Bowen Island Undercurrent October 27 2022

Prestigious environment award for local resident

ALEX KURIAL Editor

One of Bowen Island’s most recognizable faces on the local nature scene has been recog nized with a prestigious award for his decades of community work.

Will Husby was presented with one of the Islands Trust’s 2022 Community Stewardship Awards during Monday night’s council meeting for his Thirty Years of Environmental Stewardship Husby was nominated by the Bowen Island Conservancy, and received his award from Islands Trust Trustee Michael Kaile

“I frankly can’t think of anybody who deserves it more than yourself. I think that is echoed by everyone in the room… Thank you for being such a great friend to the island,” began Kaile.

There is little that happens on Bowen in the envi ronmental sphere that Husby has not played a part in This of course includes the Conservancy, the Nature Club, Eco Alliance, and Climate Action Committee, to name a few

Husby was also a co author of the Conservancy’s ‘Marine Atlas’ book, as well as providing photos and design work to the publication

Liz Nankin

Sarah Haxby

Request

BowenIslandMunicipalityandBowenIslandPublicLibraryare

joiningtheBowenIslandPublicLibraryBoard.Weareseeking applicationsfrommembersofthepublicwithdiverseskills andinterestswhoarecommittedtotheidealsofopenand equitableaccesstoinformationthroughpubliclibraryservice

KeydutiesoftheLibraryBoardare:

Settingthestrategicdirectionandgoalsofthelibrary

Determiningpolicyandrulesformanagingtheprovision

ISLAND

Bowen Cider House receives lounge approval - with conditions

ALEX KURIAL Editor

If there was any thought the final council meeting of the 2018 22 mem bers may be an uneventful wrap up, it was quickly put to rest when 30 people filled chambers for Monday night’s stand ing room only

The hot topic was Bowen Cider House and its plans for expanded operation through a proposed indoor and outdoor lounge The cidery, which opened its doors in June, has so far been operating a small tasting room with the option for people to purchase cider by the bottle and take it to picnic tables outside

Now, the Cider House is seeking liquor licencing for a 125 square metre indoor lounge and 117 square metre outdoor patio Capacity limits would be 167 peo ple inside and 98 outside, for a potential maximum total of 265

Unlike the cidery decision which stirred up debate on Bowen last year, this discussion wasn’t about whether the cidery could be allowed to operate pro vincial zoning of the land as ‘Agricultural Land Reserve’ permits running such a

business and the option for a lounge Rather, it centred around the conditions of lounge operation, as well as the con sultation process.

Views toward the changes varied wild ly between neighbours located within or outside 300 metres of the Cider House Inside that radius, feedback consisted of 21 respondents raising concerns, com pared to just three in support Among residents from the rest of the island, the Cider House produced 125 letters of sup port, with just four against

Eight of those residents spoke to coun cil during the public comment segment of the Oct 24 meeting, outlining their var ious hesitations over the cidery’s plans

“Residents of this mid island location chose their location because of its bucolic nature… while we appreciate there may be support for the application from other residents of the island, respectfully, they are not primary stakeholders,” said one speaker

“It is unreasonable to allow any busi ness to operate in such a way that it inter feres with the neighbourhood’s use and enjoyment of their land, regardless of how attractive it may be to others,” she continued

Council chambers were packed Monday night with people speaking to and interested in the Bowen Cider House lounge application. / Alex Kurial photo

“We should not be the victims of this significant expanded economic development We need more terms and conditions,” said one neighbour, while another called it a “radical proposal Does anyone here think they could jus tify this project to their neighbours in their neighbourhood? If not, then why support it?”

Other comments expressed dismay at the consultation process “Placing the onus

on local residents to launch repeated com plaints is a shifting of the responsibility of ensuring no harm on the part of applicants and the municipality… instead it becomes an onerous burden worn by irritated and beleaguered residents to lobby for effec tive remedial action by the municipality. This is an unacceptable and upside-down approach,” said one speaker, directing her comments at the municipality.

Reach

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Witchy Business Sweat

about the origins of Halloween the cultural history of this now highly consumptive North American Holiday? It’s more than just candy and trick or treat ing It’s about a time of deep connection to the underworld the time of year where the veil thins between our physical world and the spirit world, the world of our ancestors, both human and non human

The origins of Halloween come from the Celtic Festival named Samhain, which pre dates Christianity and began in Ireland over 200o years ago In Celtic Ireland, Samhain was the division point of the year between the lighter half (summer) and the darker half (winter) At Samhain (pronounced Sah win) the veil between this world and the other world is at its thinnest, which is believed to be a time which allowed spirits to pass through People’s ancestors are honoured and invit ed to come home, while more nefarious spirits were warded off The history of dressing up for Halloween actually came about during this time because people would wear masks and dress up as goblins and ghouls to ward off and trick the evil spirits Bonfires and gathering together for food is part of this sacred festival as well Food is ceremonially prepared for both the ancestors and the living, and was ritually shared with those who were less well off Samhain is a time of com munity and coming together to remember the dead and to celebrate their ongoing presence in the lives of these villagers

Last year, during the pandemic when many were starved for connection, a small group of us decided to host a lantern walk with the hopes of re igniting some of these ancient and ancestral traditions on island To our surprise it was a huge success with more than 30 peo ple in attendance. This year we are even more charged up and excited to offer a much more refined and abundant version of this event.

I would also like to acknowledge that we occupy the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish Peoples Skwxwú7mesh. We see you, respect your right to sovereignty and self determina tion, and are committed to being better listen ers, learners, and in lifting indigenous voices. The Skwxwú7mesh name for Bowen Island is Nexwlélexm.

We hope to see you there,

The Bowen Island Witches

and independent practitioners

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It has been amazing first month

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Often I am asked what is mobility and specialized movement Simply, it is the acquisition of specific areas in our bodies that lack neurological inputs

When I look at how someone moves, I notice how bones act and how mus cles react and where there is potential for improvement Mobility training teach es the body how to open our ranges of motion and maximize strength/stability in those areas

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As a result compensatory patterns are broken allowing new strategies for movement In both classes and 1:1 ses sions we feel new parts of out body begin to awaken and adapt

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Email sweatthetechniquestudio@gmail com to get on the mailing list or to book in for a free 15 minute consultation

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VIEWPOINTS

Fostering harmony and cohesiveness

Dear Editor,

While it is widely agreed that the com plex issues of our community cannot be fully resolved without working together, means must be found to create a process that fosters that greater cohesiveness and harmony

The fundamental way to bring about that process is to bolster and improve the ways in which our democratic participa tion functions

In that regard, I am heartened to see the initiative taken by Judi Gedye, one of our elected councillors and Island Trustees, to host monthly discussions at Collins Hall, and the desire of Andrew Leonard, our new mayor, to enhance the communication process between our community and the municipal council during council meetings

I encourage all members of our munic ipal council and their support staff to evolve our democratic process in a posi tive, transparent and constructive manner that will shed light on the issues we need to resolve for the benefit of our entire

community

I know I speak for all of us on Bowen in wishing our new council the very best in all of their endeavours, so we can contin ue our efforts to be a model for the rest of Canada, as stated in our original Official Community Plan

In the great democratic spirit of our Official Community Plan and the amazing island community that created it, I leave your readers and our municipal council with the words of Margaret Mead as we set sail on our new journey: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, commit ted citizens can change the world”

As it has been evident through the cre ation of our progressive, ground breaking community plan within the Islands Trust, the founding of our equally progressive and ground breaking community school, the first community school in British Columbia, and in many other ways, the proof of Mead’s words is right here on Bowen Island

John Sbragia

Neighbourhood group remains unconvinced

up and down our community roads

We feel compelled to respond to the information previously submitted by Rondy Dike (October 20 Undercurrent)

It seems the writer has been made aware of biased, speculative, and unsubstantiated details We question the validity of his facts

He fails to take into consideration that raw materials would have to be shipped to the island for fabrication How does he know how many trucks would be required for this shipping? To suggest that one truck of materials would produce the same volume as what “10 or 15 large truckloads of fully fabricated compo nents per house” would require, is simply incomprehensible

He also fails to recognize the traffic increase of having raw materials delivered and then finished components transported

Lost in the equation is that such pro posed production would not be limit ed to a specific development but would include others on the island and cause substantially larger traffic volume and associated concerns (public safety, road congestion, noise etc )

If such a facility is to be considered, the location is critical As per the Official Community Plan, it must have mini mal impact on residential communities Those who support such a plan without this key consideration, will likely not be directly effected

We remain firm, consistent, and unit ed we adamantly oppose and reject any idea that light manufacturing be allowed or have effect on our residential area or any others on the island

Obituary

George Alexander Jones

It is with profound sadness that the family of George Alexander Jones (Alex) announces his passing on July 20, 2022 at the age of 98 years. Alex was a lifelong Vancouverite, born on December 22, 1923 to Annie and Philip Jones at his grandmother’s house on 7th at Main Street When Alex was a boy his father built a cabin cruiser, the Dorothy Ann, and the family spent many happy times on Bowen During his teens Alex worked as a “soda jerk” at the Bowen hotel.

Alex grew up in Vancouver and went on to graduate from UBC a BA (Arts and Sciences) 1948 and a Bachelor of Social Work in 1955 He played soccer for UBC and encouraged his children to learn the game

For much of his career he served as New Westminster’s Administrator of Social Assistance. Alex was responsible for bringing many innovative programs to the Royal City, including “Meals on Wheels” . When a group of volunteers approached him about organizing drivers to take people to see their doctor, he supported this “taxi” service and became the first President of the registered society that would eventually become HandyDart.

At home Alex referred to himself as “Mr. Perfect” and eventually his children formalized this status with a mug to prove it. Among his many accomplishments was building He started by constructing a squatter’s cabin on Mt Seymour with his friends so that they had a base location for skiing Since Alex had a real connection with Bowen his next construction project was a log cabin on David Road. Built completely by hand and without power of any other kind, the result is a rustic but truly remarkable and totally “off the grid” getaway. To this day, the cabin continues to provide the family with a peaceful respite from the stress of life in the city. This “easy going” man would be aware of the need for a place to escape to and be in nature

Alex is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years Elizabeth Mary; their three daughters Betsy, Kristen and Andrea, and grandchildren Wilfred and Alexis No service by request If you wish, please make a donation to The Alzheimer’s Society in Alex’s memory.

Dear Bowen Island Municipality Mayor & Council,

‘Team PON’ Protect Our Neighbourhoods

Lisa Brougham captured this Porpoise swimming under the sunset off the west coast of Bowen Island recently

Husby has been integral to nature projects on Bowen for 30 years

Kaile continued that Husby is the only person he and his wife can send a picture of a bug they find, and are guaranteed an answer to what it is “he gave us a won derful rendition of exactly what it was, and half of it in words we could under stand,” joked Kaile

“I’m very proud to present this certificate to you, it’s richly deserved,” the trustee concluded

the beginning of the meeting, former mayor and ‘Marine Atlas’ co author Bob Turner spoke to Husby’s contributions to Bowen Island

“We are so delighted that the Islands Trust has honoured Will with that award For someone as accomplished as Will, he rarely beats his own drum, he’s a pretty humble guy, ” said Turner

“He’s always willing to volunteer, offer good ideas, do the hard work, have fun doing it, hit the deadline, and yet never seems to need to ask for any credit He’s a

remarkable guy that way, he’s just happy to get the job done ”

Turner specifically pointed out Husby’s well known nature walks, which he says have inspired thousands of participants from young to old over the years “This is really where Will shines He really loves sharing his knowledge, and his very unique Will Husby an metaphors and enthusiasm like how the hind legs of a caterpillar are akin to Velcro running shoes, or how the predacious diving bee tle beat Jacques Cousteau to the scuba tank by several million years ”

“Will has so many skills to offer as a professional, heritage and nature inter preter, Will brings to any group the insights and skills of a biologist, an edu cator, nature photographer, illustrator, graphic designer, all wrapped up in his patented enthusiastic and positive view of life… We’re really, really lucky as a com munity to have Will,” says Turner.

Strutting their stuff

Haig Farris has been busy behind the lens lately, snagging pics of feathered friends from South Bowen to the Atnarko River. Below is a group of young Mergansers from said river, along with a juvenile Eagle which has caught its fishy dinner. And on the far right, Farris says this bird is all puffed up in advance of the ‘South Bowen prom ’ . It remains to be seen if his plummage aided his courtship efforts. / Haig Farris photos

Will Husby accepts his Community Stewardship Award from Islands Trust Trustee Michael Kaile during Monday’s council meeting. / Alex Kurial photo

Voluntary changes bring lounge application over finish line

the cidery

out

and

10 days advance notice before a decision date, in this case the Oct 24 meeting Cheong says mail outs were sent to the cidery’s neighbours on Oct 7

The in person speakers supporting the lounge application mostly consisted of members of the Cider House, includ ing cidermaker and operator Alastair Johnstone. “We don’t want to run a pub… we want to run a quiet establishment,” he said, adding there were no plans for “loud amplified music or concerts.”

Johnstone says the cidery’s application took extra steps to consult with neighbours, including sending notice to properties within 300 metres instead of the required 100 metres, and holding an info session on Sunday, which he says nobody attended.

Support also came from owners of a nearby property which hosted weddings over the summer They said many of the fears about noise from the cidery result ed from a particularly raucous wedding where amplified music carried through out the region

“The DJ had a crush on the emcee, so he brought this Coachella like ampli fication system (to impress his crush)” explained one of the owners They said their actions shouldn’t be held against

Other concerns raised included parking capacity, as well as increased traffic along winding roads in the area

Like the public, council deliberations were split “I was very much struck by the difference between the feedback from those within the 300 metres and those without,” said Coun Maureen Nicholson

“And I think that tells a story, and it would be unwise for council not to see the difference between the perceived impact on local folks, and people who are not going to be directly affected ”

“I do think this is a really significant change This is outside the Village,” said Coun Sue Ellen Fast

But voluntary changes to operating hours by the applicants went a long way in the application’s favour, particularly surrounding operating hours

“Darkness and quiet night are critical And that starts at 9 o ’clock, not 10 o ’clock (in summer) I was pleased about the proposed changes,” said Coun David Hocking, following the adjustment of closing hours to 9 pm at the latest, on Friday and Saturday

Regarding the 265 person capacity limit, Coun Michael Kaile said the real ity of 27 parking spaces will likely solve this issue “The actual operation of this probably to the benefit of everybody in the neighbourhood is actually going to be limited by the amount of car parking space available It’s going to be self reg

ulating It’s going to be very seldom that you ’ re going to get that amount of people in that facility,” said Kaile

The final list of conditions includes: operating hours of 11 am to 7 pm Sunday to Thursday, and 10 am to 9 pm Friday and Saturday; all patrons must park with in the grounds/no off site parking; no amplified outdoor noise; and the oppor tunity to apply for a maximum of 10 spe cial events permits in a year, to allow for events like weddings to run outside of the regular business hours

A Good Neighbour Agreement, similar

to the ones established with the Legion or Bowen Lodge, will also be negotiated in the future

Mayor Gary Ander said this extra agree ment will allow the community to “have the conversations that a lot of people say were lacking And that they have direct input, within reason, from both sides about they require and would like to have especially the community around ”

With the added conditions council voted 5 2, with Fast and Nicholson in opposition, to endorse the Cider House’s lounge areas to the LCRB

The (unfinished) indoor and outdoor spaces which will make up the Bowen Cider House’s new lounge areas. / BIM photos

Bowen Vet is ready to see patients once again

ALEX KURIAL Editor

The much anticipated reopening of the Bowen Vet has finally taken place, with the space undergoing a major overhaul both aesthetically and technically Dr Midge Ritchie, veterinarian and co owner of Bowen Veterinary Services, oversaw the changes which took place over nine weeks starting in August The vet was closed during this time save for some home visits but for Ritchie the updates were long overdue

“As soon as I started working here I realized there was so much space that was underutilized. If we ever wanted to have multiple doctors and grow with the island I knew we had to have it renovated. So I’ve been dreaming and thinking about this since 2019,” says Ritchie, who took over and reopened the clinic in May that year

“I wanted to utilize it more where we could have multi ple vets We can have vets doing appointments, and vets doing procedures We can just have more animals in at a time, and not send people into town or turn people away or wait longer than they should,” explains Ritchie

The new space features separate rooms for X rays, sur gical operations, and dental work, services which were previously combined in the same space and limited how many patients could be seen

There’s also new lab machines available, allowing for more tests to be run. While the vet could previously do blood work in house, they’ve now expanded into fecal and cytology tests.

While all the technical advancements are wonderful for service, Ritchie said she didn’t want the new space to have a sterile, hospital feel To counter that narrative about a trip to the vet, she adopted the ‘fear free’ movement to inspire the clinic’s design

“The fear free movement is based on the anxiety induc ing events that are caused by pets coming to the vet And not just pets, but owners too we want to show them that it doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad visit,” says Ritchie

In the vet’s case, the colouring, textures, lighting, and more have all been specially picked to focus on choices which reduce stress and anxiousness, among both four and two legged visitors. The walls feature caricatures of employee’s pets, and there’s even specialized rooms for cats and dogs designed to their needs, such as a big win dowsill in the cat room for felines to explore

“I can do an exam on the windowsill while they’re look ing out the window or they like softer spaces, so we have baskets and mats that they’re more comfortable with And we give them catnip and we give them treats and any thing that will make it a pleasurable experience,” explains Ritchie

“And then once the owner sees, oh my cat’s not that stressed, then they relax a little bit”

Other touches to the place include a carefully designed

comfort room for pets and owners who may have to hear difficult news during a visit There’s also a snack bar for dogs, which Ritchie says owners can bring their pup to enjoy anytime, whether they have an appointment or not

“It’s not your typical vet clinic, it’s not like you walk in and think hospital You walk in and you almost feel like this could be somebody’s home I wanted to create some thing where people could visit and want to come, and say this feels like a nice homey environment,” says Ritchie

The renovations took about nine weeks overall, and Ritchie says she’s extremely pleased with the final out come She says she put her design background to use as well, and that contractors Gerry Voth and Son from the Okanagan (no on island contractors were available) exe cuted her vision perfectly. Ritchie also credits local archi tect Robyn Fenton and IT expert Dwayne Matthews for their substantial contributions to the project

Now that things are rolling again, the vet is looking to round out its staff, something they’re hoping to do by the new year They’ve already made leaps in this area by hiring Lynsey Robbie as new hospital manager, and have seen Theresa Volkmann rising the ranks from veterinary technician to doctor Dr Sandra Madden is also continu ing her much loved at home visits, having been coaxed back into the business by Ritchie

Bowen Vet is celebrating their reopening Thursday, Oct 27 with a party at the clinic Ritchie says there will be tours, giveaways and food, and she hopes to see many people there, starting at 4 pm.

Please send to Alex at editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7th to be published in our Nov. 10 edition.

We invite you to share your thoughts, remembrances, or memories of loved ones who served.

Dr. Midge Ritchie at home in her new workspace.

The canine‘snack bar’in the front lobby

Dr Midge’s cat Gia examines the cat colony

The feline examination room, complete with windowsill and basket

The new Comfort Room inside the vet

One of the new operating rooms. Alex Kurial photos

Thursday, October

Community

Community

Thursday,October27

ChessMatesattheBowenIslandLibrary

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

Sunday, October 30

‘The Flaw’ book launch, with Jude Neale 4:45 to 5:45 pm at the Library Annex

Jude Neale will discuss her 11th book of poetry at her Bowen book launch

Halloween Schedule:

Oct 30 4 7pm Loop candy distribution

Oct 31 Halloween Night:

Friday, October

Storytime at

Saturday, October 29

holiday)

Monsoon Madness Mudder at Island Pacific School

Joinusforafamilyfriendlymudderwhichwillincludea2km/ obstaclecourse,silentauction,homemadechili,facepainting, pumpkindecoratingandmore!

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

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 for fireworks at the Causeway.

7 pm Halloween Fireworks. Join Bowen Island Fire Rescue on the causeway for hot chocolate and fireworks.

Wednesday, November 2

Coffee with Island Pacific School

Connect with Head of School, Scott Herrington and Team

It’s never too early to start planning your child’s middle school education First Wednesday of every month at Tell Your Friends Cafe at the Bowen Island Marina, 8:30 am Saturday, November 5

Book donations at the Library Annex

Friends of the Library volunteers are accepting donations of clean, good condition used books and DVDs Donations toward our book sales can be brought to the Library Annex starting at 1 pm until the volunteers’ bins are full (no later than 3 pm) The library cannot accept donations outside of this donation date and

time Please do not leave donations outside the Library at any time

A volunteer will pre screen your donations while you wait and will accept those that meet donation guidelines Donors will need to take back any items that do not meet the guidelines

We thank everyone who donates books for their contribu tion your books help raise funds for the Library through book sales!

Sunday, November 6

Fix It Fair

Look for more details in next week’s issue.

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

Thursday Art Group

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