derelicT ship hiTs park
TofiTian Mural
Abandoned vessel washed up on Florencia Beach.
Leanne Hodges hopes her new mural inspires change.
3
7
Mark Your Calendar!
2016 SEASON BEGINS NEXT SATURDAY MAY 21
Westerly News
TOFINO-UCLUELET
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
WesterlyNews.ca
West Coast to host arts conference
TOFINO VILLAGE GR EEN Saturdays 10am-2pm www.tofinomarket.co
m
$ 5 (including $1.25 ( g tax))
Local art scene riding high as cultural reputation soars Andrew bAiley
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
The West Coast’s reputation as a solid arts and cultural destination is helping local artists find new markets and collectors while also helping the tourism industry thrive. Arts BC and Heritage BC have announced their annual joint-conference will be held on the West Coast next year and Arts BC president Kathy Ramsey penned a letter to both Ucluelet and Tofino’s municipal councils last week to spread the good news. “We have chosen the Pacific Rim in part because of the natural beauty and the rich arts and cultural heritage of the area but also because we are very aware that the communities on the Pacific Rim are keenly and passionately aware of how vital a dynamic arts and cultural scene are for a community’s social wellbeing,” Ramsey wrote. Ramsey facilitated a roundtable discussion in Ucluelet last year centred around a Cultural Policy Framework for the provincial government and was awed by the depth of local conversations. “I was so struck by the deep knowledge of the participants on arts and cultural issues and feel strongly that your communities would be excellent role models for communities across the province,” she wrote. Pacific Rim Art Society (PRAS) president Mark Penney told the Westerly the West Coast has developed a solid reputation throughout BC’s art community and he believes valuable knowledge can be mined from the local art scene. See BC page 6
NORA O’MALLEY PhOTO
RIDE THE RIM: Last week a crew of dedicated cyclists rode from Port Alberni to Ucluelet to raise money for type 2 diabetes. The Judy Gray Remax team dished out a $500 donation. From left: Pascale Houde, Laurie Skene, Bryce Blake, Roberta Wilson, Lee Blais, Mike Parcher, Malcolm Murphy, Sid Schmidt, Allan Sarkany, Rick Player.Front row: Judy Gray and Robin Nadig.
Swann heads to Fort McMurray Ucluelet police officer travels to Alberta wildfire to provide support
Andrew bAiley
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
Ucluelet’s Sgt. Jeff Swann took off for Fort McMurray on Tuesday to offer support in any way he can. Roughly 80,000 people have been forced to evacuate the Albertan community due to a devastating wildfire that began on May 1 and has grown to roughly 2,000 sq. kilometres. Swann is en route as a member of the RCMP’s Peer-to-Peer program. “It’s RCMP officers helping other RCMP officers through any
kind of tragedy,” he told the Westerly News on Monday. “There are a number of RCMP employees, staff and members, and emergency responders who have lost their homes and businesses and items in this fire.” The Vancouver Island RCMP reached out to all its Peer-toPeer members and Swann instantly put his name forward. “They said, ‘We need some people to go help the people in K Division, which is Alberta, and lend a hand and support them.’ I looked at that opportunity and immediately reached out to my boss,” he said. See UCLUELET page 11