Bowen Island Undercurrent October 20 2022

KEEPING TABS ON THE COUNT: Bowen’s mayor elect Andrew Leonard watched along with some discerning constituents as ballot boxes were counted in the municipal election on Saturday night When it was all said and done, Leonard found himself responsible for managing Bowen Island through the next four years from the mayor’s chair. To read more about how Leonard plans to do this, and why he thinks voters entrusted him with the task, check out our interview with Andrew on Pages 8 9. / Colin Bradley photo

Help eradicate this ancient disease

Andrew Leonard elected mayor, joined by 4/6 new councillors

NEW COUNCIL BEGINS

ALEX KURIAL Editor

Change was on the menu in the 2022 Municipal Election on Bowen Island, as five of seven members of the 2022 26 council will be fresh faces to their roles

To a certain extent the shakeup was inevitable; only three of the previous seven members of local govern ment were even running again But in the most high profile race where the old versus new debate was play ing out, voters resoundingly indicated they wanted to shake things up as newcomer Andrew Leonard’s 860 votes well outpaced the 728 gathered by incumbent councillor Maureen Nicholson Fellow political rookie John Turner received 320 votes of his own

The result, declared shortly after 10 pm on Election Day, October 15, provided an answer to conversations which had played out well before campaign season had started: did Bowen Island wish to continue with the policies of the past eight years (the 2018 22 council had five incumbents from 2014 18), or did the island wish to take a sharp turn into the unknown, albeit with opti mistic visions from the new candidates of what could be done. The clear choice (come the final council count as the clock passed 1:30 am Sunday) was the latter.

Seeking Public Comment

forDVP-20220247(1455TunstallBlvd)

6:15pmonMonday,October24,2022

PROJECTDESCRIPTION:

CouncilwillbeconsideringanapplicationatitsOctober24, 2022,meetingforaDevelopmentVariancePermitat1455 TunstallBayRdtovarythefrontyardandhighwaysetbacksto enablehouseconstruction351mfromthefrontpropertyline

Seeking Public Comment

forBOV-20220187(686CliffRd)

1:30pmonTuesday,October25,2022

BoardofVarianceviaZoom

PROJECTDESCRIPTION:

ABoardofVarianceapplicationhasbeensubmittedfor686 CliffRdtoreducethesidelotsetbackto2mandroofoverhang projectionto1.6m(shownonfigure).TheVariancewillfacilitate theconstructionofanaccessorycarportontheexisting driveway

MOREINFORMATIONATMUNICIPALHALL:

TheapplicationmaybeviewedatMunicipalHallbetween8:30 AMand4:30PM,MondaythroughFriday(excludingstatutory holidays)oronthemunicipalwebsiteat:

wwwbowenislandmunicipalityca/planning

YOURCOMMENTSAREWELCOME:

WrittensubmissionsmaybedeliveredtoMunicipalHallby 4:00pmonthemeetingdate(contactinformationbelow):

Inperson

Bymail

Byfax

Byemailtomayorandcouncil@bimbc.ca

SubmissionsmayalsobemadetoMayorandCouncilatthe meeting: 6:15pmonMonday,October24,2022

inCouncilChambers,MunicipalHall,OR VirtuallyviaZoom see www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/council-meetings fordetails

Toensureafairprocess,submissionscannotbeacceptedafter themeetinghasbegun

Questions?PleasecontactDanielMartin,ManagerofPlanning andDevelopment,at604-947-4255ext230orbyemailat dmartin@bimbc.ca

MOREINFORMATION:

Theapplicationmaybeviewedonlineat

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/planning oratMunicipalHallbetween8:30AMand4:30PM,Monday throughFriday(excludingstatutoryholidays).

YOURCOMMENTSAREWELCOME:

Writtensubmissionsacceptedupto4:00pmonMonday, October24,2022andmaybedeliveredtoMunicipalHall (contactinformationbelow): Inperson,bymail,byfax,byemailtoplanning@bimbc.ca

VerbalsubmissionsmayalsobemadetotheBoardatthe meeting: 1:30pmonTuesday,October25,2022 OnlineviaZoom

Forinstructionsonhowtoparticipate,goto: www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/board-of-variance

Questions?PleasecontactNatashaCheong,IslandCommunity Planner,at604-947-4255ext247orbyemailat ncheong@bimbc.ca

ISLAND NEWS

Councillors elected with safe distance; lopsided Community Opinion Poll; voter turnout plummets

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

While many of the next council mem bers are new politically, the group brings plenty of outside knowledge and experi ence to the table Top vote getter Judith Gedye is a retired Provincial Court Judge, John Saunders served a long career with the RCMP, and Alex Jurgensen has worked for more than a decade on the island with Camp Bowen

And though Tim Wake is new to Bowen council, he has previous political experi ence as a member of Whister council Sue Ellen Fast and Alison Morse return to their Bowen council roles, preparing to serve their third and eighth terms respectively.

The Community Opinion Poll ask ing whether residents wanted Bowen to explore renegotiating their tax requisition formula with the Islands Trust received an overwhelming nod of support, with ‘Yes’ votes toppling ‘No’ votes by nearly 1,000

The job of carrying this out will fall to the pair of Islands Trust Trustees, one new in Gedye, and one existing with Fast, after they finished in the top two spots for the positions

On the West Vancouver School Board, four of five incumbent trustees were

returned to their positions, as the lone newcomer in the race Felicia Zhu gained enough votes to join the group

While voter turnout on the island still soared above most of the province, the 56 9% participation mark fell far below Bowen standards, down double digits from last election and down even five per cent from 2008’s mark of 62.1%.

FULL RESULTS

Mayor

Andrew Leonard 860 / Maureen Nicholson 728; John Turner 320

Council

Judith Gedye 1,334; Tim Wake 1,227; Sue Ellen Fast 1,140; John Saunders 931; Alex Jurgensen 927; Alison Morse 921 / Gale Lyttle 820; Craig Macdonald 708; Richard Wiefelspuett 656; Robin Burger 604; Nicole Thomas Zyczynski 352

Islands Trust Trustee

Judith Gedye 1,038; Sue Ellen Fast 924 / Tim Wake 727; Maureen Nicholson

Cove Bay Water Treatment Plant won’t open this year

THE BOWEN WATER PLANT IS NOW SCHEDULED TO BE OPERATIONAL IN EARLY 2023

ALEX KURIAL Editor

Despite hopes that it could be up and running this fall, the timeline for opening the Cove Bay Water Treatment Plant has been pushed back to 2023

The plant, which was originally sup posed to be operational in May 2021, has suffered from a series of equipment malfunctions along with several disagree ments between the municipality (BIM) and filtration equipment supplier Purifics over how to proceed with repairs

July estimates were optimistic the plant could be running this month, but on Oct 17 BIM announced that three main parts of the project still need completing to

Community Opinion Poll

1,364

West Vancouver School Board

Lynne Block 6,164; Carolyn Broady 6,118; Nicole Brown 5,844; Felicia Zhu 5,411; Dave Stevenson 4,814 / Sheelah Donahue 4,675

ensure all the fixes are made

The first retrofit mechanical work is expected to be complete this month. This consists of installing a break head tank, pumps, and piping

However, electrical equipment is not scheduled to be delivered until November, with installation in December The undertaking will then head into the new year when Purifics will finally repair the broken filter and recommission the water plant

This will be followed by a final inspec tion and water testing by Vancouver Coastal Health, and then drinking water will be delivered to all users hooked up to the Cove Bay Water System, estimated to be more than 600 properties.

Signs

to come and vote at BICS, but not as many Bowen residents actually did compared to past years / Alex Kurial photo

VIEWPOINTS

LETTERS

Moving ahead, the next few years

COUN. ROBWYNEN

Wow, that was an interesting election A new Mayor and 4 new councilors It will be a new direction for politics on Bowen and I am happy to see such a group of experi enced and new blood head up our collec tive island It was tough for me to sit on the sidelines this election, a first in a while for me, but something I don’t regret It is good to know when it is time to put your foot for ward and when it is time to step aside and let others put their foot into the pot, hope fully not the mouth A candidate came to me recently and asked what I had taken away from 4 years on council so I thought I would write a couple of my thoughts down, hopefully to help positively inform some on our new council, some who may be new to elected office

My first surprise was the difference between serving on the Vancouver School board and our council The structure and practices, while having some overlap, was very different A party system vs indepen dent status makes the experience quite unique I was a bit struck by the somewhat loneliness of being an independent coun cilor It was nice to not have to kowtow to party policies but the lack of communica tion between councilors, especially during COVID, can make decision making difficult. There are no rules or bosses, other than the electorate, when it comes to being a coun cillor, it can be liberating but also daunting to know what the right path is at times.

When I first got on council I had ideas I wanted to implement, I quickly learned that the agenda you are dealt is often not of your making I definitely had not planned to spend so much time on fire fighting policies, sewage, water and so many issues that needed to be resolved but were not on my radar prior to my term I wanted to work on passenger ferries to the mainland, improved transit, preserving our forests

It can be easy to miss, or set these projects aside and put all your energy into fighting the latest fire

Neighbour to Neighbour

Our family is thankful to the Bowen community for the incredibly positive feedback since opening our doors at Bowen Cider House We recently applied to sell our cider by the glass or bottle with food, which will help to increase food options and decrease transportation for west side islanders

We look forward to providing a place where family and community can gather and minors are always wel come We are excited to expand our

Meadowbrook Market menu showcas ing locally produced farm goods for example our Onion and Cider Soup, lamb from our property and char cuterie boards celebrating seasonal local harvest

If you have not already, we invite you to visit and would be happy to have you taste our ciders and give you a tour of our facilities If our cur rent hours of 12 to 6 pm, Wednesday through Sunday, are not convenient,

we will make time to meet with you Our doors are always open and we look forward to a continued positive neighbourhood relationship!

Sincerely,

Alastair (604 329 6498), Benjamin (604 362 2464), Jeanette (604 805 5225), Uno and Dianne

Bowen Cider House, 1125 Grafton Road, hello@bowenciderhouse.ca

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.

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PUBLISHER Matt Blair publisher@bowenisland undercurrent com

CARTOONIST Ron Woodall

ADVERTISING Tracey Wait ads@bowenisland undercurrent.com

EDITOR Alex Kurial editor@bowenisland undercurrent com

VIEWPOINTS

The Ferry is Full

Between sewage, water system problems, and repaving delays, Bowen has faced quite a few infrastructure challeng es lately An even bigger problem may be ahead of us: running out of ferry capacity

The ferry was packed this summer According to data I just obtained from BC Ferries via a Freedom of Information request, 30% of sailings in July were full, and 54% of sailings above 70% capac ity Furthermore, there are apparently no plans to upgrade the capacity of the route

BC Ferries seems to consider the route and

terminal capacity ade quate because in 2017 they forecast traffic would grow at a medi an annual rate of just 0 8% However, the 2021 Canadian Census shows Bowen’s population grew an average of 2 95% annu ally 2016 2021 If our pop ulation and ferry traffic continue to grow at nearly 3% per year (roughly 50 new households per year), then in a decade we will be a third larger, and will have outgrown the Queen of Capilano as well as the Cove’s ferry line vehicle capacity Just last month, BC Ferries revisited their forecasts, and now seem to be predicting next fiscal

year ’ s vehicle traffic at 17% higher than this year

None of the 161 pages I received from BC Ferries gave any clue as to how we can accommodate a massive surge in traffic While there are some plans to upgrade the amenities of the Snug Cove terminal, there are apparently none to actu ally increase capacity of the terminal or the route

When BC Ferries reached out early this year to the municipality to ask about a rumoured 300 unit development, Daniel Martin replied, “I don’t believe there are any pro posal [sic] that size cur rently approved The last major development we approved was for Grafton Lakes in 2017 which is around 150 units and is slowly being developed ” Mr Martin then promised to let BC Ferries know of any new applications

From one Councillor to another

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

Those new on council may want to keep an eye on that and ensure they are also pushing projects that inspire and make them run for council in the first place

I have had only one negative incident/comment related to my position in the Cove I find most people know councillors are doing their best and are happy they are not occupying a seat themselves Fear about being ostracized when walking around the Cove are not warranted in my opinion

Public consultation and transparency have come up quite a bit this election cycle. It is a tough issue and one I have struggled with We will have multi year tax increases close to 10% and only 2 people showed up at our last in person meeting during our budget process,

above 100 units There seems to be a major dis connect between the 0 8% rate of growth BC Ferries has been planning for versus the municipality’s reality

Bowen is a wonderful place, and we should welcome as many people as we can without harm ing the natural environ ment or quality of life that make it so special Unfortunately, there’s no solution in the works to address ferry capacity, and coming up with one will likely require quite a bit of time, money, and effort I hope the new council considers this carefully, and doesn’t let development get ahead of our infrastructure

For those who are inter ested, I have posted the raw data and my analysis at bowenferry com

Travis Beals

Re: Bowen Island Properties proposed temporary use permit to build temporary facility to fabricate housing components

Dear Bowen Island Municipality,

This proposal would allow the fabrication of housing components on site and would greatly reduce the num ber of big trucks needed to ship the components from the mainland

If fabricated OFF island it may require 10 or 15 large truckloads of fully fabricated components per house I don’t know the number of houses in the development, but that’s a lot of big trucks using the ferry and cross island roads if fabrication is off island

If fabricated on island, there would be only one truck of raw lumber needed and then small trucks to deliver the components directly on site

Rondy Dike

Houston, we have a problem We also have up to 15 dif ferent committees, more than any in Metro Vancouver municipality, so lack of committees, access to meet ings I don’t think is the main issue I wish the next council the best on this front but simple answers are unlikely at hand. If some in the public feel unheard, how can we improve that in a meaningful and manage able manner? I have ideas but will leave that with you

Finally, an elected position is a tremendous honour and responsibility Your fellow neighbours put a tick behind your name to represent their interests, many of your decisions will impact facets of our lives that will impact our happiness and the success of our families I wish all those on our council the best

Rob Wynen

us for a free tasting and enjoy our cider with delicious local food from Meadowbrook Market in our picnic area

12 to 6 pm Wednesday Sunday 1125 Grafton Road 778 200 0514 hello@bowenciderhouse ca

Halloween approaches... Make sure your ghosts, goblins and ghouls are ready for the big night!

SARAH HAXBY Halloween on Bowen & Kind Neighbours of Bowen (H.O.B.K.N.O.B.)

Halloween on Bowen Island is a favourite community cele bration for many and the com munity all working together is what makes it so magical! The residents of the Loop (Melmore Road, Lenora Road, Senator Road and Deep Bay/the Cove) are all gearing up for Halloween on October 31st 2022! It is hoped and rumored that the various neighbourhoods on Bowen Island will continue to boost the hosting of neighborhood Trick

o’treating opportunities Some in the Tunstall Bay neighborhood is already decorating!

Trick o’treating in the Loop (Lenora and Melmore) and the Cove will take place with some of the traditional gusto and popularity being revived Trick o’treating and decorations will be based on who is able to have their homes open, as well as matching people who want to help out/have a spot with those who need help/have spots to share in the Loop.

The community can help the Loop to all get ready for Halloween with donations of candy From Oct 15 29 com munity donations of cash, treats

and non food treats are gener ously collected and stored by the General Store, a supporter of all things to do with the local Halloween traditions for over twenty years! A special thanks to Nancy Lee for again helping with this As a note: cash donations go towards providing support to new and old Halloween initia tives as well as having non can dy options for non candy kids

Oct. 30 the community dona tions of candy in the Loop/Cove will be available for pick up 4 to 7 pm at 1130 Lenora Road by res idents of Lenora, Melmore, and Senator Roads, as well as anyone else who has a home that gets overwhelmed by the 300+ trick

Come walk with the Ancestors

CHRISTINA SOLARIS Contributor

You and yours are warmly invited to the 2nd Annual Island Lantern Walk

Requesting the permissions of the Ancestors of these Coast Salish Waters, we gather in celebration of Samhain and the Turning of the Wheel of the Year. This free community event is taking place Sunday, Oct 30 from 4:30 to 7 pm in Deep Bay

As the veils thin, we remember the reason for the Season Gather by the fire, call in the directions, and set out on a dark forest pilgrimage with only your lantern for light Wind your way to a deep magic val ley and plant your prayers and offerings

in honour of your Ancestors, and the Ancestors of this Island… and Listen for their answers.

With their blessings and answers snug in your heart, sing your way back to the fire, where warm vegetarian stew and autumn treats will be waiting for you

Bringing together Bowen Island’s many mystical and magical folk, the Annual Lantern Walk was founded during the pandemic when we were starved for con nection and belonging As the sun fades in Autumn, we reconnect with the inner fire of community and our Ancestors

All ages are welcome, especially chil dren, as we help them connect more deeply with the cycles of Life and the magic of simple ceremony. Musical instruments and all manner of Earth based magic welcome.

o’treaters The community candy donations supplements what people have to hand out in the Loop Please contactshaxby@hot mail com and put CANDY in the email subject if you can’t come to the pick up time, or if you have, or are looking for a Loop loca tion to help decorate or set up a Halloween station!

Halloween Reminders for all: please keep unessential traf fic out of the Loop (Lenora and Melmore and Senator) during the trick o’treating, 5pm 7:30pm

Parents/guardians, some kids hav en’t gone trick o’treating in awhile:

*Please carry lights/some vis ibility reflectors, and remind to kids about trick o’treating include:

Please RSVP ASAP so we can make sure we have stew for you and can wel come your Ancestors We’ll send you the address, along with resources for you and your family to deepen in the season and prepare for the walk

We honour and seek to be in reverent connection with the Ancestors of this Coast Salish Island: Deer, Whale, Eagle, Firefly and more and whose genera tions literally make up the ground beneath our feet

This is a free communi ty event Along with your presence, we are accept ing donations for the Raven Trust (www raven trust.org), an organization which raises legal defense

carrying a light, being visible, hav ing a parent-communication plan and back-up meeting spot

*Please remind kids to say “trick’otreat” and hold out their bags, and reminders about being polite to people handing out the candy by saying a thank you goes a long way to keep candy distributors spirits bright

*Also, people in the Loop always ask that trick o’treaters stay on paths, and that older kids let the younger kids go ahead of them and any other ways that we can all help each other out to keep this community tradition a safe and fun Halloween for all!

*See the calendar on Page 13 for the full Halloween Schedule

fees for Indigenous Land Defenders seeking to protect these Ancestral Lands

Visit www omegaverse earth/lanternwalk to learn more and take part.

Come celebrate with us and please RSVP asap!

Bowen Island Properties

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW MAYOR & COUNCIL A Memorable Election

It was an uplifting experience to witness the high level of quality, substance, and enthusiasm of the candidates and their impressive credentials—combined with a general high level of fairness and courtesy in how the election was con ducted and the candidates interacted with each other. We want to convey our respect and thanks for that. And also con vey our respect and thanks to the current mayor and council for having served in what can often be a thankless task

This election also reminded the writer and members of the Bowen Island Properties team about how much the island has changed since the team started work on the neighbourhoods of Cates Hill (land purchased in 1988, with comprehensive rezoning in 1999) and Cowan Point (land purchased in 1999, with comprehensive re zoning in 2003).

“It would be impossible to find another island as special—and uniquely qualified to remain that way as our home, Bowen Island.

Issues raised during the recent election as needing attention have underscored what a very special and compassionate place this island is and that “being special should never be taken for granted.”

Those issues include:

• Diverse housing forms (attractive alternatives exist);

• Affordable housing (viable alternatives exist);

• Transportation (innovative alternatives exist);

• Infrastructure (has been handled successfully since Roman times—not “rocket science,” just common sense);

• Local employment (many opportunities, but a major problem is the lack of suitable housing)

Obviously there is lots on the new Council’s plate It may be wise to address these issues as part of a broader, com prehensive, community wide discussion instead of tack ling one issue at a time—ideally in the context of an Official Community Plan review to facilitate that discussion (given

that our current Official Community Plan is 12 years old) How can these issues, which many other municipalities also face, be addressed so we arrive at Bowen specific solu tions? How can we maintain the special spirit, quality, and essence that makes Bowen so unique and deeply loved? We trust that every upcoming dis cussion about these issues will keep in mind the special care and passion that the essence of this island deserves

Timing matters The friendly (and perhaps enlightened) words spoken today are meaningless if the intended recipient is not around tomorrow. The current collective community recognition of these significant issues may well be the most helpful catalyst for comprehensive community engagement In the end, no matter how enlightened or wonderful any idea, plan, project, or special inspiration might be, it will get lost if not received and shared by interested and qualified recipi ents

Few issues on Bowen Island at this time in its history are as pressing as the issues of afford able and diverse local housing, alternative local transportation modes, and local employment and economy All those issues can be convincingly addressed while also addressing equally pressing environmental issues

As a matter of fact, they actually complement each other. We look forward to contributing to talks about these issues with much hope and anticipation

Wolfgang Duntz on behalf of the Bowen Island Properties team

“The question has arisen, “Wouldn’t a community discussion about these issues be best undertaken by an update of our Official Community Plan?”

“Few issues are more pressing right now than affordable and diverse local housing, alternative transportation modes, local employment and economy.

Ascent to the Mayor’s Chair

DETERMINED COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN BY ANDREW LEONARD SEES HIM CLAIM BOWEN ISLAND MAYORAL RACE IN FIRST EVER POLITICAL FORAY

ALEX KURIAL Editor

On August 9, Andrew Leonard made public his inten tions to run for office in the upcoming municipal elec tion. His social media post outlining his reasons includ ed imagery of Tom Cruise’s character from Jerry Maguire asking in the famous scene, ‘Who’s coming with me?’

Two months later he’d get his answer: 860 Bowen vot ers came along with Leonard’s vision, sending the political newcomer to victory in his bid for mayor of Bowen Island

“That was a really galvanizing post, in two ways It gal vanized the people that wanted change, and then it galva nized the people that didn’t want change,” said Leonard of his unofficial declaration “To have the status quo and feel like that’s going to continue was frustrating”

By default, the decision by incumbent councillor Maureen Nicholson to pursue the mayor role made the debate between staying the course and pursuing a fresh route a focal theme in the campaign. Nicholson naturally represented the former, while Leonard and fellow candi date John Turner took up the mantle of offering a fresh alternative to municipal business as usual

When the final numbers came in on election night, it was clear which approach had swayed island voters By Bowen standards, Leonard’s 132 vote margin of victo ry over Nicholson was a runaway, the past two mayoral elections having been decided by just two and 15 votes “I started to feel that it could happen once we realized that we were leading in the advance vote And then

once those general and mail in numbers came in it was becoming increasingly clear,” said Leonard of his feelings on election night, where he watched the results come in with friends and family at Tunstall Bay.

So what worked? Change was certainly in the air on Bowen, but that didn’t mean anyone new who stepped up would be elected Leonard spoke to a few campaign approaches he said were key to success

“I showed up consistently and kept things issues fo cused and was able to go out in the community with really diverse people and get into their minds and hearts and talk to them about what it was that they want ed for Bowen,” he says “And I think coming from that perspective of shining the light on what we want to grow and what it is that we can build, that just led to some resonance out there ”

In addition to taking part in scheduled events such as all candidate forums hosted by the Undercurrent and Belterra, and appearing on the Bowen Island Podcast with Don Shafer, Leonard also took his own approach to getting out in the community. These included an event at Tunstall Bay, an online gathering for new candidates, and being at as many community events as possible. You may have even seen him walking the morning ferry lineups with a backpack of coffee from the Snug Café to share with travellers

“This is part of having a summer camp background or an experiential education background is how can we make this interesting and how can we make it fun, and how can we not do the same things that they’re doing in the urban centres?” says Leonard “I think ultimately it led to some engagement ”

With the race won, there’s now plenty of work to be done There will be several major issues for Leonard and the new council to tackle over the next four years, whether they’re known (Cape Roger Curtis Park proposal, housing, water and septic issues, etc ), or unknown (take your pick) While those will come down the road, Leonard has a few priorities in mind off the bat, particularly in shaping how he sees the position itself

CONTINUED

Andrew Leonard, with his wife Chela, celebrated the mayoral race results from their watch party at the Tunstall Bay Clubhouse on Saturday night / Colin Bradley photo

Leonard plans to be a highly visible Mayor

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

“One, it’s going to be to foreground through our agen da and through the conversations that we want to have around the council table The second sitting in the mayor ’ s chair there has to be an objective humility, and an ability to steward process that feels neutral,” explains Leonard on how he’ll approach the role

“It’s creating solid, transparent, compassionate, open engagement processes right from the outset, and con tinuing the same energy that I had in my campaign of going out in the community and listening to those perspectives and hearing what’s coming in from staff, and being able to ensure that those are woven together around the council table.”

Speaking of council, Leonard says he’s excited to start working with his new colleagues around the table “I think there’s a great mix of some incumbent experience, particularly Coun (Sue Ellen) Fast’s ecological back ground and Coun (Alison) Morse’s experience she’s got a real sharp and detailed policy history that is light ning quick when it comes up around the table ”

“And then the new councillors I’ve sat and chatted with each of them one on one in addition to the more formal events, and they represent a real wide range of experience and some real thoughtful perspectives that I think we ’ re going to see around the council table,” says Leonard

Growing up in Ottawa, Leonard says he’s inspired by one of the pillars of mayoral history in Canada, Jim Watson. The four term mayor, and longest serving in the capital city’s history at more than 14 years, exemplified many of the qualities Leonard hopes to carry on

“He was known as the mayor who would go to any thing If there was a paper airplane competition with four people and he was invited, he would go, ” says Leonard of Watson, who is finally retiring from the posi tion following Ottawa’s municipal election later this year

“That set for me a model and a tone of visibility and

being of service to the community and showing up and just being out there Yes it’s about going to the events you ’ re getting invited to But just the simple fact of being visible and present, then you talk to people and you hear about what’s going on, and you can also inform the com munity about what’s going on, ” explains Leonard.

In order to best emulate Watson, Leonard says he’ll be treating the mayor position as a full-time role, and is downscaling his business practice to accommodate that, allowing him to give his undivided attention to the job, and to attend as many paper airplane competitions as possible

The one place Leonard may be taking a step back from is the comment section of the local Facebook group, following a combative tone that emerged among many of its users during the election Leonard says what he experienced in the group varied widely from his in per son encounters

“There’s a real difference in the energy that I felt out in the community talking to people and groups, at one-onone over coffee or at all candidates events: there’s a very open and energetic and generative feel in those conversations in the real world that just wasn’t there on social media in Bowen Island Everything Else, where the energy is of closure and of taking-down and argumentative,” he says

“Some of the folks that had those sharper opinions, I would just say ‘let’s go out for coffee ’ And I would have coffee with those people and they were utterly reason able and really open and warm and we got to a much better place There’s something built into the structure of how Facebook and social media works that just doesn’t foster that,” adds Leonard

For his part, Leonard notes he’ll also be dialing down some of the rhetoric that emerged during the campaign; an early reference to forks and eyeballs sparked partic ular discussion as the race progressed. Leonard says the comment was (mostly) hyperbolic in nature, and assures

people he plans to keep the cutlery in the drawer during future council meetings

Leonard also gave nods to his competitors, and says he hopes to stay involved with both Nicholson and Turner moving forward “I think this does highlight one of the tricky things about how municipal elections are set up Having not been successful in her bid, Maureen Nicholson is no longer around the council table,” com ments Leonard on the electoral process

“I know many in the community are feeling that loss and they’re worried about that loss, as am I. I have a tremen dous amount of gratitude for her service and engagement and I hope that we will be able to keep her involved.”

On Turner, “He’s just a real humble and friendly and down to Earth guy that advanced a couple of things for me in my mind So I hope that he’ll stay involved too”

Leonard has had meetings this week regarding the transition process in anticipation of the new council’s first meeting on Nov 7 The group will hit the ground running, both with new material and taking over ongoing projects from the current council after their final meeting on Oct 24

Until then, Leonard has a few more days to take stock of his somewhat improbable leap from political unknown to mayor of the island in just about 60 days It’s a job he says would not have been possible without support from his wife Chela, and two sons, who he had many discussions with prior to declaring for the role.

Leonard also credits his campaign team, notably Bobbi, Tara, Lu, and Aaron, as well as platforms he says helped drive engagement and disseminate information, such as media outlets such as the Undercurrent or individual efforts like the Bowen Island Podcast

And, of course the community at large, or, as Leonard says, “The friends we ’ ve made along the way ”

In Jerry Maguire, only Renée Zellweger (and Flipper the Goldfish) answered Tom Cruise’s call Leonard’s ask was answered by a substantial part of the Bowen population; it’s now time to see how he will translate this into action and success for Bowen going forward.

October 24 isWorld Polio Day: One Day, One Focus, Ending Polio

LYNN KRUKOWSKI Rotary Club of Bowen Island

This is a day where Rotary International Clubs all over the globe sponsor walks, activities, fundraisers and reflections on how to help eradicate Polio forever. This year, Bowen Island Rotary will join the global Polio Plus and End Polio Now campaigns by placing Rotary Piggy Banks in several key Bowen estab lishments so that you may help fill them with donations These donations go to support vaccinating every child in our world and to help with all the other global efforts Rotary sponsors to provide polio protection in every country of the world

Polio or poliomyelitis is a viral disease that is highly infectious and affects the central nervous system, the brain and the spinal cord causing partial or full paraly sis. It can be potentially deadly and seems to most commonly affect children under the age of five Polio can be spread by person to person contact, by human con tact with infected water droplets, or by a fecal oral route from sewage contaminat ed water or food

The transmission can be from wild or a naturally occurring virus in the environ ment or from introduced vaccine derived strains It appears that the use of soap and water helps deter the transfer of the con taminated water droplets, and interesting ly enough, alcohol based hand sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs such as the polio virus The Polio Plus campaign, launched by Rotary International in 1985, supplies sanitation kits which include good hygiene products

There is no cure for polio; it can only

Bless this Pet

REV LORRAINE ASHDOWN

‘Every year in October, churches far and wide honour the life and Spirit of St Francis of Assisi who is the patron Saint of Animals and of Ecology It has been a long standing tradition at Bowen Island United Church to hold a Pet Blessing ser vice and this year is no different

be prevented through vaccinations A new vaccine has just been deployed that is more genetically stable and can help stop outbreaks of circulating vaccine derived poliovirus Every newborn child, in every country, as well as all children under the age of one or who may have missed the yearly campaigns, must be vaccinated this year and receive two more shots by the age of two, and one more by the age of five It is recommended that any adults working in risky areas of the world with known outbreaks, or may be unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated or are in health care and/or doing research where they can be exposed to the live virus, should get a booster vaccine to further increase their protection as they are all susceptible to getting polio if exposed to the virus

There are two countries that are polio endemic and have never managed to interrupt the transmission of the wild polio virus: Afghanistan and Pakistan As of September 28, 2022 the number of wild polio cases stands at: two in Afghanistan, 19 in Pakistan and a resurgence of six in Mozambique for a total of 27 cases

Compare that to 2021, when there were only six global cases of wild polio: one in Pakistan, four in Afghanistan and one in Malawi. It is imperative that we maintain our waste water sewage testing and sur veillance systems worldwide to quickly identify any outbreaks so that immediate action can be taken to increase the vac cination program in the area(s) involved

For certification of being ‘polio free’ all countries in the WHO region must have no case of wild polio for three consecu tive years Until polio is completely eradi cated, all countries remain at risk of imported wild polio virus (WPV)

On Sunday, Oct 23 at 10:30 am, please bring your beloved pets for a blessing and a biscuit If you have large animals, such as goats or a pony or horses, we can bless them outside but most of the service will take place inside

Dogs on leashes; cats if they dare rab bits, birds , reptiles…they are all welcome. This is our chance to thank our animals for their presence in our lives and for all of the gifts they give to us And, I shall bless them with prayers for good health and days filled with running, sleeping, swimming, eating, drinking , playing and loving

On July 21, 2022 in Rockland County in the State of New York, one case of paralyt ic polio was reported in an unvaccinated young adult The State of New York imme diately began wastewater surveillance testing and discovered three other coun ty’s (Orange, Sullivan and Nassau) as well as New York City showing evidence of poliovirus in their wastewater, with 62 of them genetically linked to the Rockland case The State has issued a major health alert, an online education site and has intensified its immunization programs

The World Health Organization published a report on September 14, 2022 on wastewater surveillance, entitled ‘Detection of circulating vaccine derived polio virus 2 (cVDPV2) in environmental samples the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America’ The virus detected in the envi ronmental samples in New York State is genetically linked to viruses detected in the sewage samples from London and also to samples collected in the Jerusalem District, Israel. These samples are a serious remind er that as long as polio exists anywhere, it is a threat everywhere

Rotary International is a ‘service above self’ global organization that took up the cause of eradicating Polio in 1979 Rotary, with a membership of over 1 4 million, was one of the founding members of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988 The other members are: The World Health Organization (WHO), The Center for Disease Control (CDC), UNICEF, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance It is estimated that Rotary, with the GPEI, vaccinates over 400 million children annually Rotary and its club

If you have a beloved pet who is no longer with us, please feel free to bring a photo of your pet and I will place it on the alter and offer a blessing to any dear creature who have passed

As always, all are welcome Join us for this annual joy fest. We are at 1022 Miller Road. Human snacks and animal treats will be provided We hope to see you and your four legged or winged friends on Sunday “God requires that we assist the animals when they need our help Each being, human or creature, has the same right of protection ” St Francis of Assisi

members have contributed $2 6 billion USD and countless volunteer hours to the cause of eradicating Polio ($150 million yearly) Every donation helps in obtaining vaccines, materials, training, transpor tation, surveillance testing equipment for fighting against the spread of polio Please help us with your contributions to help End Polio Now Look for our local Rotary Polio Pigs to empty your pockets and change purses If you wish to donate online and get a receipt try: https:// my.rotary.org/en/take action/end polio or https://my.rotary.org/en/donate or at https://www endpolio org/donate Please reference Bowen Island Rotary ID 83903

Over a million Rotarians have volunteered their time and contributed their resources to end polio Please join us and help us continue our good work Check our website: bowenrotary.com to learn more about our other endeavors here on Bowen.

Bowen Island United Church

Riding Round the Ring

KRISTINA CALLI, KIRSTY JOHNSTONE, TRISH SEABERLY, & ELLEN WHITE BIHORA Board

On behalf of the Bowen Island Horse Owners and Riders Association (BIHORA), we are thrilled to share the news that we are finally starting the work on updating our riding ring in Crippen Regional Park!

Over the past two years we have managed to raise $30,000 for the

project, with a great deal of help from the Bowen Island Community Foundation Community Impact Grant for $15,000 facilitated by the Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Foundation, and Horse Council BC Core Grant for $5,000

For the rest of the funds, we owe a huge thanks to the greater Bowen Island community who purchased manure for their gardens, Purdy’s Chocolates, and returned your cans and bottles to the Bowen Island Recycling Depot! We are also grate

ful to Metro Vancouver Regional Parks for being great partners on this project, and allowing us to continue free leasing the ring space

We are now able to renovate approximately half of the riding ring from unsafe, uneven decomposed woodchips to safe, all weather sand on top of a compacted gravel base. The machine work began this Tuesday, Oct. 18 and runs through Oct. 22, by J&E Backhoe. Please be safe and keep out of the ring, and use caution if you are in the area as there will be large trucks coming and going via the Mount Gardner Road entrance

We will continue to fundraise to be able to renovate the rest of the ring

Diving In:The Art of Cleaning Lakes and Ocean

MATHILDE ROHR Cultrual Connector / The Hearth Gallery

From Oct 19 to Nov 5, the Hearth is hosting an environmental art campaign featuring local artists Liz Nankin, Sarah Haxby, and Keith Shapland, that aims to raise aware ness of the waste in our lakes and oceans by transforming collected trash into beautiful art

In partnership with the Sea to Sky Arts Council Alliance, West Vancouver Arts Council, North Van Arts, Divers for Cleaner Lakes and Oceans, and Return It, 12 artists

were given objects and debris col lected in our surrounding waters From these found everyday objects, abstract, surreal, and representa tional artworks were created.

This Lower Mainland’s first ever traveling environmental art exhibi tion is a wonderful way to address the waste issues and the possible solutions to protect oceans and waterways Indeed, over ten million tonnes of waste get dumped into our oceans annually That is the equiv alent of more than a garbage truck load every minute

“The majority of plastics and debris that end up in our waterways come from land While most people

do not throw garbage into oceans and lakes directly, too much of it finds its way there eventually,” says Cori Creed, one of the artists.

While the best waste is the one that doesn’t exist, “ we need to make better choices when we buy packaged products and follow local guidelines to ensure the garbage is disposed of or recycled appropriate ly,” says Creed

On Saturday, Oct 22, bring your gloves, put on your work clothes and become an art activist as well! From 10 am to 2 pm, Liz Nankin, Sarah Haxby, and Keith Shapland will lead a community workshop outside of the gallery.

but, in the meantime, we are extremely excited to soon have a safe, usable riding space again!

As a “Grand Re Opening” , we are planning a Halloween event in the ring as long as we aren’t totally rained out We are inviting the community to join us for the festivities for all ages! Check out the “Events” sec tion of next week’s Undercurrent as well as our Facebook group (BIHORA) for more details

Everybody is invited to embellish debris from Bowen shores by turning them into sculptures The artists will guide you in the creation of two large creatures that will be showcased for the time of the exhibition, as well as in the making of smaller artworks to take home All ages are welcome to participate and all supplies will be provided, but you are also welcome to bring your own found debris or objects if you ’ ve collected some Diving In is at the Hearth until Nov. 5. Join the art ists Oct. 22, from 10 am to 2 pm for the Community Workshop, and 6 to 8 pm for Artist pARTy with DJ Yeshe

Sweet Ollie was

lifetime Bowen pup Ollie

but he especially loved the ocean and spending his days swimming at the beach. Ollie will be sorely missed by his family and little doggy sister Agatha. He leaves a big hole in their hearts Rest easy sweet Ollie

See Being Specimen #310 by Liz Nankin.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Thursday, October 20

Yoga Fundamentals @ Sweat The Technique Studio

Join Andrea Clark, owner of Nectar Yoga, for an in depth evening of Pranayama (conscious breath), Dhyana (med itation), Asana (yogic movement), Savasana (guid ed relaxation), and Sharing. 7:30 pm. Pre register at sweatthetechniquestudio.com

Monday, October 24

Rotary Speaker Series

Dr Phil Gregory on regenerative agriculture All are welcome to join us at Artisan Eats at 7:30 pm

October 24 28

Media Literacy Week, presented by Media Smarts and Bowen Island Library

Go to bipl.link/MLW for links to resources and videos on devel oping digital media literacy, learning about fake news and misin

formation, and more Attend our Internet Security Talk on Oct 29, 12:30 pm at the Library

Wednesday, October 26

Drop in to see a Career Advisor at the Bowen Island Library

Come get one on one help with resumes, cover letters, interview ing, job searches, insights on the job market, career and education advice,andmorefromaWorkBCCareerAdvisor,from2to5pm.

Wednesday,October26

BowenIslandFibreArtsGuildmonthlymeeting

10:30amatCollinsHall,allarewelcome

Thursday, October 27

Community Workshop

Community School Association will also be offering a special workshop for our community featuring Jesse Miller, from Mediated Realitywhowillpresentatalkaboutsocialmedialiteracyanddigital trends from 5:30 7:00 pm at BICS More details about registration (freeevent)andchildcarewillcomesoon FindoutmoreonPage10 of this week’s paper

Saturday, October 29

Monsoon Madness Mudder at Island Pacific School

GetmuddyattheIPSannualfundraiserevent.

Saturday,October29

Tech Tutor Talk on Basic Internet Security, at the Bowen Island Library.

12:30 to 1:30 pm We will discuss basic internet security and how to safely navigate internet services Talk will be followed by a Q&A session This talk is part of Media Literacy Week Oct 24 28 go to bipl link/MLW for more info

Saturday, October 29

Teen Advisory Group Meeting Bowen Library Annex

Joining TAG gives you a voice in what happens at the Library! Drop in from 2 to 3:30 pm to make suggestions, earn volunteer hours and enjoy some Halloween treats! Visit bipl link/TAG for more info

WEEKEND UPDATE

Nectar Yoga on the Pier

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

SATURDAYS

Men’s Mobility Circuit Class @ Sweat The Technique Studio 9 am

Mobility Skills Class (All Levels) @ Sweat The Technique Studio 10:15 AM

Training mobility is a dynamic combination of strength ening and kinetic stretching. Work at any level to rebalance alignment, unlock tight joints and prevent pain/injury. Preregister for both weekly at sweatthetechniquestudio.com

MONDAYS

Breath & Workspace @ Sweat The Technique Studio

Join this beginner movement class created to rebalance and prep the body for more active mobility. 7 pm

Pre-register weekly at sweatthetechniquestudio.com

TUESDAYS

Yoga at Collins Hall

Tuesdays from 1 to 2 pm All levels of experience welcome Chair to Standing. $15 drop in. Email jackie.minns@gmail.com or call 604 220 9092

Tuesday, October 18

Wednesday, October 19

Open Format Painting Class

9:30 to 11:30 am Join Marie Neys (at the studio) and 5 other students Register online at marieneys.com or contact Marie@marieneys.com

THURSDAYS

Thursday, October 13

Paint a Bowen Sunset 9:30 to 11:30 am Register online at marieneys.com or contact Marie@marieneys.com

Thursday Art Group

Each week at Collins Hall, 9:30 to 11:30 am.

Halloween Schedule:

Oct 30 4 7pm Loop candy distribution

Oct 31 Halloween Night:

5pm 7:30pm Trick o ’ Treating on Bowen Island at vari ous neighborhoods as well as in “The Loop”

5 6pm the first hour is generally for the youngest kids, (not all homes will be ready at 5pm ) 6 7:15pm is the main trick o’treating.

7:15 7:30pm houses begin to shut down, especially if there is a fireworks/or other community festivity at the Causeway stay tuned for an announcement from the Volunteer Fire Department

Trick or... a weed pull? Bat-friendly landscaping can help bats at Halloween

DANIELLE DAGENAIS Regional Bat Coordinator / Community Bat Programs of BC

As Halloween approaches, images of scary bats become commonplace. This is the perfect time of year to counter bat myths and do something to help bats, by taking part in International Bat Week (October 24 31)

Bat Week is all about appreciating these amazing animals and their benefits, including eating insects, pollinating flow ers, and spreading seeds and nutrients

This Bat Week, consider bat friendly gardening to help bats! Planting native trees, shrubs, or flowers in your yard, as well as light coloured and night bloom ing flowers, will support the insects that our BC bats like to eat

Controlling invasive plant species also helps insects and bats thrive, so consider a weed pull in your yard, lan eway, or local park or wetland You can find more information on bat friendly gardening through the Community Bat Program’s Bat friendly Communities Guide at www bcbats ca

Check out the South Coast Bat Conservation’s Facebook page to read more about BatWeek and for a listing of local events, https://www facebook com/ SouthCoastBAT/

Why Bat Week? “Bats in BC help control agricultural and forest pests, as well as mos quitoes in our yards but now bats need

our help” says Danielle Dagenais, Regional Coordinator for the Metro Vancouver Squamish Community Bat Project

“Providing safe and healthy habitat for bats has always been important, since over half the species in this province are considered at risk With the continu ing spread of White nose Syndrome in Washington State, bat conservation is more important than ever as we expect to see impacts in BC in the near future ”

Bat Week also marks the time of year when bats disappear from our neighbour hoods, until the return of warmer weather in spring. As insect eaters, our BC bats must leave their summer roost sites and migrate or hibernate to survive the winter This absence means that this is the time of year to do home renovations that you have delayed due to bat presence You can clean out and repair a bat box, or do bat friendly exclusion work, without dis turbing or injuring bats

If you do see a bat in winter, please report it to vancouver@bcbats ca

Monitoring for white nose syndrome in BC will continue this winter, with Community Bat Programs requesting reports of dead bats or sightings of winter bat activity.

In partnership with the BC Ministry of Environment, and funded by the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Forest Enhancement Society of BC, Habitat Stewardship Program, the BC Community Bat Program provides information and promotes local stewardship and citi

zen science. Find out more about the BC Community Bat Program, BatWeek activi ties, and options for helping local bat pop ulations, at www bcbats ca, or 1 855 922 2287 ext 11

ISLAND

OOL IS HIRING!

(Left) Long-eared Myotis in Burdock

Removing invasive plants such as burdock allows native plants to thrive and reduces hazards for bats / M Anion photo (Right) Bat box time for maintenance: Fall is the perfect time to check that your bat box is well-attached, water-tight, clean, and ready to offer a safe roosting site for bats in spring / Habitat Acquisition Trust photo

Hello Sailing Community

We’re wrapping up our 2022 year with the BIYC Annual General Meeting, which will be held at Doc Morgan’s Downstairs.

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Social/Food @ 6pm with Meeting start @ 7pm

Please RSVP to membershipbiyc@gmail.com to attend in person or for Zoom link. Come hear about our exciting year building a community of sailors and share the journey moving forward! With kind regards, Simon Fowler, Commodore