase and new friends to make. Each day they receive exercise, socialization, food, nap time and playtime. Each dog has its own individual “room” with its own bed and toys. Munro has carefully selected a professional staff, experienced in all areas of caring for dogs. Manager Karen Cote came on board as a dog handler and now manages the entire facility. She lives on site with her partner and two small children and one can only imagine what a fabulous childhood the kids are experiencing as they have an average of 25 dogs to play with every day. The Dog Ranch does not stop at providing a fun and safe environment for pets on Bowen and in the lower mainland. There are additional services available on-site that make the boarding facility unique, in demand and in line with the needs of the wellrounded dog. The Dog Ranch also employs a registered veterinary technician, Moira Steward, who is also a dog handler. Ellen McWilliams is the head professional groomer with her fully equipped grooming facility at the ranch, sharing her expertise with both show dogs and family dogs.
Happy New Year
from the RUDDY POTATO Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2014 Nikki Nagy, senior dog handler, and her beagle “Tucker” are two other reasons why life at the Dog Ranch is a good one. Nikki and Tucker have been with the Dog Ranch for four years, and Nikki’s love for animals is instantly apparent. Lorraine Ashdown photo
Owner Karen Munro has ensured Bowen Island Dog Ranch is heaven on earth for most poochies. And so the Christmas experience for “Mr. Beagle”, “Bear”, the Shepherd/Lab cross, “Bernie”, the Bernese Mountain Dog, the other eight returning dogs of Christmas and all of the resident pups at the Bowen Island Dog Ranch is bound to be a time of abundant fun, games and Santa may even leave some liver cookies under the tree. Lorraine Ashdown photo Dayna Woodman is a certified Master Dog Trainer, receiving her certification at the Canada West Canine Centre. The Dog Ranch has a large covered and well-lit training tent where Woodman teaches obedience
classes, agility classes and more. Jumps, ladders, tunnels, A-frames, dog walks, pause tables, wobble tables and target sticks are available for owners who are interested in increasing their pets physical conditioning.
8 • FRIDAY DECEMBER 27 2013
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Lo, the humble donkey’s tale SUSANNA BRAUND BOWEN ANIMAL AFFAIRS
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A Christmas visit to the Nook
Just before the Christmas break, volunteers with the Knick Knack Nook hosted the second annual Children’s Shopping Day. With 70 families taking part, it is sure to become an annual event. Tiffanee Scorer photos
or as long as I can remember, I have associated donkeys with Christmas. This is probably because of the Eric Boswell song “Little Donkey”, recorded by Nina & Frederik, which was played so much on the radio at Christmastime when I was little. When I came to Bowen, I was thrilled to learn that there were donkeys on the island, as I am a long-time onolatrist. The Christmas season seems a fine moment to offer an appreciation of donkeys, given the religious symbolism of donkeys in Christian thought. I refer to the Old Testament prophecy that the Messiah would arrive on a donkey: “Lo, your King comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass!” (Zechariah 9:9). According to the New Testament, this prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday riding on a donkey (Matthew 21, John 12). The cross-shaped marking on donkeys’ backs has been seen as something special. During the Middle Ages, Europeans thought that hairs from this cross would cure illnesses including measles and whooping cough. Donkeys have been important in other systems of religious belief too, including Egyptian religion, where the donkey was the symbol of the Egyptian sun god Ra, and Greek cult, where the donkey was associated with the god Dionysus, because, like Jesus, Dionysus rode around on a donkey. The Bowen donkeys are Miniature Sicilian Donkeys, a breed which was originally native to the Mediterranean island. They are typically up to 36 inches in height at the shoulder and they can live for as much as 30 years. This breed is really friendly, affectionate and gentle. According to Robert Green, an American fan, “Miniature donkeys possess the affectionate nature of a Newfoundland, the resignation of a cow, the durability of a mule, the courage of a tiger, and an intellectual capability only slightly inferior to man’s.” Two of the donkeys at Endswell Farm were earlier in the Elliotts’ much larger herd: they are called Fredo and Sonny, names taken from The Godfather, of course, underlining the Sicilian connection. Several Christmases ago, they were given to Rosie Montgomery by her daughters. These two brothers joined an older female donkey called Ellie, who was really cheered by their arrival at Endswell. (Donkeys are extremely social animals and some would say that it is verging on cruelty to keep a donkey on its own.) There are plenty of people who enjoy seeing the Bowen donkeys in the Little Red Church nativity pageant. Donkeys have been represented in literature in many different ways through the centuries. How close are these literary representations to the reality? In the Bible donkeys were portrayed as symbols of service, suffering, peace and humility. In the story of Balaam’s ass (Numbers 22), the donkey sees the invisible angel before Balaam does. In Greek and Roman texts, such as Aesop ‘s fables and Apuleius’ wonderful second century CE novel The Golden Ass, in which the narrator gets turned into a donkey when a spell goes wrong, donkeys are portrayed as stupid, wicked, slow and stubborn. Shakespeare turned the word “ass” into an insult — think of his depiction of Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. On the other hand, there are numerous works of literature that show donkeys as steady and loyal companions, for example, in Cervantes’ Don Quixote (early seventeenth century). Wordsworth features a loyal and patient donkey in his 1819 poem ‘Peter Bell: A Tale’, and in Orwell’s Animal Farm (1951), Benjamin the donkey is resilient and loyal. A.A. Milne took a different approach in his Winnie the Pooh books (1926 onwards), making Eeyore into a profoundly pessimistic and melancholic creature. Donkeys have also been used in allegorical works such as C.S. Lewis’ The Last Battle (1956) and Yann Martel’s heart-breaking Beatrice and Virgil (2010). Famous movie donkeys include the one in Fantasia
The Endswell Farm inhabitians are Miniature Sicilian Donkeys. Caroline Walker photo (1940); the main character in Au Hasard Balthazar (1966) whose life is marked by suffering; and of course annoyingly talkative Donkey in the Shrek movies, voiced by Eddie Murphy. I spoke to Rosie Montgomery about her donkeys at Endswell Farm and she told me that they are adorable clowns with a sense of humour and that they can be very naughty. And they are certainly not stupid: there are special latches to prevent them from opening the gates! Many of us have a soft spot for donkeys, perhaps because there is something tranquil and calming about time spent in their presence. I was fortunate to visit the The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada just outside Guelph last year. They have nearly 100 donkeys and mules there, including ‘Summer’, the oldest (now 43), who is extremely friendly and not at all shy to let her needs be known. Before coming to North America, I lived close to the UK Donkey Sanctuary in Devon. It’s the largest organisation in the world working for the welfare of donkeys and mules. It also offers riding therapy to handicapped children and it has extended its activities to improve the welfare of donkeys worldwide. Donkeys are really important in the world economy, especially for millions of the world’s poorest people, who rely on them to supply the basic necessities of life and to enable them to earn money to support their families. Donkeys are used to collect clean water, to transport farm produce to market, and to enable families to earn a living in a brick kiln or on a building site. Typically, they receive only minimal food, shelter and medical care. Donkeys are hardy creatures, well-adapted to life in hot climates and inhospitable environments, but unfortunately their toughness tends to work against them. They have a high pain threshold and a stoical nature, which means that many owners do not notice when their donkeys are sick or injured. The UK Donkey Sanctuary is working to educate donkey owners in India, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya and Mexico especially. Extending the lives of donkeys through simple, minimal care, such as halters and harnesses that do not rub, is a big economic benefit for their owners as well as good for the donkeys. Give yourself a Christmas present of spending some virtual time with the donkeys at the UK Sanctuary on their webcam: http://drupal.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/webcam1. Highly recommended for relieving the stress of the holidays!
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FRIDAY DECEMBER 27 2013 • 9
Tips for bouncing back from holiday excess CHANTAL RUSSELL RHN
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o matter how healthy we are the rest of the year, most of us tend to loosen the reins a bit (or a lot) during the holidays. It is possible to enjoy the season of endless indulgences and still feel energized. 1. Start the day with hot water and lemon. This is a great way to rise everyday of the year. It works wonders for your digestive system, especially if you “indulged” the night before. It will help to boost your immune system, balance you ph levels, and stimulate the elimination of toxins from your body. 2. Hydrate all day long. Keep a water bottle by your side and drink lots of water throughout the day (minimum 2 liters). When you’re feeling low energy from having too much sugar, alcohol or turkey stuffing, fuel up on H2O, rather than coffee, which is dehydrating, to rejuvenate every cell of your body and help flush out your system. 3. Give your digestive system a break. It’s important to give your body time to break down and assimilate a meal before you consume the next one. Even more time is required if you “feasted”. Give
Resolving to get in shape in 2014. Fawn Gill and volunteer Nancy Casalesce are making it easier for you at The Gym. Meribeth Deen photo
No more excuses
Bowen neeeds more BEARS
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The Gym is open longer than ever MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
S
ince the beginning of December, the Gym at Artisan Square has been open every day from 6am to 10pm and owner Fawn Gill says the experiment in this new operating method has been such a success that it is here to stay. There are a few things that make these longer hours possible: 1. Members get a special four-digit pin that allows them into the Gym during unstaffed hours. 2. Non-members can enter, with a fee, during unstaffed hours. 3. Members have to take extra responsibility for their health and safety during non-staffed hours, and also clean up after themselves and put all equipment away. Gill says she needed to move to a system like this because she was getting burnt out by being on call every time one of her volunteer staff wasn’t able to make it. She also wanted to offer people more flexibility for their workouts. “There are people on this island whose lives have been saved by working out, so on a certain level I really see making it easy for people as a community service.” Gill says that so far she’s received positive feedback from members and more people are working out on a daily basis. A few new have also joined up. “People are looking after the gym,” says Gill, “and they’re looking after each other.”
owen Emergency Amateur Radio Services (BEARS) is looking for more radio operators. When there is an emergency and most communications, such as telephone landlines, cell phone service and the internet, are down, ham radio can usually get you in contact with authorities, services, friends or family. If you would like to be involved with the on-island emergency group, or want to get a ham licence for boating, a challenge, or just for fun, there is a course being offered by the North Shore Amateur Radio Club starting January 11. The course runs for seven Saturday mornings. Go to NARC.ca/training/) Morse code is no longer required) or you can call Bill Brown at 604-831-8282 for details about opportunities to get involved on Bowen Island.
Dr. Dana Barton
Naturopathic Physician 596 B. Artisan Square
604-730-1174 Natural Family Medicine
BUFFET DINNER 7PM-10PM • 25$ 10$ cover without Buffet
Registered Practitioner
Cheryl Ackerman
604-947-2057 Diana Romer MEd, RCC COUNSELLING THERAPIST Bowen and West Van offices
604.290.6407 Deromer@shaw.ca www.clearhorizon.ca
Live music featuring “The Rob Bailey Jazz Trio” Party Favors, Decorations, and Dancing
TUESDAY, DEC. 31ST, 6PM-1AM
Pursuant to Bowen Island Municipality Wharf Services Bylaw No. 59, 2002, the vessel “HATUEY” is considered abandoned as it has been left unattended for longer than seven (7) days and the applicable moorage has not been paid.
Unless this vessel is removed and moorage fees paid prior to December 27, 2013 it will be removed and disposed of at the owner’s expense. If you have any questions or information regarding the whereabouts of the owner(s) please contact the undersigned. Wharfinger, Bowen Island Municipality 604-328-5499
Please call ahead to reserve your table. 604-947-0808 www.docmorgans.com www.facebook.com/docmorgans | Twitter & Instagram: @docmorgans
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 604-947-4255
Dr. Utah Zandy 604-947-9830 CALL FOR APPOINTMENT OPEN MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY
BOWEN ISLAND WELLNESS CENTRE 604-947-9755 CATHERINE SHAW Dr. Traditional Chinese Medicine/Acupuncturist u
MARY MCDONAGH Registered Massage Therapist
Family Dentist
(Available Mondays through Fridays)
Artisan Square • 604-947-0734 Alternate Fridays 10am-4:30pm
SANDY LOGAN
Registered Physiotherapist
Horseshoe Bay • 604-921-8522
ROBYN IZARD RMT
www.bowenislanddental.com
Registered Massage Therapist
BLOOD TESTS, URINE TESTS OR ECGS
6:45 - 9:00 A.M. EVERY THURSDAY DR. ZANDY'S OFFICE
u u
(Available Thursdays through Sundays)
Dr. Susanne Schloegl M.D.
Open Mon. Wed. Thurs. Fri.
Call for an appointment CLOSED JULY 25-30
Artisan Square
604-947-9986
To advertise on the Health Page call 604-947-2442
To Whom It May Concern Re: ABANDONED VESSEL SNUG COVE (SOUTH) DOCK
Please be advised that since the last registered owner of this vessel cannot be located, Bowen Island Municipality intends to dispose of this sail boat.
HEALTH & WELLNESS Dr. Gloria Chao
REIKI
B O W E N I S L A N D M U N I C I PA L I T Y
DOC MORGAN’S NYE EXTRAVAGANZA
your digestive system a break after a decadent evening with a 12-14 hour fast (if you finished eating at 8pm, don’t eat again until 8am or 10 am), then drink smoothies and eat soups through out the day to give your whole system a rest. Make them yourself and add lots of detoxifying veggies, such as dark leafy greens to your smoothies and garlic and onions in your soups. 4. Move your body & break a sweat Exercise is one of the best ways to feel better quickly. It pumps feel-good endorphins through your body, and helps your body release not-so-good feeling toxins. Go for a run, bike ride, long walk, or practise yoga (twists and inversions are especially cleansing). Break a sweat to further flush out toxins. This will leave you feeling refreshed and renewed quickly. 5. Forgive yourself. Really. Enjoy yourself, have fun, balance it out with some extra self-care, and let it go. Most of our over indulgence suffering comes from wishing we hadn’t done it. So breathe, release yourself from any guilt, and get your self outside for some fresh air and exercise. Chantal Russell is a registered holistic nutritionist; visit www.chantalrussell.com. For yoga and nutrition lectures, visit www.bowenislandyoga.com
10 Friday December 27 2013
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FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS
INDEX IN BRIEF
7
OBITUARIES
EMPLOYMENT/EDUCATION 130
HELP WANTED
HOME/BUSINESS SERVICES 287
HOME IMPROVEMENTS
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS ...............1-8
PETS 477
PETS
REAL ESTATE 627
Yorkie/Shi’s Puppies - 5 weeks, full shots, house trained. $400 Call 604-856-5663 or 778-552-1033
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS ...9-57 TRAVEL.............................................61-76
HOMES WANTED
810
AUTO FINANCING
WE BUY HOUSES! Older House • Damaged House Moving • Estate Sale • Just Want Out • Behind on Payments Quick Cash! • Flexible Terms! CALL US FIRST! 604-657-9422
MERCHANDISE FOR SALE
CHILDREN ........................................80-98
TRANSPORTATION
EMPLOYMENT .............................102-198
548
BUSINESS SERVICES...................203-387
FURNITURE
PETS & LIVESTOCK ......................453-483 MERCHANDISE FOR SALE...........503-587
www.rugcanada.com
REAL ESTATE ...............................603-696 AUTOMOTIVE ..............................804-862
James Western Star Truck & Trailer Ltd. in Williams Lake has an immediate opening for an experienced parts person. Full Time, competitive wages, benefits & signing bonus. Fax resume to: 250-398-6367 or email: nwejr@jamesws.com
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Tribal, afghan persian rugs at great prices
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639 REAL ESTATE SERVICES
FLAGGERS NEEDED. No Certification? Get Certified, 604-575-3944
BC Cancer Foundation Legacies accepted. 604.877.6040 or visit: bccancerfoundation.com
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS 33
INFORMATION ADVERTISE in the LARGEST OUTDOOR PUBLICATION IN BC The 2014-2016 BC Hunting Regulations Synopsis
The most effective way to reach an incredible number of BC Sportsmen & women. Two year edition- terrific presence for your business.
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160
TRADES, TECHNICAL
JOURNEYMAN AUTOMOTIVE Service Technician(s) in Hanna Alberta. Hanna Chrysler Ltd. offers competitive wages, relocation allowance, negotiable depending on experience. Bright, modern shop. Full-time permanent with benefits. Friendly town just 2 hours from major urban centres. More info at: hannachrysler.ca. Fax 403-854-2845; Email: chrysler@telusplanet.net.
PERSONAL SERVICES 182
FINANCIAL SERVICES
autocredit 911
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Deck Experts Specializing in all Decking, Railings & Outdoor Living GVHBA Member 604.626.7100
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MOVING & STORAGE
1PRO MOVING & SHIPPING. Across the street - across the world Real Professionals, Reas. Rates. Best in every way! 604-721-4555. MOUNTAIN MOVERS- Your trusted choice for residential moving services. (778)378-6683
329 PAINTING & DECORATING www.paintspecial.com 604.339.1989 Lower Mainland 604.996.8128 Fraser Valley Running this ad for 8yrs
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TIMESHARE
If you own a home or real estate, ALPINE CREDITS can lend you money: It’s That Simple. Your Credit / Age / Income is NOT an issue. 1.800.587.2161.
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DRIVERS/COURIER/ TRUCKING
(Ceiling & Trim extra) Price incls Cloverdale Premium quality paint. NO PAYMENT until Job is completed. Ask us about our Laminate Flooring & Maid Services.
PLUMBING
BRO MARV PLUMBING 24/7 Plumbing, heating, plugged drains BBB. (604)582-1598, bromarv.com
108 BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
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3 rooms for $299, 2 coats any colour
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EMPLOYMENT/EDUCATION
EXCITING NEW CANADIAN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY. Available in your area! Min inv req’d. For more info, call 866-945-6409
PAINT SPECIAL
CRESCENT Plumbing & Heating Licensed Residential 24hr. Service • Hot water tanks • Furnaces • Broilers • Plugged Drains 778-862-0560
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HOME/BUSINESS SERVICES 245
CONTRACTORS
MISC. FOR SALE
810
AUTO FINANCING
2007 MERCEDES. A luxury car like no other. This fully loaded Mercedes S550 4-Matic S class. Premium and comfort package includes - navigation, voice command, heated and cooled seats, power rear shades and blinds, premium sound system, panoramic roofs both front and rear. Absolutely has it all. Very clean inside and out. No accidents. 150,000 km. Asking $29,500 OBO. Contact me via email for further information at:
HOT TUB (SPA) COVERS. Best price. Best quality. All shapes & colours available. 1-866-652-6837 www.thecoverguy.com/newspaper? STEEL BUILDINGS/METAL BUILDINGS 60% OFF! 20x28, 30x40, 40x62, 45x90, 50x120, 60x150, 80x100 sell for balance owed! Call 1-800-457-2206 www.crownsteelbuildings.ca
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LOCAL PLUMBER $45 Service Call Plumbing, Heating, Plugged Drains. Mustang Plumbing 778-714-2441
356
Hauling Anything.. But Dead Bodies!! 20 YARD BINS AVAILABLE We Load or You Load !
604.220.JUNK(5865) Serving Metro Vancouver Since 1988
We offer above average rates and an excellent employee benefits package. To join our team of professional drivers, email a detailed resume, current driver’s abstract and details of your truck to: careers@vankam.com or Call 604-968-5488 or Fax: 604-587-9889 Only those of interest will be contacted. Van Kam is committed to Employment Equity and Environmental Responsibility.
115
EDUCATION
LEARN how to operate an excavator & become employable In just 6 weeks, Gov. Reg. Rayway Operator Training School 604-546-7600 TRAIN TO BE AN Apartment/Condominium Manager ONLINE! Graduates get access to all jobs posted with us. 33 years of success! Government certified. www.RMTI.ca or 1-800-665-8339, 604-681-5456.
RUBBISH REMOVAL
bradsjunkremoval.com
Van Kam’s group of companies req. Highway linehaul owner operators based in our Surrey terminal for runs throughout BC and Alberta. Applicants must have winter and mountain driving experience/training.
PETS 477
PETS
CATS GALORE, TLC has for adoption spayed & neutered adult cats. 604-309-5388 / 604-856-4866 North Rock Management - The Custom Home Builders 604.626.7100
CATS OF ALL DESCRIPTION in need of caring homes! All cats are spayed, neutered, vaccinated and dewormed. Visit us at fraservalleyhumanesociety.com or call 1 (604)820-2977 NEED A GOOD HOME for a good dog or a good dog for a good home? We adopt dogs! Call 604856-3647 or www.856-dogs.com P/B GERMAN ROTTWEILERS 3 female pups. Vet ✓. Ready to go. $500/each. 778-899-3326 Registered White Lab cross Kuvas 2 Male, 1 Female, puppies are white, paper trained, ready to go! Have shots & vet checked. $550. Call 604-991-0114.
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353 ROOFING & SKYLIGHTS GL ROOFING. Cedar/Asphalt, Flat roofs, WCB Clean Gutters - $80. 1-855-240-5362. info@glroofing.ca
HIGHWAY OWNER OPERATORS $3500 SIGNING BONUS
821 CARS - SPORTS & IMPORTS
DISCONNECTED PHONE? National Teleconnect Home Phone Service. No One Refused! Low Monthly Rate! Calling Features and Unlimited Long Distance Available. Call National Teleconnect Today! 1-866-443-4408. www.nationalteleconnect.com.
SURREY: 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, hardwood floors throughout and new roof. $549,000. 604-575-5555.
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Birds to expect this winter from PAGE 1
of large numbers; they go wherever the foraging is good. A dramatic looking seabird known as a Surf Scoter also shows great variation in numbers (11,000 in 2011 but only 36 in 2012). This can be due simply to them changing feeding grounds on the day of the count or because of more complex factors affecting their breeding cycle that scientists are still studying. Barrow’s Goldeneye, Mew Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northwestern Crow, Surfbird, Common Raven, Dark-eyed Junco, Spotted Towhee, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Goldencrowned Kinglet, Northern Flicker, Golden-crowed Kinglet, Song Sparrow and Varied Thrush are candidates for the most numerous here. The most common small birds at your feeder are fairly steady in their numbers with weather having probably the greatest influence. In winter birds prefer open, south-facing places to congregate and foraging for food is more efficient if they form loose flocks of mixed species. Frequent feeder users include Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Spotted Towhee, Varied Thrush, Steller’s Jay, Dark-eyed Junco and two types of Chickadee. The percentage of Black-capped Chickadees has increased. The ratio used to be 25 per cent Black-capped to 75 per cent Chestnut-backed. Now it’s about 33/66 per cent but you must look closely to decide which is which. House Finch and Golden-crowned
Sparrow occasionally pop up at a feeder. There are others species who “use” feeders in a different way: if all your birds mysteriously disappear, suspect that a hawk or owl has frightened them away by snatching one of your usual customers for its dinner. For birds that we seldom see unless we deliberately look, go to the foot of Adams Road and train your scope or binoculars on Onion Island where you might see Surfbird, Black Turnstone and Black Oystercatcher. Along the rugged south shore of Cape Roger Curtis you might spot a Harlequin Duck or Hooded Merganser and further out to sea a Marbled Murrelet, Common Loon, Horned or Red-necked Grebe or Redbreasted Merganser. Along Terminal Creek, look for the American Dipper who bobs as if on a spring and near the bridge on the north side of the Crippen Meadow you may even see a rare Swamp Sparrow if you “pish”, which mimics an alarm call. And if you see anything with yellow on it, track that bird down because it forgot to migrate and shouldn’t be here at this time of year, e.g. Townsend’s Warbler. Anyone is welcome to join the count although more people with experience are needed. Thirty years ago, for my first bird count, I had to be up at 4 a.m. to be “recorder” for a keen ranger in Manning Park. On Bowen we’re a little more relaxed about it and there’s a party afterwards. If anyone would like to join the count on January 5, please contact me at 604-947-9558 or boband-
Friday December 27 2013 11
The illusion of Rob Wall’s reality GREGG SIMPSON SPECIAL TO UNDERCURRENT
The new digital work by Bowen Island artist, Rob Wall, entitled Real Illusions at the Rob Wall Gallery, shows a major step ahead in the artist’s development. Known mainly for his landscapes, Wall has forged ahead into new territory using his considerable skills with the computer to create a cornucopia of moire patterns and overlaid geometric shapes with ultra fine lines, which create finely spun webs of colour. These works create various illusions, movement being the primary one, where each canvas has internal variations caused by both the designs and the colours patterns. Paraboloids, hexagons and diamond shapes abound and resonate on the walls like jewels. It’s stunning in the retinal impact created and the sense of illusion from shapes revolving or coming out at the viewer in 3-D. There is no doubt we are seeing here a sort of renewal of ‘Op Art’, which began in the mid1960s with its star painter, Bridget Riley, from the UK, or Vancouver’s Brian Fisher, who did similarly fine lines over geometric shapes in his acrylic paintings.
But this type of art has never really gone away and Wall has ambitious plans to continue developing his animated projections which accompany the exhibition and form backgrounds for his musical performances. I look forward to seeing what comes out next from his research into this intriguing mixture of optical, mathematical and artistic shapes. It is a medium which has enormous potential. The exhibit of 16 2D moireist pieces runs until December 31. There is a one-hour show (original music, project graphics, art animation) Dec. 28 and 29 from 2 to 3pm. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for
TRANSPORTATION 845
SCRAP CAR REMOVAL
TOP CA$H PAID TODAY For SCRAP VEHICLES! 2 hr. Service www.a1casper.com (604)209-2026
The Scrapper
58
UNCLASSIFIED
Bowen Island Upholstery New Number 604-908-0950 Studio in Headley, BC
AAA SCRAP CAR REMOVAL Minimum $150 cash for full size vehicles, any cond. 604-518-3673
Specializing in sprung chairs and sofa’s from late 1800s to 1950s. Dave McKay, certified upholsterer since 1983. On Island ref.’s available. 604-908-0950 (Wanted: Studio/workspace on Bowen)
LANCE’S RECYCLING I’ll pick up your recycling and deliver to BIRD for $25/load. Kindling $20/box at Building Centre. CALL 947-2430 Looking for a Spanish speaking person to practice Spanish with. $12/hour - 604-947-0852
58
UNCLASSIFIED
Office/studio space available at Artisan Square. 604-329-5643 or dberry@shaw.ca PRIME RETAIL SPACE in Snug Cove FOR RENT starting JUNE 1, 2014. Where First Credit Union is currently located (next to General Store). 1,085 sq.ft. 604-947-0099, ext 100.
12 • FRIDAY DECEMBER 27 2013
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