FRIDAY JANUARY 9 2015 VOL. 42, NO. 1
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The neighbourhood reef
Gambier property owners continue fight against creation of an artificial reef
Bowen Bay, Jan 1
Book review
Polar Bear Dip 2015, in pictures
Storms and Stillness, by Bowen Islander Alejandro Frid
Wet snow caused chaos on Miller Road Sunday morning, with at least six cars skidding into the ditch. Lois Belluk, photo
Through-bus to downtown persists despite early challenges to service MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
Just before Christmas holidays, on a chartered trip with Island Pacific School, the odometer on Peter King’s bus hit the 625,000 mile mark. In kilometer’s, that’s more than a million, 1,005, 840 kilometres to be exact. It looks as though, with daily runs to transport commuters to and from Horseshoe Bay and downtown Vancouver, that number is likely to increase a great deal over the next four months while the Queen of Capilano is in the shop, and Bowen Islanders travel on the smaller, older, Bowen Queen. Commuter Peter Wrinch said that he took the through bus to downtown on Monday in part because he thought that there BOWEN ISLAND NEIGHBOURHOO R001948955 BI03 FRONT PAGE BANNER
would be an interesting community feel to it. “There weren’t too many of us on the bus on the way in, so I met a few new people and we did end up walking to work together after Peter dropped us off,” says Wrinch. “Overall though, I was impressed by how quickly the bus got us there. Especially on the way back – I timed the trip from downtown to Horseshoe Bay and it took 23 minutes.” It was on that Monday morning, 7:30 a.m run that driver Peter King encountered the first challenge to getting people downtown in a hurry. “One of the passengers noticed a tweet from TransLink, saying they were re-routing passengers to the Sea Bus Terminal because the Lion’s Gate Bridge was closed due to an accident,” says King. “So I got on the phone and started asking if my pas-
sengers could get complimentary tickets on the Sea Bus, but it just seemed like they didn’t know what to say. Around that time, I was coming up to the Lion’s Gate Bridge and saw that a lane was open, so I took it and managed to get everyone downtown.” On the way back, with traffic backed up all along Georgia St. and onto the Lion’s Gate Bridge, King called back to Bowen and asked for word to be put out that he might not make it back to Horseshoe Bay in time to pick up passengers off the 8:30 a.m. ferry. “It turns out, I made it not too late,” says King. “There weren’t too many people getting on the bus from that boat, and mostly they just took the 257.”
Introducing
The New Bowen Island BI PUBPUB …get the facts and follow the project at
www.bowenpub.tumblr.com
continued, PAGE 3
2 • FRIDAY JANUARY 9 2015
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Property owners continue fight against sinking of the HMCS Annapolis in Halkett Bay
The HMCS Annapolis, commissioned by the Canadian Navy in 1964, now sits in the waters of Long Bay, of Gambier Island. The Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia plans to sink the ship in Halkett Bay on January17. John Buchanan, photo
explains Howard Robbins with the Artificial Reef Society. “The charge burns rapidly through the metal. Observers will hear a bang and see a whoosh of air coming out of the ship. It will EDITOR take about three minutes until it’s under water.” The purpose of sending this ship to the bottom of the ocean is to create an artificial reef. After years of sitting in Long Bay, the 110 metre former warship, the HMCS Annapolis, has In theory, the vessel will attract planktonic life, which other marine life will feed upon and a sink date. The Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia issued a press release this week to eventually come to inhabit. However, while sinking a vessel to the sea-floor counts as marine announce that the ship will be towed to Halkett Bay on January 13, and sunk on January 17. enhancement to some, it is considered marine pollution by others. The Save Halkett Bay “We’ll use a linear shape charge designed to cut a large hole in the bottom of the ship,” Marine Park Society has fought plans to sink the Annapolis since the location for the proposed reef was decided in 2009, and their fight is not over yet. Since 1989, the Artificial Reef Society has sunk four warships, one coastal freighter, a Canadian built World War II merchant marine vessel and a Boeing 737 passenger jet. Robbins points to the first vessel sunk, the GB Church Coastal Freighter in Princess Margaret Marine Park (near Sidney), as an example of what the future may hold for the Annapolis. “It’s a mature artificial reef, and a spectacular dive adventure because of the successive generations of marine life that exist in there,” says Robbins. “Well over 150 species inhabit this reef, we even see predators there, Cabazon and Lingcod. Nature fills the void. Halkett Bay is a complex habitat and over time, the HMCS Annapolis will bring in marine life comparable to that of the GB Church.” The Society first purchased the HMCS Annapolis from the Canadian Government in 2008. When asked why it has taken so long for plans to sink it Bowen Island Municipality seeks a qualified permanent full-time Deputy to come to fruition, Robbins explained that polychorinated byphenals (PCBs) Corporate Officer. This is a 35 hour/week position that; in addition to regular were discovered in the ship’s insulation, and it took more than a year to have office hours, will require attendance at evening meetings. Reporting directly to the Chief Adthis material removed. ministrative Officer, the Deputy Corporate Officer (DCO) performs a variety of supervisory and Robbins dismisses the ongoing concerns of the Save Halkett Bay Society, a administrative duties. The DCO works within the defined limits of the Local Government Act, group of shoreline property owners on Gambier, as NIMBYism. “The Artificial Reef Society and Environment Canada need to respect their Community Charter and the You are invited to attend the Inaugural Council Meeting, to be held: concerns,” says Robbins. “We’ve done that. But their concerns are confusing to Municipality’s Policies and Procedures, and acts on behalf of the CAO in us because they say they have environmental concerns but on the other hand dispensing routine information, answering general inquiries and preparing, they support the sinking of this ship in another location.” st MERIBETH DEEN
Permanent Full-time Deputy Corporate Officer INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE
2014-18 BOWEN ISLAND MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
assembling and distributing Monday, Council agendas and minutes.1 December
, 2014
7:15 p.m. The applicant should have a strong Municipal administrative background, have excellent computer skills using Location: MS Word and Cates Excel, and have a sound knowledge of theRoad Local Government Act Hill Chapel, 661 Carter
and Community Charter, as well as working knowledge of the Municipality’s Policies and Procedures.
This is a permanent full-time position. We thank all applicants, but advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
The agenda for the Inaugural Meeting will be posted onyour thecovering Bowenletter Island website www.bimbc.ca Please submit and Municipal resume via e-mail, fax oratmail by Thursday, January 15 at 4:00 p.m. theto:week prior to the event. Christine Walker, Human Resources Manager Bowen Island Municipality We hope to see you there! 981 Artisan Lane Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2 FAX: 604-947-0193 EMAIL: hr@bimbc.ca WEBSITE: www.bimbc.ca
For information, call 604-947-4255
continued, PAGE 3
BOWEN ISLAND MUNICIPALITY Bowen Island Municipality R001948971 BI03
BOWEN ISLAND COMMUNITY GRANTS and GRANTS-IN-AID APPLICATION DEADLINE 2015 Deadline for Applications January 31, 2015
BIM
Applications for the 2015 Community Grant and Grant-in-Aid Program will be accepted until January 31, 2015. Application forms and information about Evaluation Criteria, Community Grants and Grant-in-Aid Policies can be found on our website at: http://bowenisland.civicwebcms.com/content/policies or in person at Municipal Hall. Contact Municipal Hall at 604-947-4255 for further information, or in person at: Bowen Island Municipality 981 Artisan Lane Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G0 Fax: 604-947-0193
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Book Review: Storms and Stillness by Alejandro Frid MAI YASUE SUBMISSION
The scientific evidence on climate change and the loss of global biodiversity is wonderfully accurate, precise and measured however, scientific publications are often devoid of stories of hope and optimism. Environmentalists have hoped that an onslaught of compelling evidence documenting the detailed destruction of the environment would lead to societal change. Perhaps what we really need to engage the public and tackle these challenges are stories of hope and optimism. Bowen Island author and scientist Alejandro Frid, in his recent book Storms and Stillness attempts to tell the story of global environmental catastrophe as he has studied and experienced it, and offer the “silver lining” required to go on in a better way. Storms and Stillness weaves together stories of his personal experiences conducting wildlife research and travelling into the remote wilderness to try to provide stories of hope for his daughter, Twylla Bella. He writes to find hope as a father who has brought a child into this world facing rapid environmental change and also to provide a keepsake of his past experiences for her. In the introduction he writes, “I cannot contain my impulse to write down these thoughts for you. You are only three years old, yet I want you to know that I have been part of a collective effort to hand down to your generation a world worth living in…. So I jettisoned my gigantic cynicism, at least most of it for most of the time, and focused on the positive and the doable.”
This interdisciplinary perspective is apparent throughout the book as Frid relates disparate themes such as slavery to fossil fuels, or even from a Dr. Seuss children’s stories to the rockfish predation ecology. What follows are a series of beautifully written stories detailing Frid’s experiences in the wilderness in Alaska, Chile, central British Columbia, as well as environmental protests and rallies in Vancouver. Frid writes about how conversations with people, experiences in nature, and scientific studies help him to navigate the “right” actions and brought him to the environmental beliefs that he holds today. In doing so, Frid also efficiently summarizes key research from fields that are as widespread as the most recent climate change research, behavioural ecology, overfishing, aboriginal communities, war, politics and health. This interdisciplinary perspective is apparent throughout the book as Frid relates disparate themes such as slavery to fossil fuels, or even from a Dr. Seuss children’s story to the rockfish predation ecology. Frid sees much of these environmental and social problems as part of the interconnected web. Communicating these complex and interdisciplinary topics in an accessible manner to drive social change, requires stories that readers not only engage the mind, but also with the heart. Frid writes both in the language of science as well as the heart. It is the direct experiences of exquisite, wild nature and conservations with people affected by environmental change that often drive the passion of many environmental scientists, and the stories of these experiences are filtered out in the often “dry” scientific reporting of environmental change. Throughout the book, several of the sections are about his experience working closely with and learning from aboriginal communities in Canada. In the chapter “Wild Food,” Frid recounts stories of how he was able to feel the social impacts of the loss of wild food for aboriginal northern communities due to climate change and overfishing. He writes about how these communities, just beginning to recover from the horrors of residential schools, are now being affected by warming waters that impact the catch of wild salmon and other species that are critical to the survival of their culture. continued, PAGE 7
2014-2015 Classical Concert Series Presents
DANIEL BOLSHOY
Tickets available in advance at the Gallery or at the door
BIAC
Sunday, January 11, 2015 Gallery @ Artisan Square
Adult: $45 Doors open: 3 p.m. BIAC Members: $35 Concerts begin: 3:30 p.m. Students: $20 Classical Concerts Series on Bowen Island are hosted by the
Bowen Island Arts Council (BIAC)
www.biac.ca
FRIDAY JANUARY 9 2015 • 3
Independent testing shows banned substances in ship’s paint from PAGE 2 When questioned about potential contaminants in the paint on the HMCS Annapolis (a concern brought up to The Undercurrent by John Buchanan, a member of the Squamish Streamkeepers) Robbins points to the Artificial Reef Society’s track record of approval by Environment Canada. “We have been permitted eight times in a row because what we produce is net gain underwater,” he says. “Five-hundred thousand mussels on the bottom hull of the Annapolis can’t all be wrong. This is not throwing garbage in the ocean, this is repurposing a vessel to bring marine habitat. The Society works within the framework of the law. If there are standards brought about by Federal Agencies, we meet them.” Martin Peters, the lawyer for the Halkett Bay Society says that according to reports made by divers who’ve had the opportunity to look at the hull of the ship up close, there is only one small strip in the middle of the hull where there is any marine life growing. “Years ago, there were tiles on that part of the ship I believe in order to make it harder for submarines to detect it,” says Peters. “But when the Annapolis was decommissioned, the tiles were removed and sent back to the US Navy. That’s the only place where there is no anti-fouling paint on the hull.” Peters says that the Save Halkett Bay Society hired Pacific Rim Laboratory, based in Surrey, to test the paint on the boat’s anti-fouling line in December. Results of the test show that dibutylin dichloride and tributyltin chloride (TBTs) are still active in the paint. Both of these substances were used in antifouling paint, to prevent the growth of marine life, prior to 2008 when they were banned in Canada. He says that while Robbins claims to be meeting Environment Canada’s standards, these standards date back to 2007 and do not take into account the regulations made afterwards.
“Unlike PCBs, there are zero parts per-million of tributyltin chloride and dibutylin dichloride that are acceptable going into the marine environment,” says Peters. “The ship was probably last painted 14 or 15 years ago, and no steps have been taken to address the new regulations. You’d have to get the ship into a dry dock and sandblast off the paint. The residue would then be considered a toxic substance, and would have to be removed and properly disposed of by Hazmat.” The Vice President of Marine Science at the Vancouver Aquarium, Dr. Jeff Marliave, has lent his support to the sinking of the Annapolis. Last week, he told the North Shore News that much of the controversy over the project has been misplaced and that, “in all, this is a very safe place to put down a feature that will become a safe dive site.” However, The Undercurrent, is hoping to have a further conversation with Marliave as well as the head of the Aquarium’s ocean pollution science program, Dr. Peter Ross, about the significance of the Save Halkett Bay Society’s test results on the Annapolis’s anti-fouling paint. According to a petition filed to the Federal Court by Martin Peters on Tuesday January 6, “Leachates derived from TBTs are highly toxic for other organisms [other than barnacles] at all points of the food chain, including mammals. They are particularly dangerous because they impact development, which has led to collapse of whole populations of organisms.” Peters’ petition aims to “Quash the Disposal at Sea Permit,” issued by Environment Canada to the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia for the HMCS Annapolis. Environment Canada has 10 days to respond to this petition. In his last conversation with The Undercurrent, Peters said he was in the process of filing yet another petition that would require a more immediate response from Environment Canada.
Commuter bus eases transition to smaller ferry from PAGE 1 By the end of the day, King encountered another glitch: the speed sensor on his bus stopped working. For $125 per hour, he managed to get a replacement TransLink bus so that he could keep the service running on Tuesday. “This might affect the weight of my wallet, but this won’t affect the service,” said King on Tuesday, adding that his spare time that day would be dedicated to getting the necessary replacement parts for his bus. Bowen Island Municipal Councillor Maureen Nicholson took the bus off Tuesday’s 7:30 a.m. ferry, and reported travel downtown to be incredibly efficient. “I’m sold on this,” she says. “My only complaint, and I know this is something Peter King would like to address is that if this service were integrated with TransLink, my trip to Metrotown would have not cost me an extra $4.”
HomeWork Club Facilitator Wanted Bowen Island Community Learning has a part time, contract service agreement, position available for a HOMEWORK CLUB Facilitator. This position is for 5.5 hours per week and occurs on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 2:45-5:15pm. The position begins Jan. 27, 2015 and runs until Apr. 30, 2015. Remuneration is $17.50/hr. Duties include supervising students in an after school Homework program, providing guidance as needed, preparing snack, and supervising Youth mentors. The ideal candidate for this position has previous experience working with children, is self-motivated, able to work under limited supervision, and has experience supervising Youth volunteers. Current First Aid, CPR training, Foodsafe and a Criminal Record check is required. We thank all applicants but advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Please submit your cover letter and resume to Sarah Haxby via email to shaxby@ sd45.bc.ca or drop it off at Bowen Island Community School 1041 Mt. Gardner Rd by Jan. 16th 2015 at 3:00pm. For more information about the position please call Sarah Haxby at 604-947-0389 or Shauna Jennings at 604-947-2216
COMM
Thank You
King says that it is his goal to see the throughbus service continued after the mid-life upgrade period, and for it to become an extension to TransLink’s service. “A service that was integrated could have a lot more impact on the island. We could start to make major inroads in terms of parking and car use. We could start moving more people, instead of vehicles.”
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viewpoint
EDITORIAL
Being on the same page
The Happy Isle in 2015
Dear Editor,
MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
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.
There are places both more frigid and more dark to spend the winter months than Bowen Island, but on the darkest and slushiest days of late, I’ve been struggling to appreciate that. Thankfully, January 1st rolled around just in time to save me from despair. It wasn’t the whole New Year’s thing, though. It was, rather, the Polar Bear Dip. I’ll admit I did not go in, but on that note I’ll tell you I regret it. I realized, while watching all those Bowen Islanders jump into the ocean and wander around the beach in towels for a prolonged period afterwards, that this must be one of the best ever ways to celebrate the arrival of a new year. Shivering in the winter air and knowing that the water you’re about to jump into is not just going to be cold, it’s actually going to hurt... well that takes some bravery. Going ahead and jumping in anyway, and laughing with your friends and neighbours, nearly naked afterwards, well that’s something else all together. To me the act is symbolic. Facing the New Year (like the water), the Polar Bear Dipper is saying, YES, I CAN DO THIS. He or she is taking the plunge collectively, there’s a peer pressure element. But instead of walking out and complaining to one another about the cold, everyone gathers around a huge fire to drink hot soup and bask in the sunshine like it was July. If Bowen Islanders can come together with such spirit to jump into the ocean in January, then there’s not much we can’t do. Midlife upgrade? No sweat. Build a bike park? Easy peasy. Create a medical clinic... what’s the hold up? The sun came out for the event with as much force as all those islanders at Bowen Bay Beach last weekend. It’s a sign, I’m sure of it. Bowen Island... welcome to 2015. Let’s make this a year worth remembering.
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.
Yours truly, Bruce Russell
The Flat Earth Society Dear Editor, I just walked by the regraded parking lot (Rennison estate property) between the ball park and Government Road, and saw the photo in The Undercurrent of Bob Robinson overseeing the grading with a big machine. The free parking provided by Bowen Island Municipality is a good idea as part of the Smaller Ferry Survival program, but why did all the perimeter trees as well as those east of the walkway/small creek have to be removed? No good reason that I can think of, and the shade will be sorely missed during the hot summer months. A few stones throw away, a crew of volunteers just replanted the banks of Davies Creek as part of Metro Parks Eco-blitz on a rainy day in November. The works crew must be charter members of the Flat Earth Society. Yours truly, Bill Granger
A thank you, from Family Place Dear Editor,
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 of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
I was pleased to be on the same page as Ron Woodall, in more ways than one it appears, in the Boxing Day issue of the Undercurrent. I share many of Ron’s comments, who as an accomplished artist has a keen eye for detail, as to the “change” needed in Snug Cove. Keeping one eye “on the soul of the old Cove” is indeed important as we continue to give the welcome mat a good shaking. I agree the old charm of the Cove is best served by the retention of many of the existing structures, however, some like the Bowen Pub, have long passed their “best before date”. The curb appeal is lacking, the highest and best use is not being achieved and the effectiveness of the pub premises for the anchor business and property owner is long gone and likely does not justify the property taxes. Following in the footsteps of: Bowen Island Properties (building due west of the General Store); the renovation/expansion at Village Square and the small expansion of the library, let’s hope some of the less eye appealing vacant lots can play a more productive role for the soul of the Cove. The struggling businesses in the Cove deserve nothing less. While an improved Cove is certainly not the panacea for businesses which are challenged, forever changing hands or closing, it certainly should help make life better for all of us.
Bowen Island Family Place would like to thank the community sponsors who helped make the 2014 Festival of Trees possible: Bowen Building Centre; Bowen Children’s Centre; Bowen Freight; Bowen Island Community Foundation; Bowen Island Community Recreation; Bowen Island Dog Ranch; Bowen Island Montessori School; Bowen Island Yacht Club; Bowen Waste Service; Caring Circle Health Resource Centre; First Credit Union; Friends of the Food Bank; Knick Knack Nook; Leigh Automotive; MetroBlasting; Movement Global Design; Orchard Recovery Center; The Snug Cafe and Union Steamship Company. We would also like to thank the following individuals for their time, effort and support in helping to make the Festival of Trees a success: Wendy Alexander; Andrea Bastin; Andy Behm; Stu Bristowe; Tammy Brockmeyer; Rondy Dike; Deidre Farah; Carlos Henriques; Eva Kepesova; Basia Lieske; Dan McBurney; Peter Moir; Price Montague; Susannah Montague; Fairon Moore; Courtney Morris; Colleen O’Neil; John Parker; Tom Surtees; Jared Thoburn; Inga Toews; Kevin Toews; Julia Tweton; Kerry Watts; Sarah Winny and Katherine Wolters. A special thanks as well to the Santa Claus of Bowen Bay. Your support will allow Family Place to continue to provide a quality environment for young children and parents/caregivers on Bowen Island, and is deeply appreciated. Sincerely, Caroline Parker Family Place Festival of Trees Volunteer
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FRIDAY JANUARY 9 2015 • 5
This week in Undercurrent History Counting our feathered friends MAUREEN SAWASY UNDERCURRENT HISTORIAN
25 Years Ago in the Undercurrent
- Two break-ins were reported on the weekend of Dec 22/23. For the second time in a month the Bow Mart was broken into and cigarettes stolen. Saturday morning Len Lam of the Oven Door baker arrived early to start baking for the day’s sales and found the bakery had been trashed. Just how extensive was the damage had not been ascertained. - B.C. Telephone Company informed their Bowen Island Customers by mail before Christmas that the referendum for the new one-way Extended Area Service (EAS) for Vancouver/West Vancouver had received a 71.8 percent vote in favor. “It is expected this service will be introduced in June 1990. So – keep making those monthly calls to North Vancouver - enough interest could result in North Vancouver being included in the EAS at no extra charge.”
15 years ago in the Undercurrent
- A millennium New Year’s party organized by the Bowfest committee under the name of Bowen Island
Community Fair Association was held in the cove. The Undercurrent reported that all had a great time and Bowen Islanders of all ages partied together to ring in the New Year. Included in the event were a Lantern parade, food at the Old General Store, Beer & Champagne tent and fireworks. There was talk of making the event annual, but concerns over finances and manpower were already being raised.
10 years ago in the Undercurrent
- During the night of New Year’s Eve, a vehicle was driven on the seeded fairway of the Bowen Island golf course, causing extensive damage to the ground. Conservative estimates regarding the costs to repair the damage are in the thousands as the culprit(s) drove through soft ground, tearing up large areas of the turf as a result.
5 years ago in the Undercurrent
- The Bowen Island Volunteer Fire Department was called out to 23 calls in December 2009. Thirteen were medical related, eight were fire related, one was a search and rescue and one was a carbon monoxide detector that had activated.
Swans on Kilarney Lake. Pauline Le Bel, photo
PAULINE LE BEL
Stones in the Garden and Letting Go
COMMUNITY CAULDRON
Sue Ellen spotted them first: “What the heck are those big white mounds on the lake?” Killarney Lake was mostly frozen and two white mounds were making their way, slowly and cautiously, across the ice to reach open water, one foot occasionally slipping through a thin piece of ice and plunging into the water. Trumpeter Swans. They had come south for the winter to escape the cold and snow of their usual northern tundra habitat. The original snowbird. All white with a long straight neck, black bill and a wingspan of around seven feet, they make an impressive sight. I learned they mate for life – which could be 20 years or more - and they form their pair bond on their wintering grounds. A love match happening right here on Killarney Lake. It was the highlight of a threehour trek to count birds. I always look forward to the annual Christmas Bird Count that takes place across North America. It offers us a glimpse into the community of bird life in the winter on Bowen. They call it the Christmas Bird Count but this year it took place on January 4th. When we dashed out of the house last Sunday wearing parkas and boots and told the neighbour we were going to count birds, his response was “Good Lord!” It’s true, it was snowing quite hard. But true bird lovers and citizen scientists do not let that get in the way.
You’re sure it’s going to be dragged to its death over the rocks and then, miraculously, it surfaces. To bob and plunge again. TINA OVERBURY CONTRIBUTOR
How many magazines did you buy this week? Come on, ‘fess up. Oprah, Real Simple, Chatelaine… These are my January vices because the lead stories are all about starting anew and letting go of the old. I don’t have any hang ups about saying good-bye and tossing things that don’t serve me but I do find myself tripping on this phrase ‘letting go’. First off, is it even possible? Can we actually let go of experiences, learnings, understandings and beliefs we’ve accumulated over the past year? Can we “clean house” so to speak? I You tell me. My husband used this awesome example with me the other day when I was trying to figure this out. He said that ‘letting it go’ is like releasing the air out of a balloon really slowly. It fizzles out until it’s empty. Having lived with the guy for almost fifteen years, I have to say, that’s exactly what it looks like on him. When the kids catch me in an emotional day and I’ve been crying, I explain that it’s not about them, it’s just that my pitcher of tears was so full that I have to pour some out. So is that letting go? I don’t think so. I’m still not convinced and here’s why. We have emotions and we have imprints and they’re different. Our feelings can’t be forced along or dictated quickly. Have you ever tried to hurry sadness? Pack it up in a box with your other lightly used things and bring it to the Nook? Toss it in the trash? Not possible right? Emotions are like the weather. Sometimes a storm thunders in bringing with it lightening and rain heavy enough to flood fields and muddy our boots. As cliche as it is, the storm will pass and a new weather movement will come in. It’s
usually calm and a little tentative at first, but then if the rains truly are through, the clouds of doubt will shift and a sliver of sunlight will expand into a full sky. But that’s not letting go, that’s noticing the weather. So that still leaves these imprint things I’ve alluded to. Imprints are our experiences, and the meanings we attach to them. Can we re-write the meanings? Yup. Can we re-program the neuro-pathways we created from them? Yes we can. But can we remove the experiences? No. No we can’t. Unless I suppose, we undergo some procedure that wipes our memory… but I digress into a science fiction novel. Okay, so then how do we ‘let go’ of these experiences? How do we soften the imprint so that we can move past them? The image I use is this: stones in the garden. Where I stand today is on a different stone than where I stood yesterday. I can look back at all the marvelous experiences I’ve had and see them for what I believe they are. These are the stones in my garden that mark the places I have been. Collectively they are wisdom, individually they are moments, and over time they will become the path that was Tina’s life. Romantic I know. I suppose letting go for me is a bit like a scene out of a Merchant Ivory film. I’m in the garden casting stones behind while smaller ones surreptitiously slip out my skirt pocket. What I still don’t know is how often I want to look back. I live next door to Xenia and have walked their Labyrinth many a time. The stones that mark the path were placed by hand over twenty years ago. Like the labyrinth I believe our stones are there to hold us in the direction of our unknown future. Happy New Year from my 2014 close to yours.
Got the binoculars? Check! Got the thermos? Check! Got the bird book? Two of them. Check! Got the list? Check! The list contains four pages of the birds you’re likely to see. Geese. Ducks of all kinds. Grouse. Grebes. Cormorants. Herons. Raptors such as Eagles and Hawks. The Shorebirds. The Night Birds. The Woodpeckers. The Hummingbirds. The Wrens. The Sparrows. The Thrushes. The Dippers – a particularly entertaining bird that likes to hang out at Bridal Veil Falls. It perches on a rock, bobs up and down several times, and then plunges head first into the rushing water in a sort of kamikaze gesture. You’re sure it’s going to be dragged to its death over the rocks and then, miraculously, it surfaces. To bob and plunge again. Bird Studies Canada organizes the Christmas Bird Count, bringing eager citizen scientists together to count the many species they find in their neighbourhood. On Bowen, Pam Dicer organized us into territories. The four of us, Paul, Sue Ellen, Will, and I, were sent to Killarney Lake, which meant we would see ducks as well as other feathered friends. Every year, I see something new and learn something unusual about our wonderful community of birds. I appreciate how they add beauty and song to our surroundings. There’s nothing like listening to the “chickadee-dee-dee” call on a dreary day in January to brighten up your day. And I’m grateful for their appetite for insects that would otherwise be gnawing away at my veggies. Sedentary bird lovers can stay home, if they like, and watch who comes to the feeders. The Bird Count is always a lot of fun and provides important information for bird conservation – and bird conversation. “Did you hear that?” “Sounds like a Kinglet.” “Golden Crowned or Red Crowned?” Discussion follows and the flipping of bird book pages. Sometimes you might find a species unusual to the area, one that has extended its northern edge due to a warming climate. Others are permanent residents and still others are on their way to somewhere else. Every year has its highlights. A few years ago, we came upon a mature bald Eagle perched on a half-submerged log in Killarney Lake and watched breathlessly as this magnificent bird of prey took a bath. Scooping up water with its gigantic wings, it showered itself with the spray, meticulously cleansing every single feather. No one said a word for 10 minutes. We were silenced by the rare privilege of seeing this majestic bird in such an intimate act of personal hygiene. The Bird Count is always a wonderful way to begin the New Year and celebrate the community of our feathered friends. Guaranteed to make us realize how fortunate we are to live on an island that supports so many birds. See you at the 2016 Bird Count.
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Islanders take their first dip of 2015
Emily Van Lidth de Jeude, photo
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Your New Year Polar Bear dip 2015 Launch with a FREE Nia Class
Carol Cram at Nia brown belt training classes in Toronto. CAROL CRAM SUBMISSION
Every New Year’s resolution should include the intention to put some fun into your fitness practice. Nia combines fabulous music with easy-to-learn steps that give you a full body workout—Body, Mind, and Spirit! To start off 2015 with a dose of pleasure, Nia teachers Deborah Bramm and Carol Cram are team-teaching TWO Nia Classes at the Bowen Island Teen Centre that are FREE to anyone who has never danced Nia. Here are the dates: • •
Tuesday, January 13 at 6:30 pm Saturday, January 17 at 9:30 am
This FREE class is open to anyone who has never attended a Nia class on Bowen Island. Everyone else is welcome to drop-in or to register at Bowen Island Parks and Recreation (if they haven’t already!). A Nia class replenishes your energy levels, improves your mood, and provides you with increased flexibility, mobility, agility, strength, and stability. In a Nia class, you are encouraged to move at your own level of ease and comfort, according to your abilities and intentions. Nia routines are low-impact and aerobic with moves based on practices from the martial arts, dance arts, and healing arts. Nia is for Every Body! And it’s fun! Bowen Island’s two Nia instructors, Deborah Bramm and Carol Cram, are delighted to have just completed their Nia Brown Belt training in Toronto and are eager to share their deepening Nia practice. In addition to the two FREE classes, you can choose from three Nia classes a week on Bowen Island. Classes on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm and Saturday mornings at 9:15 am at the Teen Centre Studio are organized through BICR. To register, please call 604 947 2216 or check www.bowencommunityrecreation.com. You can also drop in to classes on Thursday mornings at 9:00 am at The Gallery in Artisan Square starting in February.
Storms and Stillness, searching for a silver lining from PAGE 2
Meribeth Deen, photos
“I had walked back alleys in Whitehorse that were littered with needles and booze bottles, the stench of urine at every corner, the ghosts of displaced huntergatherers aimlessly wandering in a seemingly futile effort to find their way back to the land….More climate change means fewer salmon and therefore fewer bears at streams, which means fewer jobs for a first Nation community that- during prior times of severe unemployment – had experienced weekly suicides.” Admittedly, it was hard to remain optimistic and hopeful reading this book, however, near the end of the book, he does offer some images of hope through the idea of resilience. As Frid and his daughter paddle down the Fraser River with several First Nations groups to raise awareness about salmon farming, he notices the resilience of both these cultures and salmon that continue to return to this river despite the sprawling surrounding development. He also describes a painting that hangs in his house today that was made by a neo-traditional (fusing tradition and modern materials and design) First Nations artist depicting the interconnectedness of people and nature and the need to embrace and allow for change while still maintaining the essence of a culture.
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Daniel Bolshoy and his guitar come to Bowen Island MARIANA HOLBROOK SUBMISSION
The final classical concert of Bowen Island’s 20142015 Classical Concert Series will be played by internationally renowned guitarist Daniel Bolshoy on January 11.
He has also performed with orchestras, chamber ensembles and in festivals in Russia, China, the United States and Israel. Daniel is one of Canada’s most successful solo concert artists and has performing with both the Vancouver and Toronto Symphony Orchestras and toured every province and territory in Canada. He has also performed with orchestras, chamber ensembles and in festivals in Russia, China, the United States and Israel. His recordings and live recitals are frequently broadcast on CBC radio and Bravo TV, as well as many other international radio television stations. As he is committed to bringing the guitar to the attention of audiences everywhere, his concert tours take him from prestigious international concert stages to remote villages and house-concerts. He is regularly praised for his friendly and informative spoken introductions, and progressive programming of solo and chamber music. Daniel was born in Moscow and lived for a while in Israel, where he discovered his passion for the classical guitar. He soon dedicated himself to the pursuit of classical music on the guitar. He and his family immigrated to Canada in 1993. He finished high school in Ottawa’s Canterbury Arts
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High School (making him the first guitarist to do so) and went on to study at Carleton University and afterwards at the University of Toronto. After hearing virtuoso guitarist and composer Ricardo Izanola, Daniel decided to continue his studies with the Cuban-American Maestro, at the University of Denver, where he completed his Undergraduate degree and later received a Masters of Music degree in 2001. Daniel considers Ricardo to be his primary mentor and continues to admire this great guitarist, composer and pedagogue. While in Denver, Daniel won university awards, including a full-tuition scholarship, several “recital of distinction” prizes, as well as graduating “Magna cum Laude”. He also won international competitions and prizes. After graduation, Daniel started a doctorate in Arizona and then moved to the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. During this time he won several competitions. He worked as an associate instructor at IU, teaching courses in guitar history and literature, guitar pedagogy, as well as classroom guitar, chamber music ensembles and undergraduate performance majors. From there he went to work Concordia University in Montreal. More recently Daniel has become the head of the Guitar Division at the University Of British Columbia School Of Music and the head of the Guitar Department at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music. Even though he is still actively touring, he is also finding time to take on national and international jurying duties for young and emerging musicians. Daniel plays a wide variety of classical music and has made seven CDs some of which will be available to buy at the concert. The concert will be held in the Gallery at Artisan Square. Doors will open at 3 p.m. and the concert will start promptly at 3:30 pm. People wishing to attend the concert, but who do not have tickets, can purchase them at the door.
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The Write to Read Project for First Nations Communities BOWEN ISLAND ROTARY SUBMISSION
The Rotary Club of Bowen Island has invited Bob Blacker, Past District Governor of Rotary International District 5040 to speak to the Club on The Write to Read Project. In 2007, the Honourable Steven L. Point, Lt. Governor of British Columbia, and Rotary started this initiative. Bob Blacker, the Aide de Camp at the time, coordinated the project between the Government House Foundation and participating Rotary Clubs. The Write to Read Project secures books and creates libraries that reflect First Nations’ interests and issues, selecting fiction and non-fiction books for youth and adults. BRITCO Modular Buildings has been a major
HANS BEHM
Dayna Purdy, photo
Places of Worship Welcome You BOWEN ISLAND UNITED CHURCH Rev. Shelagh MacKinnon
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Service and Sunday School: 10:30 a.m. Collins Hall Bookings: Helen Wallwork Minister of Music: Lynn Williams
DROP-OFF
BOWEN ISLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH
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
SUBMISSION
As part of its service to Bowen Islanders, by promoting knowledge, the Community School Association, CSA, is inviting interested people as young as 12 years old to our first discussion: COMMUNITY. The purpose is to explore the philosophical concept in its many aspects and to see, where and how to apply it to our life on Bowen Island. The format is simple. Participants will sit in a circle and are encouraged to speak. A moderator will provide an introduction to the topic and will lead the conversation. This is not a platform for politics and the aim is to
CATES HILL CHAPEL www.cateshillchapel.com 604-947-4260
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10:00 a.m. Worship • Sunday School: Tots to Teens Pastor: Dr. James B. Krohn BOWEN ISLAND HOUSE ACCOUN R001949193 BI03
REGULAR SCHEDULE BC Ferries REGULAR SCHEDULE January 5 to 31, In Effect May 15 March to October 13,2015 2014
6:00 am 6:00 am 7:00 am** 7:00 am * 8:00 am 8:00 am 9:00 am†† 9:05 am# 10:00 am 10:05 am 11:05 am 11:00 am 12:10 pm 12:00 pm 2:35 pm 2:25 pm 3:45 pm 3:30 pm 4:45 pm 4:30 pm 5:50 pm 5:30 pm* 6:50 pm 7:50 pm 6:30 pm * 8:40 pm 7:30 pm*# 9:40 pm 8:30 pm# 9:30 pm
FERRY
Leave Horseshoe Bay
Leave Snug Cove
5:30 am** 5:30 am 6:30 am** 6:30 am 7:30 am** 7:30 am 8:30 am * 8:35 am 9:30 am # 9:35 am 10:30 am 10:35 am 11:30 am 11:40 am 12:30 am 12:45 pm 3:00 pm 3:10 pm 4:00 pm†† 4:15 pm 5:15 pm 5:00 pm 6:20 pm 6:00 pm* 7:20 pm 7:00 pm** 8:15 pm 8:00 pm## 9:10 pm 9:00 pm 10:05 pm 10:00 pm
VANCOUVER Horseshoe Bay
Distance: 3 NAUTICAL MILES Crossing Time: 20 MINUTES
*
daily except saturdays # DAILY EXCEPT daily except SUNDAYS suNdays
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DAILY except EXCEPT daily SATURDAYS && saturdays SUNDAYS suNdays
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daily except DAILY EXCEPT sat, suN && SAT, SUN 9 1, MAYFeb. 19, JUL AUG 4, SEPT 1 & OCT† 13 tHe WedNesday sailiNGs Will be replaced by daNGerOus THE WEDNESDAY carGO sailiNGs. SAILINGS NO OtHerWILL pasBE REPLACED seNGers perMitBY DANGEROUS ted. CARGO SAILINGS. NO OTHER PASSENGERS PERMITTED.
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develop practical suggestions to achieve attitudes and actions to help create and maintain a spirit, which will enhance our lives. We are fortunate to have the experience and knowledge of Gustaaf Tasseron, who has worked with communities around the world for decades. The sessions will be sound recorded in order to extract the most pertinent ideas at a later date. Contribution to help with expenses is by donation. I hope to see and hear many eager minds on Thursday, January 15, at The Gallery in Artisan Square at 7:00 pm. Hans-Christian Behm, hcbehm@shaw.ca, 604-9479447
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continued PAGE 10
AGORA: Talking about “Community”
A cool morning in the Meadow.
BOWEN ISLAND Snug Cove
donor towards the project by donating 14 modules valued at over $700,000 for the purpose of creating new libraries. At the 2010 Olympics at Whistler the international press used these buildings. TLD Computers (London Drugs) and Hewlett Packard have donated computers and Internet connectivity. These libraries are very popular and have become gathering places for the communities that have received them. The Write to Read Project includes the following partners: the Lt. Governor of BC and the Government House Foundation, Rotary Clubs of District 5040 & 5020, First Nations of British Columbia, non-profit societies with an interest in literacy, socially responsible businesses, and members of the public.
Dr. Gloria Chao Family Dentist
Artisan Square 604-947-0734 Alternate Fridays 10am - 4:30pm Horseshoe Bay 604-921-8522 www.bowenislanddental.com
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HEALTH & WELLNESS Dr. Utah Zandy 604-947-9830 CALL FOR APPOINTMENT OPEN TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS
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On the calendar FRIDAY JANUARY 9
Legion Dinner Doors open at 5 p.m., dinner served at 6:30
SATURDAY JANUARY 10
Secrets to Aging Well: a by donation event at BI Yoga Studio, Lower Road, Artisan Square 2 - 5 p.m. The Wisdom to Survive, documentary film screening 7 p.m. at the Gallery at Artisan Square A presentation by Bowen in Transition
SUNDAY JANUARY 11
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 14
Knitting Circle 1 - 4 p.m. Bowen Court - All levels welcome!
THURSDAY JANUARY 15
AGORA: Conversation on Community, moderated by Gustaaf Tasseron: all welcome (12 years of age +) 7 p.m. at the Gallery at Artisan Square Bowen Island Rotary presents Bob Blacker speaking on the Write to Read project 7:30 p.m at Collins Hall Duplicate Bridge @ Bowen Court Call Irene @ 2955
Classical Concert Series Guitarist Daniel Bolshoy Doors open 3 p.m. at the Gallery at Artisan Square
UPCOMING
MONDAY JANUARY 12
FRIDAY JANUARY 16
Seniors Keeping Young (SKY) Exercises start at 9 a.m. Speaker 10 a.m. Matthew Van Der Gressen on massage therapy, followed by refreshments
Free Hearing Tests Contact Colleen O’Neil at Caring Circle to make an appointment 604-947-9100
SATURDAY JANUARY 17
Free Nia dance class Bowen Island Teen Centre/Family Place at 6:30 p.m.
TUESDAY JANUARY 13
AA Meeting Collins Hall 7:15 p.m.
FRIDAY JANUARY 23
TUESDAY CONTINUED
Free Nia dance class Bowen Island Teen Centre/Family Place at 6:30 p.m.
Robbie Burns Dinner at the Legion Tickets $20
Bob Blacker to speak on the Write to Read Project from PAGE 9 The partners are working together to establish libraries in First Nations communities in Chemainus, Williams Lake (Chilcotin), Rivers Inlet (Oweekeno), Malahat, Fort Rupert, Haida Gwai, Metlakatla, Ditidaht and more. Currently there are now 10 com-
munity libraries and 10 more in various planning stages The project was featured on the CBC NATIONAL in May of this year. The Rotary Club of Bowen Island invites all to hear Bob Blacker speak on Thursday, 15 January 2015 at 7:30 pm at Collins Hall.
A dog can make a big difference Autism support dog acts as an anchor, rather than a guide JESSICA KERR D E LTA O P T I M I S T
When the Kaler family brought home its autism support dog, the change was almost instantaneous. “It’s night and day,” mom Nicole Kaler says of the family’s life before and after getting Pepe. Kaler’s eldest daughter, Maya, was diagnosed with autism before she turned three. “It was that typical regression,” Kaler remembers. At about 19 months, Maya started using fewer and fewer words, she wasn’t walking properly and was sleep disordered. “And she was just not engaged,” says Kaler. Maya, who is now 13, is considered severely affected by autism. She is non-verbal and needs to have someone with her at all times. “You don’t know what she’s going to do,” says her mom. Like many people with autism, Maya, who is the eldest of three, also has a tendency to run off, which can make outings difficult and stressful, especially with two other youngsters to worry about. Kaler kept using a stroller until Maya outgrew it at age six. The family also tried hiring someone to help out during outings, but that meant finding a qualified individual and then relying on them whenever the family wanted to have a day out. It took the spontaneity out of life and encroached on the family’s privacy. “We started sort of limiting what we did,” she says. “It just felt like with just a little something we could be so much more.” In 2008, Kaler found that something the family needed. She was flipping through the newspaper when she came across a story about a North Delta family receiving the first autism support dog from Ladner-based B.C. Guide Dogs. Kaler called the organization and had the application couriered over. Nine months later, the family received Pepe, a chocolate lab. Aside from offering comfort and companionship to an autistic child, a support dog also acts as an anchor via a belt around the child’s waist. continued PAGE 12
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Family life before and after Autism support dog like “night and day.” from PAGE 10 The dogs do not guide the child, as a guide dog does for someone who is blind, however the canines are trained to sit when the child tries to run or pull away. Within days of getting Pepe, Kaler was taking her three children to the park - just the four of them. “That was just the start of being able to do things on our own,” she says. The family was able to go to the mall or the grocery store without having to worry about what might happen if Maya suddenly bolted. It was even able to take a family trip to Disneyland. “That would not have been possible before,” Kaler says. “For me, it was huge.” As Maya has got older, she has become accustomed to holding Pepe’s leash when the family is out and the pair no longer needs to use the belt attachment. While Maya has an educational assistant while at school, Pepe also started tagging along when she reached Grade 5. “I really was thinking of high school,” Kaler says. Today, Pepe attends classes with Maya at Elgin Park Secondary, and even has her own student ID card. Kaler says Pepe not only provides that comfort and companionship to Maya while she’s at school, the dog has also acted as an ice breaker for students who might be curious about Maya but afraid to ask.
“It’s been a really essential piece of what we needed to move forward with Maya in a dignified way.” Kaler says B.C. Guide Dogs has been incredibly supportive of the family since the beginning. From making sure it had all the supplies needed to take care of a dog to helping the school district create a policy around guide dogs in the classroom, the agency is always there to help.
an autism support dog must be good around young children, a bit lower energy, patient, reliable and, usually, on the larger side. “They physically need to be able to do the job,” she says. Advanced training, which takes at least 10 weeks, works on teaching the canines obedience, some basic games that can help the
child with co-ordination and motor skills, and to crawl across the floor and lay on the child’s lap, something that many children with autism find comforting. To make a donation, visit www.fundaid.ca/ bcguidedogs.
It can take up to two years and a total of $35,000 to train one dog. B.C. Guide Dogs recently launched a six-month crowdfunding campaign aimed at raising $50,000 to start training a new crop of puppies. It can take up to two years and a total of $35,000 to train one dog. After going through basic puppy training, when they are a minimum of 14 months old the dogs are sent for advanced training, where they are assessed and sent for either guide or support dog training. Trainer Jaime Arnup says
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Maya Kaler and her Autism support dog, Pepe.
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The workshop is 5 to 6:30pm at 2225 Marine Drive in West Vancouver. It’s $15 for members or $35 if you want to attend all three workshops. Non-members are welcome to attend for a $25 fee. Pre-register by calling 604-926-6614 or going to www.westvanchamber.com.
Eagle on a snowy treetop near Grafton Lake. Emily Van Lidthe de Jeude, photo