Bowen Island Undercurrent June 8 2023

FRESHLY PAVED: Bowen’s newest road is just a few days old, and named for an Islander who was a force on Bowen for many years Hayes Road - appropriately named for Piers Hayes (1944-2016)can be found in the new Arbutus Ridge community on the west side of the island. Piers and his wife Jo took over operation of the Snug Cafe in 2007, and there’s a good chance anyone who came through the doors in the following decade was called ‘Blu’ by Piers - the affectionate moniker he gave to everybody new he met Piers was also founder of the local Rotary Club, a cause he believed in deeply On Sunday, Piers’ family gathered to unveil the new road sign and toast their beloved family member and man who gave so much to the island Arbutus Ridge developers Allard Ockeloen (far left) and David Beckow (far right) - who decided on the name - joined the Hayes family (L-R) Joan Hayes (with photo of her husband Piers), Seonaid Hayes, William Hayes, Sarah-Jane Curry, Gord Curry, (front) Iona Hayes, and Madeleine Curry. Miles Hayes and Elijah Curry are also proud of the dedication to Piers. / Alex Kurial photo

Bowen house destroyed in Friday fire

A GOFUNDME PAGE FOR THE AFFECTED FAMILY HAS PASSED $30,000, WITH MORE SUPPORT EVENTS PLANNED THIS MONTH

ALEX KURIAL Editor

A house on Whitesails Drive was damaged beyond repair during a fire the afternoon of June 2.

Bowen Island Fire Rescue received the call about the house fire at 3:38 pm. All but one of the department’s fire trucks responded to the fire, and though they were on-scene before 4 pm Deputy Fire Chief Ian Thompson says there was no chance of saving the home

“The flames had already gone through the roof, the house was fully involved,” says Thompson of the situation upon arrival “It was a defensive fire right away ”

Firefighters began battling the flames on the sides of the house first to prevent the fire from travelling to neighbouring properties A tree in a neighbour’s yard which stretched onto the affected property had caught fire, but was put out before spreading too far After securing the perimeters firefighters shifted their attention to fully extinguishing the house

“It was a pretty stubborn fire, an old house with lath and plaster,” says Thompson It wasn’t until around 8:30 pm that the flames were finally put out

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

Events

Camping

CampingisnotpermittedanywhereonBowenIslandexceptforthe wateraccessonlyBCParksoperatedApodacaPark

AllCrownlandonBowenlieswithintheMunicipalityandisexempt fromtheCrownlandLandUsePermissionsthatallowscamping CampingisnotpermittedinanyMetroVancouverRegionalParkor MunicipalParkonBowen

wwwbowenislandmunicipalityca/camping-on-bowen-island/

Fire Ban in Effect

BIMhasavacancyforatemporary,part-timePlanningClerkstarting immediately Thisisasixmonthcontract

Thepositionisresponsibleforallclerical-relatedfunctionsofthe Planning&DevelopmentDepartment,includingcustomerserviceand digitaldocumentation

TheFireDangerRatingisEXTREME.

Thismeans:

• NOFIRESanywhereontheisland

• BBQspermittedathomeonly.

BIMhasavacancyforatemporary,part-timePlanningClerkstarting immediately.Thisisatwoyearcontract.

Thepositionisresponsibleforallclerical-relatedfunctionsofthe Planning&DevelopmentDepartment,includingcustomerserviceand digitaldocumentation.

Thesepositionswillbeadvertiseduntilfilled Fordetailedinformation andsalarydetailsreadthejobdescriptions:

wwwbowenislandmunicipalityca/work-with-us

n Accessibility

Sunday,June25 10am-2pm

BIMisholdingaCommunitySessiontogatherinformationabout barrierstoaccessibilityonBowenIslandandbrainstormpotentialfor overcomingthem

Hasyourbusinessororganizationdonesomeworktowardsremoving accessibilitybarriers?

Doyouserveorprovidebusinesstopersonswithaccessibility challenges?

Doyoupersonallyexperienceaccessibilitybarriersorcarefor someonewhodoes?

Comeandshareyourexperience

wwwbowenislandmunicipalityca/community-session-onaccessibility/

• ContacttheFireChiefregardingtoolsorequipmentthatmay causesparks,suchaschainsawsorblastingatfire@bimbc.ca

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/alerts/

Property Taxes

DeadlineTuesday,July4,2023

Ifyouhaven’treceivedyourpropertytaxnotice,pleasecontactusby emailatfinance@bimbccaorbyphone604-947-4255ext8

10%latepenaltyisappliedonJuly5,2023toalloutstanding2023 propertytaxbalances,includingunclaimedHomeOwnerGrantsand Deferrals

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/property-taxes/

Seeking Public Comment

forrenewalofTUP-03-2020for2095CapeDrive IslandDiscoveryLearningCommunity

6:15pmonMonday,June12,2023

RegularCouncilMeeting

PROJECTDESCRIPTION:ATemporaryUsePermit(TUP)applicationhasbeen submittedfor2095CapeDrive(shownonmap)torenewTUP-03-2020foranadditional three-yearterm

TUP-03-2020wasissuedbyCouncilNovember9,2020,forathree-yeartermexpiring November9,2023 ThisTUPpermittedschooluseonthepropertyandwasissued toAlanSaugstadonbehalfoftheIslandDiscoveryLearningCommunity(IDLC) IDLC continuestosearchforapermanenthomeandislookingforanadditionalthree-year termattheircurrentlocationuntilapermanentlocationissecured

StaffarepresentingtherenewalattheJune12,2023,meeting AtthatmeetingCouncil mayissuethepermitormaychoosetoconductadditionalpublicnoticeandconsider therenewalatafuturemeeting

Seeking Public Comment

TUP-2023-0066for511SunsetRoad GardenCentre

6:15pmonMonday,June12,2023

RegularCouncilMeeting

PROJECTDESCRIPTION:JenniferMcIntyrehasappliedtooperateagardencenter/ nurseryat511SunsetRoadwhere,inadditiontoplantsgrownonsite,wholesaleplants willbeimportedforsaleduringtheinitialstagesofthebusinessoperation Agriculture use,currentlypermittedontheproperty,allowsthesaleofplantsgrownon-sitebutnot thesaleofimportedplants

TheproposedtemporaryusewouldpermitaGardenCentreUse,limitedtotheretail saleofnurseryplants,homegardeningsuppliesandrelatedgoodsandservices StaffwillintroducetheapplicationtoCouncilattheJune12,2023,CouncilMeeting AtthatmeetingCouncilwilldecidetosetadatetoconsiderissuingthepermitor maychoosetonotproceedfurtherwiththeapplication Staffarerecommendinga considerationdateofJuly10,2023

YourCommentsareWelcome

WrittensubmissionsmaybedeliveredtoMunicipalHallbefore4:00pmonMonday, June12,2023:

• ByE-mailtomayorandcouncil@bimbcca

• Inperson

• Bymailto981ArtisanLane,BowenIsland,BC,V0N1G2

• Byfaxto604-947-0193

Toensureafairprocess,writtensubmissionscannotbeacceptedafterthedeadline VerbalsubmissionsmaybemadetoMayorandCouncilatthemeeting

Seeking Public Comment

DVP2023-0078for361CardenaDrive

RegularCouncilMeetingat6:15pmonMonday,June12,2023

MoreinformationatMunicipalHall

TheseapplicationsmaybeviewedatMunicipalHallbetween8:30AMand4:30PM, MondaythroughFriday(excludingstatutoryholidays)orontheMunicipalwebsiteat wwwbowenislandmunicipalityca/planning

Questions?

ContactDanielMartin,ManagerofPlanningandDevelopment,byemailat dmartin@bimbccaorbyphoneat604-947-4255extention230

ADevelopmentVariancePermitapplicationhasbeensubmittedfor361Cardena(shownonmap)to reducethefrontsetbackfrom7.5mto0.6mfortheinstallationofasemi-ingroundpool(27.5m3).Staff willintroducetheapplicationtoCouncilattheJune12th,2023,CouncilMeeting AtthatmeetingCouncil willdecidetosetadatetoconsiderissuingthepermitormaychoosetonotproceedfurtherwiththe application

MoreinformationisavailablebycontactingNatashaCheong,IslandCommunityPlanner,at604947-4255ext247orbyemailatncheong@bimbc.cabetween8:30amand4:30pm,MondaytoFriday, excludingstatutoryholidays

Yourcommentsarewelcome:

Writtensubmissionswillbeaccepteduntil4pmonthedayofthemeetingbyemailto mayorandcouncil@bimbcca,inperson,bymailorfax VerbalsubmissionsmaybemadetoCouncilattheRegularCouncilmeeting wwwbowenislandmunicipalityca/planning/

Lighting it up

Last week was a true thrill, as at long last we were able to share with the island our production of the play Talking With Earlier this year I took the plunge into the local theatre scene by joining the lights crew, learning from Bowen’s lighting master Ian Davidson Rehearsals began in April with our inspiring director Jackie Minns, and Thursday to Sunday we were able to bring it all home to the Collins Hall crowds Thank you to everybody who came out over the four days, we hope you had a good time and enjoyed the show!

Talking With consists of a series of monologues spanning a range of themes, many of which have no doubt played a role in our own lives The seven actresses who delivered them - Laurel Bailey, Annie Arbuckle, Lorraine Ashdown, Claudia Schaefer, Laurie Beesting, Kat Stephens, and Tina Nielsen - were incredible on-stage, and a joy to work with each day

As was the rest of the ensemble, including of course our director Jackie and my office neighbour Frazer Elliott setting the stage A special thanks to our stage manager Maureen Sawasy, whose cues from the seat next to me allowed for the lighting transitions to go off smoothly throughout our shows

And a big thank you to Ian too, whose passion for his craft is evident (particularly in the amount of tinkering that takes place during show prep and often into the show itself ) Ian announced three days before opening night that he had a prior commitment for our first show and would not be there I think the stunned look on my face was eclipsed only by the one on Jackie’s But Ian and I went through a detailed rehearsal on Wednesday night, and 24 hours later - though fairly nervous - the show went off without a hitch (or at least not one visible to the audience.) Ian was back for the next three nights, and while he felt I had done well enough to keep working the board, it was comforting to have him with ‘Moe’ and I at the crew table for moral support. I’m still not sure if this was all part of a larger plan by Ian to chuck me into the proverbial deep end of the theatre tech scene, but either way I learned a lot, and had a ton of fun. I can’t wait to work on many more shows with Ian, and all of the amazing people involved in this show, in the future. It was a pleasure to get to know you all!

Of course the play would not have been complete without our furry castmate Frank Our feline friend gave a pair of show-stop-

ping performances Thursday and Friday before deciding he was going to go out on top, with his name in lights Frank the Cat passed peacefully on Sunday morning with his parents, our director Jackie and show animal wrangler David Cameron Frank’s quiet resolve and loving nature were unforgettable additions to the set, and he will be truly missed by everybody who knew him

On an unrelated note, we are all likely aware of the devastating fire which took place last week here on Bowen A much-loved and special family has lost their home, and there are many ways we can all help out in the aftermath There’s a pair of events this month (see Pg 12 Calendar), and a GoFundMe which has had an amazing response, and continues to grow This QR Code will take you to it, and donations can be made at First Credit Union as well We all have you in our thoughts going forward, and it’s clear this island is more than ready to rally and help

- Alex Kurial, Editor

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Bowfesters, start your engines...

questions at bowfestonbowen@gmail com

We are all excited to see what participants come up with, just remember the brakes!

- Rob Wynen

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 Road, PO Box 130, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G0 or email editor@bowenislandundercurrent com

A very busy Bowen Saturday

JUDITH GEDYE Bowen Island Municipality Councillor

Last Saturday’s open house was smaller and quieter than any previous one It was a beautiful, and busy, sunny day That morning there’d been the Farmers Market, the Bowen Community Foundation’s Vital Conversations, and a meeting of the BC Ferries Advisory Committee In the afternoon, just before my open house, BCF had their open house, and that evening there was a live theatre production and a fundraising dance

Nevertheless, about 20 people gathered to talk and ask questions There was, of course, talk about the ferries: what had happened at the open house, their future construction plans, and their plan to lure some Nanaimo traffic to Tsawwassen hoping to reduce Nanaimo traffic in Horseshoe Bay There was mention of hiring, training, pay levels, and more – all topics of general interest but nothing we have control or influence over.

There was also a question about tent caterpillars on the west side and mention that the hot dry weather was not good for them. You

may be wishing for rain, but should not if we want fewer caterpillar eggs for next year

Camping at Cape Roger Curtis dominated the rest of the conversation, with specific reference to the recent neglected campfire at Apodaca Park Councillors who were there were able to announce that there is a Committee of the Whole meeting that has just been scheduled for Wednesday, June 14 at 1 pm to update the community on the process and the content received by Bowen to date

There might be then, but to date, there has been very little information from Metro following our first round of committee feedback to their original proposal One major issue continues to be vehicular access to Bowen and the Cape, and there was some discussion about the necessity of a secondary route if there were ever a need to evacuate the area

One person had put a great deal of thought into a low impact group camping proposal she will be presenting to council and Metro. The emphasis would be on youth and ecology, a sustainable footprint, regenerative building, with no new logging, roads, or infrastructure, other than perhaps with the involvement of local First Nations, a tra-

Camping in a specific capacity

Dear Editor,

I agree with Don Shafer’s concluding message in his letter (Undercurrent, May 11) regarding a park at Cape Roger Curtis: “By building a shared vision, I’m confident that much of the toxicity and tension will be reduced, allowing us to take advantage of that time to come together as a community. I’m confident that if we can create that vision for Bowen, we can create a park that we can all be proud of”

A substantial number of Islanders have already signed a petition that calls for maintaining the existing Official Community Plan policy of no overnight camping, although it does not oppose having a park at CRC

While I agree with them that the scenario of 100 overnight public camp sites must be avoided, I did not sign the petition as the hard no position to all overnight camping precludes any alternative approach I believe there is an alternative, fitting approach that fills an important need and will be considered feasible by the majority of Islanders. It involves carefully formulating an OCP policy that only allows overnight group camping for educational and ecological groups, schools, scouts, etc.

The policy would carefully lay out the necessity for a detailed application process within a mandatory reservation system with specific requirements for group monitoring, group transportation modes, group drop off and pick up procedures, allowable number of campers, etc

Such a specifically detailed and managed policy that does not allow for any individual overnight campsites would significantly alleviate various problematic issues related

to ferry service, island foot and vehicle traffic, fire safety, and other issues

As Edward Wachtman stated in a previous letter (Undercurrent, March 23), Bowen “sits in the Howe Sound UNESCO Biosphere Region” and “has a very distinctive and in some areas fragile ecosystem” The context of Bowen’s place within the UNESCO Biosphere Region and the distinctive character of its ecosystem also sets the tone for a monitored group camping policy that is specifically formulated for the ecological education of our younger generations

As Wachtman also states: “Let’s challenge Metro Vancouver Regional Parks to think big, bold, and differently This is their and our rare opportunity to do something innovative, leaving a legacy far more valuable than a mere ‘park’… and much more far reaching” .

I am convinced that such a detailed group camping policy for ecological learning purposes would provide that “innovative and valuable legacy” for our future generations - which is traditionally what happens on this resourceful island when we pull together with receptive organizations on important projects

I strongly encourage Islanders, our municipal council, and Metro Vancouver Regional Parks to work together on that course of action I believe that a policy allowing overnight group camping only in the context of an ecological learning experience is the much simpler, appropriate and manageable shared vision for the park that we need to pursue and that will avoid a sea of troubles for all parties - a “shared vision” , in Shafer’s words, from which “we can create a park that we can all be proud of”

- John Sbragia

ditional “big house” There is high demand for a similar resource in Squamish There was general interest and encouragement around the room

There was also agreement that issues surrounding day-trippers has not been examined closely enough A recent publication described how visitors to three regional parks had increased dramatically, with Crippen receiving 300,000 more visitors than previous years That data might be inflated if locals are included in the Cove counters, but still, it certainly feels like there has been a substantial increase and we are poorly prepared.

One macro suggestion for dealing with Metro is not to reject the rezoning application but defer it, in order to get more, much-needed, time for research and discussion. In particular, we need to identify the necessities for infrastructure before any consideration of camping. Deferral would allow time to build trust and co-operation in problem-solving

There seemed to be agreement at the meeting, that if Boweners could agree on a vision then we would be better able to negotiate what we would need for this development to benefit all of us and for

more people to be interested in working on finding solutions The question then becomes how can we come to an agreed vision? It’s too late to get all or most of the present genie back into any bottle, nevertheless, what are our priorities? Again, fire and traffic dominated our discussion It was suggested that we consider the proposal for educational group camping in depth and possibly organize a workshop to share the idea.

The final topic related to our recent tax bills and a comparison of our garbage parcel tax compared to Quesnel’s. Discussion about similarities and differences followed, with a preference for the extra decal system so that low-volume users were not paying for high volume places, even though there were significant problems with that system

The meeting adjourned with a rhetorical question, left unanswered, about why our community generates so much garbage I’ve been told that moving days on Bowen could fill a large warehouse with perfectly good household items that are binned. More on that once we get past camping and fires By the way, I did not find time to bake and the wonderful treats were by Moe Makes!

Local and Central differences

Here it is, early June, forests are parched, fire rating is moderate, no rain in weeks and none forecast for weeks, but, at this point, No Smoking signs are not evident on Crippen Park trails

Yet, Metro Vancouver Parks would like Bowenians to trust their stewardship of

Cape Roger Curtis, where fire risk is greater Local park employees cannot initiate signage without central office permission and therein lies the problem Central Office in Metrotown is simply too distant to relate to local conditions

- Jeff Ballou

VIEWPOINTS

Call for nominations: Community Spirit Awards!

SARAH HAXBY Bowen Island Community School

How do we recognize the people in the community who make a positive difference? The Community School Association continues the Association of Community Education in British Columbia (ACEbc) tradition of annually recognizing people in the community with once in a lifetime award of recognition

It is important to take time to recognize the many big and small ways in which

people give back to the community, and to thank everyone who helps to improve and serve our community as volunteers, educators, and leaders We are lucky to have many people who go the extra mile My favourite binder in the Community School Coordinator office is for the Awards list of everyone who has received the awards over the years: from Susan Clarke for running the Food Bank, to Lloyd Harding as a Bowen Island Volunteer Firefighter with over a half century of service, to Tir-na-nOg for Youth Leadership in 1992, which is the

first year on record for these awards, which means there have been awards handed out in the community for over 30 years!

We are asking for your stories of people who have made a positive difference in the community and the community school Is there someone in the community who has made it a better place that you would like to be recognized?

Nominations are now open and the categories are: Bowen Island Community School Volunteer(s) of the Year Award, Community Youth Lea dership Award, Community Resident, Agency, Organization, or Individual, and the Educator Award, which is presented to an individual or team of teachers, or educators, of a school or organization who have rendered exemplary service, support, and leadership in the development of community education at the school,

centre or neighbourhood level

Award recipients receive a certificate and a small gift of thanks donated by the Community School Association Recipients and have their names put into the Community Spirit Awards binder and are shared in the Bowen Island Undercurrent

Please let us know the names of your nominees, and 1-2 sentences sharing why you are nominating them Nominations can be as simple as you sharing your thoughts, or there are paper and e-nominations forms available, if you like to fill out forms Please email shaxby@wvschools ca for more information, and please email, or drop-off your nominations to the BICS office by June 12, thank you.

Mark your calendars: the Community Spirit Awards will be presented at the BICS Year End Assembly on June 27.

On Sunday, June 4, five North Shore Baseball Association teams from age groups U5, U7, U9, U11, and U13 attended the Vancouver Canadians game at Nat Bailey Stadium. All of the NSBA players tickets were paid for by generous donors Tim Kerr, Home Farm Gardens, and Jacquet Electric 186 seats were occupied by families from Bowen Island. It was a big 7-3 win for the Canadians versus the Eugene Emeralds!

At the recent sunny Sunday celebration of life for the much loved Jewal Maxwell, the hall of the Bowen Lodge was filled. As well as being a versatile singer, Jewal’s work on Bowen included road work, ferry marshalling, and Light Up Bowen After the many tributes the 14 piece Art Roger’s swing band enticed many to the floor. Later a beautifullittleDogwoodtreewasplantedintheMemorialGardens.

ISLAND NEWS

Support flows in for local Family

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Hot spots continued to flare up throughout the night however, including one within an hour of the initial fire being extinguished Fire crews checked on the scene multiple times overnight and into the next day to deal with these after-flares

“There was a lot of hard work by the members They did a great job of containing it and getting it out,” says the deputy fire chief of the multi-day effort

Thompson says the hot spots were due

to the roof caving in, which made entering the house unsafe This meant firefighters couldn’t properly tend to the debris, which allowed hot spots to flare up in various areas “It’s basically smoldering and burning underneath, and when it does finally get some wind it just ignites”

Further proof of this was discovered when material from the Whitesails fire was found during a small bush fire in nearby Sealeigh Park over the weekend. “This one was pretty intense, so there

Food Bank grapples with inflation

ALEX KURIAL Editor

One of Bowen’s most important and enduring services is working hard to persevere through a rapid rise in food prices which has gripped the country

The local Food Bank, run out of the Little Red Church on Miller Road, has operated on the island for more than 25 years Started by then-United Church Minister Wendy Reid and parishioner Angie McCullough, a few shelves stocked by the pair of creators has grown into a $3,000 a month operation

Bowen Island's

offering a wide range of food options

Sue Clarke currently runs the Food Bank, a position she’s held for more than two decades ShesaystherecentwaveofinflationinCanada, which is not expected to end anytime soon, is impacting the operation on two fronts

“Both from our point of view, which is the shopping, and for users who are not getting as muchfortheirmoneyintheirshopping,”shesays

With people getting less for their money at grocery stores, Clarke says use of the Food Bank has gone up this year This also means the Food Bank has to be extra attentive while shopping, since their dollars are not going as far either But it’s a challenge Clarke says the

CANADA DAY REIMAGINED Y

Reconciliation, celebration, & community

ComeforaSportsSampler!

We'llbeplayingbasketball, hockey,Ultimate(disc game),sackraces,tugand more.

StaytocelebrateCanada, ourculturaldiversity,and ourfuturewithfood,music andtriviaforallages.

were ambers flying all over the place,” says Thompson of the original fire’s aftermath Firefighters also managed to put out the subsequent blaze

None of the residents were home when the fire started, and no people were hurt Of course the incident has left a family without their home, but the Bowen community quickly stepped up with a strong show of support to make sure they were taken care of, including temporary accommodation

A GoFundMe page created for the family passed $30,000 on Wednesday afternoon A Meal Train page has also been set up Two community events are scheduled for this month as well, starting with a barbecue at Doc Morgan’s on Thursday, June 8 from 4 to 8 pm The Bowen Island Legion is also holding a benefit event on Saturday, June 24, with games, prizes, and an auc-

tion All proceeds from both events will go toward the family

The cause of the fire remains unknown Thompson says a fire inspector will investigate the property soon to try and determine the origin Following that, the parts of the house which remain standing will need to be taken down

BowenIslandfirefighterson-sceneFriday battling a fire at a home on Whitesails Drive. / Submitted photo

Sue Clarke has run the Food Bank at the Little Red Church for over 20 years. She stocks the shelves and frozen items throughout the week There’s also pet food for Cats and Dogs / Alex Kurial photo

operation is up for, especially with increased demand for the service

Clarke reminds people use of the Food Bank is anonymous, and is open 24/7. Canned and fresh foods, and pet food too, is available between the shelved portion inside the Church entrance, and the fridge/freezer at the doorway to Collins Hall. Items are re-stocked weekly. The Food Bank runs entirely on donations,

Kita, long time Bowen doggy resident, recently crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Kita was the sweetest gal with a love for the beach and the biggest smile. Kita will be deeply missed by her family and those who loved her. Our thoughts are with her family.

and Clarke says these are always welcome to keep things running. Information on how to donate can be found at the Little Red Church. All donations include a tax receipt.

Food donations can be made too, but Clarke asks that people only donate fresh and unopened food. Expired, opened, or used food has to be thrown out, creating extra work for the Food Bank.

SummerTea will honour Bowen Seniors

ALEX KURIAL Editor

It’s festive tea season on the island, and this Saturday features an offering with some historical roots

The Summer Social Tea, hosted by Seniors Keeping Young (SKY), takes place this Saturday at the Bowen Island Museum and Archives, who have partnered with SKY for the event At the heart of the gathering is a desire to celebrate the many seniors who have helped shaped Bowen over the decades

“The tea is to honour the seniors in the community, the ones that have been around and built Bowen Island,” says SKY president Lichen Tilley. “There are seniors that have been here a long time I think this would be a nice annual event”

The event is being held June 10 from 1 to 4 pm at the Museum lawn. Activities include music, food and drink, an archival image slideshow, and a ‘Curiosities and Oddities’ trivia game with prizes which will be drawn at the end of the tea.

Tilley says the gathering is part of an effort by SKY to

create more outings for Bowen seniors, especially with the easing or erasing of most pandemic restrictions

“There seems to be this greater need to get together and interact SKY has always been a focus for seniors to connect,” she says

Tilley points out other recent event initiatives – including Wednesday and Friday walks, lunches, or games at the Library – are all ways SKY is bringing back the in-person connections which were lost during the pandemic

The tea is being supported by a number of local and regional groups and businesses, including the Bowen Island Literary Task Group, Decoda Literacy Solutions, Ruddy Potato, Barcelona, and Bowen Sushi.

FASTPITCH

Photo # 10229 from the Archival Slide Show The photograph is of the 1982 Bowen Festival (the precursor to Bowfest) entry in the parade by Bowenian Seniors of a blue Volkswagen Van decorated with flowers and ferns on Miller Road about to turn onto Government Road The theme that year was‘County Fair’

Sitting behind the fence at Snug Cove Field on Wednesday, May 31, captive fans are all smiles as they watch a slugfest between manager Eddie Weismiller’s Cruisers and the Shakers Despite Cruisers homers from Sweet Pete Blomberg, Grady Huskisson, and Jack Welsh, the Shakers, led by Riley Culver and former Cruisers star Charlie Welsh, won 16-11 The league is nearing the mid-way point of its 20-game regular season schedule.Guest reporter (and Cruisers veteran) Marcus Hondro

Needs You!

FINAL SCORES

Wednesday, May 31

Shakers (16) vs. Cruisers (11)

Thursday, June 1

Firemen (22) vs. Brewers (11)

Friday, June 2

Diggers (5) vs. Twins (3)

Monday, June 5

Shakers (13) vs. Firemen (6)

Wednesday, June 7

Cruisers vs. Diggers

UPCOMING GAMES (All starttimes6:30pm)

Thursday, June 8

Firemen vs. Twins

Friday, June 9

Diggers vs. Shakers

Monday, June 12

Brewers vs. Cruisers

Wednesday, June 14

Shakers vs. Twins

tie it up. After grabbing a 7-6 lead they exploded in the free-for-all 7th inning to run away with a game which had been very close until then.

- Reporting from Kat, Cheri, George, & Alex

It was a true team effort for the Shakers as they held off the Firemen on Monday Charlie Welsh (left) went 3/5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI, including the go-ahead run in the5thinningwhenheknockeda2-outsingletobreak a 6-6 tie Ayden Radley (middle) was also 3/5 while smacking in 4 RBI, and Riley Culver (right) was 4/5 with 3 RBI The Shakers are on a real hot streak right now with 4 wins in a row, keeping them tops in the league. The Shakers won a very dusty game 13-6 against the Firemen to kick off the week. They looked poised to run away with it early after opening up a 6-0 lead, but the Fireman battled back to

*Thru 6/5 games. RF - Runs For, RA - Runs Against

PRIDE MONTH

Island Pacific School held their 2nd annual Pride event last week to celebrate Pride Month and the LGBTQ2S+ community. All the elements of the inaugural event were back, starting with the march from IPS to the Bowfest Field, where games, music, food, and other fun awaited. This year Island Discovery Learning Community joined in the celebration, and five schools from the mainland made the trip over:

Mulgrave and Collingwood from West Vancouver, York House and West Point Grey Academy from Vancouver, and Southpointe Academy from Tsawwassen.

On Saturday the Bowen Island Public Library, who were also guests at the IPS event, held a Mini Pride Parade where participants crafted floats and paraded them around the Library The General Store and Ruddy Potato helped make the mini parade possible.

Some of the folks who participated in the Library’s Mini Pride Parade and celebration showed off their mini floats and flags in front of the Library on Saturday / BIPL photo

Our Masterworks Program marks a graduation milestone at Island Pacific School. Our Grade 9 students present in this culminating event of our four year distinctly different middle school program!

MASTERWORKS2023

ONLY A FEW SPOTS OPEN FOR GRADE 6 AND GRADE 8 APPLY TODAY | ISLANDPACIFIC.ORG

Alex Kurial & Bowen Library photos

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Thursday, June 8

Burger Benefit at Doc’s

Come grab a burger and beer for $20 and enjoy live music, with all proceeds going to help our Bowen friends recover from last week’s fire Doc Morgan’s from 4 to 8 pm

June 10-11

Long Table Dinner at Endswell Farm

Two seatings each day at 3 and 7:30 pm 9-course Farm to table tasting menu along with natural wine pairing

Hosted by seeyousoon’s renowned chefs Keith, Michael and Kevin. Tickets available online at Eventbrite

Saturday, June 10

Summer Social Tea with SKY

Seniors Keeping Young host a Summer Social Tea at the Bowen Island Museum & Archives. Music and refreshments from 1 to 4 pm.

Sunday, June 11

Compost Extract for Garden Soil Fertility

10:30 am to Noon. Join Phil Gregory and Jackie Bradley and learn how to make compost extract to improve your garden soil naturally. Compost extract is easier to make than compost tea! Demonstration workshop at Grafton Commons, across from Grafton Lake Workshop by donation. Pre-registration is required: bowenfoodresilience@gmail.com

Sunday, June 11

French Conversation Club at the Library

Drop in and join us to practice your conversational French, and get to know other French speakers on Bowen Island! The focus will be on beginner and intermediate speakers, but all levels welcome 1 to 2:30 pm

Sunday, June 11

Special Vespers at the United Church

Join special guest Bob Collins for an afternoon of Folk

singing All are welcome

Wednesday, June 14

Community School Association AGM

Annual General Meeting for CSA 5 pm at Bowen Island Community School, everyone welcome to attend.

Thursday, June 15

SKY Yoga with Diana

10 am at 1070 Miller Road multi-purpose room. Nonmember $5 drop-in fee.

June 17/18

Arts Pacific Gallery’s 25th Anniversary

Meet the artists, enjoy refreshments, and enter the gift certificate draw. 11to 4 pm at Artisan Square.

Sunday, June 18

Coho Bon Voyage

The annual event at Terminal Creek Salmon Hatchery in Crippen Park Bring your kids and watch them release Salmon Fry into the creek, or give it a try yourself! 11 am to 2 pm Presented by Bowen Island Fish & Wildlife Club

Saturday, June 24

Strawberry Tea

Come to the Little Red Church for the annual fruit-based tea Fancy hats welcome 10 am to 3 pm More details soon.

Saturday, June 24

Benefit Party at the Legion

Save the date! Come dressed as your favourite Bowen celebrity. Games, prizes and an auction too All proceeds go toward helping with fire recovery. More details to come

Tuesday, June 27

Carmina Bowena in Concert

Our program of songs from the serene to the saucy is mainly drawn from the Renaissance period, with some modern pieces as well. 7:30pm Tickets can be purchased at Cates Pharmacy or at the door for $25.

TUESDAYS

Babytime at the Library

A free, 1/2 hr drop-in program of songs, books, and rhymes for babies 0-18 months and their caregivers! 11:30 am. Runs to June 27.

WEDNESDAYS

Storytime at the Library

10:30 to 11 am. A free drop-in program of stories and songs for 2-4 year-olds and their caregivers! Runs to June 14.

Bowen Bridge

We meet from 1:30 to 4:30 pm at Bowen Court on Wednesdays. Fee is $6 per person per session Your place at the table must be arranged - by email - no later than 6 pm on the Monday before To make your booking or to seek more information, please email bowcates04@gmail com We look forward to seeing you

THURSDAYS

SKY Writing Workshops on Zoom with Diana Jewel

Attend as many as you wish but space is limited so RSVP to SKYonBowen@outlook.com Every Thursday from 1 to 2 pm, until June 8.

Thursday Art Group

The Thursday Art Group (TAG) meets every Thursday at Collins Hall from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm to create, paint, sketch and enjoy meeting like minded souls If you think this group might be for you, pop by and see what we are all about

SATURDAYS

Farmers Market at BICS

Annual market at Bowen Island Community School

Browse food, crafts, snacks, and more! 10 am to Noon

SKY Walks

Friday, June 9 & Wednesday, June 14

Both at 10:45 am June 9 walk from the Bowfest Field picnic shelters, and June 14 walk from Golf Club parking lot