FRIDAY MAY 16 2014 VOL. 41, NO. 19
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Tri4Ghana
Fibre arts
FOBILS
Grade 8 students bike, swim and run to raise money for education
Founders of the Foxglove Studio show their work
Hard working Island bibliofiles
The Bowen Island FC Men’s team competed their first season in the VMSL in March and will begin play in the North Shore Sportsmen League on May 3rd. The team is made up of players between 16 and much older! For more information visit the website at www.bowenfc.com Debra Stringfellow, photo
The “war against boaters” and a five step plan for Mannion Bay MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
Over the winter the Bowen Island Municipality undertook what it is calling the “first wave” of the clean-up of Mannion Bay, removing eighteen mooring buoys, four vessels and one fiberglass hull from the Bay’s waters. The aim of this work is to “ensure socio-economic stability and environmental stability” of Mannion Bay. Brokenshire’s presentation outlining a long-term strategy to this end
drew an audience to council, including a number of people who expressed concerns about the municipality’s approach. Scott Birch told council that their plans for Mannion Bay were not well thought-out and would have a deleterious affect on himself and on his partner as well as other people who live on boats in the Bay. Birch explained that he and his partner have been living in the waters around Bowen – at the Union Steamship Marina during the winter and in other waters around Bowen during the summer – for the past year. He said
Bowen Island 26 year resident. Living It. Loving It.
that they have enjoyed this time, but feel uncertain about whether they have a future here because of the current and proposed bylaws. “In my conversation with Bonny she told me that anchoring around Bowen is currently illegal… secondly Bonny stated that live-aboards are currently illegal around Bowen, including the proposed managed buoys and Government dock.”
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IPS students bike, swim and run to raise money for peers in Ghana training hard to raise money, and hopefully offer a brighter future for the kids they’ve come to know at the Royal Seed Orphanage in Ofaakor, Ghana. On May 24th, they’ll run, swim and bike from Deep Cove to the top of Mount Gardner (and back to Snug Cove) for the cause. The boys have been corresponding, by mail, with their pen pals at Royal Seed Orphanage for almost two years now. Willem says his pen pal David, like him, is into sports. “Even though we live half a world away and our lives are really different, we’re all kids, and we have a lot in common,” he says. “I asked David how many siblings he had and he told me he said he had five blood siblings, but that he considered all the kids at the orphanage his siblings. That’s a lot of love. If we were in the same place, we would definitely be friends.” Luke says he doesn’t feel he’s corresponded enough with his pen pal, Maxwell, to really figure out his personality but he’s sure that Maxwell is a really cool guy. “He takes every opportunity he gets,” says Luke. “He doesn’t take anything for granted.” Angus adds, “I’ve realized I take a lot of things for granted all the time.” This is why, they say, the work they’ve put into their upcoming triathalon is not so bad. “Every day after school, I do homework, I train, and then I work on Tri4Ghana,” says Angus, speculating that since deciding to do this in September, each one of them has probably devoted fifteen to twenty hours a week for the cause. Luke is a mountain biker, but has spent the past year Willem Young in his wetsuit, at Sealeigh Beach. learning about road biking and training for distance. He Tri4Ghana was born out of Willem’s desire to spent his winter doing spin classes where he’s had coaching attempt a swim from the North Shore to Bowen on pacing himself, and saving energy for big hills. Island. He’s also made an effort to get out for rides on rainy Jennifer Henrichson, photo days, sunny days, and days where the streets are clogged with traffic. “I want to be prepared for anything,” he says. MERIBETH DEEN The experience of riding in traffic, he says, has taught EDITOR him how stressed out drivers get when there are bicycles on the road. Weekly group rides with MEC are helping Luke to preLike most kids growing up in this part of the world, pare for the distance of 41km between Deep Cove and Luke McKenzie, Willem Young, and Angus Duguid, the Wycliff Park. chance to go to high school is a given. Having had the Willem, who says he’s always wanted to swim to Bowen, chance to write and receive letters from kids their age takes an ice bath once a week, for between half an hour growing up in an orphanage in Ghana, the thirteen yearand an hour, so that he’ll be accustomed to the cold waters olds have come to realize that education is a privilege, of Howe Sound. and one that is out of reach for their peers on the other “I’ll be wearing a wet suit, so that will help, and also side of the planet. This realization has them working and I think the water temperature will actually be warmer than my cold baths,” he says. “I’ll also drink hot water DEPARTS SUN to THURS FRI & SAT BC Mortgage Connection Corp. while I’m SNUG COVE 11:15PM 12:15AM swimming, to
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keep my core temperature up.” To train, Willem has been swimming distances between two and four kilometers. The distance between Wycliff Park and Sandy Beach is three and a half kilometers, but Willem says that the currents make it the equivalent of four. BC Ferries has been notified about Willem’s swim, and will be staying as far away from him as possible. Angus has run track for years, but has always been a sprinter. So the 12.5km run, which includes 719 meters of elevation up Mount Gardner, has required that he undertake some serious re-training. “I run five or six kilometers three times a week, and ten to twelve kilometers once a week,” he says. “I do a lot of hill training. On Gardner, there will be two portions where I’ll practically be rock climbing, so I’ve been trying to do that. I am also working on power exercises with my coach.” The boys say that none of the money they raise will go into equipment to make their triathalon happen, that it will all go straight to their peers in Ghana. “All of the equipment we’re using, its stuff we either already owned, or people have loaned it to us,” says Willem.
Luke McKenzie on the road with Darren Franko on a training ride. unknown, photo continued, PAGE 5
THE BOWEN ISLAND GREEN MAN FESTIVAL
SATURDAY, May 17th, 11:30 – 2:30 p.m. 11:30am 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30–2:30pm -
Facepainting and Garland Making in front of Tuscany The Green Man battles the Ice Queen, Maypole Dance in front of the Library The Green Man Festival Feast For Feast Tickets, to volunteer, or for more information: shelagh.mackinnon@gmail.com THE VOLUNTEER FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS THANK OUR VOLUNTEERS, SPONSORS AND EVENT CONTRIBUTORS:
ARTISAN OFFICE SERVICES | THE SNUG CAFÉ AND ROTARY STAGE VINE AND GARDEN CATERING | THE BLACK SHEEP MORRIS DANCERS THE LITTLE RED CHURCH | HOME FARM GARDENS LTD TUSCANY RESTAURANT | LEN AND IDA | SHIRLEY WRINCH: COSTUMES
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FRIDAY MAY 16 2014 • 3
Council hears “options” for Mannion Bay, as well as social concerns
The Black Eyes, a boat that has spent decades in Mannion Bay. Meribeth Deen, photo
mooring going to be allowed for the few, waterfront owners, but not to others?” Michael Chapman told council that the municipality already had bylaws in place that could be effectively used to manage Mannion Bay, and by expanding on those, the municipality runs the risk of turning into a marina operator. “Putting moorings down for twelve or fifteen hundred bucks a mooring, and then the management costs of those and the boat to get out to them. You have to train staff on that boat, you have to have mooring for that boat, and pretty soon you’ve got a very large expenditure for something that isn’t that large a problem… The noise issue? We have bylaws that cover that. We pay a lot of money to the RCMP and they have marine resources, they can get a boat in the water in seconds, so I’m not quite sure why we’re becoming a marina operator. I also think this is an opportunity to engage those people that have been marginalized in our community for whatever reasons, and get them to be part of the solution instead of using a hammer to kill a bug.” In her presentation, Brokenshire explained the five options for the management of Mannion Bay that she outlined in her written report to council. The first option involves obtaining a Licence of Occupation (LOO) for Mannion Bay. This licence would come through Provincial land-use policy and require all boat owners wishing to use a mooring buoy to pay a nominal fee. The revenue generated by that fee could be put into enforcement and maintenance of the Bay. This would also make the municipality directly responsible for dealing with beached-wrecks, a job that Brokenshire mentioned the municipality often undertakes anyhow, only without a source of revenue to cover the costs of the work. Brokenshire also says this system would give the municipality a larger say in the broader regulation of mooring buoys. The second option involves amending Bowen Island’s Land-Use Bylaw. Brokenshire explained that currently, the bylaw is effective to a distance of 300 metres off the shoreline. Amendments could help in the management of
from PAGE 1 “I asked her for the definition of live-aboard and she stated that she believed it was staying on a boat overnight, but that I should look up the bylaw. From Bylaw 57 definitions, live-aboard means the use of a vessel with an enclosed capsule as a dwelling unit, and dwelling unit means contained sleeping area, living area, kitchen etc. So given this definition, can we, or any other tourist come to Bowen and spend the night on our boat outside the marina? It would seem that we can’t, even if we pay the proposed fees.” Birch continued on to say that this is part of a trend in British Columbia, part of the “war against boaters” whereby live-aboards are associated with derelict vessels. “These are not the same thing and should be separated. We spend quite a bit of money and effort to maintain our boat. We try to be good sea-men and are very careful about how we do things. We are the full time guardians when we are at anchor, and I have personally saved some derelicts before they’ve sunk. We were also at the Government dock for the better part of eight months, and during that time helped out boaters by giving them information about Bowen, including ensuring that they knew they had to pay [to be there].” In conclusion Birch stated that the definition of a “liveaboard” needs to be changed, and that people who live on boats in Bowen’s waters “can be part of the solution.” John Olivier, a Bowen resident for twenty-eight years and a boat owner for half that time, told council that it’s plans would strip boat owners of their exiting rights. “Please consider using existing regulations to deal with problem boats, perhaps requiring them to comply with safety and environmental protection measures,” said Olivier. “Perhaps boats able to prove viability could be given the right to spend twenty-eight days per month in the Bay. To ban all boats from anchoring and mooring would put boating out of reach financially for some. Is
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the Bay by creating the regulations around the number of mooring buoys an individual had in the water. Brokenshire mentioned that in Mannion Bay, there is one individual who has approximately six mooring buoys, and that this potentially ads to overcrowding and could act as a deterrent to boaters coming to visit the island. If the municipality chose to pursue this option, any bylaw changes would need to go to public consultation prior to being approved. She also says that this option, if pursued, could work well in tandem with “option one” by providing a legal backing to mooring buoy management decisions. The third option Brokenshire mentioned was the creation of a strategy for bylaw enforcement. Currently, the only clear contravention of the Land Use Bylaw in Mannion Bay, she says, is the presence of boats that are being used as residences. “Council needs to have a dialogue about whether they want to enforce this bylaw,” says Brokenshire. “And if they do, they need to come up with a strategy on how.” As Mannion Bay is classified as a “Water General Coastal 1 Zone,” its purpose as such is “specifically to provide public recreational opportunities [and] to preserve and protect the natural qualities of Bowen Island’s shoreline.” Brokenshire says a conversation about bylaw enforcement could also touch on the subject of clarifying the definitions in the bylaw. “That definition is fairly subjective,” she says. “A floating storage unit doesn’t seem to reasonably fit into the definition of a recreational use, but there needs to be a conversation about things like that and whether they warrant clarification.” The fourth option Brokenshire offered in order to help with the management of Mannion Bay is the creation of a social plan to help deal with the issue of live-aboards. In the summer of 2013, she said, seven people lived on boats in Mannion Bay and this number has fluctuated over the years and in various seasons. A social plan she says, could help to deal with problems that might arise if the liveaboards were displaced. In her report, Brokenshire identifies a number of social service organizations (Bowen Island Community Foundation and Vancouver Coastal Health, for example) that could assist in the creation of such a plan. She also points to the contracting of a social planner as a possibility. “There are people whose expertise it is to deal with these issues,” says Brokenshire. “The consequence of not dealing with it appropriately simply changes the problem. If you look at the eviction of people from False Creek, for example, the people who were affected simply moved. Some of them moved to Mannion Bay.” The fifth and final option Brokenshire presented to council was the creation of an environmental study for Mannion Bay. The creation of this is already underway, as Brokenshire noted, as the Islands Trust study on eelgrass included Mannion Bay. Another Islands Trust study looking into habitats for forage fish is currently underway, as is water quality sampling by the municipality. Another study Brokenshire recommends is one that would determine the source of the coliform bacteria in Mannion Bay. When asked how long the implementation of all five options would likely take, Brokenshire replied that it would likely take a minimum of two years. Council decided to hold-off on making any decisions based on Brokenshire’s report until the upcoming Council of the Whole meeting.
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
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
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4 • FRIDAY MAY 16 2014
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Heron protection Dear Editor: In support of Sue Ellen Fast and others of the Bowen Heron Watch, I want to add my voice to those in favor of some accommodation during the few short months of heron’s nesting season . This, I understand, includes loud noises from motorized lawn mowers. So the lawn in front of the library is a mess (definition of “mess” being subjective.) So we would trade sightings of those magnificent birds (an example of nature’s fascinating ordering of the universe) for a manicured lawn? Shame on us! I hope we can protect our herons and try to not resent some small measures towards this end. Jean Jamieson
Islanders co-operating Dear 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.
Thank you for your article on the fabulous business women of Artisan Square. They are a fantastic model of cooperation and success. It was a great contrast to the “rezoning plans stoke fears about competition for local businesses” article a few weeks ago. A cooperative community is a far healthier and happier place to live than a competitive one. We should all take note. Sheree Johnson
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.
A water treatment plant, and other costs Dear Editor: Recent letters from Bowen Island Municipality and the Cove Bay Water System Public Advisory Committee to the 630 existing users (30 more to come with Belterra Co-Housing) have indicated that our present base cost of $600 per hookup for up to 400 cubic metres of water used annually is insufficient to pay for a proposed Water Filtration Plant. The plant is reported to be needed to meet future drinking water quality guidelines. In two locations, water in the system is re-chlorinated. It is also tested at nine testing stations throughout the Cove Bay distribution system once per week and sent to Vancouver Coastal Health Authority staff to ensure compliance with allowable Federal and Provincial limits for microbial contaminants and microrganisms. We are told that Grafton Lake raw water is of reasonably good quality most of the time but impacted seasonally by turbidity, temperature, and the appearance of Total Organic Carbon (TOC). Occasionally, hardness and colour values do not meet guidelines. An adverse impact of treament by chlorination is reaction with TOC’s to produce disinfection by-products, trihalomethanes (THM) or haloacetic acids (HAA).
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A literature search suggests that, instead fo building a Filtration Plant at an estimated cost of $7.5 million plus $2500 in annual additional operating costs, a reasonable alternative to simple chlorination is to replace this with Chlorine dioxide (ClO2), which has the effect of adding more oxygen molecules to the water, reducing turbidity and binding up the organic matter before it enters the drinking water stream. Linus Pauling, Nobel Laureate for his work on DNA, is one of the quoted scientists who applied this system to drinking water in New York State as long ago as the 1960s. I conveyed this information to municipal staff by email, with references, but have not heard back. In terms of costs, our present base rate is $600 for up to 400 cubic meters of water used per year per hook-up, or $1.50 per cubic metre. The official letters received by Cove Bay water users indicate that we may be the fortunate recipients of a 2/3 funding grant from the recently-announced Building Canada Fund to defray the costs of construction of a Water Filtration Plant. If so, our Parcel Tax addition would be as low as $140 per year for 25 years, not counting operating costs. If the grant is not approved, our parcel taxes, included in the 2014
- 2018 Five-Year Financial Plan adopted by Council last month would mean an additonal $524 per hookup, an approximatley 20% increase to our annual Property Taxes for Bowen Island municipal use. On top of this, the proposed Offical Community Plan and Land Use Bylaw amendments for Lot 2 development contemplates an additional 2% Parcel Tax per year for all Bowen property owners to pay for servicing those lands and municipal development. There is a gross figure as well of $2.5 million for new Firehall design to be borrowed in 2015 included in the Five-Year Financial Plan, presumably to be hooked up the the Cover Bay Water System. In my opinion, these are all well-meaning but disjointed ideas. Collectively, they add up to huge increases in user-fees and taxes to the ratepayers of Bowen Island without consideration of more reasonable alternatives, or the cumulative, crippling financial effect on those of us who have to pay. Yours truly, Bill Granger
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This week in Undercurrent history
Reprise: Early ferry MARCUS HONDRO THE SLOW LANE
MAUREEN SAWASY UNDERCURRENT HISTORIAN
25 years ago in the Undercurrent A new fire truck was scheduled to arrive on Saturday, May 20. The truck was to be escorted by a pipe band and it was hoped that many cheering people would welcome the truck off the ferry in the Cove.
20 years ago in the Undercurrent Loose dogs were causing havoc on Bowen. A seven-year-old child was bitten and another dog killed a gosling in the lagoon area. RCMP were investigating both incidents.
15 years ago in the Undercurrent A member of the restructuring committee resigned over what he considered misleading information on a technical report. Dale Read felt frustrated by the “flimsy, fallacious” responses to his concerns about the cost of becoming a municipality. Read was alarmed by the “low balling” of numbers representing service costs and resulting property taxes.
10 years ago in the Undercurrent The community was barraging The Undercurrent office with phone calls demanding a return of the ‘Unclassifieds’ section of the paper. This section had been removed two weeks prior and was not a hit to the residents. It was hoped that the publisher would listen to the citizens of Bowen and reinstall the Bowen based ‘Unclassifieds’.
5 years ago in the Undercurrent A report entitled ‘Meeting with the Owners of the Cape Roger Curtis Land’ was presented to council Monday, May 11, by municipal planning consultant Michael Rosen and community planner Jason Smith. They had been directed by council to engage with CRC owners after a April 20 council resolution rescinded the Official Community Plan – amending bylaw to allow the comprehensive CRC Neighbourhood Plan. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss with the CRC owners whether there was room to negotiate a rezoning application retaining some of the CRCNP that would be compliant with the OCP of the time. In a well written letter, CRC owner and spokesperson Don Ho let it be known that the CRC owners would be reactivating the processing of the original subdivision application and withdrawing their rezoning application.
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FRIDAY MAY 16 2014 • 5
Today, it is May 13. I rode the 5:30 a.m. ferry. It’s an ungodly hour to be on a ferry, or anywhere but in a bed. The first time on the 5:30 a.m., in July of 2006, I chronicled my trip. My thankfully few crossings on it since have been so similar, so frankly discombobulating, as to render any new take pointless. So to avoid redundancy and yet quell my need to lament having to be on a ferry at such an hour, I reprise that column of my inaugural trip on the 5:30 a.m. ferry eight years ago: It is July 7 and I sit alone in my jeep Cherokee in front of ‘Blue Eye Mary’s Bistro.’ I am the tenth vehicle in line and waiting to do something I have never done and hoped I would never have to do: board the 5:30 a.m. ferry. To add insult to injury I am early. I notice three men talking outside by the phone booth. I get out and meander into the Snug Café and find that Sara Peel behind the counter is not only awake, but pleasant. Richard De Jong says hello and as I leave Keith Buchannan comes in. Outside it appears my friend Oscar Hoekstra is coming toward me only it must have been an apparition because it turns out to be someone who doesn’t look like Oscar in the least. I wonder if others around me are having as much trouble achieving normality and whether they, too, have seen a phantom Oscar. Back in the jeep it’s time to load onto the (three-quarter full) ferry. The clanging clacking sound of the loading cars is familiar enough, but at such an unearthly hour it feels altogether different. It’s more distracting somehow and it hurts my ears. I lurch upstairs to find a muted, somber feel; it’s as if the air is different. There’s an odd quality of civility, like everyone is secretly on mushrooms. I wonder if perhaps I’ve stumbled onto a parallel universe Queen of Capilano. I can’t say how many are up here, too tired to count. Many stayed in their cars to sleep, read or look at a laptop. One woman appeared to be making breakfast down there and while I marveled at her industry, I wasn’t entirely impressed. “She may be successful in life,” I thought. “But it’s kinda creepy being that organized.”
As I grab a toasted bagel from Louise, I see a commuter I met on the 6:30 a.m. some months ago, Sophie, and label her fickle for switching ferry runs. The men I saw outside now sit near the cafeteria talking about iron pipes. Why would you talk about iron pipes at 5:30 in the morning? I wander and consider going on deck but instead introduce myself to two guys who sit near the notice board and they invite me to join them. Gordon Bone and Frank Olsen tell me they’ve been riding the 5:30 a.m. ferry together for five years and every morning sit in the exact same seats. “Gord gets beads of sweat on his forehead if he finds someone else sitting in his seat,” Frank tells me. For years they rode with this third guy, Jeff Quan, but he moved off-Island and no one replaced him. They say they don’t know how many crossings they’ve made together and, naturally, doing the math at this hour is completely out of the question. I worry that this semi-grogginess I am enveloped in will be a hindrance at work, an acting job on the TV show ‘Robson Arms’, yet Frank and Gord appear awake, even normal. I’m not jealous though; I mean would you wanna get so used to being on the 5:30 a.m. ferry that you felt awake and normal on it? The familiar announcement is heard and everyone silently files down the stairs in what feels like a stunned procession. As I stumble along I realize that already I’m forgetting much of what Frank and Gord and I spoke of. Later in my notes I find the name ‘Isaak’ and the word ‘stupor’ only I have no recollection of what either signifies. I’m not even certain I’d recognize Frank and Gordon should I see them again, though I’d like to. As the ramp lowers it strikes me that my maiden 5:30 a.m. ferry ride is somewhat comparable to a first time sexual experience with someone new, both over quickly and with each a relief that it’s finally out of the way. A difference, however, is that I have no desire to ever ride on the 5:30 a.m. ferry again.
SUBMISSION
This is a letter that was written to the community of Bowen Island from a person who fraudulently represented themselves as collecting money for a charity. This letter is being submitted through Corporal Joyce of the Bowen Island RCMP as a public service announcement: Dear residents of Bowen Island, If you were to be approached and asked to give donations to a charity would you know if it were real or fraudulent? A surprising amount of people are victims to fraudulent crimes and never even realize it. For the people of Bowen Island who wouldn't know if it were fraud, I am going to teach you how to protect yourself from these types of situations. Firstly always check for an official charity name and trade mark, keeping in mind the person asking for donations could also be impersonating the charity. Always remember to ask questions, where is your money going, what is this person doing with it? See if the answers they give are legitimate with the charities information. Ask them to show you some ID (keeping in mind this could also be fraudulent). If you notice they seem to be nervous by you questioning them or are pressuring you to donate be suspicious. See if they take checks not just cash and when writing out the check see if they put it under the charity name and not their own name. Ask to get a receipt and make sure it has the charity's official name and trademark, be suspicious if they can't get you one. If you follow these steps and have suspicions the person might be committing fraud, call the organization and ask about this person who was allegedly representing them to fundraise. If any further action is needed you have now contacted the charity and you should then call your local RCMP with all the information regarding the matter. The bottom line is give wisely! Giving to a known charity you're confident about is the best option. If you are ever approached and asked for donations follow these steps to ensure your money goes where you want it. I myself have committed fraud. I feel terrible about doing so, and this letter is to help protect a wonderful community and ensure no one gets fooled by someone committing fraud.
Tri4Ghana from PAGE 3 Originally, they boys had hoped to raise $10 thousand. They were unsure about whether, with that money, they would send more kids to high school for a shorter period of time, or send a few kids for the full three years. Recently they surpassed their goal and with that came an offer from an organization called Sanctuary for Kids to make a matching donation if they reach a new goal of $18 thousand. If this happens, Tri4Ghana will be able to send eight kids to school for the full high school experience. And when their task is completed, the boys say they plan to throw a very modest after-party. “We’re hoping that we can get a cake,” says Luke. “And maybe Happy Planet will sponsor us and we can have some juice or something. We want to have a party with something to eat, but not too much, just something small so we can celebrate.”
Angus Duguid with his dog, Alfie, taking a break on Mount Gardner. Tom Duguid, photo
To support Luke, Angus and Willem in their Tri4Ghana, drop off a cheque at Island Pacific School or go to their website, www.tri4ghana.com and click donate. Also, come out and cheer them on, Saturday May 24th. Willem is expected to arrive on Sandy Beach around 11am, and Angus is expected to complete his run and arrive at IPS between 2 and 3p.m.
6 • FRIDAY MAY 16 2014
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InFormed by Nature BOWEN ISLAND ARTS COUNCIL SUBMISSION
Jennifer Love and Kathleen Ainscough were two of the founding members of Foxglove Fibre Arts Studio/Gallery/Workshop, which operated at Artisan Square on Bowen Island from 2000-2005. A passion for creating in the rich and many-layered language of textile arts was ignited by their studies at the now (controversially) discontinued Textile Arts Program at Capilano University. But that is another story. While both have continued to create and exhibit work since closing Foxglove Studio, they are thrilled at this opportunity to reunite on Bowen Island in a two-person exhibition, which will run from May 28 to June 22 at the Gallery at Artisan Square. Learn more about their journey and join the artists at the opening reception on May 31, from 2 to 4 pm. Inspiration comes to both artists from a rich variety of sources, among them: architectural and decorative design; reflection of colour and light on water; traces left by earlier civilizations; old maps; and the many colours and textures to be found in nature. It is the latter – colour, texture and particularly pattern found in the natural world – that provides the foundation for the work of both artists, and inspires this exhibition. Jennifer’s medium is usually fabric – fabric that has been dyed, printed with a myriad of different techniques, and then layered and fused, or stitched and cut away and stitched again. Layering – of colours, of patterns and textures, of fibres and stitches, of images and cultural references – this is at the core of Jennifer’s art practice. She is particularly interested in intersections, disruptions and reversals where positive and negative space, natural and man-made patterns, order and randomness have an opportunity to coexist and interact. Kathy works with a variety of different media, including the technique of stencil casting, finishing with natural oxides, oil and acrylic paints. She also works with textiles and handmade papers, creating mixed media works using digital image transfer, mono printing and stenciling with dyes and paints. Rivers and tributaries, branches of trees, the nervous system of humans all have patterns in common as do the planets in the solar system and cellular structures of plants and animals. Nature’s worlds – from microscopic to cosmologic – contain infinite inspirations and play a vital role in this creative expression.
Top left: Jennifer Love at the Fibreworks Gallery in a recent show. Bottom left: Nocturne (moon moth) 12 x 16� stencil cast on board, by Kathleen Ainscough.
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More than just a pretty beach: Marine shorelines are critical fish habitats
FRIDAY MAY 16 2014 • 7
Coastal Patterns Gallery pops up for six weeks only CAROL CRAM SUBMISSION
Bowen Island art lovers can again enjoy the eclectic and energetic work of local painter Gregg Simpson. Coastal Patterns Gallery has taken over the gallery space immediately next to the Gallery @ Artisan Square for a six week stint from May 16 to June 30. The gallery will feature Simpson’s landscapes and abstracts in various media including prints, drawings, works on paper, and paintings. Many of the works were created in the spring of 2014 when Simpson, along with his wife, local writer Carol Cram, spent two months in Normandy, France. The works are heavily inspired by Simpson’s response to the bucolic Normandy countryside. Gregg Simpson is a prolific and critically recognized artist and musician who has exhibited throughout Canada, the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. Simpson’s work is included in academic studies, art history books, and art journals published in Canada, Europe, and Australia, and exhibited in several historical surveys on surrealism and abstraction. In 2013, the Eugenio Granell Foundation in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, featured a solo exhibition of Simpson’s seminal work from the 1970s. From May 16 to June 30 (just six weeks!), Coastal Patterns Gallery will be open from Wednesday to Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm.
Adult smelt. Karl Schaefer, photo
BOWEN ISLAND CONSERVANCY SUBMISSION
Did you know that Pacific sand lance, capelin, and surf smelt spawn on sandy and pebble beaches right at our feet? These forage fish species are the cornerstone of marine food webs and are essential food for seabirds, marine mammals fish and their predators. Juvenile salmon forage along the high tide line, feeding on land-based insects swept to the ocean’s surface by winds, and on tiny invertebrates living within the beach seaweed wrack line. Communities throughout the Salish Sea are working with biologists to better understand and protect these critical fish habitats. Sea Watch Society Executive Director and
Scientist, Ramona de Graaf, will be joining us on Bowen for an evening talk titled “More than a Pretty Beach: Marine shorelines are critical fish habitats”. Ramona is a marine biologist and oversees the province-wide research program to document and protect beach spawning forage fish habitat. The talk will be held at Bob Turner’s home at 710 Minnows Lane (park in the cul-de-sac at the end of Cates Hill Road and walk up the trail) at 7:30pm Thursday May 22. Ramona will also be leading a beach tour on Friday May 23 (9:00 to 9:45AM) at Pebbly Beach on Deep (Mannion) Bay. Meet at the Pebbly Beach access off Senator Road in Deep Bay. Classes from Bowen Island Community School will tour the beach with Ramona after the public walk.
Blossoms 5, acrylic on canvas. Greg Simpson, painting
8 • FRIDAY MAY 16 2014
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Dreamsinger in colour and in song BOWEN ISLAND ARTS COUNCIL SUBMISSION
Local dreamer Matt Maxwell has written six new episode and sixty new songs for his musical comic, Dreamsinger. He’s also colourized Episode 1 of the series. To celebrate, he’s re-launching the book with a concert featuring some of the newest songs. The story is based on a event that transpired at an alternative Maxwell worked at in the 1970s: a 16-year-old aboriginal student at the school was shot and killed by a Halifax police officer. A few days before this happened, he told his teachers that he had decided to write a fantasy novel about stepping into the unknown. The music that accompanies the story takes on a wide variety of styles: pop, house, hard rock, jazz and disco. Over the years, this project has been supported by many talented Bowen Island artists and musicians. Head up to the Gallery at Artisan Square on May 31st at 7:30p.m. to attend. Tickets available at Pheonix.
Bowen Island Conservancy
More than Just a Pretty Beach, marine shorelines are critical fish habitats Along our shorelines, forage fish spawn and juvenile e salmon feed. We are mostly aware of herring, but did you know that Pacific Sand Lance, Capelin, and Surf Smelt spawn on sandy and pebble beaches right at our feet? These fish are the cornerstone of marine food webs and are essential food for seabirds, marine mammals, and other fish. Communities throughout the Salish Sea are working to better understand and protect critical beach fish habitats. Sea Watch Society Executive Director and Scientist, Ramona de Graaf, will be joining us on Bowen for an evening talk and a morning beach walk. Evening talk on Thursday, May 22nd, 7:30 pm at 710 Minnows Lane (park in the circle at the end of Cates Hill Road and walk up the marked trail) Beach walk on Friday, May 23rd, 9:00 am at Pebbly Beach, Deep (Mannion) Bay (meet at the beach access off Senator Road in Deep Bay).
For more information, email info@bowenislandconservancy.org
B.C. Licenced Home Inspector Courses
Check out Dreamsinger in colour on May 31. Tom Nesbitt, art
Aaron’s Run: New website, new distance MARY LETSON SUBMISSION
Runners, walkers, joggers mark your calendars for the 5th annual Aaron’s Run, Saturday June 14. We have added an 8km distance this year to Aaron’s Run, so along with 10km, 5km and 2km there is a distance to match every body! Start times, maps and registration all available at our dedicated website aaronsrun.com thanks to the generous sponsorship from the following companies:  Dee Elliott McDonald Realty, Allan Financial, The Orchard Recovery, Digitally Hip, Patti Jo Weise, The Ruddy Potato, First Credit Union, Evergreen, The Dog Ranch, Westland Insurance and McTaggart Water.
Registration is now open for the above series of online courses leading to licensing as a Home Inspector in British Columbia.
Contact a program adviser at (604) 899-0803 or register online at www.ashtoncollege.com
This event honours the memory of Aaron, a Bowen Island boy who died in a car accident in June 2009. Aaron had just completed his first year of sciences at Simon Fraser University and was on the cusp of his adult life. The unfathomable loss brought the island together and helped create this run. All proceeds support the Aaron Sluggett Memorial Scholarship, administered by the Bowen Island Community Foundation. This scholarship supports Bowen students pursuing post-secondary sciences. For information please call Mary Letson 947-9601.
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On the Calendar
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FRIDAY MAY 16
THURSDAY, CONTINUED...
Dinner at the Legion 5pm open, 6:30pm dinner
“More than just a pretty beach” Bowen Island Conservancy presents Ramona de Graaf, 7:30pm at 710 Minnow Lane
Coastal Patterns Gallery POPS UP Next door to the Gallery at Artisan Square
UPCOMING
SATURDAY MAY 17
MAY 23
Bowen Island Green Man Festival Children’s face painting begins at 11:30am outside Tuscany Bowen Island Golf Club Community Challenge, a competition for bragging rights! For more info call 604-947-4653 or email proshop@bowengolf.com Bowen Island Marina Grand Opening Live music, freee food: welcome the new rice bowl shop and say farewell to Nancy’s taco shop plus one hour free kayak rental Tir-na-nOg Theatre School’s 26th Annual Youth Festival of Plays runs May 10th to June 8th. Play #2 is Canterville Chase on May 17th at 7.00 pm and May 18th at 2.00 pm. Tickets at Phoenix.
SUNDAY MAY 18 MONDAY MAY 19 S.K.Y. (Seniors Keeping Young) No meeting, happy Victoria Day! Caring Circle walking group 10a.m. contact the Caring Circle at 604 - 9479100 or info@caringcircle.ca Swing Dancing 7pm - 8:30, to June 2 www.bowencommunityrecreation.com
TUESDAY MAY 20 AA Meeting Collins Hall 7:15
WEDNESDAY MAY 21 Knitting Circle 2 - 5pm at Collins Hall All levels welcome
THURSDAY MAY 22 Bowen Island Black Sheep practice. 7:30 – 9pm at the Bowen Legion Ladies League Golf every Thursday morning. Arrive at 8:30 am for 9a.m. shotgun start. Please contact susanalex@shaw.ca or kathyclarke60@ gmail.com. All levels of play welcome.
Bowen Island Conservancy, beach tour with Ramona de Graaf. Meet at Pebbly Beach at 9am.
With the arrival of summer, Islanders are planning all kinds of fantastic events and get togethers, large and small. We want to make sure that the whole community knows what’s happening and can take advantage of all the fantastic Bowen goings-on. So please send us event details including the event name, location and time with the subject heading “On the Calendar”. Write to editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com Enjoy!
MAY 24 Crippen Stewardship Group Weed Warriors 10a.m - 1p.m We will meet by the bridge at the mouth of Davie’s Creek (at nearby picnic table in field). Everyone welcome. Tools and gloves provided. Bring your water supply and come and work off your frustrations in good company! Tri4Ghana Cheer on Willem Young as he swims in to Sandy Beach around 11am. Angus Duguid is expected to complete his run at Island Pacific School sometime between 2p.m. and 3p.m. Monthly Bowen Vegetarian Potluck 5:30 pm at Jlonka, Marcel & Jeremy Bally-Brown 1055 Harding Road Theme: Brazilian (Super Challenge!)
MAY 24 & 25 Friends of the Library BookFest, Annual Sale of Used Books BICS gym, 10 am- 4 pm For info or volunteering see gretasmith@shaw.ca
MAY 26 S.K.Y. Seniors Keeping Young Society AGM 11:00am, Bowen Court (Elliot Hall) The year in review, Election of Directors Speaker: Colleen O’Neil “Why we need the Caring Circle on Bowen”
MAY 28 InFormed by Nature Opens at the Gallery at Artisan Square
MAY 31 Dreamsinger concert and launch 7:30pm at the Gallery at Artisan Square Tickets available at Pheonix
Asking $25,000
CALL ROGER THE PAINTER AT 604-947-0078
Help us build a robust community calendar
Leaders in Training (LIT) night Free for youth, 12 - 18 Bowen Island Youth Centre, pre-register at bowencommunityrecreation.com
LOCAL PAINTING BUSINESS FOR SALE The perfect on-island job. Includes all equipment: brand new sprayer, power roller system, ladders etc. worth roughly $10,000. I will work with the new owner as an advisor for as long as is needed. Equipment only is also an option.
FRIDAY MAY 16 2014 • 9
Coastal Patterns Gallery
Pop UP!
Eileen Schmidt August 1926 - May 2014 It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother, Eileen Schmidt (nee Taylor). Her grandparents, the Dormans, were one of the original pioneer families on Bowen Island in the late 1800s and Bowen was always the place she loved best. Eileen was born in August 1926 on Lulu Island (now Richmond). She grew up in Vancouver and attended John Oliver High School. She excelled in basketball, track and field and choral singing. Some highlights of her youth were hiking from the foot of Lonsdale to Grouse mountain to go skiing for the weekend, and entertaining the troops in WWII, stationed on Yorke Island with Frank Scott’s Cavalcade of Laughs. After graduation she became a lab technician at the Department of Fisheries. That is where she met her future husband Peter Schmidt who was a chemical engineer there. They were married in 1949 and moved to North Vancouver where they raised their 3 children; Larry, Diane and Talis and were active members of Holy Trinity parish and school. Holidays were always spent on Bowen Island. In 1972 they were finally able to make it their permanent home. Peter was the DJ at the Bowen Island Legion where they spent their Saturday nights dancing to the big bands and disco and everything in between. Shortly after that, they started the Bowen Building Centre (Irly) which still serves islanders to this day. Although they separated in 1979, they remained lifelong friends.
Six Weeks Only - May 16 to June 30 595A Artisan Lane (next to The Gallery @ Artisan Square) Wednesday to Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm Featuring the work of Gregg Simpson
Eileen loved antiques and jewellery and eventually opened her own shop in Snug Cove. Over the years she sold her treasures from many different locations and made many friends along the way. She was very grateful to be able to live independently, surrounded by her family and friends on the island that meant so much to her. She will be greatly missed by all who loved her.
Paintings * Drawings * Works on Paper * Prints
A service will be held at St. Gerard’s Catholic Church on May 31 at 11:00 am.
10 • FRIDAY MAY 16 2014
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Visitor Centre flings opens its doors for Summer
Thousands of great books, dirt cheap, for sale to support the library
BOWEN ISLAND ARTS COUNCIL SUBMISSION
The Bowen Island Visitor Centre is officially open for the season! We hung our sign on May 12 and will be open seven days a week through to the long weekend in September. The BIVC is sharing space with the Caring Circle at the Boulevard Cottage in Snug Cove. For the third year in a row, the Bowen Island Arts Council is operating the facility on behalf of the Bowen Island Municipality. Summer staff includes two university students who grew up on Bowen, Bella Hauner and Ali Stone, as well as Heather Haley, a local poet and author. As in past years, the Visitor Centre will help tourists and others find their way, discover Bowen’s attractions, and enjoy local services and activities. It will help underline the fact that the island is a thriving arts community, offering artists wares for sale in is small gift shop, and showcasing the work of local artists and other entrepreneurs. We’ll be working with the recently formed Tourism Bowen Island group to help market the island as a desirable destination with many treasures to discover. And we’ll be a source of information as we help promote local businesses, organizations, services, festivals and other events through our new website at tourismbowen.com. We are still looking for information (flyers, brochures, pamphlets) from local businesses. Please feel free to drop off your materials any day of the week from 9:30 am – 4 pm. Come in, view local art, learn more about upcoming events, or ask any questions you might have about Bowen Island. Everyone is welcome!
These FOBILS have been hard at work sorting and categorizing thousands of books for BookFest. From left: Portia Lynn, Anna Marie Atherton, and Elizabeth Storry. Meribeth Deen, photo
Contact us at visitorcentre@biac.ca or 604.947.2634
FRIENDS OF THE BOWEN LIBRARY
“On Sunday May 18th, EEmily Allan and Lauren SSpear of Fawnfare will be pplaying a show at Cates HHill Chapel. Warming up tthe stage for them will bbe the incredibly talented AAnna Scouten, yet another musician born and raised on Bowen. Doors will open at 7:00 and the show will be finished by 9:30, just in time for the cityfolk to catch the last ferry. Tickets by donation (suggested $10) at the door.”
Dr. Dana Barton
Naturopathic Physician 596 B. Artisan Square
HEALTH & WELLNESS Dr. Susanne Schloegl M.D. Open Mon. Wed. Thurs. Fri.
604-730-1174
Call for an appointment Artisan Square
Natural Family Medicine
604-947-9986
Chiropractor
www.leachchiro.com
Dr. Utah Zandy 604-947-9830 CALL FOR APPOINTMENT OPEN TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS
Diana Romer MEd, RCC
Dr. Gloria Chao
Dr. Tracy Leach, D.C.
595B Artisan Lane Tuesdays Call for an appointment
(778) 828-5681
COUNSELLING THERAPIST Bowen and West Van offices
604.290.6407 Deromer@shaw.ca www.clearhorizon.ca
Family Dentist Artisan Square • 604-947-0734 Alternate Fridays 10am-4:30pm Horseshoe Bay • 604-921-8522 www.bowenislanddental.com
To advertise on the Health Page call 604-947-2442
SUBMISSION
Island bibliophiles are marking their calendars for May 24 and 25, the dates for BookFest, the annual sale of gently used books to raise funds for the Bowen Island Library. As always, the selection is vast and the prices are low. The sale will be located in the easy shopping space of the BICS gym, with Saturday hours from 10 am to 4pm and Sunday hours, 10 am- 2 pm. Tables will be filled with hardcover and paperback books of all kinds, from quality novels, to mysteries, science fiction. fine arts, self- help,, history, and much, much more including lots of children’s books. There’s a fun special all day Sunday when a heaping box of books can be had for just $8.00. The sale is hosted by the Friends of the Bowen Island Library, affectionately known as FOBILS or just ‘ the Friends’. Who are they? FOBILS has been a dedicated supporter for the library since it’s beginning. BookFest is one of the
long list of activities that the Friends have helped to make happen and it has its own special story. It began as a modest summer book sale in what is now the Tuscany patio area. Before long, the sale moved into space at the restored Old General Store (now the library) allowing a marvelous selection of books. Eventually the library itself moved into its current location and the summer booksale was presented in the shelter of big yellow tents on the lawn. Islanders loved the annual sight of the tents. However, the tends proved to be too cumbersome and expensive and the sale moved to the roomy space of the BICS gym. The booksale eventually developed a junior partner, the mini-bookstore in the library’s lobby. It’s been an ongoing success. Over the years, the Friends have helped to fund everything from the children’s Summer Reading Club to computer upgrades, new furniture or author visits. The 1978 team which first saw the need for Bowen’s own library would be amazed and proud of what has been achieved with the help of hundreds of Friends.
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BOWEN ISLAND WELLNESS CENTRE
Quality repairs, reno’s, carpentry or maintenance for: Home • Yard • Property
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Dr. Traditional Chinese Medicine/Acupuncturist
Chris Weyler The “Handy Man” Can!!
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I cut grass. One easy call: Jaime
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roofing & sheet metal
Call Mike at
604-338-2516
Ian Cameron Musician Guitar/Bass iancameron402@gmail.com
To Advertise on the Bulletin Board, Call 604-947-2442
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FRIDAY MAY 16 2014 • 11
12 • FRIDAY MAY 16 2014
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Notes from the field: gratitude, congratulations *********************************************************************** Congratulations to Bowen Island architect James Tuer for being awarded “Best New Home for 2014” by Fine Home Building Magazine. Each year Fine Home Building publishes its annual HOUSES issue, celebrating the most well-designed and well-built homes in North America. Tuer’s winning project is an infill home and laneway cottage he designed in Vancouver. The jury complimented his project for its modern in style and construction, commenting that this home exemplifies forward-thinking homebuilding. ************************************************************************* Congratulations to the six students who came to Bowen Island to attend the hands-on portion of Cocoa West’s Chocolate School for completing their course. Students in this group came from Chile, Mexico, California and various locations in Canada. Joanne Mogridge, who teaches the course, says that while each student has received a certificate of completion, they still have hours of pracitce and learning ahead of them. “Really,” she says, “You never stop learning.”
From left: Mary Ellen DeGrace, Donna Scorer, Mayor Jack Adelaar, and Katherine Lawrence in front of BIRD’s new cardboard bailer. Meribeth Deen, photo
MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
Mayor Jack Adelaar gave the Knick Knack Nook a plaque in recognition of the impact of recent donations made to the Bowen Island Recycling Depot (BIRD). With monies donated by the Nook, BIRD purchased two bailers used to compact cardboard and plastic waste. Louise MacIntosh of Bowen Waste says BIRD is seeing a big difference in volume for shipping of certain materials. “We’re very excited to see how many trips we can save,” says MacIntosh Mayor Adelaar says the work of the volunteers at the Knick Knack Nook is invaluable, and that he expects the bailers will have a long-term and positive impact on the municipalities finances, and that hopefully, monies saved will be able to go into other long-term investments to benefit the island, such as a local composting facility.
Cocoa West Chocolatier Joanne Mogridge coaches a student through the process of creating chocolates that will be formed in a mold. Meribeth Deen, photo
Bowen Island Volunteer Fire-Rescue has
OPENINGS FOR NEW MEMBERS
Local Bottled Water Deliver Service FREE DELIVERY Competitive Pricing BPA Free Bottles Rental Coolers
If you… • Are over 19 years of age; • Live and work on the island; • Have a valid B.C. drivers license; • Are willing to undergo a criminal background check; • Are available and willing to be called out at any time; • Are willing to undergo training for 1st Responder Medical situations, as well as firefighting, …then you may be interested in joining our team and serving your community.
Applications may be obtained by dropping in at the Municipal Hall, or by calling 604-947-4255, or may be downloaded from the BIM website at www.bimbc.ca Completed applications can be dropped off at the Municipal Hall, or mailed to: Fire Chief, Bowen Island Volunteer Fire-Rescue, 981 Artisan Lane, Bowen Island B.C. V0N 1G0. Applications must be received by 4:30p.m. May 23, 2014.
609-947-2950 • info@mctaggartwater.com
Ian Thompson, Fire Chief
Only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.