Comox Valley Echo - January 16, 2015 by Comox Valley Echo

www.comoxvalleyecho.com COURTENAY, BRITISH COLUMBIA • Friday, January 16, 2015

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VOL. 20, NO. 05

CHARITY

SPORTS

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HOMELESS HOUSING PROJECT STALLS.19 COURTENAY COUNCIL CAN’T AGREE ON WORDING OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL; CUMBERLAND COUNCIL SENDS A STRONG MESSAGE TO CITY. CENTENNIAL

NEWS

15.The Sid

03.Provincial

Williams Theatre returns to its roots as a movie theatre with ‘Bickle Originals’ series starting with the Wizard.

07.SEDIMENT BLAMED FOR BOIL WATER ADVISORY

programs lead to Chinese investors seeking businesses to buy in the Comox Valley

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FRIDAY.COURTENAY, BC. JANUARY 16, 2015

ECHO

NEWS Comox Valley Weather

Ian Doe

Seniors Real Estate Specialist

What is your Comox Valley home worth?







Friday A mix of sun and cloud. High 8°C.

Saturday Periods of rain. Low 5°C. High 7°C.

Sunday Showers. Low 6°C. High 8°C.

Monday Cloudy. Low 3°C. High 6°C.

Tuesday Cloudy. Low 2°C. High 6°C.

Call for an evaluation. 250-897-5628 Website: iandoe.remax.ca Email: iandoe@remax.net

For the latest Comox Valley Weather visit: www.comoxvalleyecho.com

2230A Cliffe Ave., COURTENAY BC V9N 2L4

Police Blotter WANTED If you have any information about the whereabouts of either of these two people, call the Comox Valley RCMP Detachment at 338-1321, or Comox Valley Crimestoppers at 1-800-222TIPS (1-800-222-8477). You don’t have to give your name and you could be eligible for a cash reward.

Dallas Dawn KARDASH

Andrew Michael MOULTON DOB: 1991-09-28 175 cms, 68 kgs, Brown hair, Blue eyes Warrant: Breach of recognizance Comox Valley file #2015-256

DOB: 1989-12-15 168 cms, 57 kgs, Blonde hair, Hazel eyes Warrants: Breach of undertaking,Theft under $5000, Fail to appear Comox Valley file #201415953

www.comoxvalleycrimestoppers.bc.ca $1099 Youth & Adults

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Comox Valley RCMP responded to the following incidents between Jan. 6 and 12: On January 6th police received a report of a break and enter and theft to a business located on the 2400 block of Cousins Avenue in Courtenay. The thief gained entry to the business through an unlocked second ﬂoor window and once inside stole 2 computers and a small amount of cash. (2015219) Police received a report of a theft from an unlocked garage on the 8000 block of Henderson Avenue in Black Creek on January 6th. Stolen in the theft was a pair of binoculars and a white KUAHRI mountain bike. (2015-225) On January 7th a report of a break, enter and theft were reported from a business on the 4800 block of Island Highway North in Courtenay. The culprit entered via an unlocked window and once inside stole cash and electronic equipment. (2015-254) A report of a hit and run collision was called into police on January 7th. The owner of the vehicle

Spices and Blarney give the $1,200 proceeds of their cooking class at the Blue Moon Winery to Dawn to Dawn Action on Homelessness. From left to right are Marla Limousin from Blue Moon Winery’; Richard Clarke from Dawn to Dawn; Liz Datoo and Joline Martin from Spices and Blarney.

reports the vehicle was parked on the street on the 1400 block of Hurford Avenue in Courtenay when it was run into. This investigation is continuing. (2015-265) On January 8th the Comox Valley RCMP responded to a report of a break, enter and theft at the Petro Canada located at 1720 Anderton Road in Comox. The police service dog attended and a track was followed to a residence on the 1800 block of Preston Road in Comox where a male subject was located and arrested. The man has been charged and will be appearing in court at a later date. (2015-299) On January 9th police were called to two sepa-

Cinema #4: “The Merry Widow” Metropolitan Opera - LIVE Saturday, January 17, 10:00 am (ends approx. 12:45 pm). Doors open at 9:30. Approx. 2 hours, 45 minutes. 1 intermission Cinema #4: “Beethoven” In Search of Great Composers Sunday, January 18, 10:00 am (ends 12:15 pm). Doors open at 9:30 Approx. 2 hour, 15 minutes Cinema #1: “The Imitation Game” PG: Violence. Nightly: 6:50 (8:55) & 9:25 (11:30). Saturday & Sunday Matinees: 12:20 (2:35) & 3:35 (5:40) Cinema #2: “Taken 3” 14A: 14A: Violence. Pass restricted until January 23rd. Nightly: 7:00 (9:00) & 9:30 (11:30) Saturday & Sunday Matinees: 1:20 (3:20) & 3:45 (5:45) Cinema #3: “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies 3D” PG: Violence; frightening scenes. Nightly: 6:30 (9:05) & 9:35 (12:10) Saturday & Sunday Matinees: 3D 12:00 (2:35) & 2D 3:15 (5:50) Cinema #4: “American Sniper” 14A: Violence, coarse language. Nightly: 6:40 (9:05) & 9:40 (12:05). Saturday & Sunday Matinees: 12:10 (2:35) & 3:25 (5:50)

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Box Office Hours for Jan. 16th – 22nd. Nightly: 6:00 pm – 9:50 pm. Saturday & Sunday Matinees: 11:30 am - 3:50 pm

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Show Times Jan. 16 - Jan. 22, 2014 | Campbell River, Showcase The Imitation Game (PG) Nightly 6:55 & 9:30. Sat & Sun Matinees 12:55 & 3:30 Taken 3 (14A) (No Passes) Nightly 7:20 & 9:45. Sat & Sun Matinees 1:20 & 3:45 Into the Woods (PG) Nightly 7:00 & 9:40. Sat & Sun Matinees 1:00 & 3:40 Paddington (G) Nightly 7:05 & 9:20. Sat & Sun Matinees 1:05 & 3:20 American Sniper (14A) Nightly 6:45 & 9:35. Sat & Sun Matinees 12:45 & 3:35 The Merry Widow (MET Opera) Saturday Jan. 17th 10:00AM In Search of Beethoven Sunday Jan. 18th 10:00AM

rage door at that location. (2015 - 444) On January 12th police were called to a report of a break, enter and theft from a business on the 3900 block of Island Highway South in Royston. The culprit entered the building via an unlocked rear window in the business. Stolen were two computers and an undisclosed amount of cash. (2015-477) Police report that on January 12th a suspect was arrested in several of the break and enters that have been occurring the Comox Valley over the past few weeks. The Comox Valley resident was arrested and held in custody pending a court appearance.

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rate instances of break, enter and theft at businesses in the Courtenay area. Thieves targeted cash and jewellery in these break-ins with a value of approximately $3000.00. (2015-342 & 344) Police received a report of a theft from a residence on January 10th from a resident on the 1000 block of Edgett Road, Courtenay. Thieves stole several thousands of dollars’ worth of electronics, cash and other household goods. (2015 - 377) On January 11th a report of a mischief was called into police by a homeowner on the 600 block of Anderton Road in Comox. Unknown persons spraypainted graffiti on the ga-

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

BUSINESS AND IMMIGRATION

Chinese looking to invest in Comox Valley businesses B.C.’s ‘regional entrepreneur’ and ‘regional business succession’ programs fuel interest BY PHILIP ROUND Special to the Echo

When a couple from Hong Kong bought Union

Zhao Zhengfu (front right, seated), the new co-owner of Union Street Grill, poses with staff shortly after purchasing the restaurant. He’s kept on the current staff and maintained the direction of the restaurant established by the previous owners

Street Grill in downtown Courtenay in 2014, it was the latest in a number of local business investments down the years by people from China. And it now turns out they were not the only people from that part of the world showing interest in buying a business in the area. Marty Douglas, managing broker of Re/Max Ocean Pacific Realty says he’s currently aware of about half-a-dozen ongoing inquiries about potential commercial investments in the Valley from Chinese clients or their agents.

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It’s not yet clear how many will come to fruition, and some are still looking for good opportunities in the spring or later in the year. The upswing in Chinese interest is confirmed by Maggie Mah, a regulated Canadian immigration consultant with legal firm Ansley and Company in Courtenay. She told the Echo she is currently acting for a number of local businesses that are either for sale as going concerns, or where the owners are thinking about selling. Mah says the recent increase in interest in the Comox Valley and Vancouver Island more generally is motivated by BC government immigration pro-

grams to encourage businesspeople from overseas - not just China - to invest in commercial enterprises in areas of the province outside the Metro Vancouver and Abbotsford areas. BC’s ‘regional entrepreneur’ and ‘regional business succession’ programs look to protect existing employment and expand job opportunities outside the Lower Mainland. For those with the money to invest and the appropriate expertise, they

offer a route to permanent immigration after a two-year period during which they have to show solid progress on implementing their business plan.

The recent increase in interest in the Comox Valley is motivated by BC government programs ... to invest in areas outside Metro Vancouver” MAGGIE MAH Ansley and Company

Canada is expecting huge growth in tourism from China ... following relaxation of travel rules, and we know that tourism can drive immigration” MARTY DOUGLAS

(Continued on page 4)

Managing broker of Re/Max Ocean Pacific Realty

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

Tickets going fast to hear Beverley McLachlin, Chief Justice of Canada For the very ﬁrst time, the Chief Justice of Canada, Beverley McLachlin, will be coming to the Comox Valley to give a public lecture. This event is part of the Community Justice Centre’s Annual Iona Campagnolo Lectures in Restorative Justice. Partnering in this lecture series is North Island College’s Department of Criminology and the City of Courtenay’s Centennial Year Celebrations Committee. “We have been deeply honoured by the Chief Justice by her acceptance of the invitation to be the 4th Annual Campagnolo Lecturer” Bruce Curtis, Chief Administrator of the Community Justice Centre said. “It is not likely that the Comox Valley will have this kind of opportunity to hear such a distinguished justice in person again in our lifetimes.” Chief Justice McLachlin’s lecture is titled “The Evolution of Restorative Justice in the Canadian Justice System”. This will be an excellent opportunity for the general public, as well as community leaders and those who work in the justice system to hear her views on how and where restorative justice is going in the rapidly evolving ways that

Chief Justice of Canada, Beverley McLachlin justice works in Canada. The half hour lecture will be followed by a half hour Questions and Answers period. Her presentation, at 7:30 PM on Thursday, February 26, in the Sid Williams Theatre, will be an incredibly rare opportunity. Tickets may be picked up at the Sid Williams Theatre Ticket Centre at no charge. Tickets may also be ordered online through the Sid Williams Website, but those ones will have a service fee of $2.00. FMI: (250) 334-8101 or by e-mail to bruce.curtis@shawbiz.ca.

Chinese look to invest in Valley businesses (Continued from page 3) At the basic level, investors have to buy businesses worth at least $200,000, and also have to have a further $400,000 in personal net worth to get their initial work permit. But Mah says in reality the cost of buying in to the program is often a lot more. That hasn’t dissuaded the current wave of potential investors, especially since a different Canada-wide federal government ‘investor immigrant’ program was closed last year, and some other provincial schemes have also been shut down. As a result, the places where people can still invest in Canada in order to open a route to immigration have been much reduced. So to ensure its own program is not abused, the BC provincial government has set tough conditions that new applicants must meet. Those conditions are to ensure people who are accepted are indeed genuine entrepreneurs who have a track record in business, whose money has been raised from legitimate sources, and who have business plans for their acquisitions here to grow employment. In fact, it’s a requirement of the province that investors “must create one or more new jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents” as part of their commitment.

A key part of Mah’s work is checking on behalf of local sellers that prospective purchasers do match the criteria, so there are no hiccups in the transactions - and that all takes time. She has a head start in the due diligence process, as she is originally from China, still has many contacts there, knows the system, and speaks the language fluently. For reasons of confidentiality, no details of businesses involved in discussions with either realtors of legal agents can be revealed, but Mah confirmed that current interest is in a variety of enterprises on the Island, including restaurants and other service businesses, farming and wineries, and light industry. There appears to be a second reason Chinese interest is peaking now; not just that the provincial regional programs are relatively new and took time to settle in. Marty Douglas notes the depreciation of the Canadian dollar against the Chinese renminbi on the currency markets means the money of Chinese investors goes much further than it did a year or more ago. He believes this is a factor in the spike in interest and the apparent willingness of investors to pay good prices for successful businesses. “There’s certainly some evidence that Chinese investor immigrants

tend to pay more than local appraisers sometimes expect,” he adds. Mah confirms that, noting that people in such circumstances are in reality buying more than just the business, but a route to immigration. But they still want to be sure they are getting a fair deal. Douglas doesn’t envision the Comox Valley becoming a significant draw for Chinese immigration - unlike the Lower Mainland, where some project a doubling of the Chinese population to 800,000 over coming years. But he does believe local historic and more recent links with China and Taiwan could help fuel additional interest in the Comox Valley. He also notes the growth of tourism from China’s rapidlyexpanding middle classes will encourage further immigration applications in the future for people who want to settle in western Canada. “Canada is expecting huge growth in tourism from China over the next two or three years following relaxation of travel rules, and we know that tourism can drive immigration,” he says. “After people have visited Canada, some return home thinking what a great place it would be to live - and it is. “Investing in businesses is one way to achieve that for those who have the money.”

www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

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Cumberland Brewing Company off to the races with big sales Over 2,000 litres poured in first week open BY DREW A. PENNER Echo Staff By the time the first growler made its way up the hill to Dodge City Cycles Dec. 23 it was as if everyone had heard the good news - Cumberland Brewing Company was open for business. “Like wildfire the word spread and we were slammed all day long,” said co-owner Darren Adam, swinging his speech to the clarinet music pumping from the speakers in the craft brewery at Dunsmuir Avenue and Third Street. “In five hours we must have filled close to 500 growlers.” Locking down the necessary licences to open

Like wildfire the word spread and we were slammed all day long. In five hours we must have filled close to 500 growlers.” DARREN ADAM Business partner

legally, Adam and business partner Caroline Tymchuk launched their lounge in time for Christmas, presenting Mike Tymchuk-brewed batches of More Cowbell Dunkelweizen (5% alcohol), Red Tape Pale Ale (5.5%) and Just a Little Bitter English Bitter 4.2%.

24 HR Service 250-338-8026

Cumberland Brewing Company poured over 2,000 litres of beer in the ﬁrst week of business, running out of both the bitter and the pale ale brieﬂy. Hitting up the all-ages locale is a cozy affair. You enter from the back, and are greeted by what seems like the result of crossing an urban hipster haunt with a hidden 1920s speakeasy that’s been populated by coal miners, loggers and mountain bikers. “So this has been malted, but it has also been really slowly roasted at like 175 degrees until it’s that nice brown colour,” Adam says to a customer, pointing towards a small pile of malted barley. (Continued on page 6)

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OPEN HOUSE South Region Liquid Waste Management Plan

The project team has reached a critical stage in the liquid waste management planning process and is seeking the community’s feedback on a shortlist of service options. Details about proposed effluent discharge locations, project costs and costs for participants will be presented at this important open house event.

Wednesday, Jan 21, 2015 | 4 - 7 pm Union Bay Community Hall 5401 South Island Hwy, Union Bay Open House Style Fill out a comment form/survey at the open house and your name will be entered to WIN one of four 10-visit passes to CVRD recreation facilities as a thank-you for your time. If you can’t make the Jan 21 open house, drop by the project oﬃce (3843 Livingstone Rd) on Jan 22 or 29 (noon to 4 pm) with any questions or feedback. Learn more at www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/southregionlwmp Contact: southsewer@comoxvalleyrd.ca | 250-871-6100

www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

Caroline Tymchuk happily buried under a (mountain) of paperwork.

Brewery opens (Continued from page 5) “It’s been slightly germinated then stopped. It allows the enzymes to come out.” It’s like you’re being let in on a secret that everyone gets to be part of. Jesse and Sarah Stromquist enjoyed their ﬁrst jaunt from Royston to sample the Cumberland Brewing Company wares. “We’re very impressed,” Jesse said, as he moved to the till to pay the tab. “We had the Ploughman’s lunch.” It was exactly what he was hoping it would be like. “Cumberland is a small community and this is a cozy place,” he said. “The food is fantastic.” He particularly liked the fact he could purchase a growler of beer to replenish later. “Bring it back, get it ﬁlled up,” he said. “What guy doesn’t love that?” Caroline Tymchuk said people seem so excited to see the new brewery is open. “I’m more than pleased with the reception,” she said, adding, “This is just the beginning.”

Power and Sail Squadron boating course starts on February 3 Do you have your Pleasure Craft Operators Certiﬁcate (PCOC), but want to learn more about boating? Then this is the course for you. Cape Lazo Power and Sail Squadron is offering the course from February 3 to April 21, 2015 at Mark Isfeld School. Topics include navigation, plotting, working with charts, weather and much more. For more information or to register go our website at www.capelazocps.ca. If you have any questions please contact Barb Hammer at 250-339-2333.

www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

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FLOODING AND DRINKING WATER

Mud flow from rivers causes high turbidity It’s the longest water boil advisory ever issued by the Comox Valley Regional District BY MICHAEL BRIONES Echo Staff

You’ve got the mouth of the Cruickshank showing extraordinary sediment flow to the Conox Lake .... This is what’s led, as far as I can tell, to the turbidiy ...” DAVID ALLEN Courtenay CAO

We’ve never seen anything like this. I’ve been here 48 years and some of the people I have harvested with are 75-years old and have never seen this before.” KEN JENSEN Woods worker, mushroom picker

The boil water advisory continues to be in effect and it’s the longest one almost six weeks - ever issued by the Comox Valley Regional District. It started following the heavy rainstorm in December last year. The CVRD’s senior manager of water David Leitch said they are not able to lift it because the turbidity level in the Comox Lake still remains above Island Health Authority’s safety criteria. It is currently at 1.5 nephelometric turbidity units at the source. It should be less than one NTU. Despite the good weather, the fine suspended particles continue to linger in the lake and are

Sediment from Cruikshank River muddies the water conditions in Comox Lake. This shot was taken during the height of the rain storm in December. (City of Courtenay photo) taking a lot longer to settle down. When the turbidity is high, bacteria may hide

in the dirt and cause the chlorination process the CVRD uses to treat the wa-

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ter of any harmful bacteria less effective. (Continued on page 8)

Aerial shot of the silt spewing from Perseverance Creek into Comox Lake. (City of Courtenay photo)

www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

The longest boil water advisory ever issued (Continued from page 7) Other than the heavy rainfall that hit the valley, what is causing the water quality at the lake to remain murky and why is it taking so long for it to disperse? The CVRD has no answers but there are those who work in and frequent the mountains who are blaming logging operations. Ken Jensen, who works in non-timber forest products and does harvesting and studying of wild plants like chanterelle mushrooms and berries in the valley, has seen areas where logging should not have been allowed. “One of my harvest areas used to be Comox Lake,” said Jensen. “The problem has become that a lot of that has been logged off. So what you’ve got is 45 to 75 degree mountains that are being logged. You’ve got the Cruikshank, which is a major feeder to Comox Lake as well as Willemar Lake and all those areas have been logged off. So when you log them off, what you create is a prob-

Aerial shot of the Cruikshank River tributaries.(City of Courtenay photo) lem of water runoff because the trees slow the progression of water when it rains heavy. Well the trees aren’t there to stop them anymore so what you end up with is like an avalanche situation. All the silt comes and there’s nothing to stop it any more.” Courtenay Chief Ad-

ministrative Officer, David Allen in his report to council on Monday on the Courtenay flooding that took place on Dec. 9-11 last year, also pointed to the mudflow from the Cruikshank River as the cause of the problem on Comox Lake. He showed aerial photos of the Cruikshank River as

well as Perseverance Creek taken during the height of the storm. “You’ve got the mouth of the Cruikshank showing extraordinary sediment flow to the Comox Lake,” said Allen. “This is what’s led, I think, as far as I can tell, to the turbidity that we’ve had over the last month and the boil water advisory that we still have.” Jensen said the water advisory is mysterious to him. “We’ve never seen anything like this,” said Jensen. “There are hundreds of us harvesting mushrooms and stuff and none of us has seen a boil water advisory. To me, I’ve been here 48 years and some of the people I have harvested with are 75-years old and have never seen this before.” The Comox Valley has endured a couple of heavy storms in the past. One happened in November 2006. A boil advisory was issued but it only lasted a day. At the time, Comox Strathcona Regional District general manager of operational services Graeme

Faris said the boil water advisory was the first in 29 years and it was caused by a wash-out on Forbidden Plateau Road, which resulted in sediment in the Puntledge River. The other big storm occurred in January 2010. There was no boil advisory issued following the major deluge. Jensen asked what has changed since then? “What has changed is the technology to log now,” said Jensen. “You’ve got heli-logging so you can get deeper inclines on your logging, you can clear-cut areas that you couldn’t have done thirty to forty years ago. So that’s what has changed. Comox Lake has been there for over 50 years and there’s never been a water boil advisory. We have to take a look at what has changed. It doesn’t take Einstein to figure out when you have an incline and you’ve got nothing to stop it, it goes into the feeder creeks and the sediments end up in the lake.” Jensen added that he is not against logging. “This is about doing

things right, having policies in place to protect us and our children’s future,” said Jensen. “Water is essential to all life.” Leitch said the CVRD has heard a lot of theories but they’re not blaming the logging industry. “We don’t have any evidence that it’s caused by clear cut logging activities,” said Leitch. Leitch indicated there’s been a myriad of changes that have taken place over the years and it’s not only the logging practices. “The recreation activity out there has changed, the weather, the major storm events have changed, the population has changed and housing,” said Leitch. “So there’s been a lot of change. To pinpoint one thing is really difficult.” The CVRD has a Watershed Advisory Committee that has been looking into logging practices as well as other factors like recreational activities as part of its watershed protection process. They have been conducting this work prior to all the recent events and will continue conducting their studies.

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

FLOODING

City’s flood damage bill set at $140,000 The total could go higher once all the repairs are done to city infrastructure BY MICHAEL BRIONES Echo Staff Courtenay staff flooded council with information in its report regarding the flooding event that took place in the city last December. Chief Administrative Officer David Allen, who was the director of the Emergency O peration Centre set up at city hall at the time and co-chair David Love, made the presentation on Monday. The initial estimate of the infrastructure damage caused by the storm currently sits at around $140,000 but Allen said it could go higher once all the repairs have been completed. The report featured a chronological account of the events of the three-day flooding from Dec. 9 to 11, which is deemed the largest in Courtenay based on 51 years of recorded data. Allen said it was a one-in100 year event. Council were shown aerial and ground photos

taken from the RCMP helicopter of the affected sections of the city as well as the avalanche of sediments that streamed from the Cruikshank River and Perseverance Creek into the region’s source of drinking water, the Comox Lake. Allen indicated that he thinks this is the reason why to this day, the Comox Valley is still under boil water advisory. A graph presented to council shows how high the water was at a certain period and when it receded. It also indicated the amount of rainfall, the dam discharges and overtopping, river flows and height of the tide. When the water rose to alarming levels, evacuation notices were issued and some roads had to be closed. The flooding affected Lewis Park and the business district located on Tsolum Road and Puntledge Road. As well, the report highlighted the situation at Maple Pool campground and the call to evac-

City flooded. An aerial shot of flooded Lewis Park, Puntledge Road and Tsolum Road uate the residents living there. The Fifth Street Bridge and the Old Island Highway at Ryan Road had to be closed, not only to vehicular traffic, but also to pedestrians. The RCMP had to be called to man the

bridge and other areas because some people were ignoring the warning of city staff and crew. People were not allowed to cross the bridge from downtown Courtenay to the east side because of a risk posed by unseen dan-

gers. Manhole covers were dislodged from their place leaving holes under the water. The report indicated that no one was seriously injured nor had any one died. There were no public health issues other than the boil water advisory. There is confirmed infrastructure damage that includes Lews Park’s playground and ball diamond No. 2, the water park, as well as trails along Puntledge Park, Anderton Ave and 1st Street. The Linc Youth Centre suffered severe flooding damage and it took a while to get it back into operation. Dove Creek Road suffered undermining and had to be closed to traffic until repairs were done. The initial estimate of the damage is around $140,000 but Allen said it could change when all the repairs have been completed. There are also unconfirmed damages that need to be assessed during the

summer. They include the 5th Street bridge, Lewis Park and Anderton Avenue dykes, six major storm water ponds, Morrison, Piercy and Glen Urquhart Creek culverts. Among the lessons learned from this experience include the value of training for emergencies such as this. They said they plan to conduct more training because they are an invaluable exercise that’s going to help them in the future. They will also continue to collate organization-wide inputs already received and they will be reflected in an update to the Flood Emergency Response Plan. As well, a future report of infrastructure improvements is being recommended on the progress on the Integrated Flood Management Plan. The report also recommended orientation training for council’s role during an emergency. Allen said the experience has armed them with a wealth of knowledge.

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

BUSINESS

Waverley Hotel heads to Heritage Commission for expansion approval Plans include adding a new kitchen, more storage BY DREW A. PENNER Echo Staff

Don McLellan, owner of the Waverley, with chef Greg MacDonald in the current kitchen on site.

Dr. Sterling Desmond

ACUPUNCTURE NATURAL & CHINESE MEDICINE 20 years of experience successfully treating: Osteo-Arthritic Joints, Shoulders, Back, Hip & Knees, Digestive, Respiratory, Circulation, Fatigue & Immune, Facial Rejuvenation, Stroke, Paralysis, Spinal Stenosis,

One of Cumberland’s iconic businesses is planning a massive expansion. R e n ova t i o n s i n t h e works for the Waverley Hotel & Pub include a new commercial space on Main Street, a new kitchen, two residential or office units and more storage space. “The kitchen can’t keep up to our peak demand times - burger night, Friday night and brunch,” he said. “It’s just a tiny space. Putting a lot of money into it wasn’t going to result in much of an improvement. So the idea was just to build a new kitchen - which is a lot bigger step.” Because the Waverley owns half of the gravel

parking lot right outside they saw an opportunity to add to the streetscape of Cumberland while improving the experience for their own patrons. McLellan decided to add two commercial units right on Dunsmuir Avenue and two one-bedroom apartments upstairs. He turned to fellow Villager Tim Patterson, who has worked on multiple other renovations on aging structures locally - such as of the Ilo Ilo building - for help with the project. “That’s kind of his specialty - propping up these old buildings and making sure they’re level,” he said. “I appreciate the stuff he’s done and his attention to detail. The things I’ve seen him do I really like.” The construction will come under the microscope of the newly established Heritage Commission as well as the Advisory Planning Commission. Located on Dunsmuir Avenue the popular restaurant and concert venue

The Waverley is planning to expand into the section of gravel parking lot it owns.

falls within the new historic core area under the recently adopted Official Community Plan. Village staff considers the planned construction to be “a significant addition in the Heritage Conservation area of the Village.” This meant the Waverley’s owners were required to submit a Heritage Alteration Permit and a Development Variance Permit. The brand new Heritage Commission, which will kick off its existence through a planning workshop by Lui Carvello Jan. 19, will look over both doc-

uments. After pondering the Waverley renovations the commission will forward its comments on to council. McClellan said he was fully aware the renovations would come under the purview of the Advisory Planning and Heritage commissions. “What’s the point of having the committees if they don’t use them, right?” he said. “We were 99 per cent sure that would be the process.” If all goes well construction could start this spring.

Hospital Auxiliary starts new year The regular monthly meeting of St Joseph’s Hospital Auxiliary will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 20 in the upper hall of the Comox Legion at 1:30 PM

This is the ﬁrst meeting of 2015 and we do have much to discuss and make decision about. Everyone welcome. FMI 250-339-1407

Tickets for YANA’s annual Dinner and Auction to be held Friday, February 27, 2015 go on sale Sunday, January 18 at 9AM online only at yanacomoxvalley.com Don’t hesitate or you won’t get tickets. See you at the event.

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Goal: This workshop raises awareness regarding the damaging impact of technology on child development and academic performance. Cris Rowan will provide intervention tools and techniques to create a balance between activities children need for growth and success with technology use. Learning Outcomes: * Relate current technology research to child physical, mental, social and learning impairments. * Explore the effects of media violence and cyberbullying on child behavior. * Recognize trends to diagnose and medicate child behavior. * Implement balanced technology management and apply reduction strategies. Facilitated by Cris Rowan: Cris Rowan is a well-known speaker and author to teachers, parents and therapists throughout North America on the impact of technology on children’s neurological development. Cris has Bachelor of Science degrees in both Occupational Therapy and in Biology, and is a certified Pediatric Sensory Specialist.

DATE: Thursday, January 22nd, 2015 LOCATION: Mark R. Isfeld Secondary School Multipurpose Rm 1551 Lerwick Rd, Courtenay TIME: 9:30 – 2:30 pm LUNCH INCLUDED

www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

ECHO

OPINIONS

LETTERS

Let health care officials work with library homeless RE: Illegal activities around library draw concern As a 4th year Nursing student and parent, I use the library regularly on my own and with my children to access books, programs and information. As a frequent visitor I am aware that the library is used as a safe place to sleep and seek refuge from the cold by vulnerable members of our community. My experience has been that all community members are important to the staff of the library, regardless of housing status. There is no debate that illegal activity in and around the library is unacceptable and the library has protocols in place to address this. After reading the article I feel another opportunity exists to address the challenges faced by the library and community in addition to an increased police presence. My experience as nursing student has given me the opportunity to work with Public Health Nurses (PHNs) during community placements in my 2nd and 3rd year, in both the Comox Valley and Campbell River Health Units. These experiences combined with my education has given me an understanding of the scope and depth of skills held

by PHNs in population health promotion and prevention. Using a foundation of social justice and equity, PHNs make holistic nursing assessments related to the health and wellness of individuals and populations; this includes assessments of physical, emotional, social and mental health across the lifespan. Based on these assessments PHNs help clients manage both acute and chronic health conditions, assist clients in obtaining health services and make referrals to community agencies. I appreciate the challenge of balancing both the needs of the community and the library to create a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. I believe accessing the knowledge, skills, and evidence-informed practice of PHNs is a good ﬁt in addressing these challenges. To help the library reach its goal of creating a safe haven for the community, in addition to proactive policing I propose consultation with Island Health in collaboration with the library to create both space and dedicated nursing care hours to help meet the needs of the community who access the library. Lisa Clarke 4th year BSN

COMOX VALLEY ECHO An independently owned and operated newspaper published by Echo Publications at 407-E Fifth Street, Courtenay, B.C. V9N 1J7 Phone 250-334-4722 Fax 250-334-3172 Classifieds 250- 334-4215 Circulation 250-334-4734 E-mail: echo@comoxvalleyecho.com Publisher Dave MacDonald Editor Debra Martin Advertising Manager Keith Currie Office Administrator Deb Fowler Circulation Manager Hedi MacDonald Production Manager Ryan Getz All material herein is protected by copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part is not permitted without written authorization from the publisher. Canadian Publications Mail Agreement Number #0661538

More Beefs and Bouquets A BOUQUET to the wonderful staff at Comox Valley Animal Hospital. Dr Sacha Edgell and Dr. Faye Briggs were particularly kind and understanding when we took our 17-year-old cat “Sweetheart” in and found out she had cancer. They were caring with her and our family. When the time came to put an end to her suffering, they grieved with us and gave us the time to say goodbye to our lovely girl.

TO THE COURTENAY HEALING CENTRE: Thank you for all the time and work you have put in to helping my shoulder and neck problems. I always felt that you truly wanted me to geel better and you always took the time in my appointments. I never felt rushed. In fact I was always grateful for all the time you dedicated to my treatments. Thanks to you guys I feel I am on the mend.

HUGE BEEF to the Hiring Managers and companies in the Comox Valley! I’ve been trying to ﬁnd a half decent job for over 6 months now; writing cover letter and resume, after cover letter and resume. STILL NOTHING. I’m extremely sick of seeing: 3 years experience required, must have prior knowledge using (insert whatever computer program here), yada yada yada!! How are the young people of the Comox Valley to ever get experience/ knowledge, when no company will ever hire you and give you the chance to get any!? In fact, there is a great possibility that someone who is young and moldable may be just as good, if not, better than, someone who is possibly “set in their ways.” I think you guys need to really take that into consideration and think about it. Wait, do I need experience to send in a beef too? Signed, the very smart but unemployed!

A FISTFULL OF BOUQUETS to Team Knockout Martial Arts. I want to say to everyone at Team Knocket, it’s so good to be back after taking time off to deal with a neck problem. I really missed the classes, the instructors and the students. You make working out, keeping active and ﬁt, fun (a lot of fun) and everyone there gives it such a feeling of camaraderie and a really welcoming atmosphere. It feels good to be back punching and kicking my butt back into shape. MY HEARTFELT THANKS to the four very kind Samaritans who came to my rescue when my car alarm would not stop. To Brad, who works at Comox Valley Dodge and to Tyson of Georgia Straight Towing and to Bev who works at the Superstore gas station and the gentleman who also came to help. Thank you ever so much. Rich blessings to you all.

BEAUTIFUL BOUQUETS to the very kind gentlemen who assisted my husband after he had a fall on New Years Eve. I remember Tim from Merville but regret that I did not get the name of the cyclist who, at the time, was calling the ambulance. I would like to have thanked you both in person. I hope you will read this and know how much we appreciate your help. My husband is healing well after some stitches and some serious bruising. I would also like to thank all who stopped and offered help. Thank-you again and we wish you many blessings in 2015. IS ANYONE CONCERNED with the CVRD water management now that the boil water advisory has gone into its 2nd month. Yes, we’ve heard, read all the reasons for it and I’m not saying it’s not justiﬁed. But, we live in the Comox Valley, it’s going to rain again and most likely sooner rather than later. If the water doesn’t clear to acceptable levels then when it rains it will just stir it up more so the boil water advisory can go on for a few more months. Even if it does clear up as said it’s the Comox Valley it’s going to rain and storm again. The longer without a solution the more it scares me as to much development has happened for to many years without the supporting infrastructure, such a drinkable water, the more it will cost.

12 FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

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BEEFS & BOUQUETS THE COMOX VALLEY’S FIRST AND BEST READER’S FORUM Email to: echo@comoxvalleyecho.com

CA$H REWARDS

www.comoxvalleycrimestoppers.bc.ca 1-800-222-TIPS

BEEF TO PARENTS who get a kick out of withholding visits with their children for no valid reason. It’s hard to relate to such controlling behaviours. What could you possibly be missing from your life to feel the need to threaten others with this? I am sure there are instances where no visitation or supervised visits are in order...but to be constantly threatened with this to satisfy an emotional need is disheartening to say the least. Put your children’s emotional well being and stability first for the love of God. AFTER THE SMALL EARTHQUAKE last evening I was reminded of a question that has bothered me for some time. Why is there no obvious plan posted in some of our much frequented public facilities? For instance I use the swimming pool twice a week. They tell me they have a plan but there is nothing posted for the public. If I am in the pool or hot tub where is the safest place to go? There is no exit to the outside from the changing rooms. Should we just run out of the closest exit to the outside? stay in the changing room? yell “ help”? Last evening a friend attended a meeting in d’Esterre house and said the place was packed with people. There is no posting of what to do there either. What about Courtenay and Comox rec centres, Filberg centre? Since we keep being told to expect “The Big One” one of these days and encouraged to be prepared, how about signs on the wall for these and other places where crowds get together to give some guidance to the public.

WWW.NIC.BC.CA

A PAIR OF CRACKED BINOCULARS for Marcus Felgenhauer for the astute observations he reported in a letter to the editor on 12/31/14. I do not know this man personally except that he ran unsuccessfully for City Council

this past election. His letter states that no one from City Council came out to the Puntledge Park area in the wake of the recent flooding. How could he possibly know this? Did he stand guard as the waters rose, in spite of the evacuation status? Did he go door to door to each business to ask if anyone from City Council had contacted them since he reported “yet not one word from our council.” I myself, living nearby, took a walk/wade through Puntledge Road on Thursday morning heading for some groceries. No one was there because the evacuation alert was not yet lifted. On my return trip, I can personally attest that I crossed paths and said hello to Mayor Jangula at the intersection of Puntledge Road and Ryan Road. Could Mr. Felgenhauer’s hyperbole be a result of sour grapes for not winning a Council seat? BEEF to the complainer re: their friends home made wine. You say “it tastes like used antifreeze”. How do you know what “used antifreeze” tastes like? If your tastes run to “used” automotive chemicals, surely your friend’s wine is an improvement, no matter the vintage. If this friendship is as “long and enduring” as you say, surely you can overlook their “plonk” Be kind! THANKS TO THE STAFF at Courtenay Motorsports! I broke my motorcycle shortly before the holidays (debris in the carburator for you mechanical types) so I brought it into the shop for repair. A few days later when it was fixed and ready for pick-up I was greeted with a very welcome bill for $0. The staff told me that because it was similar to my last problem (fouled spark plugs) and it was within the last 1000kms that they had fixed it for free. A great gift for the holidays and my faith in humanity is restored!

REGARDING THE LETTER saying the recent flooding of the roads beside Farquharson farm fields means we need a third river crossing: I completely disagree. We live in a town with a river running through it, and very, very occasionally we have to put up with very temporary flooding as a fact of life. Otherwise our two bridges adequately handle the volume of traffic we have here. But what we definitely DO need is for the road between Superstore and the 17th St. bridge to be made four lanes all the way along. It is ridiculous to have 4 lanes at both ends of this piece of road, with everyone having to funnel into two lanes in the middle of it. Traffic would be able to move much faster if it didn’t have to form single lines in each direction for that small stretch of road. And surely there is room on the side to widen it. Why hasn’t this been done before now? GREETINGS from The Land of Tall People! This is in response to the beef weeks ago from a teenager who stated I “flattened” them in a store. Firstly, I wear sunglasses in public because I have a glass eye. If I don’t wear sunglasses in public, people stare at my glass eye like I am a freak. I lost an eye in a horrible car accident caused by a drunk driver that killed one of my children. Secondly, I am not 6’3” tall, but 5’9” tall. Still tall but not near the 6’3” height you stated. Thirdly, and most importantly, I never knocked-over, bumped-into or flattened anyone during a shopping trip. Check the security video. My lawyer did. Last but not least, if I ever were to accidentally bump into someone, I would apologize profusely for my actions. I have lived a lot of years on this planet and I know how to say I am sorry. On a side note; if I got a dime for every person who

bumped into me, left doors to slam into me, cut me off, etc. I would be a millionaire by now. I also have two teenaged children whom I adore, so your comments that I must have issues with teenagers is very odd and unwarranted indeed. Making fun of my eyewear/disability, my height and the accusatory remark that I “flattened” (your word) you, shows you need help, professional help. We aren’t angry with you, we feel very sorry for you. ANOTHER OWN GOAL for the CVRD, planning a sewage pump station in between residential homes, another replay looming of the disaster of the first sewage plant, which if memory serves,(correct me if I am wrong) the taxpayer had to pay an undisclosed amount on behalf of the CVRD when they were sued. The Reg Distict seems to have a track record of permitting and encouraging highly questionable developments in residential neighbourhoods, that serve only to devalue existing properties, and create visual eyesores,I know, I live across from two of them, as for the residents affected by the #2 pump station, you will be sacrificed, the CVRD is not your friend,have they offered to purchase your property?...no, didn’t think so. WITH OVER 60,000 PEOPLE that live in the Comox Valley & a community that is growing, we should be entitled to reliable, safe & clean drinking water. We don’t live in a third world country. If we need to upgrade our water treatment facilities, then do it. This is what we pay property taxes for. Also you would think there would be some kind of funding available from the provincial or federal government for infrastructure upgrades like water treatment. Maybe our local MP & MLA should be looking into it!

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FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

BEEFS & BOUQUETS BUNCH OF ROSES to Judy Wing, Sue Pyper, and Helen Austin for another stellar performance as Voices

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THE COMOX VALLEY’S FIRST AND BEST READER’S FORUM Email to: echo@comoxvalleyecho.com Three to benefit our Hospice. Between their angelic voices and sense of humor, it was a fun night for all. Going into this year’s performance, these ladies have raised more than $19K for Hospice. Undoubtedly, the standingroom only turnout for this year’s concert popped that over $20K. It is awesome to live in a community where such talented people give so much to make all of our lives richer every year. WHILE THE COST OF GAS is coming down why is everything else costing more? In the past businesses have told us that prices increase because of the increased cost of fuel for shipping, etc. For us seniors who cannot afford to drive we are not benefiting from the decreased gas prices and the small indexing of our pensions is nowhere near enough to cover these increased costs. A MOST SUCCESSFUL YEAR to the team at Reliable Auto Body. After our son had an accident with his older vehicle in Victoria, I contacted Reliable and asked for some rough information about fixing the car. They were very honest with me regarding the age of the car and how much they were looking at to repair and gave me various options that were in our best interest. Due to this info, we are doing an alternative but when a business puts the clients needs ahead of just getting the job, I feel it deserves the recognition and respect due. Thank you again for your honesty in business! TO THE TWO LADIES that picked up my scarf in the parking lot near Lerwick and Ryan Rd! I know when my husband asked, you thought it was a shirt! The scarf was a gift from my daughter and I would love to get it back. I would appreciate if you could call me. Thanks, Lynn. 250-

923-8811. STEET SMART KIDZ of Canada would like to thank The Whistle Stop Pub, Barry, Tami, Johnny & Staff for allowing us to use their wonderful place. A Huge Round of Applause goes to all the regulars of The Whistle Stop Pub. Because of your support, we have continued being Canada’s #1 Website for FREE Child Safety Information. Special thanks to Glen, Andy, Barb, Sue, (the cute German couple) and Keith. GLORIOUS RUNNING TRAILS with the wind at your back to the man that so generously coaxed my lost dog back to the Parking Lot at Seal Bay on Saturday January 10/15. It was very stressful trying to find my dog and I was going to have to drive around to the various entry points in an attempt to find him. You altered your entire run to help me and caught up with us at the end of our run and I was so grateful for your kindness. Thank you so very much. MY SKATING CLASS I am just a little girl, My parents wanted me to give skating a-whirl, The classes were at The Sports Center, I was greeted by a tall, handsome teacher, His smiles and calm words comforted me, As the ice was cold, hard and vast as far as I could see, I fell and as a tear rolled down my face, He was beside me instantly full of grace, He said, “I know how you feel, I fall too.” “Are you hurt? I will help you. I am here for you.” He understood me and helped me to learn, How to skate, stop and turn. I still fall but now it’s fun! Because you Alex, Are Number One!

And here’s the clincher: Santa sent me skates by Fed-Ex! BEEF TO THE BONEHEADS that come to the beach accesses on Curtis Road and leave all their rubbish behind in the parking areas. What, you think your moms will come clean up after you? Smarten up and take your trash with you when you leave! TO THE GENTS complaining about ICBC’s required medical for 80-year-old drivers, perhaps there should be a fixed fee but bear in mind Doctors are also in business to make money and will charge what the market will bear. If it makes you feel any better those of us with commercial licenses are required to pay for a medical every three years and a medical ‘processing fee’ when we renew our license. NONE of this is tax deductible even thought I cannot work without this license. Since MSP premiums are also non-deductible one would be led to believe the government really isn’t concerned with our health, only with our contributions to ‘general revenues’. I would support a fixed fee medical that was also taxdeductible.

MY BEEF is to the jerk that feels that it is ok to take outdoor Christmas decorations from my yard on Anderton and Noel, Comox. May karma catch up to you in future Christmases. THANK YOU and a no-nonsense BOUQUET to MIKE MILNE of COURTENAY MAZDA for helping a customer and family in distress over the Holidays! In heading home to the Comox Valley from the Kootenays our vehicle’s traction control warning system experienced a slight difficulty over one of the steep and snowy mountain passes. In facing

THIS WEEK’S WINNER, DRAWN AT RANDOM FROM SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED UP TO TUESDAY, IS: Tracey McGinnis, of Comox Winner of two classic cheese baskets from Dairy Queen Winners, you may pick up your prize certiﬁcates at the front desk of the Echo, 407-D Fifth Street, during regular business hours. Thanks to everyone for the great submissions- keep ‘em coming!

some uncertain advice from the factory service centre, to tow the vehicle to Kelowna, 4+ hours away, I called “Mazda Mike” (on Saturday Dec. 27th - when most shops were closed) to get a second opinion. Mike made some calls to determine the meaning of the codes and quickly diagnosed the possible problem (which was easily fixed at a nearby Canadian Tire). With a slightly less heavy foot on the accelerator we were back on our way! Safe and practical advice, no tow necessary! OUR FAMILY would like to thank the dedicated volunteers and organizers of the recent Snow Festival at Mount Washington. What an amazing four days it was for our daughter! She has snowboarded before but due to surgeries hasn’t for a few years. In the meantime, she was a bit fearful to return and try again. The instructors were super patient with her and retaught her the skills she needed to be a successful boarder. What they passed on was something that can’t be taught -- the joy of snowboarding! Our daughter is well on her way to becoming a regular on the mountain again -- should we get snow. Thanks you so much for all of your dedication to teaching people who cannot always access the mountain with the ease that a typical person can. We are truly blessed to have such a great organization within minutes of our home. A VERY HUGE BOUQUET to Chris from Georgia Straight Towing. My vehicle was dead in my driveway so called Georgia Straight Towing to tow the vehicle to a garage. Chris was able to solve the problem at much less cost than towing and avoided the need to take it to a garage. The service I got was above and beyond expectations.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS! Our weekly feature, Beefs and Bouquets, is intended to be a light-hearted forum for you, our readers, to express brief views on issues and events in your lives. It’s not intended to hurt people or make unsubstantiated and libelous comments. Names won’t be published with the beefs and bouquets; however, we do need your full name, mailing address and telephone number for verification purposes. Each week someone will win a 2 Classic Cheese Basket Meals from Dairy Queen. Have fun with this!

BEEF to drivers who forget daytime running lights aren’t enough in the fog or night. It’s your tail lights that will stop you being rear ended, please turn your lights on. BEEF to drivers who idle vehicles (outside of preschools while kids are playing outside), just to keep their soft butts warm. Idling is actually bad for your engine, it’s not the 1970s anymore, your 1 ton truck doesn’t need to be ‘warmed up’ and can handle being turned off and on again, plus your candy backside can surely stand our balmy 8 degree winters.

Transfer to DVD Slides, Photos and Music www.PrestigeVideoTransfer.ca

Is Your Vehicle Safe for 2015? 250-338-6505

A work by Ruth Rae “All Over the Place” is Comox artist Ruth Rae’s first solo show and a tribute to the spectacular surroundings in which we live. A west coaster from birth (she wonders why would one live anywhere else) she finds joyful inspiration in nature at every turn and captures that by studying it in daily forays into the nooks and crannies of the Comox Valley. To her, sharing that inspiration by creating visual art makes joyful sense! She hopes that by internalizing her surroundings and then allowing those impressions to be recreated she is serving her town and reflecting the values of her community. Favourite spots include Mack Laing Park, Goose Spit, Kye Bay, Royston waterfront, and Macdonald Wood. Ruth is a mainly selftaught artist who had a distracting yet interesting career in legal work for some 20 years, so she’s playing catchup and loving it, proving art skills are not a matter of age but more of determination and passion. Her choice of mediums include pencil, ink, watercolour, acrylic, and her favourite, pastel. She recalls taking several lessons with Comox artist Sandi Lamb, who encouraged her to create work for a show - the idea seemed a distant dream, and here she is with her very own show.

WHEN YOU PURCHASE ANY VEHICLE WITH ISIAND HONDA, RECEIVE FREE TWO TICKETS TO AN EVENT OF YOUR CHOICE * INCLUDES CONCERTS. SPORTS. SHOWS, AND MORE CONCERTS I SPORTING EVENTS I CIRQUE DU SOLEIL I DISNEY ON ICE AND MORE!

†Based on IHS Automotive: Polk Canadian New Retail Vehicle Registrations as of CYTD November 2014 for the Compact SUV/Compact Car/Subcompact Car segments as defined by Honda Canada Inc. *Limited time weekly lease offer and all other offers are from Honda Canada Finance Inc., on approved credit. #The weekly lease offer applies to a new 2015 CR-V LX 2WD model RM3H3FES/Civic DX model FB2E2FEX/Fit DX model GK5G3FE (“Specified Models”) for a 60-month period, for a total of 260 payments of $69.89/$41.91/$39.97 leased at 1.99%/0.99%/2.99% APR based on applying $400.00/$350.00/$1050.00 “lease dollars” (which are deducted from the negotiated selling price before taxes). ‡In order to achieve $0 down payment, dealer will cover the cost of tire/battery tax, air conditioning tax (where applicable), environmental fees and levies on the 2015 CR-V LX 2WD, Civic DX and Fit DX only on customer’s behalf. Down payment of $0.00, first weekly payment and $0 security deposit due at lease inception. Total lease obligation is $18,171.40/$10,896.60/$10,392.20. Taxes, license, insurance and registration are extra. 120,000 kilometre allowance; charge of $0.12/km for excess kilometres. **MSRP is $27,685/$17,245/$16,070 including freight and PDI of $1,695/$1,495/$1,495 based on new 2015 Specified Models described above. License, insurance, registration and taxes are extra and may be required at the time of purchase. £For more information about the 2015 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year® award, visit http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/suv/2015_honda_cr_v_is_the_motor_trend_suv_of_the_year/ ΩFor more information about the AJAC’s Best Small Car (Under $21,000) award, please visit: http://www.ajac.ca/web/ccoty/2015/comparison_category.asp?cat=176 */#/**Prices and/or payments shown do not include a PPSA lien registration fee of $30.31 and lien registering agent's fee of $5.25, which are both due at time of delivery and covered by the dealer on behalf of the customer on Specified Models only. Offers valid from January 3rd through February 2nd 2015 at participating Honda retailers. Dealer may sell/lease for less. Dealer trade may be necessary on certain vehicles. Offers valid only for British Columbia residents at BC Honda Dealers locations. Offers subject to change or cancellation without notice. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.bchonda.com or see your Honda retailer for full details.

14 www.comoxvalleyecho.com

FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

Pearl Ellis Gallery opens the New Year with Ruth Rae This artist feels tremendously fortunate to be All Over the Place in mediums and on foot in the Comox Valley and beyond and honoured to share that with all who view her work. A Meet and Greet on Saturday, January 17 from 1-4 pm will be the official opening of Ruth Rae’s exhibit at the Pearl Ellis Gallery in Comox. The gallery is at 1729 Comox Avenue and is open Tuesday to Saturday 10 to 4; Sunday 1 pm to 4 pm.

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World Community Film Fest Sneak Preview Tuesday night Get a head start on your World Community Film Festival viewing with a sneak preview of the award-winning documentary, Above All Else, Tuesday, January 20th at 7pm in the North Island College Theatre, Courtenay. Admission is by donation. Above All Else is an intimate portrait of landowners and activists in East Texas who take peaceful direct action to stop construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Risking financial ruin and their personal safety, these unforgettable people and their stories become an exploration of the human spirit. The main character in this film, David Daniel, spent decades as a gymnast and stunt man before retiring with his wife and newborn daughter to the woods of East Texas. Shortly after buying his acreage, he learned that surveyors for TransCanada were trespassing on his land. Daniel becomes worried about the pipeline and mounts protests and awareness campaigns. Soon, other tactics are called for. Along with some students and spirited older women (“the more I read” about tar sands, one says, “the pissed-offer I get”), Daniel starts training for peaceful direct action. He is informed that he could be arrested on his own property for trespassing if he impedes the construction of the pipeline. The protesters construct and occupy treehouses that will be destroyed if TransCanada’s tree-cutting machinery sticks to its threatened route. Against all odds, the demonstrators refuse to stand down. This dramatic story is a window into how social change happens. For links to film trailers and descriptions of all the films in the 24th World Community Film Festival (Feb. 6 and 7 in the Sid Williams Theatre and nearby venues), go to www. worldcommunity.ca. FMI: 250 337-5412

Political songwriter, humourist performing at Zocalo cafe Jan. 22

The Wizard of Oz plays at The Sid on Sunday night as part of the Bickle Theatre Originals series

The Bickle Theatre Originals

The Sid returns to its roots as a movie house Centennial celebrations for the City of Courtenay’s 100th birthday continue at the Sid Williams Theatre with a three part series of classic films called Bickle Theatre Originals, a tribute to the theatre’s beginnings as a cinema when it first opened as the Bickle Theatre back in 1935. The Sid Williams Theatre Society presents the first film in the series, the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, on Sunday January 18. The second film, Meet Me In St. Louis, follows on February 15, and the third one, Some Like It Hot, will be screened on March 22.

One of the best-loved movies of all time, Judy Garland stars as Dorothy, a young farm girl who is whisked away by a twister to Oz. Accompanied by a brainless Scarecrow, a heartless Tin Man, and a Cowardly Lion, Dorothy and her dog, Toto, follow the yellow brick road seeking the Wizard of Oz in hope he may grant her wish to return home. Admission is pay what you can by donation. Doors open at 6:00 pm, and the ﬁlm begins at 7:00 pm. There will be popcorn and prizes, as well as some spe-

cial characters in attendance. Those attending the ﬁlm will have the chance to enter a door prize draw for two tickets plus transportation to see Beauty and the Beast in Vancouver on February 7, prize courtesy of Courtenay Recreation and the Evergreen Club. The Evergreen Club, along with Ambassador Transportation Services, is offering its membership a special excursion to each of the Bickle Theatre Original ﬁlms. Details available in the Evergreen monthly newsletter. For more information visit www.sidwilliamstheatre.com.

David Rovics, political ballader and humourist is coming to the Comox Valley. We get a rare treat to see this Portland, Oregon troubadour at our favourite friendly venue Zocalo Cafe and Bistro on Thursday Jan 22nd starting at 7 PM. Tix are $15 at the door. David Rovics is a wonderfully thoughtful and funny songwriter and musician who sings songs that matter. David Rovics grew up in a family of classical musicians in Wilton, Connecticut, and became a fan of populist regimes early on. By the early 90’s he was a full-time busker in the Boston subways and by the mid-90’s he was traveling the world as a professional ﬂat-picking rabble-rouser. His essays are published regularly on CounterPunch and elsewhere, and the 200+ songs he makes available for free on the web have been downloaded more than a million times. Most importantly, he’s really good. If you want to reserve a table and dinner phone Zocalo (250-331-0933) or for more info contact Brian at 250-334-3624.

www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

Fun, food, friendship and giving YANA dinner-auction tickets go on sale Sunday ... online only YANA announces Annual Dinner and Auction date, set for February 27. This popular evening brings the community together in celebration and support of YANA. Dinner and silent auction are followed by an exciting live auction, featuring auctioneer Dave Stevens. Karen McKinnon presents a much anticipated photographic documentary, of the medical journey of a YANA family. “The YANA Dinner and Auction is our biggest fundraiser,” explains President, Judy Cryer. “Not only does it generate a large part of our annual revenue but it’s an opportunity to acknowledge the 28 years of support this community has given to YANA and helps ensure we will be here for 28 more.” YANA provides accommodation and direct funding to Comox Valley families who need to travel for the medical care of a child or pregnant mother. Founded in 1986 by Sandra Williams, YANA has assisted hundreds of families and upheld its grass roots ideal, that ‘You Are Not Alone.’ To be part of the generosity that is required to host such an event: Donate an item or service for the auction. Create a gift basket or purchase an item with a group of colleagues, friends or teammates and donate in the group’s name. Sponsor a table at the

Jenny Deters with her son Isaiah event for $150. Your marketing image will be displayed on the scrolling big screen, and your business information on tent cards at one of the tables. Details on this or other sponsorship opportunities available upon request. Attend the auction by purchasing a $60.00 ticket. Last year tickets sold out in one hour! They will go on sale on Sunday, January 18th at 9:00am and are available on-line only at yanacomoxvalley.com “We are blessed by the unique culture of giving that has grown around YANA,” says Executive Director, Marcie Dumais. “This beautiful story was graciously shared with us by YANA volunteer, donor, and auction guest, Jenny Deters, after last year’s event. It is a lovely illustration of the impact

of our community’s commitment to YANA.” “AN ANGEL WALKED INTO MY ROOM” I had such a great time at the Y.A.N.A. Comox Valley auction last night. While I was there it occurred to me that not many people knew why this organization was so dear to my heart. At 20 years old I was ﬂown by helicopter to Vancouver wearing nothing but a hospital robe. Five months pregnant with my second child and I was told that my kidneys were failing. I spent a very scary two months on bed rest until, at thirtytwo weeks, they decided they could not wait any longer and had to deliver my little peanut. Isaiah was born at just three pounds and he was a miracle. I was told he

would spend the next two months, at least, in hospital care, with most of that being in Vancouver. Two days after my son was born, hospital staff came in to inform me that I was being released from the hospital. They needed my room for someone else. My baby had to stay, of course, but I could not. I had no money, no clothing, nowhere to go. As I sat crying in my hospital bed wondering what I was going to do, scared, emotionally and physically drained from the traumatic birth of my tiny bundle two days earlier, an angel walked in to my room. She told me she was from some mysterious organization called YANA and they were here to lend me an apartment for as long as I needed, two blocks from the hospital. She also was going to give me some clothing so I did not have to walk the city naked, and ﬁlled the fridge full of food. Basically she gave me the ability to spend the ﬁrst two critical months with my son worry free. This was a gift that I could never repay. This is why I love this organization and those who volunteer/donate to ensure that other families can have this priceless gift as well. Thank you.”

Evergreen Club presenting a huge indoor multi-vendor market Jan. 25 The Evergreen Club presents their next Trash & Treasures Sale. This huge multi-vendor sale will take place Sunday, January 25th from 9 am to 2 pm at Courtenay Recreation’s Florence Filberg Centre in the upper Conference Hall. The location is perfect; one ﬂoor all under one roof. This huge indoor sale is a great reason to take a break from your winter hibernation. Why not grab a friend a make an outing of it? The Evergreen Club Kitchen will be running a refreshment stand upstairs so you can order sandwiches, desserts, and hot or cold drinks when you need a break from your shopping. Direct seller vendors will be there like Arbonne

Skincare to get those hard to find items without attending a direct seller home party. Organizations like Eastern Star will be selling raffle tickets and the Soroptimist Club will be selling collectibles to help raise money. You can feel good about supporting your local crafters too; homemade soaps, jewellery, jams, and photography will be featured. Of course there will be the fun flea market tables to scour through to determine what you see is your own personal trash or treasure to bring home. Vendor spots are almost all sold out at a $20 deal per table. FMI call Courtenay Recreation’s Filberg office at 250-338-1000.

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

Fund-raising beneﬁt seminar on health Your health is the most precious asset you have. There is nothing more important than getting proactive about your health, investing in your well-being, and choosing a lifestyle that fosters longevity and vitality. If you are ready to learn how you can experience greater health, less aches and pains, more energy and balance in your life, then you may wish to attend an informative seminar by a local doctor. Naturopathic physician Dr. Deidre Macdonald will be presenting a seminar entitled “The Seven Habits of Healthy Living”

Dr. Deidre Macdonald

on Tuesday January 20 at 7:00 pm at the Crown Isle clubhouse. Admission is by donation and all proceeds will be donated to the Comox Valley Transition Society which provides services to women and children who are victims of domestic violence. This seminar will be an exploration of the most important principles of health optimization. The latest research on how to enhance longevity and prevent disease will be discussed. Learn how you can take stock of your current health and make optimal

lifestyle and medical choices for your future. For instance, did you know that 50% of people who have heart attacks and strokes don’t have high cholesterol and that there are other lab tests that can predict your cardiovascular risk? Did you know clinical studies have shown that exercise is a more effective anti-depressant than Prozac? This seminar will arm you with the information you need to take charge of your health with safe, common sense lifestyle practices and natural medicine.

Topics will include: secrets of the longest living peoples, the latest research on lab tests, foods that improve your energy and immune system, how to optimize your digestion to get the most out of your food, keys to cancer and heart disease prevention, solutions for arthritic and back pain, stress management tools and much more! Naturopathic physicians are licensed primary care physicians and provide full diagnostic work up as well as the prevention and treatment of disease using a philosophy of lifestyle ﬁrst,

natural medicine second and pharmaceutical medicine third. They have 8-9 years of university training. Come on out to Crown Isle on Tuesday, January 20 at 7:00pm to learn ways to take charge of your health with ‘The Seven Habits of Healthy Living’ seminar. Admission is by donation. For more information or to reserve a seat, contact Dr. Macdonald’s office at 897-0235 or via www.getwellhere.com. For more information about the Comox Valley Transition Society contact cvts.ca

Catch documentary on marmots This Sunday, Jan. 18 “Vancouver Island Marmots: a Critically Endangered Species” airs on CHEK TV at 4 pm. Filmed in 1998 the program chronicles the efforts of Andrew Bryant and his team as they trapped and tagged animals for the captive breeding program. At the time the species was on the very brink of disappearing all together and the captive breeding program was their only hope. Filmmaker Ed Homer traveled with the team high into the mountains behind Nanaimo where most of the remaining marmots lived. Hiking up to the sub-alpine we were able to ﬁnd a colony with newborn pups. The ﬁrst

professional footage of juvenile marmots ﬁlmed in the wild. This documentary originally aired on Discovery Channel in Canada and is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all the people involved in the Vancouver Island Marmot Recovery Program. Every Sunday on “Vancouver Island Chronicles” we proﬁle islanders who are doing interesting things and making a positive contribution to their community. It’s the people that make Vancouver Island such a great place to live and that is what this series is all about. For more information about this and other episode featured in the weekly series check our web site www.comoxvalleyartsandlife.com

Walk the plank for conservation Pirate theme for Annual Wild Game Banquet fund-raiser Arghh! That will be the theme (Pirates Walk the Plank for Conservation) for the Annual Wild Game Banquet Fundraiser hosted by the Courtenay and District Fish & Game Protective Association on 28 February 2015 at the Florence Filberg Center. This Jolly Roger special culinary event is once again catered by Tria Fine Catering. Tickets are $40 each and can be obtained by calling Linda Orr @ 250-339-5606 or call the Association caretaker (250-338-9122) from Wednesday to Sunday 10am-5pm. There are a limited number of tickets and the Fundraiser is

open to the public as well as members, so get your tickets early! The Fundraiser supports many projects for the Courtenay and District Fish & Game Protective Association, including several working with Dept. of Fisheries and capture of salmon brood stock in the Trent River to ensure the return of salmon to the river. An Annual Region One Kids Camp teaches outdoor recreation and survival skills. Members are involved in elk relocation programs as well. The Fish and Game Association is also very active in supporting the community with bursaries

for graduates, the YANA Christmas Tree Auction, the Annual Spring Cleanup, the Fishing Forever Program, the BC Family Fishing Weekend and much more. In addition, there are various outdoor recreational activities available for members and guests. The evening will offer raffles, silent and live auctions with many prizes (or booty) donated by supportive and always generous local merchants and businesses. Any businesses which may be interested in supporting the fundraiser with a donation can contact Gail @ 250339-4707 or the-office@

courtenayfishandgame. org. Members are currently canvassing for prize donations and leaving local merchants with request letters and we are most appreciative of the support we receive each year. Blow me down; we realize the pressure on local businesses from the many requests for fundraisers and want you to know how much we value your support! Avast, come out for an enjoyable evening! Dress as a pirate and you may win the best male or female costume prize! Shiver me timbers, it is going to be great!

Mark Burger, Hans Urdahl and the staff at Ives Burger would like to congratulate Paul Ives on his appointment as Queen's Counsel (Q.C.) by the Attorney General, Minister Suzanne Anton on December 22nd

www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

COURTENAY RECREATION

Learn how to play music on a budget youth workshops

First therapy dog to achieve 12 years service Local canine celebrity Samara is recognized for 12 years of service as a St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog; Vancouver Island Area Commissioner Ben Douglas (left) made the presentation. Samara qualified when she was two years old and is still bringing care and compassion to those in need as she approaches her 15th birthday. The first dog to achieve this milestone, Samara has worked with seniors, including those with Alzheimer’s disease, children with ‘special needs’ (she was the second dog on Van-

Bridge News CV Duplicate Bridge Club Our Unit game on Saturday, Jan. 10 was a huge success. Sixteen teams from the Island and Powell River vied for the top spot. Winners: Strat A: Gail Fennel, Dave Harper, Dennis Bremner, Terry Stokes Strat B: Marj. Behrman, Carolanne Murray, Bob Beck, Diane Wheatcroft Strat C: Grant Bell, Hannah Kirby, Roberta Ireland, Joan Lund Our ‘after hours social’ is being held on Feb. 5. Stay and enjoy the social after bridge. Monday, January 5 A: 1. Bernice Snyder - Lloyd Snyder

2. Allister Gavel - Dorothy Branch B: 1. Glen Parsons - Dave Proctor 2. Ann Cook - Daphne Welsh Thursday, January 8 A: 1. Bob Dugas - Jack Bradshaw 2. Pete Marinus - Linda Marinus B: 1/2. W. Allen Hopwood Darryl Pippin 1/2. John Godfrey - Myrna Horley D’Esterre Duplicate Bridge Results for Tuesday, Jan. 6 (11 1/2 tables): N/S - 1. Jim Lucas and Clarke Graham; 2. Phil Sandford and Maureen Olason; 3. Jack and Carol Bradshaw; 4. Jim and Joan Boase. E/W - 1. Doug Poole and Dorothy Branch; 2. Dick and Lynn Sangster; 3. Howie Co-

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couver Island to be certified for that role) and drug and alcohol recoverees. She has served as a “demonstration dog” showing new teams how to conduct themselves and participated in a wide variety of public duties. Samara is coming up on 3,000 hours of community service and was even nominated as “Citizen of the Year”, although the committee declined to give a dog such an honour. Her proud handlers/owners are Dave Fletcher (right) and Carol Fletcher.

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hen and Dianna Rickson; 4. Rona Lawson and Pat Ailles. Results for Friday, Jan. 9 (10 1/2 tables): N/S - 1. Art Morgan and George Law; 2. Jim and Joan Boase; 3. Tom Dugdale and Dianna Rickson; 4. Jean Tait and Evelyn Ware. E/W - 1. Harvey Piercy and Louise Elliot; 2. George and Trish Kirkwood; 3. Peter Harding and Pat Cutt; 4. Grace Whetter and Betty Fountain. Results for Saturday, Jan. 10 (11 1/2 tables): N/S - 1. John and Lynn Godfrey; 2. Tom and Betty Thomsen; 3. Neil Jackson and Jean Tait; 4. Phil Sandford and Maureen Olafson. E/W - 1. Rona Lawson and Pat Ailles; 2. Grace Whetter and Betty Fountain; 3. Glen and Pat Sanderson; 4. Pete and Glenda McGrath.

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Start the New Year off right, register now for Youth Programs with Courtenay Recreation From Music Programs to Yoga, Resume Builders to Special PLC Day programs, Courtenay Recreation has something for the youth in your life. Starting in January join us for KickSTART Music Mentorship. For only $20 register for one or more of the following 4 hour workshops designed to introduce youth (12-16 yrs) to music on a budget: Beginners Guitar - Starts January 21, Guitar Picking - Start January 21, Intro to Songwriting - Starts January 24. Space is limited so register early. For those youth more

interested in the technical side of music, register for a one day course in Beginner Music Recording January 31st or Intro to DJing February 28th. Both of these youth workshops will be facilitated by Eli Hason aka DJ Eliazer, a local DJ who has toured the world developing his talent. These are two workshops not to be missed. For Youth looking to further develop ... or to start developing their resume, Courtenay Recreation has several Youth Resume Builder programs starting soon. Register now for: Build on Strength: Finding your Inner Super Power - January 24th or Job Preparation Program

CV HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Enjoy ‘A Day at Wisley Garden’ with garden author The Comox Valley Horticultural Society begins a new year with guest speaker Margaret Calwaladr. on January 19th at 7 p.m. at the Florence Filberg Centre. All welcome. Non members fee is $5. Mrs Calwaladr is the author of the bestselling book In Veronica’s Garden: A Social History of the Milner Gardens and Woodland. She has had articles published in Paciﬁc Horticulture, GardenWise, Sitelines and many other publications. While living in the Comox Valley, she was a contributor to the Baynes Sound Current. Her topic at the January

Margaret Calwaladr 19th meeting is “Anticipate Spring with a day at The Royal Horticultural Society Wisley Gardens near London, England.

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- Starts February 14th. These programs promise to help direct participants in the right direction to ﬁnd their ﬁrst job! Stay active and register now for Tween Fit and Fun - Starts January 14th. This special PLC program aims to get tweens 9-12 yrs trying a new activity each PLC day this winter. For youth looking to “chill out,” register now for Yoga for Youth - Starts Jan 20th. Practice this hatha style yoga with an experienced instructor; learn breathing techniques and different poses that promise to calm your body, mind and spirit. For more information or to register call The Lewis Centre at 250-338-5371.

The garden focuses on education and features displays that can be incorporated into any size home garden plot Wisley garden is a 240 acre property. The original 60 acre parcel was a farm and woodland, donated to the Royal Horticultural Society in 1903. The garden has been cultivated and developed into a Horticultural Training and research Centre. For an advance peek at this stunning garden and their education programs visit https://www.rhs.org. uk/gardens/wisley For more information about the Society visit our website at www.comoxvalleyhortsociety.ca

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

Courtenay council orders staff to address language in draft request for proposal for housing project BY MICHAEL BRIONES Echo Staff Courtenay council has rejected the draft request for proposal for the 30unit housing project on Braidwood Road. The main issues raised by some members of council centre on the language used in the draft as well as legal concerns. Staff presented the draft RFP created by John Jessup to council to select a qualiﬁed nonproﬁt group or organization that will construct and operate a housing complex that addresses a wide range of in-need and at risk tenants. This project is high on council’s 2013 Strategic Priorities List. The RFP was supposed to be issued late last year but it was delayed due to uncertainty regarding funding for annual operating costs. BC Housing has indicated no program is currently available for operating subsidies. The

province also is not making any ﬁnancial commitments to the project. With no annual operating funding available, council amended its focus on a supportive housing model for the Braidwood initiative by making it an affordable housing model. That means, the range of people it would serve will include not only the homeless and working poor but also struggling families with children and seniors. Councillor Doug Hillian could not support the draft because he feels that by adopting an affordable housing concept, the city is contravening the covenant the city agreed on. Hillian explained when the city acquired the property located between Kean Auto Services and private apartments at Five Oaks Villas for $1, there was an agreement it would be for the development of an emergency shelter and/or supportive housing.

Councillor Doug Hillian: “Not only do we not meet the intent of the greatest need that is out there but we also potentially have legal problems based on the money that was arranged for in the first place.” Groups and organizations in the Comox Valley, as well as other municipalities, all favoured the supportive housing model. But council’s amendment to the scope of the project’s objective has received a lot of opposition, which council has been made aware of. Mayor Larry Jangula

said the city is caught in a difficult ﬁnancial situation. He wants this project to proceed but it also has to be ﬁnancially feasible. “We are caught between the province and the municipal taxpayers for almost $1 million,” said Jangula. “Basically, I think the community is very vocal and clear that they want us to move forward. I appreciate and understand the need and the want for this supportive housing aspect. I get it. The problem is, the money is not there right now. What we’re hoping to get is a Cadillac but we might have to settle for something less than that right now.” Jangula said he would like council to allow Jessup and city staff to move forward with the project, to get a proposal and to get a building built. “If we have to start off as being affordable with some services provided on an outreach basis, that

may be what we start off with,” said Jangula. “That doesn’t mean in the future, when money does come along, which Mr. (David) Allen alluded to as well as Mr. Jessup, we couldn’t turn it into supportive housing which has more services and more intensity. I am afraid if we walk and it has to be supportive, and the province has no money, then that’s the end of the project. We wasted over $1 million and we have nothing.” Hillian agrees the community wants this project to proceed but he is concerned that what they will be delivering is not what the funding is intended for. “Not only do we not meet the intent of the greatest need that is out there but we also potentially have legal problems based on the money that was arranged for in the ﬁrst place,” said Hillian. Council directed staff to revise the draft RFP by addressing some of

the language used as well as consult legal counsel on it. BC Housing did provide Courtenay a $50,000 Proposal Development Funding loan for the design and development of the Braidwood Road site. City staff used $10,000 to hire a social planning consultant, Jessup to prepare and administer a RFP to non-proﬁt societies or groups to develop and operate an affordable housing project on the site. The Braidwood Road site has an area of 1617 square meters and is within walking distance to amenities, shopping and the downtown. It has a large, older single family dwelling at the site that is zoned Residential Four Zone. City staff recommended a maximum three-story apartment building for this site given its limited size and the close proximity of existing multiple residential buildings.

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20 www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

Village to City: Don’t back down on commitment to homeless BY DREW A. PENNER Echo Staff Cumberland council addressed the “burning issue” of Courtenay “moving further and further away” from a commitment to help homeless people, in a late breaking item added to the agenda of their Jan. 12 regularly scheduled meeting. Village politicians voted unanimously to tell Courtenay if they don’t follow an the original terms of a $1 land deal meant to pave the way for an emergency shelter or supportive housing - not affordable housing - Cumberland will pull its funding. On Monday Courtenay council discussed a report that expanded the scope of the Braidwood Supportive Housing Project to include affordable housing, which is generally considered not to beneﬁt homeless people as much as supportive housing would. Cumberland councillor Roger Kishi, who served

Now there’s another one that is further removed from the original intent of the money that was raised. This is moving further and further away from the original intent. It doesn’t fit within the covenant” GWYN SPROULE Cumberland Councillor

on the Comox Valley Housing Task Force while it was operating, said there is a critical need for supportive housing in the community. “That’s housing where there are support programs in place to assist the people living in that housing to maintain their housing,” he said. “Yes we still need affordable housing here in the Comox Valley as well, because there is a very limited source of it. But when it comes to supportive housing for adults, or adult couples,

there is no capacity in the Comox Valley for that. There is no one that provides supportive housing in the Comox Valley.” The original drive by area municipal governments to borrow half a million dollars in order to purchase property and build a homeless shelter on Cliffe Avenue went bust thanks to NIMBYism (NOT IN MY BACK YARD) after the 2011 Courtenay election. “The other local governments, to be polite, became frustrated with the change of commitment and the change of position for the City of Courtenay,” Kishi said. “So there was an agreement put in place where the property was transferred to the City of Courtenay and $100,000 of money that the regional district got through the health authority for homelessness was transferred to the City of Courtenay, with the conditions that the property and the funds were to be used for

an emergency shelter or supportive housing.” The CVRD had bought the Cliffe Avenue lot for $470,000 in 2010. Cumberland Coun. Gwyn Sproule said Courtenay councillors were at the in-camera meeting where the original site was selected, but added Cumberland has always had a stake in the project. “It was our money and we thought we were doing something that was helpful,” she said. “Then it was watered down from being an emergency shelter to an emergency shelter and/ or to supportive housing.” In fact, she was the only regional district director who voted against giving the property to Courtenay for $1 in 2012, despite the unique covenant. “It’s not clear how transferring this property to the City of Courtenay will advance the provision of a homeless shelter or supportive housing in the Comox Valley, not how we could guarantee the proceeds from this property would go to the original intent, nor is it clear how these conditions could be placed on the City of Courtenay,” she said at the time. “It places the ball entirely in their court and they may not want it.” The restrictions on the land require Courtenay to use the proceeds from any sale of the property for the same purpose. The Cliffe Avenue land was sold for $355,000 plus tax, and a new site along Braidwood Road was purchased for $264,500 plus tax in 2013.

Mountie won’t be charged in dog attack BY DREW A. PENNER Echo Staff The provincial Crown has decided not to pursue charges against a Comox Valley police officer the Independent Investigations Office of BC reported might have committed a crime in an incident where a police dog seriously injured a man. Officials in the justice department wouldn’t say much since there are charges pending against the man who was bitten in the January 2014 attack, but note there was “no substantial likelihood” the officer involved would have been found guilty. “It’s important in any case to carefully assess the strength of the available evidence in making the charge assessment decision,” said Neil MacKenzie a spokesperson for the provincial Criminal Justice

Branch. “It was a matter in which the injuries were significant enough that the Independent Investigations office concluded it was appropriate to conduct an investigation.” On January 31, 2014, around 12:30 pm, Comox Valley RCMP responded to a complaint of a domestic assault. The male suspect had fled in a vehicle, driving away dangerously, police claim. The man failed to stop for police, instead abandoned his vehicle and escaping on foot into a wooded area in the vicinity of the 2300 block of Jacqueline Drive, near Stotan Falls. As police gave chase an RCMP dog launched its damaging attack, causing “significant bite injuries” to the man’s right arm. Kellie Kilpatrick, executive director for public accountability with the IIO,

said they look at cases where death or serious harm is directly related to the actions of a police officer. She specified that “serious harm” is defined as an incident which leads to “lack of mobility or permanent disfigurement” or requires surgery. MacKenzie wouldn’t say whether or not the man who was attacked - and is now facing multiple charges relating to the same situation - had to undergo any surgical procedures or not. “There is an outstanding matter that’s before the court,” he said, adding, “We apply the same charge assessment standard in all the cases we receive.” The canine attack is the first police incident in the Comox Valley the IIO has investigated since it was established in 2012. Its report on the matter

was sent to crown counsel July 10, 2014. The IIO said the officer may have committed a Criminal Code offence. On Jan. 14, 2015, Crown revealed it would close its investigation. “In the circumstances of this case the Crown concluded the evidence did not support proceeding,” he said. “There wasn’t a substantial likelihood of conviction.” That’s par for the course with IIO investigations, since only three per cent of cases so far have made it to court. But that’s not the point, Kilpatrick said. “It’s more about our ability to say to the public that we’ve conducted an independent investigation,” she said. “Our mandate arose out of the number of incidents where the public lost conﬁdence in police investigating themselves.”

On Monday, Sproule wasn’t too happy to hear the City of Courtenay was about to try to wriggle out of its responsibility. The new approach to housing for some of the most vulnerable residents is a new change from the original agreement, she stressed. “Now there’s another one that is further removed from the original intent of the money that was raised,” she said. “This is moving further and further away from the original intent. It doesn’t ﬁt within the covenant.” Cumberland Mayor Leslie Baird wasn’t pleased with Courtenay’s new staff direction either.

“I will support this motion because I sat on the regional district when this was being done,” she said. “It was very disappointing because Courtenay had agreed to what was presented - and then to ﬁnd out that they would not follow through with that was very discouraging.” Cumberland has established its own affordable housing committee to look at taking matters into their own hands. Coun. Kishi said money that had been pitched to a regional solution could do more good if put to work within the Village. - With files from Philip Round/ Comox Valley Echo

Open house for Royston/Union Bay A shortlist of wastewater management scenarios and the estimated costs for a wastewater management service in the Comox Valley Regional District’s south region will be introduced at an open house, scheduled for Jan. 21, at the Union Bay community hall from 4 to 7 p.m. The event will include informational boards, with project staff and engineering consultants available to update the community on the shortlisted scenarios. “The community has been very interested in this project for a long time. This is a critical stage where important information is coming forward and we need to hear their feedback,” said Bruce Jolliffe, chair

of the CVRD’s board of directors and director for Baynes Sound-Denman Hornby Islands (Area ‘A’). The open house is the second in the south region liquid waste management planning (LWMP) process which was launched in May to review options for wastewater management and water resource recovery in the area, and to identify the best solution for providing effective sewer service for the Union Bay-Royston area. “We want people to learn about the work we are doing and to ask questions so we can be sure the ﬁnal decision is ultimately the best one,” said Kris La Rose, CVRD’s manager of liquid waste planning.

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Comox Valley Nature hosts conservation lecture As 2015 begins with growing concerns over climate change, it is important to be acquainted with both the work done by the province and the tools open to the public to help manage species and ecosystems at risk. As part of its educational mandate Comox Valley Nature is pleased to host a public lecture on BC’s conservation data collection systems by Marta Donovan. Marta is a Registered Professional Biologist who currently works as a botanist in Victoria. She manages information on the status and distribution of rare plants at the BC Conservation Data Centre, and teaches botany in Victoria. Her presentation will focus on work carried

out by the BC CDC and will include slides of local native plants at-risk. A Comox Valley resident, Marta is also a respected CVN member who frequently makes CVN’s week-end walks all the more informative. The British Columbia Conservation Data Centre systematically collects and disseminates information on plants, animals and ecosystems (ecological communities) at risk in British Columbia. This information is comp iled and maintained in a computerized database which provides a centralized and scientiﬁc source of information on the status, locations and level of protection of these organisms and ecosystems. The CDC is part of the

Environmental Protection and Sustainability Division in the B.C. Ministry of Environment. It is also part of NatureServe Canada, a national organisation, and NatureServe, an international organisation of cooperating Conservation Data Centres and Natural Heritage Programs all using the same methodology to gather and exchange information on the threatened elements of biodiversity. Information and access to the CDC can be found at: http://www.env.gov. bc.ca/cdc/index.html This lecture “Information for Conserving Natural Diversity” will take place at the Florence Filberg Seniors Centre at 7 pm (sharp), January 18 2015.

Comox Valley Nature is a non-profit society affiliated to BC Nature consisting only of unpaid volunteers. CVN fulfills its educational mandate by hosting monthly lectures, organizing free weekly guided hikes for members,

and a free monthly walk open to the public. The society also undertakes a variety of environmental projects. Aside from its main activity as a non-proﬁt, Comox Valley Nature also supports specialized

groups ( Birding, Botany, Conservation ,Garry Oak Restoration, Wetland Restoration, Photography and Young Naturalists) all of which have separate monthly activities. Meetings and lectures of the Comox Valley Naturalists Society are held on the third Sunday of most months at the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton, Courtenay. Lecture is free, though a $4 contribution from nonmembers is appreciated. Anyone interested in this lecture or participating in CVNS may contact us us at the website http:// comoxvalleynaturalist. bc.ca/ or Loys Maingon (CVN President) at 250331-0143.

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

Isfeld senior girls win Port Alberni tournament The Mark Isfeld Secondary Senior Girls’ Basketball Team travelled to Port Alberni on Jan. 9th and 10th to participate in Port Alberni Secondary’s 60th Anniversary Sr. girls and Sr. boys Tournament. The Isfeld Ice played their ﬁrst game at noon on Friday against the Belmont Bulldogs from Victoria and won 52-39. Their second game was Saturday morning against the Killarney Cougars from Vancouver. In this game the score was tied at the end of the

CODES COUNTRY LANES Bowling highlights from Codes Country Lanes: Monday AM - Evelyn Foot 206, Kathleen Wagstaff 172, Tricia Turnbull 184, Barb Lane 190, Micki MacDonald 198, Bob VanNes 297, Bob Sharp 224, Pat King 205, Nick Tjart 204, Marie Israel 212. Monday PM - Bill Tower 174, Lyle Torrie 189, Rick Rodriguez 224, Grace Rodriguez 221, Pat Huntley 196, Shirley Evans 180, Marg Moore 235, Lucille Smith 181, Rita Grill 186, Erma Wilson 187. Monday Youth - Morgan Grout 110, Brycen Burgess 153, William Derksen 114. Tuesday Ladies - Isabell Bracchi 199, Sylvia Vandervliet 187, Karen Annand 171, Barb Randall 215, Jane Wedge 206, Laurie McWillis 203, Debbie Raithby 169, Barb Potruff 177. Tuesday 12:30 - George Andrews 172, Ed Schievink 108, Garry Pearson 192, Judith Munro 109, Allison Bennett 102. Tuesday Adult - Linda English 205, Ian Taylor 202, Eric McWillis 215, Cindy Eckstein 222, Gary Coombs 184, George Ghinis 245, Jan Harding 185. Wednesday 9:30 - Heather Abraham 202, Dave Stacey 210, Betty Gilchrist 208, Gerry Van Achte 195, Andre Melancon 219, Laurie Aucoin 209, Nick Tjart 269, Marie Israel 215, Yvonne Melancon 197. Tuesday/Wednesday CRA - Leona Wagner 139, Carly Buchan 91, Lindsay Clayton 98, Gary Scavarda 129, Richard Major 150, Allison Bennett 105, Jack Errington 160, Tamiko Watanabe 98, Jim Battram 151, Bill Howard 94, Michael Campbell 171, Robert Burns 104. Wednesday Adult - Vicki Major 188, Rick Aker 247, BRIAN BOOTH 317, Tom Lever 216, Debbie McCooey 190, Barb Pottruff 198, Scott McLellan 244, Ken Bird 233. Thursday 12:30 - Vera Winter 186, Gerry Parry 207, Alan Edwards 211, Grace Rodriguez 199, Rick Rodriguez 194, Pat King 226, Paula Reid 158, Barb Casey 206, Kelvin Davis 248, Bob Van Nes 223, Bob Sharp 260, Leona Miller 182, Sharon Shepherd 188. Thursday Adult - Chad Kelly 232, Lindsay Henwood 174, Jordan Austin 220, Dave Stacey 210, Rick Kroeker 269, Kevin Gurnham 209, Duwanee Granneman 198, Aprile Brekke Reidl 223, Paul Zorz 224, Ed Carefoot 210, Tom Lever 191, Lorne King 251. Friday Golden Age - Gerhard Sorger 212, Trudy Olsen 212, Jim Bennett 243, George Sand 240, Jim Lucas 215, Ickle Brown 216, Bert Brown 211, Nick Tjart 230, Gerry Van Achte 279, Ev Andrews 223. Saturday Special O - Paul Riley 184, Morgan Bell 182, Jamie Bennett 160, Jacob White 168, Melissa Knight 170, Michael Campbell 251, Danny Erb 159, Rose Fletcher 163, Terry Daniels 217, Colin Wells 182, Kim Burke 165, Joe Grubwieser 208, Mathew Strachin 198, Sherri Lines 181, Larry McCooey 207, Clayton Heid 163, Mary Wells 156.

The Mark Isfeld Secondary senior girls basketball team celebrates winning Port Alberni tournament

ﬁrst quarter, and Killarney had an 8 point lead at the half. But at the start of the third the Ice executed their fast break very well and had a 14 point scoring run to take the lead. Killarney fought back and maintained a two point lead until a couple minutes were left when Isfeld ramped up their defense and made some steals which resulted in more fast breaks and a 7771 victory for the Ice. (Continued on page 23)

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www.comoxvalleyecho.com FRIDAY.JANUARY 16, 2015

UROC AGM to kick off exciting year Fresh off one of their most exciting years to date, the United Riders of Cumberland (UROC) are kicking off 2015 with its annual general meeting, which is open to the public on February 5 at 7 p.m. at the Riding Fool Hostel. Of particular interest to anyone who enjoys Cumberland’s vast trail network will be an update on planned logging operations in the area and progress on UROC’s land-use agreement with landowners. Attendees will also ﬁnd out about upcoming events, including the opening of Cumberland’s

The United Riders of Cumberland (UROC) are holding their annual general meeting on February 5. new jump park, a joint open house with the Village of Cumberland and UROC’s second annual Trails Forum, a two-day

trail-building workshop. “We’ve been working hard on a couple of major capital projects over the last year with the

jump park and land use agreements,” says UROC president Mike Manara. “We look forward to seeing those projects come

to fruition this year while maintaining our core club activities: group rides, races and fundraising.” Established in 2008, UROC’s mandate includes building and maintaining mountain bike infrastructure, hosting races and group rides, facilitating access to trails and generally advocating for the sport of mountain biking. The annual general meeting will give UROC’s 180 members a chance to vote in a new board of directors, learn the result of past events and grant applications and, of course, enjoy refreshments from Tarbell’s Deli. Member-

The ﬁnal game was played against the tourney hosts in front of a bleacher packed Port Alberni crowd, with cheerleaders along both end lines. The girls were glad to have one section of supportive, cheering Isfeld parents and siblings in the crowd! Isfeld started out strong with and 8 -0 lead and then Port Alberni had sev-

eral free throw opportunities to tighten the score. The score was 25-23 at the half for Port Alberni. Having gotten into foul trouble at the beginning of the game three of Isfeld’s players were seeing limited ﬂoor time but at the start of the third all players got into the game and Avery Snider led the team on a 23 point scoring run (getting several points, plus assists) to give the Ice a strong lead.

Foul trouble continued and turned the game into a nailbiter as with 8:17 left in the game the Ice already had ﬁve fouls and with 6 minutes remaining four of Isfeld’s eight players were fouled out so it became a game of 5 on 4 for Port Alberni. Port Alberni put on a full court press and managed to close the gap but Camryn Curts, Danielle Robertson, Delaynee Pedersen-Skene and Kyla Dewitt played hard till the

starts January 17th >ŽǁĞƌ EĂƟǀĞ ^ŽŶƐ ,Ăůů͕ ůŝīĞ ĂŶĚ ϯƌĚ ^ƚ Žƌ ĞŵĂŝů ϱŬĐůŝŶŝĐΛĐǀƌƌ͘ĐĂ ZĞŐŝƐƚĞƌ Ăƚ ϴ͗ϯϬ Ăŵ

last whistle and Isfeld won 62-57. The coaches and parents of the Ice were very proud of the girls for the solid team effort they put forth all weekend. Congratulations to Camryn for being named to the all-star team, and to Avery for being named the tournament MVP. Next weekend the girls will be playing in the Victoria Police Tourney. Go Ice!

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2015

LX AT

weekly for 50 payments

ﬁnancing for up to 84 months

from

down payment Δ

Includes “Half Price Payments” credit. $39 weekly payment amount includes $2,000 Half Price Payments Credit. Payments are based on 2015 Sorento LX AT (SR75BF) 84-month financing. After 50 weekly payments at $39, the weekly payments will increase to $79Δ . Half Price Payments Credit may alternatively be taken as a one time lump sum payment.§

WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED *5-year/100,000 km worry-free comprehensive warranty.

LX AT

weekly for 28 payments

ﬁnancing for up to 84 months

down payment Δ

Includes “Half Price Payments” credit. $36 weekly payment amount includes $1,000 Half Price Payments Credit. Payments are based on 2015 Optima LX AT (OP742F) 84-month financing. After 28 weekly payments at $36, the weekly payments will increase to $73Δ . Half Price Payments Credit may alternatively be taken as a one time lump sum payment.§

Kia West

Kia South Vancouver

Applewood Kia

688 Lougheed Highway, Coquitlam, BC (604) 931-5425

396 Southwest Marine Drive Vancouver, BC (604) 326-6868

16299 Fraser Highway, Surrey, BC (604) 635-3010

Graham Kia Victoria

Courtenay Kia

Richmond Kia

Harris Kia

Applewood Langley Kia

2620 Government Street, Victoria, BC (250) 360-1111

1025B Comox Road, Courtenay, BC (250) 334-9993

3351 No. 3 Road, Richmond, BC (604) 273-1800

2575 Bowen Road, Nanaimo, BC (250) 751-1168

19764 Langley By-Pass, Langley, BC (604) 533-7881

Offer(s) available on select new 2015 models through participating dealers to qualified retail customers who take delivery from January 3rd to February 2nd, 2015. Dealers may sell or lease for less. Some conditions apply. See dealer for complete details. Vehicles shown may include optional accessories and upgrades available at extra cost. All offers are subject to change without notice. All pricing includes delivery and destination fees up to $1,665, AMVIC fee, tire tax of $22, $100 A/C charge (where applicable). Excludes taxes, licensing, registration, insurance, variable dealer administration fees (up to $699), fuel-fill charges up to $100, and down payment (if applicable and unless otherwise specified). Other lease and financing options also available. §Up to “Half Price Payments” for up to one year (“Offer”) is only applicable on financing offers on 2015 Rio/Forte/Optima/Sorento/Rondo models. On approved credit, from a participating dealer in Canada between January 3rd and February 2nd, 2015. The Offer consists of a loan credit (up to “Half Price Payments Credit”) that will range from $500 to $3,250 depending on model/trim. Customers can choose to take the full amount of the applicable Half Price Payments Credit as a one (1) time incentive that will be deducted from the negotiated price of the vehicle before taxes. Alternatively, customers can choose the up to “Half Price Payments” option and have their financing payments reduced (before taxes) by 50% until such time as the entire amount of the applicable Half Price Payments Credit has been exhausted. This may take between 10 weeks and 69 weeks depending on model/trim and the amount of the applicable Half Price Payments Credit. After the entire amount of the applicable Half Price Payments Credit has been exhausted, the customer will be required to pay the full amount of all regularly scheduled finance payments over the remaining term of the contract. Vehicle trade-in amounts and down payments are not calculated in the advertised up to “Half Price Payments”. See dealer for complete details. ΔRepresentative financing example: 0% financing offer for up to 84 months available to qualified retail customers on approved credit for the new 2015 Rio LX MT (RO541F)/2015 Forte LX MT (FO541F)/2015 Optima LX AT (OP742F)/2015 Sorento LX AT (SR75BF) with a purchase price of $15,602/$17,502/$26,402/$28,782 financed at 0% for 84-month period with $0 down payment equals 69/62/28/50 reduced weekly payments of $21/$24/$36/$39 followed by weekly payments of $43/$48/$73/$79. Includes $1,500/$1,500/$1,000/$2,000 up to “Half Price Payments” credit. Cost of borrowing is $0 and total obligation is $14,102/$16,002/$25,365/$26,782. Up to “Half Price Payment” Incentive varies by model and trim level and may be taken as a lump sum or to reduce the financed amount. Offer ends February 2nd, 2015. ‡Model shown Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price for 2015 Forte SX (FO748F)/2015 Rio4 SX with Navigation (RO749F)/2015 Sorento EX AT AWD (SR75HF)/2015 Optima SX Turbo AT (OP748F) is $26,802/$22,502/$38,882/$33,502. Highway/city fuel consumption is based on the 2015 Rio LX+ ECO AT/2015 Forte 1.8L MPI 4-cyl MT/2015 Sorento LX 2.4L GDI 4-cyl AT/2015 Optima 2.4L GDI AT. These updated estimates are based on the Government of Canada’s approved criteria and testing methods. Refer to the EnerGuide Fuel Consumption Guide. Your actual fuel consumption will vary based on driving habits and other factors. ¤$1,000 New Year Bonus amounts are offered on select 2015 Winter Edition models and are deducted from the negotiated purchase price before taxes. Available on financing offers only. Certain conditions apply. $1,000 New Year Bonus amount available on the 2015 Rondo LX AT (5-seat) Winter SE (RN75SF), 2015 Rondo LX AT (7-seat) Winter SE (RN75TF) and 2015 Optima LX AT Winter SE (OP74SF). Information in this advertisement is believed to be accurate at the time of printing. For more information on our 5-year warranty coverage, visit kia.ca or call us at 1-877-542-2886. Kia is a trademark of Kia Motors Corporation.