Bowen Island Undercurrent September 22 2022

Manufacturing proposal unites neighbours in opposition

ALEX KURIAL Editor

Bowen’s South side is mounting opposition to a pro posed manufacturing facility in the neighbourhood

The outcry comes following the application for a Temporary Use Permit (TUP) by Bowen Island

Properties The company, managed by Wolfgang Duntz and Daron Jennings, is seeking to rezone a portion of land off Seymour Bay Drive in order to construct a light manufacturing facility that would make wooden housing components and panels

The materials would support the company ’ s construction efforts at the Cowan Point development

“Over the past few years Bowen Island Properties has experimented with various models to provide more affordable house construction on Bowen Island,” read a report from Daniel Martin, BIM manager of planning and development Ultimately, presented at the July 25 council meeting

“Given the transportation constraints of bringing larger pre fabricated components onto the island, they wish to explore an option to fabricate house compo nents in a controlled environment on Bowen Island to be assembled on site,” the report continued.

NIFTY FIFTY: Pat Buchanan is turning over the calender on an incredible 50 years of service at the Bowen Building Centre. There will be a get together next Friday at the store for Pat, with the public invited to by, hello, and take part in the food and fun. For now, have a read of some of Pat’s favourite memories from the Building Centre, and his time on Bowen, on Page 11. / Alex Kurial photo

Seeking Public Comment on a Development Variance Permit

CouncilwillbeconsideringanapplicationatitsSeptember26,2022 meetingforaDevelopmentVariancePermit(DVP)#2022 0190for MetroVancouverRegionalParks,DormanPointinCrippenRegional ParkTheApplicanthasappliedforavariancetothe30metre

ISLAND NEWS

South Bowen resident delegation opposes manufacturing project

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

But the proposal is not sitting well with neighbours, who are now banding together to try and stop the proj ect During their annual general meeting on Sept 10, the Residents of South Bowen Community Association (RSBCA) unanimously voted to pass a motion request ing the scheduled hearing for authorizing the TUP at the Sept 26 council meeting be delayed “until after pur poseful and meaningful consultation, recommendations and a decision with/from the South Bowen Community Association and Bowen Residents ”

And at Tuesday’s special council meeting, a delegation from the RSBCA made clear the group is opposed to the TUP altogether

“Our collective position is firm it is consistent and united We totally oppose, as should this municipality, any thought or idea to take residential zoned property and allow it to be used for industrial or mixed use purpos es, ” said Wayne Seaman, speaking on behalf of the group.

The four member delegation each spoke in opposition to the TUP, citing a number of concerns ranging from environmental, to safety, to future impacts for the entire island.

“For the residents of Bowen Island, consider the result ing consequences. Industrial manufacturing, commercial trucking, traffic, safety concerns, noise pollution, tran sient work camps These are real issues that jeopardize the public safety, serenity and security,” said Seaman “The residents of South Bowen implore you, please do not issue this permit request ”

A deep and longstanding rift between neighbourhood residents and the operators of Bowen Island Properties was also laid bare during the delegation’s presentation and in accompanying letters

“If the municipality allows this rezoning of properties for industrial like this, with such poor public consultation by the developer I think that’s a dangerous precedent And not just for Cowan Point for the rest of Bowen Island There will be injuries to people and pets and animals if this proposal is allowed to go forward It’s only a matter of time,” said fellow RSBCA delegation member Scott Robarts

“The developer has not earned our vote of confidence over years of past actions on Bowen Island We feel the developer has not shown to be a good steward of land, and clearly is not doing so by requesting industrial man ufacturing on residential land,” stated Seaman

A recent development in the application also drew attention, when Bowen Island Properties applied last

week for the site to also include temporary worker accom modation In a letter to Martin, the company ’ s business manager Larry Adams describes the worker housing as “ a low key campsite like layout immediately adjacent to the construction facility that would accommodate travel trailers for workers to live in during the week.”

“This use, like the facility use, would be regulated under the management plan and supervised by a desig nated manager (Jennings). The workers will have access to water and septic services at the construction facility,”

Adams’ letter continued

In addition to the RSBCA resolution and delegation, as of the Sept 20 special council meeting, 18 letters had been received from neighbours opposing the project Council will discuss during next Monday’s meeting how to proceed with the proposal, with staff recommending that Bowen Island Properties be required to hold a public information meeting prior to council making a decision on both the TUP and temporary worker accommodation applications.

for Bowen Island Mayor

Come on out and meet me!

» September 25th, 5 6pm, Rivendell

» September 27th, 7 8pm, Belterra

» September 29th, 5 7pm, Bowen Pub

» October 1st, 10 12pm, Farmers Market

» October 2nd, 3 6pm, All Candidates @ BICS

» October 8th, 2 4pm, Westside Playscape

» October 8th, 4:30pm, TBCA Members+Guests

» October 13th, 7 8pm, Online Zoom Social

Authorized by Aaron Davison

Financial agent, finance@andrewformayor ca

The proposed strucutre and location of the light manufacturing facility off Seymour Bay Drive / BIM

Hopes for the next council

One of my hopes for our upcoming municipal election is that the newly elect ed Mayor and Council will actively encour age and welcome dialogue with our citi zens whom they represent Over the past five or six years, I have appeared before Council numerous times regarding pub lic access to Ecclestone Beach in Manion Bay and last spring, to plead against the issuing of a DVP permit to build a private dock there

More recently, I have appeared before Council and written letters stating my con cerns regarding ATVs on Mount Gardener, LNG tankers in our back yard and the latest Land Use Bylaw amendment allowing for detached suites on every property, which was passed this July

Although I was welcomed at the begin ning of the public speaking portion of these meetings as all registered speakers are, I was aware that my thoughts, ideas and sug gestions were not necessarily listened to or respected by elected officials and munici pal staff. It was not a conversation; it was a strictly timed two minute chance to address a Council, that to my mind, had already made up their minds.

In one instance, I was scolded and rep rimanded for offering creative suggestions regarding Ecclestone Beach Only one Councillor has gone on record supporting and defending public input

I understand that some of the vol unteers and highly accomplished professionals who serve on the vari ous municipal committees and adviso ry councils have been viewed with sim ilar disrespect and sadly, have decid ed to quit because of this Surely this dismissive attitude is wasting our rich intellectual capital, and yet there has been an unwillingness to accept input and critical discourse outside of staff and Council

Is this how we want to be treated by those who make decisions on our behalf?

Lastly, I am also concerned about the number of closed Council meetings

In short, it seems like the citizens of Bowen have been increasingly shut out of

the decision making processes that could be more transparent and inclu sive across the board

When you consider voting for candi dates in the upcoming election, I hope you will have the chance to ask them whether they feel it is vital that the Bowen community at large be brought back on board and into the conversa tion for the next four years

We need many hands on deck to steer Bowen into a happy and sustainable future

Two Queens, the kiss & Everest

Living in England, as I did, one is never far removed from royalty I’ve never met the Queen Elizabeth, but by some lucky streak I was chosen by my school to be on the procession route to the Queen’s Coronation on June 3rd 1953 It turned out to be one of those days that the English say, “It’s raining cats and dogs ” But our spirits were high enough to endure the long wait in the chilly wet Finally, the procession with much pomp

and circumstance commenced with horses, marching military bands and many dignitaries Loud cheering could be heard as the Queen’s golden chariot drawn by eight horses came into sight In a flash she was in front of us, and with a quick glance you see a waving hand and part of a smiling face, which all too soon disappeared (The Queen recently said “It is horribly uncomfortable riding in that chariot ”)

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Heather Hudson

VIEWPOINTS

No flaws in Bowen author’s new book

Bowen author Jude Neale has recently wrapped up writing of her new book of poetry, The Flaw Currently in Greece, the Undercurrent caught up with Neale to ask some questions about how the project came to be

This is your 11th book, and you just had your 10th last year? How do you keep up the pace?

I guess the short answer is I’m driv en! I set aside two months a year where I make up my own writing prompts and come up with 70 or more poems I also am involved in a lot of collaborations, which keeps me disciplined and pro ductive. Last year I published two books because of this. The Flaw has 100 poems in it this year. Everything about the human condition inspires me.

What is the subject matter and themes of your new book, The Flaw?

As usual it is an intimate examination of myself and relationships In this book I talk of lots of controversial issues as well I am highly motivated to write about what is going on in the world from genocide to war, death and love

Where did you write the book? (Ie. at your house, out in nature, etc.)

I write on my Iphone! Usually from midnight to 4:00 am It’s the absolute sleeping world I like!

and... related to that, what does a typ ical day of writing look like for you? Or is it a little different every day!

I don’t write everyday A word or phrase will pop into my head and I’m off When I first started publishing I’d spend six to ten hours on a poem Now I edit as I go and each poem takes me about an hour

I write best under pressure, like so many other artists

Where did the inspiration for the book come from?

This book is heavily inspired by nature, family, and the state of the world, both nationally and internationally I try to move people by being authentic and accessible

Do you have a favourite poem from the Flaw?

Yes I do. Carrying Light:

carrying light

in the blackness I struck a match a lone spark illuminated all I couldn’t see i had forgotten the wonder written across the obsidian sky or the sound of your breath rocking my worries to sleep through this december night i have gathered you to my breast like a clutch of snowdrops shining white and small against the infinite band of velvet stretched taut above us holding our love on the glittering blade of a knife

What do you hope readers come away with after finishing your book?

That love matters most That hard things have to be talked about, in a way that gives us hope, beauty and grace I hope to transform the reader for a time, and to elevate and move through rich and evocative language

Meeting the Queens... & Sir Edmund too

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

The crowning glory, among other dig nitaries was the only other reigning mon arch at the Coronation, Queen Salote of Tonga, riding with the Sultan of Keletan. The resplendent 6’3 Queen Salote, not wanting to disappoint the crowds, sat in an open black carriage drawn by two horses, as torrential rain drenched down on them Queen Salote beamed and with arm held high waved while the crowds roared back England was charmed by Salote, songs were written about her and a racehorse named after her (I now believe sight of the couple in their exquisite cos tumes, may have sparked my curiosity of visiting and living in other cultures )

As well as being Queen Elizabeth’s his tory the day seems to be part of mine too Miraculously the weather cleared up in the afternoon, and local parks organized celebrations for school kids There were games, festivities and some music

A boy a little older than me shyly smiled at me As things wound down, he asked if he could walk with me On the way to the tube station was a lovely area with wild flowers and a reservoir that led to the River Thames We stopped he put his coat

down, we sat and he commenced to kiss me Perhaps it was his first kiss too but without much feeling we seemed to keep our lips glued together for a long time, making me unsure how to breathe prop erly A little before my 13th birthday I had my first rather unromantic kiss with a boy

Now perhaps more significant for me now, this was also the day that Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing scaled Mt Everest in Nepal On the front page of our newspaper along with details about the Queen’s Coronation, were a couple of lit tle lines of this great achievement I did not know where Nepal was in those days, it was a mysterious country for many, only just opened for foreigners. Thirteen years later I was happily living in Nepal, and got my first sight of Everest driving up the Rajpath from India. I met the kind and friendly Edmund Hillary when I worked at the British Council in Kathmandu.

The Queen’s death gave me opportu nity to reflect on that day in 1953, and it feels like a little trailer to where my life led There have been better kisses since then, but that is another story

Kami Kanetsuka

Bowen Island Community Choir is back!

Pick a Call to Action and stick with it

GAIL LOTENBERG HAS COMMITTED TO NUMBER 11

MERIBETH DEEN Contributor

Last year on September 30, Canada’s first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, Bowen Islanders gathered at 828 Hummingbird Lane to contem plate the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action and silk screen the image of a hummingbird onto orange flags

The story of the hummingbird, named Dukdukdiya, was re written and illus trated by long time islander, Michael Nicholl Yahgulanaas, in his 2008 book, Flight of the Hummingbird The story goes like this: when the forest catches fire, all the animals flee except for lit tle Dukdukdiya, who fills his mouth with drops of water and spits them onto the flames When the bear asks, what are you doing? Dukdukdiya replies, I am doing what I can.

In a time when the troubles of the world seem to be continuously growing and compounding, the little humming bird offers a way forward The world may feel out of control, but we are all capable of contributing in some way If each of us does what we are capable of, things can only get better

So in the face of 94 calls to action, Brenda Morrison and I asked our island neighbours to pick one call to action, and commit to it Gail Lotenberg joined us for the event and offered to share her motiva tions for committing to number 11, which asks the federal government to provide adequate funding to end the backlog of First Nations students seeking a post sec ondary education.

“I had recently attended a talk by Wab Kinew,” says Lotenberg. “He talked about how Indigenous ways of thinking could influence contemporary issues and pro vide much needed solutions to urgent problems He brought a new sense of awareness into my head about this idea we really need all kinds of leaders right now, and there is so much burn out We need a vast pool of ideas and contribu tions to solve the world’s problems, and we can’t afford to leave Indigenous peo ple out of that pool ”

She adds that helping to support her

own daughter’s educational journey con tributed to her desire to commit to this call to action So, Lotenberg found the organization Indspire and started mak ing a monthly contribution. Indspire is an Indigenous charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people so that they can achieve their highest potential

“When you lift up one group of people you lift up everybody,” says Lotenberg

“And what I like about Indspire is that I’m not in any way trying to tell any one what it looks like to succeed in the world I’m just helping to resource an Indigenous led initiative to support their future ”

Project Hummingbird will be hosting yet another event at 828 Hummingbird Lane this coming September 30, between 10am and 2pm Please join us

If you would like to help with our event, or share the story behind the call to action you ’ ve committed to, we’d love to hear from you You can connect with us sending an email to meribeth deen@ gmail com with the subject heading, “Project Hummingbird ”

Bowen Islander Gail Lotenbergcommitted to supportingIndigenous students seeking a postsecondary education.

Three Sisters Making Art with Glass and Beads

and flameworking

For the last forty five years, the beau ty of the Canadian Rockies has inspired and given shape to the sculptural work of Leslie Rowe Israelson and her twin sister, Melanie Rowe Prosser Their first passion is nature They traveled through remote back country on foot, on skis, and horseback, experiencing national parks wilderness firsthand. After spending their childhood in Victoria, the twins moved to the heart of the mountains, which sparked their journey with glass. It comes as no surprise that the mountains, val leys, rivers and lakes are a major source of inspiration and a common theme that they express beautifully in their work

Leslie and Melanie first juggled between stained glass and skiing In the mid eighties, they started adding more three dimensional elements into their work to finally attend the world renowned Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington, from 1985 to 2005 Through dedication, their passion for glass has become their visual language; further, it has involved training and dialogue with other glass artists on the international scene. The sisters took part in many res idencies around the U.S, allowing them to experiment and deepen their artistic research with this medium. They have been developing and refining innovative techniques which involve: sand casting in kilns, molding, glass slicing, blowing,

Their artistic voice takes shape into delicate sculptures, bold and colorful landscape panels and pinnacles, and a broad range of intricate open face vessels and plates These pieces are construct ed through a complex process involv ing precise glass cutting, multiple kiln firings, and flameworking Interested in reflecting the natural world, Leslie has developed over the years specific tech niques that allow her to hatch her ideas into glass. She has mastered the creation of large fused panels as well as mas sive color bar bowls made in homage to streams flowing through the mountains

Leslie and Melanie established the Twin Vision Glass Studio and retail out lets in both Jasper, Banff and Lake Louise Recently, they just finished being pre senters at the Glass Art Society and the International Society of Glass Beads The twins also collaborate with their very talented older sister, Megan Parks, who is a beader. Megan has been beading glass beads for about 20 years and the three sisters love to share and incorporate each other’s work into their creations Together, the sisters wish to create work that is meaningful, moves the viewer, creates inspiration, triggers emotion, or serves as a touchstone for special per sonal memories; work that captures your heart and nurtures your soul

The three sisters’ work is currently shown at the Hearth until September 26th A glass work exhibition unique on Bowen, not to be missed!

• She knows Bowen Island very well, having lived here for over 40 years;

• She loves Bowen Island the environment and the community passionately;

• She has been involved in many of our volunteer organizations and committees;

• She is a good listener and will respect people’s views;

• She is compassionate and committed to helping people come together in this community;

• She is a hard worker and will be diligent in her review of Council agendas and reports;

• She believes in the Islands Trust Act mandate of “preserve and protect” and will work towards ensuring the Islands Trust is managed well;

• She is smart and has spent her life helping people resolve their differences;

• She understands finances and will help to ensure this small island with a small tax base lives within its means;

• She will support volunteer efforts and volunteer committees and will never ignore their reports

VOTE JUDI ISLANDS TRUSTEE COUNCILLOR paid for by Nerys Poole former BIM councillor, 2008-2011 term, and authorized by Judi Gedye, candidate for BIM council Islands Trust, judithgedye@gmail.com

I am supporting JUDI GEDYE for BIM Council and for the Islands Trust because:

Authorized by Judith Gedye, candidate for BIM council and Islands Trust, judithgedye@gmail.com

MATHILDE ROHR

Cultural Connector / The Hearth Gallery

(L-R) Leslie Rowe-Israelson, Megan Parks, and Melanie Rowe-Prosser

Meet the New Boss - Same as the Old Boss

AFTER BRIEF‘PAWS’, BOWEN ISLAND DOG RANCH BACK IN BUSINESS

ALEX KURIAL Editor

Owner Karen Munro has returned at the helm, and she’s brought some new faces too, as the Bowen Island Dog Ranch has once again opened its doors to customers

The boarding facility is welcoming back visitors of the two legged and most importantly four legged variety following an eight month hiatus The future of the ranch was very much in doubt during this time, but has now come out stronger on the other side.

Bowen residents are likely familiar with the Adams Road location, which has been in operation since 2007. Munro saw the sprawling wooded and hilly terrain as the perfect spot for a dog boarding operation, with lots of space for buildings along with free range areas

Munro says she was inspired to start the business following an unsuccessful search for a similar facility she’d feel comfortable leaving her dogs in Following a few months of renovations, especially to the main barn which now serves as home for most of the dogs, it was time to start receiving guests

“We built it and they came, ” says Munro

Barn renovations included adding an extra level, bet ter insulation, and plexiglass doors so the dogs can look at each other from their stable “We wanted something that was as friendly as it was safe We didn’t want cages and chain link fences, I wanted it to be a friendly place for the dogs But I also wanted the dogs to be able to see out of the rooms It’s a highly functioning building,” says Munro

It’s not just the layout that’s been carefully crafted

Munro has worked on the aesthetic too “We play spa music, dog sleeping music It’s storytelling or spa music specifically for dogs, and it really calms them down more than anything And we have a nightlight in there It’s as friendly as we can make it aside from bringing them home to our houses,” she explains

The boarding centre thrived for more than a decade, but like so many businesses suffered once the COVID pandemic hit in early 2020 Less people travelling meant more time at home and much less need for dogs requiring a place to stay Reservation cancellations and staff layoffs became reality at the ranch

However, a new opportunity arose to help keep things afloat People being stuck at home led to a boom in puppy adoptions during the pandemic puppies that needed training. The ranch pivoted to training during the summer of 2020, and through this new avenue the doors could stay open.

Fate dealt the ranch another blow the next year though, as both Munro and her lead trainer developed health issues requiring them to step away from their duties When her trainer decided not to return to the ranch, the business was left without anyone to run it

“I didn’t see a way forward to stay open And I needed the break, because it’s been 15 years of a lot of work and not stopping,” says Munro The ranch closed potential ly for good at the time, November 15, 2021

The same day, torrential rains washed out the main path from the road to the property, rendering it inacces sible by vehicle

Inquiries about what was going on quickly came pour ing in “So many people approached me to see if I was reopening, or sold it to a new owner who was going to reopen, ” says Munro

Since declaring my candidacy, it has been heartening to find so much common ground in my conversations with people I hadn’t met before. I have also heard some points of view that are new to me. Fortunately my 30+ years as a paramedic have given me the skills necessary to absorb information from multiple sources and then make practical, results oriented decisions.

My thoughts for this week

I believe spending decisions should be made with an eye to long term benefits for the community, not just what will look good for the next election cycle

I think tourism, properly managed, is a good thing, but we need a vision and a plan that addresses the concerns of the people who live here and pay the taxes that support the tourism infrastructure. For instance, it’s time to bite the bullet and do something definitive about the Cove ferry marshalling. What we’ve been doing isn’t working and is only creating frustration and conflict for residents and tourists. I’ve been here since ’89 and it’s always been the elephant in the room. But it’s time to make a plan and act.

Contact me at galeforce888@gmail com Podcast Link https://www.spreaker.com/show/the island podcast trailer

Gale Lyttle candidate for council and Islands Trust

Authorized and paid for by Gale Lyttle

Owner Karen Munro and manager Kathy Gagner (above) make sure things run smoothly at the Bowen Island Dog Ranch, including in the pups main living area (below). / Alex Kurial photos

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Ultimately, Munro said she wasn’t able to find the right owners for the space. Some prospective buyers didn’t have interest in continuing with dog boarding and training, and some dog rescues sim ply couldn’t afford the price After sev eral months of trying, “I just decided to reopen it myself,” says Munro

July 28 this year was the official reopen ing, but Munro had put the word out before that she was planning a return “As soon as I announced it (reopening) at the end of June, people were absolutely ecstatic I was reopening A lot of people had not found anywhere else to take their dogs that they would trust,” she says Munro was now back on her feet fol lowing surgery, and this time around had plenty of help at her disposal Kathy Gagner is the new manager of the ranch, and is part of a total staff of 10 including almost all of Munro’s prior boarding team from last year, as well as a veterinarian technician. “I wouldn’t have reopened without them,” says a grateful Munro.

The ranch is now back to its boarding roots, offering both classic and enriched boarding options “Enriched boarding is the latest trend in dog boarding Enriched boarding is all about brain games,

because if you exercise a dog too much it’s actually not as good for them as if you cut that in half, and make them use their brains,” explains Munro

Enriched boarding includes playing games with the dogs, as well as taking them on hikes or for beach days “We just use their brains more than the average day The property already gives the dogs a lot of exercise, but it’s not one on one, ” says Munro

Most dogs arrive from the North Shore and Vancouver, and are picked up during Monday and Thursday morning trips to the mainland. There’s also day camps available during the week as a shorter term option.

“Physically, until May (2022) I didn’t know if I could function,” says Munro on how close the operation was to clos ing permanently She’s still in search of certain positions, including trainers and groomers, but is happy with how things are going given the past two and a half years

“It’s been exciting to reopen, because it’s a new era It’s been very challeng ing but we ’ ve come through it, we ’ re in the fall now, and the systems are back in place Things are running really smoothly,” says Munro

‘The Barn’serves as home for dogs boarding at the ranch / Alex Kurial photo

Gillian Hinton seen here spending some quality time with Bella is one of the new employees at the Bowen Island Dog Ranch. / Alex Kurial photo

HENRY CAMPBELL

Bowen Island Community Foundation

If you named your child “Daenarys” before the last season of Game of Thrones, the Bowen Island Community Foundation feels your pain Naming things is difficult We experienced this firsthand Take, for instance, the “BICF Trade Prize ” It was originally called “The BICF Trade Scholarship” but we changed it because people thought it was too academic Is “Trade Prize” better? We’re not sure But we are sure that it helps people do really great things

The BICF Trade Prize is five $1,000 awards awarded on a “first come, first served” basis for anyone who is pursuing (almost) any vocational training.

While plumbers and electricians have received the award, it is also available for those pursuing careers in things as varied as culinary arts, cosmetology, hairdressing and even sign language interpreting

Mimi Jones is the most recent recipient

of the Trade Prize and she is using it to further her studies at Douglas College to become a Sign language Interpreter

While studying linguistics at Queens University, Mimi saw an inspirational presentation from a member of the Kingston Deaf Community. She was so impressed that she looked into American Sign Language (ASL) course work and completed a certificate in Sign Language and ASL at Vancouver Community College

This semester, she applied for funding through the BICF “This Trades Prize has been used towards my tuition and books, which has helped me to afford to live independently, closer to my college ”

Do you know anyone who would benefit from a bit of help in pursuing their training?

Have a look at our website (because winter is coming):

h t t p s : / / b o w e o a o c o m / b o w o n d a tion trade scholarship/

And if you have a better suggestion for a name for the BICF Trade Prize, we ’ re all ears

First half-century in the books

Fifty years is an impressive number by any stretch, be it years in business, length of a marriage, or life on this Earth.

For Bowener Pat Buchanan, his version of this longev ity mark is 50 years working at one of Bowen’s core insti tutions, the Bowen Building Centre Sitting in the office of the 2022 version of the store, Buchanan recalls the fall of 1972 when he took on his first task with the hardware store in its inaugural year of existence

“I was working at Knight Inlet in logging, and I came back to Bowen and met Peter Schmidt who was the owner and had started the business,” recalls Buchanan of his 20 year old self “He worked for fisheries and then opened the Building Centre He got all these free planks from the fisheries in West Vancouver and they were full of big nails And he hired me to pull all the nails out of it ”

Following a successful de nailing of the planks, more jobs came available for Buchanan “Then his father, ‘Grandpa Schmidt’ , was building buildings here. And he (Peter) said ‘Can you help my Dad?’… He taught me a lot about building, and then it just sort of kept continuing.”

“I enjoyed it… I didn’t think it’d be 50 years!” says Buchanan

The Grafton Road site looked much different in the early 1970s it was home to the main building people are familiar with today, but no warehouse off to the side That didn’t come until about halfway through the Building Centre’s history

“It was pretty ratty, all our moldings were lying in sheds It sort of amalgamated all the interior and exte rior plumbing It made it much neater and easier and more efficient,” says Buchanan of the new, and now bus tling, addition of the warehouse to the business

After working several of the many different jobs at the Building Centre, Buchanan later found his niche in custom orders, particularly doors, windows and roofs Today that means a lot of time in the office, where the phones never cease ringing with requests

“There’s some trial and error You learn over the years what questions to ask,” says Buchanan of the process “You don’t want to order a $3,000 door and get it wrong Which has happened ”

Buchanan has established many relationships with customers and neighbours over the years, and says he enjoys working at the Building Centre for the friendly atmosphere “99 9 per cent of our customers are very nice and friendly,” he quips

“And that’s one of the things I like We always say hello and everyone knows your name and you joke with them It’s quite fun, and very leisurely.” Buchanan adds that when Peter Schmidt sold the businesses to Anna Donnelly in 2010, the workplace remained just as enjoyable.

“I find this a very nice job, and I don’t get stressed out with this,” he says

During his career Buchanan has also fostered close relationships with some the of the Building Centre’s big gest boosters: contractors “One good thing is a lot of our local contractors really try to support us, which keeps us afloat in the winter they are very supportive It’s very important ”

And the Building Centre has long served as a pipe line for many of the contractors who service the island today “A lot of the people who are now contractors have worked at the Building Centre in the past So I know most of them, and a lot of them I’ve known since they were 17 18,” says Buchanan

Buchanan’s second home, the Building Centre, is not too far away from his first home at his family farm over

on appropriately Buchanan Road In addition to his family, Buchanan shares the space with about 100 chick ens, and various other farm animals including donkeys, horses, sheep and goats.

“My commute is about five minutes away. It’s perfect,” he says.

After 50 years at the Building Centre and 64 on Bowen since arriving at age six in 1958, Buchanan says he’s not planning to go anywhere “I still love Bowen to pieces, and I actually hate taking the ferry,” he says, echoing a common sentiment on the island

“I do find Bowen a little bit too busy for me now I con templated moving, but I thought I’ve got all my grandkids here and we like it where we are, ” says Buchanan He says when he went to school on Bowen the entire class was just over a dozen students Not so anymore

Buchanan is hoping to work about five more years before hanging up his tools at the Building Centre any way There will always be work to be done at the farm and at home When that day does come, Buchanan will enter retirement with a clear head and heart

“I think I’ve had a good run. And I don’t have any regrets,” says Buchanan, with the same smile he’s shared with thousands of customers at the place he’s called home for half a century.

The Building Centre is holding an open house to cele brate Buchanan’s career next Friday, September 30 from 11:30 am to 2 pm All are welcome to drop by and say hi

Pat Buchanan has called the Bowen Building Centre home for the past 50 years. / Alex Kurial photo

Ninety years of blessings

REV. LORRAINE ASHDOWN

Bowen Island United Church

I learned a new word yesterday It is nonagenarian It refers to a person in their nineties So I guess that makes our Bowen Island United Church a nonagenarian. Yes, it’s our 90th birthday and this Sunday, September 25th, we are going to celebrate that amazing milestone at our regular morning service at 10:30 am at 1122 Miller Road.

Bowen Island United Church was built in 1932. There is an image in the Bowen Island archives of the very first congregation posing in front of the church Many of the folks there have roads on Bowen named after them cer tainly the Collins family and the Dorman family are well represented!

From the Bowen Island Archives, “In 1932, James Collins allotted part of his land to the building of the church Working away with his son and some of the local men, they began construction and “did not stop until the last door was hung ” The cream coloured façade and sloping red roof are the same ones that the iconic Little

Keeping Terry’s dream alive

Red Church now hosts Services have been held there every Sunday since Reverend A M Sanford led the first one on July 11 1932 ”

Our little church has stood for many years as a sanc tuary and welcoming space for the Community We have held countless weddings, baptisms and memorials and we continue to do so Countless children attended Sunday School at The Little Red Church over the years and talking to them these days, as adults, warms my heart as they share their memories of growing up in the church

Our church is loved by its members and looked after as if it were our own house To many it certainly is Home

So join us for our celebration this Sunday, September 25 We shall tell the story of the history of our church; sing old and familiar hymns and rumour has it there will be church bonnets sported by some and sandwiches and goodies

As always, all are welcome

Many blessings,

Rev Lorraine Ashdown

Bowen Island United Church congregation, 1932

Runners gathered at the Little Red Church on Sunday, Sept 18 for the Terry Fox Run The annual event began in 1981, inspired byTerry Fox’s heroic run across Canada

Affordable housing to be top Metro Vancouver election issue

GLEN KORSTROM Business in Vancouver

With candidates aiming to outdo each other with increasingly bold housing plans, it remains to be seen how vote split ting will impact final results

A Mustel Group survey earlier this month for the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade found that affordable housing was the top election issue in Vancouver (38 per cent), Burnaby and New Westminster (49 per cent), the North Shore (48 per cent), in Richmond, South Delta and Tsawwassen (30 per cent) and Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Coquitlam and Maple Ridge (30 per cent)

The only region where affordable hous ing was not the biggest election issue was in Surrey, North Delta, Langley and White Rock (19 per cent), where those who Mustel polled said crime was their biggest concern

Research Co polling showed similar results with crime being the top issue in Surrey and housing the biggest concern in Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond and New Westminster, owner Mario Canseco told BIV.

He said housing is the top election issue regardless of gender and age.

“There’s going to be a significant emphasis on housing plans, which was not what we saw in previous elections in Vancouver,” he said

“In 2014, there was a little bit, and in

2018, there was a little bit, but if you go back to previous elections, we didn’t have a lengthy discussion about housing in 2011, in 2008 or in 2005.”

Higher density zoning is often cited as a main solution to the housing crisis, and supporters of more density have many candidates to choose from

Coun Colleen Hardwick has staked her campaign for Vancouver mayor on advo cating for what she calls “gentle density ” Her TEAM for a livable Vancouver aim to capitalize on what they see as voter resent ment over the city passing its Broadway Plan, which allows for significantly more density, and towers up to 40 storeys in parts of Vancouver’s West Side

Her four main opponents all support more density to varying degrees, with Progress Vancouver’s Mark Marissen and Forward Together’s Kennedy Stewart seen as the most supportive A Better City’s Ken Sim also supports more density, said Quest University instructor Stewart Prest

It is unclear where the Non Partisan Association’s mayoral candidate, Fred Harding, stands on increasing housing density, as much of his campaigning has been on enhancing public safety, he added

Ideas for making housing more afford able also include building below market rental housing, social housing, co opera tive housing and units for sale to people below specific income thresholds.

Prest said many voters are likely to vote for city council candidates from multiple

parties

“It’s complicated,” Prest said, noting that OneCity Vancouver exuberantly sup ports more housing density but is running no one for mayor Vision Vancouver is also without a mayoral candidate, and it is promising city wide zoning reform, which would open up neighbourhoods to more density

Vancouver is not alone in having sky high housing costs

“Housing is a big issue across Metro Vancouver,” said New Westminster Mayor Jonathan Cote, who represents his city on several Metro Vancouver committees, and is not running for re election

He said his constituents, particularly those who live near SkyTrain stations, tend to accept that condominium towers will be built in their neighbourhoods

The city, he said, made it clear that it wanted to densify New Westminster’s downtown He added that he thinks even single family home owners around the city’s 22nd Street Station have accepted that condominium towers will eventually get built

“Traditional single-family neighborhoods have always been a lot more resistant to that type of land-use change,” Cote said.

“That’s a commonality in many areas across Metro Vancouver.”

Cote said the city’s three mayor candi dates Ken Armstrong, Patrick Johnstone and Chuck Puchmayr all support resi dential density near SkyTrain It is putting

density in other parts of the city that may be more contentious.

Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley is acclaimed in this election, unlike in 2018, when he unseated longtime mayor Derek Corrigan, who some found abrasive in his drive to densify land near Metrotown, Cote said

“The two mayors have very different styles and I would say Mayor Hurley has taken a more conciliatory approach to the community [on the housing file,]” Cote said.

“I haven’t gotten the impression that Mayor Hurley is against density and rede velopment, but he has certainly put a dif ferent eye to looking at affordable housing beyond just new housing supply.”

Those other strategies include saving rental housing and building social housing Hurley has also expressed frustration at decisions by other levels of government

He told the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) conference Sept 12 that his city donated land for housing near the Royal Oak SkyTrain station BC Housing was supposed to provide funding while the city managed on site services, site preparation and fees, he told delegates

Burnaby staff filled out hundreds of pages worth of forms only to have the B.C. government then reject project funding, he said

Cote said Hurley’s stances and willing ness to battle other levels of government have likely made him popular enough to avoid having a challenger

A fusion of cozy and high design, this lovingly renovated cottage is loaded with features and new updates: engineered wood floors, a kitchen extension with island, and new solid surface counters, a full bathroom renovation on the main floor including new tile, heated floor, casework, plumbing fixtures, and full walk in shower, and designer lighting throughout The addition of new windows and doors on the main floor, a wood burning stove, and heat pump technology provide both comfort and efficiency year round The landscaping takes full advantage of gently sloping, sunny, quarter acre lot with views of Cypress Mountain Over 600 sq ft of decks designed for outdoor living, a ‘barrel’ sauna withelectric heat, and apaved barbequearea create a summer oasis, while the covered deck off the living room can extend the season into winter Wide gravel steps wind down through gardens with hummingbirds attracted by the bursts of colour, past two outbuildings to a fenced vegetable plot Insulated with electric heat, the outbuildings can serve as bunkies (sleeping cabins), an office, or a studio The feeling of seclusion and privacy with trails just steps from door and minutes to the ferry, beaches, and the charm of Snug Cove

SARAH HAXBY Bowen Island Heritage Preservation

There are many ways to celebrate the autumn harvest on Bowen Island As the leaves turn to a golden brown, apples are harvested, gardens are still growing squash, beans, and produce that are being picked to be eaten fresh as well as pickled, canned, and cooked Everyone is invited to celebrate the bounty of Bowen Island and to eat local!

To celebrate the harvest of Bowen Island apples Bowen’s cideries are offering vari ous fall features and events, including a longtable event on Oct 1 at Meadowbrook market Check with Riley’s Cidery and the Bowen Island Cider House for more information

On Oct 8 the last Farmers’ market of the year will also be celebrating the fall harvest with many apple themed items, small pumpkins and table decorations to get ready for your Thanksgiving and Fall feasts

A few people have been asking: why isn’t Applefest happening in Davies Orchard this year? and have been reaching out to express that they really want the event to come back! Bowen Island Heritage Preservation (BIHPA) would also really like the event to return as well, and the event, which has been an island tradition for may decades that features music, apples, food, and fun, will happen again in the future, but not this year due to the ongo ing renovation and restoration project currently taking place in Davies Orchard. The Bowen Island Heritage Preservation Association (BIHPA), is a small dedicat ed group of local volunteers, that are sad that the are unable to hold the traditional Applefest celebration again this year, but they are persevering to keep the spirit of this community event alive and will con tinue to work towards preserving, educat ing and celebrating the heritage buildings and agriculture of Davies Orchard We will all miss holding Applefest in the Cove this year: the cider pressing, biggest maple leaf contest, the usual pie baking contest, kids activities, and having the museum and Tea House cottages open but we plan to be back as soon as the renovations are complete!

This year the BIHPA board and various volunteers are picking local apples and the spirit of Applefest will be kept alive with a sale of over fifty apple pies made with local heritage apples at the last Farmers’ Market of the season on Saturday Oct 8, 10 am to 12 pm at BICS, as well as the release and online launch of Annabelle Coon’s apple themed video, a project that was made possible thanks to the support of BIHPA, Metro Vancouver and the Bowen Island Community Foundation which supported this unique local project: to help celebrate local heritage in the face of many years of challenges over the last few years!

BIHPA hopes we will be able to return to an Applefest event in 2023, but for this year, please help us keep the spirit of the event alive by coming to the Farmers’ Market on Oct 8 to buy a heritage apple

pie and sign up to become a member of BIHPA

Some of the apples in the pies are from trees that were planted in 1887, as well as the offspring of those heritage trees With help from various local pomologists, such as John Riley, Riley’s Cidery and Nancy of Bees on Bowen, and partnership and sup port of BIHPA and the community, over two thousand heritage variety apple trees have been grafted and planted on Bowen Island in the last few years! Some of those young apple trees are already producing marvelous fruit that you just can’t find in stores these days. Bramley’s Seedling, Ard Cairn Russet, Wolf River, Winter Banana, the soon to be officially identified Snug Cove Russet, are only a few of the deli cious Bowen grown heritage apples mak ing their way into pies A huge thanks to Riley’s Cidery for the donation of forty pounds of Bramley apples, a big green apple variety that can sometimes weigh in at just over 2 lb per apple!!

Mark your calendars for the special her itage apple pie sale on Oct 8

There will be also be an ongoing offering of Bowen’s harvest bounty at the Famers’ Markets Sept 24, Oct 1 and Oct 8, 10 am to Noon at BICS featuring fall harvest items made, grown and baked on Bowen: produce, greens, succulent plants, garden plants, beets, squash, greens, carrots, tomatoes, herbs, potatoes, greens, eggs, macramé, jams, Bowen honey, crocheted booties, blankets, cozy gifts (get ready for for the cool weather!), sale of jams, apples, pies, crumbles, marshmallows, succulent plants, aromatherapy, jewelry, floral bou quets and more!

If you are interested in upcoming heri tage apple tree sales, or volunteering with BIHPA or participating in the last of the BAA Farmers’ Markets, please reach out to shaxby@hotmail com and put APPLE in the subject line

Cindy Fairbank at the Farmers Market.

BASIA LIESKE Contributor

The Bowen Cider House, Riley’s Cidery, along with some volunteers who cherish the apples growing abun dantly on our small island, will be celebrating Bowens’ apple harvest

A little bit about our hosts:

The Bowen Cider House, at Meadowbrook corner, is a new stop for cider lovers on Bowen The Johnstone/ Langmann Family purchased the 7 1⁄2 acre property in 2004 for the express purpose of creating a farm based cidery using heritage apple trees of British, French and German cider specific varieties To date over 700 trees of 48 different species from in house grafted seedlings have been planted in both full tree and bush orchards, with an additional 1000+ seedlings ready to plant The entire production of their cider, the fermentation, blending and bottling, is done on site by cider makers Alastair and his son Benjamin, aided by family members and friends Riley’s Cidery sits amongst nearly a thousand varieties of heirloom apples in a 5 acre orchard on Laura Road

The orchard was planted over a 30 year period by John and Josephine Riley who are apple tree collectors and enthusiasts with an absolute wealth of knowledge In 2019, Christine Hardie and Rob Purdy were lucky enough to take over from John and Josephine to help preserve this incredible living museum and from this idea, Riley’s Cidery took shape

The Bowen Apple Harvest Festival commences on Saturday October 1st at noon with a ribbon cutting Grand Opening of the Bowen Cider House, by Mayor Gary Anders and Uno Langmann. The rest of day will include guided orchard tours, apple pie contest with prizes, apple information with a display, games for children and a mini

craft market There will also be apple crushing demon strations and islanders are encouraged to bring apples from their trees to be pressed, which will be made into a community cider

On Saturday evening there will be a Cider Makers Long Table Harvest Dinner at the Bowen Cider House barn All the ingredients will be fresh and local including organic produce from Home Farm Gardens There will be cider pairing with each course from both the Bowen Cider House and Riley’s Cidery, along with some helpful cider education. Live music will be performed during the eve ning by Matthew Harrison. There are only 60 tickets avail able so it is good to purchase your ticket early.

On Sunday October 2nd Bowen Cider House will be put ting on a Danish Pancake/Aebleskiver Breakfast on Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm, and will continue with their guided orchard tours and apple display. Riley’s Cidery will be offering a guided orchard tour at 2pm and their tasting room will be open for cider tasting and an introduction of their new cider

For more information about the festivities or how you can get involved by securing a spot at the mini market to sell your products or crafts, or to busk, or to enter the best apple pie contest please email : boweneventrentals@ gmail com

In next week’s Undercurrent there will be a full sched ule of the weekends’ festivities and on Facebook (Bowen Events & Bowen Everything Else pages)

If you would like to purchase a ticket to the Cider Makers Long Table Harvest Dinner please email:boweneventren tals@gmail com The cost is $125 per ticket You can etransfer or pay via MasterCard or Visa (Please note: a surcharge of 2% will be added to credit card payments )

Bowen Apple Harvest Festival Locations: Bowen Cider House 1125 Grafton Road Riley’s Cidery 620 Laura Road

Come celebrate Harvest Festival! at the

Riley’s Cidery on Laura Road, with a selection of their apples (below).

Bowen Cider House on their opening weekend (above), and the front of the cidery (below).

Heritage apple display at Applefest

NoticeofElectionbyVoting

PUBLICNOTICEisgiventotheelectorsofBowenIslandMunicipality thatanelectionbyvotingisnecessarytoelectaMayor(1),Councillors (6),andMunicipalTrustees(2)fortheIslandsTrustCouncil,andthat thepersonsnominatedascandidatesandforwhomvoteswillbe receivedare:

MAYOR-One(1)tobeelected

Surname Givenname Address

LEONARD Andrew 949SpyglassRoad,BowenIsland.

NICHOLSON Maureen 855TaylorRoad,BowenIsland.

TURNER John 160BannisterRoad,BowenIsland.

COUNCILLOR-Six(6)tobeelected

Surname Givenname Address

BURGER Robin #3-983DaviesRoad,BowenIsland.

FAST SueEllen 504ReedRoad,BowenIsland.

GEDYE Judith 1111LenoraRoad,BowenIsland.

JURGENSEN Alex 1062MillerRoad,BowenIsland.

LYTTLE Gale 1508WilliamsRoad,BowenIsland.

MACDONALD Craig 1675WhiteSailsDrive,BowenIsland.

MORSE Alison 1235FairweatherRoad,BowenIsland.

SAUNDERS John 965CaptainCatesWalk,BowenIsland.

THOMAS-ZYCZYNSKI Nicole 663TaylorRoad,BowenIsland.

WAKE Tim 961SeaviewPlace,BowenIsland. WIEFELSPUETT Richard #603-91ChapelStreet,Nanaimo.

MUNICIPALTRUSTEESFORISLANDSTRUSTCOUNCIL Two(2)tobeselected

Surname Givenname Address

FAST SueEllen 504ReedRoad,BowenIsland. GEDYE Judith 1111LenoraRoad,BowenIsland.

LYTTLE Gale 1508WilliamsRoad,BowenIsland.

NICHOLSON Maureen 855TaylorRoad,BowenIsland.

WAKE Tim 961SeaviewPlace,BowenIsland.

Note:IslandsTrustMunicipalTrusteesareselectedbyhavingreceivedthe highestandsecondhighestnumberofvotesforIslandsTrustMunicipal TrusteeandwhoareelectedtoCouncil.

SCHOOLTRUSTEEELECTIONS,TheSchoolDistrict#45TrusteeElectionis administeredbytheDistrictofWestVancouver.ForinformationonSchool TrusteeCandidates,visittheirwebsitewww.election.westvancouver.ca/ general/candidate-profiles/school-board

Formoreinformation,contacttheirChiefElectionOfficerviaphone604 925-7063orviaemailceo@westvancouver.ca

VotingDates&Locations

GENERALVOTINGwillbeopentoqualifiedelectorsofBowenIsland Municipalityon:

Saturday,October15,2022

betweenthehoursof8:00AMand8:00PM atBowenIslandCommunitySchool,1041Mt GardnerRoad,BowenIsland

ADVANCEDVOTINGwillbeopentoqualifiedelectorsofBowenIsland Municipalityon:

Wednesday,October5,2022

betweenthehoursof8:00AMand8:00PM

atBowenIslandMunicipalHall,981ArtisanLane,BowenIsland

MAILBALLOTVOTINGwillbeavailabletoallqualifiedelectors.Mailballot packageswillbemadeavailableassoonaspracticalaftertheballotsare received(onoraboutSeptember26th).Tospeedupprocessingtimes, submitanApplicationtoVotebyMailBallotearly Applicationsareavailable ontheBIMwebsiteandatMunicipalHallduringregularbusinesshours.

MailballotpackageswillnotbemailedafterFriday,October7th.Electors mayrequestamailballotpackageforpick upatMunicipalHallupuntil Friday,October14that4:30PM.

Itisthesoleresponsibilityoftheelectortoreturnthecompletedmailballot packagetotheChiefElectionOfficerorElectionOfficialbeforethecloseof voting,Saturday,October15that8:00PM.

ElectorRegistration

Ifyouarenotonthelistofelectors,youmayregisteratthetimeofvotingby completingtherequiredapplicationformavailableatthevotingplaceorin advanceofvotingatMunicipalHall Toregisteryoumustmeetthefollowing qualifications:

• 18yearsofageorolderongeneralvotingday

• Canadiancitizen

• residentofBCforatleast6monthsimmediatelyprecedingthedayof registration

• registeredownerofrealpropertywithinBowenIslandMunicipalityfor atleast30daysimmediatelyprecedingthedayofregistration(Non ResidentPropertyElectorsonly),and

• notdisqualifiedundertheLocalGovernmentActoranyotherenactment fromvotinginanelectionorotherwisedisqualifiedbylaw

Toregisterinadvance,residentandnon residentpropertyelectorsmust completetherequiredvoterregistrationform.FormsareavailableontheBIM websiteandatMunicipalHallduringregularbusinesshours

Toregisteratthevotingplace,residentelectorsmustproduce2pieces ofidentification(atleastonewithasignature).Pictureidentificationisnot necessary Theidentificationmustprovebothresidencyandidentity

Toregisteratthevotingplace,non residentpropertyelectorsmust produce2piecesofidentification(atleastonewithasignature)toprove identity,proofthattheyareentitledtoregisterinrelationtotheproperty, and,ifthereismorethanoneowneroftheproperty,writtenconsentfrom themajorityofotherpropertyowners

HopeDallas,ChiefElectionOfficer

Phone:604 947 4255 Email:Election2022@bimbcca Website:www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/2022 election

9:30 to 11:30 am, meets every Thursday at Collins Hall Find like minded Artists & Creatives We paint, draw & sketch in all medi ums Plus, periodically have workshops Free for the month of Sept, then $30 for each month after that that you attend (to help pay the rent of the Hall). Contact shannonrondeau@shaw.ca or marie@marieneys.com for more details.

Friday, September 23

Storytime at the Library Annex

A free drop in program of stories and songs for 2 4 year olds and their caregivers! Fridays at 10:30 am Bowen Library Annex until Dec 9 (no Storytimes on Sept 30 & Nov 11 statutory holi days) Find out about current COVID 19 Health Orders and how they apply to library programs

Saturday, September 24

Shari Ulrich’s ‘Trust Me’ Series

Jeanne Tolmie, Hilary Grist, and Shari Ulrich perform at Tir na nOg at 7:30 pm Full details and story on Page 29 Tickets available at Phoenix books and online at TrustMe eventbrite ca

Sunday, September 25

Andrew Wright Author Talk

Conservation and documentary photographer, Andrew S. Wright, presents on and shows photos from his most recent book, The Pelican’s Paradise: Preventing Extinctions

This book is a collection of field reports from five islands Andrew visited with Island Conservation: Gwaii Haanas, Canada; Okinoshima, Japan; Kaho’olawe, Hawaii; Palmyra Atoll, Northern Line Islands, South Pacific; Isla Floreana and Seymour Norte, Galapagos Island Conservation actively prevents extinctions by removing invasive species and researching the effects of invasive species removal on island settings

This program is presented by Bowen Island Public Library and Bowen Island Food Resilience Society

Tuesday, September 27

‘Meet and Greet’ neighbourhood gathering for candidates

7 pm at the Belterra Common House, 726 Belterra Road just off Carter Road This will not be a formal all candidates meeting as had been originally proposed, but there will be an opportunity for mingling and for each of the candidates to speak, plus answer questions from the floor. Please park at the IPS/Cates Hill Chapel lot, and walk the short distance to the Common House Bring a flashlight, as it will be dark by the time the get together is over

Thisisprimarilyaneighbourhoodevent,similartotheRivendell one for Cates Hill on Sunday, Sept 25, but other islanders are certainly invited, subject to load capacity of the facility

Wednesday, September 28

Career Advisor at Bowen Island Library

2 5 pm Come get one on one help with resumes, cover letters, interviewing, job searches, insights on the job market, career and education advice, and more from a WorkBC Career Advisor

Thursday, September 29

TAG (Thurs Art Group)

9:30 to 11:30 am, meets every Thursday at Collins Hall. Find like minded Artists & Creatives We paint, draw & sketch in all mediums Plus, periodically have workshops On Sept 29th Grace Wong will be demonstrating Flow Paints Then in October we are planning Live Model or a Collage Workshop

Thursday, September 29

Film showing of Indian Horse at the Bowen Island Library

6:30 pm An adaptation of Ojibway writer Richard Wagamese’s award-winning novel, this moving and import ant drama sheds light on the dark history of Canada’s Indigenous Residential Schools and the indomitable spirit of aboriginal people

Rated14A DropinandlearnthroughstorywithusthisNational Day for Truth & Reconciliation.

Thursday, September 29

COMMUNITY CALENDAR September 22 (Thurs Art Group)

Candidate Speed Dating

Meet the candidates at the Bowen Island Pub for a casual night of discussion on the issues that matter most to Bowen Islanders. From 5 to 7 pm.

Friday, September 30

Pat Buchanan 50th anniversary

We will be celebrating Pat’s 50th anniversary with the Building Centre We will be having eats from 11:30 am to 2 pm More infor mation in our story on Page 11

October 1 2

Apple Harvest Festival Weekend

Events at Bowen Cider House and Riley’s Cidery Find all the information in our Apple spread on Pages 20 21

Sunday, October 16

Shari Ulrich’s ‘Trust Me’ Series

Canadian Folk Award winning musicians Pierre Schryer and Adam Dobres perform at Tir na nOg. Show starts at 7:30 pm. Tickets available at Phoenix Books and eventbrite.ca

Saturday, October 29

Monsoon Madness Mudder at Island Pacific School

Get muddy at the IPS annual fundraiser event

Weekend Update

Nectar Yoga on the Pier (beside the ferry)

10:15 am $15, pre register at nectaryoga ca

Drop-in space may be available

Bowen Island Farmers Market

Bowen Island Community School 10 am to Noon every Saturday.

Tuesday’s

Yoga at Collins Hall

Tuesdays from 1 pm to 2 pm All levels of experience welcome... Chair to Standing. $15 drop in.

Email jackie.minns@gmail.com or call 604 220 9092

NOTICE OF ELECTION

Public Notice is given to the electors of the District of West Vancouver that an election by voting is necessary for the Office of Mayor (one to be elected), Councillor (six to be elected) and School Trustee (five to be elected) for a term ending November 2026, as follows:

MAYOR

• Booth, Mary Ann 1309 Gordon Avenue, West Vancouver

• De Cotiis, Teresa West Vancouver

• Sager, Mark 6224 St Georges Place, West Vancouver

• Wong, Marcus West Vancouver

COUNCILLOR

• Alavi, Amir 2045 27th Street, West Vancouver

• Blair, Tyler 21538 122nd Avenue, Maple Ridge

• Buchanan, Eileen 2295 Mathers Avenue, West Vancouver

• Cassidy, Christine West Vancouver

• Chicoine, Alexis 480 Sundance Crescent, West Vancouver

• Gambioli, Nora West Vancouver

• Jensen, Claus West Vancouver

• Lambur, Peter 1060 Clyde Avenue, West Vancouver

• Lau, Keen 5428 Monte Bre Place, West Vancouver

• Martinez, Rima 1133 Crestline Road, West Vancouver

• McCosh, David 1002 1919 Bellevue Avenue, West Vancouver

• McHarg, Elaine 1140 Duchess Avenue, West Vancouver

• Schultze, Ken 5545 Greenleaf Road, West Vancouver

• Snider, Scott 4808 Northwood Drive, West Vancouver

• Soprovich, Bill 1203 2180 Argyle Avenue, West Vancouver

• Thompson, Sharon 4747 Pilot House Road, West Vancouver

• Watt, Linda 6345 Argyle Avenue, West Vancouver

SCHOOL TRUSTEE

• Block, Lynne 302 1327 Bellevue Avenue, West Vancouver

• Broady, Carolyn 1755 Rosebery Avenue, West Vancouver

• Brown, Nicole 4638 Woodgreen Drive, West Vancouver

• Donahue, Sheelah 6805 Hycroft Road, West Vancouver

• Stevenson, Dave 2270 Haywood Avenue, West Vancouver

• Zhu, Felicia 1220 Kings Avenue, West Vancouver

GENERAL VOTING DAY IS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2022

Voting places are as follows and all are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.:

• Gleneagles Community Centre, 6262 Marine Drive

• Hollyburn Elementary School, 1329 Duchess Avenue

• Irwin Park Elementary School, 2455 Haywood Avenue

• Ridgeview Elementary School, 1250 Mathers Avenue

• Rockridge Secondary School, 5350 Headland Drive

• West Bay Elementary School, 3175 Thompson Place

Locations marked with are most easily accessible.

• West Vancouver Community Centre, Sports Gym, 2121 Marine Drive

• Westcot Elementary School, 760 Westcot Road

Wheelchair access and curbside voting are available at all locations

NOTICE OF ADVANCE VOTING OPPORTUNITIES

Advance voting opportunities will be held at Municipal Hall, 750 17th Street, West Vancouver BC from 8 a m to 8 on the following days:

REGISTERING TO VOTE

Electors whose names are not on the list of registered electors may register at the time of voting by providing required identification.

RESIDENT ELECTORS

A resident elector must meet the following requirements:

• age 18 or older on the day of registration or on general voting day;

• Canadian citizen;

• resident of BC for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration;

• resident of the District of West Vancouver or School District 45; and

• not disqualified by any enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law

To register, resident electors will be required to produce two pieces of identification (at least one with a signature; photo identification is unnecessary) to prove both residency and identity

NON-RESIDENT PROPERTY ELECTORS

A non-resident property elector must meet the following requirements:

• age 18 or older on the day of registration or on general voting day;

• Canadian citizen;

• resident of BC for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration;

• registered owner of real property in the District of West Vancouver or School District 45 for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration;

• not entitled to register as a resident elector in the District of West Vancouver;

• not disqualified by any enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law;

• not registered as a non-resident property elector in relation to any other parcel of real property in the District of West Vancouver;

• if there is more than one registered owner of the property, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the owners, register as a non resident property elector; and

• the only persons who are registered owners of the real property, either as joint tenants or tenants in common, are individuals who are not holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust

To register, non resident property electors will be required to produce two pieces of identification (at least one with a signature; photo identification is unnecessary), and proof that they are entitled to register in relation to the property, and if applicable, written consent from the other property owners A property tax notice/certificate, a property assessment notice from BC Assessment, a State of Title Certificate, Title Search or Certificate of Indefeasible Title are acceptable forms of proof of property ownership

No corporation is entitled to be registered as an elector or have a representative registered as an elector and no corporation is entitled to vote, and permanent residents of Canada (landed immigrants) who have not yet become Canadian citizens are not entitled to vote

IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Two documents are required that provide evidence of an applicant’s identity and place of residence, one with signature, for example: BC Driver’s Licence; BC Identification card; BC Services card; Owner’s Certificate of ICBC insurance and vehicle licence; BC CareCard; BC Gold CareCard; Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security Request for Continued Assistance Form SDES8; Social Insurance Card or confirmation of Social Insurance Number letter issued by the Government of Canada; Canadian Citizenship Card issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada; District of West Vancouver real property tax notice; credit card; debit card; or utility bill

SCHOOL TRUSTEE ELECTION FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT 45 ONLY

• Tuesday, October

• Wednesday,October5 Thursday, October Saturday Monday, October

MAIL BALLOT VOTING

Electors may apply for by election September 26 October

For school trustee elections, the Board of Education for School District 45 has, by resolution and bylaw, agreed that the Chief and Deputy Chief Election Officers appointed by the District of West Vancouver will also act on the board’s behalf, and has designated locations at which qualified electors may vote for school trustees only within their voting divisions

West Vancouver (Voting Division 1): same locations as listed for general voting day and advance voting days in West Vancouver BC

Bowen Island Municipality (Voting Division 2): on general voting day, October 15, 2022, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Bowen Island Community School, 1041 Mt Gardner Road, Bowen Island BC Advance voting is on October 5, 2022, from 8 a m to 8 p m at Bowen Island Municipal Hall, 981 Artisan Lane, Bowen Island BC

Village of Lions Bay (Voting Division 3): on generalvotingday,October15,2022,from8am to8pm at Broughton Hall, 400 Centre Road, Lions Bay BC AdvancevotingisonOctober5,2022from8am to8pm at Broughton Hall, 400 Centre Road, Lions Bay BC PortionofMetroVancouverElectoralAreaAandthe GambierIslandLocalTrustArealyingalong,orwithin HoweSoundadjacenttothemunicipalitiesofBowen Island,LionsBay,andWestVancouver(VotingDivision4): on general voting day, October 15, 2022, from 8 a m to 8 p m at Gleneagles Community Centre, 6262 Marine Drive, West Vancouver BC

Mark Brown, Chief Election Officer

THE CORPORATION OF THE DISTRICT OF WEST VANCOUVER & WEST VANCOUVER SCHOOLS (SCHOOL DISTRICT 45)

Tunstall Tennis Tourney & Social

RICHARD SCOTT Contributor

Last Saturday, tennis on Bowen celebrated its season with the Tunstall Tennis Tourney & Social There were 24 competitors playing mens and mixed doubles throughout the day Many spectators cheered on, tears were shed, trophies lifted, and fun was had by all

The final came down to a super tiebreaker, where the wheels of steel and nerves of fortune braved the emo tional pair of Sean Delaney and Rick Bulich They fell in

a heap when the scoreboard ticked over and read 10 7

They both thanked Roger for his support in retirement

Pam Culver and Jens Diercks took out the mixed dou bles championship with sweet shots, deft drops, and self deprecating words to their Hood Point counterparts

Huge thanks to all our players, spectators, and the Board of Directors of TBCA who allowed our tourneys to take place on the beautiful grounds of Tunstall Bay tennis courts Tania Webb was instrumental in the online orga nizing of tourney numbers and board liaison To our two volunteers: Deb Blenkhorn and Court Brousson, thank you for laying the groundwork to a wonderful day.

Fans would do anything for a better view of the action. / Jackie Minns photo

Richard Scott photo

Tunstall Bay Community Association hosted the weekend tennis left Claudia Schaefer photo)

Slopitch Saturday 2022: Anyone’s Game

HENRY CAMPBELL Contributor

As the players tossed their ball gloves in their bags and made their way to a parched Snug Cove field for the Bowen Island Slopitch League (BISL) playoffs, they all had the same thought: this is our year

To a team, they had a point The six team league enjoyed unprece dented parity in 2022, featuring a three way tie for second place As the Umps yelled “Play ball!” to start the single elimination knock out tournament, only one thing was cer tain: anyone could win it all.

Burley Batters

9:00am The Blu’s @ Burley Batters

With the sting of last year ’ s playoff loss to the Blu’s still fresh in their minds the Burley Batters, lead by Jay Cottrell, were here to play hard and to exact a little retribution

The morning start time present ed some unexpected challenges for the outfield With the sun blasting into their eyes, routine flyballs were dropped and extra bases piled up for both teams MVP Sarah Bristow, a force all year for the Batters, made a spectacular grab at centre field

Though Kristen Helssen made

an incredible “ sno cone ” catch and Gillian Drake pelted the fence with a long bomb in the fifth, the Batters’ season was on life support as they went to the bats at the bottom of the seventh (the final inning in Slopitch) down by six runs

Incredibly, the Batters made it up and down their batting order and tied the game at 19 19 forcing the first ever extra innings playoff game in BISL history

Though it would’ve been easy to let nerves overtake them the Blu’s stood tall, shook off the inning, and got down to business piling up four runs

It came down to the Batters’ Erik Helssen With two outs, he faced three straight balls with a female batter on deck (meaning that he would walk to second base as per SloPitch National Rules) Helssen elected to swing at the fourth pitch, resulting in a game ending ground ball. Had he taken the walk, the Batters (who had runners on first, second and third) would’ve been up one run and won the game

Helssen’s actions were much debated, but it was agreed upon by those watching from the stands that Helssen’s decision to swing was noble and in keeping with the spirit of the League

Both teams received a standing ovation from the bleachers as they walked off the field

Loggers

10:00am Loggers @ Sluggers

Duy Son’s Loggers did not have the regular season they wanted, post ing a 4 1 10 record, but they arrived at Snug Cove Field with undeniable swagger and for good reason The Loggers are the only team in BISPL history to have won the tournament coming in ranked last and were also the team with the most one run loss es during the 2022 regular season

The Sluggers came out hard, blast ing an in the park homerun on the first at bat But the Loggers stood tall, drawing on each other’s sup port, Jason Jacquet and Sheana Stevenson’s positivity, Iishan Cruz’s mastery of the in the park homer, the pitching of Scott Stevenson and Ben Sunderland, Fenella Jacquet’s speed, and the glass smashing hom ers of Peter Blomberg. They gave the Sluggers a hell of a game.

In the end, the Loggers fell in yet another one run loss Courtney Morris expressed the sentiment of the Loggers well: “the Sluggers were so fun to play Dave is such a great coach and seems to foster inclu sion and fun I would have liked it if [Brad] Ripper [Rypien] had dropped a few more [balls] though!”

The Loggers took up residence in the stands and provided world-class heck ling for the duration of the tournament

CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

SlopitchTournament goes down to wire

Basecombers

12:00 The Blu’s @ Basecombers

The regular season champion Basecombers, managed by rookie coach ing trio Andrea Layzell, Henry Campbell and Mike McK oryk, looked poised for a deep playoff run but all the regular sea son success in the world doesn’t matter on Slopitch Saturday

The ‘Combers appeared nervous with the weight of expectation as they took the field and the Blu’s, coming off their extra innings win against the Burley Batters, smelled blood Despite an in the park homer from Matt Vyner, Adam Greider’s first ever dinger and incessant heart and soul cheering from positivity promoter Leah Gregg the ‘Combers were handily dispatched by the Blu’s in a game that was never close

At the awards dinner the Basecombers were still scratching their heads try ing to figure out what went wrong. As a silver lining, the ‘Combers swept the “Sportsmanship” awards and Lee Vincent snagged both Most Dedicated Player Male and Most Valuable Player Male awards

Vincent, also the League’s President, seemed to take extra delight in present ing the Basecombers with the trophy for receiving the most “Fun Points” (as award ed by opposing teams) Vincent has long prioritized sportsmanship and inclusion over everything else in the league

The glint in his eye told all those in

attendance that this was the trophy he wanted more than any other

Sluggers

2:00pm Sluggers @ Phoenix

Drawing on more than 1,000 collec tive years of baseball experience, Dave Atkinson’s Sluggers are not short on skill, guile, or strategy and they deployed it all on Saturday The defending champs bested the Loggers in a great game to secure a spot in the semi finals against the Phoenix.

Despite being short ace infielder Cindyl Arnold the Sluggers came out of the gates on fire, blasting in five runs (the most allowed for the first six innings in Bowen Slopitch) in their first at bat Phoenix answered right back with five of their own

A controversial umping call in the fourth inning saw Brad “Ripper” Rypien forced out of the game due to injury He was not allowed to return, despite his insistence that he was okay to play Spencer Grundy stepped up admirably in Ripper’s absence

At this point, accounts of the game vary What is clear is that the game was back and forth and featured excellent play from everyone on the field Claudia Schaefer made a spectacular catch at home plate to end an inning, and Kevin Manning pitched very well

In the end, the Phoenix edged out a win sending the defending champs to the bleachers. The Sluggers walked off the field with their heads held high knowing that they’d play two excellent ballgames.

You can bet that they’ll be back and ready for next year after applying a little a535 and popping a few ibuprofens

Blu’s

Coach Iain Mitchell’s vision has always been clear Since he helped create the Blu’s franchise, he’s lived by the motto: “when we have fun, we play well [and] This was the most fun team we ’ ve ever had ”

He knew that a Blu’s run to the finals would not be easy but a few key off-sea son personnel additions gave him confi dence that an improbable run was possible.

Most improved player Ryan Knill’s hits proved invaluable, Khole Dallas’ sportsmanship unimpeachable, MJ Davies homeplate catches crucial, Peter Scott’s pickups at shortstop critical and Mitchell’s own hits (despite fighting a nagging injury) were clutch

Most valuable tournament player Bailey Hathaway provided noteworthy play through out with key hits and smooth fielding

With the ‘Batters and the Basecombers behind them, the Blu’s managed to punch their ticket to the BISL finals for the first time in franchise history The only thing in their way: the Phoenix

The Blu’s battled hard against a well constructed Phoenix team looking for its third championship in four years The Phoenix blasted out to an early lead, putting up five quick runs and then four more in the subsequent inning

But the Blu’s refused to give up, battling hard and fighting off the fatigue of playing their third game of the day In the end, they couldn’t quite match Phoenix’s game.

Coach Mitchell surveyed his squad with pride as the Blu’s received an ova tion from the crowd for battling as hard as they did Mitchell has announced that he will step aside as manager, electing to stay in the Blu’s organization as a player

To those who know Mitchell, it should come as no surprise that he is leaving the Blu’s much better than he found them

Phoenix

Jared Brown’s chops as a general man ager are well known, but what he can no longer keep secret is how much his game has improved on the field Hitting his first dingers of his career in the 2022 sea son and acing infield plays have become routine and his team came right along with him

Plenty of tournament hardware to go around

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

Of particularly note is Brad MacDonald The big hitter battled through injury to propel the Phoenix through the tournament and to the championship He lifted the tour nament MVP Male trophy and the championship cup for the second time

Though the crowd was not necessarily pulling for the Phoenix, everyone cheered hard as the final game ended and they carried crowd favourite, and best catcher,

President’s Award Winners

The President’s Award is given to people who go above and beyond for the BISL league and its players This is the league’s highest honour and its way of thanking those whose commitment to and love for the game is extraordinary

Gillian Drake, Andrea Layzell and Cindyl Arnold ran a hitting clinic exclusively for female players through

Bowen Island Community Rec The program was the first of its kind and is hopefully the start of many more such programs

Most players started their day on Bowen Island Casey Grundy, widely acknowledged as the first lady of Bowen Island baseball, did not She made the journey from White Rock with her dutiful sidekick, Spencer She made this journey all season long to be there for her team and to play the game we all love. But she was not being rec ognized for this extraordinary commitment.

The league owes Casey a debt it will never be able to repay As one of the original founders, Casey worked tirelessly to get the league off the ground and keep it going, shaping it into the resounding success it is today As Lee Vincent said “[she] is one of the giants on whose shoulders the current executive stands on ”

Casey received a standing ovation from everyone in attendance

As a full power karaoke extravaganza was unleashed on the dance floor, the players wasted no time in cele brating another great season and another spectacular Slopitch Saturday As the party wound down the play ers safely made their way home and put away their ball gloves

It’s always with a touch of sadness that the sea son ends but, of course, that’s why they invented “next season. ”

My agenda as a Councillor is not personal, but rather I see the role will need me to maintain an open ear I am someone who will listen carefully to the diversity of voices and always consider the dear citizens of Bowen Island.

Jeanne

Daniel McGregor off of the field of

SHARI ULRICH Contributor

The past six months have been an unparalleled adven ture in music Not only was there a renewed depth of appreciation on the part of the artists, presenters and audiences that we were able to return to festivals and concerts, but there was an unexpected mix of different combinations of musicians I got to work with

The Mavens (Lynn Miles & Susan Crowe), BTU (Bentall Taylor Ulrich), Rick Scott (Pied Pumkin), Daniel Lapp, Kirby Barber, and of course our wonder ful Cindy Fairbank, but the biggest surprise came out of the biggest disappointment the silver lined glass of lemonade.

After a two year ramp up to finally getting to tour with The Mavens, it all fell apart early on when Lynn had to return to Ottawa to look after her mother I’d never can celled a show before, and there were several that had to be, including the show on Bowen

But the festivals were different as the schedules had long been set and publicized, and the organizers hoped I would not cancel but rather fill the spot with what ever I chose The quandary suddenly turned into an opportunity!

I pondered who would my favourite maven like women be to collaborate with and share a stage And lo and behold, the two at the top of my list said yes! Hilary Grist and Jeanne Tolmie Given Hilary has six year old twins and Jeanne is a full time social worker single par enting 3 teenagers, it was a miracle

What I couldn’t fully anticipate, but of course hoped, was that the collaboration would be effortless, joyful, and exceptionally musical! We were each amazed at

how quickly we all fell into perfect three part harmony, which is the sure sign of aligned musical intuition

So after our triumphant sets at the Vancouver Island MusicFest we knew we couldn’t wait to repeat the expe rience Well, of course that meant being a part of my own “Trust Me” series at Tir na nOg theater! Yes, rather audacious of me to present myself as part of a show and say “Trust Me” this will be good! But that’s what I’m doing!

I should add, my connection with Jeanne and Hilary has a long history I first had Jeanne at a Bluebird North songwriters’ concert series 20 years ago that I’ve been producing and hosting in Vancouver for the Songwriters Association of Canada for 3 decades

I fell in love with her songs, her voice and her viva cious personality, and we connect whenever I am in Victoria She has been the harmony singer on all of Tom Taylor’s albums and is one of the best I know I’ve known Hilary almost as long and have always loved her piano playing, voice and writing As her pro file on North Van Arts says: “Hilary Grist’s signature brand of firefly folk dipped in dreamy, art pop envelopes her dulcet, often delicate vocal delivery

A diverse artist, her poignant and playful songs have been featured regularly on CBC Radio and heard on TV shows like: Grimm (NBC), Being Human (NBC), Arctic Air (CBC), Continuum (Showcase) and Degrassi (MuchMusic). Grist has toured Canada and abroad including the Busan International Rock Festival and Ulsan World Music Festival in Korea, The Edge of the World Festival in Haida Gwaii, Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival in BC, and The Cotton Club in Japan

Her quirky creative flare with visual art and video has garnered admiration from fans across the globe ” So yes,

I’m one of those admirers!

My respect for her took another leap when Bill Henderson and I were teaching a course at the VSO School of Music and brought her in for a day What she shared with those students conveyed a profound and sophisticated musical education and perspective that opened my eyes to the depth of her knowledge and com munication skills.

I loved that both Jeanne and Hilary jumped in when I asked if they could save my ass at Music Fest but what surprised us all was that with literally just over two hours to prepare a mainstage show, we hit the ground like we’d playing the songs together for years It was such a joy and I’m so happy to be able to repeat the experience next Saturday, Sept 24 at 7:30 pm at Tir na nOg

You can get tickets at Phoenix Books and online at TrustMe eventbrite ca

Jeanne Tolmie, Hilary Grist, and Shari Ulrich will be performing at Tir na nOg this Saturday, Sept 24 / Submitted photo