Bowen Island Undercurrent November 28 2019 by Bowen Island Undercurrent

GIVING ON BOWEN: we celebrate the island’s generosity

STARTS PAGE 7

inc. GST

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2019

VOL. 45, NO. 48

BIUndercurrent

BEAR SEASON: Live bears may be starting hibernation but it’s nearly teddy bear season at the museum

BowUndercurrent www.bowenislandundercurrent.com

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Legal STRs on the horizon COUNCIL PASSES A SHORT-TERM RENTAL POLICY, BYLAWS TO COME

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO PHOTO

THROUGH A CANDY CANE HAZE: Candy Ho and Rebecca Hurst help decorate the Cove for Light Up

Bowen. The annual evening of holiday cheer (and Santa!) is Saturday starting at 6 p.m. in Village Square. The evening also involves a lantern parade, open houses, a live nativity and a sugar plum fairy gathering.

While most Air BnBs on Bowen Island are illegal, they won’t be for long. Council adopted a short term rental policy in principle at Monday evening’s regular council meeting. The policy allows for full-house short-term rentals (shorter than 30 days) but restricts renting to a maximum of 120 nights a year per unit. It also requires that all short-term rental operators obtain a business license. Currently bed and breakfasts, where the operator is a resident and there are no separate kitchen facilities, are the only legal short-term rentals across most of Bowen. The policy says that it “details a regulatory approach to ensure STR use of an entire dwelling unit is kept secondary to the primary use of residence for the community.” Under this policy, BIM is to allow short-term rentals of entire houses, secondary suites and detached secondary suites. Community Planner Emma Chow’s report to council says that the public prevailed on BIM to allow for short-term rental of secondary suites, a sentiment the Housing Advisory Committee supported for fear that restricting this use would lead owners to decommission suites (ie. take out the kitchen so that they could use the suite as a bed and breakfast.) Two guest limit per room, ample parking, an on-island contact person and the requirement of a “good neighbour agreement” are other restrictions under the policy. BIM is also to allow bed and breakfasts on properties with secondary and detached secondary suites, a use currently prohibited. While the policy lays out a framework for amending bylaws to allow short-term rentals, it is not in itself regulation. Next steps for BIM include amending the Land Use Bylaw, the Business Licensing Bylaw and the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw. Staff and councillors will fine-tune the regulations and policy as they progress through the amendment process (readings, public information sessions and hearings). CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

The Union Steamship Company Store Beginning November 30th, our first Late Night Shop, through to December 24th take 10% off your purchases of $100 or more

2 • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28 2019

Event Calendar November 30, 2019 9:30 am RentSmart Workshop for Landlords

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Snow and cold temperatures 2020 Council Meeting Dates Council approved its 2020 meeting schedule on Tuesday, are in the forecast November 12, 2019.

The Municipality clears snow and ice from public roads according to the Roadway Level of Service - Winter Maintenance Policy. On call road crews monitor weather conditions and forecasts to be ready to respond in snowy and icy conditions.

December 5, 2019 7:00 pm

Crews salt and plow the roads in the following order of priority:

Environment and Climate Action

• • •

Advisory Committee Meeting

December 6, 2019 9:30 am Housing Advisory Committee Meeting

December 7, 2019 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Primary routes - main roads and bus routes Secondary routes, once the snow fall has stopped Tertiary routes, after the snow fall has stopped and all other main and secondary roads are passable. In the event of continual snowfall, it will take longer for plows to reach tertiary routes because primary and secondary roads require additional attention.

A snowplow priority map is available on our website at bowenislandmunicipality.ca/snow-removal

First Aid CPR/AED training

December 9, 2019 4:00 pm

6:15 pm Regular Council Meeting

Emergency Program Executive Committee Meeting

December 13, 2019 9:30 am Economic Development Commitee Meeting All meetings are held in Council Chambers unless otherwise noted. Council and Committee meetings are open to the public. We encourage you to attend in person or watch online.

•Monday, January 13, 2020; •Monday, January 27, 2020; •Monday, February 10, 2020; •Monday, February 24, 2020; •Monday, March 9, 2020; •Monday, March 23, 2020; •Tuesday, April 14, 2020; •Monday, April 27, 2020; •Monday, May 11, 2020; •Monday, May 25, 2020; •Monday, June 8, 2020; •Monday, June 22, 2020; •Monday, July 13, 2020; •Monday, July 27, 2020; •Monday, September 14, 2020; •Monday, September 28, 2020; •Tuesday, October 13, 2020; •Monday, October 26, 2020; •Monday, November 9, 2020; •Monday, November 23, 2020; •Monday, December 14, 2020.

Become a NERP volunteer

Committee of the Whole

December 10, 2019 9:30 am

All Council meetings will be held in Municipal Hall Council Chambers at 6:15 pm on the following dates:

Keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice Property owners are responsible for making sure the sidewalks next to their property are kept clear of snow and ice, to ensure the safe passage of pedestrians. Questions? Please contact Bylaw Services at 604-328-5499 or bim@bimbc.ca

Emergency First Aid Saturday, December 7, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Municipal Hall Free training Email jmcgowan@bimbc.ca to register

The Neighbourhood Emergency Response Program (NERP) is a Municipality-sponsored, grassroots program of neighbours supporting neighbours in emergency situations. The NERP’s purpose is to increase our personal and collective level of preparedness and self-sufficiency in the event of an emergency, such as an earthquake, wildfire, or extended power outage. As a NERP volunteer, you will take an active role in your neighbourhood’s emergency preparation. In the event of an emergency, you will help coordinate your neighbourhood’s response and recovery, ensuring the safety and security of you, your family and your neighbours. In doing this, you will be playing a significant role in the resilience of our island community. If you’re interested in volunteering for NERP, or if you have any questions about the program, please visit our website for more information: www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/nerps Or contact Edward Wachtman, Lead Coordinator by e-mail at: edward@bimbc.ca

Saturday, December 7th, 2019

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

First Aid with Amanda Municipal Hall, 1:00-5:00pm CPR/AED Training

Learn the skills needed to recognize and respond to cardiovascular emergencies and choking for adults. Learn to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Come learn with your Emergency Program volunteers. No charge. Contact Jennifer McGowan, BIM Emergency Program Coordinator to register jmcgowan@bimbc.ca

General Enquiries

Phone: Fax: Email:

Bowen Island Municipal Hall 981 Artisan Lane Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2

604-947-4255 604-947-0193 bim@bimbc.ca

Find us on Facebook Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday, excluding statutory holidays November 28, 2019

Bowen Island Municipality

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THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28 2019 • 3

Changing Tides: local author charts a hopeful course

REVIEW: ‘IF YOU WERE RAISED KNOWING IN YOUR BONES HOW ALL LIFE IS CONNECTED, THIS BOOK REAFFIRMS YOUR PERSPECTIVE’ Likewise, Alejandro’s stories have re-arranged my understanding of the world, forming a picture of how we humans can live in balance with each other and nature, without depleting resources or destroying cultures. My favorite quote from the book is long, but it is a testament to the writer’s style and the book’s content: “Developing the restraint and intentionality with which Coastal First Nations have conducted themselves in the world requires strong cultural norms that infuse the collective psyche of an entire society with a commitment for responsibility towards other species. These norms are codified into stories in which human and non-human worlds have fluid boundaries, intertwined by the powers of transformation.” Changing Tides is both an antidote to fear

and an inspiring call to action -- a reading adventure that is on par with Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass. Alejandro will be giving an author talk Sunday, December 8 at 2 p.m. at the Cove Commons Library Annex. Copies of Changing Tides can be borrowed from the Bowen Library or purchased at Phoenix.

ADAM TAYLOR PHOTO

Dr. Alejandro Frid will give a talk Dec. 8.

Schedule in Effect: October 15, 2019 to March 31, 2020 On December 25, & January 1 service will begin with the 8:35 am sailing from Bowen Island and the 8:00 am sailing from Horseshoe Bay.

▼

BOWEN ISLAND Snug Cove

5:20 am^ 6:20 am< 7:30 am< 8:35 am 9:40 am 10:50 am 12:00 pm 1:10 pm 2:55 pm 4:00 pm† 5:10 pm 6:15 pm 7:25 pm* 8:30 pm 9:30 pm 10:30 pm

VANCOUVER Horseshoe Bay 5:50 am< 6:50 am< 8:00 am 9:05 am† 10:15 am 11:25 am 12:35 pm 2:20 pm 3:30 pm 4:35 pm 5:45 pm 6:50 pm 8:00 pm* 9:00 pm 10:00 pm

Distance: 3 NAUTICAL MILES Crossing Time: 20 MINUTES

Leave Horseshoe Bay

In his new book, Changing Tides: An Ecologist’s Journey to Make Peace with the Anthropocene, Dr. Alejandro Frid confronts the future with scientific evidence and ancient wisdom. Although not a sequel to his earlier work, A World for My Daughter, Alejandro continues his quest for optimism in this lyrical book about climate change, biodiversity, environmental stewardship, and traditional cultures. Alejandro works with the Central Coast indigenous Resource Alliance, an organization composed of the Wuikinuxv, Heiltsuk, Nuxalk and Kitasoo/X’ai’xais First Nations as an ecologist and science coordinator. He makes his home on Bowen Island but, reading this first-person account, you get the feeling that he is equally happy working and recreating in wilder, more remote places. Much of Alejandro’s research, interspersed throughout the book, was conducted off the central coast of B.C. where he studies marine resources and the synergistic effects of climate change and human activity on biodiversity. By turns, the writing is scientific and poetic. Alejandro deftly weaves scientific observations with stories of his family’s adventures kayaking, camping and hunting. When he writes about herring and rockfish, they appear to swim through the chapter, like allegorical figures, bringing news about Indigenous peoples’ cultures and values. If you were raised knowing in your bones how all life is connected, this book reaffirms your perspective. If you needed a little clar-

ity on that point, here is evidence that biodiversity matters. In fact, the case is made that Indigenous ways of understanding the world are critical for navigating life in the “Anthropocene,“ the geologic time period that many scientists say started in the mid20th century with industrialized human societies. Referencing Heiltsuk tradition and customary laws called Gvi’ilas, Alejandro writes that “the focus of resource management decisions should be on what is left behind, not on what is taken.” He gives examples of how relationships based upon the traditional values of ‘respect, gratitude, and reciprocity’ are contributing to real life cultural and ecological resilience today. The wisdom inherent in the tenets of reciprocity, that you should “not take more than you need” and “focus on what you leave behind,” reminds me of Robin Wall Kimmerer, the author of Braiding Sweetgrass. As a botanist, professor and Potawatomi writer, she has the same talent of telling stories that bring the natural world, scientific findings and Indigenous traditions into alignment. Both writers have sensitized me to the importance of protecting biodiversity in its myriad forms. Bees and wasps sting but they also pollinate. Invisible microorganisms create soil from waste and birds carry fish into the forest, fertilizing the trees we harvest for many purposes. As my awareness expands, I remember, “leave some behind, take only what I need” when I go fishing or foraging for mushrooms. Some dreams and works of art move us in unexpected ways, eliciting emotional reactions and transforming our thoughts.

Leave Snug Cove

SUSAN SWIFT

Contributor

* DAILY EXCEPT SATURDAYS

< EXCEPT DEC 25 & JAN 1 ^ EXCEPT SUN AND NOV 11, DEC 25, JAN 1 & FEB 17 † DC WEDNESDAY SAILINGS WILL BE REPLACED BY DANGEROUS CARGO SAILINGS. NO OTHER PASSENGERS PERMITTED.

Places of Worship Welcome You Patient of the Week MEET STRACH Strach came to see Dr. Midge with a case of Cheyletiella Parasitovorax, otherwise known as mites. Mites are very common in rabbits but when their numbers get out of control it becomes very itchy and can cause painful sores from scratching. Treatment consists of an injectable or oral medication. It’s hard to tell, but Strach looks a lot more comfortable now that his condition is being looked after.

HOURS: Tuesday through Friday from 9:00am – 5:00pm Saturdays from 9:00am – 1:00pm. Dr. Midge Ritchie and veterinary assistants are also available 24/7 for urgent care. Call the regular line at 604.947.9247 and press “1” to be forwarded to the doctor. To schedule appointments, please call

604.947.9247

or email reception@bowenvet.com

BOWEN ISLAND UNITED CHURCH Reverend Lorraine Ashdown and Tina Overbury Service and Sunday School 10:30 am Collins Hall Bookings: Helen Wallwork Minister of Music: Lynn Williams

FOOD BANK DROP-OFF

ST. GERARD’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Sunday Mass: 9:30 a.m.

Administration Office: 604-682-6774

CATES HILL CHAPEL

www.cateshillchapel.com 604-947-4260 (661 Carter Rd.)

10:00 a.m. Worship Sunday School: Tots to Teens

Pastor: Phil Adkins

4 • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28 2019

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VIEWPOINT

EDITORIAL

Valuing local news and local businesses Whether the stories of the week are sad and challenging or reason to celebrate, you can count on us here at the Undercurrent to keep you updated on the news, views and events on Bowen. Our small staff of Bronwyn our editor, reporter, photographer and delivery person and Tracey our sales, admin, and distribution person, work tirelessly to provide you with what you expect and some items you might not expect. Whether you take your news via our 24/7 website or our printed weekly newspaper, we hope you enjoy the read and feel we are doing the work that truly matters to us all. It is our community news after all! In order to keep up the relevant, compelling and unique news at a high quality and timeliness it takes significant work and resources. All our input costs of paper, transportation and mailing continue to put financial pressure on our small business. So we are adjusting our cover and subscription prices, effective December 5. We strive to keep the cost modest and we truly feel that it is. There is not much we can expect to buy for $1.50 these days on Bowen (or anywhere else). A cup of coffee, or a single-zone bus fare is more expensive almost anywhere. We truly hope that you understand the pressures of keeping our commitment to service alive and well and to look after the basic needs of our staff as we strive to serve our community in the way we best can. As we move quickly and relentlessly toward the holiday season just ahead, we ask you to consider how you can help all the small businesses on our idyllic island. Don’t be so quick to rush off to the Lower Mainland retail quadrants to save a few dollars. Spend your hard earned money as close to home as possible. It truly is all these small business entrepreneurs that make our island so special. They provide unique and high quality products and great services, they employ our young people, they pay local taxes, they shop locally and they sponsor all the great events that truly make this a wonderful place. Amazon, Costco, Walmart and the rest of those off island retailers do none of those things. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season from all of us here at the Undercurrent! —Peter Kvarnstrom, Publisher

Letter: strike against CO2 lock-in in Canada, strike for life

DEAR EDITOR: Yes, and it is happening in Átl’k a7tsem / Howe Sound, in Burnaby, in Kitimat, in B.C. and Alberta: CO2 lock-in. “Is CO2 lock-in a good thing?” Here is the deal. Canada is allowing for new fossil fuel projects to be built at a time when it shouldn’t. Regardless of your position or how you voted in the last election, the science is clear: we have a limited amount of time to ensure that global warming doesn’t become rapid global heating. At this point Canada is allowing projects like Woodfibre LNG, Trans Mountain Pipeline, LNG Canada, the drilling of thousands more fracking wells, and the opening of

new tar-sands mines to go ahead. And with it––once these projects become operational––to allow for a drastic increase in the emission of greenhouse gasses for the next 25 to 40 years. These are perfect examples of CO2 lock-in. Every new fossil fuel project automatically leads to extra CO2 emissions for the project lifetime. So why does Canada’s government allow this? Didn’t Canada sign the Paris Climate Accord in December of 2015? Many took the signing of that accord very seriously. We were inspired, encouraged, many households started making efforts to cut back, expecting Canada to cut back drastically on CO2 emissions and to

invest heavily in renewable energy, joining other leading countries who are doing so too. But that is not what Canada is doing, and to no one’s surprise, in the recent “Brown to Green” report, Canada “scores” second last of the G20 countries when it comes to tackling global heating. As much as we try on a household level, our efforts can simply not make up for Canada’s rising CO2 emission gap due to the CO2 lock-in of these new fossil fuel projects. In order for Canada to become CO2 net-zero by 2050, it must cut CO2 production of large industrial projects and have no new ones come online. I don’t want my children and,

if ever, my to-be-born grandchildren, to be fried due to global heating. So what are we going to do? Clearly we are on the wrong path. Clearly we cannot allow for new fossil fuel projects to come online. We must invest in renewable energy now. So where will the money for renewable energy come from? As it looks now, the Canadian government is looking for the revenue from these new fossil fuel projects. But that will simply take way too long when the money is right there. Right there in the bank accounts of large corporations and the super wealthy who are swimming in money because

successive Canadian governments over the years continued to lower corporate taxes. We simply don’t have the time for the already super low royalties fossil fuel resources to provide us with adequate amounts of money. Does that mean Canada has to stop the new projects and ignore investment deals with other countries? Totally! Because if we don’t: we are fried. Literally. A good first step is to join a Climate Strike on Friday November 29. They are happening all around the world. See FridaysForFuture. ca for details. The second step is to organize. We must do this for life! —Anton van Walraven

THE WRITE STUFF. The Undercurrent encourages reader participation in your community newspaper. You must include your full name and a daytime phone number (for verification only). The editor reserves the right to edit for clarity, legality, brevity and taste. HERE’S HOW: To submit a letter to the editor, fax 604-947-0148 or mail it to #102, 495 Government Rd., PO Box 130, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G0 or email editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com. 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.

#102–495 Bowen Trunk Road, PO Box 130, Bowen Island BC, V0N 1G0 Phone: 604.947.2442 Fax: 604.947.0148 bowenislandundercurrent.com DEADLINE for all advertising and editorial: Monday, 4:00 p.m. Bowen Island Undercurrent Subscription Rates: Mailed 1 year subscription on Bowen Island: $45, including GST. Within Canada: $65 including GST Newsstand (Single Copy) $1 per copy, including GST ISSN 7819-5040

National NewsMedia Council.

EDITOR BronwynBeairsto editor@bowenisland undercurrent.com

ADVERTISING Tracey Wait ads@bowenisland undercurrent.com

CARTOONIST Ron Woodall

PUBLISHER Peter Kvarnstrom publisher@bowenisland undercurrent.com

2011 CCNA

CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2011

The Undercurrent is a member of the National NewsMedia Council of Canada, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please email editor@bowenislandundercurrent. com or call 604-947-2442. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the website at mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information.

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THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28 2019 • 5

OPINION

To regulate or not to regulate

THAT IS THE QUESTION ROB WYNEN CONTEMPLATES IN HIS LATEST REFLECTION

ROB WYNEN

Contributor

Regulation is often considered a dirty word. Who are you to tell me what to do? Regulations, a rule or directive made and maintained by an authority, are of course part of our daily lives and without them life would be chaotic to say the least, unless you are camping out alone on Hutt Island. I take that back, that is also regulated. Speed limits, food serving and preparation standards, certification requirements for certain professions, the list goes on, are all regulations that keep us safe and give us a sense of security. Regulations can go too far. This can encourage disrespect for the rules and unnecessarily limit our behaviours and our freedoms. A recent example would be the decriminalization of marijuana. The laws were simply not enforceable, ate up too many police resources, drove the market underground and labelled over half the population of the country as a criminal (StatsCan reports nearly 50 per cent of Canadians admit to smoking marijuana at some point in their lives). Ironically it may also have driven up use in Canada, not the intended purpose of the strict regulations, the Netherlands with a legal market had and still has a much lower usage rate. Being on council has given me some interesting insight. Not only people’s opinions on regulations but also what people want to see regulated. I have been on council for just over a year and we have received a number of regulation requests, including: a ban on all outdoor fires, a ban on smoking in the Cove, a ban on pellet/air guns, a ban on bows and sling shots, a ban

on fireworks, a ban on dogs on public beaches and a ban on outdoor cats. The requests have always been put forward by well-meaning individuals with rational reasons for the proposed regulation. On the flip side, we also hear from many that we are over regulated: why can’t we camp on Bowen and what is up with all these new ferry lineup regulations? Regulations can also have a nefarious component. The tyranny of the majority which is an inherent weakness of majority rule in which the majority of an electorate can and does place its own interests above, and at the expense of, those in the minority. Passing a ban on the burqa is easy, sometimes even politically advantageous when it only affects five per cent of the population but try doing that if the majority of the population wears a burqa, it would be politically impossible to try to implement such a policy. We are of course all in the majority and minority on various aspects of our lives, something regulators should keep in mind. The impacts of a particular regulation change may greatly impact a minority of residents without significant benefits for the majority. This brings us to the obvious question: when do we regulate an activity and when do we let things be as they are? Also, who are we affecting with new regulations? My general bent on regulation is less is more. Regulating activities comes with a number of issues that are often not taken into consideration but should be. Regulations cost money. They need to be backed up by enforcement which requires resources. Resources are always limited. Over-regulating without providing needed resources

results in some regulations not being enforced, which then result in frustration. Fining is often the go-to tool for dealing with violations but what happens when people refuse to pay the fines? Do we take people to court? How much will that cost? A bigger question for me is whether the regulation will have a net positive impact. Is banning cigarette smoking or fireworks going to stop people from such activities or will they hide the activities and create more problems. Banning smoking in the Cove may lead to people smoking in places away from the Cove, possibly in the surrounding forests. Might this create more fire risks? A recent story on the CBC on new proposed vaping regulations drove home some of these points. The show visited local high schools and asked for student reactions to stricter vaping regulation changes. The answers were interesting. Some praised the regulation changes but the majority, non-users and users, were quick to point out some unintended consequences. Chief among the concerns, students not being honest with their parents and hiding the vaping from them and a return to cigarette use, which some had already seen with increased focus on vaping dangers. The saying, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, comes to mind. In the end, most will agree that regulations are necessary, especially as more people are competing for increasingly limited resources. We need to be mindful however that regulations need to be reasonable, enforceable and effective. They also need to have broad public acceptance and be properly backed up with resources. This is easier said than done.

Bowen Island Municipality is celebrating 20 years since incorporation this year. Do you have reflections on the past two decades of BIM’s existence? Was incorporation the right choice? Are we better off now than we were 20 years ago? Email editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com with your thoughts.

ISLAND PACIFIC SCHOOL

Art & Design Exhibition

OPEN HOUSE

Wednesday, December 11th 6:15-8:15pm

BASIA LIESKE PHOTO

This frosty visitor was spotted ambling down Trunk Road Tues.

6 • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28 2019

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BOWEN BEAT

Peter Matthews, Christine Miller and Roger McGillivray at the Library Volunteer Appreciation Event.

Appreciatinglibraryvolunteers

Sunday afternoon, Bowen Library volunteers and staff gathered at the Library Annex to shout out for National Volunteer Week. PHOTOS AND CAPTIONS BY LEN GILDAY

Anita, Marie-Claire and Opal serving supper at last Friday evening’s Legion dinner. They served an satisfied sold-out crowd. (Photo: Rob Wynen)

Early birds get the best rate and the Undercurrent in their mailbox every week!

Our newstand price is going to $1.50 per week Dec 5th and our subscription rates will moderately increase

Subscribe or renew before Dec 1 to save!

$45 per year local or $65 off island or as of Dec 1st $55 per year local or $85 off island

and if it's not quite time to renew your subscription? we'll take a prepayment!

604-947-2442 ads@bowenislandundercurrent.com online at bowenislandundercurrent.com

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Thank you

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28 2019 • 7

GIVING ON BOWEN Giving elvin magic

I love this edition. Bowen has vibrant community organizations and so many volunteers so writing and reading about them is a delight. Though some may say volunteering on Bowen is not “like it used to be,” that’s ok. The island will never be like it used to be but we continue to choose the kind of community we want to live in and the services we want to see. From the volunteer firefighters to the sports organizers, Bowen relies on islanders’ gift of time. For example, this year Sam Nosek who (not single handedly but ably) created the Veteran’s Park Disc Golf Course. There’s Sheana Stevenson who, with her team of volunteers, pulled off yet another successful Bowfest. There’s Graham Ritchie of the Snug Cove House Society and a dedicated board who have been plugging away at building supportive housing for seniors for the past 20 years. There’s this year’s citizen of the year, Peter King, who, though technically paid, created and kept alive the Express Bus until the Bowen Transportation Society relieved some of his burden earlier this year. These are just the names that jumped into my deadline-addled brain, hundreds more people deserve mentions. Thank you all. What a fortunate community this is. Bronwyn Beairsto, Editor

Light Up Bowen’s got a special elf And she doesn’t sit around on some old shelf! Twinkling her way around the Cove Trees with lights they are wove! Candy Cane Lanes and garlands galore we say “stop,” she says “more!” You better be ready to come and play And join in all the MAGIC that’s on display! (and if you’re good maybe see Santa arrive in his Bowen sleigh!) I have been at ground zero for the past week watching Basia Lieske decorate the entire Cove for Light Up Bowen. For me, Basia is the true definition of “Giving” on Bowen Island. She and her merry band of Elves have worked tirelessly for days decorating. The behind the scenes work Basia has put in is even more impressive: grants written, sponsors sought, decorations ordered. Then setting it up, taking it down, storing, advertising, organizing

mascots and other individuals helping on the evening of Light Up, truly the list is endless. It makes sense that Basia is Santa’s head elf because of her outstanding organizational abilities which, I understand is one of the main job requirements of being an Elf. I asked Basia what the number one reason was for her to organize Light Up. Her answer was very simple; she feels her God-given gift is “hospitality.” I want to thank Basia and her team for their Bowen gift of “giving” in putting together this magical event for all Bowen Islanders to enjoy this Saturday. For me personally, this year I am going to love attending Light Up even more having had the opportunity to see the time, love, dedication and hard work that our one and only Head Bowen Elf, Basia Lieske, has put into making it happen! Thanks, Basia, you’re the best elf ever! ––Katherine Gish PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIO PRIM SILVA

Photographer Mario Prim Silva (far left) and dogwalker Chrissy Silva (far right) donated the proceeds of their book Little Island Dogs to Coast Animal Welfare & Education Society (C.A.W.E.S.). Deborah Fortescue (middlde left) and Susanna Braund (middle right) of CAWES accepted a $600 cheque from the Silvas last week.

Giving trails

KIM RIDGEWELL

Bowen Island Trail Society

The Bowen Island Trail Society is a volunteer organization dedicated to building and maintaining a well-integrated and interconnected community trail network for non-motorized users on Bowen. This past year, more than 1000 blazes (trail markers) were installed on Mt. Gardner (including Skid Trails, North Summit Trail, South Ridge Express, South Summit Grind and the Summit Connector-Loop). More than 40 volunteers invested about 300 hours to accomplish all this in five separate blazing events from Nov. 2018 to June 2019. Big thanks to everyone who came out for our two biggest fundraisers over the past year––the Cover Your Trails benefit concert (featuring Dustin & Barney Bentall and friends), which raised $5,035 (including a generous donation of $500), and the Handloggers Half Marathon, which raised $3563 for the Trail Society. A big shout out to everyone who has volunteered, laboured, donated and supported the Trail Society over the past year – you’re making Mt. Gardner Trails safer and more accessible for all non-motorized users. We’re looking forward to a productive and exciting 2020!

Giving on Bowen

Bowen Island Community Foundation Dear Neighbour, As the season of reflection and giving thanks quickly approaches us, we want to remember and celebrate how extraordinarily generous our community is. Because of you, our Bowen community has endowment funds of over $1,037,000. Because of you, your Community Foundation has granted $635,500 to initiatives that strengthen the resiliency of our community. Because of you, 82 students from Bowen have received scholarships to pursue their dreams. And because of you 37 Bowen families who found themselves in crisis were helped through personal emergencies. Like Bowen’s philanthropists – large and small –the hearts of Bowen’s volunteer community are huge. Their ideas and energy seem to be endless. Just this past year, because of you, your Community Foundation was able to grant $35,5000 to Bowen charities for projects that impact many of the Vital Conversations priorities – affordable housing, youth, diversity and inclusion, gathering places, and the environment. The selected organizations – Bowen Island Resilient Community Housing Society, Cates Hill Chapel, Bowen Disc Golf Club and Island Pacific School, Bowen Island Conservancy, Bowen Island Arts Council and Bowen Island Public Library, and Tirna-nOg Theatre School Society – as well as all the other great volunteer organizations on Bowen, give tirelessly to our wonderful community. Because of your generous donations, they are able to bring their visions to reality for the benefit of us all.

We hope this year you will be part of this great community mosaic with a contribution to your Community Foundation. A contribution with personal meaning for you and one that will have an impact on the community we all love. A contribution to the Community Impact Fund provides the most flexibility, enabling us to respond to community needs as priorities emerge. The Helping Hand Fund provides emergency assistance to Islanders in crisis. This year we launched the Youth At Risk Fund, the Kipp Thompson Memorial Fund, and the Neighbourhood Small Grants program. A gift to one of our other endowed funds generates earnings that are reinvested in our community year after year. As our funds continue to grow, so will our ability to provide support for community projects, large and small, that matter most to you.

Bowen Island Trail Society On the Beaten Path with the Bowen Island Trail Society

Please say “Yes!” to the future of Bowen by sending in your contribution today. No gift is too small and tax receipts are issued for all donations over $20. Because of you, we can ensure that Bowen continues to be a community working together. If you have any questions, we’d welcome the opportunity to hear from you. The Foundation Board wishes you and those you love much joy. Thank you for considering a gift to your community.

www.bowenfoundation.com info@bowenfoundation.com https://www.facebook.com/ BowenIslandCommunityFoundation/

BowenIslandTrailSociety.ca Facebook / Instagram @ BowenIslandTrailSociety

Bowen Island Trail Society is a volunteer organization dedicated to building and maintaining a well-integrated and interconnected community trail network for non-motorized users on Bowen. Membership driven, we lean on the community to prioritize projects, such as the current Trail Navigation recently executed on Mt. Gardner (that included 1,000 new reflective orange blazes along the major routes up to the summit), new signposts on red cedar, and coming in 2020, signs for these posts that will include trail names and arrows, distances to trail junctions, and a map of the public trails on the mountain and trailhead kiosks with a large scale map of the Mt. Gardner trail network with route distances. Working collaboratively through the Bowen Trails Coalition on crown projects of joint interest, the Trail Society is an independent voice striving to keep our vision clear, valuing safety, accessibility, sustainability and connectivity of the crown trails for non-motorized use. We’re currently looking for volunteers of all sorts – from organizing work parties and project planning meetings to getting out there and maintaining trails – the Trail Society can use your help. We’re also looking for corporate partnerships and sponsorships. Connect with us online to stay current on trail updates, work parties, socials and project planning meetings.

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Giving IPS students JENNIFER HENRICHSEN

Island Pacific School

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO PHOTO

Damien Bryan, Nancy Eidsvik, Rotary’s 5040 district governor Bala Naidoo, Vasi Naidoo and Ardath Paxton Mann pose with the library’s public AED. Rotarian Bawn Campbell has been instrumental in setting up public AEDs around the island.

As awareness grows of the automated external defibrillators (AEDs) dotting the island, as students don reflectors and lights to stay bright at night, as more households acquire reflective street address signs, the Rotary Club of Bowen Island welcomed the region’s Rotary district governor, Bala Naidoo Nov. 14. The visit was part of the district governor’s tour to District 5040’s 50 clubs. Bowen Island shares a district with the Sunshine Coast, half of Vancouver, up to Prince George and over to Prince Rupert. “The amazing thing is to learn about the culture of each area,” said Naidoo. “Each of our nine geographic areas are very, very different.” Rotary Club governors have oneyear terms. Naidoo took over July 1. Nearing the end of his tour (Bowen was his 46th stop), Naidoo had kind words for the local club. “I think we have such dedicated individuals. It’s not that many, but

Giving lifestyle

it’s amazing what a 20-person team can do with the right vision and to help our community become better and stronger,” he said. Created in 1905, the apolitical, a-religious international humanitarian organization’s motto is “service above self.” Rotary has thousands of clubs, hundreds of districts and millions of members in countries around the world. “We are trying to find ways to attract younger people to carry on the legacy that we’ve built over the last hundred years to take us into the next hundred years so that we still stay relevant to the community,” said Naidoo. “The things we raise money for and get involved in, even in a small community like this, has far-reaching impact all over the world.” “We find that in smaller communities we actually have the strongest Rotary Clubs,” noted Naidoo. He said that people can volun-

teer for a few hours a month, or become more engaged in the organization. “If [islanders] would like to be involved, they can be involved to almost whatever level they want to be,” said Damien Bryan, the local club’s president.Recognizable local initiatives include the public AEDs around the island and the annual Rotary Run for Rwanda. “All the projects that have been done on Bowen and including international projects have been driven from individual Bowen people who felt strongly about this particular thing,” said Bryan. “Other people in the club have gotten behind them and helped make it happen.” When this term is over, Naidoo said that it’ll be his goal is to lead and support projects for the rest of his life. “Most Rotarians, it’s a lifestyle. It’s a lifelong commitment,” he said. “There’s so much work to be done.”

This year on National Philanthropy Day, Island Pacific School was nominated for a Giving Hearts Award for Outstanding Youth Philanthropist. The Association of Fundraising Professionals recognizes individuals and groups that make a difference in their communities. We are honoured that Covenant House chose our students as important change makers. Community service is one of the foundations of our programing, which is aimed to inspire middle school students. Each grade has a different focus. The grades six and seven classes volunteer on Bowen Island; from the Bowen Children’s Centre to Collensia Community Farm. Grade eight students individually choose an organization that they want to contribute to by fundraising or action. Grade nine students work with Covenant House Vancouver by hosting Sleep Out Student Edition, raising awareness and funds for homeless youth. Over five years, IPS students have raised more than $40,000. Just before we break for winter holidays, the school dedicates a day where the juniors bake and cook for the Bowen Food Bank and the seniors volunteer at Quest

PHOTO COURTESY OF IPS

Allison Biggs, Director of Student Engagement at Covenant House Vancouver and Jennifer Henrichsen and Pam Matthews of Island Pacific School at the 2019 National Philanthropy Day Luncheon.

Food Exchange in Vancouver putting together holiday hampers for families. On a more global scale, IPS has a relationship with an orphanage and school in Ghana, West Africa. Students have been writing penpal letters for 10 years and have raised about $55,000 to send students to senior high school. We hope that this involvement at a formative time in a student’s development, will make a lasting impression and they will grow to into people who help make positive change in the world. Island Pacific School is a non-profit registered charity. Learn more about our Community Partner’s Program: islandpacific.org/giving/.

Giving on Bowen EVERYONE BENEFITS INVEST IN YOUR Everyone will benefit from the health ISLAND’S HEALTH centre. You may want your GP on Bowen, your child may need stitches, your spouse may need to attend a heart health clinic, you may have a neighbour who could benefit from counseling, you may have a visitor suddenly suffering from a severe sore throat, you may find it easier to get your kids to a dentist here on Bowen.

WE’RE ON OUR WAY So far, we have raised approximately $1.50 million towards our budget of $5 million to build a facility that will bring this wide range of health care services to Bowen.

The Future Bowen Island Health Centre Our health is at risk. Our community holds the solution. We live on Bowen because of the lifestyle we enjoy here – the silence of nature, the slowed-down routines, the caring community. At the same time, our limited on-island healthcare services put each of us at extreme inconvenience and some risk. Our families and neighbours suffer from lack of immediate care and sufficient primary care when they need it. Too many of us with health issues delay seeking care because we don’t have enough services close to home.

A health centre will go a long way to solving these critical problems. We will have more physicians, more hours of service, and a collaborative team of allied health professionals providing nursing care, dental care, social work, physiotherapy, and a variety of public health programs. A health centre on Bowen will alleviate the stress and cost of traveling to the mainland when we are ill or injured and at our most vulnerable.

To build a true community health centre, our goal is 100% household giving. The sooner we achieve our budget goal, the sooner we will all have this amazing new community health centre...and better peace of mind around our health. There are many ways to give. At this time we are asking for your pledge to contribute to the best of your ability over the next three years, whether that is $25 a month, $5000 a year, or $75,000 over the term. You can pledge or donate at our website bowenhealthcentre.com

GIVE LIKE YOUR HEALTH DEPENDS ON IT bowenhealthcentre.com/make-a-pledge/ bowenhealthcentre.com/donate-online/ bowenhealthcentre.com/request-information-on-donating-securities/ bowenhealthcentre.com/request-a-presentation/

contact us 604-341-9488 info@bowenhealthcentre.com bowenhealthcentre.com Box 316, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G0 fb.me.bowenislandhealthcentrefoundation

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Giving greens

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28 2019 • 9

Giving expertise

BRUCE RUSSELL

Bowen Island Golf Club

The members of the Bowen Island Golf Association, circa 1998, and a great many other non-members deserve never-ending thanks for their belief in and financial support of our initiative. Without this support our community would not have such a beautiful, public golf course. The association’s ability to turn a 77-year-old dream of a nine-hole public course into a reality was only possible due to the generosity of more than 600 community members who donated more than $3 million, a feat many thought impossible, to build without any government financial support, an award-winning public amenity, the success and benefits of which far surpassed everyone’s expectations. Much to the association’s good fortune, those and other caring community members continue to provide their ongoing patronization and financial support for this highly popular, much needed recreational amenity, which as a bonus, has become one of the most popular social melting spots on the island. Not only at this special time of year, but all year long, we greatly appreciate and give thanks for the incredible amount of past, present and future volunteerism, which in concert with our dedicated small but highly effective paid staff enabled us in 2019 to complete our 13th year of operation, giving us confidence in knowing this reality will one day be 77 years old!

Volunteering takes all forms: garden keeping, library tending, fair organizing. But one of the less glamorous volunteer jobs is board sitting. Bowen has dozens (hundreds?) of boards and committees. There are the CRA registered charities (BCCRGCS, BCC, BICF, BIMA, BICHF, BICF, BIC, BIHPA, BIMSS, BIPC, BIPLF, BISKYS, CHC, CAWES, HCF, IPS, KC, LDFS, OTGSDP, PMF, RS, SCHS, SCS, STSCAS, SSF, BICSA, BIAC, CF, MF, TTSS –– bragging rights go to people who can identify all these organizations), then the non-profits that aren’t registered charities, the event coordination committees, the neighbourhood associations and more. Bowen Island Municipality is one of the organizations that relies on committees–– it’s got about 26 of them. The Undercurrent spoke with BIM’s communications coordinator, Sophie Idsinga, and its corporate offi-

cer, Hope Dallas-Kerr to get insight into the volunteer effort goes into these committees. Idsinga and Dallas-Kerr said that more than 120 volunteers sit on BIM committees, advising on everything from design to finance to community land use. While some boards may meet once a year or less, others may meet every month or so. Some committees have work plans behind them, others are referral-based (the Advisory Planning Commission will look at rezonings, subdivisions and the like as they come in) said Dallas-Kerr, who also served as a committee clerk for a couple of years. Some committees have subcommittees and others plan engagement events (the Community Economic Development Committee organizes business breakfasts to talk with local businesspeople). Rod Marsh, chair of the CEDC, also helped organize the recent Rural Islands

Economic Forum on Pender Island. The twoday event gathered folks from more than 16 islands and 10 First Nations to discuss community and economic development. Other committee responsibilities can include researching and writing reports for council. “We rely on [committees] to provide expertise in several different areas and to aid council in its decision making,” said Dallas. “They sometimes do further research and will provide recommendations to Council. “It’s also an important part of our public engagement, is just getting that feedback from committee members who are members of the public,” said Idsinga. “They’re out there. They have their networks and they’re hearing feedback in the community.” “I find them incredibly engaged and committed and quite useful,” said Dallas-Kerr.

Giving history ROB FORBES

B.I. Museum and Archives

One of the newest additions to Bowen Island's Museum and Archives is the arbour and outdoor gallery with built-in seating on one side and gallery panels on the other side (to be installed). The best part of this new community structure is that the funding, construction and materials were sourced locally in a sustainable manner. The Museum and Archives received a grant from the Community Foundation to provide the funding to get the Amy Adams-designed project under way. John Reid stepped in to donate harvested cedar trees from the Grafton lands. The lumber, under the supervision of Greg Cormier our local building inspector and West Vancouver Secondary Carpentry Program Teacher, along with his students milled and constructBRONWYN BEAIRSTO PHOTO ed the arbour. This is a real win for the community which will West Vancouver Secondary students build the frame of the B.I. Museum and not only benefit from its use, but knowing it was all created Archives’ new arbour and outdoor gallery last June. locally.

Giving on Bowen Bowen Island Museum & Archives

C.A.W.E.S.

Coast Aninal Welfare & Education Society Bowen Island, BC http://www.cawes.org

1014 Miller Road

Compassion for all Animals

We are a Bowen based charity that advocates for the animals on our Island.We promote, inform and educate our community about guardianship and stewardship of all animals. Please consider a monetary gift in the name of a friend for Christmas. Contact us for easy ways to donate.

Contact information info@cawes.org 604 947 2555

Bowen Island Memorial Garden Memories... quiet thoughts.... to counteract the activities of an ordinary day, all these are the heart of a memorial garden. Did you know that Bowen Island has just such a garden? It exists and is a place of meaning for friends, neighbours and strangers alike where families can have plaques installed in honour of loved ones who are no longer with us. The present memorial garden consists of one acre of leased land from Metro Vancouver Parks and is located in Crippen Park across from Snug Cove with easy access from Cardena Road. You may order a memorial plaque on our website and we will install for you on one of our garden archways. Bequests and donations are ways to contribute to our Bowen Island Memorial Garden. Membership and involvement of time and interest above all are key to the success of a vital living memorial society. As a registered charity we will be happy to give tax receipts for all donations of $10.00 and over.

The museum and archives are grateful to the community for their ongoing support through the donation of artifacts or archival material, financial contributions, memberships and attendance at special exhibits and events. We invite you to visit your community museum and oldfashioned logger’s cottage and enjoy the current exhibits. The archives is available to researchers and individuals with a curiosity about our island history. Our collection includes historical photographs, local newspapers, newsletters and periodicals, archived material from local organizations, maps and oral histories. We operate the Bowen Island Museum and Archives through fundraising events like the People, Plants & Places Tour held every two years, memberships and donations. Volunteers are active and welcome in all aspects of the museum, archives and events. Please support your local museum and archives by becoming a member, making a financial contribution, volunteering or stopping by to see what we are doing.

Rob Forbes (President) Cell: 604-808-0013 M&A: 604-947-2655 - 1014 Miller Rd. bihistorians@telus.net - Cathy, Archivist bicurator@telus.net - Monica, Curator bowenislandmuseum.ca – Website

Bowen Island Community School Association (CSA)

1041 Mt Gardner Rd V0N 1G2

Mission Statement:

The CSA supports the Bowen Island Community School as the hub of community life on Bowen by encouraging community development and life-long learning, leading to strong families, a healthier community and enhancement of the quality of life for all ages.

What does the CSA do?

www.bowenislandmemorialgarden.org

• Assist in coordinating community involvement in the community school and school involvement in the community • Promote and support community use of BICS facilities through community engagement • Fund community projects and events that will bring together various community groups

How can you get involved?

• The Christmas Craft Fair – Our Biggest Event and Fundraiser of the Year! https://www.slotted.co/csaccf2019 • BIRD Refundable Containers – Recycling fun! https://www.slotted.co/csabird2019

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Giving to support the foundation of ‘The Bowen Way’

SHEREE JOHNSON

B.I. Community Foundation

Recently, there has been some discussion on Facebook about what exactly is “the Bowen Way.” Those who commented mentioned being community-minded, coming together, having common goals, taking care of the environment, helping neighbours, picking up hitch-hikers, doing the right thing. All of these comments touch on what is special about Bowen. But I also like the ending sentence of the description that was articulated through research with islanders and visitors: “Bowen just might change you…for the better.” Working with the Bowen Island Community Foundation, I’ve been able to see how “the Bowen Way” comes to life through so much giving. An impressive number of Bowen families donate annually to the foundation’s endowment funds, giving back to the community in a way that creates personal meaning for them and has a significant impact on the community. And every year, the foundation receives fabulous grant ideas from individuals and organizations that want to make a difference in just about every sector possible: arts and culture, environment and parks, health and social well-being, education and youth and the lives of our seniors. The outpouring of your resources is a big part of “the Bowen Way.” Everywhere you look on our island, the reality of “the Bowen Way” comes to life through ideas from Islanders realized through Community Foundation grants. The Garden Gateway greets us on our way back home. The Cove Commons inspires

COURTESY OF JOHN GIVINS

Giving moment: Bowen John Givins wrote in a note to the foundation, “My sister really enjoyed your generous gift of the trail wheelchair that is at the library. Maria for the second summer summer has had a lot of fun riding it through the forest trails to Killarney Lake when she has stayed with us for a sleep over. When we ran down the paved roads she would put her arms in the air like the kids do at Playland. “

us with the passion and talent of the island’s artists. The bike park challenges our youth with a safe place for skill development. The Bowen Children’s Centre Infant Toddler Annex cares for the youngest of our islanders. The disc golf course provides a new fun, healthy activity for all ages, while preserving land as park space. To me, “the Bowen Way” is the effect this island and the people who choose to live here have on each of us, making us better as individuals and as a community. I don’t think that’s changed in the 20 years I’ve been here. In this upcoming season of giving, please consider “the Bowen Way” and gift to your Community Foundation.

CINDY FAIRBANK

Giving hope

BICS music teacher

Every spring, on that first truly warm day when I notice the students looking longingly out the windows at the sun, I take my classes on a “sound walk.” This is a silent walk through the forest, listening deeply to the sounds around us. The younger students listen hard to identify human-made sounds versus natural sounds, while the older kids reflect on prompts that we discuss back in the classroom. Last year one of the prompts was: What might you hear in 100 years? Their answers were vulnerable and shocking: “Nothing, because it will all be gone.” “The only sound will be the ocean because the sea will have risen and buried Bowen.” “There won’t be any human-made sounds because we’ll all be extinct.” What was immediately clear was that many of these kids were scared. They wanted to talk about their fears, and ask questions, and not feel alone. I realized that, in a sense, these students were asking for direction. They needed hope. And I also realized that part of my responsibility as an educator is to help give that to them. As a mom, I’ve worked hard to have open conversations with my kids about the kinds of things that were verboten in my own childhood. Growing up, there were few opportunities to have frank conversations about difficult topics with the adults in my life. I realized that day in class that the climate crisis was the conversation that I didn’t know how to have with my kids. That my own fears and maternal instinct to protect my children from who-knows-what’s coming down the line was preventing me from being the adult they needed. As a parent and an educator, I had to find a way to

get over my paralysis and talk about it. But how? I haven’t fully answered that question. But over the months of reflecting and trying new things, I’ve come to understand that whatever shape these essential conversations take, they all must start with hope. And so, for this year’s Winter Concert we have been learning about some amazing kids from near and far who are doing incredible things. They are following their passion and curiosity, and, with a ton of grit, doing their very best to make a positive change. From bioplastics made of bananas to flashlights powered by the heat of one’s hand to machines that clean our oceans…. These kids are inspiring. Each of them in their own way has helped to bring into existence a future path that doesn’t yet exist. They have created something out of nothing. Our songs have been chosen to honour each person that we’re celebrating. We’ve been working on arrangements that create “something out of nothing” by using only our voices and body percussion (with a few instruments added in here and there). Throughout the process of preparing for this concert my goal has been for our BICS kids to feel inspired and empowered to take the passion that is in their lives and use it. I hope it has given them hope. Editor’s note: the above was originally published as a blog post on the Bowen Island Community School website (westvancouverschools.ca/bics-elementary/hope). It’s written by the school music teacher about BICS’ upcoming winter concerts. I asked to include it in the paper as hope isn’t a tangible gift but a crucial one in the face of terrifying news reports and because music and hope are part of our collective humanity. Thank you for articulating it so beautifully Cindy. ––Bronwyn

Giving on Bowen Bowen Island Rotary Club Service Above Self

For the past nine years, the Rotary Club of Bowen Island has supported a number of projects:

On Bowen: - AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) - Reflective street number signs - BICS outdoor classroom - Operation Red Nose - Youth Leadership programs - Bowen Island Trails Guide - Be Bright at Night on Bowen - Bin Cover for Bowen Recycling Depot - Support for youth athletics

Off Bowen: - Support for the Rotary International Polio Eradication program - Shelterbox disaster relief - Komera Canada (support for young womens’ education in Rwanda) - Repairs and upgrades for schools and womens’ shelters in Mexico - Kunavelela (water pump for a remote village in South Africa) - Bowen Rotary Run for Rwanda - Africa Village Project (East Africa)

Rotary also regularly hosts speakers of interest to Bowen Islanders (advertised in the Undercurrent and on our website www.bowenrotary.com).

bowenchildrenscentre.ca In this season of giving, please consider Bowen Children’s Centre. You can support Bowen’s youngest citizens by giving to the following funds:

Gail Taylor Bursary http://bowenchildrenscentre.ca/community-2/#donate Nicolette McIntosh Bursary Fund http://bowenchildrenscentre.ca/community-2/#donate

430 Bowen Island Trunk Rd., Cardena Road entrance

BUILDING BOWEN STRONGER

Bowen Children’s Centre

Foxglove Fund https: //bowenfoundation.com/foxglove-fund/

Bowen Island Arts Council

Tod ddlers Creatting

contact t t us

Bowen Children’s Centre 650 Carter Rd, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2 604 947 9626 info@bowenchildrenscentre.ca

Arts and culture help create a healthier, more resilient community. They are the threads that weave together our social fabric, enhancing a sense of identity and belonging. They increase our quality of life, contribute to the local economy and inspire us to dream. We are honored to play a lead role in forwarding arts and culture on Bowen Island.

Another stellar year The Hearth will hold its 32nd Annual General Meeting on December 8. There is much to celebrate: the Gallery @ Cove Commons has welcomed over 16,000 visitors in its second year, presented 11 exhibits, and showcased the work of more than 170 artists. We have organized or sponsored 12 performances, facilitated more than a dozen workshops and classes and continue to work with community groups to produce an array of special events and activities. And we continue to advocate for a Community Centre, including a performing arts community space. Believe. It is possible here.

We are grateful. All of these achievements – everything that we do and all the services and programs we provide our community – is thanks to our talented and industrious team of volunteers and members. Last year, they dedicated more than 5,000 hours of their time and expertise at a (modestly calculated) value of more than $125,000. We applaud them for their contribution. We are also indebted to the donors and supporters of our organization.

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This year’s museum pair-with-a-bear exhibit honours a dedicated volunteer

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28 2019 • 11

The West Coast Symphony and guests chamber concert

CATHY BAYLY & MONICA NOTARO

B.I. Museum and Archives

Following in the tradition of Willy Shakesbear and Queen Elizabear the First, the museum’s holiday theme this year is “Pair with a Bear” in recognition of the originator of this annual cherished display. Lois Meyers-Carter, who died earlier this year, wanted to create a museum exhibit that would remind us of the creative holiday windows in the large department stores in the city. She wanted to offer Bowen Islanders the opportunity to experience the wonder she felt as a child standing mesmerised before a towering storefront window, her mind transported to magical places. Lois also wanted to introduce children in kindergarten and grade one to their community museum and archives. The museum put on the first Teddy Bear Holiday Display in 2000. That year, a large Harry Potter teddy bear was the star of the raffle. Shirley Wrinch created this bear, sewing the clothing, knitting the scarf and adding a wizard’s cape and Quidditch broom. Shirley made sure that the Harry had the identifying authentic scar on his forehead. Lois had a knack for garnering enthusiasm and excitement for the projects she was passionate about and this was one of her favourites. She reached out to the community and found many individuals who were happy to loan the museum their cherished bears. She brought in numerous volunteers to welcome museum visitors and she made certain that school groups had the opportunity to visit, listen to bear stories and create a decoration to place on the tree. She, with the help of many volunteers,

Sunday Dec 15, 2 pm

BOWEN ISLAND MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES PHOTO

The Harry Potter bear from the first Teddy Bear Holiday display.

created an enchanted wintery world that we try to recreate every year. This year we are working with Island Pacific School students. The students are helping articulate and curate the exhibit with specific attention to volunteerism. Lois’s contagious enthusiasm attracted a cast of hundreds over the years to contribute their time and ingenuity to creating a space for Bowen to remember its past. We want to honour her contribution. The exhibit runs Dec. 2 to 22. The museum will be open Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays noon until 4 p.m. Visitors may bring in a toy they’d like to pair with a bear.

No Cover Fee! MARTINIS WITH SANTA 2019

Friday 13th Dec, 8pm

LIGHT UP BOWEN saturday NOVEMBER 30th STARTS at 6:00 pm VILLAGE SQUARE RUDDY POTATO Open House, Glow sticks at PHOENIX, Visit BOWEN PET SUPPLY & INTEGRATED HEALTH

STREET STROLL & LANTERN PARADE

OPEN HOUSE at the CROSSROADS BUILDING BOWEN PUB mini donuts, FABULOUS FINDS & REMAX, CATCHING STARS GALLERY

Cates Hill Chapel LIVE NATIVITY SUGAR PLUM FAIRY GATHERING- next to the SNUG Sponsored by the ORCHARD RECOVERY CENTRE

SNUG COVE MERCHANT OPEN HOUSES TUSCANY, COPPER SPIRITS, CONNIES KNITS & SQUIRREL GIFTS

7:00 FAMILY PLACE FESTIVAL OF TREES 7:10 SANTA ARRIVES at USSC MARINA by CORMORANT MARINE TUG PARTY WITH SANTA at

DOC MORGANS BI COMMUITY REC Santa Workshop

MULLED WINE MACDONALD REALTY Punch & Treats ~BOWEN LAND & SEA TAXI, AAROW WINDOW FILMS & SIMON PARKER FAMILY CAROLLING … Bowen Island COMMUNITY CHOIR

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS

An ugly sweater Christmas Party Live music from Richard Lowy & Guests

BOWEN ISLAND MUNICIPALITY KNICK KNACK KNOOK Bowen Building Centre Bowen Island Properties First Credit Union Orchard Recovery Centre Artisan Eats Arrow Solar & Security Films Bowen Island Land & Sea Taxi Bowen Island Pub Bowen Island Vet Edward Jones Green Books MacDonald Realty Metro Blasting Northern Ani Solutions Snug Cafe Simon Parker Family

Barcelona Branch on Bowen Bowen Island Realty Connies Knits & Gifts Squirrel Gift Shop Snug Cove General Store

THANK YOU DONORS Bowen Island Recreation Catching Stars Gallery CORMORANT MARINE & TUG Copper Spirit Distillery Doc Morgans Fabulous Finds Phoenix Ruddy Potato Tuscany Union Steamship Marina UNDERCURRENT

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMUNITY EVENTS COMING UP SOON? HELP US KEEP THE COMMUNITY CALENDAR UP TO DATE. EMAIL LISTINGS TO ADS@ BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT. COM. PLEASE INCLUDE NAME, DATE, LOCATION, TIME AND A SHORT DESCRIPTION.

THURSDAY, NOV. 28

Duplicate Bridge Bowen Court 6:45 - 10 p.m. Info call Pat at 778-288-7090

FRIDAY, NOV. 29

Dinner at the Legion Doors at 5:30. Dinner at 6:30 This week Frank and Cory are serving up a potato buffet! After dinner HSB provide an evening of tunes from Lightfoot to Winehouse. Members and guests welcome. Youth Centre Drop-In 4-9:30 p.m. bowenyouthcentre.com

COUNTRY & WESTERN

jamboree featuring

the

Bowen Buckaroos December 7 Royal Canadian Legion 7:30-11:30pm

tickets $15 available at Phoenix all proceeds to local charities

end of event bus service

Friday Night Live at the Pub 7-10 pm Live music, dinner specials and no cover charge. Sounds of Christmas Cates Hill Chapel 7:30 pm Get into the spirit with the Ladies Madrigal Singers’ Directed by Lynn Ellis-Williams. Tickets at Cates Pharmacy and at the door.

SATURDAY, NOV. 30

BIT free energy audits Learn how to save energy and money. To make an appointment, please contact email: bowenenergyaudits@gmail.com. LIght Up Bowen! 6 pm Lantern parade begins at 6:20 from Village Square , Live Nativity at the Seabreeze Building 6:30 pm, Gathering of the Sugar Plum Fairies 6:40 pm beside the Snug , 7:10 Santa arrives at the USSC Marina and merry making begins! Straight Up Seven Hills Bowen Island Pub 8 pm Local band Straight Up Seven Hills bring their rootsrock to the Bowen Island Pub. Tickets $10 available at the door, 8 PM Outdoor Meditation Circle Meet at the picnic tables at the entrance to Crippen Park 11 am. No cost. More info at lisa.shatzky@gmail.com

SUNDAY, DEC. 1

CSA Christmas Craft Fair BICS Gym 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The 34th annual Christmas Craft Fair. Unique local crafts, yummy Cafe, Cake walk for the kids, silent auction items, raffle and more! Outdoor Meditation Circle Meet at the picnic tables at the entrance to Crippen Park 11 am. No cost. More info at lisa.shatsky@gmail.com

Artisan Office Services Infformation: Linda Pffeifff (9625)), Janice Skeels (952 24)), Pernille Nielsen (2210), or Ian Thompson (329-8097)

ristmas Hamper Drive Drive Bowen Island Christmas Printing Courtesy of Artisan Office Services

MONDAY, DEC. 2

Seniors Keeping Young (SKY) For 55+ at 1070 Senior Road will have exercise at 9 a.m., coffee at 9:45 a.m., singing and drumming with Shasta and Brian at 10, and yoga at 11:15.Yearly membership is $20 and drop in fee is $3 for first time or $2 for members. Pair with a Bear Christmas at the Bowen Island Museum & Archives Mon- Fri 10 -2pm Sun 12- 4 pm The bears have arrived to bring their annual cheer to the Museum & Archives.

This year you’re invited to bring along a toy to display with the bears. The exhibit is in honour of the late Lois Meyers Carter.

Professional pet photos with Santa Bowen Veterinary Services 11am-4pm Minimum donation $5, proceeds go CAWES and Conscious Compassion Canada

TUESDAY, DEC. 3

Pre-Christmas Open House at Rivendell at the top of Cates Hill 2:30 -5:30 pm Reflections on the spirit of the season and refreshments. Open to all.

Bowen Island AA Collins Hall 7:15 pm

THURSDAY, DEC. 5

Late Night Shopping and Volunteer Appreciation evening Gallery at Cove Commons 6-8 pm Hearth volunteers and members. The public is welcome. Late night shopping at Catching Stars Gallery #1- Bowen Island Trunk Road 11 am - 8 pm Be sure to swing by and pick up your Wish List!

Outdoor Meditation Circle Meet at the picnic tables at the entrance to Crippen Park 11 am. No cost. More info at lisa.shatzky@gmail.com

TUESDAY, DEC. 10

Emergency Support Services meeting 7 p.m. “Meet every second Tuesday of the month. contact director to let us know you’re coming BowenESS@bimbc.ca. “

Duplicate Bridge Bowen Court 6:45 - 10 p.m. Info call Pat at 778-288-7090

Bowen Island AA Collins Hall 7:15 pm

FRIDAY, DEC. 6

IPS Art Exhibit and Design Open House 6:15-8:15 pm Island Pacific School Art & Design students exhibit their works to the public.

Jazz Night at the Pub Bowen Island Pub 7- 10 pm Live Jazz, dinner specials, no cover. Youth Centre Drop-In 4-9:30 p.m. bowenyouthcentre.com Dinner at the Legion Doors at 5:30. Dinner at 6:30 Members and guests welcome.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 11

THURSDAY, DEC. 12

Duplicate Bridge Bowen Court 6:45 - 10 p.m. Info call Pat at 778-2887090

FRIDAY, DEC. 13

SATURDAY, DEC. 7

Winter Artisan and Farmers’ Market BICS 10am-12:30pm Winter veggies, perserves, baked goods, and handmade artisan crafts. ($25 per table, 25 tables) shaxby@hotmail.com with WINTER MARKET or talk to Sarah Haxby to reserve your place/space Country & Western at the Legion with the Bowen Buckeroos 7:30 - 11:30 pm Tickets $15 at the Phoenix. All proceeds go to local charities. End of event bus service. The Big Shiny Christmas Party Bowen Island Pub 9 pm 90’s 2000’s Rock & Alternative maybe even a Punk Christmas classic too with Big Shiny Band. Tickets at the pub.

SUNDAY, DEC. 8

Changing Tides: An Ecologist’s Journey to Make Peace with the Anthropocene. Bowen Library 2 pm. Ecologist for Central Coast First Nations, Bowen Islander, and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria, Alejandro Frid, PhD, presents on his book 32nd annual AGM of the Hearth (B.I.A.C.) Cove Commons 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Farewell reception for outgoing executive director, Jaqueline Massey. Music and refreshments.

Martinis with Santa Doc Morgan’s 8 pm An ugly sweater Christmas party. Live music from Richard Lowy & guests Snug Cove Blues Band Bowen Island Pub 7-10 pm

SATURDAY, DEC.14

BI Community Choir Winter Concert Cates Hill Chapel 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm Musical director, Ellen MacIntosh, leads the choir, with special guests The Bowen Quartet, Brian Hoover, and Cam Stephens. Tickets available at Cates Pharmacy.

SUNDAY, DEC.15

Knick Knack Nook shopping day Noon-2 p.m. For children 3-12 to come to the store to choose gifts for their families. Prices will be greatly reduced and volunteers on hand to help children. Parents can socialize outside. West Coast Symphony and guests winter concert for the community BICS gym 2 pm Admission by donation. All ages welcome.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 18

A Child’s Christmas in Wales Snug Cafe 7:30 p.m A well-loved Bowen tradition returns featuring Martin Clarke, Bob Doucet & special guest. Admission by donation. All proceeds go toward the Christmas Hamper.

WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28 2019 • 13

Bowen Island Community Choir

WINTER CONCERT

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Every first Saturday of Dec., the BICS gym fills with crafters, their creations and eager customers.

Craft fair season peaks this weekend INGA TOEWS IS ONE OF THIS YEAR’S FIRST-TIME VENDORS

KATIE COOKE

Contributor

Former BICS student and local business owner Inga Toews, has been a Bowen Island resident since 1977. After attending the CSA Christmas Craft Fair almost every year since it started and finding so many local gems and one-of-a-kind gifts for friends, Inga wanted in on the holiday cheer. This will be Inga’s first year as a vendor at the 34th Annual CSA Christmas Craft Fair. The craft fair offers such a diverse sampling of Bowen’s many styles of artists and crafters and Inga feels that her wreaths and centrepieces will fit in very well with the many wonderfully crafted items available at the other tables. She will be selling wreaths, centrepieces and swag all made with fresh greenery and all handmade on

Bowen Island. Inga will have a range of gifts for sale for between $10 and $40. Christmas has always been a very special holiday for Inga’s family, both as a child herself and now with her own children. The excitement of the lead up to Christmas as well as the season of giving and the joy of celebrating with everyone is why Christmas is the Toews’ favourite time of the year. Making homemade gifts for friends and family has always been a big part of their family tradition. The CSA Christmas Craft Fair is where beautiful handmade gifts can be found by so many talented artists and crafters, children included. Inga is excited to be a part of such a great island and Christmas tradition. Make sure you visit Inga’s table at the CSA Christmas Craft Fair on Sunday, December 1, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the BICS gym.

Cates Hill Chapel 2:00 & 7:30 pm $20 Adults $15 Students & Seniors Tickets at Cates Pharmacy & the Door

Th he Bowe en Agricu ultural Alliiance (BA AA) is hostiing ga

BAA Winter Market and Craft Fair Bowe en Islland Co ommunitty Scho oo l Sat. Dec c. 7th h, 10-1pm, BIC C S gy m

Crafters, sauces,, jams, preserve es, food, fruit lea ather, kale, squash, Winter vegeta ables, baked go oods, seeds, arttisans and more e! All ages welcome

The Rivendell Community

34th Annual

Sunday, December 1st, 2019 S 10:00 am – 3:00 pm BICS Gym Youth Craft Fair

Dec. 14

invites you to join us for our pre-Christmas Open House Sunday, December 8, 2019 from 2:30 " 5:30 pm

10:00 am – 12:30 pm

Unique local crafts, yummy Café menu, u, Cake n items, Walk for the kids, excellent silent auction raffle draws and more! ~ An Island Tradition ~

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at Rivendell Retreat Centre at the top of Cates Hill, Bowen Island We will pause at 4 pm around the tree to share some reflections on the spirit of the season. Refreshments will be provided. As one of the charitable organizations on Bowen, we would like to express our gratitude to the many Bowen Islanders who support Rivendell -- from driving guests up the hill, to volunteering time and energy at work bees, to donating financially. Thank you for helping us serve this community.

14 • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28 2019

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THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28 2019 • 15

Community choir holiday serenades coming up December 14 JANE KELLETT

Bowen Island Community Choir

What a busy time of year! The days leading up to the holidays can be stressful but there is a Bowen holiday tradition that can help you relax and get into the spirit of the season––the annual Bowen Island Community Choir Concert. For over 25 years, the choir has brightened the season musically and this year’s program will once again ensure that you will be “Getting’ in the Mood (for Christmas).” Musical director Ellen Macintosh has chosen a program that includes varia-

tions on old favourites as well as some beautiful new works that will appeal to all tastes. The choir will be joined by the Bowen Quartet under the direction of Alison Nixon, as well as by percussionists Brian Hoover and Cam Stephens. Performances will be at Cates Hill Chapel on December 14 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at Cates Pharmacy and at the door.

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Muni Morsels: STRs, fireworks and the future of Miller Rd. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

While most councillors broadly agreed with the policy, the 120-night limit was and remains a sticking point. Chow explained in her report that the rationale behind the 120 nights is to ensure the rentals aren’t affecting the long-term housing stock. Chow called this limit the “safer approach” though acknowledged it would affect tourism and the current short-term rental operations that rent out more than 120 nights a year. In her presentation to council, Chow said that, according to HostCompliance data collected last January, short-term rentals on Bowen average 58 nights rented out a year. The policy suggests that listings that want to operate more than 120 night a year apply for temporary use permits or rezonings. Like the public feedback to the 120 night limit (Tourism Bowen wants the limit lengthened, the Housing Advisory Committee wants it shortened), council reaction was mixed. Councillor Sue Ellen Fast questioned if 120 nights a year was too many and said she worried it could affect

housing stock. Councillor Michael Kaile said that the limit would affect Bowen’s ability to host year-round tourism. Councillor David Hocking came out on the side of increasing the limit so that short-term rental owners could recoup costs of doing business. Kaile asked to set aside the 120 night limit for a year but other councillors were concerned about having no time restrictions at all. While generally supportive of the policy, Mayor Gary Ander wasn’t too hopeful that it would solve Bowen’s housing woes. “I really don’t think that it’s going to make that much difference to long-term rental, whatever we do to short-term rental,” said Ander in the committee of the whole meeting earlier Monday. Councillor Alison Morse’s most voiced concern was that the policy was more of a directive than a policy. She also suggested that a more prudent way to regulate short term rentals would be to allow them all but pull business licenses

after three complaints. While the 120 day issue wasn’t resolved, and is sure to rear its head in the bylaw-making process, in the interest of “moving this thing along” most councillors agreed to passing the policy “in principle.” The resolution passed five to two, with councillors Morse and Kaile opposed. BIM will also apply for the Municipal & Regional District Tax (MRDT) program. The up to 3 per cent tax on short term rentals is to help fund local tourism and affordable housing initiatives. The following are further briefs from the Nov. 25 council meeting:

It wasn’t an explosive discussion: Approximately 211

islanders signed a petition asking for BIM to “ban the sale and use of fireworks on Bowen Island,” said a staff report. Council opted to receive the petition but didn’t persue a bylaw at this time.

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BIM will review the ten village residential properties along Miller Road, beside the ambulance station “to determine appropriate policies for future rezoning.” The move comes after council referred an application to amend the Official Community Plan and the Land Use Bylaw to allow for the construction of a sixplex and duplex on a Miller Road lot near the ambulance station to committees for recommendations (though councillors said that the application as it stands is inadequate). Many councillors noted that these properties would be prime locations to add density in the Cove.

The name is self-explanatory: A conservation

development policy is in the works for Bowen. The idea with conservation development is to identify and protect ecologically sensitive areas and build around them. The Advisory Planning Commission created the document and council has referred it to other relevant municipal committees.

COMING UP: The Undercurrent’s December 19 issue will have a “Bowen’s yearbook” section. So if you, your friends or your employees had any major accomplishments this year, send them in to editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com. If you published a book, released an album, got an award, or otherwise succeeded, we’d love to hear about it!

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER.