Friday, May 30, 2014

FRIDAY MAY 30 2014 VOL. 41, NO. 21

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Watch for more online at: WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM

Search and Rescue

Nurseries for baby fish

Bowen waters host simulated emergencies for training

Through the kitchen window

A biologist advocates for our ocean ecosystem, one beach at a time

A cook and her precious skillet

The bus drivers for Bowen Island Community Transit will be letting riders on for free on June 6th in order to celebrate the service’s 15th anniversary. From left: Murray Nosek, Peter King, Robin Butler, Pam Mitts, Richard Goth and Hal DeGrace. Not present for the photo are drivers Kari Killey and Karen Hughes.

Meribeth Deen, photo

The Old General Store and the (relatively) new statue MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR

While council came to a decision to support the Bowen Island library in its efforts to build an extension this week, they were also confronted by a new request concerning the library’s property. David Smith, who led the charge to save the historic building in which the library is housed, asked council for permission to have the statue which sits in front of the main doors to be moved.

“I request your permission to relocate the sculpture because I feel that it dramatically diminishes the view and the positive

impact of this historically significant, beautiful structure on visitors and residents alike,” Smith told council.

The statue was built and designed by local artists Shane Tweten and Simon James in 2010 in order to commemorate the spirit of the Olympic torch when it came through Bowen Island.

Originally, the statue was to be erected at the centre of a round-about designed to solve the ferry marshalling issue on Government Road. When plans for the round-about fell through, the Chamber of Commerce (which commissioned the statue) asked the library if it could be placed on its property.

“I said it wasn’t up to us, that it’s municipal property. When I was told the municipality had already approved the idea, I

Bowen Island

said that would be fine, as long as the statue was placed on the east side, near the bus stop,” says Bowen Island’s chief librarian, Tina Nielsen.

Despite the agreement to place the statue on the east side of the library’s property, Nielsen said she returned to Bowen after being away for a few weeks to find the placement stone right in the centre of the library lawn.

“There was a lot of disagreement about how that happened and whose fault it was, but by that time, the invitations for the blessing ceremony had already been sent out. We were told it was too late to move the stone,” says Nielsen. continued, PAGE 2

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Request to move the statue from in front of the library from PAGE 1

Embracing the Spirit of the Flame, carving

by Shane Tweten and Simon Daniel James.

Meribeth Deen, photo

The Old General Store building dates back to the days of the Union Steamship Company.

Standing much closer to the road and in severe disrepair, the building was slated to be demolished in 1978.

“I’d been here for a year at that time, and I was sitting in the café with a friend of mine who had the contract to demolish the building and I thought, that’s just stupid, there’s no reason that building should be torn down,” says Smith, who proceeded to speak with the land owner, Glenn Crippen, as well as Vancouver’s department of highways to ask for the demolition to be delayed.

Smith proceeded to lead a coalition of community members who managed to stop the demolition altogether, and after five years, raise enough money to have the building moved to its current location and restored.

“It was a remarkable community effort, and in 1984 at the building’s dedication ceremony we had hundreds of people there, and we took a big community photo in front of it,” says Smith. “To mark the 30th anniversary of that date, I would like to have a similar photo taken, but without the statue.”

Following Smith’s presentation to council, Lonnie Hindle told council that when it comes to a totem, there is a certain protocol and part of that protocol is that once a totem is in the ground, it doesn’t move.

Council decided that before making a decision on what to do with the poles there should be a conversation about the sculpture with the artists.

Smith says he is extremely dissatisfied with this result.

“Of course the artists will want their work to stay right where it is,” he says. “I don’t want to get into a conversation about aesthetics, because that is extremely subjective, but the statue really doesn’t belong there.”

Bowen waters host simulated marine rescues

One of the RCMSAR crews going out to assist another crew on one of Saturday.

Paul DeGrace, photo

MAGGIE RAYNER SPECIAL TO THE UNDERCURRENT

On Saturday, May 24, September Morn Beach and Mannion Bay hosted scenes of simulated marine rescues by the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR). In the first scene, two women, both in shock and hypothermic, one suffering from a slashed arm and leg and the other from a concussion, were pulled off the rocks at September Morn beach after their sailboat capsized. They had made it to shore in a life raft. Both were transported by an RCMSAR crew to an ambulance at Horseshoe Bay. An RCMSAR crew was called later in the day to provide emergency medical assistance to a boater in Mannion Bay. Both rescue simulations were part of the ongoing training of RCMSAR crews from the Lower

Bowen Island Municipality PUBLIC NOTICE Licence of Occupation

Pursuant to Section 24 and Section 94 of the Community Charter, Bowen Island Municipality herby provides notice of intent to enter into a Licence of Occupation for a renewable five year term with the Knick Knack Nook re-Use it Store Society (KKN) over a 750.00 m2 portion of the land, described and outlined in bold on the sketch below.

Land: 1063 Mt. Gardner Road PID 008-232-407 Lot 2, Plan 21385, District Lot 491 Consideration: $1.00 per year for a 750 meters squared License of Occupation Area

Inquiries and comments regarding the above Licence of Occupation should be directed to Annie Dempster, Island Community Planner by June 9, 2014 at 604-947-4255, or email adempster@bimbc.ca .

Mainland and Vancouver Island at a SAREX training day out of Horseshoe Bay. “I really got into it,” said the bleeding victim from the September Morn beach simulation.

“When the RCM lifeboat and crew showed up I closed my eyes, wailed in pain, and didn’t let up until they got me to the dock. I wanted to make it as realistic for them as I could.”

The concussed victim from the same beach said, “I actually felt like my head hurt and pretended to lose consciousness to make it more challenging for them.”

RCMSAR supports the Canadian Coast Guard and is dispatched out of the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria. There are presently 46 RMC stations located along the Pacific West Coast with 10 of those stations in the Lower Mainland. RCMSAR relies on public donations to keep their lifeboats running and their crews equipped with the necessary tools needed to save lives.

WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM

Healthy shorelines, healthy oceans Islanders learn about critical role of beaches and bluffs

B.C. teachers dispute escalates BRENT RICHTER NORTH SHORE NEWS

BICS student Matt checks out smelt embryos while his class visits with biologist Ramona DeGraaf on Pebbly Beach.

Meribeth Deen, photo

MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR

In the mid-1970s while living in Richmond, Martin Clarke used to head to Spanish Banks four or five times a year with a net purchased from Army & Navy, wade into the water, and wait.

“I’d come home with, probably forty smelts, maybe eight inches long each,” says Clarke. “I’d grill them or crisp them up on a pan and eat the fish whole. This was a very popular thing to do for a lot of immigrants at the time, and when I’d go down to catch the smelt there would be lots of other people doing the same--mostly Chinese, Italians, or Portuguese.”

When he moved to Bowen, in 1976, catching smelt fell off his radar.

“Nobody did it here,” he says. “People were into catching salmon.”

Last Thursday, Clarke was reminded of his experience smelting, something he says he hasn’t thought about in a very long time, by a biologist named

Ramona De Graaf. De Graaf came to Bowen to talk about the critical importance of beaches and coastal bluffs to the ocean ecosystem.

The surf smelts that Clarke used to catch off Spanish Banks are just one of the fish species whose continued survival depends on healthy shorelines.

These fish come up very high on the shores of pebbly beaches to spawn.

“The female fish will come up at high tide and when she feels all the little stones rubbing and rolling around on her belly, she’ll lay her eggs on the surface of the beach,” says De Graaf.

Afterwards, the male fish come along and fertilize the eggs. As the tide goes out and comes back in, the tiny embryos will get washed farther up on shore (into the upper intertidal zone), and deeper into the sand and gravel. Throughout their lifespan, the smelt will be prey for sea birds, salmon, and a variety of marine mammals. continued, PAGE 9

FRIDAY MAY 30 2014 • 3

Graduation ceremonies, extracurricular activities, exam marking and final report cards may all be in jeopardy under a teachers lockout threatened by the province, local unions are cautioning.

The B.C. Public School Employers' Association announced Wednesday evening that, starting Monday, teachers would be barred from doing work more than 45 minutes before the start of class or 45 minutes after the end of the school day, during lunch hours and recesses.

Beyond that, the province will be locking out all secondary school teachers on June 25 and 26, and all teachers on June 27. The lockouts come with commensurate reductions in pay.

But limiting teachers' working hours or barring them from school grounds will make it impossible to have teacher-run events, or do work that requires overtime, said Daniel Storms, president of the North Vancouver Teachers' Association.

"Teachers are working their butts off all day long, before school, at school and at night taking their work home with them. For extracurricular, that's all off the clock. I don't know how you do it when you're not allowed to do things off the clock," he said. "I don't think the interests of students are being served by this whatsoever. ..

I don't know what they're going to be telling parents of Grade 12 students who are going to be graduating and they don't get a report card they may need for university entrance."

The lockouts come in response to teachers announcing earlier this week they would be staging oneday rotating strikes, which will affect North Vancouver and West Vancouver schools on Thursday, May 29.

West Vancouver Teachers' Association president Robert Millard

said this has been the most disproportionate government response he's seen in 26 years of teaching.

"The reality is we've only been on that job action for 20 days and the government just seems to be determined to escalate this. Twenty days of a very low-profile job action and they've come out swinging with a sledge hammer," he said.

I don’t know what they’re going to be telling parents of Grade 12 students who are going to be graduating and they don’t get a report card they may need for university entrance.

While both sides in the dispute maintain they hope a negotiated settlement can be reached, avoiding the need for a strike or lockout, they appear to be miles apart in the bargaining room.

The government's chief negotiator Peter Cameron held a press conference late Thursday to say the teachers had failed to come up with any reasonable offers. Though they disagree greatly on the numbers, the province says teachers are asking for $630 million in extra wages and benefits plus limits on class size and composition that would amount to $2 billion in extra costs per year.

B o w e n I s l a n d M u n I c I pa l I t y

Places of Worship Welcome You BOWEN ISLAND UNITED CHURCH Rev. Shelagh MacKinnon

Service and Sunday School: 10:30 a.m.

Collins Hall Bookings: Helen Wallwork Minister of Music: Lynn Williams

Church Ads

FOOD BANK DROP-OFF

BOWEN ISLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH Pastor Clinton Neal 1070 Miller Road 604-947-0384 Service 10:30 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m.

ST. GERARD’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Mass: 10:30 a.m. Priest: Father James Comey

604-988-6304

CATES HILL CHAPEL www.cateshillchapel.com 604-947-4260

(661 Carter Rd.)

ManageMent Strategy for Mannion Bay

CoMMittee of the Whole Meeting Monday, June 9, 2014 at 6:30 pm Municipal hall, 981 artisan lane Bowen island, BC

Bowen Island Mannion Bay

To ensure environmental vibrancy and socio-economic stability, Bowen Island Municipal Council has scheduled a Committee of the Whole meeting to discuss options for long-term strategies in Mannion Bay. You are invited to attend this Committee of the Whole meeting in Council Chambers at Municipal Hall. Background information, including the latest staff report regarding Mannion Bay, is available on the municipal website under “Current Topics” at www.bimbc.ca

10:00 a.m. Worship • Sunday School: Tots to Teens Pastor: Dr. James B. Krohn

for More InforMatIon call 604-947-4255

4 • FRIDAY MAY 30 2014

WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM Published & Printed by Black Press Ltd. at #102, 495 Government Road, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1GO

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The Islands Trust

Thank you

Dear Editor,

The Bowen Island Conservancy has recently circulated an interesting article about the Islands Trust. It brought back memories for me of when and why the Trust was created.

In the late 1960s when the Regional Districts were created, Bowen fell under the jurisdiction of the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD).

In the early 1970s, the GVRD was proposing a new zoning bylaw with a minimum lot size of 6000 sq. ft. This was being vigorously opposed by a group of Bowen residents, headed by the late Georg Helenius, who knew that it would attract more dense population, particularly on the 1,200 acres of the old Union Steamship lands.

Many of the Gulf Islands were experiencing the same pressures as Bowen at this time. The provincial government became concerned and placed a 10 acre freeze on all of the islands, including Bowen.

A select standing committee of all parties of the BC Legislature were tasked to come up with a solution to protect the islands. Out of this, the Islands Trust

Act was created, then supported, by members of the Legislature. Some gave impassioned speeches in support. It was a great day for many of us on Bowen who were also passionate about saving our beautiful islands.

However, in the early 80’s, Bill Vander Zalm , Minister of Municipal Affairs, put forward legislation which could have eliminated the Islands Trust.

Many of us rallied on the lawn of the Parliament Buildings in protest, covering the grounds with people and tents from all the Gulf Islands. The Chair of the Trust, John Rich, was brought in by helicopter to speak.

Vander Zalm got the message and his legislation was withdrawn.

Dear Editor, Bowen Children’s Centre would like to extend a big THANK YOU to the following people for making our 13th Annual Clothing Sale a success: • • • • •

Yours truly

•

Marion Moore

Steve from “the Office” for carting off the remaining clothes the Clothing Sale volunteer team especially Nadine Mitchell, for making it all happen Cates Hill Chapel and the fabulous Louise who makes the renting of the chapel so seamless Inga and Kevin for keeping us fed Susan from Fabulous Finds for supporting the clothing sale year-round all Bowen Islanders who came out and supported this fun and worthwhile event.

Thank you, Ann Silberman and the board of the Bowen Children’s Centre

The Write Stuff.

The Undercurrent encourages reader participation in your community newspaper. You must include your full name and a daytime phone number (for verification only). The editor reserves the right to edit for clarity, legality, brevity and taste.

Here’s how.

To submit a letter to the editor, fax 604-947-0148 or mail it to #102, 495 Government Rd., PO Box 130, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G0 or email editor@ bowenislandundercurrent.com.

B.C. Press Council.

The Undercurrent is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2R2. For information, phone 1-888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org.

All Advertising and news copy content are copyright of the Undercurrent Newspaper. All editorial content submitted to the Undercurrent becomes the property of the publication.

The undercurrent is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, art work and photographs. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

#102–495 Bowen Trunk Road, PO Box 130, Bowen Island BC, V0N 1G0 Phone: 604.947.2442 Fax: 604.947.0148 Deadline for all advertising and editorial: Monday, 4:00p.m. www.bowenislandundercurrent.com

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FRIDAY MAY 30 2014 • 5

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Not rude just Prosopagnostic Dear Editor, Within our wonderful community of about 3,500, some 2.5 percent of us (85 people) are living with undiagnosed Prosopagnosia.

This neurological condition is a form of autism that blocks one’s ability to remember people’s faces and it is commonly known as “Face Blindness.” Many people will say that they are bad at remembering people and names, however, Prosopagnosia can be much more severe, to the extent that some sufferers cannot even recognize the faces of their own family. Prosopagnostics learn other ways to recognize people such as hair style and colour, clothing, body shape, gait, and voice; however, such are not as reliable as facial memory. “Facial memory” appears to form a crucial link within the memory to recall other information about people.

In a community such as ours, when one does not recognize and acknowledge one’s neighbour, one’s friends’ spouses and children, or even the hairdresser, doctor, dentist and grocer when walking in the village, one is judged as being either rude or arrogant - or both.

Of the well-known Posopognosiacs, Oliver Sacks’s, “Man who mistook his wife for a hat” is probably the most famous. The following example is from Sacks’s book: Tom Uglow, a graphic designer in London, didn’t have a problem perceiving that it was a girl watching him across the bar. Her blond hair had a nice sheen.

She seemed pretty. Uglow, walked her way and was about to introduce himself when she cut him off.

“Hi, Tom,” she said, no longer smiling. “Why were you making eyes at me?”

“Damn,” he thought. “This isn’t going as planned.”

Her voice sounded familiar. He searched her face but couldn’t place her. This happened more than he liked to admit.

“How’ve you been?” he asked, casually trying to fish for a clue as to who she was.

“Better now that we’re broken up.”

Ah! It was his ex-girlfriend. Once he’d had a moment to process her voice, he was able to place her. They had dated for a year. Definitely not a good person to be hitting on. It was a problem: Every time he saw a face, it felt like it was for the first time.

Throughout my life I have had many such experiences and am no doubt a Prosopagnostic. I realize that I tend to be reclusive and avoid situations where many people may know me as I will surely not know them. I would like to offer my sincere apologies to all those people that I have ignored and not acknowledged on the street, although we should know each other well. On discovering Prosopagnosia I have felt somewhat exonerated from this crime. It seems to explain so much about who I am.

If you seem to suffer from the same problems, I suggest that you Google Prosopagnosia and you will a great deal of helpful information. Alternately, feel free to contact me.

Should you run into me, please intercept me and tell me who you are, even if we spent time together as recently as yesterday or last week. I will really appreciate your understanding. Further, your understanding of Prosopagnosia will make life so much easier for the other eighty-five Prosopagnostics on Bowen.

Best regards, Dai Roberts

Interrupt this Slow Lane MARCUS HONDRO THE SLOW LANE

This week I’d planned on earning my humble keep by writing on two subjects: 1) my role as shift supervisor for the Friday and Saturday night 7-10 shifts at the new Small Mart store/cafe and 2) being a part of the search and rescue team that found Billie Lieske and her young son, Skipper on Mount Collins after they’d been lost eight days.

Over two dozen took part in that search, putting up posters, calling out, bushwhacking in difficult terrain. Dexter Harrison, Rob Forbes, Keelan, Laura, Mercia, Sawyer, Vickie, Walt, all performed like unselfish titans. It takes a village to raise a child, quibble endlessly about land use, and find missing dogs.

At any rate, despite plans to write on those topics, after my family had ferry mishaps due to the sailing cuts, and after hearing other tales of woe, I felt the need to address the cuts in this space. Naturally, the Slow Lane will travel the high road and not abandon decorum.

To begin: the schedule sucks.

It’s a bleeping mess, all over the freaking map. Is it not true that regularity is a key to human endeavours? We have regular work, regular visiting hours, regular bowel movements, regular times to tickle the cat on the couch; regularity translates to success. But this new ferry schedule is as predictable as the path of a supercell tornado.

Now of course some will say “just memorize it and move forward.” Yeah, sure, only it’s so confusing that mistakes will forever be made. And just how do we answer off-island family and friends who ask about the ferry schedule now?

Before: “It’s pretty much every hour, with a small break in the early afternoon.”

Now: “Good luck.”

Here are two quotes on solutions: “Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers who can cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” That is from Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State. And from no less a source than Albert Einstein: “When the solution is simple, God is answering.”

Safety Tips for the summer months on Bowen

But in this case debate and doubt continue and God surely is not involved, in particular with Sunday’s mishmash of a timetable: the usual no ferry at 5:30 a.m. and then one at 6:30 a.m. and then no ferry at 7:30 but one at 8:30. That’s followed by no ferry at 9:30 a.m. and in the evening there isn’t one at 9 p.m. From Horseshoe Bay it’s the inverse of that, only don’t quote me on any of this.

Is there a simple solution? There is, and I offer it despite knowing BC Ferries is as prone to listening as a two year-old: to lose four sailings take out the Monday-Thursday 12:00 and 12:30 (pls. adjust for summer schedule times). I’m not the originator; I heard it from Rondy Dike, a simple solutions man who, along with his wife Dorothy, built up the USSC Marina almost from scratch.

It leaves a longer gap between the last morning sailing and first in the afternoon, but only of an extra hour. For those leaving island late in the a.m., they’ll simply have to leave an hour earlier; anyone coming back after leaving early must either make the 11:00 or find something productive to do and then get the 2:30.

Now we could adjust sailings a bit, turn the 11:00 a.m. into an 11:15 and the 11:30 into an 11:45, but while that would mitigate the loss of the last morning sail it may also prove confusing. Regardless, taking out that last morning sailing for four straight days is easily digestible and simple to adapt to.

Sure we don’t really want any change but again we’re dealing with that two year-old incapable of registering the needs of others. It’s a company that paid CEO Michael Corrigan $563,000 in 2012 and two of his 12 vice-presidents, Robert Clarke and Glen Schwartz, $492,207 and $491,643 respectively (factoring in bonuses, Corrigan got $915,000).

I recognize that what we say on Bowen gets ignored by the ferry corp., and even if heard they pay lip service to it, nothing more. But just so they know here’s this: their hodgepodge of a schedule isn’t appreciated, not by me, my family, nor, I believe, by most islanders.

And this, too: I don’t think BC Ferries is earning its not-so-humble keep.

Mission accomplished

BOWEN ISLAND RCMP SUBMISSION

As our summer months grow closer, the Bowen Island RCMP would like to remind children, youth and their parents to be mindful of their personal safety. The Bowen Island RCMP received a report recently that a child was approached by an unknown teenager. While the police have not been able to substantiate the incident, the investigation is ongoing.

Bowen Island is known to be a very safe community, but everyone still needs to remain vigilant as visitors and tourists arrive from the Lower Mainland and other parts of Canada.

Parents, this may be a good time to reinforce basic safety principles with your children in order to educate and prepare them for various scenarios when out in public or alone in the home. These safety tips can also be handy for you if you travel to other places as they’re transferable wherever you go.

For children: • Travel and play in groups, regardless of your age. The popular “buddy system” works best.

• Know your home address and home phone number and how to contact your parents on their cell phones or at work.

• Know how and when to call 9-1-1 in an emergency situation: at home, from a cell, and from a public telephone.

• Be polite, but avoid long conversation with strangers. If someone you don’t know asks you a lot of personal questions, like where you live, DO NOT ANSWER, just run away.

• Don’t be afraid to say NO to adults that are not known to you and ask you to do something for them, like find a lost pet, join them in an activity, or give them directions.

• Establish a secret word or phrase for your family. This should be used in emergencies to identify a “safe person” other than their parent or child caregiver.

• Do not wear headphones or use portable electronic devices that can distract you from your surroundings when you are walking in a neighbourhood unfamiliar to you.

For parents: • Play “what if ” games with younger children to reinforce these safety messages.

• Make sure that your address is prominently displayed on your driveway • Familiarize your children with their surroundings and have a pre-planned meeting place.

Please report any suspicious activities or persons to the police. More information on personal safety can be found on our website at www.bc.rcmp.ca in a section at the bottom called “Protecting Yourself ”.

Angus Duguid crosses the finish line. Willem Young and Luke McKenzie join him.

Jennifer Henrichsen, photo

MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR

Congratulations to IPS students Angus Duguid, Willem Young, and Luke McKenzie for raising almost $39,000 to pay for the high school tuitions of kids in Ghana.

Luke completed his bike ride from Deep Cove to Whytecliff Park in 1 hour and 25 minutes. Willem completed his swim from Whytecliff Park to Sandy Beach in 52 minutes. Angus completed his run from Sandy Beach to the top of Mount Gardner and back to IPS in 2 hours.

6 • FRIDAY MAY 30 2014

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Art auction at Endswell Farm The painting Kiwi Feather will be offered as a door-prize for the Art at Endswell event.

McIntosh says of the feathers: Whenever I reach a painter’s block, out come the feathers and I set to work. Some, like this one, come out better than others but “whatever” the block is broken!!

Dayna Purdy, photo

BOWEN ISLAND CHILDREN’S CENTRE SUBMISSION

Please join us at the second Art at Endswell auction and sale held at spectacular 150-acre Endswell Farm, home of the artist Nicolette (Cross) McIntosh, on Sunday, June 8, 1 – 3 p.m.

The artist’s watercolours include both still lifes and landscapes from as far away as New Zealand, and as close as the view from her window at the farm. Artist Sarah Haxby, talking about McIntosh’s previous exhibit at Endswell Farm, said, “Nicolette’s collection of exquisite watercolours perfectly executed in a thoughtful pallette

favouring greys, whites, and subtle earth tones is unforgettable.”

There will be an online auction prior to this event on the Bowen Children’s Centre Facebook page where bids will be accepted up to midnight, June 7.

The auction will continue at the event on Sunday with David Cameron as auctioneer. This event is sponsored by the Bowen Island Community Foundation, Bowen Children’s Centre, Dee Elliott, MacDonald Realty and the Bowen Island Arts Council.

Where: Endswell Farm is at 1521 Mount Gardner Road. Take Mount Gardner Road and follow the signs. Due to limited parking, transport from Mt Gardner Road to the house will be provided.

There will be snacks and drinks available to enjoy while you peruse the beautiful artwork.

Check out new artists and new works at Arts Pacific Gallery ARTS PACIFIC GALLERY SUBMISSION

It’s time for a visit to Arts Pacific Gallery!

Whether you’ve been up to see us in Artisan Square before, or this is your first time, there are lots of wonderful new pieces of art to experience.

Arts Pacific Cooperative Gallery has been in existence since June of 1998–almost 16 years! At that time 15 local Bowen artists put their heads together and decided to form a cooperative to exhibit their work. Each artist sits at the gallery as part of their commitment to the Co-op and takes pride in greeting those who come in and enthusiastically sharing information about the participating artists.

Recently, we have embraced five new artists into the fold. Carlos Vela-Martinez (one of the owners of Cocoa West) has put his whimsical sculptures on display to the delight of all who see them. Carlos has many talents (some of us heard him sing at Broadway on Bowen) and his art work is both distinctive and compelling.

Robert Wall, who until recently had his own gallery, has joined the co-op and exhibits his high quality giclée prints and canvases. Rob had taken a very long break from painting, but has always been working creatively, whether with music, computer graphics or digital photography. Lucky for us, he took up painting again seven years ago.

Emilie Kaplun is new to the island and creates exquisite jewellery, specializing in wedding tiaras. With the wedding season quickly approaching, stop in to find that perfect piece of jewellery for the big event! Emilie also creates beautiful, handmade glass beads and executes her work with bold colours and imaginative designs. Her beads yield collector’s items that blend playfulness with originality.

Pauulet Hohn has an amazing way of making mosaics composed of found and recycled materials. She also displays incredible bronze castings. We are fortunate to have Pauulet’s talent as a photographer to capture images of the artist’s work in the gallery.

George Taylor uses wood and metal to build wonderful sculptures including bird houses, stools, and large dragonflies for your garden!

George has sold his work for many years on Bowen at venues such as our community school Christmas craft fair and our summer market.

We have the work of many other local artists on display! Pierre Beaudry, Jani Carroll, Jane Dunfield, Catherine Epps, Gayle Ferguson, Angie Bosworth, David Graff, Titania Michniewicz, Jeanne Sarich, Russell Hackney, Pat Durrant, and Kay Hoffman.

Don’t miss the opportunity to come in and have a look. You may leave with that perfect something for your own home or a unique and wonderful gift for someone else.

See: www.artspacificgallery.com and www.facebook.com/ArtsPacific

Works by Emilie Kaplun (top) and Carlos Vela-Martinez.

Pauulet Hohn, photos

Articulating the Bowen Island Brand ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE SUBMISSION

In the Economic Development Action Plan for 2014-2015, the committee recommended a goal to “create a welcoming community that knows who it is and what it offers.” The first step in achieving this goal is to articulate the Bowen Island brand. A brand is the narrative that portrays the heart and soul of a place or product and emotionally connects with stakeholders – for Bowen, this means current and future residents, businesses, and visitors. A place brand reflects what a place currently is and inspires what it can be in the future.

A potential business, resident, or visitor can go anywhere they want today. Articulating the differentiating and unique characteristics of Bowen Island is important to attracting investment, people, and capital to our community for the creation and nurturing of a socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable community.

A well-articulated brand strengthens a community’s sense of place, because it creates alignment between the language and messages created for and by business, community, and visitors.

A well-articulated brand should assist Bowen Islanders to better understand what industries and types of investment we’re trying to attract, and what kinds of people and markets we should be looking for, whether for new residents, tourism, artisanal and cottage industry, or light industrial business.

To date members of the EDC have participated in several educational webinars on branding, an introductory facilitated branding exercise to develop initial thoughts on the Bowen brand, and the formation of a steering committee to guide the process for developing a Bowen Island brand strategy.

The steering committee is currently developing a work plan for the process, which will include: • Determining the cost and timeline of a professionally facilitated branding process for a community of our size • Developing a template for Expressions of Interest and Requests for Proposals from branding consultants • Identifying information resources within the community such as guest comments from local accommodations and the information centre, existing research, a visitor survey and a community survey to help articulate our brand. continued, PAGE 10

Open HOuse Bowen Island Fire & Rescue

Open House BIFD Volunteers would like to invite you to the Annual Open House!

This year it will take place at the

New Satellite Fire Hall @ 1421 Adams Road

Saturday, 14thfrom from Saturday, June July 27th

FIRE • Fire Safety House DEPARTMENT 11:00 to 3:00 3:00 p.m. p.m.

11:00 a.m. a.m. to • Fire Extinguisher Use & Servicing

• Fire Safety & Emergency Preparedness Info • Hot dogs, cookies & refreshments

Join us!

Meet your Volunteers Meet your Volunteers andand check check outnew the Hall & Fire Trucks. out the Fire Truck

Open HOuse

8 • FRIDAY MAY 30 2014

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Through the kitchen window MERIBETH DEEN

If you could only have one cook book…

EDITOR

There are so many people on Bowen who not only love to eat, but love to cook. While some our foodie friends kindly offer us the opportunity to taste their food by opening up restaurants, there are so many others whose food-lives are unknown to us. This column is an attempt to pry open the kitchen windows of our local friends and neighbours who have a passion for cooking. Some of them are trained chefs, some of them make a living from cooking, and others are self-taught, excellent, passionate home-cooks.

If you know of a foodie who needs featuring, please contact: editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com

Through Erin Naismith kitchen window: What’s your favourite kitchen utensil? (of all time, or maybe of the moment)

The kitchen utensil I seem to use most is an old cast iron skillet that belonged to Crow before we met.

I use it everyday.

Erin Naismith and her cast iron frying skillet.

Meribeth Deen, photo

What’s your comfort food?

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When did you realize you loved to cook?

My relationship to cooking didn’t start out as a loving one. I really started cooking after my son, Ryder, died. His life required so much of my care and when he died, I still needed to do something with all that care. So I started to cook. Partially to keep busy, partially to keep sane and partially because I didn’t know what else to do. My cooking helped me put my energy somewhere and subsequently helped my with various therapeutic relationships. The caregivers I was seeing at the time let me pay them with meals.

I have just kept going with the cooking. It is still therapeutic for me and I still love sharing my meals with people. continued, PAGE 12

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My Auntie Irene was my biggest culinary influence...she’s the banana bread Auntie. We used to cook together every weekend and chat. Her cooking was fresh, uncomplicated, and full of love. She would prepare lunches and dinners and set the food out in nice plates and serving dishes and we would all sit together and eat. That loving care has influenced my relationship with cooking and sharing food.

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Who’s your biggest culinary influence, and what did they teach you?

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My comfort food is banana bread. My favourite Auntie used to bring me some when I needed some extra care.

She lived in Ontario and would joke that her caring gestures across the miles was her equivalent to bringing over a banana bread.

it would depend of the season and my ever changing moods....at the moment it would be “Fresh From the Vegan Slow Cooker” by Robin Robertson.

I just discovered it from the library and am excited about the recipes. Slow cooker vegan is tricky, but I feel inspired by the variety and creativity of the recipes I this book.

For Rent @ Artisan Square Furnished room, for quiet single N/S worker.

Share laundry, kitchen, bath. Bus in front, 10 min walk to ferry.

Available June 1. $550 incl. WiFi. Phone 604-947-2522. jeannesarich@shaw.ca

Fire extinguisher testing & service Sunday June 1st 10-3pm at Union Steamship Marina.

NOW OPEN ON THE BOWEN ISLAND MARINA! taco bowls / tuna bowls veggie bowls / grilled rice balls

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FRIDAY MAY 30 2014 • 9

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Ramona DeGraaf: Shorelines are critical habitat A puffin with a smelt in its beak.

The decline in survival of sea bird chicks has been tied directly to the availability of forage fish.

Karl Schaefer, photo

from PAGE 3 Like the surf smelt, the Pacific sand lance (otherwise known as needlefish) spawn in the sand and gravel of the upper intertidal zone.

The surf smelt, the needlefish, herring, northern anchovy, and capelin are all considered forage fish, and are the cornerstone of the ocean food web in this part of the world.

“To understand this, you just have to cut open the stomach of a salmon,” says De Graaf. “In a Chinook, you’ll find a mix of herring (50 percent), sand lance (22 percent) and other foods.

Clearly, the forage fish are critical to the Chinook’s survival.”

De Graaf says that healthy shorelines are also critical to the survival of young salmon. As newcomers to the ocean, they hug the shoreline and continue to feed on terrestrial insects that fall from overhanging trees and brush as they did when they were living in streams.

“As they mature, they start to eat more zooplankton, and start to look for their food in the eelgrass beds, but that doesn’t happen right away,” says De Graaf.

Chinook salmon are the preferred food for killer whales, and a passion for whales is what brought De Graaf to her cur-

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rent mission.

“Growing up in Duncan, I always felt like I had a connection to the ocean, and with that came whales,” she says.

Her career as a marine biologist took her to Massachusetts, where she studied humpbacks.

“We did a lot of studies on their behaviour, and this meant we spent a lot of time looking at what they were eating and how,” says De Graaf. “My boss said they were eating capelin, herring, and sand lance. I’d never heard of sand lance before, but then I realized these fish were everywhere. When I came back to Canada, back to the West Coast, I started looking them up but I could hardly find any information.”

De Graaf kept asking, and eventually encountered a scientist from Washington State named Dan Penttila, who she calls, “the King of Smelt.”

“He asked me what I knew about surf smelts and the Pacific sand lance, and then he showed me the historic spawning beaches in British Columbia. We travelled by boat up the coast from Blaine past White Rock to South Surrey and I said, What beaches? They’re all gone. That, it turns out, is why he brought me there.”

Not only had the beaches and spawning grounds along that coast been destroyed, but De Graaf discovered that there was no Canadian data on the spawning of these species.

“I was dumbfounded, and in anguish,” says De Graaf.

From there, De Graaf started working to fill in the major gaps in data about forage fish spawning and also started talking to people about the protection of shoreline habitats. As she did, she encountered many people who wanted to help, so she fostered a citizen science program to harness that energy.

The BC Shore Spawners Alliance, as she calls it, gives people the skills and the tools to take samples of shoreline sediment in order to figure out where sand lance and surf smelt are spawning. So far, De Graaf has taught people in more than thirty communities to do this. On the Friday morning following her talk on Bowen, she gave a demonstration of the process at Pebbly Beach on Mannion Bay. If people are interested in starting this program on Bowen, De Graaf says she will come back and offer a full day workshop on the process of sampling for fish embryos.

De Graaf has also started working with the Islands Trust Fund on to identify shorelines that have suitable components

Land Act: Notice of Intention to Apply for a Disposition of Crown Land Take notice that Murray and Jane Hardisty on Bowen Island, BC, have applied to the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (MFLNRO), Lower Mainland/Surrey, for a Specific Permission for a Residential Private Moorage situated on Provincial Crown land fronting Lot 16, Block A, DL 1545, Bowen Island, PID: 008-498-351 (1801 Arbutus Point Drive, Bowen Island, BC).

The Lands File for this application is file #2410980. The Lands File for this application is file #2410953. Written comments concerning this application should be directed to the Senior Land Officer, Lower Mainland / Surrey, MFLNRO, at Suite 200, 10428 153rd Street, Surrey, BC, V3R1E1. Comments will be received by MFLNRO up to July 4, 2014. MFLNRO may not be able to consider comments after this date. Please visit the website at http://afrd.gov.bc.ca/ApplicationPosting/index.jsp for more information.

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for forage fish spawning. She’ll be coming to Bowen some time this summer to conduct this study, which will be facilitated by the municipality.

Bowen Island’s chief bylaw officer, Bonnie Brokenshire, attended both De Graaf ’s talk and her shoreline demonstration. Brokenshire says that with the information gathered through the forage fish mapping, the municipality can make better decisions about shoreline development.

“Once you’ve got things on the map, we start working on our bylaws to put that information to use,” says Brokenshire.

For De Graaf, getting information about spawning habitat in British Columbia is a critical step toward protecting forage fish and ensuring a future for whales in our waters. Making sure that people understand the importance of maintaining healthy shorelines and understanding that they can make positive improvements towards that end is the other critical step.

“We all want nice beaches to walk on, we all want to see whales, and we all want salmon on the barbeque,” says De Graaf. “So I try to engage people through the head, the heart, and the mind. Once engaged, I know that people will do the work that needs to be done. We can, help smelt.”

A few simple tips for healthy shorelines: •

• • • •

Hardened shorelines (e.g., sea walls, rip-rap) degrade habitat and increase erosion. Expert help is available to take measures to “soften” shorelines with native shrubs and brushes, grasses, and beach logs.

Resist the urge to “tidy up” organic debris (such as beach logs) as these materials provide a natural sea wall Landscape with low-maintenance native plants.

Use a mulching mower Redirect rainwater into porous surfaces away from the shore Repair and maintain your septic system

NOTICE OF ANNUAL

GENERAL MEETING

You are Cordially Invited to Attend

B.I. Community

The Board of Directors of the Bowen Island Community School Association hereby give notice that the Annual General Meeting of the Association will be held at Bowen Island Community School Library on the 12th day of June, at the hour of 7:00 pm for the following purposes: • To receive the financial statements of the Association • To receive reports of Board Members • To elect Board Members of the Association to fill required vacancies on the board

Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be considered part of the public record. For information, contact the Freedom of Information Advisor at Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations Office in Lower Mainland / Surrey.

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10 • FRIDAY MAY 30 2014

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On the Calendar FRIDAY MAY 30

THURSDAY JUNE 5

Dinner at the Legion 5pm open, 6:30pm dinner

Youth Centre drop-in 6pm - 9pm

SATURDAY MAY 31

UPCOMING

Youth Centre drop-in 6pm - 9pm

Duplicate Bridge at the hall at Bowen Court.

For more info call Irene Wanless 947-2955

Bowen Nature Club Ascent to the Summit of Mount Collins 10am - 4pm, meet at the end of Smuggler’s Cove Road Contact: Will Husby 604-947-0483

FRIDAY JUNE 6

Bowen Island Community Transit Fare-Free Day

Dreamsinger concert and launch 7:30pm at the Gallery at Artisan Square Tickets available at Phoenix

SATURDAY JUNE 7

Tir-na-nOg Theatre School presents: Before, Between & Beckoning as part of the school’s 26th Annual Youth Festival of Plays 7pm, tickets available at Pheonix

SUNDAY JUNE 8

Youth Centre drop-in 6pm - 9pm

Island Pacific School Masterworks Presentations grade nines present on an independent study topic that has been self-selected, self-directed, and researched throughout the year. It’s like IPS’s own version of a TED talk.

9am - 11am

IPS “Happy Hackers” Golf Tournament 11:30-4:00pm, Bowen Island Golf Club

SUNDAY JUNE 1

Coho Bon Voyage The Bowen Island Fish and Wildlife Club invites you to bid farewell to the coho salmon fry incubated in the Bowen hatchery, and help with their release into Terminal Creek.

11am - 3pm, the hatchery in Crippen Park Tir-na-nOg Theatre School presents: Before, Between & Beckoning as part of the school’s 26th Annual Youth Festival of Plays 6pm, tickets available at Pheonix

IRLY Spring Swing Golf Tournament and Junior Golf Giveaway draw

JUNE 10TH & 11TH

JUNE 14TH • • • • •

Bowen Nature Dive Aaron’s Run Tourism Bowen Island Pancake Breakfast Bowen Island Yacht club Round Bowen Race Taste of Bowen, presented by the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce

JUNE 15

MONDAY JUNE 2

S.K.Y. (Seniors Keeping Young) 9am to 10:40: Seniors Yoga, Exercises, followed by singing w. Rob Wall 11:00 to Noon: BICS Students visit and exchange stories Refreshments served - Everyone welcome, Bowen Court

•

Round Bowen Challenge, kayak race

Caring Circle walking group 10a.m. contact the Caring Circle at 604 - 947-9100 or info@caringcircle.ca Swing Dancing 7pm - 8:30, LAST SESSION! www.bowencommunityrecreation.com

TUESDAY JUNE 3

AA Meeting Collins Hall 7:15p.m.

Bon voyage, little fish BOWEN ISLAND FISH AND WILDLIFE SUBMISSION

The first Sunday in June is always a special time for BIFWC volunteers who have worked so hard incubating, feeding and releasing pink, chum, and coho salmon fry from the Terminal Creek Salmon Hatchery in Crippen Park. Pink and chum fry were released into the Lagoon in February and April, respectively, and most coho fry have just recently been released. The BIFWC has saved enough coho fry so that children and their parents, grandparents, and great grandparents throughout the Bowen community have the opportunity to help volunteers release fish from the hatchery into nearby Terminal

Creek. This is by far our favourite event of the year before we close the hatchery for the summer.

COHO BON VOYAGE will take place Sunday, June 1, between 11a.m. and 3p.m. at the Terminal Creek Salmon Hatchery in Crippen Park.

Please join us to see the smiles on the children’s faces as they carry and release fish into Terminal Creek. Everybody is welcome so invite all your neighbours and friends and their children.

Volunteers will be on hand to answer questions about BIFWC activities, salmon, and Bowen Island’s fishbearing waterways.

The Bowen Island Brand from PAGE 7 While this is not an inexpensive process, when done well, it will serve to inspire and inform the work of economic development on Bowen Island for years to come.

The Economic Development steering committee members for the branding process are Gordon Ganong, Jacqueline Massey, Sheree Johnson, Michael

Kaille, David Bellringer, David Shadbolt, Alison Morse, Owen Plowman, Tim Rhodes, and Jan Stevens.

For more information, please contact Gordon Ganong at gordonganong@gmail.com

Junior golf giveaway BOWEN ISLAND GOLF CLUB SUBMISSION

The Bowen Island Golf Club in partnership with the Bowen Building Centre is pleased to announce the give-away of 10 free youth golf memberships. This draw is open to any Bowen Islander under 18 years of age.

Registration for the draw can be picked up at either the golf course or the Bowen Building Centre. Forms must be filled out and returned to the Building Centre by June 6.

The draw will take place during the IRLY Spring Swing Golf Tournament on June 8.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

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12 • FRIDAY MAY 30 2014

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Bowen Island’s wild foods MELANIE SURTEES-MASON

SPECIAL TO THE UNDERCURRENT

This year to celebrate Mother’s Day I was given the gift of not only coffee in bed but an opportunity to calmly escape the morning family chaos and join Emily van Lidth de Jeude on the second part of her Wild Food Identification walks.

The two day course held over two weekends in April and May is intended to give us locals some starting tips on how to forage on this island for wild food and I certainly walked away not only feeling more knowledgeable about local wild foods but also a better understanding about our beautiful island as a whole.

Our first walk in April started with meeting under the beautiful cherry blossom at BICS where we all gathered around and sampled some of Emily’s tree needle tea and potent burdock tea (who needs coffee!). We then took only a dozen of steps before Emily started pointing out different edible leafy greens and flowers, Herb Robert, salmonberry blossoms, burdock, fiddleheads and learned quite quickly about the distinctive taste of oxalic acid (which is present in many wild greens.)

After our first walk Emily encouraged us to get out foraging on our own. My two girls and I took in the offerings of spring and went out scavenging! Firm favourites in our house are the sweet pink petals of the salmonberry along with liquorice fern and its amazing calming effects. Thanks to this course my five yearold is now not only able to identify a maple tree (the likely host of the liquorice fern) but also able with her dainty little fingers to feel for their green tender roots hidden under the covering moss for a quick snack as we wander to the cove.

So thank you to both my family for allowing me a few peaceful mornings in the forest but also to Emily for sharing her vast amount of knowledge about the nature of Bowen Island in such a hands-on and informative way.

Pippa helping lay out Grand Fir new needles for drying in preparation for making medicinal tea for next winter.

Melanie Surtees-Mason, photo

From left: maple blossoms, Oregon grape, stinging nettles Emily Van Lidthe de Jeude, photos

A visit to Erin Naismith’s kitchen

Bowen Island Vet

from PAGE 8 Tell me about a culinary challenge, and how you overcame it. (for example, when you had to adapt to a particular diet or allergy, or when you had to learn a totally new cooking style.)

The culinary challenges I face usually happen when I try a new recipe and it isn’t quite what I thought it would be! That has happened a few times with new recipes. Luckily , my husband is open to being my tester and I have learned to try new foods out on him first before I share them with someone else!

How has living on Bowen influenced your cooking?

Living on Bowen Island has helped me go deeper into the importance of food and community. I have been trying to come up with ways to feed this community and through my friendships, it has happened.

There are always people in need of a prepared meal here and there for various reasons. I like being part of these meal trains when I have the time. Also, I have struck up a barter relationship with my neighbour, which has been mutually beneficial. I am cooking a few lunches at the Family Place...the next one is June 9. I suppose being here has just furthered me along with the care related to food my auntie showed me all those years ago. ...there’s opportunity to share food here in a way that doesn’t happen in the city.

What are you cooking/eating lately?

Lately, I am interested in sprouting. I find my tastes change with the seasons, and with the com-

ing of spring, the body awakens a bit. Right now, it’s Sunflower sprouts in particular. I am loving fresh, raw foods and getting ready for the variety that late spring and summer has to offer. All those choices, colours, possibilities....

Give Erin Naismith’s Sunflower Sprout Salad a try!

1 cup sunflower sprouts, whole or chopped 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds A few green onions, thinly sliced Handful of fresh mint, chopped ( or basil or tarragon or a combination of favourite fresh herbs) 1 carrot, julienned or thinly sliced Green leaf or butter lettuce Dressing: Juice of one lime or to taste 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil Lots of salt and pepper.

One clove of garlic, crushed 1 tsp maple syrup or agave Mix salad ingredients in a bowl.

Mix dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until emulsified. Adjust ingredients to taste. Massage into the salad just before serving.

Parents, bring your kids for a taste of some of Erin Naismith’s cooking at Bowen Island Family Place on June 9. Green Earth Organics will be donating a bin of produce to help out!