TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2015
VOLUME 30 | NO. 104
THE
Record COMOX VALLEY
$1.25
Snowboarder dies on Mount Washington Record staff
Reid Kyfiuk
PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK
“He was found in a fairly open area, between the Retirement ski run and Linton’s Loop”, said Don Sharpe, the resort’s director of business operations. “This is a very sad tragedy,”
Pink circle shows approximate area on Mount Washington Alpine Resort where Reid Kyfiuk’s body was found.
The Comox Valley Record uses the final two issues of 2015 to reflect upon the biggest stories in our community in the past 12 months. From river rescues to plane crashes, our newsroom staff was kept busy. On the sports end, we had national track record setters, international hockey goal scorers, and locals shredding hills all over the world on skis and snowboards. Today’s issue looks at the first six months of the year.
NEWSMAKERS in 2015 Part 1: January to June
PIONEER AUDIO WITH 7” TOUCH SCREEN DUAL ZONE CLIMATE CONTROL 17” ALLOY WHEELS
2016 Scion OWN IT FOR
$
124.62
BIWEEKLY • BASED ON 1.99% FOR 84 MONTHS*
LEASE FOR $112.25 SEMIMONTHLY • BASED ON 0.99% FOR 52 MONTHS* Price does not include taxes, levies, fees. OAC. See Dealer for details.
with Test Drives, & Sales and Service purchases
www.CourtenayScion.com
OAC. Price does not includes taxes, levies, fees. See dealer for details.
445 Crown Isle Blvd. (250) 338 6761
#7478
Tragedy struck Mount Washington Alpine Resort on Tuesday, with the death of a teenage snowboarder. Fifteen-year-old Reid Kyfiuk, from the Victoria area, was on the slopes with family on Tuesday. He and his sister headed down the hill at approximately 3:45 p.m. and when she arrived at a designated rendezvous point, he was not behind her. The resort’s ski patrol team began a search immediately, and Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue was called out to assist in the search at approximately 5 p.m. Kyfiuk’s body was discovered in a hole, possibly a tree well, in the upper part of the mountain.
resort general manager Peter Gibson said. “Everyone here at the resort sends our sincerest condolences to the family. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them. I would like to thank our dedicated staff and the exemplary search and rescue team for their assistance.” BC Coroners Service spokesman Matt Brown told CTV Vancouver Island that Kyfiuk was wearing protective equipment. “He was wearing a helmet and goggles,” said Brown. “This is an unfortunate accident that probably occurred very quickly.” Kyfiuk was in Grade 10 at Claremont Secondary School in Saanich. –With files from CTV Vancouver Island
2 ■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■ COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
Home IMPROVEMENT Whether building a new home or simply adding to your existing home, these are the businesses to contact for the finest in workmanship, quality materials and prompt service
AFFORDABLE HOME BUILDING
KellyCo
Painting & Decorating Services
Start building from as low as
$88,474 At Trafalgar Homes we will build your new home, a vacation or carriage home at a price that doesn’t break your budget.
TRAFALGAR HOMES
www.trafalgarhomes.ca CALL 1-866-971-0239
1200 Knight Rd., Comox Next to Airport 250-207-6352
www.vancouverislandenterprises.com Do you have company coming?
Murphy Wall Beds By Inspired Spaces Is your solution
VISIT OUR NEW LOCATION 2703 Kilpatrick Ave, Courtenay 250-898-9670 Hours: Mon-Fri 9 - 4 Sat By Appointment www.inspiredspacesandmore.com
HOME, LANDSCAPE OR BUSINESS
• ROOM MAKEOVERS • STYLING AND STAGING • SPECIAL EVENTS DÉCOR • CUSTOM MOSAIC AND TILING
Interior/Exterior Residential/Commercial Wallcoverings Complimentary Colour Consulting “You’ll be as proud of our quality as we are!”
Kelly C.Riggs
Guaranteed, Quality Work 30+ Years Licensed Journeyman
250-218-7685
Vancouver Island Enterprises • Bark Mulch • Top Soil • Aggregates • Organic Compost • Pickup or Delivery Available
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS for DESIGN CHALLENGES
Locally Owned And Operated
Providing asbestos, mould and lead sampling and remediation services for Central and Northern Vancouver Island
250-897-6061
www.glacierenvironmental.ca
Plumbing, Heating & Gas
• Residential Repair & Installation • Commercial Repair & Installation • Gas Fireplaces • Radiant In-Floor Heating & Heat pumps
Your In-Floor Radiant Heat Specialists
Creating New Spaces without Breaking the Bank! TERESA PHILLIPS T.A.P. DESIGNS Email: tapdesigns5@gmail.com Phone: 250-703-6608
Free Estimates Call 250-334-4988
Business of the Week
HYLAND PRECAST INC. OPEN SATURDAYS FOR READY-MIX DELIVERIES
• Ready Mixed Concrete • Precast Products • Concrete Pumping • Gravel Products Tel: 250-336-2412 250-336-8705
4552 Cumberland Rd., Cumberland
TOP DOWN Save 10% Ask about our referral program!
BOOK NOW
• Gutter Cleaning • Residential & Commercial Window Cleaning • Power Washing • Hand Wash Vinyl Siding • S.P.R.A.T LV3 Rope Access Certification
C O M F O R TA B L E R A D I A N T H E AT I N G W I T H W O O D
Peter Tapley 250-218-2084 Serving the Comox Valley
Austrian masonry heaters have been around for hundreds of years and although the materials and technology involved have changed, their timeless concept of efficiently burning wood in order to provide soothing radiant heat has not.
Porter
Custom Design inc.
• Optimal efficiency • Wood is a renewable green energy source • Convenient: Only one or two fires for a days worth of radiant heat • Endless design possibilities • Exceeds Canadian emission standards
250-898-3430 • www.masonryheating.com Shop Ad Paper to place
Glacier Environmental
PLATEAU
THIS SPACE RESERVED FOR YOUR BUSINESS Contact Karen 250-338-5811
features@comoxvalleyrecord.com
Shop Ad Paper to place
Bake Ovens Ovens Masonry Heaters • Bake Concrete Decorative Concrete
• Optimal Efficiency • Radiant Heat • Wood is a renewable green energy source
Carl Sidl 250-898-3430
www.masonryheating.com
THIS SPACE RESERVED FOR YOUR BUSINESS Contact Karen 250-338-5811
features@comoxvalleyrecord.com
Fine Woodwork Woodwork Fine Personalized Design Personalized Design Handcrafted Cabinetry Cabinetry Handcrafted Traditional Joinery Joinery Traditional Architectural Millwork Millwork Architectural
250-898-9916 250-898-9916
www.portercustomdesign.com www.portercustomdesign.com
Re-Bath Coming Via Email Locally owned & operated. Since 1979 “The Refreshing Remodel”
WORLD’S LARGEST BATH REMODELER BATHTUBS AND BATHTUB LINERS • WALL SURROUND SYSTEMS SHOWER BASES • BATHTUB-TO-SHOWER CONVERSIONS WALK-IN-SAFETY BATHTUBS • GRAB BARS & NON-SLIP COATINGS
www.vanislebathremodel.com 12B 1209 EAST ISLAND HWY PARKSVILLE
1-800-BATHTUB • 250-586-1555
COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
current news BRIEFs
NEWSMAKERS in JANUARY
45-year-old victim identified
The BC Coroners office has identified the 45-year-old Fanny Bay resident who was fatally injured Dec. 18 in a motor vehicle incident on the Inland Island Highway (19) as Joel Christopher Reeves. Reeves lost control of his vehicle at Rosewall Creek and it rolled several times. North Island Traffic Services note the preliminary investigation revealed a Toyota 4-Runner lost control, crossed the grass median striking the bank and rolling over several times before coming to a stop in the southbound lane. Reeves was pronounced dead at the scene, while the 27-year-old passenger, a Nanaimo resident, was airlifted to Victoria General Hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. Speed and weather/road conditions are believed to have been contributing factors in the collision.
A Centennial celebration
2015 started with more than just a New Year celebration in Courtenay. It also marked the beginning of a yearlong party, celebrating the city’s 100th birthday. And it all got going on New Year’s Day, with a pancake breakfast, massive birthday cake and an open invite to the community to join in on the celebrations. Aside from the fun and frivolity at the Filberg Centre, the residents were getting restless, dealing with a boil water advisory that had been issued Dec. 11 of 2014 and would remain in effect until Jan. 27, a total of 47 days the longest-ever continuous boil water advisory ever in the community.
New Year’s baby
Brendan and Lauren Somers made the news, as proud parents of Comox Valley’s first baby of 2015. Hunter Dean Donald Somers was born at 8:04 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
Single vehicle collision claims life
River drama
January ended on a tragic and at the same time, heroic note in the Comox Valley, when news came over the scanner on the afternoon of Jan. 30, that a woman and baby were seen entering the turbid Puntledge River, at Condensory Bridge. Crowds of onlookers watched as emergency workers including RCMP, Comox Valley Search and Rescue, and the Courtenay Fire Department completed the rescue along the banks of the river in Courtenay. Emergency service personnel were
■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■ 3
Above: Parents Brendan and Lauren Sommers welcomed their son Hunter Dean Donald Sommers as the official New Year’s baby in the Comox Valley, who was born at 8:04 a.m. Jan. 1. Below- a chopper participates in the search for Baby Grant. dispatched at approximately 2:30 p.m. that afternoon, after reports came in of a woman and a baby in the water. Rescue workers found the baby in the river near the Condensory Bridge at approximately 3 p.m. and performed CPR before transporting the child to St. Joseph’s Hospital. The baby, Grant Weaver, was rescued from the river and resuscitated. His mother, Veronika, perished in the incident. The ensuing rescue efforts gripped the entire community for the rest of the day, and into the weekend. “The city of Courtenay is only about 26,000 people so it’s really not a big city – the whole area is only about 65,000 – so indirectly most of us know something about most of us,” said Courtenay Mayor Larry Jangula of the incident. “Our concern, of course, is toward this person’s family, the parents, all the people involved. It’s a very difficult thing.” Jangula commended all those involved in the rescue operation. “The RCMP, the firefighters, the ambulance, the Search and Rescue people all did just an outstanding job,” he said. “I can tell you from personal experience, having been with the RCMP, that it’s bad enough for first
Get our experience working for you! 2015
reader’s choice
E Y
F
L
L
O
AWARD
H E
C O M O X
VA
McRae steps down
Also at the end of January, Comox Valley MLA Don McRae stepped down as Social Development and Social Innovation Minister, citing family health reasons. McRae — who was Vancouver Island’s lone voice at the cabinet table — continued to represent the Valley as its MLA.
Target misses mark
On the business front, Target employees across Canada were left in a lurch, when the U.S.-based retailer announced that it was ceasing operations in all its Canadian stores. The Driftwood Mall location liquidated its stock and put approximately 150 local employees out of work. On a happier note, Gladstone Brewery opened its doors in 2015 as well, and was originally overwhelmed with the consumer response. The business just west of Cliffe Avenue on Fourth Street has become one of the city’s most popular social venues.
Noticing changes in
NNE WI OF THE R
T
responders when there’s tragedy or accidents but it’s 10 times as bad when there is a child involved.” Baby Grant and his father, Doug Weaver, have since moved to Victoria.
YOUR SMILE? We can keep you smiling with confidence! Call us today!
The Comox Valley RCMP responded to a single vehicle collision during the late night hours of Dec. 22, where a young man died. At 11:59 p.m. the Comox Valley RCMP, along with the BC Provincial Ambulance attended to the Inland Island Highway, approximately 15 km north of Cook Creek. Upon arrival, a vehicle was found in the centre median. The 24-year-old male was the only person in the vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The road conditions at the time of the collision were reported to be slippery with slushy sections. Drugs and alcohol are not suspected at this time, however, speed and road conditions may have been contributing factors for this motor vehicle collision. The BC Coroners service, North Island traffic section, and the Vancouver Island collision reconstructionist, will be continuing with this investigation. The victim’s name had not yet been released when The Record went to print. It was the second fatality on that stretch of Highway 19 in four days.
Internet safety presentation
Comox Valley District Parent Advisory Council and Lake Trail Middle School present Darren Laur, of Personal Protection Systems, Inc., speaking on the topic of internet, social media safety and digital citizenship for parents on Monday, Jan. 4, 2016, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Lake Trail Middle School Gym. Admission is free with donations to the food bank. This presentation will provide important information that parents need to know to help keep their children safer, increase their privacy and protect their digital footprint. Laur, of Personal Protection Systems Inc., is a law enforcement professional with 29 years of policing experience. For more information about the presentation topics, please visit www.personalprotectionsystems.ca
NEW PATIENTS welcome !
Dr. J. Brett Burry, DDS Dr. Emmanuel Karamanis, DDS Our dentists each have over 20 years experience in advanced general dentistry. We offer a full range of dental services including general family dentistry, implants, complex restorative and cosmetic dentistry. By combining advanced dental training, the latest high tech equipment and the personal touch of our caring dentists and staff, our patients experience the best dentistry has to offer.
www.acreviewdental.com
116 - 750 Comox Road, Courtenay 250.338.9085
4 ■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■ COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com 1358 Marwalk Crescent 250-287-3939 www.crauctions.ca
CAMPBELL RIVER
NEWSMAKERS in FEBRUARY
Ltd.
The Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society purchased a new 10.4acre piece of property outside Merville, thanks in large part to a $300,000 bequest from long-time MARS supporter Michele Woodrow. Record reporter Erin Haluschak produced a gripping four-part series on residential schools, coinciding with a First Nations reconciliation ceremony at St. Michael’s Residential School in Alert Bay Feb. 18. Haluschak was a finalist for a prestigious Jack Webster Award as a result of her series. Comox council provided the biggest controversy in February, when it voted in favour of removing the remaining structures from the Baybrook/Mack Laing Park property in order to return the property to a natural state for passive recreation use. Last-minute efforts by conservationists proved fruitless. The month of February ended on a solemn note, with a full military funeral for Sgt. Mark Salesse, who died during a military training exercise Feb. 5 at Polar Circus near Banff, Alta. The 44-year-old, Winnipeg-based Search and Rescue Technician — who
A military funeral was held for Sgt. Mark Salesse, a SAR Tech who had trained in Comox, and died during an exercise in Banff, Alta.
“Serving Campbell River & Vancouver Island since 1967”
Campbell River Auction will be CLOSED December 22, 2015 - January 3, 2016. NEXT AUCTION: Thursday, January 7th 6:00 pm
Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season!
Check out our website for full ad. Viewing: Wed. 9-5 & Thurs. 9-6 Terms Cash, Visa, M/C, = • SAME DAY REMOVAL • CLOSED TUESDAYS, SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS
COMOX LAKE WATER TREATMENT OPTIONS STUDY ALL INTERESTED PARTIES ARE INVITED TO AN INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP - COMOX LAKE WATER TREATMENT Monday, January 18, 2016 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Best Western Westerly Hotel & Convention Centre Ballroom 1590 Cliffe Avenue, Courtenay
had trained at 19 Wing before graduating into the SAR Tech profession in 2005 — had completed an ascent and was on his way down when an avalanche swept him off the side of a narrow cliff. A six-day search ensued but was hindered by poor weather. Salesse was given due respect, with a funeral procession of about 20 vehicles escorting the casket from the Comox Valley Funeral Home to the base. The pallbearer party included SAR Techs from various corners of Canada. Friends, co-workers and Comox Valley residents lined both sides of Ryan Road for the procession and hundreds more gath-
ered at 19 Wing to honour the memory of Salesse. “Mark was a friend to everyone,” his mother Liz Quinn said at the service. “He was the loving threads that held the colourful quilt of friends together. And by the many gathered here today, he saw beauty in each of you, and you in him.”
The service concluded with a fly-past of a SAR aircraft and a firing volley. Chief Warrant Officer Jeff Warden, commandant of the Canadian Forces School of Search and Rescue in Comox, said the large turnout “speaks to the individual and the community” that Salesse touched.
A presentation of background and study process will be provided at 7:00 p.m. A small group workshop will follow - with input requested on the values that should be considered in evaluating options for Comox Lake water supply and treatment. A backgrounder and response form (available January 12-25, 2016) will be provided at the event and on-line at www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/water. For further information contact: Dave Leitch, AScT Senior manager of water/wastewater services Email: dleitch@comoxvalleyrd.ca Please RSVP your attendance no later than Thursday, January 14, 2016 by calling 250-334-6056 or email: engineeringservices@comoxvalleyrd.ca.
follow comoxvalleyrd
AIR MILES ON EVERY PURCHASE 2184 Lalum Road • 250-337-8922 www.BlackCreekFarmAndFeed.com
LTC
Automotive ALIST FIN OF THE
A winTer
2015
inspeCTion
reader’s choice
now could sAve you money later. Call us today...
Swimming, skating, fitness, wellness
CALL: TEL CRAIGHEAD
at the CVRD’s sports and aquatic centres
(by Corix & Weed Man)
For schedules visit: www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/rec or call 250-334-9622
795 Ryan Rd • 250.334.9638 www.gotorickys.com
H E
E Y
L
L
F
2683A Moray Ave
O
250-703-2215
AWARD
T
C O M O X
VA
Follow comoxvalleyrd
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Cloudy High 5 Low 4
Rain High 6 Low 5
Cloudy High 6 Low 4
Mostly sunny High 4 Low 3
Hours of sunshine 0
Hours of sunshine 2
Hours of sunshine 9
Hours of sunshine 2
YOUR COMMUNITY • YOUR NEWSPAPER
— Enjoy —
dinner to the fullest
COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
NEWSMAKERS in MARCH
RBC Dominion Securities Inc.
Market Report TSX Composite DJIA Gold Cdn$ ETFs & Global Investments Claymore BRIC (CBQ) BHP Billiton ADR (BHP) Power Shrs. QQQ (Nasdaq 100) Aberdeen Asia Pacific (FAP) S&P TSX 60 (XIU) Government Bonds 5 year (CDN) 10 year (CDN) 30 year (CDN) 30 year Treasury bonds (US) Fixed Income GICs HOME TRUST COMPANY BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA
Heroes honoured
13284.91 17602.61 1074.90 0.7224 US$ 18.32 25.96 US$ 112.61 US$ 4.42 19.82 0.74% 1.40% 2.12% 2.93% 1 yr: 1.610% 3 yr: 2.000% 5 yr: 2.350%
Stock Watch Royal Bank TD Bank Bank of Nova Scotia BCE Potash Corp. of Sask. Suncor Energy Inc. Crescent Point Energy Cdn. Oil Sands Husky Energy Pembina Pipe Line Transcanada Corp. Teck Resources Ltd. Cameco
75.00 54.87 57.48 54.19 25.42 37.19 17.20 8.81 14.91 31.33 46.92 5.53 17.34
Investment Trusts Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners Morguard Real Estate Inv. Tr. Cdn. Real Estate Inv. Tr. Riocan Investment Tr.
35.65 13.62 42.36 24.07
Philip Shute Vice President, Investment Advisor
Mayor’s Commendations were presented Monday to, from left: firefighter Chris Murdock, RCMP Const. Mike Wheeler, Const. Steve Trevor and firefighter Margaret Hamilton. They were recognized for acts of bravery during the river rescue event Jan. 30. Below, Kevin Flesher was named the Comox Valley’s first ever poet laureate. fighters, and Search and Rescue volunteers for their combined efforts. “They all work so well together that everybody deserves credit in the whole situation,” he said. Jangula — a retired police officer — noted that police and firefighters constantly take risks, but said the “combination part is rare. “In fact, this is the first one (Mayor’s Commendation) I’ve ever done. The reason this is so significant is because they put their own lives and their own safety at great risk to do this.”
Picking up the trash
The topic of illegal dumping made headlines in March, as The Record began a clean-up campaign, after the manager of the Courtenay and District Fish and Game Club contacted the newspaper regarding the problem. The inaugural Comox Valley Community Clean-up was arranged, and more than 16,000 pounds of illegally dumped garbage mostly household appliances and furniture - was recovered and taken to the landfill.
Our own poet laureate
On the arts scene, local
schoolteacher Kevin Flesher was named the Comox Valley’s first poet laureate. Well-known for his sly wit, his Robbie Burns poems, as one of the Dukes of Dodge and as wacky children’s hero Captain Thunderpants, Flesher was introduced to the community at the Sid Williams Theatre before the Shane Koyczan show. “I am tremendously honoured and delighted to have been chosen,” said Flesher. “It’s a treat, a thrill and a challenge I am stoked to meet.” The poet laureate search was organized by the Comox Valley Community Arts Council.
No Future in Shop
In business news, more Comox Valley retail workers received a shock in March, as Future Shop employees showed up for work March 28 to find the doors locked and a note, stating all Future Shop locations across Canada had been shuttered. Fortunately for the majority of the Comox Valley workers, the Courtenay location was one of the ones to be transformed into a Best Buy, meaning most of the Future Shop employees were only out of work for a week.
250-334-5609 There’s Wealth in Our Approach.™ Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Rates and prices as of Dec. 23/15. Rates and prices subject to change and availability. RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member–Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ®Registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. © 2015 Royal Bank of Canada. All rights reserved.
Record
THE
The City recognized a few heroes associated with the Baby Grant Puntledge River rescue. A quartet of first responders — two firefighters and two police constables — received a rare citation from the City of Courtenay for saving the life of seven-month-old Grant Weaver in January. Mayor Larry Jangula presented commendations to firefighters Margaret Hamilton and Chris Murdock, and RCMP constables Steve Trevor and Mike Wheeler for extraordinary efforts that exceeded the call of duty. “Thank you so much,” Jangula said. “In the face of extremely hazardous, difficult situations, two firefighters and two policemen placed their lives in jeopardy. They wandered into very dangerous, swift moving, deep water to rescue a child and the child’s mother, although the child’s mother was deceased by that time.” “It was a chaotic day,” Trevor said. “It was a lot of emotional highs and lows. In the end, Baby Grant survived, and that’s the most important thing. I’m just happy we were able to do our part.” Murdock credited police, ambulance attendants, fire-
■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■ 5
COMOX VALLEY
The best of sports, entertainment, local, and community news… every Tuesday and Thursday
comoxvalleyrecord.com
night n u f a Make it the family! with
and Comox Valley Regional District
New Year’s Eve
2016 FREE Family Swim & Skate December 31, 2015 from 5 – 8 pm
CVRD’s sports centre, 3001 Vanier Drive, Courtenay
Prizes – Refreshments! ( Limited skate rentals available )
Donations to the Comox Valley Food Bank will be gratefully accepted.
Follow comoxvalleyrd Tel:250-334-9622
www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/rec
6 ■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■ COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
VIEWPOINT: The best of Under the Glacier (January - June) January
February
April March
June
May
■ PHONE : 250.338.5811 ■ CIRCULATION : 250.338.0725 ■ CLASSIFIED : 1.855.310.3535 ■ COMOXVALLEYRECORD.COM
The Comox Valley Record is published every Tuesday and Thursday by Black Press. The Record is distributed to more than 22,000 households in District 71. The Record is 100 per cent B.C. owned and operated. CHRISSIE BOWKER PUBLISHER
TERRY FARRELL EDITOR
LIZ ROYER
SALES MANAGER
TERRY MARSHALL
CIRCULATION MANAGER
SUSAN GRANBERG
CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER
ALLISON BROWN OFFICE MANAGER
SALES: Rob Crowston, Peter Diespecker, Donna Lafontaine, Tracey Lawrence. EDITORIAL: Earle Couper (Sports Editor), Erin Haluschak, Scott Stanfield PRODUCTION: Leslie Eaton, Lenore Lowe, Coby Primrose, Debbie Salmon. RECEPTION: Karen Goldby CIRCULATION: Angela Pearce
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send your letter to editor@comoxvalleyrecord.com, or drop it off at the Record office, 765 McPhee Ave. Please keep letters to a maximum of 300 words and sign with your name and hometown. We reserve the right to publish and to edit for space/clarity. Opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are the sole opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the paper.
Science trumps fiction for global change
Dear editor, In response to the letter in the Dec. 22 Record by Murray Coulter regarding climate change (Global warming not as important as within) World political leaders, and people in general, with opinions like that of Mr. Coulter regarding climate change and science in general, are the biggest part of this life-altering and possibly life-ending problem our species has gotten itself into. When leaders make decisions based on ancient fiction they believe is true, and try to force everyone else to follow, as opposed to proven science that has no vested interest other than the truth, it’s clear why there is so little progress in this or any other of the Earth’s major problems. It’s clear people and leaders with views like Mr. Coulter have only ever read one book, and it’s not a science book. That would be logical, but this is religion. Amazingly, four out of 10 people believe we are living in end times, yet citizens and media never ask leaders if they believe the world is going to end soon, and is that a bad thing? Reasonable people not guided by religion want to live as long as possible on this planet, and also want to leave a world for their children and grandchildren. When countries depend on religious scientists who don’t believe in science, we are all doomed. When decision makers tell us to not worry about rising sea levels because in the Bible God promised Noah there wouldn’t be any more floods, we are all doomed. What is next from people like this, eliminate health care and replace it with prayer? No wonder very little ever gets done to fix our planet. It’s bad enough that religion is in every war in human
history, from the old testament to Paris. Now we are told to trust that same “reasoning” to fix issues as dire as climate change? I can only “pray” that leaders and citizens with opinions similar to Mr. Coulter get pushed aside before it’s too late and they get their wish. Tim Chaisson Courtenay
Courtenay councillor takes progressive step Dear editor, David Frisch brought the motion forward to investigate a genetically engineered free preferential purchasing policy at a fall council meeting. Not banning GE, just preferential purchasing for city events. GE foods have only a 20-year commercial history. We do not know enough about the effects on health to regard them as absolutely safe for humans. There are numerous published scientific papers revealing results with serious concerns. Consider allergies. Genetic engineering can transfer allergens from foods to which people know they are allergic, to foods they think are safe. This is not theory. Genes from Brazil nuts were injected into soybeans. People with nut allergies that consumed the engineered soybean products had serious allergic reactions. Engineered foods could be creating thousands of different and new allergic responses. Nutrition of GE foods may also be compromised. A study published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health (2003), declares that GE soybeans produce less phytoestrogen compounds, believed to fight heart disease and cancer, than non- GE soybeans. The conclusion, “ it is possible that genetically modified food will lack important nutrients that are normally present in the corresponding natural, nongenetically engineered food.”
Reader Poll This Week Vote online: comoxvalleyrecord.com
Ca$h
Rewards
Geneticist David Suzuki exclaimed, “...without any indication that there are genetically modified organisms in our food, we are now unwittingly part of a massive experiment... The problem is, geneticists follow the inheritance of genes, what biotechnology allows us to do is to take this organism, and move in horizontally into a totally unrelated species. Switching genes from one to the other without regard for the biological constraints. It’s very bad science, we assume that the principals governing the inheritance of genes vertically, applies when you move genes laterally or horizontally. There’s absolutely no reason to make that conclusion.” Thank you Council for taking a progressive step. Lauren Sipone Comox
COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■ 7
Is Weight Loss Your Resolution for the New Year?
THEN PHARMASAVE’S LIFESTYLE & WELLNESS PROGRAM IS FOR YOU!
BEFORE
MEDICAL WEIGHT AND WELLNESS LIFESTYLE INFO SESSION
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 6th 7-9 PM
AFTER
FREE Body Composition Analysis PRE-REGISTER AS SPACE IS LIMITED
CALL SHAWNNA
250-339-4563
Younger councillors bring fresh perspective
Dear editor, I’m so glad we have some new younger oouncillors in Courtenay who aren’t afraid to be involved in “social and controversial issues” as one critic says. Issues like whether the City should support our local smaller organic farmers with their buying choices. We know the big dairy farmers,- all 10 of them- are crying unfair, at possibly not having their GMO corn fed milk purchased by the City of Courtenay. That is what a local and GE Free purchasing policy means. That the City will prioritize the smaller, local and sustainable agricultural producers. And where will milk and cheese for City functions come from? Maybe it’s time to go vegetarian. This policy will also keep out the GE Apple if Courtenay ever decides to plant fruit and nut trees on its city streets, as I believe they should. Susan Holvenstot Dove Creek
#7-2225 Guthrie Rd., Comox (beside Quality Foods) OPEN: Monday to Friday 9-6 • Saturday 9-5 • Sunday & Statuory Holidays 11-5
www.comoxvalleypharmasave.com
VISIT US ON
Need More Exercise? Cash?
Do you go out to a public event to celebrate New Year’s?
Last week’s results Are you planning a winter vacation to a warmer climate?
yes
74.1% no 25.9% Deliver Papers
Crimestoppers will pay cash rewards for information leading to the arrest of persons involved in criminal activities in the Comox Valley.
CALL 1-800-222-TIPS(8477)
• • • •
3 Times a week Steady schedule Flexible hours Automatic deposit
Call: 250-338-0725 765 McPhee Avenue, Courtenay comoxvalleyrecord.com circulation@comoxvalleyrecord.com
8 ■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■ COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
April was a good month for
NEWSMAKERS in MAY The merry month of May was memorable for travellers, as Air Canada touched down at the Comox Valley Airport for the first time in six years. “It’s a big day. When you think of Air Canada, you think of 190 destinations spread over five continents; that’s big. And now Comox is indeed one of those destinations - we couldn’t be happier,” explained airport CEO Fred Bigelow during a celebration at the terminal building. “Passengers can enjoy the convenience of checking in for their flight at our airport and then seamlessly connect to destinations in Asia, Australia, Europe and across North America, all on the same ticket.”
Plane problems
The second week of May was a bad one for small planes taking off and landing at – or near - the Courtenay Air Park, as two single-engine planes crashed in a three-day period. First, a small plane ran into
Gail Szymanski, Manager
• Computer glasses
What’s Your FREE Pair?
• Reading glasses
VOLUME 30 | NO. 35
See stores for details.
THE
349 B 5th Street, Courtenay (250) 334-2043
• Invisible bifocals
349 B 5th Street, Courtenay (250) 334-2043
What’s Your FREE Pair?
• Reading glasses
• Computer glasses
See stores for details.
Pair is FREE
• Invisible bifocals
• Computer glasses
• Contact lenses
Island Health is contracting out thousands of day surgeries each year over the next five years. Comox Valley MLA Don McRae assures residents that there will be no cost to patients to receive day surgeries through whichever private practice is awarded the contract. “We’re just using different facilities to alleviate the backlog,” he said. “We’re still using public resources to deal with public issues, and it’s under MSP.” ■ P3
• Reading glasses
Your 2
• Sunglasses
Island Health posts RFP for surgeries
• Invisible bifocals
Pickleballers get some help
Comox town council has agreed to share the cost of a field study on a piece of land immediately adjacent to the roller hockey box, with the Comox Valley Pickleball Association. ■ P3
• Contact lenses • Sunglasses
• Computer glasses
See stores for details.
A Comox Valley Community Foundation grant has been put to good use at École Puntledge Park School. French immersion students have a vastly expanded library thanks in large part to the $1,500 grant. The school library has an extra 573 books this year and the students have been challenged to read at least 40 books each by the school year’s end. ■ P5
349 B 5th Street, Courtenay (250) 334-2043
• Sunglasses
• Invisible bifocals
• Reading glasses
Foundation grant fills bookshelves
• Contact lenses
What’s Your FREE Pair?
Your 2nd Pair is FREE
COFFEE WITH LARRY JANGULA
CVAG opens three exhibits today
The Comox Valley Art Gallery has a trio of shows opening today. As You Are, re.search, and Pathways are three group shows featuring diverse art from three very different groups of people: emerging artists, instructors and preschoolers. ■ P29
UVic coaches to host hoops camp
The Comox Valley Athletic Association is holding its Spring 2015 Girls Vikes Camp this weekend at Mark R. Isfeld Secondary School. UVic women’s basketball head coach Dani Sinclair and assistant coach Leanne Evans will be conducting the clinics, which are open to girls in Grades 8 to 12. ■ P37
The origins of the RV Program and Dawn to Dawn ■ P. 14
SALE
2 DAYS ONLY SAT & SUN MAY 1st & 2nd
Affordable Sewing & Vacuum Centre
Machines & More!
Festival cancelled
With the prospect of another dry summer looming, BC Hydro announced the cancellation of the planned spring water spill. The BC Hydro decision had a ripple effect. Organizers of the popular Puntledge Paddle Festival announced that they would be cancelling the event this year.
250-897-0950 • 2885 CLIFFE AVE., COURTENAY
“We had been in discussions with BC Hydro and they told us that it (scheduled spring water spill) was probably not going to happen so … in interest of the community and water conservation we (cancelled the event),” said festival organizer David Prothero. The Puntledge River Hatchery was also affected by the announcement as the chinook smolt release is always scheduled to coincide with the annual spill, in an effort to help push
the young fish past the seals and into the ocean. “With due discretion on what could be extremely low water conditions this summer, all parties came to the conclusion that the multi-day annual Puntledge Paddle Festival and the multi-day water release for chinook smolts will not happen this year,” Watson said in the press release. “This is the first time this has occurred since the water use plan was implemented in 2004.”
SAVE 60% OFF OLD inefficient baseboard heat
After the sale, it’s the Service that count s!
The pilot of this plane was taken to hospital after clipping the roof of the Comox Valley Animal Hospital and landing in its parking lot, damaging a couple of unoccupied cars in the process. Below, the Puntledge Paddle Festival was cancelled due to BC Hydro’s cancellation of its annual spring water spill. the immediate time I would say we’re not going to change anything,” he said.
their baseboard heaters back!
THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015
• Fabrics • Notions • Needles • Vac Bags •
the fence while taxiing down the runway at the Airpark. There were no injuries reported in that incident. In the more serious of the two incidents, a small plane clipped the roof of the Comox Valley Animal Hospital on Dyke Road, then crash landed in the hospital’s parking lot, hitting one parked car and flipping over onto another car. There were no occupants in either car. The pilot of the plane was conscious when extricated by emergency workers and transported to hospital in Comox. The two episodes re-ignited the contentious debate as to whether the Courtenay Airpark should be closed. Mayor Larry Jangula chimed in, saying that there are no plans to close the park in the immediate future. “It’s something in light of what happened we will likely eventually be looking at it in a more serious nature, but in
The 8O’s called and they want
Record
tion headings, and overall great COMOX VALLEY layout. Excellent work!” It was not the only honour we received on Saturday evening. NEWS The Record also received a silver medal for Best Special Section, for our election coverage supplement, Options 2014. For that publication, the judges said: “Absolutely brilliant idea! To the point (yes or no) and so ARTS politically pertinent, it hurts! Great job.” The month ended with anothSPORTS er high for The Record, as the final issue of April was also the Tackling the homelessness issue introduction of our re-branding. STORE WIDE EVERYTHING 20-50% OFF nd
nection to the community. With strong local features, a wide and pleasing rotation of regular columns, unmatched sports coverage, and a thorough classified section, I learned more about what was happening in the region than with any other read in the category. Clean and sharp, with relevant, well-cropped photos and thorough, complete stories. Nice design, good sec-
SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 11
A Record month
The Comox Valley Record, as we were honoured twice at the BC Yukon Community Newspapers Association. The big win was the Newspaper Excellence Award, where The Record was deemed, by our peers, as being the best community newspaper in the province. Here’s what the judges said in their summation: “The Comox Valley Record makes a very strong first impression. From the front page on, this paper leaves no doubt about its absolute con-
• Sunglasses
48 ■ Thursday, April 30, 2015 ■ COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
April was a noteworthy month for residents of Hornby Island, as they voted to build a new firehall. Eighty three per cent of respondents said yes to a proposed loan authorization bylaw to build a new facility. The referendum attracted a 94.6 per cent voter turnout, which was forced after an alternate approval process in January prevented the regional district board from adopting the bylaw without a referendum.
• Contact lenses
Your 2nd Pair is FREE
NEWSMAKERS in APRIL
your Hydro Heating Bill
NEW
ductless split heat pump technology
Benefits of ductless split heat pump:
✦ Heats & cools ✦ Quiet, highly efficient ✦ 1/3 the cost of running baseboard heating in winter ✦ Lower cost to install ✦ Multiple rooms in home or office
with a Ductless Split Heat Pump
800 REBATE
$
For electrically heated homes only, Eligible models only and conditions apply.
axisheating.ca axis Heat Pumps | Furnaces Air Conditioning | Water Purification Plumbing & Gas | Tankless Water Heaters
COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
Canadian icon David Suzuki addresses a packed house in Comox, during his Celebrating Coastal Connections tour.
NEWSMAKERS in JUNE June brought with it dry weather, record temperatures, water restrictions, and fittingly, a visit from the country’s most notable environmentalist, David Suzuki. The Canadian icon addressed oceans, climate change and other topics concerning the environment in front of a packed house at the Comox Community Centre, included in a tour of Vancouver Island, Northern B.C. and Haida Gwaii. Dubbed Celebrating Coastal Connections, the 12-day tour drew on the history of work, activism and friendship that Suzuki — and the foundation named after him — has with B.C.’s coastal communities. “For over 20 years, the scientists have been saying, ‘The evidence is in. Climate change is happening, we’re causing it.’ But there’s still a lot of denial,” Suzuki, host of the long-running CBC series The Nature of Things, said in an interview. “This is a world we’ve created.”
Sports Festival and Tailgate Party at the Comox Valley Sports Centre, featuring special appearances by CFL Alumni and team cheerleaders for a full day of family
■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■ 9
sports, food, and fun, in 31C temperatures, which concluded with the presentation of the CFL’s opening weekend doubleheader on a huge outdoor screen.
PHOTO BY Scott Stanfield
Pounce on this Boxing Week offer.
Road work
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Todd Stone was in Courtenay to announce plans for a true connector route between Highway 19 and North Courtenay, as part of B.C. on the Move, the Province’s new 10-year transportation plan. Improvements will include approximately 700 metres of new two-lane road running west from the intersection of Headquarters Road and Dove Creek Road to the intersection of Piercy Road and Dove Creek Road, where Piercy Road continues on to Highway 19. The project will also include a new, twolane bridge across the Tsolum River.
Get a $400 Visa Prepaid Card, FREE TV hardware rental, and built-in home Wi-Fi when you sign up for Optik TV and Internet for 3 years.* ®
®
TM
Make the switch at telus.com/pounceonvisa or visit your TELUS store.
Homecoming
The month ended amidst a 10-day “Homecoming Week” party celebrating the city’s centennial. The Homecoming Party began June 27 with a Centennial Best of local Sports, Entertainment and Community News
the
Record Comox Valley
TELUS STORES Courtenay 795 Ryan Rd.
1599 Cliffe Ave.
*Visa prepaid card offer available until December 31, 2015 while quantities last to TELUS customers who have not subscribed to TELUS TV or Internet service in the past 90 days. Offer includes a $400 Visa prepaid card. Prepaid card is issued by Peoples Trust Company pursuant to a license by Visa Int. The card is given to you as a reward, refund, rebate or gift and no money has been paid by you for the card. No cash access or recurring payments. Card valid for up to 12 months; unused funds will be forfeited at midnight EST the last day of the month of the valid thru date. Card terms and conditions apply; see MyPrepaidCenter.com/site/visa-univ-can. Cannot be combined with other promotional offers. Minimum system requirements apply. Final eligibility for the services will be determined by a TELUS representative. TELUS reserves the right to modify channel lineups and packaging, and regular pricing without notice. The Essentials is required for all Optik TV subscriptions. Offer not available with TELUS Internet 6. HDTV-input-equipped television required to watch HD. Free PVR and digital box rental included with the 3 year service agreement; current rental rates apply thereafter. Cancellation fee for early termination of a service agreement will be $10/mo. for the HD PVR and digital boxes multiplied by the number of months remaining in the term. Current rental rates apply at the end of the term. Rental equipment must be returned in good condition upon cancellation of service, otherwise the replacement cost will be charged to the account. TELUS, the TELUS logo, Optik, Optik TV, telus.com and the future is friendly are trademarks of TELUS Corporation, used under licence. All copyrights for images, artwork and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2015 TELUS.
10 ■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■ COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
SPORTS REPLAY
ACES ROOFING
JANUARY
•The Royston Rocket, Brett McLean, was with Team Canada at the Spengler Cup. McLean, the team’s assistant captain, was playing for HC Lugano in the Swiss league and finished the tourney with one goal and one assist in four games. •The VIJHL trade deadline was Jan. 10 and the Glacier Kings sent 2015 AllStar Classic goalie Blake Pearson to the Westshore Wolves. Pearson was back in Courtenay on Jan. 18 when the G-Kings hosted the AllStar Game. •The G.P. Vanier Towhees senior boys basketball team hosted - and won - their 47th annual Towhee Invitational with 11 other teams in town for the fun. Bryce Olsen won the Nate DaSilva Award as Most Valuable Towhee and
FEBRUARY
•The Vanier Towhees senior girls had a solid season of high school hops, finishing with an overall record of 18-13. •Former Comox Valley Glacier Kings goalie Michael Hails was enjoying a terrific freshman year at Lindenwood University. He led the Lions to the 2015 Central States Collegiate Hockey League Conference tournament championship. •Courtenay’s Hilary Graham was one of six PACWEST Athletes of the Week for Week 19. •Darcy Sharpe won gold under the lights in downtown Quebec City in the big air event at the Canadian stop on the snowboard World Cup circuit. •There was a decidedly
Brett McLean celebrates a goal at the Spengler Cup. was tourney MVP. •The Sharpe siblings, Darcy and Cassie, impressed at the FIS World Freestyle Ski & Snowboard Championships in Kreischberg, Austria. Cassie won silver in the ski halfpipe event while
brother Darcy won silver in big air and finished fourth in snowboard slopestyle. •Chris “Bukwas” Anderson pounded his way to the Battlefield Fight League’s vacant welterweight amateur championship. Compet-
Comox/Courtenay connection with the first B.C. athlete to win a medal at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George. Elena Gaskell, 13, garnered gold in slopestyle freestyle skiing on the first day of competition and followed that up the next day with gold in big air. Gaskell has a number of relatives in the Valley including her grandmother Carol (Geneau) in Comox, her great grandmother Dorothy Branch in Comox, and her maternal grandparents who live in Courtenay. •G.P. Vanier rugby players Madi Gold and Lauren Sargent were with the BC Rugby U18 Girls Elite team competing in the Las Vegas Invitational 7s tournament. B.C. finished second with a
3-3 record. •More than 50 freestyle snowboard athletes from across the province visited Mount Washington Alpine Resort to take part in two BC Snowboard Provincial Series Slopestyle competitions. •Comox Valley Lacrosse Association alumni Adam Bakular-Evans and Tanner Jones, who got their start in box lacrosse when the CVLA started in 2004, have both gone on to play Div. 2 in the NCAA. •The spandex-clad Green Men were saying goodbye to hockey fans across B.C. with a 10-city farewell tour for charity. They were at the Comox Valley Sports Centre when the Comox Valley Glacier Kings hosted the Nanaimo Buccaneers.
ing in BFL 34 at the River Rock Casino in Richmond, Anderson rained a flurry of punches down on Perry Hayer, forcing the ref to stop the fight at 1:49 of the second round. •It took their final league game to decide it, but the Upper Island Riptide U14 Girls soccer team beat the Lower Island’s Gorge/Lakehill Thunder team 3-0 on home turf Jan. 31 to earn top spot and become Vancouver Island Premier League champions. •Cam Levins brought new meaning to the phrase “go the extra mile” at the Armory Track Invitational in New York City. The 25-year-old Black Creek distance runner was the star of the meet on Saturday, winning the mile race, taking a brief rest, then winning the two-mile event.
• CEDAR SHAKE CONVERSIONS • FIBERGLASS LAMINATES • INSURED • FLAT ROOFING • NEW CONSTRUCTION • RE-ROOFING • SENIORS DISCOUNT Call now for your free estimate.
250-334-2667 www.acesroofing.ca
“One call, and we’ll do it all”
Temporary Services
Let us take care of your labour needs without the hassles of costly advertising and payroll burden We provide quality fully trained individuals in a variety of new areas: Office Administration • Bookkeeping Secretarial • Cashiers • CSRs • Clerical Services
1935 Cliffe Ave., Courtenay • 250-897-1073 Happy Holidays Wishing you peace …. and security
Call Shirley & learn more!
250-702-6106
office: 250-339-7200 COME IN AND SEE OUR SELECTION OF
Natural Gas fireplaces, stoves and inserts.
See your local dealer for more information.
Energy Efficient Natural Gas
Visit www.pacificenergy.net
“Your Indoor Comfort Specialist since 1961” Mon. - Fri. 8am - 4:30pm
Susie Hang of Vanier battles Alberni opponent for the ball at Island championships.
SHEET METAL & HEATING LTD.
741 McPhee, Courtenay
www.bennettsheetmetal.com
250-334-3621
Courtenay Little Theatre presents
MARCH
•Cassie Sharpe struck gold at a FIS World Cup freestyle skiing competition in Tignes, France. She won women’s halfpipe with a score of 93.80. It was the first World Cup victory for the 22-year-old. A 2015 World Championship silver medallist, Sharpe beat a stacked field that included Olympic and X Games medallists. •Chris “Bukwas” Anderson added a new belt to his MMA wardrobe. The Comox Valley Boxing Club & Mixed Martial Arts fighter decisively defeated Mac Laursen at HK42 in Calgary to claim the Hard Knocks Fighting Championship amateur welterweight title. •Comox Valley Raiders football stalwarts Arron Slack, Tristan Thies Erickson and Conor MacNeil were selected for the 2015 Senior Bowl.
■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■ 11
IT’S A
W ON D E
IFE L L R FU
Adapted by Peter Jorgensen With musical arrangement by Nico Rhodes Directed by Susan Bradshaw
Rian Plante (third from right) and his Camosun teammates celebrate CCAA volleyball gold medal. •The Comox Valley had two winners at Sport BC’s 49th annual Athlete of the Year Awards Banquet. Brenda Dean, owner of In Your Court Tennis Academy, received one of 45 Presidents’ Awards while TRU WolfPack volleyball standout Brad Gunter was named University Athlete of the Year.
•Comox Valley volleyball players won gold and bronze at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association championships. The Camosun Chargers men with second-year right side Rian Plante of Comox won gold while the Chargers women with fifth-year outside Hilary Graham of Courtenay earned bronze.
•The fledgling Comox Valley Triathlon Club encompasses a quintet of Super Seniors. Competing in the 65+ and 70+ age categories, these five - Bruce Morrison, Robert Lundine, Bonny Ervin, Derek Richmond and Don Blacklock - dominate the heart of the Canadian Age Class Triathlon Team. Continued on Page 12
BUILDING & LOAN
December 28 – January 3 Sid Williams Theatre Tickets: 250-338-2430, ext 1 or www.sidwilliamstheatre.com
Dec. 28, 29, 30 at 7:30 p.m. ($22) Dec. 31 New Year’s Eve performance at 7:30 p.m. $22) Jan. 2 at 7:30 p.m. ($22); Jan. 3 Matinée at 2:00 p.m. ($20)
12 ■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■ COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
SPORTS REPLAY MAY
•The G.P. Vanier Towhees defeated the Carson Graham Eagles 39-14 to win their second straight B.C. AAA high school girls rugby championship. Madi Gold was named to the President’s XV. •Georgia Bellamy, a Grade 12 student at G.P. Vanier, was part of Gainline Africa’s tour as a rugby coach. Gainline Africa is an international development organization that uses rugby as a tool for re-building in post-conflict Northern Uganda. •With a final round 3-under 69 at Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community, Eric Onesi earned medallist honours at PGA Tour Canada’s British Columbia Qualifying Tournament. •The Comox Valley Raiders played perfect hosts to the Game Ready Spring Training football camp. CFL players Paris Jackson, JR Larose, Jason Arakgi, Justin Sorenson, Tim Cronk and Ryan Lucas were the instructors. •It took Cam Levins 27 minutes and 7.51 seconds to make Canadian history. Competing at the Nike Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., the Black Creek run-
Cam Levins set a Canadian record in the 10,000m and Cassie Sharpe was named the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association’s inaugural Female High Performance Rookie of the Year. ner smashed the Canadian 10,000m record with a time of 27:07.51, eclipsing the previous mark of 27:23.63 by 16 seconds and beating his own personal best by 20 seconds. •Cassie Sharpe was named Female High Performance Rookie of the Year at the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association’s inaugural Athlete Performance Awards. In her first season on the national team, the Comox halfpipe competitor won (among other things) a FIS World Championship silver medal and a FIS World Cup.
•Four of the Valley’s top runners competed against some of the best in the country at the 41st Ottawa Marathon. One of the highlights was a Canadian record set by Roslyn Smith. She totally dominated the F6569 age group, finishing first and beating her nearest competitor by over two hours. She set a Canadian record of 3:44:37 in the process. •Chris “Bukwas” Anderson kayoed Mazadak Pourbohloul at 2:42 of the second round at River Rock Casino in Richmond at Battlefield
Fight League 36 in his first defence of his BFL amateur welterweight championship.
JUNE
Strathcona Nordic Avalon Wasteneys sprints across the finish line in the Junior Girls’ finals at the 2015 Cross-Country Ski Nationals.
APRIL
•In a year of firsts for the Royal LePage Comox Valley Snow to Surf Adventure Relay Race, the big question was: Who finished first? Due to confusion at the finish line, no immediate winner was declared, although race officials said the North Island Tanks were the likely overall champions. In the 33rd edition of the event, three legs were changed, one was cancelled, a new timing system malfunctioned, a collision with a vehicle sent a road cyclist to hospital and for the first time ever there was no snow on Mount Washington. •The G.P. Vanier Towhees defeated Yale 17-0 to win the Plate Final at the 2015 B.C. High School Girls Rugby Association Provincial 7s. •Seven Comox Valley Aquatic Club Sharks travelled to Toronto to compete at the 2015 Canadian Trials and train with the Markham Aquatic Club and Brantford Aquatic Club. The training camp group included Gabrielle Wolfe, Jared Theriault, Cole Young, Emma Neufeld and trials competitors were Ben Neufeld, Jordyn Ryan and Brooke Lamoureux. •Eight Strathcona Nordics competed at the 2015 Cross-Country Ski Nationals in Thunder Bay. They enjoyed a week of intense, high-calibre racing against the best skiers from across the country. •Vancouver Island Society for Adaptive Snow Sports racers found snow and posted great results at the Western Canadian Para Alpine Championships at Silver Star Resort in Vernon.
•Joel Regehr was one of three UBC Thunderbirds men’s volleyball players that helped Canada win bronze at the seven-team U-21 Pan American Cup in Gatineau, Que. Regehr, a 6’,7”, 207-pound middle, was Mark R. Isfeld Senior Athlete of the Year in 2013 and played five years with the Comox Valley Strikers Volleyball Club. On June 25, Volleyball BC announced Regehr was one of two recipients of a Ray Lepp Scholarship. Recipients are selected based on their demonstrated leadership, commitment to academic excellence, and potential to join the Canadian National team. •Cam Levins of Black Creek was one of three Vancouver Island track and field athletes named to the Canadian team that will compete at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto (July 10-26). Levins, a 5,000m and 10,000m finalist at the 2012 London Summer Olympics, crushed the Canadian 10,000m record by 16 seconds with a 27:07.51 clocking at the Portland Track Festival on May 29. •Three local boys, Jairus Ball (12), Bryce Benton (11) and Jasper Fellbaum (8) make up the competitive boys gymnastics team for the Chimo Gymnastics Club. All three received all-
Joel Regehr (#9) of the UBC Thunderbirds helped Canada win bronze at the U-21 Pan American Cup. around gold at the Island Championships in Victoria. •Radiant sunshine and eager runners welcomed the return of the Country Roads Marathon. The rural romp was held from 2000 to 2004 before going on hiatus. •The Courtenay and District Fish and Game Protective Association (CDFGPA) received the Ducks Unlimited Canada and Premier of BC Conservation Award for its outstanding record
causes over the years. The award is normally given to an individual, however the 2015 award goes to the CDFGPA in recognition of their sustained and broadly based conservation work in restoring fish and wildlife populations in the Comox Valley, Vancouver Island and on the Coastal Mainland. •The Van Isle 360 International Yacht Race sailed into the Comox Valley,
6-20 circumnavigation of Vancouver Island to a close. The Comox Bay Sailing Club hosted the local stop, and Commodore Andy Walther said, “I’m proud and very happy to mention this was a tremendous weekend both on and off the water for the CBSC.”
Sports Replay will conclude in the Thursday, Dec. 31 edition of the Comox Valley Record with a recap of July through December.
COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
SPORTS REPLAY
■ YEAR IN REVIEW
The first six months of 2015 had many memorable moments. Clockwise from top left: the armband exchange at the Royal LePage Comox Valley Snow to Surf Adventure Relay Race; The Super Seniors of the Comox Valley Triathlon Club (left to right) Don Blacklock, Bonny Ervin, Bruce Morrison, Derek Richmond and Robert Lundine), Vanier Towhee Taya Gagnon is tackled by Cowichan’s Hannah Morten in Vanier’s 55-7 Island championship win; Chris “Bukwas” Anderson was unstoppable in MMA action; Wyatt Strachan of the Vanier Towhees drives to the hoop; Colton Brown makes the tackle at the Game Ready Spring Training Camp hosted by the Comox Valley Raiders.
■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■ 13
Tuesday, December 29, 2015 â– COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com 14 â– www.comoxvalleyrecord.com A14
Tue, Dec 29, 2015, Comox Valley Record
To advertise in print:
Browse more at:
Call: 1-855-310-3535 Email: classified@comoxvalleyrecord.com Self-serve: blackpressused.ca Career ads: localworkbc.ca
A division of
BUY ONE WEEK, GET SECOND WEEK FREE!* *Private party only, cannot be combined with other discounts.
INDEX IN BRIEF FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
INFORMATION
LEGALS
PERSONALS
EDUCATION/TRADE SCHOOLS
Nar-Anon are you affected by someone’s use of drugs, we can help. Wed. Group 7:30pm at 280-4th St. Eureka Support Society contact Jack 3343485. Fri. Group 7:30pm, Komok’s Health Centre, 3322 Comox Rd. Call Rene 334-2392.
HEALTHCARE DOCUMENTATION Specialists in huge demand. Employers prefer CanScribe graduates. A great work-from-home career! Contact us now to start your training day. www.canscribe.com. 1-800-466-1535. info@canscribe.com
TRAVEL
MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION! In-demand career! Employers have work-at-home positions available. Get online training you need from an employertrusted program. Visit: CareerStep.ca/MT or 1-855-768-3362 to start training for your work-at-home career today!
TRAVEL EMPLOYMENT BUSINESS SERVICES PETS & LIVESTOCK MERCHANDISE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE RENTALS AUTOMOTIVE ADULT ENTERTAINMENT LEGAL NOTICES
AGREEMENT
It is agreed by any display or Classified Advertiser requesting space that the liability of the paper in the event of failure to publish an advertisement shall be limited to the amount paid by the advertiser for that portion of the advertising space occupied by the incorrect item only, and that there shall be no liability in any event beyond the amount paid for such advertisement. The publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. Used.ca cannot be responsible for errors after the first day of publication of any advertisement. Notice of errors on the first day should immediately be called to the attention of the Classified Department to be corrected for the following edition. Used.ca reserves the right to revise, edit, classify or reject any advertisement and to retain any answers directed to the Used.ca Box Reply Service and to repay the customer the sum paid for the advertisement and box rental.
DISCRIMINATORY LEGISLATION
Advertisers are reminded that Provincial legislation forbids the publication of any advertisement which discriminates against any person because of race, religion, sex, color, nationality, ancestry or place of origin, or age, unless the condition is justified by a bona fide requirement for the work involved.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright and/or properties subsist in all advertisements and in all other material appearing in this edition of Used.ca. Permission to reproduce wholly or in part and in any form whatsoever, particularly by a photographic or offset process in a publication must be obtained in writing from the publisher. Any unauthorized reproduction will be subject to recourse in law.
ON THE WEB:
CANADA BENEFIT Group Do you or someone you know suffer from a disability? Get up to $40,000 from the Canadian Government. Toll-free 1-888511-2250 or www.canada benefit.ca/free-assessment CANADA BENEFIT Group Do you or someone you know suffer from a disability? Get up to $40,000 from the Canadian Government. Toll-free 1-888511-2250 or www.canada benefit.ca/free-assessment
9/52Ă–#/--5.)49 Ă–9/52Ă–#,!33)&)%$3
Warehouse Lien Tranquility Woods is here by giving notice that we will be selling the following vehicle on January 8th, 2016 for nonpayment. 2004 Intruder by Damon Vin # 5B4MP67G943392327 Debtor Richard Blanchard, amount owing $38,000. Please contact Margaret Humphries at 250-248-3033.
PERSONALS AL-ANON/ALATEEN - Concerned about someone’s drinking? Contact 1-8884ALANON (1-888-425-2666). www.al-anon.alateen.org ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS If you want to drink, it is your business, if you want to Stop it is ours. Ph: A.A 250-338-8042 Call Any Time 24/7
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS
DEATHS
DEATHS
Jean Copeland
November 15, 1927 – December 19, 2015 Mom passed away peacefully surrounded with family at St. Joseph’s Hospital on Saturday, December 19, 2015. Mom was born in Mossbank, SK to Michael and Mary Pawluk and was 1 of 8 siblings. She was a proud Prairie Girl‌. girl‌. loving the wheat fields, the Rough Riders and curling. Mom now joined her loving husband Harvey and their first son Bobby. Leaving behind 5 kids to carry on the Copeland legacy; Ken (Leslie), Cheryle (Anthony), Mark (Brenda), Sandra (Rick), Laura (Russ) and daughter-inlaw Barbara. Mom was blessed with 9 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Mom spent most of her life as a dedicated military wife. Our many cousins would all agree that she was the best Aunty in the world. No one ever went home hungry. She was known for her famous perogies and cabbage rolls. Mom loved working working outside outside in in her her little little rubber rubber boots boots and and Mom loved her her gardens gardens were were always always beautiful. beautiful. She proud member member of the Ladies Ladies Auxiliary Auxiliary Comox Comox She was was aa proud of the Legion Legion Branch Branch and and aa loyal loyal member member of of the the Comox Comox United United Church. Church. Above Above all all she she was was an an incredible, incredible, loving loving mother. mother. We We will will miss miss you you dearly. dearly. Love Love you you Mom. Mom. xxo xxo Jean’s funeral Monday, Jean’s funeralservice servicetook willplace takeon place on December Monday, 28th at the Comox Church the Reverend Keltie December 28th at United 11:00am fromwith Comox United Church van officiating, by a reception in the withBinsbergen the Reverend Keltie followed van Binsbergen officiating, church was atinthethe Courtenay CivicBurial Cemetery followedhall. by Burial a reception church hall. will on same takethe place at day. Courtenay Civic Cemetery at approximately 2:00pm.
TIMESHARE CANCEL YOUR timeshare. No risk program stop mortgage & maintenance payments today. 100% money back guarantee. Free consultation. Call us now. We can help! 1-888-356-5248.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
TRAIN TO be an apartment/condo manager. Many jobs registered with us. Good wages and benefits. Government Certified online course. 35 Years of success! www.RMTI.ca/enq
CAREER SERVICES/ JOB SEARCH
CAREER SERVICES/ JOB SEARCH
jobshop
the
30
$
GET IT RENTED!
your private party automotive ad with us in SELL IT IN 3 Place your community paper for next 3 weeks for only OR IT RUNS the $30. If your vehicle does not call us and we'll run it FOR FREE!* sell, again at NO CHARGE!
THE RESOURCE FOR JOB SEEKERS
INTERVIEW JITTERS? If you are unemployed, register for our Interview workshops to improve your skills. For FREE job search help call 250-334-3119. Visit 103–555 4th St. in Courtenay. www.thejobshop.ca The Employment Program of British Columbia is funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.
MEDICAL/DENTAL
MEDICAL/DENTAL
MEDICAL OFFICE NURSE
CONNECTING JOB SEEKERS AND EMPLOYERS
Part time position as office nurse in a busy and friendly family practice office. Duties include but not limited to immunizations, sterilization of medical equipment, veni puncture and wound care. Benefits package available.
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS
CELEBRATIONS
CELEBRATIONS
Respond with resume and a hand written cover letter to: Drawer #4582 c/o Comox Valley Record, 765 McPhee Ave., Courtenay By 8 January 2016
HIP OR Knee replacement? Arthritic Conditions/COPD? Restrictions in Walking/Dressing? Disability Tax Credit $2,000 Tax Credit $20,000 Refund. Apply Today For Assistance: 1-844-453-5372.
localwork.ca
FAMILY ALBUM
To Book Your Special Occasion: Ph. 250-338-5811 features@comoxvalleyrecord.com Deadlines: Tues & Fri @ noon
Today’s the big day!
Happy 90th Birthday Al
Only those candidates chosen for interviews will be notified.
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS
FUNERAL HOMES
FUNERAL HOMES
Did You Know?
Love from your Family
When deciding whether services should be nontraditional our philosophy is to make every ceremony unique and creative.
When someone we love and care for dies, we need to deal with one of the most important events of our lives. Denying the death or hoping that the less we do, the sooner the feelings will pass, does not make it so. The most important part of our service is the time spent in discussion with the family to learn about the person who’s died and to create a ceremony that is UHOHYDQW DQG WUXO\ UHà HFWV ZKR WKDW SHUVRQ ZDV DQG how they lived their life. Every life is deserving of acknowledgement of its contributions.
Comox Valley Comox Valley F H C Fa r H uneral
ome
Cremation UNERAL nd eCeption entre OME CREMATION AND RECEPTION CENTRE 1101 Ryan Road, Courtenay 1101 Ryan Road, Courtenay
250-334-0707 250-334-0707
Your Community, Your ClassiďŹ eds. 1-855-310-3535
Comox
Cake Winner for December 29, 2015
Al
ALL YOU NEED IN PRINT AND ONLINE www.used.ca
Comox Valley Record Tue, Dec 29, 2015 PERSONAL SERVICES HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
NEWSPAPER
F/T LIFEGUARD The CVRD is seeking up to 3 part-time lifeguard instructors to join our team. Full position details and required qualifications are available on our website: www.comox valleyrd.ca/jobs ✱Applications will be accepted till 3pm January 4, 2016.
CARRIERS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY
250-338-0725 Carriers Needed COURTENAY
FINANCIAL SERVICES
■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■A15 15 www.comoxvalleyrecord.com.
COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
TAKE US ALONG
fil here please
RTE # 315 McLauchlin, Valley Cres. & Centennial COMOX
PERSONAL SERVICES
HOME/BUSINESS SERVICES
RTE # 659 Noel, Beckton, Crown Pl & Guthrie
FINANCIAL SERVICES
HANDYPERSONS 250-898-8887. HOME Repair, Renovation & Maintenance Service. Interior or Exterior. Call Les for Free Estimate.
RTE # 565 Beaufort, Carthew, Willow, Taylor & Bay Crt.
Coal miner’s daughter Lois Terris and her daughter Sandi took The Record on a trip to Springhill, Nova Scotia. They say the town looked great and brought back many memories.
HOME IMPROVEMENTS THINKING OF A NEW IKEA KITCHEN? • DESIGN • DELIVERY • INSTALLATION Since 1990. 250-338-3148
RTE # 599 Balmoral, Pritchard & Juniper
PLUMBING RTE # 606 Balmoral & Marida
FULL SERVICE Plumbing from Parker Dean. Fast, reliable, 24/7 service. Take $50 off your next job if you present this ad. Vancouver area. 1800-573-2928.
circulation@comoxvalleyrecord.com
ADULTS & SENIORS WELCOME NO COLLECTIONS GREAT WAY TO EXERCISE AND MAKE MONEY AT THE SAME TIME
Comox Valley Record Hours: MONDAY TO FRIDAY 8:30AM-5:00PM 765 MCPHEE AVE. COURTENAY
CONNECTING BUYERS AND SELLERS
bcclassified.com
Call
1-855-310-3535
HOTEL, RESTAURANT, FOOD
HOTEL, RESTAURANT, FOOD
When it comes to spreading the news, readers of the Comox Valley Record are number one. They enjoy packing a copy of their favourite hometown newspaper with them as they travel the globe to celebrate special occasions, visit friends and family, enjoy a relaxing vacation or see some of the world’s many historical and geographical landmarks. Take us along on your next trip and send your photo to sports@ comoxvalleyrecord.com. or drop it off at our office.
FULL SERVICE Plumbing from Parker Dean. Fast, reliable, 24/7 service. Take $50 off your next job if you present this ad. Vancouver area. 1800-573-2928.
MERCHANDISE FOR SALE MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE SAWMILLS FROM only $4,397 - make money and save money with your own bandmill - cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. Free info and DVD:
www.NorwoodSawmills.com/400OT
1-800-566-6899 Ext:400OT.
MISCELLANEOUS WANTED
Guest Service Supervisors
Tim Hortons is now seeking Guest Service Supervisors to join our team at 4 of our Comox Valley locations! Applicants QYWX LEZI E ¾I\MFPI WGLIHYPI )\TIVMIRGI MR KYIWX WIVZMGI XIEQ QEREKIQIRX TVSFPIQ WSPZMRK EFMPMX] XS JSPPS[ HMVIGX TSPMGMIW
WXERHEVHW MW VIUYMVIH 'SQTIXMXMZI [EKIW ERH &IRI½XW Please apply in person to any Comox Valley locations or email ':XMQWNSFW$KQEMP GSQ
2451 Cliffe Avenue, Courtenay 789 Ryan Road, Courtenay 394 Lerwick Road, Courtenay 727 Anderton Road, Comox
MERCHANDISE FOR SALE
MERCHANDISE FOR SALE
AUCTIONS
AUCTIONS
SEE OUR COMPLETE AD ON PAGE A4 CAMPBELL RIVER
1358 Marwalk Crescent 250-287-3939 www.crauctions.ca Ltd.
FIREARMS. ALL types wanted, estates, collections, single items, military. We handle all paperwork and transportation. Licensed Dealer. 1-86-9600045. www.dollars4guns.com
RENTALS COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL / Retail Space for Lease (Duncan & 5th Street) Spaces available in central downtown Courtenay. Excellent rates. 2 spaces available (672 sq.ft. or 751 sq.ft.) Call 250-338-2414 for details and an appointment to view.
Denny and Sandy took us along when they went cruising to the Grand Turks Island.
SUITES, LOWER STEVENSON PLACE in Comox Senior’s Independent Living with Supportive Services. Spacious 2 Bdrm, 2 Bath, 1 meal daily, weekly housekeeping and 24/7 Lifeline response with Personal Help Button. Available Jan 1st, 2016. Phone 250-339-7012.
TRANSPORTATION SPORTS & IMPORTS 1975 CORVETTE Stingray. Motivated seller, no reasonable offer turned down. (250)339-5052
“Serving Campbell River & Vancouver Island since 1967”
Your Community, Your Classifieds. Call 1-855-310-3535
www.used.ca
MAZDA B4000 2006 Silver extended cab 4 seater. 4x4 181,000KM. Asking $8,000. Well maintained. Please call 250-339-3657
- BUYING - RENTING - SELLING -
www.used.ca
The GP Vanier Tourism 12 class in the Library of the Legislative Building in Victoria, visiting MLA Don McRae and holding the hometown paper. From left to right standing: Nick McRoberts, Chelsie Humphries, Dario Schedler, Felix Belke, Bryce-Berg-Stromquist, Julia Donaldson, Scott Stevens, Shelby White. Kneeling: Ms. Zirkl, Aidan Comisky.
16 ■ Tuesday, December 29, 2015 ■ COMOXVALLEYRECORD.com
Boxing Week Sales Event
70 up to
% f of
on selected items! E, M O E! C Limited Quantities T V S R R E I S Don’t pay for 365 days, F T S No Down, No Interest FIR and… No Payment! D LIMITE IES IT QUANT
LEATHER RECLINING SOFA
YOUR E CHOIC
Reg. $1798
Tight top beauty Sleep or Euro Top Beauty Sleep Mattress & Boxspring. Reg. $898
498
D ITE LIM S IE IT T N QUA
TABLE & 4 CHAIRS
298
$
Reg. $498
LOWEST
Reg. $1748
8 only
Reg. $1398
CHAIR
128
$
TY WARRAN
Euro Top with 1188 pocket coils
Furnishing the Island since 1977 Locally Owned & Operated FOLLOW US
Join us for our latest commercials, promotions & monthly flyers!
NANAIMO STORE ONLY Monday - Wednesday 9:30am - 5:30pm Thursday - Friday 9:30am - 9pm Saturday 9:30am - 5:30pm Sunday & Holidays 11am - 5pm
DODD’S CREDIT
998
948
$
LIMITED QUANTITIES
PRICE
QUEEN SIZE SET Reg. $1798
®
Firm 1320 pocket coil with Cool Action Dual Effects, gel memory foam, and Serta support foam
DODD’S FURNITURE & MATTRESS www.doddsfurniture.com
398
KING SIZ
EVER!
ALSO ON
798
ILABLE IN ALSO AVA E
68
KING SISZAELE
$
Reg. $698
LOWEST
$
$
.........................
$
! R E V E
10 YEAR
998
UPHOLSTERED QUEEN HEADBOARD, FOOTBOARD, & RAILS
PRICE
WITH 3X’S MICRO SUPPORT GEL LAYERS Reg. $1998
........................
$
RECLINER CHAIR
OTTOMAN
SAVE $ 200
6 only
RECLINING LOVESEAT
SAVE $ 400
$
.....................
“We Won’t Be Undersold!”
NANAIMO
6421 Applecross Rd (behind Ricky’s Restaurant)
250.390.1125
VICTORIA
715 Finlayson Street
250.388.6663
$
898