Bowen Island Undercurrent July 22 2021

Fire ban in effect: no beach fires, no camp fires

bowenislandundercurrent.com

LOW HANGING FRUIT: Collecting the fruit growing in backyards

PAGE 3

$1.50

Thursday, July 22, 2021 • A1 inc.

GST

THURSDAY, JULY 22 , 2021

5

THE BOWEN BRAND TURNS 5

VOL. 47 NO. 30

BIUndercurrent

What it was supposed to be and what it became

BowUndercurrent www.bowenislandundercurrent.com

PAGE 18

Earth’s student

ROSEMARY KNIGHT IS THE FIRST WOMAN AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS GEOPHYSICS MEDAL

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com

In her first day at Queen’s University, Rosemary Knight was asked what she wanted to do.

“I want to write down the equation that describes the Earth,” said the young woman, passionate about math, physics, quantifying reality.

“Look outside, look at everything that’s going on out there,” the Stanford professor told me decades later. “The power of math and physics to describe that, I just find intoxicating.”

Last week, the Bowen Islander received the Society of Exploration Geophysicists’ highest award – the Maurice Ewing Medal. She’s the first woman to do so in the award’s 43-year history, the second Canadian, and the first scientist in the specialized field of hydrogeophysics.

(A term Knight coined while finishing her PhD in 1985).

MAKING LEMONADE:

It may be summer holidays but the learning hasn’t stopped for these two young entrepreneurs. Every morning, Bo and Shivani make chocolate chip cookies and lemonade, and head out to their popular lemonade stand on Whitesails Drive.

“It’s just been so lovely,” says Bo’s mother, Kerry Platt. They’ve been very busy with

neighbours, cyclists, tourists stopping to support them. There are folks who will buy a lemonade and leave $5, some folks come by two or three times a day.

The bus will sometimes stop right out front and people will come out to buy lemonade and cookies. “And [Bo] has a chat with everybody,” says Kerry.

The stand is also a lesson in profits and expenditures. “At the end of the day, whatever he makes, he has to give me

the money back for the cost,” says Kerry.

“He hated that at first - totally didn’t understand it.

“And I explained this is business, it’s the way it is for anybody. He gets that now and he’s okay with it.”

The two kids split the money and Bo is saving for a birthday surprise for his father.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KERRY PLATT

Historically, geophysics has focussed on oil, gas and mineral exploration. The discipline uses geophysical mapping methods to see hundreds of metres, or even kilometres, below the ground surface, rather than drilling wells. Knight uses the analogy of a doctor using medical imaging to see inside the human body instead of exploratory surgery.

Thirty years ago, Knight trained the technology on a different search: water.

While some geophysical methods had been developed at that point, no one had done the research necessary to say how they could be applied to water. So for the first 15 years of her academic career, Knight worked with students and colleagues to create the knowledge base, the scientific literature.

CONTINUED ON P. 16

The wheel spin sw force than a re ith more eBike for Bow gular en Island

Disc brakes or Rim brakes ar e ok

bowenEbikes.ca 778-956-7946

HAVE YOU SEEN OUR STORE? BIKE LOCKS | C02 CARTRIDGES | TIRE LEVERS | PATCH KITS SPARE TUBES | CO2 APPLICATORS 3 & 5 PIECE CLEANING BRUSH KITS | BIKE POLISH MICROFIBRE POLISHING CLOTH | LIGHTS | PANNIERS SPARE CHAINS | COGSETS | HANDLE BAR TAPE & GRIPS DISC BRAKE PADS | TUBELESS RIM TAPE

End Of Season Sale Coming September

A10 • Thursday, July 22, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

JOIN THE REC TEAM!

@ @BowUndercurrent

Men On the Rock seeks new voices

BOWEN’S MEN’S CHOIR SET TO START BACK UP IN THE FALL

await September before re-banding back together, in full force hopefully.

For many years we had four or five guys come over to Bowen to rehearse each Monday from West Vancouver, North Vancouver and even as far as Point Grey – talk about dedication. Some of these men have moved away, retired etc., so Men On the Rock will need new blood, new voices and even a new rehearsal night.

I am urging you, fellows, if you are new to Bowen or have been here forever, consider trying us out. There is no audition or prerequisite to joining, just an ounce of willingness and a dash of humour. That’s it. Please reach out and don’t be shy, call me, Nicole, at 778926-4286 or email ntzharmonium@mac. com. I wear many hats in the music community but Men On the Rock, Bowen’s Male Choir, holds a special place in my heart, believe me, and I want it to continue. But, I can only make it work if you guys come forward and join. I can take care of everything else, but I cannot sing in your place! Even if you have never sung in a choir before, it is not too late – it’s never too late.

C’mon out and you’ll see: an evening of camaraderie singing with a bunch of guys may be just what you are missing each week.

Repertoire is eclectic let’s say, from Gregorian chant to Pink Floyd, Thomas Tallis to Tom Waits. Rehearsal time is to be determined. It will depend on you guys and what works best for you all. Watch for updates in the community calendar as we approach September. I look forward to hearing from you!

NICOLE THOMAS ZYCZYNSKI

Contributor

I am always touched, flattered and surprised when I hear someone talk of Men On the Rock as part of the Bowen Island community fabric. The choir’s DOB is September 2016, so we are still “newbies” but have a great fan club of Bowen Islanders that even stretches across the water to the continent.

Thank you, Bowen, and thank you to all of you guys who have participated in Men On the Rock, giving your very best always.

Our concerts mostly sell out, always include a variety of talented guest musicians, and audiences always leave with warm hearts, having laughed and cried. Our last official concert before the pandemic was May 2019 in West Van, where we sang to over 200 people and then in late February 2020 an intimate, less formal house concert on Bowen.

The pandemic hasn’t been kind to choirs, no secrets there. Singing in choirs has been verboten since March 2020.

Throughout the pandemic, when I ventured out to the Cove for weekly supplies, I was inevitably asked by a fellow islander “how are Men On the Rock?” “What are they up to?” “We sure miss hearing them.”

With Covid and rehearsals on Zoom our attendance dwindled until we were down to five guys. I suppose we could have started a hamburger take-out joint but instead we decided to disband in January 2021 until restrictions loosened.

Now into summer and people busy catching up with their friends and family, we will

I

L

U

GIF

T U

C IC

G

F

E

T

LE

O ESIG

ELI

LD

E

O

R

E

ERI

ISL F

A lifelong career in Real Estate has brought me so much joy in assisting others with buying and selling a home.

Passionate, knowledgeable and excited to be a part of your journey whether it’s a first time purchase or a final downsize.

I'm here to guide you through the market, educate you on the process so that you feel empowered to make informed decisions.

S

C

FI

'

I

E I

E B

O

E E

B

E

I

E

N

S

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Layering flavours at Tuk-Tuk NEW POP-UP ON THE PIER

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor

When the pandemic struck and Erik Miller was laid off in the restaurant industry, he had an idea in his back pocket: the Thai cuisine-inspired Tuk-Tuk. (Named for the auto rickshaws prevalent in Thailand.)

Tuk-Tuk started last summer with Sundays at the golf course. When restrictions lightened and Miller was working at Doc Morgan’s, he did afternoons on the back deck. But when the pandemic flared up in the fall, Tuk-Tuk went dormant.

But this summer, Miller’s popular Pad Thai is back, now as a pop-up takeaway at Tell Your Friends café on the pier.

Miller’s been in the food industry his entire life. He started out working on a farm but got really into food with meat cutting and then working at pubs. He graduated Stratford Chef School in 2015, which led him into more of a career path in the food world and running kitchens. “You get a little burnt out in those types of industries and those apprenticeships,” he said. When he was looking for a change, a friend of a friend was general manager of Doc Morgan’s. They were looking for a chef. So Miller moved to Bowen Labour Day 2018, working first at Doc’s and then at Tuscany. “I thought, ‘this is really fun to be on Bowen Island and cook for tourism,’ which is a great big scene that’s now coming back, and also just a unique

venture to see what I could bring to a small community.”

But then being laid off presented an opportunity for Miller to work for himself.

“At this stage of my career…I feel like I understand who I am as a cook, as a chef, and as somebody who wants to put flavours together,” he said.

A 2017 trip with his now wife, Sarah Kraatz, spending time in the northern mountains of Thailand, provided the inspiration for TukTuk – “[It] really made me fall in love with the culture, the people the flavours,” he said.

“With Thai cuisine. It’s the five different kinds of sour. It’s a bit of sweet. It’s umami.

It’s spice. It’s not just, ‘Oh, season it with some salt and pepper.’ It’s layer building. So that’s the best part about it, is to build those layers up in every dish rather than just tossing something together.”

“I think it’s just really fun and unique that Bowen Island is open to having new flavours,” said Miller. He tries to do some vegan options – as it can be slim-pickings on-island at times – and strives for sustainability with ingredients.

“I’m really conscious of my waste. I use all plant based compostable materials for my takeaway,” he said. “I’m not throwing food out – I’m giving it away if I have to or using it for other meals.”

As a one-man show, Miller does two dishes for each pop-up: the immensely popular Pad Thai (popular here, not so much in Thailand) and a second item of his choosing. As is the nature of pop-up, Miller isn’t setting days, but could pop-up any night of the week at Tell Your Friends after the regular café closes. Watch Facebook and Instagram for details.

740 MINNOWS LANE NEW LISTING

$1,799,000

Minnows Lane is hidden away up on “old’ Cates Hill, and is just a few minutes from Snug Cove. This country home sits on a lush and incredibly-private and quiet 2.55 acres - wrapped on three sides by a babbling brook that meanders through the forest. Inside features an Aga stove which is the centrepiece of a fantastic kitchen, four bedrooms, a double garage, and a rec room above the garage that could also be a suite, music/art studio or more.

A trail winds down from the house, through the woods to a large lawn below. Perfect for those looking for solitude or a imaginative place for kids to grow up in.

FRAZER ELLIOTT Realtor®

604.910.3401

Thursday, July 22 2021 • A11

CARMINA BOWENA Bowen’s Vocal Consort

We are a new, small, auditioned vocal ensemble dedicated to medieval, renaissance and contemporary choral works. Rehearsals are Monday evenings at 7:30pm on beautiful Bowen Island, starting September 13th. Open to all mixed voices. If interested please contact Nicole for more information at 778-926-4286 or ntzharmonium@mac.com.

1486 CROMIE ROAD

$1,900,000

This exceptional 0.7 acre Tunstall Bay property offers some of the best of what it means to be on Bowen. The mature, manicured garden welcomes you as you enter through the iron gates and proceed down to the five bedroom home that sits on a sun-soaked bluff with views through the trees to Worlcombe Island. Inside boasts fir and oak floors, high ceilings, suite potential downstairs, and one of the greatest dream kitchens to grace our island. A sauna, workshop and pond round out the features of this stunning home. Ask about potential membership in the Tunstall Bay Community Association – complete with access to the Club House, pool and dock.

Specializing in BOWEN ISLAND and HOWE SOUND

felliottbowen@gmail.com | bowenhomes.ca Top 10% of Realtors in the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver

2020

A12 • Thursday, July 22, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Local chiropractor sponsors Surrey sports scholarship BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor

When Bowen Islander and chiropractor Dr. Nicholas Lendvoy heard that the pandemic was affecting scholarships for graduating students at the high school in a low-income Surrey neighbourhood his brother worked at, the islander swiftly stepped up to the plate.

Jeremy Lendvoy is one of four counsellors at Queen Elizabeth Secondary School in Whalley. Beyond the regular social-emotional counselling, he is in charge of careers and scholarships.

“We lost half of our donors this year, in terms of scholarships for the kids,” said Jeremy – pointing to economic pressures of the pandemic. “It was really tough to have to spread the money really thin.”

On top of the loss of donors, a lot of kids were having trouble with the online schoolwork. They were on the way to having a quarter of the grade 12 class – 80 or 90 kids – not graduate, said Jeremy.

“I think being a grade 12 this year was probably the worst I’ve seen in over a decade, just because they were completely detached from the school and they were forced to go online,” he said. “Especially for the at risk kids…they were forced to lose all their school connections.

“We had no school sports, we had no volunteering opportunities. Everything was basically shut down – no graduation banquet or anything like that. So a lot of them were lost and a lot of them slipped through

the cracks this year.”

While the counsellors were trying to get kids into some of the smaller colleges, money was a reoccurring obstacle. Kids were looking for jobs rather than post-secondary education.

“I was talking to my brother about it. And he said, ‘What are they looking for?’”

It seemed like they needed first term covered, answered Jeremy – $500 to $1,000 – and some mentorship.

Despite Surrey being some distance from his home or businesses, the co-owner of Bowen Island Integrated Health and Impulse Therapeutic Clinic in West Vancouver, set up $1,000 fund for a youth headed into physical therapy or a sports-related field, as well as a mentorship component at his clinic.

Surrey basketball star Kerrin Bhardwaj – an MVP every season since grade eight and who led QESS to its first junior provincial title in two decades – was awarded this year’s scholarship. “The next day, he was in my office wanting to sign up for all his courses at Douglas for the Sport Science program.

And he wanted to go visit Nic at his clinic right away,” said Jeremy.

And it won’t just be Kerrin Nicholas helps.

The scholarship is set up to continue into the future.

Jeremy also hopes to encourage other businesses and people to get involved with mentoring some of the teenagers looking for guidance, or with funding.

“Five hundred bucks isn’t much for people making six figure salaries, and it goes a long way to maybe spur a kid into attending a college or something,” he said.

Timothy Rhodes REALTOR®

604-341-9488 rhodesonbowen.com tim@rhodesonbowen.com

527 COLLINS ROAD 4 BED | 6 BATH | 6,717 sq. ft. | 4 Acres | 2 Bed Cottage |$4,890,000 Oversize French doors open to a heated pool, hot tub, south-facing patio, and a quiet pastoral setting with a barn, a two-bedroom cottage, an acre of wooded hillside—and afternoon songbird concerts. An place for memories: a grandchild’s pool party, a family wedding, a pick-up baseball game, a ping-pong tournament, or watching grandpa’s Super-8 movies. Just a short stroll through Crippen Park to the beach, restaurants, schools, marina, and ferry. A very special Real estate report in this issue: legacy opportunity. Walk to the Snug Cove, the ferry, and schools.

Real estate market‘heat dome’ Interactive storybook: 527collins.rhodesonbowenmedia.com still driving price

722 CHANNELVIEW DRIVE 4 BED | 3-1/2 BATH | 3,311 sq. ft. | 1-1/8 Acres | Detached Studio | $1,970,000 This dramatic site was chosen for its privacy and striking views over Queen Charlotte Channel to West Vancouver, Vancouver, and Mount Baker—and with an eye to the future: built above the trees. Captivating views from every room day and night. The main floor features granite and oak hardwood with in-floor heating. A gracefully curving stair leads to the upper bedrooms, and lower level has a 2-car garage and can be easily converted into a private suite. A lovingly maintained home. Never cut a lawn again! Minutes to the ferry.

Interactive storybook: 722channelview.rhodesonbowenmedia.com

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, July 22, 2021 • A13

A14 • Thursday, July 22, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Real estate market ‘heat dome’ still driving price MLS® HPI vs Average Sale vs Median Sale YoY at 30 April

COVID-19 Restrictions

Change YoY +34.9%

+37.8% +27.5%

1 https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/ douglas-todd-the-sour-psychology-of-the-housing-crisis 2 https://morns.ca/a-new-wave-of-buyers-expected-tohit-b-c-real-estate-market/ Timothy Rhodes, REALTOR® rhodesonbowen.com Angell Hasman & Associates Realty Ltd

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 25 YEARS AND WE'RE CELEBRATING WITH SPECIAL DISCOUNTS AND EVENTS. 25% off rentals on Tuesdays 50% off 3-hour rentals Fridays after 5pm $30 Snug Cove Group Paddles, Sundays 6-8pm

come down to the pier for a coffee, a meal, something sweet or something healthy.

CELEBRATING

1996

25 YEARS

2021

bowenislandkayaking.com

06-21

04-21

02-21

12-21

10-20

08-20

06-20

04-20

02-20

12-19

10-19

08-19

06-19

04-19

02-19

12-18

Average Sale Median Sale MLS® HPI 10-18

There is a heat dome over the Bowen real estate market and it cooled only slightly in June as year-over-year metrics continued to register record highs. I am often asked if prices will go down. After the usual disclaimers about economic downturn, natural disaster, etc., my answer is: Not likely. The market is beginning to see some moderation, but the world outside of Bowen is likely to keep prices high in Vancouver and, where the mainland goes, Bowen follows (although during COVID it has been leading).

Douglas Todd writes, “Ten thousand more British Columbians a year are moving out of Metro Vancouver [...] than are coming here from elsewhere in B.C.”1 However, the federal government is planning for immigration of 1.2 million people by 2023 and morns.ca quotes Jacky Chan, president of BakerWest Real Estate Inc., “Vancouver is the favoured destination for the 300,000 or so passport holders who want to escape political instability in Hong Kong.”2 There will be significant pressure on Lower Mainland home prices and although there is some indication that the price increases we have seen over the past 18 months will moderate, Bowen year-over-year inventory has not been this low in three-and-a-half years and June had the lowest monthly

08-18

TIM RHODES Contributor

inventory in 10 years—it is still a sellers’ market. Bowen’s average sale price of $1,522,632 is the median sale price for Metro municipalities. Of the 18 homes listed at this writing, only one is under $1.0 million. Five are listed at over $3.0 million.

While low inventory and pressure on price offers an advantage to sellers, buyers are unlikely to see prices reverse, although they may see some moderation.

The increase in real estate prices is having an unwelcome and largely unseen impact on the community: the Island is losing economic and social diversity.

Bowen no longer ranks as one of Metro’s more affordable communities. It is increasing difficult for young families to buy and odds of finding a place to rent feel similar to the odds of winning the lottery.

Employees who are essential to Bowen businesses—and some business owners— are finding it increasingly difficult to stay here. The rental units on Seniors Lane will provide relief and security for some, but with the Snug Cove Sewer System at capacity we may not see additional rental or ‘affordable’ housing starts in Snug Cove for several years.

All levels of government need to make it a priority to work with local organizations to find real solutions to the housing crisis.

06-18

Lowest monthly inventory in ten years

A16 • Thursday, July 22, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

The problem solver: Rosemary Knight CALIFORNIA’S WATER CRISIS, A ‘NATURE FIRST’ AGENDA, AND LIFE ON BOWEN ISLAND

CONTINUED FROM P. 1

Once she’d established that the geophysical methods worked for water, Knight needed to convince water agencies to use them.

(Translating knowledge to action, problem solving, is another one of Knight’s passions.)

So in 2008, she started Stanford’s Centre for Groundwater Evaluation and Management, which applies the state-ofthe-art science to real-world problems.

Today, Knight and her crew work with 16 different water agencies, testing out applications of various geophysical methods. For the past five years, Knight’s worked on mapping groundwater systems in California so that decision makers can be predictive and consider management actions to sustain quantity and quality of groundwater. As of a few months ago, the State of California committed $12 million to acquiring geophysical data – using helicopter deployed electromagnetic methods to image groundwater systems hundreds of feet underfoot.

“It’s just thrilling, this honour,” said Knight. “It’s really meaningful to me because it’s truly recognition of a field that I’ve been really instrumental in advancing.

“That is using these imaging methods to better understand, to better manage, better protect our groundwater resources.”

Geophysical methods vary; some use sound waves, some use electrical currents, others use electromagnetic energy. Knight described a method that’s exactly like a hospital MRI but instead of a powerful magnet in the MRI cylinder, they use the Earth’s magnetic field, and have a 100-metre diameter loop on the Earth’s surface to send a radio frequency pulse below the ground. “All of those little nuclear spins and the hydrogen atoms in the water get perturbed and then send a signal back,” she said. “So there you are on the ground surface. And what you’re picking up is the nuclear spin from the hydrogen atom that’s in the water mole-

cule, that’s in the pore of your rock.”

Knight and her husband – Bob Turner – moved to Bowen Island in 1989. Knight was a faculty member at UBC but in 2000, she got a call from Stanford, where she’d done her PhD. They wanted to hire her as a geophysics professor. But, Bob had just been elected to Bowen Island’s first municipal council.

“I realized, if we both moved to California at that point, I wouldn’t have a friend left on Bowen Island,” recalled Knight. There were two years left in Turner’s council term, so she said she’d commute for two years and then they’d relocate. “After commuting for two years, I realized I couldn’t leave Bowen.”

But she couldn’t leave Stanford either.

“There’s a generosity of spirit that pervades the place. There is a commitment to do more than generate knowledge,” she said.

“It was founded by Jane Stanford. And her whole vision was a purposeful university, a university where you educate students, you empower students, to use their knowledge for the betterment of humankind to address critical societal issues.

“It’s a very inspiring place to teach.”

So, in the summer months and every other weekend, Knight’s on Bowen, the rest of the time, Stanford. Though with virtual classes, closed borders and general disruption of COVID-19, Knight’s spent the last year and a half on Bowen but Zooming all over the place. “One week I gave a talk in Mexico on Monday, I was at a conference in Denver on Tuesday, I was teaching my Stanford class, Monday, Wednesday, Friday,” she said. “It’s been quite an amazing year.”

In California, Knight works with people who scientifically and politically have a nature-first agenda. “The idea that when you put in place, anytime, any type of regulatory framework…if you haven’t figured

ROTARY RUN FOR RWANDA 5K RUN/WALK Saturday August 28th Start at Ferry Dock at 9:00 am

out how this is going to benefit nature, it ultimately isn’t going to benefit people,” she said. “If you work with nature and return to this system that was there before we started controlling it and overdeveloping it, there’s benefits. Not just for nature, but for people too.”

“The same could be done on Bowen,” she suggested: looking at carrying capacity, what islanders need to do to ensure sustainable water use and ensuring the way we’re building is sustainable.

In California, Knight is involved in understanding where groundwater gets recharged.

“Where does the rainwater actually get below the ground surface and start percolating down and raising the water levels so that when we pump we get water?

“I’ve started talking with people about the whole idea of zoning for recharge,” she said. “So when you think of your land use, when you pass land use bylaws, you really think carefully about the impact of everything you’re doing on natural systems. And you look at land very differently.

“You say, what is the fundamental natural function of this piece of land? And when we think about development, and when we think about development variance permits, we think about how is that going to impact the natural functioning of this piece of land?

And what does that mean, at the larger scale to the groundwater system, to the forest to our air?

“You start with this fundamental understanding of how Earth works, how nature works, and then figure out how to pile the people on top of that.”

But, for Knight, the best part of her industry is the people. “My graduate students, my postdocs. I love working in a team,” she said.

“That’s a big part of the type of geophysics.

I do too.

“You’re not going to do it on your own.

You couldn’t possibly do it on your own.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSEMARY KNIGHT

Rosemary Knight is the first woman and first hydrogeophysicist to be awarded the Society of Exploration Geophysicists’ highest honour, the Maurice Ewing Medal. Knight is drawn to problem solving through science. “Think of it – the thrill of discovering how things work at a very fundamental scale, but even the idea that you can take that understanding and apply it and do good – address societal problems and address environmental problems. It’s like who wouldn’t want to do this with their life.”

“You need a wide range of expertise, a wide range of perspectives, a wide range of skill sets,” she said. “I really love pulling together people with diverse backgrounds, diverse skill sets, to solve problems to figure things out. And that’s a huge part of what you get to do in hydrogeophysics.”

SAIL AWAY ON YOUR OWN PRIVATE SAILING ADVENTURE 1/2 day and full day sailing adventures in Beautiful Howe Sound, BC Depart From Snug Cove on Bowen Island.

Just a short ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay.

Register at rotaryrunforrwanda.com or komeracanada.ca

Let us be your captain and crew with the wind as your guide.

Bib pick-up at 8:15 same day Snacks and Prizes!

Please call Shelley and Rob 778-954-7341 to book your private adventure.

Enjoy a relaxing sail on a C&C 38 “LUBA”

• All life jackets and safety gear provided.

• Bring your own snacks and refreshments.

• No sailing experience necessary.

1/2 day $600.00 Full day $1000.00 Maximum 4 people.

New Stock for Happy Campers!

455 Bowen Island Trunk Rd

A model hobby

bowenislandundercurrent.com

We’re taking a week off! The Undercurrent won’t be publishing the week of July 29 but will return August 5, ready to dive into all things Bowen.

Do you want more Undercurrent? We have a weekend edition newsletter that comes out every Sunday morning (except next week): bowenislandundercurrent.com/account/mailinglist.

ROB WYNEN CONTEMPLATES FINDING A PASSION FOR LIFE AFTER WORK

ROB WYNEN

Contributor

“Rob, if there is one piece of advice I can give you it is to get a good hobby”.

This was the advice I got from an old timer on Bowen recently when I asked him the success to a happy retirement.

I’m not quite there yet but I’m definitely in the preparatory phase. I can remember back in the day many of my friends’ fathers had hobbies to fill their after work time. No internet had many looking for interesting hobbies to take a break from the grind of work life. A common hobby was modeling, everything from jet planes to model railways. I was always so impressed by the skill of many of these hobbyists.

My attempts at modeling were to say the least, mediocre. Glue would bulge up all over the place and a piece would eventually snap as I was impatiently trying to fit them together with sticky fingers. I won’t even get to the painting part, painting a wall is one thing, painting a 3mm machine gun on the front of a fighter jet is quite a different story. I still can’t figure out how they managed to do it so perfectly. It must have taken so much time.

I was recently cleaning out my office and under a stack of papers came across an old newspaper clipping that I had cut out of the North Shore News (nsnews.com/archive/model-behaviour-2968002). I had cut it out with the intention of calling up the gentleman, Bob Booth, a well-known local

architect, at the time 94 years old, who had been building model railroads for decades. I was hoping to visit him and see his railroads and models, maybe even convince my son to join me.

While I never got the chance to contact him at the time I thought PHOTO SUPPLIED why not give him a call North Vancouver model railroad builder Bob Booth now. It took a bit of sleuthing, unfortunate- had a track around his workroom, including a tunnel ly Bob had passed away, through the wall. but I did get ahold of his man Carl Anderson to rebuild the car. daughter, Leanne, who was more than He received a personal achievement willing to fill me in on Bob’s model Award from the city of North Vancouver building exploits.

Heritage Advisory Committee in 1992 Bob started modeling trains in the for his work.

70s. He was meticulous about the craft “He bugged the mayor for years to and would work on his trains when his get the car out of Fen Stadium and kids were asleep. display it properly. He would be so “He followed/chased the Royal pleased.”

Hudson all over the Lower Mainland I regret not seeing his trains, some and valley, filming and recording the of which are now located at the railway sounds and even riding in the engine,” museum in Squamish, but I wonder she said. how many models from so many hobIt was only his failing eyesight byists don’t find an appreciative secand arthritis that slowed Bob down. ond home. How much of this history Besides his success as an archiis lost? tect and modeller, Leanne remarked I’ll keep exploring avenues to get that “he was more proud of his work the hobbyist in me out. It probably with the Streetcar 153, which is now won’t involve glue, fine paint brushes the centrepiece in the new North or immense amounts of patience but Vancouver museum. He was restothe thought of having an activity that ration project director and developed engages me through my later years the plans that allowed master craftsoutside of paid work is exciting.

WRITE ON BOWEN FESTIVAL OF READERS & WRITE ERS

Thursday, July 22, 2021 • 17

Find Y Your Flow State Shop in store at ARTISAN SQUARE by appointment call Amrita at 778 863 7770 Curb side pickup & Gift Certificates Shop online 24/7 movementglobal.com

Eco fash hion made locally

ARTS

PACIFIC GALLERY

Saturday, August 7 & Sunday, August 8, 2021 in the lush gardens of Aubin & David van Berckel

Writing Workshops: 1 pm to 2:30 pm Reception & Presentations: 2:30 pm to 5 pm 1-day pass: $30 / 2-day pass: $50 Choose one of three writing workshops offered each day, to be held outdoors.

Then, enjoy an afternoon presentation by local poets, authors, playwrights and actors.

Limited tickets available. Workshops are filling up fast. Register Now! For tickets & full program description, visit our website:

writeonbowen.com

ARTISAN SQUARE

Wednesday through Sunday

11 - 4

A18 • Thursday, July 22, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

5

5

5

5

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF CHRIS STAPLES

The Bowen brand has four mascots as “there’s no single image or mascot that could adequately represent the whole community,” says creator Chris Staples.

“We’re a village of different kinds of people.”

Not so ‘awful’: Bowen brand five years later BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor

It started, as many Bowen stories do, over coffee with Ron Woodall.

In one of their monthly chats, several years ago, Gordon Ganong was telling the former creative director and ad whiz about chairing a municipal committee seeking someone to create the Bowen brand. Woodall suggested getting in touch with a fellow who’d recently moved to the island.

Chris Staples is a heavy hitter in the advertising world and had worked with Woodall in the ’90s (in one 1999 Maclean’s article Woodall described Staples as “probably the best all-round advertising person I’ve seen in my life”). Rethink, the creative agency Staples co-founded in 1999, has counted WestJet, Molson Canadian, Heinz Ketchup and A&W among its clients. But the biggest brands in Canada didn’t hold a candle to Bowen Islanders.

“All of these things are a walk in the park compared to trying to get Bowen Island to accept the community brand,” said Staples – he and Rethink took on the project pro bono and the brand hit its fifth anniversary last month. “It was the toughest challenge I ever was involved with.

“You know Bowen – there’s many like-minded people, but they often have trouble agreeing on anything.”

June 27, 2016, the brand committee and Staples unveiled the brand to municipal council – and were met with laughter.

The tagline was never meant to be the focus of the brand: “Tell your friends it’s awful here.”

But it was the tagline that galvanized the island and propelled the brand to international media attention: Ad Week, Lonely Planet, CBC, the Globe and Mail, covered

the tongue in cheek phrase and the island adopting it.

“There were there were people that loved it and there were people that hated it,” recalled Ganong. “It was pretty intense.”

But the thing was, the world wasn’t the intended audience – the intended audience was always Bowen Island. And to a degree, Staples was a victim of his own success. After the brand went viral, he had to face islanders.

“I think the biggest misconception is that people thought the brand was to get a bunch of tourists onto Bowen,” said Staples. “I got blamed so many times at cocktail parties – like look at what you’ve done, we’re overrun with tourists because of the Bowen brand.”

“The tourism is one small part of it, but there’s never been any serious money spent attracting tourists to Bowen,” said Staples. “What the brand was really supposed to do was be a true community brand that anyone could use, whether you’re a business or charity, or the municipal government, or just posting on Facebook.

“The brand is a lot more than just a few words. It’s kind of the look and feel, and personality of the island. And I think that’s really what’s endured,” said Staples.

Five years on, the fun font and four mascots have eclipsed the contentious tagline.

Four mascots because one couldn’t do. “There’s no single image or mascot that could adequately represent the whole community,” said Staples. “We’re a village of different kinds of people.”

There’s the new agey slug, “chief advocate of island time” who’s into wellness. The eagle, who is all about protecting the environment and keeping an ‘eagle eye’ on things. There’s the seal, who’s all about fun and trying new things.

Then there’s the deer – “proud and protective of our people, places an quirky culture” – or as Staples quipped, “a bit of a jerk and he’s salty.”

The deer, as the story goes, draws inspiration from Ron Woodall.

While Bowen Island Municipality does own the brand and plays a semi-gatekeeping function, the iconic Mr. Dodo font and four quirky mascots have seeped into Bowenia.

Sophie Idsinga, BIM’s communications coordinator, remembers sitting in the room when the brand was presented to council.

“I was surprised, but I was delightfully surprised. It’s such a Bowen thing,” said Idsinga. “It’s really worked itself out to be an identifier for our kind of unusual funky island.”

Day to day, Idsinga, is probably one of the most regular users of the Bowen brand. Part of her role is to try to ensure that anything going out publicly from the municipality has the brand applied to it – so there’s visual recognition and a standard across the municipality.

“I love the bold colors, and I find it really fun and easy to work with the assets,” she said, “and the mascots.” (For example, during the pandemic, the mascots donned masks.)

“We love trying to come up with puns and things that we can use,” she said. “As a municipality and a local government body, it’s fun to just break down and be more fun and human.

“That’s something that I really enjoy.”

Staples enjoys it too. “It makes me smile every time I open up the Undercurrent, and I see an ad for Chief Financial Officer, like a recruitment ad, and its Mr. Dodo, in the headline,” he laughed. “To me, what that says is, if you’re

going to apply for a job on Bowen, you immediately get that this is a quirky place.”

That being said, it’s not all fun and games being a local government, and when there are serious communications, where the Mr. Dodo font wouldn’t be appropriate, Idsinga or staff use the more serious Larsseit font.

While the municipal brand marks aren’t for outside use, the colors, the fonts, the mascots are open for the community to use (they do have to sign an agreement that the brand won’t be used in a derogatory, offensive or discriminatory way and, if it’s being used for commercial purposes, pay a small fee).

And several community groups and members have embraced the brand.

Shortly after the brand unveiling, Tourism Bowen Island bought the Explore Bowen Island brochure and didn’t have any additional money. But, as the tourist-facing institution of Bowen, Staples was adamant that it should have the new look, said Murray Atherton, who chaired the board at the time. “He put his Rethink team to work with us and, at no charge, designed the entire publication utilizing the icons and sayings throughout the brochure,” said Atherton. “It caught on so well and we had to do a second run.”

“We can’t thank Chris and Rethink enough for everything they did for their new island home.”

Other community organizations, like the Bowen Island Health Centre Foundation or the Sluggers slopitch baseball team, have also taken on the brand. And then there’s the merchandise: Cocoa West’s chocolate Bowen slugs, disc golf discs, soaps, and more.

(Staples has a full set of all of the merchandise.)

Artisan Square is the latest brand adopter.

“I saw the brand, I fell in love with it,” said Artisan Square strata president Joe Borrelli. When it came time for the signage to be replaced in the square, Borrelli suggested adopting the brand.

As a commercial photographer, he knows Staples through business and took a chance and reached out to the islander. Staples was enthusiastic and did up some modified mascots for the signage, that won the strata members over. “He was just amazing,” said Borelli. “And just to give that to the community, I was completely knocked out by his response to the whole thing.”

The new signage includes the ‘Welcome to Artisan Square’ sign and a series of smaller signs, pointing the way to the village and along the walkways, set to go up this month. “It just appeals to everybody – it appeals to kids and adults and doesn’t leave anybody out,” said Borrelli.

Five years on, the brand isn’t without its critics, particularly those who see its success as attracting overtourism to the island.

But for Staples, the brouhaha has died down and folks who once took to the Bowen Island Everything Else Facebook group to criticize the brand, now come up to him wearing t-shirts sporting the brand.

“It was tough. But now I look at it and I’m really glad that the whole committee persevered and we waited out the naysayers.

“I think the deer and the slug are having the last laugh, hopefully.”

The brand celebrates the uniqueness of Bowen, for Staples.

“Now, immediately when you see that font, you see that black and white, you see one of the mascots, you just know, it’s Bowen,” he said. “And that really exceeded any expectations I had five years ago.”

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Lady Matcha

JOIN TH E TRAI L SO C I ET Y B EC O M E A MEMBER

THE TRADITIONAL TEA THAT KEEPS COMING BACK TO NAOMI THOMAS

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor

If you support trail interconnectivity and self-propelled recreation, you should join us.

PLAY

And this year when you sign up, you get a Trail Society hat as part of your membership.

E

“I was on a plane every week.”

But when her sister and parents got sick, Naomi had to return to Vancouver to care for her family. She pulled out of Whole Foods and retail in general and transitioned to an online store. “I was exhausted, I couldn’t take care of my family, I couldn’t do it all,” she said.

She ended up selling the trademark and putting business on hold while she was a caregiver for six years. “That was a very interesting time in my life. It was very difficult and really rewarding.”

The caregiving ended a couple of years ago and Naomi needed a fresh start. “I needed to grieve because it was a big deal for me, losing my family.”

She sold her parents’ house in Deep Cove and moved to Bowen two years ago. “And I sure came to a good place.”

Naomi didn’t even think of selling matcha until about four months ago when she got a call from the Ruddy Potato, “We understand you had a matcha business – can you give us some?” Naomi recounted them asking.

But where 20 years ago Naomi had little competition, today, matcha companies abound. The islander wasn’t willing to compromise on the quality of the tea – to buy the cheaper mass-produced, differently processed iterations – and the Ruddy agreed.

“They said no, your price point’s good. Call your people in Kyoto,” said Naomi. “So I got on the phone to the Takagawas, who I’ve been working with for 20 years, and they’re traditional Japanese.”

“And they were so excited,” said Naomi.

She started doing demonstrations at the Ruddy and was overwhelmed by the response. “So many people here don’t really know what [matcha] is and I think that Bowen’s kind of a coffee drinking island,” said Naomi. “But I’ve already had so many people, just emailing calling saying oh my god, this has changed my life.”

So, she started the Bowen Island Matcha Company, now selling matcha to and at the Ruddy Potato, Snug Café, Artisan Eats and Alderwood Farm. But this time, Naomi isn’t aiming for a jet-setting life – she’s looking for balance. “I just want to share with people,” she said. “I’m not in this for the money. It’s really not that kind of business for me. It’s more the satisfaction of just seeing people’s faces light up, for one thing, when they taste it.” (Again, a couple of drops of sweetener is key for newbies.)

I O U T S

D

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO / UNDERCURRENT PHOTO

Naomi Thomas, finding balance in matcha.

Member perks include everything from being a tangible part of transforming Bowen's trails to participating in future decision-making at our AGM.

GO

It’s been 17 years since the bright green hue of the crushed leaves from the very top of tea plants in Japan first caught Naomi Thomas ‘s eye.

A friend had taken Naomi to a tea house in Vancouver and bought her a little cup of matcha. “And it tasted disgusting,” the islander recalled.

It took some time for the bitter, strong taste to grow on Naomi (she served it to me with stevia sweetening, for an altogether pleasant taste) but the spark that day grew into Lady Matcha. The entrepreneur started down a path that lead her through glamour and loss, and eventually, to the Bowen Island Matcha Company.

Tea – black, green, oolong, white, yellow, pu-erh – comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. Matcha is grown in shade, so that the leaves produce more chlorophyll trying to get sunlight, and only the very top leaves are harvested for matcha. The leaves are meticulously de-veined and crushed in large granite grinders. It takes an hour to grind a 40 gram tin, said Naomi.

The crushed leaves are mixed with water or milk (or whatever else – Naomi has matcha ice cream) and drunk, instead of getting steeped and set aside.

In 2004, matcha was little known in North America but it’s since grown into a sensation, with chains like Starbucks selling versions of the centuries old tea.

Back then, Naomi had been in health sciences, pharmaceuticals, had consulted with start-ups, at one point ran an anti-aging clinic, but was looking for something to sell that she believed in. “I wanted to sell things to really make people healthy, not just claim to make people healthy,” she said.

The tradition of the tea in Buddhist meditation appealed to Naomi – she’d done meditation most of her life. “When I read about that, I got more interested in a tea just from a philosophical point of view,” she said.

“Then I dove into the chemistry of it,” said Naomi. Where coffee is known for its instant ‘kick’ of energy, matcha delivers the caffeine in a different way for more of a slow burn energy boost. “I just started to think, okay, if we can get caffeinated without the jitters, and without the blood sugar drops, and also get this feeling of alpha waves [matcha contains L-theanine, an amino acid that increases the stress-reducing alpha waves in the brain] and this feeling of calmness…” she said. “So, I started to sell it.”

Naomi flew to San Francisco to meet the CEO of Whole Foods and served him matcha.

The grocery chain became her first client and she formed Zen Matcha – which the website today describes as “the first North American company entirely dedicated to authentic Japanese Matcha tea.”

“Nobody had it – Starbucks didn’t have it,” said Naomi. She hired sales people and distributors and supplied all of the Whole Food stores on Canada’s West Coast. There were displays and demos, radio shows and TV shows. “It was so much fun,” she recalled.

Thursday, July 22, 2021 • 19

EMAIL US FOR A 2021 MEMBERSHIP FORM (or to just buy a hat!) bowenislandtrailsociety@gmail.com

Patient of the Week ROCKET Rocket recently came in for his Rabies vaccine. Rabies is an infectious viral disease that is fatal without previous vaccination or immediate post exposure treatment.

A Bowen Island bat was recently sent into the BC Wildlife Health Program after being caught by a cat inside of a house, and tested positive for rabies.

It is important to keep domestic pets up to date on their rabies vaccines to avoid creating endemic populations of rabies vectors. We are glad that Rocket is protected!

REGULAR HOURS Tuesday to Friday 9- 5 Saturday 9- 1 Closed Sunday and Monday

To schedule appointments, please call

604.947.9247

or email reception@bowenvet.com

A20 • Thursday, July 22, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thank you for supporting restorative justice, Bowen: still time to donate

Dear Bowen Island, Thank you. My name is Sioned Dyer and I am the executive director of North Shore Restorative Justice. I have had the privilege of growing up on the North Shore, the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ ílwətaɬ (TsleilWaututh) and Kwikwetlem (kʷikʷəƛ̓ əm) Nations. I am now raising my three boys on the North Shore. Through the work of North Shore Restorative Justice (NSRJ), I have witnessed first-hand the heart warming benefits of the practice of restorative justice – for young people, families, commu-

nities, schools and the justice system. It is such an honour to do the work we do – community born and led.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Brenda Morrison and Lisa Holland for building awareness and fundraising on Bowen Island this month as a part of NSRJ’s Charity Challenge. Brenda and Lisa shared that the conversation with supporters was rich as each lap was completed around Killarney Lake: six times – a half-marathon! There were conversations with youth about social justice issues; conversations about restorative approaches to elder care; conversations about mental health; conversations about

restorative approaches to health care; responding to environmental harm and reconciliation. It was a day to remember. Thank you to all those who joined us and donated.

We have served Nexwlélexwm (Bowen Island) for a number of years. For Bowen Island, our financial support comes from the community (other municipal governments contribute up to 30K to support our work); so, we really appreciate your support as a community. We will continue to fundraise until July 26. You can donate here: raceroster.com/ events/2021/31176/2021-scotiabank-vancouver-half-marathon-and-5k/fundraising-organization/23513

Places of Worship Welcome You BOWEN ISLAND UNITED CHURCH E v l M

Now offering a youtube channel of reflections and hymn/songs withm Reverend Lorraine Ashdown and Lynn Williams. youtubewatch?v=tejV7Y6jo

FOOD BANK DROP-OFF

P t Cl t N l ST. GERARD’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 00

Sunday Mass at 9.30

Contact Angela Powell 604-947-2515

604 988

CATES HILL CHAPEL

A

6304

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

00 am W Now offering worship services via Zoom.

A link available on website.

o

Pastor: Phil Adkins

SHIRAT HAYAM (Song of the Sea) BOWEN’S JEWISH COMMUNITY Shabbat Gatherings ~ Holidays Contact aryana.rayne@gmail.com

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Sorcha Joseph, Brenda Morrison, Graham Best, and Emma Mendez at Killarney Lake earlier this month raising money for restorative justice.

Thanks again to Lisa and Brenda for walking the talk in their own back yard, and the Bowen Islanders who walked with them.

Congratulations to all.

For further information about

Sioned Dyer

Queen of Capilano Ferry Schedule June 25 to September 6 2021

EN ISLAND DEPART BOWE

DE EPART HORSESHOE BAY

5:20 am except Su undays 6:20 am 7:20 am 8:35 am 9:35 am 10:40 am 12:05 pm 1:15 pm 2:40 pm 4:00 pm except Wednesdays 5:10 pm 6:15 pm 7:20 pm except Saturdays 8:50 pm 9:50 pm 10:50 pm

5:50 am 6:50 am 8:00 am 9:05 am except Wednesdays 10:10 am 11:15 am 12:40 pm 1:55 pm 3:20 pm 4:40 pm 5:45 pm 6:50 pm 7:50 pm except Saturdays 9:20 pm 10:20 pm

Note: Schedules subject to change without notice: Please check BCFERRIES.COM Schedule changes on statutory holidays

Delivered to your mailbox!

Every week for $55 per year ($85 to off island addresses) 604-947-2442 ads@bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thank you for your support of local journalism now and always.

If you are not sure if you have renewed, please call us to avoid disruption

the work we do and to join as a member of NSRJ (free during our membership drive) please visit: nsrj.ca.

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, July 22, 2021 • 21

BEACH BEAT

TRISTAN DEGGAN VISUALS PHOTO

Katherine Wolters in the final leg of the SwimBowen ‘Unevent’ last weekend.

Swimmers raise funds for cancer care

MARY LETSON

SwimBowen founder

Blue skies, calm seas and a rising tide made the perfect setting for SwimBowen’s point to point Unevent swim from Tunstall Bay to Bowen Bay last Saturday evening.

Seven swimmers along with paddle board and kayak marshals made the 1.6km distance at a good clip arriving at Bowen Bay Beach to a small, enthusiastic crowd of cheerleaders. SwimBowen is ever so grateful to everyone for joining in on the swimming fun.

A heartfelt thanks to Ratcliffe & Company for their ongoing and generous sponsorship over the years and for jumping back in this April when everything felt so uncertain.

Oceans of gratitude to our donors to date – Daphne Hodgins, Debbie Collingwood, Kate Coffey, Ruth Openshaw, Jenny Anstey,

Sandra and Anna Fenn, David Podmore, Michelle Johnson, Ben Tamblyn, Ross McDonald, Jessie Perry, Karen Nitzek, Clare Poshwatta, Gordon and Peter Rose, Joanne Gassman, Bruce Chutka, Anne Dumoulin, Carol Leflufy along with SwimBowen supporting sponsors Mary Lynn Machado Realtor, Rainforest Digital and Positively Fit, to my husband Cameron Rolfe (my favourite support boat man) and Tristan Deggan for photography – together we raised $2,850 (and counting) and kept the SwimBowen magic afloat! You can support SwimBowen’s Cancer Care with an online donation (swimbowen.com/donate) or a cheque made out to SwimBowen Society may be mailed to 725 Arbutus Place, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2.

Mark your calendars – SwimBowen 2022 is July 16.

A fun Sunday at the beach – cleaning!

Liliana Segal of Green Chair Recycling has been leading community cleanups around Bowen in recent months, and is now taking on the island’s beaches. Last weekend it was Bowen Bay Beach (pictured) where islanders spent a couple of hours doing a major litter pick up, including retrieving many cigarette butts and little pieces of plastic.

“It might not be ‘our garbage’...but it is our island, our ocean and our home,” writes Liliana. “We must take care of them with pride.”

Beach cleanups continue over the next four months including Aug. 22 at Cape Roger Curtis, Sept. 18 at Seymour Bay Beach and Oct. 17 at Sandy Beach – all from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. “Bring your reusable gloves and a smile, we provide the pickers and buckets, and we take all the litter we found at the end,” says Liliana. “Together we can make a real difference!”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LILIANA SEGAL

PHOTOS BY TRISTAN DEGGAN VISUALS

HAIG FARRIS PHOTO

Hummingbirds set up to battle – the guy on the right won, Haig Farris relays.

A22 • Thursday, July 22, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Your Community

MARKETPLACE bowenislandundercurrent.com

Call or email to place your ad, Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm

604-444-3000 • 604-653-7851 classifieds@van.net

HEALTH CARE ASSISTANT SPROTTSHAW.COM

SUDOKU

Join our Join the growing conversation network!at www.facebook.com/BIUndercurrent Hiring? Selling?

Selling?Renting?

Renting Buying? Hiring?

Call to place placeyour yourad. ad.

Call604-630-3300 604-653-7851to

ANSWERS

AGRICULTURE BALLOONS BANNER BOOTH BUMPER CARS

CHICKENS CHILDREN COTTON CANDY ENTERTAIN

ENTRANCE FAIRGROUNDS FERRIS WHEEL FESTIVAL FIELDS

FUNNEL CAKE GATHERING LAUGHTER LEMONADE LIVESTOCK

POPCORN RIDES SNACKS SUMMER TICKETS

HEALTH & WELLNESS FLU SHOTS FOR OUR PATIENTS

To advertise please call 604-947-2442 or email ads@bowenislandundercurrent.com

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, July 22, 2021 • 23

JULIAN BEAIRSTO PHOTO

BOWEN HOME SERVICES love the life you live I&I TOWING HAULING LTD

II

Vehicles • Construction Equipment Sea-Can Containers • Tiny Homes

Now serving Bowen Island

Bowen Island • Greater Vancouver Vancouver Island • Sunshine Coast

Free estimates Certified electricians

nelcan.ca 604.428.1119

Service calls, renovations, new construction

Michael Bingham • 604 947 1717 ianditowhaul@gmail.com

Landscape Lighting Irrigation

Seascape Bruce Culver

Office: 604-947-9686

Cell: 604-329-3045

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER.

Licensed Electrical Contractor 778.266.6465 www.bowenislandelectrical.com

Window Blinds On Bowen 778-995-1902

COURIER BOWEN ISLAND SPECIALISTS! QUALITY SERVICE GUARANTEED! Keep Calm and Call Econo

604.980.3333

991 West First Street, North Vancouver, BC www.economovingandstorage.com

SERVICE TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS 604-947-9703

bowenislandfreight@gmail.com

live the life you love To reserve a spot on this page, contact us at 604-947-2442 or ads@bowenislandundercurrent.com

A24 • Thursday, July 22, 2021

JULY 8 - AUG. 2

Art for Sea to Sky – new paintings from Di Hearth Gallery

AUG. 4 - AUG. 30

Spell of the Coast exhibition Hearth Gallery; New works

by Eleanor Rosenberg

THURSDAY JULY 22

Summer Reading Club: Meet the author 11 am - noon Through B.I. Public Library. Learn about Caribbean folklore and Minecraft with Tracey Baptiste (Ages 8+). Virtual Event Registration is required.

bowenislandundercurrent.com

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Fiction and cds/dvds/audio books. Weather dependent BAA Farmers’ Market (weekly) BICS; 10 am - noon; Made, grown, baked on Bowen.

Bring a mask and cash and please follow the signs

THURSDAY JULY 29

SUNDAY JULY 25

Outdoor Meditation Circle (weekly) Meet at undercover entrance to Crippen; 11 am There is a guided part ( in the gentle tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh) and a silent part.

Dress accordingly because we meet regardless of the weather.” Free. More info: lisa.shatzky@gmail.com

MONDAY JULY 26

SATURDAY JULY 24

Friends of B.I. Library book sale Library 10-noon Offering

Summer Reading Club: Meet the author 2-3 pm Through B.I. Public Library. Go on adventures with the Yasmin book series

by Saadia Faruqi (Ages 6+.)

Virtual Event. Registration is required

Regular council meeting Online 6:15 pm

TUESDAY JULY 27

Summer Reading Club: Meet the author 2-3 pm Through B.I. Public Library. Read books for babies, graphic novels, and more with storyteller Richard Van Camp (All Ages).

Virtual Event. Registration is required.

Climate conversation: water sustainability Online 7-8:30 pm; Presented in collaboration with the Bowen Island Garden Club and will feature Bowen’s own Kim Stephens from the Partnership for Water Sustainability.” More info:

bimbc.ca

Rotary speaker: Graham Ritchie of Snug Cove House Online 7:30 pm For Zoom information, check our website at bowenrotary. com.

AUG. 7 & AUG. 8

Write on Bowen: Festival of wirters Van Berckels’ garden on Cates Hill; More information: www.writeonbowen.com

SATURDAY AUGUST 21

Bowen Island Men’s Fastpitch Tournament Snug Cove Field

Friends of B.I. Library book sale Library front lawn 10 am noon; Fiction and cooking books weather dependent.

SATURDAY AUGUST 7

SUNDAY AUGUST 22

AUG. 6 - AUG. 8

Friends of B.I. Library book sale Library front lawn, 10 am-noon; Fiction and gardening books; weather dependent.

Spell of the Coast Artist Party Hearth Gallery 6-8 pm hearthartsonbowen.ca

Bowen Island beach clean-up Cape Roger Curtis 2-4 pm “Bring reusable gloves and a smile, we provide the pickers & buckets, and we take all the litter we found at the end.”

SATURDAY AUGUST 28

Rotary Run for Rwanda 9 am; Register until

Aug. 27: raceroster.com/ events/2021/49762/rotaryrun-for-rwanda-2021 Bowfest 2-8 pm in Bowfest field

SATURDAY SEPT. 4

Friends of B.I. Library book sale Library front lawn 10 am-noon ; Fiction and art books; weather dependent

SATURDAY SEPT. 11

Dirt Road Opera Tir-na-nOg

SUNDAY SEPT. 19

Bowen Island beach clean-up Seymour Bay Beach 2-4 pm. “Bring reusable gloves and a smile, we provide the pickers & buckets, and we take all the litter we found at the end.”

Mini Excavation Quality Earthworks Services UpDynamic Licensed Contractor on Bowen Donald Marsh - 604 366 9386

updynamic

604-366-9386 | info@updynamic.ca | updynamic.ca

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Low Hanging Fruit

Use of public spaces bylaw coming up for adoption July 26

PROJECT SEEKS VOLUNTEERS, DONORS TO HELP BUILD RESILIENCE THROUGH FRUIT GLEANING

MERIBETH DEEN

Contributor

One evening last December, after my family had picked a delicious box of apples off a neighbour’s tree, I put out a little note on Bowen Island Everything Else asking if anyone on-island had any fruit or nut trees that they had no time or ability to harvest. I did not get a clear answer on that, but I did get a lot of ideas about possible trees that might be available – and, a lot of enthusiasm.

So, with the support of my colleagues at BIFS (Bowen Island Food Resilience Society), I made a simple pitch to the Bowen Island Community Foundation: help me start a project to build awareness of the island’s existing food resources provided by fruit and nut trees, and build community around the picking and sharing of those fruits.

Much like the Vancouver Fruit Tree Project (which has gleaned some 72,000 lbs of fruit from people’s backyards over the course of 21 years), the project we have named “Low Hanging Fruit” will share the produce with volunteers and community groups.

To make this project fly, we need three things: • Donors. People who have a fruit

or nut tree on their property, and are willing to share the produce.

• Volunteers. People who think it would be fun to pick fruit for community use and bring a little themselves.

• Community Groups that are keen to receive fruit and nuts to support their programming and nourish the people they work with.

Why do we call it Low Hanging Fruit?

We consider the task of identifying local resources and ensuring they are shared and enjoyed as an easy and straightforward way to start to grow our local food resilience. We intend to grow this project into one that makes it easier for people to plant and care for fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, with the medium-term goal of increasing the amount of food grown on Nexwlélexwm. Think of it as adding to the abundance we already enjoy as salmonberry (Yetwánaý) season turns into huckleberry season turns into blackberry season.

Whether the Community Foundation shares our concern about the climate-induced disruptions to our food system and the need to re-build our community’s local food system, or

MERIBETH DEEN PHOTO

Nothing’s quite so delicious as picking and sharing Low Hanging Fruit.

whether they simply think this is a nice way to get people working together we are so pleased and grateful that they have agreed to support this project.

I keep wanting to say, “let’s not waste the food that grows on our local trees,” but truthfully, I don’t consider fruit that falls to the ground or gets eaten by birds and squirrels as a waste.

However, I do hope this project helps us, as a community, deepen our appreciation for the abundance that exists here and moves us to build more of it.

If you are interested in participating in the Low Hanging Fruit Pilot Project, please connect with me at meribeth.deen@gmail.com and put “Low Hanging Fruit” in the subject line.

ThANK YOU! ‘UnEvent’ 2021

Thursday, July 22, 2021 • A3

Monday, Bowen Island Municipal council is set to consider adopting a bylaw regulating municipally managed public spaces (including gathering, organized sports, smoking, fireworks and notably, camping and temporary shelters). BIM staff brought forward the bylaw to “address issues on public lands that continue to arise without adequate bylaws to regulate conflicting uses,” and “regulate some uses and alleviate some deleterious impacts to public places and minimize potential liability risks by way of permitting.” (June 11 staff report).

While through third reading BIM had only received three public comments, social media attention has prompted a flood of letters from islanders concerned with, among other things, the bylaw targeting and further marginalizing people experiencing homelessness, municipal overreach and concerns about permitting costs being prohibitive.

It all goes down at the last council meeting before summer break: July 26 at 6:15 p.m. See the council agenda: bit. ly/3zpMzyi.

As the Undercurrent is taking a break next week, we’ll have coverage in our August 5 edition.

No new Bowen COVID-19 cases

For the 5,000-odd people of Bowen-Lions Bay area, BCCDC data shows that: • There were no new cases between July 13 and 19; • 84 per cent of people 12+ have at least one vaccine dose as of July 19; • 85 per cent of people 18+ have at least one vaccine dose as of July 19; • 80 per cent of adults 18 to 49 have had one vaccine dose as of July 19; • 88 per cent of people 50 and over have at least one vaccine dose as of July 19.

There are no Bowen vaccination clinics listed on the VCH site.

SWIMMERS AND MARShALS AND ThE FOLLOWING DONORS TO DATE: DEBBIE COLLINGWOOD KATE COFFEY RUTH OPENSHAW JENNY ANSTEY SANDRA & ANNA FENN DAVID PODMORE MICHELLE JOHNSON BEN TAMBLYN

ROSS MCDONALD JESSIE PERRY KAREN NITZEK CLARE POSHWATTA GORDON & PETER ROSE JOANNE GASSMAN BRUCE CHUTKA ANNE DUMOULIN CAROL LEFLUFY

ADDITIONAL THANKS: Boat Marshaling CAMERON ROLFE Photography TRISTAN DEGGAN

SPONSORS:

Donate

swimbowen.com/donate

• Supporting Bowen Islanders in Cancer Treatment since 2018

A4 • Thursday, July 22, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

VIEWPOINTS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Disincorporate & re-engage

DEAR EDITOR: As an educator and community member I’m very concerned about the direction our island culture is going. In recent years there’s been a steady increase of public shaming, vindictive verbal attacks both online and in person (often in the ferry lineup), and general resentment and suspicion of one another. I know this is to be expected with the enormous increase in population we’ve experienced over the past couple of years, but I assume these people came for the friendly, neighbourly, and supportive lifestyle we were known for on this island, and we’re beginning to lean away from that, now.

Before we were a municipality, the public lands were enjoyed by the public. And in the absence of people restricting our activities and remedying possible future problems with punitive bylaws, we took responsibility for our own actions, our own community; our own public spaces. It was during that time that many of the educating and stewarding groups of this island were formed, through volunteerism and a commitment to look after ourselves. Groups like the Nature Club, BIHORA, the Historians, library, community school, etc. etc. etc. Today, (as long as bylaw 537/538 doesn’t pass) many of these groups and also individuals like myself take very small groups of adults or children to the woods, marshes, creeks and beaches to learn about and engage with our own ecosystem and history. We still gather for events both large and small, like birthday parties, holiday gatherings or memorials at beaches or parks, graduation parades, beach cleanups and ecological stewardship, informal sports like disc golf, jogging, swimming, and hiking, and many other things. These gatherings are what bring and hold us together. They’re where we see each other’s faces, get to know and help one another. They are the antidote and prevention for the vitriol that has been growing, lately. They are a big part of what Bylaw and Amendment 537 and 538 will disallow, along with acceptance of the homeless in our community, and anything deemed “unsightly.”

A community that is governed by a long list of bylaws that few people are aware of and nobody can truly fathom (because it’s become so complex) is unsustainable. It’s a community that has lost agency and engagement, and then we act (or don’t) out of fear of punishment or shame from each other and our bylaw officers. In lieu of taking responsibility for our community, we complain that nobody’s cleaning up for us. Since we can no longer gather or offer tours and group meetings that bring us together and engage us with our ecology, we lose that engagement. Or we leave the island. There now appears to be a slowly-growing exodus of old-timers and lower-income families from the island. This is how we lose all of our tradespeople, our teachers, our artists and craftspeople, our community leaders and volunteers, and those who keep the memory of how we lived in the time before the bylaws.

I cannot wait for the day when we realize what a folly it was to incorporate. I cannot wait for the day we collectively decide to unshackle ourselves from the ever-growing list of bylaws and municipal requirements. Disincorporation is a viable option, and thankfully there are still quite a few of us here who remember how things worked before this, and could help others see the benefits. Yes, stewarding ourselves without a central government requires work, but I have faith in us. Our huge influx of new residents includes many creative open minds, and I feel hopeful that, together, we can rebuild a responsible, engaged community.

Emily van Lidth de Jeude

Check out the library’s new memory kits

DEAR EDITOR: Wow! I just looked through the new Bowen Library Memory Care Kit and it is great! Whether you have a parent, a spouse or a friend with memory issues you will love these activities and books that will bring connection, maintain or build relationships and are just plain fun to do. I wish I had had access to something like this when my parents were in their latter years. Thank you so much to Tina and your team for putting these together for us here on Bowen.

Please, literally, check them out!

Suzanne Allan

EDITORIAL

Welcome to our annual villagers and cottagers edition! Every July, we send the Undercurrent to every mailbox on the island in anticipation of summer activities and visitors.

If you are not a regular reader, thank you so much for picking up the paper and flipping through the pages – I hope you’ve found something to pique your interest. If you are a regular reader, thank you so much for your support. This pandemic has evicerated many businesses, and many papers, and it’s because of you that we’re still here.

This being said, we do need help. Even if you don’t rush to the newsstands every Thursday, I like

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. Please limit to under 500 words. 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 advertising Monday, 4 p.m. DEADLINE for editorial Tuesday 5 p.m.

Bowen Island Undercurrent Subscription Rates: Mailed 1 year subscription on Bowen Island: $55, including GST. Within Canada: $85 including GST Newsstand (Single Copy) $1.50 per copy, including GST

ISSN 7819-5040

to think that there’s a community comfort that we’re here, for better or worse, recording and preserving a weekly moment in our community’s history.

If you can, please subscribe or donate or buy ads and keep the paper going for another 46 years!

We welcome submissions, story ideas, photos from everyone and anyone (ages three and up, though we have had a submission from a one-year-old). (Respectful) criticisms, compliments, corrections and suggestions are also very much encouraged.

Thank you all. We’re so grateful to be part of this community.

Bronwyn, Tracey and Peter

National NewsMedia Council.

EDITOR Bronwyn Beairsto 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

SPECIAL THANK-YOU Audrey Grescoe

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.

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, July 22, 2021 • A5

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dock would‘forever impose upon Ecclestone’

DEAR EDITOR: Over the last three years, Bowen Island Municipality has granted property owners at 1160 Ecclestone Road a covenant agreement for various structures built on adjacent public road right-of-way, including: a septic tank and 20 metres of pipes; 520 square feet of a guest house and 21 feet of a staircase leading to the beach, plus a variance for enlarging the footprint for the main house. Uncovenanted intrusions on the ROW remain for an underground rainwater drainage system.

And now for the finale: a private dock variance granted to build a 121.7 foot dock in provincial jurisdiction. This is hardly the rallying cry of a disadvantaged and ill-treated victim.

“Unique hardship property?”

Please. These covenants and variances are giving the residents enormous enduring and significant benefits in what clearly amounts to a very generous gift from the municipality and the public.

And now to clear up a few points: Ecclestone Beach has been visited and enjoyed by the Bowen Island community since before the First World War. Last fall, Ecclestone was re-designated as a “coastal viewpoint,” then additionally, at the insistence of the current prop-

erty owners, a “no public access” municipal sign was erected.

It has been a neighbourhood public beach for over 100 years.

Therefore, it is incorrect to call it, “a tiny new public beach.”

The beach is not a “gift “ to the community: the path, used by the public for decades might be, but one would have to be pretty desperate to say that this gift to the community is given in the spirit of philanthropy. Let’s get serious. If built, this dock will forever impose upon Ecclestone, wherever it is located. To say that moving it over for the benefit of all, is insincere. Municipal council continues to perpetuate a myth that the dock applicants moved the dock east out of consideration for the public. It had to be moved toward the public road, because the old siting divided a public beach and blocked public access. The province would not have granted permission in that original siting.

For the record, this dock is not roughly the same size as the neighbouring dock which was grandfathered decades ago, unless you figure 40 feet is roughly the same size 121.7 feet. Completely contrary to what one councillor was quoted as saying, this dock will “always bother the visuals.” The scale of this dock is

completely oversized for this location.

To quote the mayor’s questioning the credibility of the letters opposing the dock is completely disrespectful of the communities’ intelligence to express cogent opposition.

The “you folks just don’t understand,” is patently insulting.

The November letters to council opposing the dock were in reference to the first application when the dock divided the beach, and not the siting for the current variance application. They had to apply for a variance because there definitely is a clause in our bylaws requiring that a private dock be set back 10 metres from a public road right-of-way.

The applicant may have successfully mustered six out of seven votes on council to approve his variance for this private family dock, but it is crazy to ask the Bowen community, the majority of whom remain ardently opposed to the granting of this variance and the dock, to be grateful for this form of generosity.

Friends Of Ecclestone Beach have received a 10-day extension for public comment at FLNRORD until July 26. Please write to the province and let them know your thoughts on this matter.

Heather Hodson

PHOTO SUBMITTED

We would like to introduce ourselves. We are Clyde and Lightening, and have come to join the Present Moments Equine Facilitated Learning herd at Evergreen Acres. We are going to be working alongside Gramma, Henry and Kassie who are all therapy horses. We will be mainly working with kids in Ellen’s programs. She is starting an afterschool pony club in August for kids in grade two to seven and we are also working in the Autism and Wellness Program that Ellen runs.

Since we have arrived, we have made friends with the other horses at the barn and have enjoyed galloping around the arena, we love the wind blowing through our manes and like to see how fast we can go. We have been for some walks along the trails and have had a few little people come and brush us. Life is pretty good.

Ellen got us from Tiny Tales Pony Rescue. Our owner had to give us up as they could no longer look after us. I think we are going to really enjoy being part of the Present Moments EFL herd. If you want more information on what we are up to, you can find us on presentmomentsefl.com. See you soon!

Ellen White

HAPPY SUMMER

DRESSES DRESSES DRESSES….AND TANKTOPS!

STAY COOL BOWEN

C’mon into Bowen Island’s Community Art Gallery Featuring large scale original art and locally crafted artisan items Open daily from 11 to 5 pm (closed Tuesdays) In the Heart of Snug Cove www.thehearth.ca 604.947.2454

FIRE DANGER Bowen Island Fire Rescue

OPEN EVERY DAY 11 TO 5PM

NEXT TO DOC'S IN THE COVE

NO CAMPFIRES NO BEACH FIRES

A6 • Thursday, July 22, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Letter: Public places bylaws ‘culturally deadly’ Rotary runs again on August 28

DEAR EDITOR: While we’re all distracted by heat domes and summer activities, council is amending bylaws.

However, there are so many things in the omnibus bylaws 537 and 538 that are inhumane, bureaucratic, and culturally deadly that I urge council to take a pause and reach out for community consensus.

Let’s start with the camping prohibition. I understand the intention to address the unfortunate issue of an intransigent “camper.” However, this bylaw draws a much larger net around all economically marginal members of our community. The bylaw ensnares those we look to when we need help moving, landscaping, hauling, or stacking firewood. They’re the folks who provide labour for our service industry during the summer, and the interns we hire for our public museums, galleries and visitor services. These bylaws create more problems than they solve in this regard. We need to revision our ideas about housing to encompass temporary housing whether it be trailers, tents, backyard “bunkies”’ or other creative forms of non-standard shelter. Quoting the compassionate words of lifelong resident Emily van Lithe de Jeude, “These peo-

ple are part of our community, and we need to find ways to hold them up instead of sweeping them aside.”

While the sentiment of “the omnibus list” of prohibitions is plausible, it undermines the vitality and energy of our community. Gatherings, structures, invasive species removal, colourful fliers on power poles, enigmatic signs on roadsides, Mummers, impromptu concerts on the pier are all part of what sets Bowen Island apart from a sterile anytown. There are few citizens who chose to live here because life is colourless and boring. The municipality, who is the singular exemption from this section, has rarely exhibited the creativity and energy to replicate the memorable events of the community.

By severely limiting activities in public areas without a permit, the bylaw restricts the imaginative and unique economic culture of Bowen. There are many citizens who operate tiny businesses that provide sustainable services and products in the realms of wellness, education, the arts, food security and other services.

These creative entrepreneurs are the heart of Bowen’s unique culture – our heart and soul. They connect, inform and teach. Most earn little if any revenue from

their contributions but the proposed bylaw presents a gargantuan hurdle to their continuation.

And here is the nub of this noxious document. Staff, who council repeatedly acknowledges are overworked, will now receive applications, collect fees and upon receiving valid liability insurance documentation will possibly issue a permit for the activities that have served as the backbone for Bowen Island’s lively community for its entire history. While the municipal bureaucracy will need to swell, the character and uniqueness of the community will drown under the wet blanket of bureaucratic mediocracy. Think about it. Because of informal local initiatives we have…Light Up Bowen, spring daffodils on the roadsides, Yoga on the Pier, poignant red dresses, quirky posters layering our power poles – how else would we really know what’s going on? And if we run afoul of this odious collection of rules”? “a penalty not less than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) and not exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for each offence and the costs of prosecution.”

Is this a bylaw we citizens endorse?

Betty Morton

HILARY BUTLER

Rotary Club of Bowen Island

Our annual run/walk that was relegated to virtual last year is up and running on August 28. However, given that restrictions have only been lifted in the past week, we have been gearing up for a slightly abbreviated event. This means that officially we are offering a five-km run/walk only; but there is no reason why you wouldn’t do the course twice if you are wishing for a 10 km workout. There is no time to set up a separate kids’ run this year but all kids are welcome to join us for some or part of the five km. We already have several eight-year-olds training for the special prizes that will be awarded to younger participants.

We have some good prizes from Kintec and Lululemon, and Phoenix and Union Steamship Co. will be providing goodies for the younger generation. The run/walk starts at the ferry dock and ends on the library lawn. Prize-giving is at 10:15 a.m., after everyone has had a chance to sample muffins and fruit generously supplied by Savary Island Pie Co., Artisan Eats and Ruddy Potato, as well as water and fruit drinks donated by McTaggart Water Systems and Snug Cove General Store. Register at rotaryrunforrwanda.com or komeracanada.ca. Bib distribution will

happen at 8:15 a.m. on run day, and the start is at 9 a.m.

We have a special family rate of $60 that includes up to five family members.

All proceeds go to Komera Canada, a local charity that sponsors young women at high school and university.

This is only one of the projects that Rotary currently supports.

AEDs, house numbers, the BICS outdoor campus, the Trails Guide and countless other initiatives have been launched in the past ten years since a small but enthusiastic group of islanders, spearheaded by much loved Piers Hayes, chartered the Rotary Club of Bowen Island. Our newest member, Matthew Harrison, has been presenting his Beautiful Gate-Peka Project to various other Rotary clubs. With his hard work, his talent and generous friends, and bolstered by donations from Rotary clubs, we have assembled a significant sum, which, with a possible substantial grant from our Rotary district, will enable us to start funding a home for unadopted orphans in Lesotho. This is the power of Rotary and its motto: Service Above Self. We enjoy helping people who have a worthy project and are prepared to work hard to achieve their goals. Check out our website at bowenrotary.com for further information on our work.

NEW DINNER ENTREES Summer Hours 11:30am - 9pm

TAKE OUT EVERYDAY 604-947-0808 www.docmorgans.ca

A8 • Thursday, July 22, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

The Ruddy is Growing!

We are looking for: store clerks, a produce assistant, and a deli supervisor!

We’re seeking energetic people with a passion for food to join our Island Grocery Team.

If you’re looking to work on Bowen, with flexible hours, and would like to be a part of a growing & independent island business, we would love to hear from you!

Good organizational & customer service skills needed. Experience in the food industry an asset but not required. Full & part time positions available now!

Staff perks, plus the opportunity to learn about the local food economy, and be a part of a creative & enthusiastic team!

To apply please send a current resumé to:

melanie@ruddypotato.com Join the team!

There’s room to grow!!!

Apply today!

‘Learning to count on yourself’

HOW A CARING CIRCLE COURSE TAUGHT ISLANDERS MENTAL HEALTH SKILLS

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor

The pandemic has taken its toll on our mental health. “It’s okay to not be okay,” retired psychiatrist Dr. Stephen Kiraly told islanders in a February piece in the Undercurrent.

But there are mental health skills we can learn to help manage our daily lives.

To that end, Maureen Mackey, who has a professional background in psychiatric nursing, teaching and building online courses for Douglas College, offered a free ‘tough times toolkit’ course this spring through the Caring Circle.

The course wasn’t therapy or counselling, and it wasn’t for people in crisis or with acute needs. Rather, it was for everyday folks who wanted to take a proactive approach to managing their mental health.

Mackey built a six-week course that focused on six specific tools to help participants in their everyday lives. And while the pandemic was an obvious backdrop to the course, they didn’t sit around and talk about it. “Universally, we all have stress responses to the pandemic,” she said. “We just kind of acknowledged that throughout.” The course’s foundation went well beyond coping with a COVID-19 reality.

“It’s a strength-based course,” described Mackey. They started in the first week addressing self-efficacy and learning about what strengths define them. “And so we built on those particular strengths and then added specific tools each week. “[We] ended with a sense of ‘Okay, how are we going to use our strengths and the tools to develop an ongoing resilience building plan?’”

“My hope was that people would learn to count on themselves,” said Mackey. “Counselling yourself based on who you are, what your strengths are, and applying these tools in

the Undercurrent will be back

August 5th no paper July 29

Happy Summertime!

order to experience successes and learning on an everyday basis.”

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive – 100 per cent of the participants said they’d recommend the course.

One participant said that through the course they realized “mental health is just like physical health. You need to put some thought and time into it. This doesn’t mean you are nuts, or weak – it’s an important part of living life in a smart, successful way.” [The course had strict confidentiality and the participants gave anonymous feedback at the end.]

Destigmatizing everyday struggles and mental health struggles is also important for Mackey. “Destigmatize [so] that people will be more comfortable seeking help, or talking about the struggles that we all have, that, of course, are all personalized.”

“I’ve had my own serious struggles with mental health and many of my friends on Bowen Island will know of that,” she said. “For me, it was sharing a little bit of what I’ve learned from my own mental health struggles, as well as helping people understand that it is not a weakness to share our everyday concerns – with a focus on building something better.”

The collective nature of the course – online as it was – was also a high point. “The participants emphasized how much they got out of the friendly, supportive understanding groups,” said Mackey. “People got so much out of learning from one another, and having the support of one another.

That exceeded what they expected and certainly exceeded what I expected.”

The spring course was something of a pilot project. While there isn’t another course scheduled, if people would be interested in such an offering, they should contact the Caring Circle, said Mackey. “Caring Circle is happy to support this going forward and I’m happy to lead it again.”

Help is Close to Home Are drugs or alcohol negatively impacting your life, or someone you know?

We provide licensed and internationally accredited private inpatient care, with family-centred programming every weekend, and life-long alumni benefits.

Our caring staff and clinical excellence are enhanced by the unique balance of privacy and security our Island location offers.

DETOX

FAMILY PROGRAMS

PRIMARY CARE

ALUMNI SERVICES

orchardrecovery.com

604-947-0420

bowenislandundercurrent.com

NEW

WATERFRONT ACREAGE

Thursday, July 22, 2021 • A9

WATERFRONT

3 bed 2.5 bath plus office New construction 2.5 acre view of the north shore and Howe Sound. Viewings this sat sun by appointment 1-3 pm.

5 bed 4.5 bath 335 Robinson Road is a unique south facing waterfront acreage offering unmatched walkability to the amenities of Snug Cove and year round bright sun exposure especially throughout the winter months

4 bed 3 bath 564 Holdings Road is a walk out waterfront retreat featuring a gorgeous modern timber frame design.

390 CREEK ROAD • $1,650,000 PLUS GST

335 ROBINSON ROAD • $2,889,000

564 HOLDINGS ROAD • $5,850,000

NEW

NEW WATER ACCESS ONLY

NEW PRICE

3 bed 3.5 bath (suite potential) Custom timber frame home with panoramic ocean and mountain views

1.39 Acre waterfront building lot - water access onlyglorious sunset escape

5.58 acres - view potential, mature timbers and well in place. a private escape to build your dreams!

687 CHANNELVIEW DRIVE • $1,899,000

DISTRICT LOT 2375 • $299,000

STRATA LOT 6 GRAFTON ROAD • $985,000

WATERFRONT ACREAGE

WATER ACCESS ONLY

118 ACRES!

10 Acre waterfront parcel with drilled well, driveway and proposed build site - Your opportunity to own a legacy property at “The Cape”

Amazing opportunity to purchase a waterfront building lot on Bowens sunny west side. Deep water moorage potential, sunsets galore!

Smugglers cove road - Hood point West -Privacy, nature, a sense of spiritualism, and spectacular views all come together in this unique offering.

1820 CAPE DRIVE • $3,580,000

1268 WF • $319,000

STRATA LOT 19 • $2,331,000

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

0.69 acre water access only lot

0.35 acre building lot in Millers Landing

Endswell Farm

1280 WF • $319,000

279 JASON ROAD • $499,000

1461 MT. GARDNER ROAD • $12,950,000

FRANCES FROST PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION

bowenislandrealestate.info • 604.947.9090 RE/MAX Crest Realty - Bowen Island

2016/17/19

A2 • Thursday, July 22, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Job Opportunities:

Events

Seeking Public Comment Council will be considering an application for a Development Variance Permit at its meeting on:

Island Community Planner

July 26, 2021 6:15 pm

Conservation Innovation

We have a vacancy for an Island Community Planner.

You are a member in good standing with the Canadian Institute of Planners/Planning Institute of British Columbia, or eligible for membership; you hold a Degree in Land Use Planning, Urban Planning or a closely related field; and, you have a minimum of three years’ experience in municipal or regional planning.

All meetings are online via Zoom and

Apply by Thursday, July 22, 2021 at 4:00 PM.

Regular Council Meeting

July 29, 2021 7:00 pm Climate Conversation: Water

open to the public, unless noted

Community Recreation Program Supervisor

otherwise.

Regular Council Meeting 6:15 PM on Monday, July 26, 2021 Online via Zoom

974 Windjammer (DVP-20210045) A Development Variance Permit application has been submitted for 974 Windjammer (shown on plan below) to reduce the required setback to the rear property line and the required setback to the sea. The owners wish to replace an existing house with a new house at the same location. The previous house was built prior to the current required setbacks.

We have a vacancy for a Community Recreation Program Supervisor. Reporting to the Manager of Recreation and Community Services you will: • • •

work as part of the recreation team to offer a diverse suite of recreational and cultural activities for the Bowen Island Community. develop and oversee the child & family portfolio. supervise and support other recreation team members.

This position is available immediately and will remain open until filled.

To read the full job posting, job descriptions, and instructions on how to apply, please go to our website:

bowenislandmunicipality.ca/jobs

Help stop COVID-19:

Climate Conversation: Water Conservation Innovation

Stay home if you’re sick

The next Climate Conversation is presented in collaboration with the Bowen Island Garden Club.

This session will feature Bowen’s own Kim Stephens from the Partnership for Water Sustainability, and Kathy Leishman from the Garden Club. Please join us for a conversation about water conservation innovation on:

Consider wearing a mask in indoor public spaces

Thursday, July 29, 2021 7:00pm – 8:30pm Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 827 5669 5987 Passcode: 080137

Get vaccinated - everyone over 12 is eligible

Contact Bowen Island Municipality PAID ADVERTISEMENT July 22, 2021

Phone: Fax: Email: Website:

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

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

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday to Friday Closed statutory holidays

The application may be viewed on the municipal website at bowenislandmunicipality.ca/planning, or at Municipal Hall between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday (excluding statutory holidays).

Written submissions may be delivered to Bowen Island Municipality: • By email to mayorandcouncil@bimbc.ca • In person at Municipal Hall • By mail to 981 Artisan Lane • By fax to 604-947-0193 Verbal submissions may be made to Mayor and Council at the meeting. For instructions on how to submit comment, go to: bowenislandmunicipality.ca/council-meetings To ensure a fair process, submissions cannot be accepted once the meeting is underway and the Public Comment section of the meeting has concluded. Questions? Please contact Daniel Martin at 604-947-4255 ext 230 or dmartin@bimbc.ca.

Find us on Facebook Bowen Island Municipality

Subscribe to our mailing list bowenislandmunicipality.ca/subscribe

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Enthusiastic.

Responsive.

Personable.

Thursday, July 22, 2021 • A7

Knowledgeable.

“My husband and I were referred to work with Mary Lynn by many local folks on Bowen and we were so happy to work with her as we purchased our first home!

Throughout the entire process Mary Lynn was very supportive, responsive and went above and beyond. We had a lot of questions and anxiety around purchasing our first home and Mary Lynn made sure that we understood the process from start to finish.

We were very impressed by her work ethic and professionalism especially during a real estate boom in the midst of a global pandemic. We would definitely recommend Mary Lynn to be your real estate agent on Bowen!”

- Ryan & Vickie

963 Village Drive

SOLD

$1,349,000

SOLD

$1,179,000

buyonbowen.com

2020 AWARD of EXCELLENCE in sales

1236 Miller Drive

7 days on the market Multiple Offers

989 Dorman Road

SOLD

SOLD

$1,275,000

Off-market listing Sold in 5 days

7 days on the market

details not disclosed

604.220.7085

1288 Oceanview Road

AVAILABLE

$1,199,000

3 beds • 3 baths • 2182 sf • 1/4 acre lot

Off-market sale

Buyer’s Agent

921 Valhalla Place

AVAILABLE

$875,000

One of the last buildable lots in Valhalla Estates

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, July 22, 2021 • A15