The Local Weekly December 31, 2015

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Volume 13, Issue 53

Sunshine Coast, British Columbia • www.thelocalweekly.ca • Thursday, December 31, 2015 Snow on Dakota Ridge Page 6

Sechelt Woman to Head Rotary District

2016: The Road Ahead

Page 2

SCRD and Union Sign Contract Page 3

How to "See" the Disabled Page 4

Art Show at the Gumboot Cafe Page 9

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A stretch of Park Road in Gibsons, leading to an unseen destination…much like the New Year takes us toward what we hope will be a brighter future. For 2016, Gibsons Mayor Wayne Rowe foresees continued controversy over the George Hotel (see page 5). Sechelt Mayor Bruce Milne looks forward to hiring new senior staff in the coming months, completing the “turnaround” that began with his election in 2014 (see page 7). RIK JESPERSEN PHOTO

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The Local - Thursday, December 31, 2015

TOWN OF GIBSONS

LICENCE YOUR DOG ... IT’S THE LAW! Discounted prices in effect until January 31st, 2016 If you live in the Town of Gibsons and you own a dog, you are required to purchase a dog licence. A dog licence helps protect your pet by registering the home and owner of the dog for quick and easy identification. 2016 Town of Gibsons dog licences are now available at Town Hall.

SCRD Dog Tags are no longer sold at Gibsons’ Town Hall SCRD Dog Licences are available at the Gibsons and Area Community Centre, the Sechelt Aquatic Centre and the SCRD Administration Building on Field Road - check www.SCRD.ca for pricing.

Special discounts for new and renewed dog licences are in effect until January 31st.

UNTIL Jan. 31st, 2016 $15 - spayed or neutered dog $30 - unspayed or non-neutered dogs AFTER Jan. 31st, 2016 $22.50 for spayed/neutered $45 for unspayed/non-neutered.

Seniors are eligible for a 50% discount on licence fees.

474 South Fletcher Road, P O Box 340 Gibsons, BC V0N 1V0

P: 604-886-2274 F: 604-886-9735 www.gibsons.ca

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Discover Dakota Ridge

These are three of the hand-painted banners that have been displayed in Gibsons, and which are currently for sale. They are being sold by silent auction, with a minimum bid of $35. You can bid on them at the Gibsons Public Art Gallery from Jan. 7-10, from 11am-4pm. The funds raised will be used to create new banners. If you want to paint a banner, applications are available at the art gallery or online at www. gibsons.ca, under community, arts and culture. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 15. PHOTOS SUBMITTED

The gift of life As families and friends gather together this holiday season, the B.C. government is encouraging everyone to take the simple step of registering their decision to become an organ donor, because there is no gift more precious than the gift of life.

It only takes a moment to join the 34,197 British Columbians who have answered the call since Service BC and BC Transplant launched their unique awareness partnership this past April.

More than 95 per cent of British Columbians say they support organ donation but

currently, only 20 per cent have registered their decision to be a donor. And there are close to 550 British Columbians are currently waiting for a life-saving transplant.

“The impact of organ donation goes far beyond the individual patient who receives a transplant,” says Dr. David Landsberg, of BC Transplant. “Each recipient’s family, friends and community all benefit from one organ donor’s tremendous gift. BC Transplant would like to encourage every British Columbian to register their decision on organ donation and share

Darcy Long of Sechelt, has been nominated as Rotary International district governor of Rotary District 5040 for 2018-19. As governor, Long will provide leadership to clubs throughout the district – 1,500 members in 50 clubs in an area stretching from Vancouver to Prince George and Terrace. She will assume office July 1, 2018.

Long is one of 532 Rotarians worldwide nominated as a district governor for this year. A member of the Rotary club of Sunshine Coast- Sech-

elt for nine years, Long will also be responsible for organizing new Rotary clubs and strengthening existing ones.

She has been active in the Sunshine Coast business community for many years – owning and operating fuel distribution and hospitality businesses. Long has a strong record of leadership and leadership development in Rotary with past roles as club president, district foundation committee co-chair and district conference committee chair. Submitted

Coast Rotarian to lead district

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We’ll see you outside! www.scrd.ca/Dakota-Ridge 604-885-6802

their wishes with their loved ones.”

Friendly staff at all 62 Service BC centres in communities throughout the province now provide information on organ donation and help residents register their decision on-site. Those with online access can also register at: www. transplant.bc.ca The process is simple, confidential and registering may well be the reason someone waiting for an organ transplant can celebrate the holidays with their family this time next year.

Submitted

Harry Almond was honoured at the Sunshine Coast Search and Rescue appreciation dinner in November.

Almond, at age 92, retired after a community career that included regional politics, numerous clubs and committees and an unprecedented 17 years as chair of the Sunshine Coast Search and Rescue. PHOTO SUBMITTED

Darcy Long will head a Rotary district covering much of BC. PHOTO SUBMITTED

When NOT to call 9-1-1 To help raise awareness about the impact on emergency services, E-Comm has released a list of the top calls that should NOT have been placed to 9-1-1 in 2015.

Almost 3,400 9-1-1 calls flow through E-Comm every day, and while the majority of people use 9-1-1 responsibly, calls like the ones on this year’s top ten list waste valuable emergency resources by tying up 9-1-1 call-takers’ time.

2015 top reasons to not call 9-1-1: 1. Requesting the number for a local tire dealership 2. Reporting an issue with a vending machine 3. Asking for the non-emergency line 4. Because a car is parked too close to theirs 5. “My son won’t put his seatbelt on”

6. Coffee shop is refusing to refill coffee 7. Asking if it’s okay to park on the street 8. “My roommate used my toothbrush” 9. Asking for help getting a basketball out of a tree 10. Reporting that their building’s air system is too loud and they can’t sleep “My job is to treat every call as an emergency, no matter how illogical it may seem on the surface,” says E-Comm 9-11 call-taker Harrison Kwan, recipient of this year’s top nuisance call. “We are trained to ask questions in case a caller is in distress and can’t speak freely. It’s only when I’m completely satisfied that the call is not a real emergency that I can disconnect and go back to answering other 9-1-1 calls. And that takes time.” Submitted

The Local - Thursday, December 31, 2015

New contract for SCRD employees the citizens of the Sunshine Coast rely on.”

This is the first time that a SCRD collective agreement has been renegotiated and ratified prior to the expiry of the old agreement.

“I see that as indicative of how things can be addressed and accomplished in a collaborative and efficient manner,” says Gerry Parker, SCRD manager, human resources.

Unifor members will receive general wage increases of 1 per cent in 2016, 1.5 per cent in 2017, 1.75 per cent in 2018, and 2 per cent in 2019.

Unifor Local 466 has 240 fulltime, part time and casual members.

Both parties acknowledge

THANK YOU

a respectful working relationship as being crucial to the success of the negotiations.

“Unifor 466 and the SCRD negotiated several improvements to the Collective Agreement including many provisions which should build our relationship through cooperative participation in areas such as job evaluation, scheduling and dispute resolution,” says Scott Rush, Unifor Local 466 president.

“The new agreement delivers modest but fair wage increases to our members who continue to provide excellent service to the Sunshine Coast community.”

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The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) and Unifor Local 466 have reached an agreement following negotiation over a four-year collective agreement covering Jan. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2019.

Unifor members ratified the agreement on Dec. 17 and the SCRD Board approved the terms the same day following Unifor’s endorsement.

“The agreement took a month and a half to reach,” says SCRD Board Chair, Garry Nohr. “Although negotiations can be quite involved, the agreement reflects fairness for the employees who provide a variety of services that

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The Local - Thursday, December 31, 2015

Editorial Opinion The need for ocean health It’s encouraging that our federal government has agreed to improve efforts to safeguard Canada’s oceans. Ocean protection here is shamefully deficient, currently at around one per cent.

The new government has restated our country’s commitment to protect 10 per cent of our oceans by 2020, as part of a global agreement Canada signed in 2010 at the 10th meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Increased ocean protection was one change called for in a recent peer-reviewed paper written by 19 scientists from across the country (including my daughter, Sarika). “Canada at a Crossroads: The imperative for realigning ocean policy with ocean science” offers recommendations for government to step up its game when it comes to ocean health.

Weak ocean protection hinders our coasts’ ability to remain resilient in the face of many challenges. A recent report in Science estimated that globally in 2010, five to 13 million tonnes of plastics ended up in the oceans. Plastics often break down into tiny, toxic pieces called “nurdles”, which are turning up in the stomachs of many marine birds, fish and turtles.

Agricultural runoff, untreated sewage and coastal development have added to the ocean sludge and created hundreds of wastelands devoid of oxygen, or “dead zones”, which can change fishes’ sex organs and leave animals gasping for air.

Over the past two years we were also hit by the “the blob”, a large patch of water in the Pacific Northwest that is 3 C warmer than average. It’s a product of unseasonably hot, dry weather and is the highest water temperature ever recorded in this area.

Carbon dioxide is perhaps the most dangerous human waste found in our oceans. CO2 from the atmosphere is absorbed at the water’s surface, where it reacts with seawater and turns into carbonic acid before breaking down further into acid and bicarbonate ions. We know changing the pH of seawater is dangerous for marine life.

On the West Coast we’ve recently seen scallops struggling to make shells, a chilling portent of what might come as oceans become more acidic. A study published earlier this year in Nature Climate Change found that many shellfish are extremely vulnerable to ocean acidification and that some areas most at risk are also least prepared to respond and adapt to the crisis.

Still, there are signs that Canada is ready to take ocean health seriously. “Canada at a Crossroads” ends by offering a constructive to-do list to help this country get back on track, and our newly elected government has made a number of commitments that align with its recommendations. They include reassessing the recent Fisheries Act amendments, reversing funding cuts to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, increasing marine and coastal protected areas and allowing government scientists to speak freely about their work. The government has also moved to formalize the moratorium on crude oil tankers on B.C.’s North Coast, which will help ensure coastal biodiversity is protected from spills.

Oceans supply half our oxygen, absorb a quarter of our emissions, produce food, regulate climate and weather, give us medicine, culture, renewable energy and jobs, and support a diversity of life. We can’t live without them.

David Suzuki and Sarika Cullis-Suzuki

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Letters to the Editor – Opinions Killing is not a sport (Re “Crying wolf”, the Local, Dec. 24) Trophies are given as rewards like in your child's sports game, or hey, the Stanley Cup. But 'trophy hunting', not for sustenance, that amounts to killing only.

Killing our precious wildlife must end. What's the reward? Go to a shooting range you twisted egos. There's

One accident away

“Made you look”! That was the game I played with myself in my early teens when I first became disabled (losing my right leg after being hit by a drunk driver while riding my bike at age 13). You see, I was quite sensitive to the stares of others. Sure I knew the reason, I was different and we humans have a hard time accepting anything in our environment that is different… especially in the human form.

So, my way of dealing with the pain was to pretend I was being gawked at for reasons of envy. The game was called, “Made you Look” and when I would feel that uneasy stare,

actually a human torso if my memory is correct. I'm sure wild animal silhouettes could be arranged. It is hard for me and others to understand the motive for killing an exquisite wild animal simply as a trophy. What's the motivation?

What chance does a wild animal have against an egotistical coward with a rifle, or worse, leg hold traps, shooting from helicopters and poisoning with strychnine. This I’d say to myself, “Oh no, you discovered me! Yes, I’m Madonna (the sexy goddess of rock… at that time), incognito!”

The humour of this game got me through adolescence, but looking back, “the look” was really a sad indication that the other person could not see me as ‘just another human being’.

In my profession as a pediatric occupational therapist, I work with children from birth to age 5. I feel so privileged to work with these little people, because time and again I witness them struggling with new concepts and activities, trying and failing and trying

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Sarah Doherty.

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is horrific animal abuse.

According to the New York Times: "The FBI has found that a history of cruelty to animals is one of the traits that regularly appear in its computer records of serial rapists and murderers, and the standard diagnostic and treatment manual for psychiatric and emotional disorders lists cruelty to animals as a diagnostic criterion for conduct disorders."

again! Their world is fresh and exciting and when something new, something different, comes to their attention, their instinct isn’t to shun or shy away. They often say with a concerned tone, “What happen to you?” I always give a quick explanation as to why I am an amputee and why I walk on SideStix (and if the age is appropriate, I use the opportunity to caution them to be really careful on their bicycles!)

Adolescents and adults are perhaps not as open to accepting differences as the little people I work with on a daily basis and I’ve always wondered how to educate adults, both young and old, to see me first and look past my disability.

The thing is, disability can happen to anyone and most of us are just an accident or devastating diagnosis away from not being abled bodied.

Changing the way you “look” at an individual with disability essentially starts by understanding and embracing your own vulnerabilities and acknowledging “this could happen to me”.

Once you empathize and place yourself as the ‘first person in their story’ you are able to feel and observe more keenly what the person is capable of and what they may need in terms of help, if any. This observation of the ‘whole person’ will give a much better understanding of their strengths and capabilities and will help to bring down that inner fear of, “oh

Bottom line is it's time to end this sick 'sport.' It's not just elephants, lions and tigers that need protecting; we need to value and protect our own precious wildlife.

Premier Christy Clark expresses great concern over the mental health of our youth. Setting a great example, isn't she, supporting killing as a sport?

Marsha Andrews, West Sechelt no, that person is disabled, I don’t know how to react… so I’ll just avoid them instead.”

I do hope someday, the individuals who now look past me or stare in horror will eventually begin to embrace their vulnerabilities and mine; see me first, without fear and then my disability.

They will be able to understand that a challenge can be an opportunity to become stronger and more of who you are within, regardless of age or physical ability. They will see my disability is the root of my strength. Now that’s a great reason to ‘Make you Look’!

Sarah Doherty, Roberts Creek

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor should be sent by e-mail to editor@thelocalweekly.ca.

The deadline is Monday at 10am for that week’s paper. Generally, letters should not exceed 300 words. And all letters must be signed, include the writer’s community of residence and (not for publication) telephone number. Letters may be edited for a variety of reasons.

Expect more George Hotel strife, says Rowe Gibsons Mayor Wayne Rowe says that while 2015 was highlighted by the issue of the George Hotel, he still foresees controversies about the development continuing well into next year.

“I think it’s a relief for the community generally that a decision has been made,” Rowe told The Local in a year-end interview. “But I fully understand that this project as it moves forward will bring up all kinds of issues as it goes through.”

Rowe cited specifically development permits that still have to be issued for the hotel, to do with both its “form and character” and the environment.

“I think they’re going to have a geotechnical and actual engineering challenge in building it,” said Rowe. “But they can replace the Lion’s Gate Bridge without ever having to stop the traffic, so I do have faith the engineers will be able to find solutions.”

Rowe admitted that the public arguments about the George took their toll, even though, he said, the conflicts

of interest he was accused of were “spurious” and “unfounded.”

“The personal allegations and attacks certainly interfere with one’s sleep patterns,” The George might have often seemed to be the only issue for the town in 2015, but it wasn’t all that got done, Rowe notes. He’s pleased Council passed the update to the Official Community Plan, and managed to make a large—if also controversial— donation to the Gibsons Public Market of $275,000. The money was transferred from the Town’s Park Acquisition Reserve Fund to the Capital Projects Reserve Fund, a move which received the required provincial approval in late December.

The Town’s adoption of its Eco-Asset Strategy also marked a high point for Rowe. Developed largely by Chief Administrative Officer Manny Machado, it is an innovative approach that uses and preserves existing natural ecosystems to help handle the effects of development.

“It’s actually saving the Town millions of dollars on infrastructure that would otherwise be required,” said Rowe.

The announcement that Howe Sound Pulp and Paper would layoff of more than 160 employees—many of them Gibsons residents— shocked the Coast last summer, and Rowe believes the Town still hasn’t seen the full effect.

“It’s early yet,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve yet really felt the impact.”

Meanwhile, Rowe applauded the efforts to create the Regional Economic Development Charter, a Coastwide, collaborative effort to diversify and strengthen the economy.

“We’re a peninsula here with just under 30,000 people and the rest of the world out there sees it as the Sunshine Coast. They don’t necessarily see Gibsons, or Sechelt, or Halfmoon Bay, it’s the Sunshine Coast. We have to work together in order to get anywhere,” Rowe said.

Rik Jespersen

The Local - Thursday, December 31, 2015

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Gibsons Mayor Wayne Rowe, in his office at Municipal Hall, says he's pleased about a number of issues Town Council and staff worked through in 2015. RIK JESPERSEN PHOTO

RCMP talk to scammer, recover money as to facilitate a conference call with someone representing themselves as a West Vancouver police officer, who also threatened arrest if more money wasn’t sent.

Fortunately the RCMP detachment clerk was aware that CRA scams are common, and recognized that this was not a legitimate call. The RCMP clerk spoke with the two scammers on the phone, identified herself as an employee of the RCMP, and told them she knew it was a scam.

The scammers demanded to know who the clerk was, and asked what state police are you with? The resident then hung up on the scammers, who are apparently not from Canada, where there are no state police.

The clerk then read the fine print on the prepaid cards, and saw that the cards would not be activated until one hour from the time of purchase. She called a Pivot Visa manager, who confirmed no money had yet been withdrawn from the cards, and agreed to refund the full amount to the fraud

victim.

“Scammers can be very convincing people,” said Cst Harrison Mohr with Sunshine Coast RCMP. “Luckily in this case, the resident realized just in time that it was a scam, and immediately turned to the RCMP for help.

These scammers picked the wrong detachment clerk to mess with. She has been working for the RCMP for 18 years and knows a scam when she sees one. She not only stopped the resident from losing more money, but also helped him to get back the thousands of dollars he nearly lost. The resident hasn’t heard from the scammers since.”

It can be very challenging to track down scammers, and RCMP are not expecting any charges out of this incident. Anyone who has been scammed should report the matter to their local police. Check out the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s website for more info http://www. antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca Submitted by RCMP

The Blue Ocean Golf Club Team Wishes everyone in the community A very Merry Christmas, happy holidays and Best Wishes a Healthy and Prosperous And afor healthy and prosperous 2016 2016!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE BLUE OCEAN GOLF CLUB AND GRILL IN 2015, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING OF SERVICE IN THE NEW YEAR. The Grill will be closed until February 10 while we take a break and do some renovations. The Golf Shop and the course remain open 9-4 each day (weather permitting).

Check out www.blueoceangolf.ca or phone 604-885-2700.

we’re always in full swing.

6177 Ripple Way, Sechelt (formerly, Sechelt Golf Course) 604 885 2700 blueoceangolf.ca

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A 51 year-old Gibsons resident is breathing a little easier now, after an RCMP staff member helped him out of a common scam.

The resident was contacted by a man claiming to be with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), saying that he owed money to the CRA and needed to pay immediately or he would be arrested. It just so happens that the resident did owe money to the CRA, so he initially believed the scammer was an authentic CRA representative.

Following instructions from the scammer, he purchased $3,000 in prepaid Pivot Visa prepaid cards, and relayed the card numbers to the scammer, believing that the funds would cover the money he owed and prevent his arrest.

However after sending the card numbers, the resident suspected it might be a scam, so he walked into the RCMP’s community policing office in Gibsons while on the phone with the scammer, who was demanding even more money. The scammer went so far

6

The Local - Thursday, December 31, 2015

Daily exercise: housework counts

and the

BUSINESS

SUNSHINE COAST

MAGAZINE

Wish Everyone a Happy New Year and Best Wishes for a Prosperous 2016!

Motivation to get out and get active in the winter months can be as fleeting as daylight at this time of year.

Here are 12 tips for keeping active this holiday season: 1. Create an activity calendar for a month, with daily challenges for staying active.

2. Bundle up and go tobogganing, build a snowman, try snowshoeing or hit the mountains to go skiing.

3. See more rain than snow this winter? Get your boots on and play in the puddles 4. While you are preparing for family and friends arriving for dinners and gatherings, remember all that housework counts towards your recommended physical activity.

5. Check out your local parks and recreation centres.

6. Go for a short walk and keep it simple. There are lots of places you can go to rack up the recommended 10,000 steps a day — even your local mall.

7. Run errands on foot.

Park at the far end of the lot or leave the car at home.

Those extra steps add up.

8. Start small: do jumping jacks during commercials, or commit to taking the stairs everywhere you go.

9. Take your workout gear.

Bringing your workout

clothes to work gives you one less reason to skip postwork exercise.

10. Go play in the back yard or park with your kids. Children need between 60 and 180 minutes of physical activity a day, so joining them is sure to keep you on track with activity levels.

11. Dancing is a fun and easy way to get the blood flowing.

12. Looking for a new favourite activity? Use online videos to try out the basics of

The BC Government Employees Union (BCGEU) is mourning the loss of Louise Hood, who passed away in her mid-50s on Dec. 27.

She was a community health worker based in Gibsons, assisting seniors in their homes.

And she leaves a legacy of nearly 25 years of union activism, including in BCGEU’s community health component, serving as shop steward, local executive member, component treasurer, and second delegate to the provincial executive. She also served on numerous bargaining committees. Louise was also component treasurer for health services. She was re-elected as Local 803 chair in March of this year, but stepped away from her duties due to illness in the

summer. She was also a past president of the Sunshine Coast Labour Council.

"Our union and the broader labour movement has lost a tireless advocate for the rights of working people in this province. She will be sorely missed," said BCGEU president Stephanie Smith.

"Louise lived and breathed union activism from her very earliest days with our union.

Her dedication to our members was expressed in everything she did. She was a great activist and dear friend," said Carla Dempsey, Community Health Services Vice President.

Louise Hood is survived by her husband of 37 years, two daughters, a son, and eight grandchildren.

A memorial service will take place on Jan. 2 at 3pm

yoga, tai chi or a new dance.

That way, you’ll know if you like it before committing to formal instruction or classes.

Adults should get at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week in sessions of 10 minutes or more. By doing just over 20 minutes of activity a day you can help reduce your risk of premature death, heart disease and stroke, among many other health benefits.

Submitted

A cross-country ski trail on Dakota Ridge, which, early this week, had a snow base of 1.67 metres. There are also snowshoeing and tobogganing areas. You need a four-wheel drive with chains to get there, or take a shuttle from Alpha Adventures in Wilson Creek. SCRD PHOTO

Union activist dies

Louise Hood

PHOTO SUBMITTED

at Devlin Funeral Home 579 Seaview Rd, Gibsons. A celebration of Louise's life will take place, immediately following the service, at the Kinsmen Hall, Dougall Park, 399 Aldersprings Rd., Gibsons.

The BCGEU will also be coordinating a celebration of life event, in recognition of Louise's service to the union.

Details to follow in January.

Submitted

BUSINESS

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Don Rheaume, on the right, presents Matthew Hardman of the Salvation Arm with food collected at the Howe Sound Pulp and Paper staff and employee Christmas party. In addition, members of Unifor Local 1119 at the mill donated $1,500. PHOTO SUBMITTED

Milne looks beyond year of transition Sechelt Mayor Bruce Milne says he looks forward in 2016 to getting some initiatives finally completed and a few others launched, following a year of transition at the municipality and continuing challenges in one troubled subdivision.

In a year-end interview with the Local, Milne said he hopes the recruitment of the new Chief Administrative Officer and three other senior managers will be completed sometime in February, a process he originally expected would be finished last summer.

“I really did think the restructuring and reorientation would take place in four to six months,” said Milne, who defeated incumbent John Henderson in the November, 2014 election. But Milne said the “fault lines” in the administration ran further than he expected.

There was, “a deep resistance from some senior staff to having a new direction from Council,” said Milne.

And those staff had “dug in their heels” against the course corrections recommended in an Auditor General’s report and in an independent organizational review.

“I expected to come in and need to set a new direction, but not to have to be such a turnaround agent,” Milne said.

In addition to a new CAO, Council will be hiring a Director of Finance and Corporate Services, a Director of Engineering and Public Works, and a Director of Planning.

Milne also points to the reintroduction in the past year of a policy requiring business cases to be made for the District’s big expenditures, saying he found it “unbelievable” that such a policy wasn’t already in place.

“We had an organization

that had not been used to preparing business cases for major decisions, which the Auditor General also pointed out,” said Milne.

Milne said he welcomed the work being done on a Coast-wide economic initiative to help attract new investment, but also stressed the need to continue to support existing businesses.

“Research shows that 80 per cent of investment in any community comes from people who are already living here or already have a business here,” Milne noted.

The mayor foresees Council getting started on a few municipal projects in 2016, including planning the construction of a new public works building and planning for a modest expansion of the library and municipal offices.

Milne also hopes to explore the feasibility of a civic plaza, “a central, iconic gathering place,” where people could come together for everything from celebrations, to arts and music festivals and events, to political protests.

But he acknowledges that overshadowing Council’s efforts will be the fate of the Seawatch neighbourhood in West Porpoise Bay. Concerns about future sinkholes – and

Council’s view that little can be done to permanently address those concerns – leave few options for the owners of the 14 homes in the 28-lot subdivision, and also for the developer and others who could be named as defendants in owners’ lawsuits.

Lawyers for the District and its insurer, the Municipal Insurance Association of B.C., have encouraged owners to get their own lawyers and consider joint legal action for compensation. The lawyers say the District does not have the funds to risk on a questionable, multi-million-dollar remediation job on public infrastructure. They add that in any case, it wouldn’t fix what Milne calls “the fundamental geological instability” of the subdivision, and where many of the problems could lie under private property.

“Tragically, this is just destroying the lives and dreams” of people living there, Milne said. “Everyone is being damaged. And some of the damage is far beyond fiscal and financial. And that’s the part that hurts the most.

So it is without any question the pressing moral, political issue for Sechelt.”

Rik Jespersen

The District of Sechelt has been given a provincial grant under a program for “agefriendly” community planning projects.

“Our age-friendly programs encourage older British Columbians to be active and engaged, which helps them stay healthy,” said Health Minister Terry Lake.

“The 2016 grant recipients have developed a variety of projects focusing on accessibility, transportation, information and outreach, all with a goal of helping seniors be

mobile, physically active and socially connected.”

The Sechelt grant of $20,000 will be used to conduct a survey and develop an age-friendly community plan. The planning process will identify seniors' needs and age-friendly solutions within the community, and the recommendations will be integrated into the district’s bylaws and policies.

The age-friendly community planning and project grant program is a partnership between the Province

and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM). Local governments were invited to apply for grants up to $20,000 to help carry out activities that are designed to help seniors stay active, healthy and independent.

For the 2016 grants, communities were encouraged to consider projects that focus on accessibility, elder abuse prevention, dementia and non-medical home support.

Submitted

Inspired by the large turnout of people interested in Ayurved, Elizabeth Innes, community pharmacist, is again opening the doors at Blissful Yoga for another talk.

It will be held 7:30-9m, Jan. 8, at Blissful Yoga, 5654 Dolphin St., Sechelt, admission by donation.

The first talk was broad

in range but this one will be more specific, about a mineral that is fundamental to many imbalances of the body.

It reduces inflammation which is the culprit behind many disorders. Some common disorders that would benefit form the anti-inflammatory qualities of this mineral are: arthritis, diabetes,

osteoporosis, muscle cramping, to name a few.

From an ayurvedic perspective it balances all the Doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The closest translation from our western scientific perspective of doshas are the energies of movement, transformation and structure.

Submitted

The Local - Thursday, December 31, 2015

END OF

SEASON

Sechelt Mayor Bruce Milne says course corrections in the District's municipal administration have taken twice as long as he anticipated. RIK JESPERSEN PHOTO

“Age-friendly” grant

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Local

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Art Review

ARTS & CULTURE

Local artist Jeanette Macdonald is about to embark on another leg of her journey with the opening of her first solo exhibition at the Gumboot Cafe on Jan. 3. Working mainly in acrylics with some mixed media, the exhibition comprises approximately 30 paintings showcasing Macdonald’s quirky style. “It feels kind of weird,” says the Roberts Creek resident. “There’s a certain aspect of [the exhibition] that feels like I’m standing naked. The Gumboot is our local coffee shop too. I have no idea what it’s going to be like going there every day for two months

and seeing my work on the walls.”

Macdonald has been painting for most of her life, but it’s only in the last year that she has been moved to share her work with a larger audience. She took a workshop with Nick Bantock (author of the Grif�in and Sabine triology), and found it inspiring.

“His mixed media workshop opened me up to playing and expressing myself through my art,” says Macdonald. “I started painting a lot after taking his workshop.” All that painting took place on a boat since, at the time, she and her husband were living aboard their boat in Victoria. “It was really challenging because I had to drag everything out every day and then put it back,” she says laughing. “It’s much easier now having a little studio.”

MacDonald also writes poetry and has written and

illustrated a children’s book called Shoo Shoo Shoo Sha La La, inspired by her own experience with her sister and dad as a little girl. “I use my art to work through some stuff, expressing what I’m growing through or going through at the moment,” she says of her process, believing that creativity is to “Be brave and do what your heart speaks to you.”

The Wonderful Whimsical World of Jeanette Macdonald opens at the Gumboot Cafe on Jan. 3 and runs until Feb. 29. Opening reception is on Saturday, Jan. 2 at 7pm. More info at: jeanettemacdonaldart.com ••• The Sunshine Coast Arts Council is preparing for its annual Friends of the Gallery exhibit. If you are a member of the Sunshine Coast Arts Council and completed

Preparations are in full swing for the 2016 Gibsons Public Art Gallery's Young People's Art Show, 'Portraits'. This is the 7th year of 'Shout Out', which features the works of young people from around the Sunshine Coast, representing artists as young as two and all the way up to 18.

Says curator and board member Val Romain: "This exhibit celebrates young people and their creativity, to validate their creative work and unique points of view. Submissions are welcome from different ages and in various media, and are not juried. This is an important difference from

any other show, and helps build self-confidence. Every applicant who submits is assured of a place in the show.

The artworks are displayed to be seen at every eye level.

In 'Portraits', young artists of the Sunshine Coast see themselves and others."

GPAG will be asking young people to submit two pieces of work in any medium, to be delivered to the Gallery (431 Marine Drive, Gibsons) between Sunday Feb. 28, 11am, and Sunday Mar.16, 3:30pm.

(The Gallery is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.)

Works need to be accompanied by the entry form which can be obtained at libraries and schools, or downloaded

from www.gpag.ca/ All works will be exhibited from March 10 to April 3, and all participants, families and friends are invited to attend the opening party to be held at GPAG on Friday, March 11 from 3:30pm to 6:30pm.

Gibsons Public Art Gallery is also inviting submissions from artists interested in exhibiting in the 2017 calendar year. GPAG's exhibition policy, guidelines and application form are all available online at www.gpag.ca/ submissions. Closing date for submissions is March 31, 2016.

We invite submissions from individuals or groups, in all genres. Submitted

Sunshine Coast ElderU, in partnership with School District 46, would like to invite the Sunshine Coast community to attend a free public forum on climate change featuring Professor Jim Pawley. It will be held Jan.12, 10am-noon, in the theatre at Chatelech Secondary, Sechelt.

Human caused climate change is upon us. Extreme weather is affecting food prices worldwide. Urgent appeals from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have galvanized world leaders to promise drastic C02

emissions.

Many believe that the December 2015 UN Paris Climate Summit offered a last chance for an effective and enforceable international agreement. The forum will discuss the options for action and how they are likely to affect us on the Sunshine Coast.

Professor Pawley was a biophysicist at the University of Madison-Wisconsin where he lectured on the causes and effects of global warming and on our possible responses to it. He will offer an overview leading into a Q&A and discussion.

Submitted

Anna Nobile Freelance Creative Writer, Arts & Culture

The Local - Thursday, December 31, 2015

a work in 2015, bring it to the gallery Sunday, Jan. 3 between 1 and 3:30pm. The exhibition runs Jan. 6 to Feb. 7, 2016. The opening recep-

tion is on Wednesday, Jan. 6th from 7-9pm at the Doris Crowston Gallery, in the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre, 5714 Medusa St., Sechelt.

Young people’s show accepts everyone

What can we do about climate change?

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One of about 30 art works by Jeanette Macdonald that will be exhibited at the Gumboot Cafe in Roberts Creek.

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SENIOR BIRTHDAYS ON THE SUNSHINE COAST (AGE 90+)

Sally Peace will be 97 on January 1st, 2016. She will be an invited guest to Government House for the New Years Levee, where she will be greeted by the Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon.

Happy Birthday from all your friends who love you!

Happy Birthday Sally!

From If you or someone you know is celebrating a Birthday, age 90+ send us a photo and a short bio and we will publish this for you in the LOCAL.

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Events on the Sunshine Coast December 31 Luci Herder with Jack & G Band, five-course dinner, champagne, Leo’s Tapas and Grill, Gibsons, $75 December 31 Thunderstruck, AC/DC tribute, Lighthouse Pub, Sechelt, 8pm, $15 December 31 Playback and the Marwills, with snack buffet and champagne, Gibsons Legion, 8:30pm, members $25, guests $30 December 31 Djs Hebegebe, Jay Zoney and Kontroller, Roberts Creek Hall, 9pm, $40 at the door December 31 Railtown Sound System, plus Three Foot Kick and The Funkdealer, Roberts Creek Legion, 9pm, members $15, guests $30 January 1 Polar Bear swim, Davis Bay pier, 10am-noon January 1 Hair of the Dog Day, dogs on leash welcome, Botanical Garden, West Sechelt, 11am3pm, by donation January 1 Light a light to remember a life, love or friend, Mission Point Park, Davis Bay, 2pm, 604-740-0475 January 2 Roberts Creek Scout group bottle drive, behind Trail Bay Mall, Sechelt, 9am-4pm, for early pickup call 604885-2282 January 2 MOTET Chamber Choir in a Christmas concert of choral and organ music, St.Hilda's Anglican Church, Sechelt, 2:30pm, by donation January 2 Opening for Jeanette MacDonald art exhibition, Gumboot Cafe, Roberts Creek, 7pm January 2 The Marwills, Roberts Creek Legion, 9pm, members $6, guests $12 January 5 Audition call for Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit”, Seniors Centre, Sechelt, 7pm, driftwoodplayers.ca January 6 Artists reception for opening of Friends of the Gallery exhibit, Arts Centre, Sechelt, 7-9pm January 6 Holy Crap entrepreneurs Corin and Brian Mullins make return appearance on the Dragons’ Den, CBC TV, 8pm January 7 Audition call for Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit”, Heritage Playhouse, Gibsons, 7pm, driftwoodplayers.ca

Madeira Park 604 883 9551 12390 Sunshine Coast Hwy.

10

The Local - Thursday, December 31, 2015

admin@thelocalweekly.ca ANNOUNCEMENTS

$ CASH $ FOR OLD WEAPONS

& Military Items Etc. 604-740-6474 SERVICE DIRECTORY Suncoast Sundecks Inc. Authorized Dealer Installer

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Denby, Royal Albert, Doulton, Wedgewood Etc. Silver plate & Sterling,e.g. Birks & Community Cash & Consignment. Phone for appointment & information 604-980-8011 (a Must Please) www.echoschina.com TOO MUCH SUMMER ICE CREAM? Need help to get rid of those extra pounds?

TOPS (Take off pounds sensibly) will help. SECHELT, The ARTS Centre, Trail Avenue Weds 6:00pm 604-7474755. GIBSONS, Frank West Hall, 1224 Chaster Road, Thurs 6:30pm 604-8862683. First Meeting is free.

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is looking for YOU! OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED: Friday, January 1, 2016 REOPENING: Monday, January 4, 2016!

Outside Advertising Sales Representative HAPPY NEW YEAR!

EMPLOYMENT Full Time Reporter Outside Advertising Sales Representative

The Northeast News is looking to hire exceptional and dedicated REPORTERS and SPORTS REPORTERS to join a fun and friendly team.

The successful candidate works well in a team setting but is self – motivated. You will be escription exposed to aseeking variety of potential stories froma city council, schoolattitude district meetings, We are a teamnews player with professional to court cases, RCMP press conferences, sports, the local café, an emerging artist or the work and learn in a fast paced, business environment. latest event. ualications The successful candidate will be responsible to write multiple news stories a week, take photographs accompany stories, community events wellthe as design and layout The idealto candidate mustattend be motivated and as take initiative pages. to sell multiple media products, including on-line advertising The Northeast News is known for its local which means the successful and special products, work withnews, existing customers and candidate is oneescription who will immerse him or her self in the community. Our publication also delivers develop new customers. Strong interpersonal skills and a strong news content.

Therefore are looking for a go-getterattitude and someone We breaking are seeking a team playerwewith a professional to who strong knowledge of sales and marketing are required. Above has a nose for news. work and learn in a fast paced, business environment. average communication skills, valid driver’s licencetoand a If this sounds like you, email your cover letter, resume, and three clippings salesmanager@ uali cations reliable vehicle northeastnews.ca start are date necessary.

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We are independently owned and operated publication, with our twoAberdeenPublishing.com offices located in Fort St John and Dawson Creek, BC. The Northeast News provides 778-754-5722 insightful stories to the residents of Northeast BC. Our paper is available online and readers can keep up to date on Facebook and Twitter.

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We are inside cooking, uncluttering, moving furniture around... NESTING. What a great concept! Hope you are enjoying it. Visit us for the perfect piece of furniture or unique accessories to complete your look. Don't forget, we love it when you ask us for decor advice. Stephen has years of experience, Diane, years of aspiring! Your 30 something holiday guests will love our style too! Happy New Year and see you soon. Open regular hours throughout the holidays, bring your visitors. Offering Design & De-Cluttering Services. www.redecorsechelt. com 5660 Cowrie St, Sechelt 604-885-5884 PS Always in need of small furniture, lamps, mirrors etc

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11

Horoscope upon strengthening spiritual convictions and somewhere in between the emphasis may be upon increasing your overall level of knowledge for social gain. Your motivation may feel like a calling even beyond an orientation for profit. Yet it also constitutes the foundation of a whole new level of leadership destined to occur in 2017.

Sagittarius (Nov 21–Dec 21) In 2015 you learned to become more focused and disciplined. 2016 will very much be about follow through. The focus upon steady expansion of your professional posture and/or confidence in general is highlighted for 2016. Breaking through inner and outer lines of resistance will enter into deeper levels yet. March through mid-April will present your first time-window to exercise your new levels of leadership and then again in mid-summer especially. Late summer through to the end of 2016 will be a time for gaining important new knowledge and is linked to the beginning of important relationships.

Later in 2016 will likely be a very busy time too.

Capricorn (Dec 21–Jan 19) 2015 was a time when certain relationships deepened and certain ones ended. A reshuffling of priorities contributed to more time focused in certain areas and much less in others. This included and will continue to include key people exiting the stage. Health issues could have come to the surface and if so you may well be contending with these throughout 2016. At best you cultivated a more philosophical perspective towards both yourself and life in general. Letting go into the flow with faith has perhaps stimulated spiritual realizations. 2016 could produce some revolutionary assertions beginning early in the year.

Aquarius (Jan 19–Feb 19) Some promising shifts and shifts of perspective began in 2015. This process has and continues to lead you to seeing yourself in the world and to seeing the world in general as with new eyes. Expect this process to continue throughout 2016. At best, returns for efforts from previous years yet were realized in 2015 and these are carrying you into 2016 with greater confidence

Pisces (Feb 19–Mar 20) Last year was a time for accessing new resolves of discipline to increase your overall power potential. This power drive will continue throughout 2016. An important aspect of your focus is and will be to increase your exposure and influence. If you are successful you will experience measurable returns by autumn especially, but perhaps even sooner.

Your ambitions and determination will become evident early in the year. Maintaining this momentum throughout the year will feel important.

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57. Part of a church 61. Diffusion 65. Type of puzzle 66. Tavern 68. Knife 69. Imbecile 70. Anger 71. Beer 72. Corsage 73. Unspecified amount 74. Delete DOWN 1. Proboscis 2. Translucent mineral 3. Manufacturing plant 4. Blacksmith’s tool 5. Intensify

6. Affectation 7. Moose 8. Farewell remark 9. Stop 10. One time only 11. Wharf 12. Acquire by effort or action 15. Matchlock 20. Small boat 22. Egyptian cobra 24. Inheritrix 25. Covered with water 26. Voice part 27. Go in 29. Bird enclosure 31. Painful 32. Ooze 33. Imbue 34. Cherub 36. Layer 38. Succulent 42. Ties up a boat 45. Physically strong 49. Operated 51. Fall 54. Shade of brown with a tinge of red 56. Tooth 57. Stumble 58. Reconstruct 59. Wading bird 60. Floating marker 61. Comply 62. Heroic tale 63. Part of the Roman calendar 64. Withered 67. Large vase

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to increase your sense of personal power. Yet a definite learning curve will be activated in January with peaks in July especially. Early spring and late summer will produce some revolutionary assertions. October will be ideal for inner work and you could enter important new territory late in the year.

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Overview for All Signs 2016 will prove to be a pivotal year for everyone. A Universal 9-Year, it will generally include themes of ending, completion and graduation in preparation for major new initiatives in 2017. 9-Years can be compared to late autumn when the garden is put to rest for the winter and when bulbs are planted which symbolize long-term plans and commitments. At a collective level, the international agreement to reduce fossil fuels at the Climate Summit in Paris provides a good example of this preliminary process. The implications of this global goal will begin to take root in 2016 yet will likely take until 2017 to begin to be literally evident. Measurable changes socially, politically and economically linked to environmental concerns will remain at the forefront in the news. This background influence will also naturally have repercussions for us all at personal levels. The sign entries below provide a summary of some of the core themes we each can expect in 2016.

Aries (Mar 21–Apr 20) The seeds of new adventures were sown in 2015. As exciting as this may be for you especially, since it is in alignment with aspects of your core nature, feeling as fully confident as you would like may pose some challenges.

Knowing your direction is a cornerstone of this issue. Yet your passions and resolve will deepen measurably early on. Getting specific on your dreams so they can become your goals and then your reality will prove important. It may require the better part of 2016 to clarify your priorities and objectives, so focus.

Yet, take your time so you feel certain and solid. By late summer your will take a definite turn to increasing your social horizons.

Taurus (Apr 20–May 21) 2015 was likely a year of significant changes for you and the process will continue and deepen in 2016. At best, you have begun to get more in touch with your truth and may well, therefore, feel happier and more confident as the year begins. Yet you may also feel the need and subsequently the challenge to re-invent yourself somehow.

Be extension, this challenge includes re-interpretation of your goals and priorities and re-centering. You may experience some major challenges from others in June and July so prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. If legal matters are in your destiny this year they will come to the fore in autumn especially.

Gemini (May 21–Jun 21) In some respects 2015 was probably a breakthrough year for you. Circumstances did and will continue to push you to deepen you focus on health matters; whether your own or those of others. In either case, a process of increased discipline which includes a steady

ing into 2017.

Virgo (Aug 23–Sep 22) 2015 awakened you to the need to lay claim to latent gifts and powers. By late summer the realization that you have received more of a summons than an invitation began to become increasingly evident.

As 2016 begins you have likely taken some preliminary steps to take deliberate action or at least feel internal pressures to do so. If you can take the initiative very early in the year do so as you may contend with doubts and procrastination when Jupiter turns retrograde on January 7th. On the other hand, the first half of 2016 could prove better devoted to completing projects began last year leaving new initiatives until the second half.

Libra (Sep 22–Oct 22) While 2015 probably proved to be a time of new learning and the activation of various skills, you may also have had and now continue to contend with deep uncertainties. These may be as simple as wondering what constitutes the next key cycle of achievement. This question period process could result in a soul searching journey for much of the year. Preparing the ground to take key initiatives in September may prove to be the single most important thing you do. With your ambitions sparked at the outset of the year this stands to be a year of major advancement, at least in terms of building a promising momentum.

Scorpio (Oct 22–Nov 21) 2015 ushered in an investment cycle that will continue throughout 2016. It may be time, money and/or specific effort that you must invest. The objective is to increase your overall feeling of security. For some this will amount to more wealth while at the opposite spectrum the focus could be

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learning curve will deepen yet.

Positively, you feel more confident and there are indications that this trend will continue.

Yet you will also have to work hard especially early in the year and from mid-spring to mid-summer. By late summer new love interests could blossom. This new love could also manifest as the announcement of a new family member or inspirations for important creative projects.

Cancer (Jun 21–Jul 22) 2015 was probably full and busy for you on a variety of fronts. You should expect the pace to continue throughout much of 2016. Some cherished dreams and ideals are now clearer in your awareness and a growing resolve to crystallize these will unfold in 2016.

March, April, August and September could prove extra busy. However, while it may take until late summer, your confidence levels stand to rise measurably coinciding with a slower pace. October could produce important changes in your career and or social status, affecting every area of your life. Aim for a promotion of some kind, by year’s end anyway.

Leo (Jul 22–Aug 23) A new vision of possibility was seeded in 2015. Now the flow of your destiny will guide you to begin the next important phase of establishing a reliable foundation. Tapping latent gifts and talents is linked to the need and ambition to increase and strengthen your income stream. Simple activating a healthier rhythm and routine is also possible. Home renovations or key moves of some kind this winter but more probably in late spring or early summer is indicated.

Either way, improvement and increase is on your mind. Expect the pace to speed-up by late summer steadily increas-

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Michael O’Connor

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The Local - Thursday, December 31, 2015

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