Lake Cowichan Gazette, September 10, 2014 by Black Press Media Group

Boat launch repairs: Catalyst instructs town to undertake immediate maintenance job PAGE 3

Baseball success: Lake Cowichan boy brings home medal from Westerns PAGE 11

Tree vandalism: Trees snapped in half near Lake Cowichan School PAGE 10

Lake Cowichan teachers conduct rally E80 is still in there. Davis says students need reading help every E80 is their attempt morning and not for “six weeks twice a to bargain away for week.” an answer for them in “In our class we normally have seven or a court room. We’re eight special needs students but our old saying put all that contract said we could only have three,” she away.” said. “But the other problem with that is the “It would’ve been waiting list for testing is so long, it’s about great if they’d given three years. During that three years there us an answer today. is loads of paperwork and finally when the The liberal caucus was student gets tested, there is no guarantee of talking about what they support.” are going to do with Walters echoed Davis’ thoughts. us ‘greedy, horrible “Last year we were able to put through two teachers that don’t children for testing in our whole school and listen to them.’ They we usually have about 10 or 12 every year were together when that need to be tested. Early intervention is the announcement was the best answer, not waiting three or four made. It’s up to Christy years down the road.” Clark. Make a decision Rolls says the members have been ready to Christy.” go back to work for months. Michelle Davis “We’ve been ready to go back all along,” teaches Grade 4 at she said. “We’ve been out here all summer Palsson Elementary and we have tremendous support in this town Photo Ross Armour and is on the same and we appreciate that because what happens Members of the Lake Cowichan Teachers’ Association conducted a rally last Friday as the ongoing teachers strike page. with our negotiations now and what happens continues. Teachers at the lake want the provincial government to make a decision on binding arbitration. “We’ve been fighting with that court appeal has huge implications for 12 years,” said for kids at the lake. We need to hang onto our which relates to the contract,” said Rolls. Ross Armour Davis. “We’ve won two two schools. We need to have special needs “Clause E80 is the court’s decision. Lets LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE court cases and we are still fighting for the kids and every kid in our classrooms.” have binding arbitration on everything else same thing.” Fassbender has said the province wants a and as soon as they make that decision, we Members of the Lake Cowichan Teachers’ Davis admits that the potential of a vote to negotiated deal, not one reached through can be back. It’s up to Christy Clark.” Association conducted a rally this past go back to school is an encouragement. arbitration or legislating teachers back to But nevertheless, a vote by the teachers will Friday as the teachers strike rolled on. “It puts us back to work but we are still not work. now take place today regardless. But president Chris Rolls continues to sure what is going to happen with the court Government negotiator Peter Cameron told “First of all, they have to accept what maintain a clear message — teachers at the case and that could take a long time,” she Black Press earlier this week arbitration was was put out to them,” said Rolls. “[If] that lake want to go back to work as soon as said. “We are still wondering about class size unlikely because it would put the province at happens and Jim Iker and our executive possible. composition and help for special needs kids.” risk of an extremely expensive outcome. talk with the government and they start the The teachers were positioned at the bridge Kim Walters will be teaching Grade 3 at “It doesn’t seem to be a good solution from process for binding arbitration, we’ll take our Palsson this year and is also hoping for a on South Shore Road and were joined by our perspective,” Cameron said, adding that vote with the results then determined and we quick end to the strike now. numerous parents and children as they binding arbitration takes the decision out of will go back without job action.” waved to passing vehicles. “We don’t have enough specialist teachers,” the hands of both the government and the Rolls is hoping for a quick answer and will The rally came in the afternoon whilst she said. “We have one counsellor that BCTF. have the ballot ready for voting today. earlier that morning the British Columbia comes once a week and that’s just not “The parties end up not really having made “I want to clarify, what we’re demanding Teachers’ Federation announced that a vote adequate. They need to see someone every the hard decisions and owning the outcome,” is essentially the kind of things Clark and to go back to work would be conducted by week. If the counsellor comes today but he said. “And it involves a third party, who Fassbender have been talking about as well. teachers throughout the province once the the issue happens tomorrow, how does that would likely be a labour relations person Out of one side of their mouth they’re saying help that child? We need more counselling provincial government accept a binding rather than an educator, making educational they want to see what happens with the court services. In terms of our learning assistance arbitration proposal and remove clause E80. decisions.” case appeal, even though they’ve lost that “BCTF has now said through Jim Iker and resource, that’s combined, one teacher twice already. But at the same time, they’re and our executive that we will take a vote does both of those roles and I think we are -with files from Kolby Solinski trying to bargain their way out of that by INTRODUCING to go back to work if they agree to binding less than half time this year which againTHE is ALL-NEW 2015 SONATA having E80 in there. They took E81 out but arbitration and take clause E80 off the table, not adequate.”

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Wednesday, September 2014 THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE www.lakecowichangazette.com Wednesday, September 10, 2014 10, THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE www.lakecowichangazette.com

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Photo Malcolm Chalmers

Robert McQullan, Dale Callander, Hayden Holman Chase Convery, Gage Campbell, Evan Croteau, Kristin Svendsen, Teresa Melchior and Katherine Worsley are collecting metal to raise money for the Cowichan Lake District Chamber of Commerce and the Ohtaki Exchange Committee. Bins can be found at the Lake Cowichan Furniture and Appliance and the parking lot at Beaver Lake Resort.

Lake Cowichan posts water conservation reduction again Ross Armour Lake CowiChan Gazette

The Town of Lake Cowichan has told of a reduction in water consumption compared to this time last year by town residents for the first six months of the year. The numbers were read out by superintendent Nagi Rizk at last week’s Public Works Committee meeting. “For the first half of 2013, we were using 343, 470 cubic metres of water,” said Rizk. “This year we are using 289, 470 cubic metres. That’s 54,000 cubic metres reduction in water use for the first six months of the year. That averages to about 9,000 cubic metres reduction in conservation per month for those first six months of the year.” Rizk also said that in 2011, that number for the entire year was 885,750 cubic metres of water usage and this year year the predicted number is 761,660. The news comes as a positive to the town during so much turmoil and desperation of low water levels in the Cowichan River all summer. “It’s interesting to see that it went down,” said Coun. Bob Day at the meeting. “I guess when the word gets round then people start learning.” However, Rizk confirmed that it was not all good news with the town still experiencing some “substantial leaks” which prompted some high water consumption numbers in certain places. “These were detected by the water metres,” he said. “The owners were unaware of them or they were leaks that came about unintentionally. It’s not always just high consumption.” As such, chief administrator Joe Fernandez brought a new policy forward to the council table at the meeting regarding billing for leakages which was passed unanimously. “As we send out bills, some people discover that they have leaks and so they end up with a fairly substantial bill,” said Fernandez at the meeting.

Through the policy, if a leak is fixed within 30 days of realizing it is there, the town will not charge the property owner for the inevitable overuse. Property owners must submit their leak adjustment application letter with 30 days of becoming aware of the leak or receiving notification from the Town of Lake Cowichan. “This is not about collecting money,” said Mayor Ross Forrest. “If someone has a leak and becomes aware of it and fixes it then we’ve accomplished our goal. We want people to fix mistakes and conserve water. If they are making the effort, then there should be lenience for them.” There will be no adjustments made for the following: all internal plumbing systems and fixtures; irrigation or sprinkler systems on a property; in-ground or above ground pools, ponds and fountains, any auxiliary lines connection to the main water water line; premises left abandoned or vacated without reasonable care for the plumbing system. Only one leak adjustment is permitted per property owner and main water line within a 24 month water consumption period and adjustments will only be granted when the utility account is in good standing and no previous amounts due are outstanding. “The objective is to get the leak fixed,” said Forrest. “It might cost someone just as much to get a minor leak fixed as it does a major leak.” Coun. Jayne Ingram expressed concern for those who are unaware of leaks that are away on vacation. Rizk addressed this aspect further. “We set up an appointment to have their meter checked. If there is a minor drip, it will show up,” he said. Director of finance Ronnie Gill also confirmed that some people are still unhappy with the billing process. “A lot of people want it averaged and not monthly,” said Gill. “But that is a problem because people use water in the summer and so an average doesn’t work. This year is a prime example of that,” she said.

Overgrown shrubs still an issue Ross Armour

Lake CowiChan Gazette

The topic of overgrown shrubs still remains present at the Lake Cowichan council table. The topic was once again on the agenda at last Tuesday’s Public Works Committee meeting at the town hall. The problem is that the overgrown shrubs, as well as landscaping, are blocking pedestrian walkways at some areas across town. Nevertheless it is seemingly a problem that council is aware of and will continue to address and rectify.

“This is an ongoing item and it is being dealt with,” said Coun. Frank Hornbrook who chaired the meeting. Coun. Jayne Ingram noticed it for herself on route to the meeting. “I just stopped on my way into the building tonight and apparently there is some shrubs on the same street as the Seniors’ Centre,” she said. “It’s when you come out of the Seniors’ Centre on one of the corners and they are overhanging at the Island Savings Credit Union.” Chief administrative officer Joe Fernandez agreed and admitted he has noticed the problem in the same area and now Ingram will work towards figuring out who the nearby property owners are. “I’ll send an email if I can identify who it is,” she said.

www.lakecowichangazette.com LAKE COWICHANGAZETTE GAZETTE www.lakecowichangazette.com THETHE LAKE COWICHAN

Wednesday, September10, 10,2014 2014 33 Wednesday, September

Delay on Renfrew Town Barn dance in town Square again, possible Halloween grand opening Ross Armour Lake CowiChan Gazette

Lake Cowichan’s new Renfrew Town Square has suffered another delay and will now not be officially open until October. Nevertheless the town is hoping it will be no later than then with a possible Halloween grand opening being thrown out there. That idea was suggested by Coun. Bob Day at last week’s Parks, Recreation and Culture Committee meeting at the town hall, where superintendent Nagi Rizk explained the reason for the delay. “The town square is on hold for a couple of weeks,” said Rizk. “We still have two major items to come including street lights. Lights for the seating area have also been delayed. The square is still not under warranty to the town so if any damage comes about it will still be up to the contractor to repair. Hopefully next week we will see some movement on the light front and the project will be finished by mid-October.” Rizk also confirmed that there is a deficiency with the concrete pad at the site and that has not yet been complete either. Rizk and the public works team is hoping to scrape the nearby parking lot sometime this fall. Day also suggested fresh rock be put at the nearby sidewalk as “it is quite the mud pit there right now.” “I think we could do the grand opening without the roof structure in place. Perhaps Halloween would be a good date? It could be a Halloween event as the kids could wear costumes and we could do hot dogs and music. That way, it’d be more than just whipping down a sign.” Mayor Ross Forrest was content with a projected Halloween opening date. “Halloween sounds fine as it gives a good opportunity for the project to be complete by then,” said the mayor. “September is a bad month and is everybody has lots of things going on and we are busy with UBCM.” Rizk also stated if would need a significant period of notice for the opening of the town square “so there is no hazards or issues.” “We’ll toss that idea around for the next week and talk about it at our next weekend at some point on the agenda,” said Day.

Photo Malcolm Chalmers

Samantha Oliver and partner Bailey Callihoo dance to the Barn Burners Band with Alyssa Waser at the end of summer Barn Dance “Fun” raiser. Chilli was cooking for dinner to raise money for the Student Employment Program at the Cowichan District Chamber of Commerce’s Visitor Centre. The event raised just over $500. Over 70 people were in attendance to support the cause.

www.lkc.ca

Catalyst asks town staff to undertake immediate repairs on boat launch & ramp Ross Armour Lake CowiChan Gazette

Catalyst Paper has instructed the Town of Lake Cowichan to undertake immediate repairs on the boat launch and ramp in town, describing it as being in “a state of disrepair.” The boat launch is owned by Catalyst but is leased by the town and the former recently conducted a hazard assessment of the site. Catalyst says “the immediate condition of the concrete boat ramp creates an environment that may be error inducing to unaware person,” as outlined in a letter to Mayor Ross Forrest and council. Catalyst has asked the town for a certificate of insurance and repairs to be done, as well as the installation of new signage. “Signage may include, but not limited to: ‘Use at own risk’, temporary warning of immediate hazardous condition and further reference to the Town of Lake Cowichan for appropriate contact regarding the condition and/or use of the aforementioned boat launch,” reads Catalyst’s letter. Town chief administrator Joe Fernandez said at one time Catalyst tried to sell the boat launch to the town. The issue was up for discussion at last week’s Public Works Committee meeting at the town hall. “Apparently the boat ramp is in bad shape,” said Forrest. “There is an issue of maintenance and insurance here. We have no idea of the cost and it is not in our budget this year.” Superintendent Nagi Rizk admits he is “hesitant” to take on the task. “The problem is exaggerated now because of the low water levels,” he said. “It will be a big project and quite costly, it’s quite an undertaking and I think the improvements are beyond our expertise. It was just inspected and we just did some in-house repairs there this summer.” Forrest wishes for further negotiation with Catalyst. “I think we should speak with them and see what the minimum cost will be. Maybe they could give us the lots as part of the deal.” Catalyst gave the town until this past Friday to respond and Fernandez confirmed to the Gazette that the town has been granted more time to get solutions and signage in place.

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Wednesday, September 10, 2014 THECOWICHAN LAKE COWICHAN www.lakecowichangazette.com Wednesday, September 10, 2014 THE LAKE GAZETTEGAZETTE www.lakecowichangazette.com

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Teachers to vote on arbitration bid Wednesday Tom Fletcher Black Press B.C.’s striking teachers will vote Wednesday on the union’s proposal to take their long-running dispute with the province to binding arbitration, BCTF president Jim Iker said Monday. The BCTF is willing to send not only its wage and benefit demands but its proposal for class size and special needs support to an independent arbitrator, Iker said. The BCTF wants $225 million a year to improve classroom conditions, spent only on new teachers, and the government has budgeted $75 million, some of which is paid to teaching assistants who belong to the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The B.C. government rejected arbitration on the weekend after it was presented Friday by Iker, as the strike went into a second week of the new school year. Education Minister Peter Fassbender said he would not hand the budget implications of a union settlement over to a third party. Iker said results of the vote will be available Wednesday evening. A yes vote will give certainty to the union’s position and binding arbitration is the “easiest way” to get schools open

again, he said. NDP leader John Horgan also called on the government Monday to make the “unprecedented” move to accept arbitration. Horgan said if the government is as secure in its belief its wage offer is fair, it should have no concern about the results. “We’re in uncharted territory, where we’ve had the longest strike in B.C. history, and it’s time we put an end to it,” Horgan said. Asked if he would support raising taxes to pay for a new deal with the province’s 40,000 public school teachers, Horgan said the budget has contingency funds to cover unexpected costs. “If it was good enough for doctors, it should be good enough for teachers,” he said, referring to a 2002 arbitration that resulted in $400 million in increased doctor fees. NDP education critic Rob Fleming said an essential service ruling by the Labour Relations Board to reopen schools isn’t likely to offer a quick solution. The board views the fall strike as separate from the long teacher work-to-rule campaign and two weeks of closed schools last June, and so far neither side has applied for such a ruling, he said.

Forrest’s update on the state of the Town of Lake Cowichan Ross Forrest

This council and I, as Mayor, are close to completing the third year of our collective second term in municipal office. While we have had challenges, we have been able to overcome some AYOR S EPORT of those with fiscally responsible decisions. The financial health of the Town, as of the end of 2013 was the best it has ever been since its incorporation as a municipality in 1944 and that health is not expected to change for 2014. We take great pride in the local infrastructure improvements that we have accomplished in both terms

’ R

but particularly those in the second three-year term. These improvements have been completed entirely without incurring any debt except for a short-term loan that was necessary to finance just a portion of the fire rescue truck purchase. The financial health of theTown, I can assure you, is excellent. We want to ensure that our infrastructure is sustainable. With that in mind, we continue to build on reserves and surpluses so that debt can be avoided. We have made tremendous improvements to our infrastructure and have done so through partnerships with the Provincial and Federal governments, Insurance Corporation of BC, Island Coastal Economic Trust(ICET) and other agencies to accomplish the many capital projects. The Revitalization Study undertaken in 2005 has provided the framework for the improvements undertaken during our terms in office. The improvements at Riverside Road over 2006 and 2007, with the medians, boulevards and plantings have been the template used for other road upgrades including those for Darnell Drive and South Shore Road. When discussions were first began in 2009 with the Ministry of Transportation and Highways on ways and

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Box 10, Lake Cowichan, British Columbia V0R 2G0 Street Address: 170E-Cowichan Lake Road Phone: 250-749-4383 FAX: 250-749-4385 Classifieds: 1-855-310-3535 (toll free) EDITORIAL: editor@lakecowichangazette.com ADVERTISING: production@lakecowichangazette.com PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY BY BLACK PRESS LTD. Canadian Publication Mail Sales Product Agreement #1090194 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

means of improving the main thoroughfare through Town, the Ministry was not at first keen on major improvements other than regular maintenance and the patching and paving of portions of that road. However at our persistence the Ministry was convinced of the need for the major upgrades that have now been undertaken. At our insistence, the Ministry also agreed on the construction of the roundabout so long as the Town contributed its share on the project. The Town had to make adjustments to its capital budget in order to undertake those improvements that were ancillary to the main roadwork – the roundabout, the medians, boulevards and pedestrian safety features. ICBC assisted the Town with grants to reduce our share of the expenditures. The Town’s upgrades were completed on a timely basis so that the Ministry could proceed with their scheduled timelines. The partnerships with the Province and ICBC has proved to be invaluable. No debt was incurred by the Town to bring the project to completion. We are grateful to the Province, BC Hydro and ICBC for assisting with the road and pedestrian access improvements and the tree planting which have helped immensely in beautifying the downtown.

DENNIS SKALICKY Publisher The Lake Cowichan Gazette 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 BC Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to BC Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, BC V9R 2R2. For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org

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THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Street Beat

Cowichan Lake

SAYS We asked: How has the B.C. teacher strike affected you?

Max Russell “It has to be settled one way or another, it has been going on for the last 30 years starting back with the NDP then the Socreds. It is a political entity now, it is not a teachers union any more.”

Renee Fee “Not much right now my kids are too young for school but I have seen a lot of negativity toward the teachers which is sad, I support them 100%. The government has to work a little harder to get them back to work.”

Mayor’s Report continued from page 4...... Infrastructure improvements and beautification of our Town are prerequisites if Lake Cowichan is to be attractive to those who want to make and call Lake Cowichan home. It has also helped instill confidence in small businesses that can see potential for growth in the Town. We have been able to attract new businesses to Town, and others have been exploring the investment potential in Lake Cowichan. As we are a largely urban residential community Lake Cowichan is not ideally suited for large-scale industrial business ventures. Upgrades to make Lake Cowichan an attractive community are prudent if businesses are to be encouraged to locate in the Cowichan Lake area. We need to have faith in the viability and longevity of our community. With the completion of the new library facilities by Vancouver Island Regional Library and the addition of the town square, we are well on our way to completing the required infrastructure upgrades for the downtown business core. It’s now up to the business community or developers to take advantage of the potential the improvements have made possible. Without a healthy and liveable downtown, the Town of Lake Cowichan cannot be sustained. We took advantage of opportunities presented by the Ministry of Transportation and Highways (which expended $2.8 million) and ICBC, for the traffic improvements, BC Hydro for the trees and ICET for the contribution towards the newly constructed town square. The results are indeed impressive. As I reported in the 2012 year-end report, downtown revitalization is key to a vibrant and thriving community. Other communities recognize this and have done their part to improve and revitalize their business districts. I would like to thank the local business owners who were involved with the planning of the town square through their participation and valuable input at meetings held at the municipal hall. Their letters of support were very instrumental in the Town’s success in receiving a grant from ICET for this project. ICET was created by the Government of BC in 2006 to support economic development initiatives on central and northern Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. We are grateful for the ICET contribution and for recognizing the potential this Town Square will provide our community. The attraction of new businesses to Lake Cowichan has been a slow process given the difficult economic times and yet we have had success. The downtown improvements are serving as a catalyst for follow-up private sector investment that could create far more significant local and regional employment impacts. There is already evidence that private sector investment is responding to the downtown improvements as new businesses have recently moved into the community. Two new restaurants, a clothing store, a pre-fab cabinetry company and new medical services have now located in town. While more needs to occur, there is already evidence that private sector investment is responding to the infrastructure improvements as confidence is instilled by the successful completion of the road improvements, the floating dock, new public washroom amenities at Saywell Park and the Town Square. Enhancing the vitality of the downtown area can also encourage small office-based businesses and/or mixed-use developments with a residential component to move in, further expanding local demand for shops and services and supporting additional investment. This past August long week-end was the busiest it has ever been for our local businesses. This is a sign of good things to come. We have worked hard to make our downtown a better and healthier environment for residents, businesses and visitors. We have been fortunate to have a number of our capital projects financed by grants. In my first year as Mayor, the Town received approvals for phase 1 of the water metering program in the amount of $400,000 (the previous Council first initiated the process at a committee meeting in November, 2008 and in the first month in office we approved the application for the metering grant) which was followed in 2011 by a second grant approval of $400,000 for water metering through the Towns for Tomorrow program. In addition, grants of $50,000 through the Trees for Tomorrow program and Job Creation Partnership (JCP) funding exceeding $80,000 were approved during our first year. In terms of infrastructure development, we are determined to make it sustainable and have leveraged other sources of grant funding. There is a growing infrastructure deficit in every municipality in Canada while health concerns are causing senior governments to mandate additional water and sewer upgrades. In 2013 we were fortunate to receive approvals of $1.35 million from the Gas Tax Funds to complete phase 1 of the sewer system upgrades. An additional $172,450 was approved at the same time for developing a rain water management

Susan Tuck “It hasn’t, although I am for them, I know it has dragged on for too long. They have to take a stand. Government seems to give themselves raises every now and again and we don’t hear about it till it is over and done with it. I wouldn’t want their job.

Margaret Ryan

Jourdan Elliot

“No it hasn’t, I don’t have any kids in school, my grandkids 15 and 16 can take care of themselves. I was talking to a few of the teachers this morning, and it has been going on far to long. I think that clause E-80 is the main stumbling block.

“ It hasn’t. I don’t work for the school board I don’t have kids, my mother is very into it, she is a union member. I just want the poor kids to go back to school because I know what it is like to be in Grade 12 and getting your year started on time.

strategy. We are grateful to both the federal and provincial governments for providing us with the required funding for the important infrastructure projects. To complete the required upgrades to the water and sewer utility systems Council wants to minimize borrowing. To that end we have implemented water and sewer parcel taxes as we continue to seek additional grant funding from senior governments and other agencies. As alluded to earlier, grants have been very helpful in bringing projects to fruition with others that are in the planning stages. In the first 5 years of our time in office we have been able to secure approvals for grants that total close to $3 million and these do not include grants that we routinely receive on an annual basis. I would like to acknowledge the dedication of our senior management staff, who with the help of the employees, are helping us accomplish our goals and objectives. I would be remiss if I do not make special mention of the citizens and volunteers who through their dedication and hard work, and for no remuneration, make this town what it is great. We appreciate the countless hours dedicated by our citizens and volunteers, in activities ranging from the river clean-up, riparian rehabilitation, litter pick-up to helping others less fortunate than ourselves or for serving countless hours on our committees and the non-profit organizations. Our young citizens – the leaders of tomorrow – have also been involved in activities for the good of our community. The Lake Cowichan grad class of 2013, as one example, has contributed and supported projects at Saywell Park, as in the restoration of the riparian habitat and in providing a financial donation towards the cost of the new dock. The recent river clean-up by over a 100 volunteers is a case of good work by our residents. The donations by the many businesses and individuals for food and refreshments and prizes were much appreciated. A simple thank you does not seem sufficient. Our citizens have recently stepped up to the challenge of dealing with drought conditions this summer and have cooperated in implementing Stage 3 of the water restrictions. The local businesses have often stepped up to help for worthy causes. The good you do is immeasurable. To all of you we owe a debt of gratitude and heartfelt thanks. Council now needs to focus on phased improvements to local roads, sidewalks and water, sewer and storm sewer systems and make Lake Cowichan the best small town in BC. We completed road upgrades to Darnell Road in 2011, and will continue to prioritize capital projects which is always a challenge. Parcel taxes are not a new phenomenon for Lake Cowichan. Water and sewer parcel taxes of $65 and $130 per year were in place until 2001 to finance long-term debt payments on water and sewer projects. Prior to 2000 the Town had to rely on debt financing for capital items, large and small. The Town’s financial situation at the time was indeed less than enviable. The Town began to take stock of its financial situation and implemented fiscal responsibility with the establishment of appropriate reserve funds. Starting in 2001 a Municipal Building Reserve Fund and other reserve funds were established to fund future capital projects. As a result this council inherited a financially viable municipality at the end of 2008. However, we also inherited the single largest debt of $1.56 million which was the capital lease balance outstanding on the new fire hall that had been completed in 2004 at a cost of almost $1.77 million. This still remains the single largest debt today. By the end of 2011 the financial situation was far better than at the end of 2008 and that much better at the end of 2013 despite the major expenditures on streetscape improvements. Reserve funds and the surplus continue to have very healthy balances. Council adopted a policy in 2010 that requires the maintenance of a minimum balance of accumulated surplus which the Town has been more than successful in maintaining. We strive to undertake capital expenditures on a pay-as-you go basis, and we have been successful so far in this regard – the phased improvements on our main road is a prime example of this approach. As always, Council is transparent, open and accountable. The public are invited to review any of the previously audited statements – the 2013 statements are on our web-site with comparative figures for 2012. Whether through town hall meetings or council or committee meetings, the public can and should be privy to all of the plans that have been accomplished or are underway, or you may call me to discuss matters that affect us all. We welcome and encourage your participation in local governance. Our citizens should be involved in providing input in making Lake Cowichan a progressive, vibrant, healthy and sustainable community.

6 6

Wednesday, September Wednesday, September 10, 20143,

2014 THE LAKEGAZETTE COWICHAN GAZETTE www.lakecowichangazette.com THE LAKE COWICHAN www.lakecowichangazette.com

COWICHAN LAKE

With Malcolm Chalmers

Smile FILE

Cara Cutler

Hometown: Lake Cowichan Occupation: Caretaker of the Boutique Waterfront Lodge Best thing about living here: Lake Cowichan is a “Mother Earth” community Fave activity: Gathering knowledge about spirituality I’ve always wanted to: Hospitality and entertain people Proudest moment: Overcoming a major health issue I wish I was better at: hunting for food Favourite food: Turkey If I had $1,000,000: I would buy property, donate money to charity and travel, but I don’t really want money Favourite moment of the day: Sunset

Photo: Rolli Gunderson

The Upper Pool of the Cowichan River (near the Catalyst weir) and the adjoining shoreline was once the location of many residential floathouses decades before the advent of recreational barges and houseboats.

Letters to the editor

Dear Editor, Re: “Where is the Lake Cowichan Town Council hiding the money tree?” Gazette Aug. 13. Whereas I agree with our former Mayor and Councillor Jack Peake on the waste of taxpayers money by the present Town Council, he conveniently forgot that this waste of taxpayers money commenced under his reign as Mayor. What else would he call the badly designed median and sidewalk planters on Riverside drive. In reference to: Follow up on hidden “Money Trees” Gazette Sept. 3. Jack Peake is not the only one, nor the first one, to suggest that the Town purchases the United Church building for conversion into a new Town Hall. This makes a lot of sense to a lot of residents. What doesn’t make sense is to demolish the existing town hall and turn it into another park area as proposed by Jack Peake. Didn’t Jack not complain about the water use and maintenance requirements of the landscaping in the median islands in his Aug 13th submission? If Council adopts the suggestion to purchase the United Church building, why not lease the existing town hall, for a dollar per year, to the food bank. Hubert Crevels, Lake Cowichan

Dear Editor, I would like to take a moment and say THANK YOU very much to Ronnie Gill at town hall, when I checked on my water usage they realized my water meter was not working. Ronnie Gill had a repair person at my home by 9:30 the next morning and I was at town hall around 4pm when we found the problem. Now that’s service! The repair person had to drive right by the new town square where the sprinklers are running off the hook water RUNNING and STANDING everywhere. The repair person should have been dispatched to spend 5 minutes adjusting the timer on those sprinklers new grass and plants need water but some of the plants there are dying from drowning in water. Moral of the story people if you don’t get a water bill don’t ask because I believe town hall has no program in place to know if your meter is working or not! My family has been and will continue to conserve water, meter working or not. Ken Karpick, Lake Cowichan Dear Editor, I just watched another person washing their car(10 plus min.) at our “PAY BY DONATION” RV dump site. Usually its the RV owners that spray off their units without consideration to our current watering restrictions. A truck camper with two gents aboard kicked him away telling him to just leave. With having to pay for water, our new water meters make it impossible for us budgeted Lake Cowichan residences to water our lawns, wash our vehicle’s etc. without being worried about being charged for above limit usage. Lets have all us residences wash our vehicles at the pay by donation RV dump site! I don’t believe many donate at all, but it would be interesting to have the town provide statistics on this! With the amount of Campers/Water Trucks and others using this site, I sure think a “PAY” station for water use is required. Joe Dorey, Lake Cowichan

Dear Editor Should the teachers be bargaining for more funding for a public education system that is broken or should they be willing to be politically incorrect and tell the secret no one wants to discuss publicly? To admit that the integrated system forced upon them does not work and cannot be economically sustained no matter which political party is in power. Class composition cannot be negotiated because the present composition does not work for any student or teacher. The integrated system does not provide an optimal learning environment no matter what level of achievement the student is demonstrating. More funding is not going to solve the problem because the problem is not with reasonable funding. The solution will require more than the politically polarized BCTF and Liberals can negotiate. We need a modern update for the public education system. It is outdated and broken. It does not provide for the needs of the students and has created a situation for teachers where no matter how hard they work or how committed they are they are not able to meet the needs of their students. To find a solution will require some dedicated geniuses willing to make courageous decisions for the survival of the public education system. Anne Wise, Lake Cowichan

Photos: Kaatza Station Museum and Archives

Owned by former area resident the late John Nyland, the floathouse was moored for many years (1946-1990) near Honeymoon Bay. Many lake and river floathouses of the era were not as attractive and as solid as the Nyland house. Many of them were rickety, unattractive shacks that provided nothing more than a roof over one’s head.

Rolli illustrates what life was like living on the water Prior to the 1920’s visitors to this area often noticed the large number of floathouses (or houseboats as some called them) Rolli that lined the lake Gunderson and river of great interest. Many of the floating residences PAGES OF HISTORY were moored along the Upper Pool of the river, in the vicinity of the present day Catalyst weir and the shoreline behind what today is Jakes at the Lake Restaurant. Over time floathouses were located along the river as far down as the end of Big Pool (which is the section of the river directly below and downriver from the vehicle bridge near the Riverside Inn). There were also many flaothouses moored along what is now North Shore Road as far up as then Lakeside Hotel (later the site of the Castaway Resort) and various locations around “the lake” (Cowichan Lake). The homes were ideal as there was no property tax charged to the owner or tenant and they could be towed anywhere on the lake up the lake near logging camps and settings. These unique homes were varied in size and aesthetic appeal. Their appeal to the tourist (who had likely ventured here from Victoria) was piqued at the sight of colourful planters and pretty window boxes filled with a wide variety of lovely flowers and plants. Some were painted nice colours while the wood siding on others remained as it was. Several of the homes had small fences and even smaller gardens, which set along the sides of the homes

that lined the shoreline. Wooden gangplanks connected them to the shore and in many cases, to the neighbouring floathouse. To build a safe floathouse one had to begin with “a sturdy float [base], constructed of large cedar logs, of uniform size then shaped and hewn to form a level surface” (source Greendale Journals / Vignettes) on which the house would be constructed. Many of the more permanent ones had additions in the form of much welcome porches or larger verandahs. As idyllic as it sounds, floathouses had their own unique dangers, the least of which being fire and accidental drowning when a child or adult accidently “slipped off the gangplank or unprotected verandah” and drowned. Contrary to the belief that floating houses were “damp and bleak” was the fact that the space left between the water and the sub-floor provided adequate room for air circulation. Heat from cook stoves and, in some incidences small airtight heaters, usually kept most of the homes warm and high and dry. On occasion, especially the houses moored in the upper part of the lake during a storm, a floathouse might go adrift and have to be towed back to its moorings. (A bit of a fright for the inhabitants.) In the 1930’s, due to the possibility of pollution, the province enacted an edict that all floathouse “east of Goat island” be moved. Consequently some the floathouses were towed to Honeymoon Bay where they was no stipulation regarding moorage along the shoreline. Others were hauled up on land the owners had purchased. (One of these homes was that of the late the late Pat Stone whose family had land in the Marble Bay area.) Source Kaatza Station Museum and Archives. Today, instead of the old style floathouse, recreational houseboats can occasionally be seen on the lake.

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

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Wednesday, September 10, 2014

250-749-6660

www.lkc.ca

TOLL FREE PAGE 1-800-729-3246 145 South Shore Rd., Lake Cowichan

cowichanvalleyrealtor@shaw.ca

keith@lkc.ca

Keith Nelson

Sharon Kelly

WHEN YOU WANT IT LISTED - WHEN YOU NEED IT SOLD LOTS 20 Renfrew Ave. $79,900

Level Commercial Corner Lot Located in town. Zoning includes business, light manufacturing & multi family dwelling units. Great opportunity to build your commercial venture.

CHARMING HOME If you like peace and quiet in an old style setting, this is what you’re looking for. Original Douglas Fir floors, updated bathroom, kitchen, master bedroom, roof and thermal windows. As a summer / winter getaway or full time living, you can’t beat this value!

$198,000

6789 2nd Street

3 BEDROOM / 4 BATH Immaculate 3 bedroom/4 bathroom home on three levels with several patios and 2 balconies to enjoy the sunsets. Loads of added features including an alarm system, built in vacuum, heated storage area and potential wine storage room. What more could you need?

$287,000 LOCATED IN TOWN

330 Carnell Drive

REDUCED

10034 March Road

Great family home with 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Large living room with big windows to enjoy the lake views & two skylights to add natural light. En-suite bathroom recently upgraded to an enclosure with pole and seat for those with mobility challenges. Upgraded laminate flooring in both den and family room, ceramic tiles in the bathroom and built-in vacuum. Large double garage and level yard. Close to town and minutes from the boat launch.

$125,900

$509,000 209 Quamichan $339,900 OFFER WHAT YOU THINK IT’S WORTH GOOD CONSTRUCTION

413 Winter Drive

$369,000

2 ½ acre treed lot on the outskirts of Lake Cowichan. Great opportunity to build a beautiful home in your own private wilderness. Zoning includes B & B or intensive agriculture.

LAKE ACCESS 47 Blackwood Heights

$159,900

Wonderful turnkey opportunity in Bayview Village. Quiet and private typifies this property with tiered decks, covered deck area including fire pit. 2 bed / 1 bath mobile includes built-in-vacuum and air conditioning. Don’t miss out, call today for details!

NEAR BEACH, BOAT DOCK Recreational property at its finest in Honeymoon Bay. Do you want that easy-care weekend lifestyle? Perfectly PENDING finished with trussed roof over RV & a big covered is a huge beach, boat dock and picnic area on #10-6855 Park Ave. deck. There pristine Cowichan Lake. It just doesn’t get any better than this. Make this your dream holiday getaway.

$99,900 $79,900 $69,900 LOTS OF FEATURES IN THIS HOME Wonderful family home with 5 bedrooms and 4 baths. Offers radiant floor heating, quality floor tiles, Jacuzzi tub, outside deck and fish pond. These are just some of the features this home has to offer.

Offered for sale as a package: the pre-fabs are not included but are negotiable; a wide range of options with C-1 zoning includes: Retail, office, clubs/theatre, auto supply, welding-machine shop or a child care facility. These lots are the best Lake Cowichan has to offer!

#84-90 Lakeview

$199,000

$163,000

AFFORDABLE Appearances are deceiving. This home is entry level but has a fully finished basement. Many updates including flooring, Low Energy Windows, vinyl decking and more. This is a great family home with 4 bedrooms, 2 baths and a big family room.

$239,000 UNIQUE 4 BEDROOM HOME

340 Carnell Drive

There is room for everyone here. 4 bedroom & 2 bath home on a double south facing lot. Offers a big detached shop, fenced garden area, storage shed and many other features.

Great Investment property in the heart of Lake Cowichan. This property has been used as a residential rental but lends itself to redevelopment for commercial because of the prime location.

250 South Shore Rd.

Flat lot across the road from lake front and spectacular views of Cowichan Lake, Bald Mountain and the Narrows. Water and septic system already in place. Take a look & bring your house plans.

$265,000 INVESTOR ALERT!

$165,000 33 Pine Street TWO C - 1 COMMERCIAL LOTS

Looking for a well maintained home with great curb appeal, private landscaped backyard for entertaining and a separate driveway for your RV/Boat? This is the place for you! This 2 storey, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, open plan living is on a quiet nothru road close to the Cowichan River and within easy walking distance to downtown. Don’t miss out on this one!

Newer 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom home in the “Slopes”. Extremely good construction with 9’ ceiling, skylights, wood fireplace, maple cabinets - just some of the features this lovely home has to offer. You can’t beat the value on this gem!

Fabulous Lake Views! Gently sloping lot is perfect to build your dream home. No GST on the purchase price makes this lot a very affordable investment.

Lot 11 Indian Road $225,000

$149,450 Bay is now zoned for full time living and all owners have use LAKE & MOUNTAIN VIEW LOTS Marble of the private lakefront park with water slides and picnicking areas.

Wonderful location - Cozy 2 bedroom home located on a quiet street with a large level back yard. Walking distance to all local amenities. House needs a bit of TLC but is a great starter or investment opportunity.

BARGAIN OF THE CENTURY

Elegant home just waiting for new owners. Vaulted ceilings, oak hardwood floors, sandstone fireplace with cedar mantel, heat pump, jacuzzie tub are just some of the many wonderful features this home has to offer.

494 Mountain View Drive

$265,000

SOLD 10 Lakeview

5 March Road $95,000

Enjoy the lake without the lake price. This 1 bed park model home at Bayview Village includes use the waterfront facilities on beautiful Cowichan Lake and boat slip, This ½ acre lot offers fabulous mountain views and is very private. This is a great investment!

$275,900 58 Blackwood Heights UNIQUE 4 BEDROOM HOME MOTIVATED SELLER REDUCE

267 Castley Heights $69,000

Lot 33 Kestrel Drive – Panoramic views on .43 Acre. Perfect location to build a cottage or residence. Lot 40 Kestrel Drive – Beautiful lake views from this affordably priced lot which is nearly ½ acre. Build your dream home! Lot 45 Blackwood Heights – Private ½ acre lot surrounded by trees. Own a piece of land on the sunny side of the lake.

207 North Shore Rd.

$629,900 WELCOME TO PARADISE!

A great South-East facing lot just waiting for your house plans. Only a 30 second walk to beautiful Cowichan Lake for fishing, Boating & swimming.

BAYVIEW VILLAGE

ACROSS FROM THE LAKE

4775 Fairbridge

Fabulous lake views & only minutes from the boat launch. Build your home up high, enjoy the views this lot has to offer. Geo Technical report on file. A great investment!

Across from the lake, this well designed 3 bed/2 bath rancher is move in ready in the tranquil community of Honeymoon Bay. Features include arched ceilings, new laminate flooring, large kitchen with bright counter tops and an island, separate eating nook and a pacific energy wood stove. En-suite features a large soaker tub and there are 3 skylights in the home to give plenty of natural light.

$254,900

Unique 4 bedroom and den home in sought after Fairbridge. At just over 72 acres, the prestigious homes in this unique are offer privacy and security. Offers formal dining room area, large L/rm, cozy family room with wood fireplace, walk in closet, heat pump, built in vacuum. There is a lovely cottage at the back of the property. This charm and character home is a must see!

470 Point Ideal $69,900

MOVE-IN READY

NEW LISTING

Updated 4 bed / 3 bath family home on .30 acre centrally located in town. Features a beautiful kitchen with marble counter top and tiled back splash, large living room with feature fireplace and separate dining area, Brazilian teak hardwood floors, downstairs offers a large family room with fireplace & den. Don’t delay, come and view today!

189 MacDonald Road

268 Castley Heights $49,000

145 Nitinat Ave.

$289,900

REDUCED

A great way to get into the market with this well priced 3 bedroom home located on a corner lot. Upgrades include a remodelled bathroom and some new laminate floors. Large covered deck, great for BBQ’ing and a good sized back yard. New roof. Currently rented which makes it an affordable investment.

$145,000 FAMILY HOME

92 Cowichan Ave. East REDUCED

Wonderful 4 bed & 3 bath Family Home offers privacy, easy access to hiking trails, and beautiful mountain views. Features include tile & hardwood floors, oak cabinets, huge outdoor decks (one with a hot tub) two car garage, separate workshop w/ 3 bays, car hoist & woodstove. With a treefort for the kids and .4 acre has lots of room to play. Don’t delay!

$399,000 CLEAN & COZY

320 Deer Road

REDUCE

$39-211 Madill Road

Two bedroom condo with easy access. Nice carpets, oak cabinets in the kitchen, walk in closet in master bedroom & includes in suite laundry. Would make a great rental.

$79,900

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

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Wednesday, September 10, 2013

Tree vandalism near Lake Cowichan School

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These trees at the meridian close to Lake Cowichan School were found to be snapped in half sometime over the long weekend. Town superintendent Nagi Rizk described the finds as a “sad” state of affairs.

Terry Fox Run Sunday

42 South Shore Road Beside the Post Office

TOWN OF LAKE COWICHAN 2014 GENERAL LOCAL ELECTIONS

NOTICE OF NOMINATION Public Notice is given to the electors of the Town of Lake Cowichan that nominations for the office of: MAYOR COUNCILLORS

ONE (1) FOUR (4)

for a 4-year term (beginning December 2014), will be received by the Chief Election Officer or a designated election officer as follows: Town of Lake Cowichan 39 South Shore Road Lake Cowichan, BC V0R 2G0

From 9:00 am Tuesday, September 30th, 2014 to no later than 4:00 pm Friday, October 10th, 2014. Excluding Statutory holidays and weekends.

Nomination documents are available now at the Town office during regular office hours, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm excluding weekends and statutory holidays. QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE A person is qualified to be nominated, elected, and to hold office as a member of local government if all of the following criteria are met:  be a Canadian citizen;  be 18 years of age or older;  be a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day nomination papers are filed; and  not be disqualified by the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election in British Columbia or from being nominated for, being elected to, or holding office. FURTHER INFORMATION on the foregoing may be obtained by contacting: Joseph A. Fernandez, Chief Election Officer Rajinder (Ronnie) Gill, Deputy Chief Election Officer at 250-749-6681 Town of Lake Cowichan P.O. Box 860, 39 South Shore Road Lake Cowichan, BC V0R 2G0 email: electionslc@lakecowichan.ca

Gazette file photo

The Terry Fox Run is happening in Lake Cowichan again this year. Register at 9 a.m. this Sunday at Saywell Park for the 10 a.m. run. Above: a scene from last year’s run.

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THE LAKE LAKE COWICHAN COWICHANGAZETTE GAZETTE

Summer Nights come to a close with Waser performance

Wednesday,September September 10, 2014 Wednesday, 3, 2013

SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT CEMENTING OILFIELD OPERATORS Apply today to work over the winter months earning great money and benefits! Sanjel – an employee focused, safety first Oilfield Service Company – is looking for experienced Class 1 drivers with clean driver’s abstract.

Malcolm Chalmers photo

sanjel.com/seasonal

Cowichan Lake Community Services Notice of ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 7:00 p.m. Monday, September 22, 2014

River tubers mostly well behaved this season according to Lake Cowichan’s mayor Staff Writer

Community Services Building 121 Point Ideal Road, Lake Cowichan, BC

• Annual Reports • Audit • Election of Officers

Lake CowiChan Gazette

Well-behaved tubers on the Cowichan River this summer have impressed Lake Cowichan Mayor Ross Forrest. The mayor told the News Leader Pictorial recently he’s happy with the comparatively low number of scofflaws littering and abusing the heritage river. “There have been far less complaints, but there’s still the odd bad apple out there.” Forrest believed those bad apples were picked up during RCMP boat patrols along the river that’s seen trash tossed by trash-mouth tubers in recent seasons. Now tubers and citizens are helping halt that disturbing trend of ignorant tubers. Their party trash, such as beer bottles and cans, was recently pulled from the river by stakeholders such as One Cowichan, Cowichan Tribes volunteers and the Cowichan Lake River Stewardship Society. “The tubing company here (Lake Cowichan) is trying to get customers and other people to police themselves,” added Forrest. “If someone is being ignorant, other tubers are saying things like ‘Do you mind? My kids are with me.’ “That’s the way it should be.”

Baseball success for Lake Cowichan boy Malcolm Chalmers photo

Josh Hill (left) holds the medal he won at the Western Canada MinorBaseball Championships. The Championships were held Aug 15-17 in Swift Current, Sask. Hill was part of an all Island Peewee team that won the Provincials allowing them to represent BC at the Western Canada Finals. To win the championship the boys beat the Saskatchewan team 14 -0 the game was called a Mercy Game in the fifth inning.

TOWN OF LAKE COWICHAN ADVANCE ELECTORAL REGISTRATION Advance electoral registrations will be accepted at the Town of Lake Cowichan Town Office at 39 South Shore Road, Lake Cowichan, BC until September 23rd, 2014.Elector registrations will not be accepted after this date except on voting days. ELECTORAL QUALIFICATIONS A RESIDENT ELECTOR must be: • age 18 or older; and • a Canadian Citizen; and • a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration; and • a resident of the Town of Lake Cowichan for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration; and • not be disqualified by any enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law. A NON-RESIDENT ELECTOR must be: • age 18 or older; and • a Canadian Citizen; and • a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration; and • a registered owner of real property in the Town of Lake Cowichan for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration; and • not entitled to register as a resident elector; and • not be disqualified by any enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law; and • if there is more than one registered owner of the property, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the owners, register as a non-resident property elector. LIST OF REGISTERED ELECTORS Beginning immediately until the close of general voting for the election on November 15th, 2014, a copy of the list of electors will be available for public inspection, at the Town Office at 39 South Shore Road in Lake Cowichan during regular office hours (8:30 am to 4:30 pm), Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. Before inspecting the list, a person must sign a statement that they will not inspect the list or use the information included in the list except for the purposes of Part 3 - Electors and Elections of the Local Government Act. An elector may request that their address or other information about them be omitted from or obscured on the list of electors. OBJECTION TO REGISTRATION OF AN ELECTOR An objection to the registration of a person whose name appears on the list of registered electors may be made in accordance with the Local Government Act until 4:00 pm on October 9th, 2014. An objection must be in writing and may only be made by a person entitled to be registered as an elector of the Town of Lake Cowichan and can only be made on the basis that the person whose name appears has died or is not qualified to be registered as an elector of the Town of Lake Cowichan. FURTHER INFORMATION on the foregoing is available at the Town office (phone 749-6681). Joseph A. Fernandez Chief Election Officer

Sanjel_Seasonal_BC_14-0901

For more information, or to submit resumes and abstracts, e-mail seasonal@sanjel.com or call 1-800-972-6535.

Alyssa Waser performs on the Central Park stage this past Saturday night as the Summer Nights series wrapped up. All summer, live music enthusiasts have been able to come out to Central Park for free and enjoy music and entertainment every Saturday night, headed up by Elvin Hedden and The Good Times band.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

DrivewayCanada.ca |

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

www.lakecowichangazette.com

Welcome to the driver’s seat

Visit the Ford Fiesta gallery at DrivewayCanada.ca

City commuter handles the northern roads

Question of the Week

Subcompact cars are set Don’t get me wrong, I up to be basic transporam not saying it drives tation with emphasis or feels like an Aston placed on low cost and but it is great fun to great fuel economy. drive, handles our roads That said, you might think very well and all the they are all a bit boring tech options needed to and not very fun to drive keep your eyes on the or even very interesting road are available. The to look at. This is not the SE model I drove came For the price, case on the 2014 Ford with Bluetooth, satellite driving the Fiesta Fiesta: it has had a faceradio, navigation, power lift and features more locks, windows, and the feels a bit naughty, standard options than in My Ford Sync. as if maybe you the last model year. I drove the Fiesta around have stolen a more Usually little sub-comPrince George and pacts like this come with practicality wise it didn’t expensive car than more plastic than a TV skip a beat. As I live you can actually sports reader. The Fiesta downtown, anywhere feels different. You do get afford. I go in my daily life I some plastic to be sure am always driving right Mike Zacharias but the dash has softer through the heart of the materials and some of city. When I headed out the plastic around here actually looks to the hockey rink, I was able to put all and feels good. For the price ($19,990 of my goalie equipment into the back, as tested), driving the Fiesta feels a no problem. Parking in cities is increasbit naughty, as if maybe you have ingly becoming a premium. Parking stolen a more expensive car than you a sub-compact like the Fiesta was a can actually afford. I would love to be breeze even without a backup camera! able to afford an Aston Martin as my As some people with larger vehicles daily commuter car but at this point in will know, parking at places like malls my life that is not an option. With the in and around the city the spaces are redesign, you do get the Fusion / Aston tight with not a lot of movement space front-end styling. for bigger vehicles. In addition, of Now some people might say, “Well it course, it does get worse in wintertime looks too much like an Aston.” Really? when the snow is piled high. That’s like someone telling a girlfriend With that in mind, how will it handle that she looks too much like Scarlett our winter roads? Johansson; you’re not really going to The Fiesta has good ground clearance complain, are you? for a smaller car and handling our

Driveway introduces our new northern B.C. based writer Mike Zacharias today. He challenges the image of the truck being the northern choice by testing a Ford Fiesta. What would you like Mike to test in the Prince George area?

‘‘

’’

winter roads should not be a problem. Of course, you would want to invest in a good set of winter tires. Beyond the city limits, out on the highway, heading south it handled the road well, with enough get up and go for good passing power when needed. It’s quite roomy for a small car. There’s room for three in the back seat as long as those passengers are not of a larger body type, if I may delicately put it that way. If you are of a larger body type, there is plenty of room in the trunk, if you desperately need a ride at that exact moment. (Just kidding.) But it does tell you the trunk is also roomy! Verdict: No complaints. For a sub-compact, you get great tech options, great fuel economy, in a car that doesn’t feel like you are driving something as inexpensive as it is. It’s fun and zippy for driving around town or highway driving. If you need a small car as a

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daily commuter or it’s your second car to accommodate a bigger SUV or truck, I would recommend taking one out for a test drive to see if it fits for you in what you are looking for in a car. The Fiesta right now for me is tops in the subcompact class. View our Ford Fiesta video review online at DrivewayCanada.ca Specs Power: 1.6L, 16-valve, 4-cyl engine, generates 120hp and 112lbs of torque Transmission: 5-Speed Manual (standard), PowerShift 6-Speed Automatic (optional) Fuel Economy: Manual - 8.5/6.5/7.6 L/100km (city/hwy/combined), Auto - 8.7/6.4/7.6 L/100km (city/hwy/combined). Price range: $17,987 - $27,220 like.zacharias@drivewaybc.ca Twitter @mikezachreviews

Go to DrivewayCanada.ca to submit your answer. QUESTION

OF THE WEEK!

Safety Tip: Focus on the road, not your phone. Taking your eyes off the road to check that text significantly reduces your reaction time–and can have deadly consequences. In fact, distracted driving is now the second leading cause of car crash fatalities in B.C.

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THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

www.lakecowichangazette.com

Lake Cowichan Gazette Wed, Sept 10, 2014

Wednesday, September 10, 2014 A13 13 www.lakecowichangazette.com

Your community. Your classifieds.

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fax 250.749.4385 email production@lakecowichangazette.com

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SELL YOUR STUFF! (99Â˘ extra lines) Runs till it sells, up to 8 weeks!

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DID YOU KNOW? BBB Accredited Businesses must pass a comprehensive screening process. Look for the 2014 BBB Accredited Business Directory E-edition on your Black Press Community Newspaper website at www.blackpress.ca. You can also go to http://vi.bbb.org/directory/ and click on the 2014 BBB Accredited Business Directory

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BENEFIT GROUP - Suffering from a Disability? The Canadian Government wants to give you up to $40,000. For details check out our website: disabilitygroupcanada.com or Call us today toll-free 1-888875-4787.

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EDUCATION/TRADE SCHOOLS

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FOOD & APPLIANCE PRODUCT SAMPLERS

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TRAVEL FOY SPA RV Resort has more winter fun for less! Hot mineral springs, events, activities, fitness, entertainment, Canadian friends in southern California www.foyspa.com, or 888-800-0772.

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CELEBRATIONS

Born here on SEPTEMBER 14, 1924 Lake Cowichanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest pioneer is turning 90

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INFORMATION

IF YOU ARE ... â&#x20AC;˘ New in Town â&#x20AC;˘ Expecting a Baby

Call your Welcome Wagon hostess! It will be her privilege to give you FREE gifts from local businesses and civic organizations. To make an appointment call:

Robyn at 250-749-3356 or email: slangevin@welcomewagon.ca

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COMING EVENTS

Legion Branch #210 Happy birthday to our Dad, Grandpa and Great Grandpa

NELS OLSON

You are such an amazing man and we love you so much! From all your family, big and small

XOXOXO

Ask us for more info.

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Your Community, Your ClassiďŹ eds.

SOON GOVERNMENT Law will mandate every bar provide a breathalyzer. Learn how to be the first in your area to cash in. Call 1-800-287-3157 ext. 3; breathalyzerineverybar .com

LOST: MY 60 YEAR OLD WIFE (she just turned 61) Good looking, usually friendly, answers to Buns. Phone: 1-800-Groovy

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Choose two of these Black Press Community Newspapers!

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BONUS! We will upload your ad to

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MEAT DRAW

Every Saturday, First draw 3 pm

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Sunday, September 14th at 1:00 pm. $45.00 for each golf, BBQ and Prizes. Shot Gun Start. Register by Wed., Sept. 10th

Members & Guests Welcome â&#x20AC;˘ 250-749-3245

HELP WANTED An Alberta Oilfield Company is hiring experienced dozer and excavator operators, meals and lodging provided. Drug testing required. 1-(780)7235051. ROCK Construction & Mining requires a Heavy Duty Mechanic for work at various job locations across Canada. The successful candidate must be experienced with hydraulic systems and CAT engines. Preference will be given to applicants with experience in Terex Reedrill and Atlas Copco drills. Must have the ability to work independently and diagnose problems. Competitive wage and benefits package. Please send resumes to: resume@rcmi.ca or fax to (250) 828-1948 TUG SKIPPER Full time senior & junior positions available. Minimum Limited Master <60GT Certificate required. Apply via email: alertbaytowing@cablerocket.com or by fax: (250) 974-5216

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Need To Get Out Of The House, Talk To People & Create Extra Income? Try part-time work as a contract Food Demonstrator 4 - 8 days a month in Duncan & Mill Bay grocery, drug, and department stores. Job Description: You must be a go-getter able to work on your own who enjoys talking to people & doing basic cooking. Great for men & women, seniors, retirees & mature adults. Availability: contracts would consist of 2-3 days on Fri. Sat. and/or Sun. (must be able to work all 3 days) from 11-5 or 6. Requirements: â&#x20AC;˘ Fully fluent in English â&#x20AC;˘ Able to stand 6-7 hr.day â&#x20AC;˘ Own a car to carry supplies â&#x20AC;˘ Be well groomed & bondable â&#x20AC;˘ Able to carry medium weight equipment into stores. â&#x20AC;˘ Have or would get a Food Safe certificate Pay starts at $11.00/hr. Training via DVD at no charge. Call JMP Marketing toll-free at 1-800-991-1989, local #29 JMP Marketing Services BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest demo company since 1979

Editor

Lake Cowichan Gazette The award-winning Lake Cowichan Gazette has an immediate opening for an editor. The successful candidate will possess an attention to detail as well as the ability to work under pressure in a deadline-driven environment. The successful candidate can expect to produce news copy and editorials, take photographs, paginate the newspaper, and write compelling narratives. Knowledge of Canadian Press style is vital. If you have a passion for, and are comfortable with, all aspects of multimedia journalism, you may be the candidate we are seeking. Black Press community news media is an independent and international media group with more than 190 community, daily and urban publications, 14 press facilities and over 160 websites in B.C., Alberta, Washington, Hawaii and Ohio. Please forward your cover letter and resumĂŠ by September 19, 2014 to: Lake Cowichan Gazette Attention: Dennis Skalicky Box 10 Lake Cowichan, BC V0R 2G0 Phone. 250.749.4383 or Fax. 250.749.4385 publisher@lakecowichangazette.com

Thank you to all who apply. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

www.blackpress.ca

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

A14 www.lakecowichangazette.com

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MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

LAKE COWICHAN: $675/mo. 2 BR, 5 appliances,quiet bldg, private laundry/parking/balcony. Definitely No Smoking. Small pet considered. Available Oct 1. References required. kckoster@gmail.com

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THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE www.lakecowichangazette.com www.lakecowichangazette.com THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE Wednesday, September 3, 2014 14 Wed, Sept 10, 2014, Lake Cowichan Gazette

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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 145 South Shore Road | Lake Cowichan | www.lkc.ca $795 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2 bdrm duplex â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7750 Sunset Dr. Lake Cowichan Close to lake access & boat launch. No smoking & pet upon approval. Newer renos, electric heat & shared driveway Â $875 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 bdrm bungalow â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8604 N Shore Rd. Lake Cowichan Waterfront home fully furnished, close to town â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no smoking Â $950 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5 bdrm/2 bath house â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10668 Alder Cres. Youbou Spacious & comfortable house with views of the Cowichan Lake from kitchen & deck. Workshop for handyman â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no smoking, pet upon approval Â $1,200 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 bdrm/4 bath house â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 330 Carnell Dr. Lake Cowichan Newer 3 level home with beautiful views of the mountains. Quality throughout â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SS appliances, good parking, close to town, no smoking â&#x20AC;&#x201C; pet upon approval Â $1,200 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 bdrm/2 bath upper suite - Â 462 Point Ideal Dr. Lake Cowichan Fully furnished spectacular home â&#x20AC;&#x201C; vaulted ceilings, spacious kitchen with SS appliances & hardwood floors throughout. Lark deck with hot tub. No smoking.

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Garage Sales #ALLĂ&#x2013; Ă&#x2013;TOĂ&#x2013;PLACEĂ&#x2013;YOURĂ&#x2013;GARAGEĂ&#x2013;SALEĂ&#x2013; ADĂ&#x2013;ANDĂ&#x2013;RECEIVEĂ&#x2013;&2%%Ă&#x2013;BALLOONS Ă&#x2013;INVENTORYĂ&#x2013;ANDĂ&#x2013;TIPĂ&#x2013; SHEETSĂ&#x2013;ANDĂ&#x2013;BRIGHTĂ&#x2013;GARAGEĂ&#x2013;SALEĂ&#x2013;SIGNSĂ&#x2013; GARAGE SALES LAKE COWICHAN- 220 Lake Park Rd Huge Sale- Books, toys, furniture, antique piano, Acorn stair lift, Sat, Sept 13, 9-1pm. No Early Birds!

The Dean River is in a very remote location the central coast, just north of Bella Coola. It is a world famous fishing destination that draws anglers from all over the world every summer. There are no roads to the Dean, you have to fly in in a helicopter or take a 6-hour boat ride from Bella Coola. It takes a lot of time and money to get there, but when you arrive you can count on beautiful scenery and some of the best steelhead fly fishing in the world. The beautiful scenery is still there, but the ne OwiChan steelhead and salmon, not so much. I am very fortunate to have a good friend who owns property there, and we have been going to the Dean every summer for the past 15 years. Over that time we have witnessed the rapid decline in fish stocks and the changes in the river that have caused it. The headwaters of the Dean are in Tweedsmuir Park and that is where the Mountain Pine Beetle was first observed to be growing uncontrollably in the late â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s. You could say this area was ground zero for the infestation that affected so many of our forests. The tributaries of the Dean were effectively cleared of all living trees over about a decade. By the late â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s fires raged in these valleys reducing the former forests to charred wastelands. When forests are removed, erosion soon follows and when there were large rain events in the early 2000â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s we would see the river rise and fill with silt like never before. The famous named fishing runs that had been stable for decades and held so many great memories for hundreds of anglers started to fill in with gravel. Winter storms brought down massive amounts of gravel that filled the lower river in only a few years. The river became shallower and wider as it jumped its banks and started eroding new channels through the forest. All of these incredible disturbances have wreaked havoc with the fish populations by destroying habitat and spawning beds. Creel surveys for the past few years have indicated that there could be as much as a 60% to 70% reduction of steelhead numbers. Catching one this year was truly cause for celebration. The Bella Coola River has been similarly affected and salmon numbers there were very low this year. These low numbers occurred in a year with an abundance of salmon in nearly every other system on the coast. It is not know if or when these rivers will recover to their former stability and glory. These great rivers are among the first to demonstrate the effects of climate change. The Pine Beetles thrived because the cold November weather that used to control their populations has not occurred in recent years. The beetle infestation was one of the first direct results of climate change. Climate change is presenting similar challenges here in the Cowichan. Climate change did not cause the destruction of our headwaters forests, we did that ourselves, but the gravel that has been washed into our river by subsequent erosion is a big concern for the viability of our fish stocks. Climate change has reduced our summer rainfall as we have witnessed over the past few years and the river flow has been reduced to an absolute minimum to ensure we have any water left in October if we get no significant rainfall in the next few weeks. A Flows Working Group, chaired by Lake Cowichan Mayor Ross Forrest, meets regularly to discuss measures we must take to deal with the low water situation we are facing again this year. The Working Group includes representatives from all levels of government, Cowichan Tribes, Catalyst and local conservation groups. Nobody lives on the Dean in the winter, so the huge floods that can occur there are of little concern. Duncan, however, is vulnerable to flooding that can occur in pineapple express events we can experience any time in the winter. We are fortunate here, we have a solution that can significantly help us fight and mitigate the effects of our new and still changing climate. We can control water storage and river flow with the weir. The current weir is old and very clunky to operate. We need a new and better one in order to better manage our precious water resources for flood and drought mitigation. The Flows Working Group is unanimous in support for the construction of a new and better weir. Most of our Community leaders understand this and studies will soon be undertaken to assess the engineering and financial requirements for this new weir. I have not been here very long but long enough to understand there is still some opposition to the concept of storing more water in the summer. This is likely to become an election issue this fall in the Municipal elections. One Cowichan is currently running a survey of our community to see what is important to us. You can take the survey at www.onecowichan.ca. It is important to understand the facts. Lakeshore property owners will have smaller beach areas if we increase water storage in the summer, but the water will still be well below where in naturally gets to in the winter. This summer I would be surprised to hear anyone complaining not having enough beach area in front of their house. We must hear all sides of the debate, leave al options on the table and decide as a community how best to proceed to ensure we have a viable river and lake in the coming decades. Ecosystems are fragile and can change very quickly. We owe it to our children to ensure we do all we can to protect ours.

O C

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Fish habitats a having hard time Parker Jefferson

ďŹ l here please

www.lakecowichangazette.com THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE www.lakecowichangazette.com THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

Wednesday, September 10, 2014 15 Wednesday, September 10, 2014 15

The inside back: A little of this and that • Lake Cowichan Food Bank

• Honeymoon Bay Market

The Lake Cowichan Food Bank Society is still looking for donations of food, including vegetables and fruits harvested from your garden. If you have a cash or food donation, please call Betty Sanddar at 250-749-4802, or Cindy Vaast at 250749-6239. Cheques can be mailed to the Lake Cowichan Food Bank Society, Box 1087, Lake Cowichan, B.C., V0R 2G0.

Don’t forget to take in the Honeymoon Bay Market while the weather is still cooperating. The market takes place ever Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through until Thanksgiving. Look for in-season, local produce, sewing, baking, preserves, arts and crafts, and more. New vendors are welcome.

• Terry Fox Run

• Fundraiser for Aimee Smith-Brown

This year the Terry Fox Run takes place on Sunday, Sept. 14. Start point is at Saywell Park, and registration begins at 9 a.m and the run begins at 10 a.m. Everyone is welcome.

The family of a local woman who recently lost her battle with cancer needs your help. Head down to Jakes at the Lake in Lake Cowichan on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 4:30 p.m. for an evening of entertainment and giving back. Listen to The Sugar Beetles and participate in a 50/50 draw, live and silent auction, and a raffle draw. As well, 50 per cent of any item purchased off the menu will go to the Smith-Brown family (not including alcoholic beverages). Donations to the family can be made at any Island Savings location in the Valley. For more information, contact Natasha Cools at 250701-7152, or Aliya Khan at 250-732-2826.

• Last Junk in the Trunk of the season

Head on down to the Saywell Park parking lot on Sunday, Sept. 21 from 10 a.m. -2 p.m. for the final Junk in the Trunk of the season. New vendors are welcome, with 30 stalls available. Just $15 a stall. Reserve your space by phoning 250-749-3244, or email lcchamber@shaw.ca.

Do localevent, event,fundraiser, fundraiser,orornot-for-profit not-for-profifunction t functionthat thatyou youwould wouldlike like thepublic public know about? Do you you have aa local totoletletthe know about? Send editor@ lakecowichan gazette.com. Sendususan anemail: email: editor@lakecowichangazette.com

Cowichan Lake

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vendors welcome Newnew vendors or buskers welcome. Call Bob at:

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Wednesday, September 10, 2014

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

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