November 18, 2015 Wednesday
News updates: westerlynews.ca
Johns added to shadow cabinet ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly news ndP leader tom Mulcair has appointed local MP gord Johns to the ndP’s shadow cabinet as the critic for Small Business and tourism. “it’s absolutely an honour to officially serve as your elected Member of Parliament for courtenay-alberni,” Johns said through a recent media release. “as the ndP critic for Small Business and tourism, i want to bring courtenay-alberni’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit to Ottawa. i’ll push hard to find new ways to attract tourists to canada and give our small businesses a break.” Johns said he will be constantly reminding canada’s liberal government about the promises they made during the campaign. “the liberal government made a lot of commitments this campaign and the ndP is going to keep them accountable,” he said. Johns is currently assembling political teams for his parliamentary and constituency offices and can be reached at gord.johns@ parl.gc.ca. Starting nov. 23, locals will be able to reach him in Ottawa at 1-613-992-0903.
Serving Tofino and Ucluelet
Spill Drill
INSIDE
THIS WEEK:
REMEMBRancE: local voice Julius Smolders recounts father’s time at war. PAgE 5
cWFS RaiSES $1M:
Eagle Marine staff Jeff Lee and Cavin Donald deployed booms for a mock marine oil spill last week. Photo Nora O’Malley.
Mock oil spill at Ucluelet fuel dock NORA O’MALLEY
Westerly news
Hypothetically speaking, 1,000-litres of hydraulic oil spilled into the ucluelet harbour last week tuesday morning (nov. 10) from a ruptured bulk tank at the fuel dock. this annual mock marine spill scenario provided vital training time to Eagle Marine – columbia Fuels staff Jeff lee and cavin donald and operations manager Mike Marriott, who would ultimately be the first responders in the event of an actual real andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca oil spill.
although Eagle Marine contracts Western canada Marine Response corporation (WcMRc) to mitigate spills, it takes the corporation 5-hours to arrive on scene from nanaimo and initiate clean-up. “Me and cav did the initial containment in the bulk with spill pads and spill booms. and then we took the boat out and made a secondary barricade in the water to contain it, down stream from the tide,” said local surfer and fuel dock attendant Jeff lee. “Everything was set-up really well. We just had to tie
them together and get them in the water. it was pretty simple, actually,” he said of the training exercise. “i’ve never done anything like this in my life as far as containment for any kind of spill. there are days when i’m going to be down here alone, so it’s good to know that you’re not going to screw up somewhere you love, like the harbour.” While lee and donald contained the spill, Marriott called WcMRc for emergency assistance and contacted Emergency Management B.c.
TIN U O & A
IONF TH
7301913
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ER
(EMBc) and the coast guard to alert them of the mock spill. the notification process proved to be problematic as it took Marriott six attempts before getting a definitive response from the coast guard. later on in the debriefing portion of the emergency training exercise, the question arose as to whether or not it was even the responsibility of columbia Fuels to alert the coast guard or the responsibility of EMBc. See MOCK OIL SPILL, pg. 14
the cWFS reached the $1 million mark for the first time ever in 2015. PAgE 9
RElEaSE tHE FiSH: the ucluelet aquarium is set for its annual release day celebration. PAgE 16
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Page 2 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Man buys $3,000 painting for $10
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This Ken Kirkby oil painting titled ‘Winter Field’ is worth over $3,000 but a very lucky second hand shopper only paid $10 to take it home. Photo submitted. ANDREW BAILEY
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A very lucky man won’t be forgetting his visit to Ucluelet anytime soon after discovering he had struck oil at a secondhand store. The man recently brought a painting he had purchased for $10 into Ucluelet’s Mark Penney Gallery where Penney confirmed it was a very rare Ken Kirkby oil painting titled ‘Winter Field’ worth over $3,000. Penney told the Westerly News the out of town man first contacted him about six months ago to enquire about the painting after noticing Ken Kirkby’s signature on it. “This guy’s in a second hand store with his girlfriend and his girlfriend is trying on clothes and looking at things and he said there were two paintings there that caught his attention: a portrait and this one,” Penney said. “This black and white painting is literally not colourful; it’s a very plain, simple painting but it draws you in to some of the brush techniques because there’s not a lot of colour impact.” The man liked the painting and paid its $10 asking price without knowing how shrewd an investment he had just made. When he brought it home his girlfriend noticed Kirkby’s signature and an online investigation led them to understand who Ken Kirkby is. The man remained skeptical of the painting’s authenticity however so he emailed Penney to enquire about it. “I recognized Ken’s signature, I recognized Ken’s work, what was unusual about the painting though was that it was monochromatic, or black and white,” Penney said.
“I had heard Ken mention once that upon returning from his epic saga up North for six-plus years in the arctic he had come back to Vancouver and taken his paint kit out of storage and the paints had been ruined because they were frozen…the paints had separated and were unusable with the exception of some black and some white.” Penney said Kirkby used the paints to create about 10 oil paintings during a hunting trip in Iona Beach in 1968. “He pulls out his paint kit and all of the paints are wrecked and most of the brushes too, he said, so there was only a couple of brushes and he ended up whittling one with a pocket knife to a stick-point and using it as a palette knife,” Penney said. “He just sort of lightheartedly made, he said at least seven but no more than 10, of these little paintings and they were all done on various leftover canvas wrap boards…They’re all standard sizes but they’re not all consistent in size.” The oil paintings were sold for $200 each. Penney has one of the rare paintings in his gallery, titled Snowfall (Northern Lights). “They all look very much like this one does…kind of crude very monochromatic but they have evidence of some of his (Kirkby’s) best techniques,” he said. “This particular piece that were looking at now shows the Northern Lights but because it’s in black and white there’s none of the usual distinct green of a Northern Lights depiction but what’s neat about it is there’s a lot of sheen to the painting so you’ve got some luminosity by other methods.” Penney said he assured the
man the $10 painting was an original Kirkby but the man remained skeptical and traveled to Ucluelet to find out for sure at Penney’s gallery last week. “He brought the painting in and he was still quite skeptical as to its authenticity and also its value,” Penney said. When it came time to put a price on the painting, the man was shocked by Penney’s response. “I said ‘I think you’d be silly to let go of it for less than three’ and he said $300? And I said, ‘No $3,000,’ so he was quite surprised,” Penney said. “The price was set at $200 in 1968. This gentlemen acquired it, a very savvy buyer I would say, by chance but either way he acquired it for $10 and was looking to figure out what it was he had to find out it really is worth above $3,000.” He said the man has decided not to sell the painting at this time and purchased an autographed first edition Kirkby biography from the gallery. “In the art world occasionally paintings by famous artists show up in weird places, estate sales and the like,” Penney said noting a Lauren Harris was purchased in New Zealand for about $5 and turned out to be worth over $50,000. “In Ken’s case, this is a living artist but still a very high profile painter and what makes these more valuable is that they’re very rare. There really was less than 10 paintings made in this particular style and always the story behind a painting can add value, or at least a lot of interest, and in this case it makes for a fascinating story and anybody whose got a painting like that is surely proud of it.” andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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Wednesday, November 18, 2015
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Mole says West Coast must tackle drug use ANDREW BAiLEY
an oft-used narcotic that, according to the Canadian Centre of Substance Abuse, caused at least 655 deaths in Canada between 2009-2014. Mole told the Westerly after the meeting that the Coastal Family Resource Coalition meets monthly and is comprised of service providers across the West Coast. “It’s a really dynamic very intense group looking at children, youth, families and how we should better serve them,” she said. “At this particular meeting, we had a presenter from Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) whose mandate is looking at harm
Westerly News
Ucluelet Coun. Sally Mole recently attended a Coastal Family Resource Coalition meeting and was shocked to discover the impacts drugs and alcohol are having on the West Coast. “With alcohol and marijuana (use) up, ambulance visits for possible suicide attempts being up—we’ve had one fentanyl death, that blew me away—we really need to come together as a West Coast region to identify what we’re doing wrong and what we can do right,” she urged during last week’s council meeting. Fentanyl is unfortunately
reduction…He mentioned, in looking briefly at the stats out here on the Coast, that there was an increase in drug and alcohol related accidents or impacts that they’re seeing on the VIHA front and what kinds of things we can do to help prevent that.” She said a focus group is coming together to investigate what can be done locally to nip the rising problem in the bud. “It’s baby steps right now, we’re just in the beginning of forming a group and organizing a meeting to get together and get an action plan together,” she said. She suggested the district
Coun. Sally Mole has an important role to play in community health. “I absolutely, positively, believe 100 per cent yes… there’s definitely a role for local government,” she said. “If we don’t have a healthy community, we don’t have a community.” She said the West Coast must address the concern
together. “If people are dying from overdoses absolutely… There’s things that we can do better, prevention-wise and also treatment-wise, and it takes the whole community. It’s not just up to VIHA, we’ve got to stop putting ourselves in these silos and work together,” she said. “We have this issue that I don’t see firsthand and it’s great that it’s been brought to our attention so that we can deal with it.” andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
ukee butts smokers out Bylaw cracks down on public smoking ANDREW BAiLEY
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Ucluelet wants to keep tobacco smokers out of sight and secondhand smoke out of lungs. The district is drafting a new bylaw to restrict where smokers can smoke. “Many BC municipalities have opted to impose anti-smoking policies,” read a report submitted to council last week by Ucluelet’s lead planner John Towgood and Parks and Recreation Director Abby Fortune. “These municipalities have gone above and beyond the provincial legislation and enacted municipal smoking bylaws.” Under BC’s Tobacco Control Act, it is against the law to smoke within 3 metres of doorways or inside public spaces like restaurants and bars. Ucluelet’s new Smoking Control Bylaw, if adopted, would ban smoking in public areas like playgrounds, fields, trails and parks and within 8 metres of doorways. The report states smokers found disobeying the bylaw would face fines though it does not specify an amount or who would issue them. “In total, more than three-quarters (76.7 per cent) of the province’s population lives, works, and plays
Nov. 18 ucluelet Recycles
in Municipalities with some restrictions on smoking in public,” according to the report. “The main purpose for creating Smoking Control Bylaws in public areas is to protect people from the health hazards of second-hand tobacco smoke. Other negative impacts of public smoking is littering associated with cigarette butts and the fire hazard that cigarettes could cause in our parks and trail systems.” The report suggests cutting down on public smoking would bring the community more in line with its reputation. “Public smoking poses a number of risks to health, safety and to our natural environment,” it states. “Ucluelet is becoming known for its exceptional natural environment. Public smoking and the associated litter and fire danger would seem counterproductive towards this image.” Council approved the reports recommendations without discussion and staff will now get to work on drafting the bylaw.
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Page 4 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Opinion
Volunteers put heart into hearty student breakfasts Community support + volunteers = Smiling kids ready for learning Jason Sam
Local Voice Breakfast matters, and will make a difference, plain and simple. This is true for every person who shares this earth. Ucluelet Elementary School has been lucky enough to be able to make a difference in many students’ lives. Whether it is waking up late and not having enough time to eat, having parents work early or not being able to make it to our only grocery store before it closes, breakfast can sometimes be overlooked. UES is there to help in the nutrition department. It all starts with community. As the old, tested and true, saying goes ‘it takes a community to raise a child’. Two people, visiting our community, brought together many to celebrate and smile together. They decided to make a difference, to set in motion an action which affects many. What I can only describe as the butterfly effect, their united action has brought smiles, full tummies, and many brains happy and ready to learn. Mr. and Mrs. G. Morris, from Saskatchewan, although separated by distance (approximately 2,100 km) but connected by good thoughts and actions, joined
themselves to our community. They donated their wedding ‘kissing money’ to the Breakfast Club. They have provided over 240 student meals with their act of kindness. This reminds me of a local belief, Hisukish Ts’awalk, ‘everything is one’, an idea that crosses cultures and millennium. With these words, I, and many children thank Mr. and Mrs. G. Morris. To many of us, the most valuable resource in the world is time. It is something that can be given, but never be taken back. To volunteer time is to give tremendously. With these words, I, and many children thank Robin Myck. Without her absolute devotion to the Breakfast Program, things would not be where they are now. Thank you Robin, for all the smoothie mustaches, the clean tables and dishes, and the full tummies. What I have been lucky enough to witness, is great children starting their day off right. Food with peer to peer conversation. Up to 26 kids crowd into the Breakfast Program daily, all following rules, all eating and conversing with each other. A quote from Jen Adamson, UES Principal, ‘recent research on breakfast
Ucluelet Elementary School students start their day off right thanks to the school’s breakfast program. Photo submitted.
nutrition proves what we are seeing in our school as intended and unintended outcomes; more smiles, more attention to work demands in the morning, less separation anxiety, calmer routines for parents in the mornings, and building connections with others in the school.’ With current numbers attending, we will be on sched-
ule to serve over 3500 student meals in the 2015/2016 school year. This number is well above the approximately 2300 student meals served last year. Any and all help is appreciated to help get our community students off to a great start for learning. With special thanks to: SD70, Breakfast for Learning, UES and Jen, Mrs. Brice and Explorations
2015, Robin and Kim, Coastal Community Credit Union, Breakfast Program Helpers (Leigha, Bella, Kate, Chantal, Sam, and Xavier) and Community and Parent Donators for making this all happen. Jason Sam is the Breakfast Program Coordinator at Ucluelet Elementary School.
Letters
Cermaq responds to Clayoquot Action’s Dan Lewis
Dear editor, We all care about the state of wild salmon in Clayoquot Sound. There are many people in this region actively working to restore salmon habitat and enhance salmon runs. Cermaq Canada is proud to have been able to fund some of this work, including the recent Atleo River restoration project, monitoring projects, and fish counts. Because we care about wild salmon, it’s concerning that Clayoquot Action’s executive director Dan Lewis is misrepresenting the facts about the state of farmed and wild salmon in the region while fundraising for a trip to Norway (“Clayoquot Action heading to Norway,” Westerly News, Nov. 11, 2015). Lewis suggests that wild salmon runs in Clayoquot Sound are in
decline because of salmon farms. The truth is, declines in commercially valuable stocks began when the road to Tofino was built, the harbour was built to service up to 400 vessels, when fishing fleets started using more efficient fishing methods, and when salmon habitat in the region was damaged by logging activities. This was all before 1970. Since then, thanks to conservation measures, enhancement efforts and habitat restoration, we actually have seen improvements in many runs. Coho returns in the past decade have been almost as good as they were in the 1950s. Chinook returns have improved drastically since the 1980s and early 1990s. Chum salmon, which were never significantly commercially fished, remain the dominant species with a consistent pattern
of returns over the past 60 years. However, in alignment with coastwide trends, there are many runs which have not seen their abundance rebound to historical levels. To link these examples with salmon farms ignores all the other trends and data collected about other species. It’s misleading, and isn’t telling the whole truth about wild salmon in Clayoquot Sound. Cermaq Canada has a protocol agreement with the Ahousaht First Nation that guides us to farm salmon in their territory in a way that is mutually beneficial and environmentally responsible. We are also committed to working respectfully with Ahousaht chiefs and council to resolve the concerns raised about the Yaakswiis site, despite the fictional version of events Lewis describes.
Cermaq Canada helped fund an Atleo River restoration project. Photo courtesy of Cermaq Canada.
Finally, we are committed to being transparent about our farming operations and publish site-specific information on our website, along with other information about medicine use, feed ingredients, fish health and more. We care about wild salmon, and want to make sure they are here forever. We also care about
the health of our fish, and are committed to growing a healthy, top-quality product. The only way we can do this is by using the best farming practices and keeping our environmental impacts low. Grant Warkentin Cermaq Canada Communications Officer
LETTERS POLICY: Have an opinion you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you. The Westerly welcomes and encourages letters. We reserve the right to edit for clarity, taste, legality and length. Letters must include your first and last name as well as contact information for verification. Unsigned or anonymous letters will not be accepted. Email submissions to andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Lest We Forget JULIUS SMOLDERS
Local Voice
I was in attendance at this year’s Remembrance Day ceremony in Ucluelet. The ceremony was well represented and well attended, the sunshine aiding warm and heartfelt emotions all around. I stood in quiet reverence and gratitude as the wreaths were being laid, one by one, at the base of the cenotaph. If not for the bravery and sacrifice of so many, I may not have the freedoms that I so deeply enjoy in this great country of ours: Freedom of assembly; freedom of speech; the right to vote; and a life of peace, hope and relative prosperity. And I was reminded of a story I had heard so many times before as a boy. It was January 31st, 1941. The Belgian registered freighter SS OLYMPIER was enroute from Durban, South Africa to Inningham, England. Her fore and aft ‘tween decks were loaded to capacity with iron ore and calcium carbide, 5035 GRT in all, to feed the British war effort. The single screw, steam driven vessel with a crew of 33 was passing 120 nautical miles WNW of Tory Island, Ireland. She was favoring the longer but safer route past the Orkney’s into the North Sea, rather than the perilous English Channel. All was quiet, though all were alert, on that cold winter night in the North Atlantic. A young sailor of 26 years took the opportunity after watch to shower and shave; a luxury frequently not available. Dressed in only slippers, pants and a ‘gabardine’ cloaked around his body he made his way back to his cabin. Suddenly, and without warning, the ship heaved and shuddered right down to her very keel – a deafening Boom! Boom! Boom! reverberating throughout the ship. Three direct hits from the air raid party that passed overhead as quickly as the bombs exploded. In an instant, the deckhouse was torn and twisted, the ship’s masts and rigging lay tangled upon the deck, the decks themselves awash in flames, the engine room and cargo holds flooding with seawater. The young sailor ran the few short steps to his cabin, grabbing a canvas pouch containing documentation papers, a few British Pounds and a letter addressed to his mother, to be posted on arrival in Inningham. As he made his way aft, he met the engineer emerging from the engine room, bloodied, dazed and confused. “Pete! Pete!” the
Albertus Emilius Julius Smolders circa 1937 and 1995. young sailor shouted. “Come with me. We have to get to the life raft.” He helped guide his injured shipmate to the WWI style life rafts on the after deck; their only hope of safety and refuge. With her heavy load of ore, the SS OLYMPIER went down quickly, with a loss of eight soles in all. For three days and three nights, the over-crowded lift raft drifted on the North Atlantic, in the dead of winter. Several of those who were clinging to the sides of the raft succumbed to the frigid waters and drifted away, lifeless, into the abyss. Those who remained sat slumped, exhausted by the cold and constant tossing of the seas. Hour after hour after perilous hour, night became day and day turned to night. On the third night adrift, one of the surviving sailors called out to his shipmates “Look! A light!” They all looked into the darkness but no light was to be seen. A moment later, he once more proclaimed seeing a light. Again he called out to his shipmates, and again no light was to be seen. But he insisted; all should look off the starboard side. And then, as the small life raft crested the wave, there it was – the faint glow of a cigarette from a British sailor stealing a smoke over the rail, despite the curfew of blackout conditions. The men in the life raft shouted, calling out into the darkness, pleading for help. It took quite some time for the British warship to circle the area, assess the risks and finally
move into position to make good the rescue. This is a true story; that young sailor was my father. After a brief period of convalescence in Glasgow, Scotland, having suffered from exposure and minor frostbite, he returned to serve in the Belgian Merchant Marine aboard the SS LEOPOLDVILLE. Chartered to the British Admiralty, the SS LEOPOLDVILLE was sent to the Halifax Naval Shipyards to be converted to a troop transporter. While in Halifax, he attended the gunnery school at HMCS STATICONA. He also met my mother, a pretty young woman of 22, who had emigrated from Holland in 1933 along with her family. ‘Opa’ had bought a farm, sight unseen, in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. My father was one of the lucky ones who made it back home after the war. They settled down in Halifax, Nova Scotia, enjoying the freedoms they had fought for, as Canadians. This great country of ours provided refuge, freedom and opportunity to my immigrant parents. My father passed away peacefully at the age of 80 years. The rest, as they say, is history. Lest we forget. Note: The Troopship SS LEOPOLDVILLE was torpedoed and sank off the coast of France, on the evening of Dec 24th, 1944, with the loss of life counting 763 American soldiers and 45 crew members, 808 in all. Julius Smolders is a Ucluelet local.
Ucluelet local Julius Smolders reads through his father’s war experiences in his father’s old log book. Photo Andrew Bailey.
The Westerly News | Page 5
Page 6 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Multiplex society hopes to break ground in 2017 Ukee councillor suggests referendum should be revisited ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News
The West Coast Multiplex Society is making strides in its quest to bring an ice rink to locals. The society’s chair Samantha Hackett told the Westerly the geotechnical assessment process is complete and a location adjacent to Airport Road has been finalized. She said a site at the Long Beach Golf Course was considered but would have required additional spending. “Previous locations that we’ve looked at could be built on but they would need substantial extra costs into the foundation because the land wasn’t as stable,” she said adding regional investment at the airport would create synergies. Hackett hopes to see construction start by 2017 but noted a lot of ducks would need to line up in a particularly immaculate row for that to happen. “The best-case scenario, my wishful thinking date, is breaking
ground in 2017,” she said. “If everything goes perfectly in the next little while, we’re breaking ground in 2017.” She said the society is currently revamping its business plan with help from Hamilton and Associates—a company which helped secure funding for Ucluelet’s new aquarium building—that will focus solely on the ice rink and associated amenities. The society’s original business plan for the multiplex contained future phases like a swimming pool and fitness centre which will be considered at a later date. “The initial phase of the project will include the sheet of ice, Zamboni, storage rooms, skate shop rentals, offices, public washrooms and to be designed for those future things,” she said adding a removable floor might be included in the initial phase. “We will also be looking at a removable floor in order to provide the community services, entertainment and events without removing the ice surface…We don’t want to promise it but we
are prioritizing it into the initial phase.” Once the business plan is complete, the society will put out a request for proposals (RFP) in search of a company willing to design and build the facility for under $6 million. “That is what we’d like to cap it at,” Hackett said. “When we go through the RFP process we’ll be letting them know that’s what our max. is.” The society is waiting on a letter from the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, which owns the land, to state the land has been reserved for the multiplex so the society can take this letter to potential funders. Hackett acknowledged raising $6 million seems daunting but said the society will start its fundraising campaign at federal and provincial government tables and will exhaust any available grant opportunities. “There’s also lots of people invested in the West Coast communities that might want to invest in the building to give
back to the community,” she said adding major funders might be interested in the facility’s naming rights. “We will be going out to all of those big sponsors and players, really any company that has ever associated with the West Coast in any of the eight communities, and we’ll be talking to them to see if they’d like their name on the building,” she said. Once the $6 million facility is built, local taxpayers will cover its operational costs. Locals were asked in a Nov. 24, 2012, referendum whether they would be willing to support an annual operating cost deficit of up to $450,000 through taxation and 679 of the 1,074 voters said, ‘Yes.’ During last week’s Ucluelet council meeting, Coun. Randy Oliwa asked if the 2012 referendum result had a timeline attached and district CAO Andrew Yeates responded it has been renewed twice. Oliwa wondered if the question should be put back to the public.
“It was quite an ordeal to hold a referendum to increase people’s taxes and business taxes and I think it was pretty close at the time,” he said. “From what you’re saying, it seems like a pretty easy extension process…Who would we enquire to about that process and why it doesn’t become a public process again?” Yeates said the regional district is working with the society and noted tax dollars will only be covering operational costs, not capital costs. “It’s only when we borrow that we have to go through the approval process,” he said. Oliwa suggested council follow up with the regional district. “Things change overtime, so if it has to become public than it should,” he said. The multiplex society’s next board meeting will be held on Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. at the Long Beach Golf Course and all are welcome to attend. andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
Ucluelet still fighting to keep Swann family in town ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News Ucluelet’s municipal council hasn’t stopped pulling in the tugof-war it’s having with the RCMP over its local police chief. Ucluelet’s RCMP detachment is a four-year limited duration posting but council is urging the RCMP to nix this label and allow Sgt. Jeff Swann to continue his command.
Sgt. Swann has received two one-year extensions since arriving in Ucluelet in 2009 but his bosses seem unwilling to extend his stay any further. In August, Swann was told he would be transferring to Port Alberni later this year. Swann has been vocal about his desire to stay in Ucluelet and council, along with the community, have made it clear that they
share this desire. Council met with BC’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General Suzanne Anton during the Union of BC Municipalities convention in September and reviewed a letter from Anton during Nov. 10’s council meeting. “I appreciate that the existing Ucluelet Detachment commander had a very positive impact on the community and that the District
did not want him to be transferred out at the end of his limited duration posting,” Anton wrote. She explained the RCMP’s limited duration posting policy is controlled at the federal level and that she had asked BC’s Assistant Deputy Minister and Director of Police Services Clayton Pecknold to forward Ucluelet’s concerns to Ottawa. “Through a continued partner-
ship, I am confident that we can work together to increase the safety and security of the District of Ucluelet,” she wrote. Council assured they would follow up with Pecknold to ensure their voice is heard. andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
OpiniOn pOll What do YOU think? Visit www.westerlynews.ca to answer this week’s poll question: Do you agree with the RCMP’s limited duration posting policy?
a) Yes, officers should be forced to move to different detachments so their skills stay sharp. b) No, if a community wants to keep an officer and that officer wants to stay, why does anyone have to move? On Nov. 12 we asked: Do local bylaw enforcement officers do enough to protect public land from abuse? 87.5% said ‘No,’ 12.5 % said ‘Yes.’
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
The Westerly News | Page 7
Westerly
LIFE
Celebrating success
Happy trails make happy tourists and the Wild Pacific Trail had a very big year. Pg 8
The Ukee Aquarium welcomed more visitors than ever before in 2015. Pg. 10
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The Central Westcoast Forest Society raised over $1 million in 2015. Pg. 9
Page 8 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Wild Pacific Trail causes tourist-hike ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News
While winter’s dark clouds lull locals into the West Coast’s traditionally quiet offseason, Ucluelet’s Wild Pacific Trail is still bustling with tourists. The trail topped Trip Advisor’s list of Vancouver Island attractions this year and was infused with new viewpoints and educational features thanks to the Wild Pacific Trail Society. Trail manager ‘Oyster’ Jim Martin said the trail has brought “huge economic benefit” to Ucluelet’s economy since its inception in 1998, especially during the slow winter months. “The other day when it was stormy, the trail was packed with people taking pictures so hang onto your hats because it’s going to be busy now,” he said. “There are people who are waiting to come here from the other side of the Island, or other places, and when there’s a storm they’re going to travel here to witness the spectacle on the ocean.” He said 2015 was a “great year” for the society as significant upgrades were made to the trail thanks to district support and local donations. “We completed nine new viewing points and a viewing deck on the Lighthouse Loop and that was especially significant because that was made possible through the society by several local donors.” He said the society received an anonymous $20,000 donation along with support
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from locals and businesses like Allison Tremain, Ukee Cable and the Raven Lady Oyster Forte. “They all have programs that automatically send funds to the Wild Pacific Trail Society and those funds were used to help upgrade the Lighthouse Loop to its current standing,” he said. Raven Lady owner Bruce Schmaltz said he supports the trail because it is a perennial tourist draw that keeps local businesses humming. “I look at the trail as a real game changer for the town of Ucluelet… It’s been done in such a way that the average person can do the hikes and see the beauty of the West Coast,” he said. “It’s something that just keeps on giving. It’s going to go on for years and years to come and it’s made Ucluelet a destination. Supporting the trail supports the town and supports the community.” Along with the Lighthouse Loop upgrades, the society also celebrated the completion of the trail’s Artists Loops section, which was moved “as far out on the coast as we possibly can get it,” according to Martin. He said the section—located on Weyerhaeuser-owned land between Ucluelet-proper and the Wyndansea development—was built in 2002 with an understanding that it would eventually be moved closer to the shoreline. “We finished up the rest of the Artists Loops and effectively moved the trail to its final position on the Coast; that includes
The Wild Pacific Trail Society enjoyed a strong 2015. Trail photos Barbara Schramm.
three viewing decks that are quite outstanding,” he said. He noted that under the trail’s master development agreement, nothing can be built between the trail and the ocean. “The landowners are giving up that portion of not only the land underneath the trail but also in front of the trail so it’s incumbent on the trail not to take anymore than absolutely necessary of the private land owner’s land,” he said. “By moving the trail out we returned huge amounts of real estate back to the private landowners.” He said the society plans to invest about $20,000 into the trail in 2016. “The trail is unique in the world,’ he said. “It’s a total experience for the travelers who come here and the locals who use it. It provides them with unique outstanding vistas at every turn and places to sit and rest and have a private experience.”
He suggested the trail’s construction will eventually be complete but its features will continue to evolve. “It will just change focus,” he said. “It’s already beginning a switch to educational and interpretation programs and guided tours…That is coming on and that will be more prominent as construction declines.” He believes adding to the trail’s educational value is a key way to add to its appeal. “That’s what the tourists want…They thrive on that, they eat that stuff up, they have questions all the time and people are there to answer their questions,” he said. “Every subject associated with the ocean and wildlife and the whole environment here is interesting to these people because very few places have this type of environment.” andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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Wednesday, November 18, 2015
CWFS raises $1 million for local habitat restoration
The Westerly News | Page 9
ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News
The Central Westcoast Forest Society turned 20 this year and busted out of its teens with a bang by fundraising over twice its annual average. “November 2015 marks our 20th anniversary which is a great cause for celebration here at Central Westcoast but we’re also celebrating because we raised over $1 million this year to put towards habitat restoration here in Clayoquot and Barkley Sound,” said the society’s executive director Jessica Hutchinson. This is the first year the society (CWFS) has reached the $1 million mark, which crushes its annual average of $300,000-$500,000. With more money coming in, the society was able to dish more out to restore wildlife habitats including a roughly $800,000 culvert replacement project that saw long-lost rearing and spawning grounds returned. “We successfully installed three culverts on Highway 4 and the Pacific Rim Highway that will now restore fish access so the fish can return to their upstream habitat that hasn’t been accessible for over 30 years,” Hutchinson said adding the new access will allow salmon and trout species to thrive. “It will help rebuild the populations to historic levels.” Hutchinson said CWFS also partnered with the Hesquiaht and Ahousaht First Nations to complete habitat assessments, rehabilitated a degraded watershed with the Toquaht First Nation, helicoptered spawning gravel into a creek within the Pacific Rim National Park, spearheaded various volunteer riparian and stream restoration efforts, and monitored salmon populations at Lost Shoe Creek. She said the community’s support has played a vital role in the society’s success. “The community has been a great supporter over the last 20 years and really we couldn’t have done any of this work without them. Everyone from the district councils to the schools to individual volunteers coming out and lending a hand,” she said. “We’re a volunteer led organization and it’s taken everyone’s help and assistance to raise all this money and do all this great work.” She hopes to see the society’s success continue and is stoked to get started on
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The Central Westcoast Forest Society raised over $1 million this year to put towards local habitat restoration projects and brought hands on educational experiences to West Coast youth. Photos Melody Charlie.
2016’s efforts. “We have a lot more projects planned for the year ahead…We’re hoping that we can bring even more money to the table next year,” Hutchinson said. “We’re hoping that with the support of the district of Tofino and Ministry of Transportation we’re going to achieve twice as many culvert replacements on Hwy. 4 and Pacific Rim Highway next year and that this is only a sign of the times to come.” She said one of the society’s major projects in 2016 is the restoration of a Tofitian creek. “One project in particular we’re very excited about is the Centennial Creek Project in the district of Tofino,” she said. “People were dumping all their garbage there during the early development of Tofino. They used it to dump stumps and logs and building debris and garden waste and we hope to restore the instream habitat and restore cutthroat trout to this stream that used to support cutthroat trout but hasn’t for many years.” She said the society has lasted 20 years on the Coast because of the value of its work and the dedication of its supporters. “We’re a very action oriented organization and we get a lot of great work done so we’ve got a great track record and the society has really evolved with the community over the years; we’re always taking on new members and our staff, as it grows and changes, brings new energy to the organization with great ideas,” she
said. “The organization was conceived and formed with the support of the local Nuu-Chah-Nulth First Nations and their longstanding role in the organization has really helped ensure our longevity.” She suggested West Coasters are quick to help with habitat restoration. “People move here and stay here and live here because they love it here and they love the environment and people are really keen to come out and lend a hand to help restore the environment and to help rebuild wildlife populations in this area,” she said. “Really it comes down to people really valuing the local environment here and therefore valuing the importance of restoration.” CWFS is offering a slew of ongoing volunteer opportunities throughout the winter and anyone interested in getting involved is encouraged to check out Central Westcoast’s Facebook page or contact info@clayoquot.org. The society will be celebrating 2015’s success at a ‘Winter Wine and Dine’ fundraising event at Tofino’s Wickaninnish Inn on Dec. 12. “It’s part fundraiser, part good old fashioned celebration,” Hutchinson said. “This is an opportunity to put on your party dress and put on a smile and come out for a good cause for a good organization and for a good time.” Tickets to the event can be purchased at the society’s Ucluelet office, 1920 Lyche Road, or the Wickaninnish Inn. andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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Page 10 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Ukee Aquarium scores best year yet ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News
When the Ucluelet Aquarium closes for the season later this month, it will bring an end to its best season ever. “This has been our busiest season yet,” said aquarium curator Laura Griffith-Cochrane. “We saw what would be an average number for a total year by the beginning of September.” She said she was particularly stoked on the number of returning visitors the aquarium welcomed this season. “More people coming back means we are providing a service to people that they enjoy,” she said “We’ve had a lot of people come back to stay in the community and explore for a few days which has been great…That means they’re becoming very excited about this area and it means they’re really passionate about learning about our local ecosystems.” Learning about local ecosystems through the aquarium’s hands-on interpretative experiences helps tourists and locals appreciate and nurture their surroundings, according to Griffith-Cochrane. “Having basic knowledge about the ecosystem can influence a lot of our behaviours,” she said. “It’s important for people to have a little bit of knowledge about how our ecosystems work so that we’re more functional moving within that environment.” Along with providing an indoor space for tourists to find shelter during rainy weather, Griffith-Cochrane said the aquarium adds a uniquely educational twist to the West Coast experience. “It puts us on the map as not your typical vacation destination but a place you can go to learn
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and be active within the community,” she said. “We’re one of many groups out here that provide really great educational opportunities and work experience opportunities and that’s valuable to people who are trying to plan their summers and maybe want their kids to learn something valuable at the same time.” She suggested tourists “are really craving a lot of knowledge right now,” and have bought into the West Coast’s budding educational vibe. “A lot of people are really excited to expand their knowledge,” she said. “We’re seeing a lot of people that are really excited about learning and I think that’s a really great thing.” The aquarium also brings educational value to locals through school programs and volunteer opportunities. “If they’re really interested in biology they can learn a lot about local ecosystems and about species biology but it’s also an important opportunity for people to learn job skills,” Griffith-Cochrane said. “Because we’re a small community there aren’t a lot of resources and we would like to be a resource wherever we can.” The aquarium catered to this year’s banner crop of patrons thanks to three University students hired through the federal government’s Canada Summer Jobs grant, according to Griffith-Cochrane. “Our summer students are a major bonus to us, there’s just no way we could operate without them,” she said adding the aquarium caters to roughly 250 patrons everyday during the summer compared to roughly 50 in the winter.
The aquarium will close for the season on Nov. 29 but will start collecting new specimens in February to have new exhibits in place when it reopens in March. “We have a couple of pretty exciting things that we might be unveiling which I might tell you more about in the spring,” Griffith-Cochrane hinted. One exciting project she would let out of the bag is a new ‘Be a Better Beachgoer’ Above, aquarium staffer Andrew McCurdy, middle, gives patrons a hand at one program the aquar- of the aquarium’s unique touch tank exhibits. Below, curator Laura Griffithium will launch in Cochrane helps youth get stoked on a sea star. Westerly file photos. 2016 to help tourists evolve into environmental stewards. “We are seeing this great increase in visitorship and that’s wonderful but we also want to make sure that that great increase is happening in a really positive way so we’re going to start a program to help people protect our beaches when they come out this way,” she said. She said the program would include how human behaviours can impact marine mammals. “There’s a lot of seals and sea lions in our area and there’s also a lot of seal and sea lion entanglements in our area,” she said. “Because it’s so expensive for 2004 and moved its touch-tank eral Meeting at the Aquarium at a single disentanglement to free exhibits, interpretive ideas, and 3 p.m. one of those guys we think that catch-and-release model to its awareness and changing behavcurrent and much larger digs in andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca 2012. iours are the best way to protect Anyone interested in learning those species.” Reporter’s note: The Ukee Aquarmore about the aquarium and the The Ucluelet Aquarium began ium will hold its annual release society that runs it is encouraged as a small temporary structure day celebration on Dec. 5. Read to attend a Nov. 28 Annual Gendubbed the ‘Mini-Aquarium’ in about it on page 16.
The Westerly News | Page 11
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Food Bank fundraising for Christmas Hampers Cash donations the top priority during holiday season ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News The Christmas season is a giving season. Locals are urged to help the Food Bank on the Edge Society ensure all West Coasters enjoy a happy holiday season by donating to this year’s Christmas Hamper program. Ucluelet Coun. Sally Mole said the need for Christmas Hampers is ample. “You always hope that it’s going to decrease but somehow we haven’t quite got that far,” she said. She said the Food Bank is focused on monetary donations this time of year as the society purchases specific and fresh items for each Christmas Hamper. “Right now we’re all about cold hard cash because our Christmas hampers are pretty special,” she said. “Cash is really what we’re looking for, I know it sounds a bit harsh but the reality is that’s what we need.” The Food Bank on the Edge Society’s executive director Cris Martin agreed. “Unlike the rest of the year, at
Christmastime we buy all of the food for the hampers so that the recipients have a lovely holiday breakfast and dinner,” she said. “We really go all out to make sure our clients have a festive and delicious assortment of food and gifts.” The society is hoping to dish out 95 hampers—filled with everything from turkeys, hams and vegetables, to bacon, eggs, and pancake mix—on Dec. 22 and will start earmarking donations this month to ensure costs are covered, according to Martin. “The Ucluelet Campground graciously lets us use their sign on Peninsula Road to post the progress of the hamper program,” Martin said. “We will begin the countdown tally at the beginning of December so that our community knows just how far along we are. This will be the third year we have used the sign and I think it is a very concrete message that keeps people aware of our progress.” She is confident the community will keep the tally humming. “I have been participating in
the Christmas Hamper program for five years and it never ceases to amaze me how generous and thoughtful our community is,” she said. “The citizens of Ucluelet always step up to the challenge to help out the folks who need a little extra help.” Registration for those needing a hamper begins on Nov. 24 and Martin added the Food Bank also receives referrals from the Westcoast Community Resources Society (WCRS) and the Ucluelet First Nation, according to Martin. She said the WCRS collects information about youth whose families will be receiving a hamper to ensure gifts and toys are included and the local RE/MAX office helps collect and distribute these toys through its Angel Tree program. Martin added the BC Liquor Store donates teddy bears to the hamper program each year. “As you can see, the Christmas Hamper program is a collective effort from many aspects of the community,” she said. “It draws our community together in the
West Coasters discuss the future of energy NORA O’MALLEY
Westerly News
Tofitians and Uclutians who attended The Future is HERE community event over the weekend were treated to a free screening of the award-winning documentary The Future of Energy: Lateral Power to the People, followed by scintillating conversation about how West Coasters can slow climate change. Eating locally grown food, gathering rainwater in the winter months for summer, and sealing up cracks to cut home heating costs, were some green solutions brought forward by locals to help reduce the carbon footprint of the Coast. “We need to shift our expectations of what a good life looks like. Happiness doesn’t need to involve a three-car garage in the suburbs,” said event host Larissa Stendie of the Sierra Club B.C. Tofino-Ucluelet Transition Town member Robert Zurowski expressed the imminent need for the West Coast to switch from a high-carbon globalized economy to a low-carbon localized economy. “The first step is to get the message out and mobilizing all these people who are doing all these alternative
things in food and energy and housing; they need to be brought together,” Zurowski told the Westerly News. Former mayor of Ucluelet Bill Irving stood up and spoke to the audience at the Ucluelet Community Centre on the probability of wave energy being deployed as an alternate option. “Unless these companies are subsidized extensively, they are very reluctant to experiment. They have gone to Scotland and Australia and built their pilots there, not on the west coast. We have a better wave pattern here, but they chose to do it somewhere else,” Irving said. “That doesn’t mean that it’s not an important issue to maintain. We have council member Geoff Lyons dedicated to keep on that issue. He sees it as a tremendous opportunity, but it also requires the community to say this is what we want. Not what industry or government or PR wants. What do we want this place to look like?” Anyone interested in connecting with Transition Town Tofino-Ucluelet is encouraged to email Robert Zurowski at zuro@telus.net. nora.omalley@westerlynews.ca
www.westerlynews.ca
The BC Liquor Store helps spread joy across the Coast by donating teddy bears to the Food Bank on the Edge’s Christmas Hamper Program each year. Westerly file photo.
spirit of giving.” She added hampers are picked up or delivered on Dec. 22 with help from Far West Foods, local RCMP, and volunteers. The RCMP is also planning the return of its ‘Stuff the Cruiser’ event in the Ucluelet Co-op’s parking lot on Dec. 12. “The amount of food, toys and money collected last year was unprecedented,” Martin said adding she is consistently proud of her community during the Christmas Hamper season.
“The giving spirit is alive and well in Ukee and the feeling that it generates is infectious and heart-warming,” she said. “Everybody has lots of fun and I just can’t tell you how much it means to us at the Food Bank to know that we are making a difference in the lives of our clients.” While monetary donations top the Food Bank’s needs-list, Mole suggested socks, bedding and mens’ clothing are also key priority items. andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
Page 12 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Grand Master Professor Don Jacob, founder of Purple Dragon Don Jitsu Ryu, was on the West Coast last week to conduct a belt grading exam and workshop with students from Ucluelet and Tofino. All the students were successful in moving up to the next belt level. Many thanks to the Blackrock Oceanfront Resort and Sobo for hosting the group. New sessions of martial arts classes are starting now in Ucluelet and in Tofino. Photo submitted by Senpai Ian Shu.
Wed, Nov 18, 2015 Western TheUcluelet Westerly News News | PageA13 13
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
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Page 14 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Neighbourhood Grant recipients named BROOKE WOOD
Local Voice
The Clayoquot Biosphere Trust is pleased to announce the recipients of the Neighbourhood Small Grants Program. This is the first year of the program, and the CBT partnered with the Vancouver Foundation and Westcoast Community Resource Society to bring it to the west coast. Neighbourhood Small Grants help engage local residents in their community by encouraging them to come up with their own ideas for strengthening and con-
necting their neighbourhood. Small grants of up to $500 were available, and were decided by resident advisory committee members — all local community volunteers. The CBT plans to run the program next year so keep coming up with ideas. For more program information contact Brooke Wood, NSG program coordinator at the CBT 250-725-2219. Congratulations to this year’s program leaders and keep an eye out when these projects take place in your community.
Shawna Roberts and Erin McGillivray- Pumpkin Path in Tofino on Halloween. Sheenagh Walker and Carmen Larsen-Harris- Open Art in Tofino late 2015. Cindy Hutchison and Eileen Floody- Tofino Community Garden - Community Potluck and Putting your Garden to Bed Workshop in late November 2015. Katie Garner and Grace Libatique- Filipino-Canadian Pasko Gathering in Tofino December 12. Gale Johnsen and Bernice Touchie- Total Physical Response
Language program starting in November 2015. Deborah Mundy and Suzanne Williams- Rites of Passage Community Gathering in Hitacu in late 2015. Gina Skippen and Kelvin Roberts- Salmon Beach New Year’s Eve Beach cleanup and community celebration. Samantha Fyleris and Anne Weeks- Lone Cone Block Party in Tofino early 2016. Jennifer Price-Francis and Dede Monette- Water Catchment Seminar in Tofino early 2016.
Cathy Thicke and Joe MartinTonquin Trail Cleanup early 2016. Craig Devine and Naomi Seitcher- Ty-Histanis Community Garden Equipment and gathering Spring 2016. Alice Pradel and Nathaniel Landry- Native Plant Appreciation Day in Tofino April 2016. Brooke Wood is the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust’s office manager.
MOCK OIL SPILL, continued from page 1 Parkland Fuel Corporation health, safety, and environment field manager Lance Amos was quick to point out that had they decided to use the radio, communications with Coast Guard would have been more fluid. “For the purpose of the mock, we chose to use landlines instead of the radio system. That’s were we found there was an inconsistency talking to them versus if we contacted them by radio that would have all gone through. We just didn’t want to use the radio system because everyone could hear it and there would have been some confusion,” said Amos. Aside from the miscommunication with the Coast Guard, Marriot was pleased with how the mock marine spill response was conducted. “Having done it for a second time around, it definitely went smoother. I would say it was twice as better as last year; coordination wise, understanding what to do, working
together as a team, and understanding how to work with other groups in the community,” he said. Amos agreed, adding he thought the initial containment of the spill went very well. “If there had been a real spill, we got the booms out within a couple minutes and then after that it was kind of a hurry-up-and-wait when we were doing all the phoning and notification, but the initial get-thebooms-out went very well,” said Amos. In terms of improving procedures for next years’ mock spill drill, the idea of pre-connecting the booms and storing them in a different location was suggested as was wearing better safety gear and purchasing skimmer equipment. nora.omalley@westerlynews.ca A mock marine oil spill was successfully contained in Ucluelet last week. Photo N. O’Malley.
to see your event in our community calendar? Community Calendar Want Email us at office@westerlynews.ca or call 250-726-7029. 18 WEDNESDAY
21 SATURDAY
23 MONDAY
Seniors Social Afternoons, 1:30-4 p.m., Tofino Legion.
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 5:30 p.m. AA meeting, 7:30pm, St. Francis, Tofino. Ukee Christmas Craft Fair, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. UCC. Christmas Small Business Fair, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. UCC.
Acoustic jam night, 9-12 p.m. at Officials.
St. Columba Church, 7 p.m. 19 THURSDAY Healthy Babies Program/ Family Ties, 10:30 a.m., Coastal Family Place, UCC. Ucluelet AA 8 p.m. Holy Family Church, Peninsula Rd. The Edge Youth Room, 3–6p.m., UCC. 20 FRIDAY Bingo, Tofino Legion, 7:30 p.m. The Edge Youth Room, 2–6p.m.UCC.
22 SUNDAY Christ Community Church, 10:30am, 1419 Peninsula Rd.Ucluelet. Grace Bible Church, 10:30am, UCC. Holy Family Church–10:00 a.m. St. Lawrence Church, 11:00 a.m. Ahousaht. St. Columba Church, 10:30 a.m United/Anglican Service, 4 p.m. UCC. Tofino Bible Fellowship, 10:30 a.m. Tofino Legion.
Ucluelet AA, 8pm. Holy Family. 24 TUESDAY Healthy Babies Program/ Family Ties, 10:30am. Coastal Family Place, UCC. The Edge Youth Room, 3–6pm, UCC. Youth night, 7-9pm, Tofino Legion. Youth night ANAF Ucluelet.
The Wickaninnish Community School We Team has donated the food raised from the We Scare Hunger Campaign to Tla-o-qui-aht First AA meeting, 7:30pm, St. Fran- Nations Food Bank. The We Team is a team of students that believe cis Church, 441 Main, Tofino. that they can do something that can better the world and they usually do fundraising around a specific cause. Last year the group fundraised St. Francis of Assisi Catholic money for goats for people in third world countries to bring some economic independence. The team is deciding what their goal will be Church, 5 p.m. for this year. Huge thank you to Ms. Morris who has helped guide the We Team at Wickaninnish Community School for the last five years. Submitted by WCS.
The Westerly News | Page 15
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Folklore Festival shines in successful debut ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News
The West Coast showcased its cultural diversity over the weekend at the first annual Folklore Festival. The festival was held at the Ucluelet Community Centre on Nov. 14 and its coordinator Lyvi Rivera told the Westerly she was “overjoyed” with the turnout. “Everyone’s really into it,” she said. “It’s a constant flow of high energy. People are dancing, people are playing music, we even had some spontaneous musicians show up adding to the energy and it’s been great.” One of the musicians was Kevin Barnhorst of The Reprieve who said he had read about the event and thought it would be a solid busking opportunity and was stoked to be welcomed into the festival. “It’s really great to celebrate multicultural heritages,” Barn-
horst said. “It’s cool to see people bring forward the parts of their family history that you don’t come across in everyday life. You meet all sorts of people without ever really finding out where they’re from, or what their heritage is, so it’s really neat so see that come out of people.” Event volunteer Silva Johansson was delighted to see the festival celebrate a solid debut. “Like many people who have come to this area and made it their home, I’m really curious about finding out about other cultures and the other people that make up the communities on the West Coast,” she said. “We’ve got such great diversity in this community, it’s great to see it come out. We all know it’s there but we don’t get an opportunity to share it and this is an opportunity to share it.” Local dad Jonny Ferguson was thrilled with the event’s family-friendly vibe. “It was fantastic,” he said.
“Hopefully we’ll see more of this in the coming years. I think it will get bigger and we’ll see more different people expressing themselves and where they came from; the more different food, clothing and variety we can experience the better.” One of the food providers was Kasia Kromka, the owner of Ucluelet’s reigning business of the year Solidarity Snacks. “We’ve had tons of people come through here, everybody’s really excited, we should do it again and make it bigger next year,” Kromka said. Rivera assured the festival would return. “I’ve heard a lot of people saying let’s do this bigger next year so I think that’s a good and positive sign,” she said. andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
Locals wore their cultures proudly at the first annual Folklore Fest. Photos Andrew Bailey.
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Page 16 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Ucluelet Aquarium ready for release day party ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News
The Ucluelet Aquarium will soon release this season’s slew of specimens and the community is invited to celebrate the sendoff. The aquarium’s annual release day event will be held on Dec. 5. “It’s a really, really, fun day,” said aquarium curator Laura Griffith-Cochrane. “It’s always been a very community-centered day and we’re really excited about it.” Locals are encouraged to bring their own buckets to the event where they can carry critters from the aquarium and release them into the ocean surrounding Uclue-
let’s Whiskey Dock from noon-2 p.m. “The unique thing about our aquarium is that we always release more than we collect,” Griffith-Cochrane said. “Because we pump in raw seawater, we have a lot of species that begin in their planktonic stage in our aquarium, settle, and then begin to grow so we’ll be releasing hundreds and hundreds of individuals back into the wild.” Only the animals that were collected from around Ucluelet’s harbour will be released at the event as some species must be returned to tricky-to-reach areas
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by professionals, according to Griffith-Cochrane. She said release day is spiced with a pinch of sadness as aquarium staff say goodbye to the animals they’ve nurtured and interpreted over the past season. “It can be kind of an emotional day for us because you can’t help but fall in love a little bit with some of these things every season and it’s bittersweet to be releasing them so that they can go do their thing in the wild,” she said. She said the aquarium’s unique catch-and-release model is an important part of its educational The Ukee Aquarium’s annual release day celebration will be held on Dec. 5. Westerly file photo. value. “We believe that by releasing our species it helps biological destinies. “Because we’re a small facility, us to connect back to the “One of the things we always it means that when we go collect environments that we’re talktalked about—this was a phrase new things in the spring we get to from back in the day—was fuling about and that we’re helpcollect things that weren’t reprefilling their biological destiny,” ing to protect,” she said. sented the year before,” she said. she said. “It helps to create that con“We strive to have new things “It’s important to us that these nection that these things that every year so that our locals get species that are in here and that are so wonderful and importto see something different, so we get to talk about for a season ant to us live in places that are it’s new and exciting whenever get to go back to the wild and very close and accessible to us you come back and so that we’re fulfill that destiny. They get to eat and so those ecosystems that attracting new people out to the things or get eaten or reproduce are close and accessible are area every year.” or hunt for mates or migrate to important and it’s important Following the family-friendly their areas where they’re importfor us to protect them.” release day event, a fundraising She said the aquarium has ant for those little ecosystems.” afterparty will be held for aquaralways believed the creatures She added catching and releasium fans 19-and-over at 8 p.m. brought in to delight fans must ing allows the aquarium to offer with live music starting at 9 p.m. then be able to fulfill their new exhibits each year. andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
Call 250-534-9213 or Email office@westerlynews.ca WE MAKE IT EASY TO REACH THE WEST COAST!