Comox Valley Echo - July 15, 2014

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THE COMOX VALLEY’S LARGEST LOCAL SHOPPING SPREE OF THE CENTURY!

Weather Community What’s On Letters Classifieds Sports

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Tuesday July 15, 2014

Volume 20, No. 56

The temperature in the Comox Valley has been truly warm leading people to find ways to cool down like swimming and tubing down the Puntledge River.

Hot spell increases risk of wildfires on Island By Michael Briones Echo Staff The heat is on. Temperatures are rising into the 30s and the Coastal Fire Centre is warning the public about the increasing fire danger on Vancouver Island including the Comox Valley. On Sunday, the temperature recorded at the Comox Airport peaked at 32.5 C and broke the record of 31.1 C that was set in 1961. In Campbell River, it hit 33.8 C to snap the record of 32.8 set in 1961. Yesterday, at press time the valley's temperature topped 29 C and was inching close to resetting the previous high of 29.4 C from 1958. Today it's expected to climb up to 31 C and may break the old high of 31.7 C that was set in 1958. According to Environment Canada meteorologist, Allan Coldwells, the heat spell is expected to cool off starting on Wednesday and return to normal trends. Meanwhile, Donna MacPherson, fire information officer for the Coastal Fire Centre, said conditions are still being evaluated and they are expected to make a decision in the next two days whether a campfire prohibition will be introduced. "We want to tell the public to keep an eye on our website (bcwildfire.ca) for current information," said MacPherson. "The Comox Valley area right now is in high fire danger rating. We're looking at the hot-dry to continue for predominantly most of this week but on Thursday we're going to be having a wind event come through as well, which is also a concern for us. So we're cautioning people to be very careful." If by Thursday, no campfire ban is implemented, MacPherson advises people to take extra caution while in the forest. The Coastal Fire Centre covers the whole of Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. So far it has already dealt with 53 forest fires. "Normally we have 64. That's our ten year average," said MacPherson. "It's indicative of how wet it was last spring. We're quickly catching up. We had nine person-caused fires over the weekend. Unfortunately, people aren't being careful." The biggest fire incident to date took place on north Vancouver Island, near Gold River, just outside Campbell River. "That grew very quickly," said MacPherson. "That's worth noting that the fire danger is there. It was a fire that started in the fire department's jurisdiction on a landfill area that they had. But the sparks blew into the forest and it got to about a hectare in size pretty quickly." Open backyard burning is banned in the City of Courtenay, Town of Comox, Merville and Tsolum, while in the Village of Cumberland permits are required at no charge to the applicant. For information regarding the Comox Valley Regional District, you can check out its website.

Vancouver Island MusicFest attendees this past weekend used everything imaginable to protect themselves from the blazing sun and and keep their cool. The sold-out event was another huge success.

With the heat wave, people are being advised to be prepared as well when they go out to the park, rivers, forest and the beach. David Wray, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said temperatures will likely break records in the province this week. He said it is important to wear sunscreen because it will only take about 15 minutes for skin to burn. The BC SPCA is also advising pet owners

not to leave their dogs in hot cars, not even for a few minutes. Spokeswoman Lorie Chortyk says despite all the warnings about the dangers of leaving animals in cars in the summer, the agency is "being inundated with calls this summer to rescue pets left in parked vehicles." Last month, the BC SPCA responded to 228 calls to rescue dogs in distress, who had been left in hot cars by their guardians.

"In just minutes, the temperature in a parked car can climb to well over 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). Dogs have no sweat glands, so they can only cool themselves by panting and by releasing heat through their paws," she said. Dogs can withstand high temperatures for only a very short time - in some cases just minutes - before suffering irreparable brain damage or death, she added.

A2 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 15, 2014

News

Comox Valley Weather

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Tuesday, 15 July Sunny. Windy near the ocean late in the afternoon. High 31°C.

Wednesday, 16 July Sunny. Low 15°C. High 28°C.

Thursday, 17 July Sunny. Low 15°C. High 26°C.

Friday, 18 July Sunny. Low 15°C. High 25°C.

Saturday, 19 July A mix of sun and cloud. Low 15°C. High 25°C.

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

20th MusicFest continues to be magical By Michael Briones Echo Staff The resonant tunes that echoed in the Comox Valley over the weekend will keep on playing in the minds of the 10,000 people that came out to enjoy the sold-out Vancouver Island Music Festival. It was the 20th anniversary of the three-day extravaganza, which featured an array of musical genres that include folk, blues, jazz, country, R&B, fiddling, yodeling and many more. Doug Cox, artistic and executive producer, describes this year’s event as “the easiest and most successful one yet.� “We have such an amazing team of people that put it on. It just ran like clockwork this year.� The popular festival, which has hit maximum overload in the last three years with tickets sold out weeks ahead, was blessed with sunny and warm weather, highlighted by amazing acts that included ten-time grammy award winner Bonnie Raitt, Juno award winner Helen Austin, Birds of Chicago, Angelique Kidjo and the

Mavericks, just to name a few. “It was our 20th anniversary and there was a lot of special feeling about it,� said Cox, who has been organizing the festival for 17 years. “What is memorable about this event is not so much the music. It’s about the people.� Cox commended the many volunteers, groups and performers that help make the festival one of the region’s major events annually. “The spirit that bounces back and forth between the musicians, the volunteers and the audience is what creates the magic of Musicfest,� said Cox. “The fact that we are a non-profit organization and running this for the community, and we’re trying hard to keep that spirit there, is really what makes it magical.� The event was not completely without incidents. Cox said when you have 10,000 people, there will be some people who do foolish things and get rowdy. But he said there were only a few. Comox Valley RCMP media relations officer Don Sinclair said they arrested only one person for being intoxicated.

Musical entertainment in ‘The Barn’ on Friday night

Hot, hot, hot fire safety tips With the very hot weather we are experiencing it is very important that we all work together to ensure a fire safe summer. A small fire can very quickly grow into a very large uncontrollable fire. Comox Fire Chief Gord Schreiner would like to remind area residents of some very important summer fire safely tips. Most outdoor fires are currently banned. Please check with your local fire department before you light an outdoor fire. This includes the use of outdoor fireplaces. ¡ Outdoor fire can quickly spread in this dry weather. Please do not light ANY outdoor fires. This includes the use of outdoor fireplaces or stoves. A small campfire or party fire can easily spread into a huge forest fire. Persons

found responsible for lighting such fires can be charged and held responsible for the huge costs associated with extinguishing such fires. You could also be found liable for any injuries or deaths resulting from the fire. ¡ Be extremely careful when using hot items near dry grass or brush. A barbecue, hot motor or other hot item can easily ignite the dry fuels. With a little breeze the fire can spread very quickly. ¡ Ensure you have a garden hose and hand tools readily available to protect your property from wildfires. Always call 911 to report any fires as they can quickly spread beyond your control. ¡ Ensure your roof and gutters are clear of dry leaves, needles and other dries. A spark from a nearby fire can easily ignite this dry material on your

roof. ¡ Create a wildfire safety zone around your home. Reduce unmanaged vegetation from within ten meters of your home. Unmanaged vegetation can easily lead a fire right to your house. ¡ Do not extinguish cigarettes on the ground. They can easily ignite dry fuels causing a very large fire. ¡ Use water to extinguish hot briquettes when finished with them. ¡ Do not hesitate to report (911) any open fires that you see. This time of year there should be no backyard fires in the area. Chief Schreiner states: “We are becoming very concerned about the hot dry weather. We do not want to be fighting a major forest fire in our area. We need the public’s help to keep our area safe from firesâ€?.

LEPTOSPIROSIS APPEARING IN COMOX VALLEY PETS A recent increase in the number of young to middle aged dogs being affected by an acute onset of kidney failure has led to testing for leptospirosis by the veterinarians at the Van Isle Veterinary Hospital. Four positive cases have been identified to date, and two additional cases are pending. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection of domestic and wild animals, and can potentially affect humans. Raccoons and other wildlife may be affected by the disease when drinking surface groundwater, and can spread the disease to other animals through the contamination of additional areas of water and grass through urination. Domestic animals may become affected by drinking the surface water. Humans may become affected similarly when camping and

consuming or swimming in those water bodies, or may become infected when cleaning up after their pets if there are any accidents at home. Leptospirosis has not been a commonly diagnosed disease in pets in the Comox Valley, and the recent positive cases have caused some concern among local veterinarians. “Because of the significant risk of long term injury or death for some pets and potential risk to humans, we felt it was important to advise the general public as soon as possible so that they may review the vaccine history of their pets with their regular attending veterinarians. We also wanted people to educate themselves about the disease “said Dr. Bruce Renooy at the Van Isle Veterinary Hospital. Leptospirosis is not a common disease in people. Dog owners should be aware of it, not alarmed by it.

The condition can be prevented through vaccination, however many veterinarians and owners have previously chosen not to vaccinate their pets for a number of reasons. The most common reason not to vaccinate was the very infrequent occurrence of leptospirosis in our area, including most of Vancouver Island. The vaccine itself can also lead to short term fevers and illness in pets that have been vaccinated. The recent occurrence of leptospirosis in our area warrants a review of the activities and vaccine status of our outdoor animals. We should all enjoy the great outdoors with our families but be aware of this recently re-emerging disease. Many sources of information are available on-line; an excellent source of information can be found at leptoinfo.ca or call your local veterinarian. Links to more information can also be found at www.vanislevet.com

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GLIDER PILOT INJURED IN FAILED LIFT-OFF The pilot of a glider was injured when his craft failed to lift off successfully from the private airstrip on Forbidden Plateau Road shortly after 9 a.m. Sunday morning. Courtenay Fire-Rescue Department said the middle-aged man sustained lower leg injuries in the accident, which also resulted in very significant damage to the glider as it ended up in bushes. The man, who has not been named, was transported by a friend to St Joseph’s Hospital in Comox for treatment. The RCMP also attended, but noted jurisdiction over aircraft and airstrip operations was a matter for Transport Canada.

Traffic warning over big sewer project Work is starting on the renewal and extension of a major sewer pipeline along Headquarters Road and Vanier Drive in Courtenay, and as a result drivers are being warned to expect delays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. along the route on weekdays for almost three months. Because of the extensive trenching required, there will be sections of single-lane traffic between Glacier Drive on Headquarters and the entrance to the Comox Valley Sports Centre on Vanier as work progressively moves forward. As reported in the Echo last week, the $1 million project is by far Courtenay’s largest sewer upgrade in 2014. Around 400 metres of old sewer pipe are being replaced and about 1,200 metres of new pipe are being installed to close a gap in the sewer network and improve capacity.

Open house for sewer project this Thursday A drop-in open house on ideas for sewer services in the Royston and Union Bay areas is being held this Thursday (July 17) at the Fallen Alders Hall on Royston Road between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Comox Valley Regional District has launched a liquid waste management plan to determine the best option for wastewater management and water resource recovery in the south region. The two-year process was launched in May and this week’s event is the first of three planned open houses. The CVRD says the event is an opportunity to hear from the community about their opinions on the service needs for the area and for the public to learn more about the planning process. There are no scheduled speakers or formal presentations, but project staff and consulting engineers will be available to answer questions.

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Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 15, 2014 A3

News

Search launched as experienced hiker fails to return from long trek By Philip Round Echo Staff A major search continued yesterday to try to find a Comox Valley woman who failed to return from a multi-day mountain trek. The woman, 69-year-old Sylvia Apps, started her long hike at 11 a.m. last Tuesday (July 8) from the Paradise Meadows area on Mount Washington.

Apps, who lives in north Courtenay, is an experienced hiker who had previously undertaken extensive treks and police say she was equipped with essential navigation and safety equipment. However, she was due to return to her starting point on Sunday, five days after she set out, but as the Echo went to press she had still not shown up and concerns were mounting about her whereabouts.

Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue team members were alerted as fears grew about whether she might be stranded somewhere in scorching heat with supplies running out. The local team was joined by SAR volunteers from Port Alberni, Parksville, Nanaimo and Lake Cowichan, several of whom were deployed by helicopter to different search areas.

For Comox Valley RCMP, Const. Don Sinclair requested anyone in the area who had come across or spoken to Apps over the past several days to call them at 250-338-1321. Sylvia Apps’ late husband, Don Apps, shared her passion for hiking and also built several trails in the area - one in Seal Bay Park not far from their home is named after him. pround@comoxvalleyecho.com

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Sylvia Apps

New top cop takes command of local force By Drew A. Penner Echo Staff On his first day at the office he was swamped with phone calls to make and emails to write. It may sound like a typical start to a new job, but in this case Tim Walton - Inspector Tim Walton that is - has taken up the post of Comox Valley RCMP detachment commander. Walton will be responsible for making sure crime is investigated thoroughly and properly and will set the new course of the largest police force north of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island with its 65 police officers and 20 civilian staff. July 14 Insp. Walton started his tenure in the Valley, and is excited to integrate into the community with his wife Wendy and their two daughters. Becoming acquainted with the local area might be the easy part. After all, local officers respond to around 15,000 calls a year with a mission to protect the 70,000 residents in the communities of Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland, and beyond. “He’s responsible for a lot of things,” explained Courtenay mayor Larry Jangula, who spent 27 years in the RCMP himself. “The buck stops with him.” As part of a selection committee that also included Courtenay CAO David Allen, Comox councilor Patti Fletcher, Comox Valley Regional District CAO Debra Oakman and two RCMP representatives from Ottawa, Jangula got to help pick the top cop from a pool of four candidates. “He’s very community minded,” he said. “He’s going to grow into the community and become involved in it.” The preferred applicants were asked to write an essay on policing matters that was specific to their experience. Then interviewers fired questions at the applicants in order to get a better sense of how they would do at the helm. Walton has a lot to draw upon. He joined the RCMP in 1985 and has served in seven of Canada’s provinces and territories right from Montreal, Que. to Harbour Grace, Nfld. Walton also worked at the RCMP’s

Inspector Tim Walton Depot Training Academy and most recently was employed at the RCMP’s National Headquarters in Ottawa, working in Contract and Aboriginal Policing Services. He’s commanded RCMP Detachments in Baker Lake, Nunavut and Whitehorse, Yukon. Even though the detachment commander won’t necessarily be walking the beat, it doesn’t mean having strong interpersonal skills isn’t important - and in fact, it’s particularly significant since he will serve to a certain extent as a figurehead, Jangula said. “He’s a very approachable man,” he said. “The atmosphere in any office is often dictated by the people at the top.” Before signing up with the RCMP he was an RCMP Auxiliary Constable, a University of Victoria graduate, and worked for Corrections Canada. Another one of the people short-listed for the position, Sgt. Jeff Preston, was named Campbell River’s new detachment commander. Preston had been a detachment commander in Tofino for 3 years, and had been serving in the Island District General Investigation Section in the Comox Valley. “They were all excellent candidates,” Jangula said, adding he thinks Walton has what it takes to get the job done. “It’s a fair amount of responsibility.”

Sporting Argentina’s colours, Adam Amlani (left) jests with Artur Ciastkowski, supporting the Germans, while watching the World Cup final at the Prime Chophouse on Sunday.

Goal! Courtenay man scores big as World Cup ends By Philip Round Echo Staff For soccer fans, the flag waving is all over for another four years - but the excitement of the World Cup final on Sunday certainly helped boost the popularity of the game in Canada. Here in the Comox Valley, where the amateur game is already very strong, people gathered around television sets, watched online, or listened to the radio as Germany scored the wining goal against Argentina in extra time to lift the golden trophy in Brazil. Plenty of fans also gathered in local pubs, clubs, sports bars and restaurants to heighten the atmosphere and get the adrenalin racing. And even if their home countries had long since been knocked out of the tournament, many got behind one or the other of the last two - like Adam Amlani, sporting Argentina’s colours, facing the Echo’s own Artur Ciastkowski backing the Germans, who were among the 50 or so fans who watched the action unfold at the Prime Chophouse and Wine Bar in Courtenay. By the end of the match, the

Tim Turay was the other big winner on the day - he took top prize in the SURE Copy World Cup pool, receiving a $1,000 Uniglobe Travel gift certificate. Germans weren’t the only winners, for Adam and his brother Adil Amlani, who together run SURE Copy on Cliffe Avenue, had organized a soccer pool that encouraged World Cup picks for a shot at $4,500 worth of donated prizes - while at the same time raising money and goods for the Comox Valley Food Bank. Top prize of a $1,000 Uniglobe

Travel gift certificate went to Tim Turay of Courtenay. Full details of many other prizewinners - including three Whitecaps packages with a night’s accommodation in Vancouver for two and match tickets; and eight ball and jersey packages - will be posted online shortly at the World Cup pool website - http://worldcup. surecourtenay.ca/ pround@comoxvalleyecho.com

Hotel tax to boost marketing budget by $217,000 By Philip Round Echo Staff The 2% additional room tax levied on visitors staying in Courtenay hotels is expected to boost the region’s marketing budget by $217,000 in 2014, according to figures presented to City councillors on Monday night. Annual income from the extra tax is refunded by the provincial government to the municipality, which in turn transfers it to the Comox Valley Economic Development Society to intensify promotional efforts. A condition of that transfer is that the council approves CVEDS’ proposals for spending the money each year, and gets reports on how effective the previous year’s efforts have been. The aim is to create a ‘virtuous circle,’ with more visitors producing more business for the Valley, so securing jobs as well as providing more hotel tax income to use for more promotion in the future. This week the council approved the breakdown of the budget and tactical plan for 2014 after Coun. Bill Anglin explained the details had been considered by a destination market-

ing advisory committee, which he chairs and which includes representatives of hotels and tourist attractions in the area. He told council the 2% tax only came in to force just over a year ago, but the use of the funds was already paying dividends to the community. Among initiatives that were new to the city since its inception were the Winter Bites festival and support for the Mini World Cup soccer tournament, which had proved extremely successful if generating more overnight stays at local hotels. In all, just over $700,000 will be spent by CVEDS on marketing the Valley in 2014, including $158,000 in staff and administrative support. That total figure will be covered by $281,000 taken from the $1 million annual budget provided to CVEDS by the Comox Valley Regional District; $205,000 from external revenue such as advertising support and sponsorships; and $217,000 from the extra hotel room tax although none of the hotel tax will be allocated to administration. Much of the hotel tax will be channeled in to supporting existing and new events, includ-

ing sports, arts and cultural festivals, with the specific aim of getting more people to stay for one or more nights in the area, so boosting the economic benefit of their visits. Significant sums will also be allocated to boost the amount of print and television advertising that can be bought to promote the area, especially in BC and Alberta, usually in partnership with bodies such Tourism Vancouver Island and Destination BC. Staff said they hoped future CVEDS budget

proposals and reports on past progress could be realigned for 2015 so they could be considered as part of the City’s own budget process much earlier in the year. Anglin said that was the intention, but in the meantime both staff and elected officials could feel reassured that there was monitoring of the effectiveness of the initiatives being taken, including by the hotels generating the extra tax income in the first place. pround@comoxvalleyecho.com

Thanks to everyone who support our weekly Bingos and Meat Draws along with our Lions Mint sales. Without your support we could never make over $50,000 in donations many of which are listed below: $3,500.............................................Comox Valley White Cane Society $1,500..........................Comox Valley Child Development Association $2,000................................................Camp Shawnigan Improvements $3,600..................Vancouver Island Society for Adapted Snow Sports $1,000.......................................................................Santa's Work Shop $1,500....................................St. Joseph General Hospital Foundation $3,000..........................................................Highland School Bursaries $500............................................................................Pearl Ellis Gallery $2,000......................................................................386 Air Cadet Band $500.................................................Ride for Dad (Prostate awareness) $2,000..........................St. Joseph General Hospital – Patient Services $1,100...........................................................................Life Line Society $2,000.................................................Camp Kakahmala Camperships $500....................................................Big Bike Ride (heart and stroke) $500...................................................................B.C. Kidney Foundation $1,500..........................................Town of Comox for Park benches $3,000...........................................Comox Valley Therapeutic Riding $2,500.................................................Camp Shawnigan Camperships $1,500...........................................Lions Clubs of Canada – Guide Dogs $1,000........................................................................Easter Seal House $1,400.....................................................................Christmas Hampers We look forward to your ongoing support as our community needs continue to grow. For more information about the Comox Valley Lions Club please check out our Face Book page and our website: http://e-clubhouse.org/sites/comox_valley/

A4 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 15, 2014

THE COMOX VALLEY’S LARGEST LOCAL SHOPPING SPREE OF THE CENTURY! One very lucky person will be REWARDED FOR SHOPPING LOCALLY and WIN a $2,014 shopping spree where they will have a total of 2014 seconds (33.56 minutes) to spend $2,014 at any or all participating merchants.

PROMOTION RUNS FOR 6 WEEKS: JULY 15 - AUGUST 19, 2014 SHOPPING SPREE IS ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 30 @ 10:30 AM RULES • Contest closes August 20th at Noon • All entries will be collected from participating merchants and winner chosen • Draw will take place 4 pm August 22nd • To win you must answer your phone when the Echo calls • Call backs are not allowed • Entry forms will be drawn until there is a winner • Shopping spree will be held on Saturday August 30th at 10:30 AM

• A maximum of $200 can be spent at any given participating merchant • Winner will be driven from Echo office to participating merchants of the winner’s choice by ambassador shuttle • As the winner has only 2014 seconds ( 33.56 Minutes) to spend $2014 it is recommended you visit participating merchants prior to shopping spree to preplan • Winner must be at least 19 years of age.

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Sports and Recreation

Youth athlete takes his triathlon game to the BC Summer Games

GOLF NEWS GREAT SCORES AT COMOX JULY 8TH 29 ladies enjoyed a beautiful sunny day at the Comox Golf Club Ladies Day. The game of the day was “throw out your four worst holes”. There was a tie for Low Gross with Amber Dufour and Grace Coulter for first with a 63. Third was Suzy Venuta-64 and fourth was Nancy Newton-66. Low net was won by Marg Walker36 and tied for second was Mary Suchla and Pat Belanger with 37. Fourth was Edith Albrecht-41. Closest to the bucket- Edith Albrecht. KPs were won by Amber Dufour on #4/#13, Grace Coulter -#5/#14, Pat Schmidt- #7/#16, Pat Belanger-#9/#18 and the longest putt was won by Marg Kelly. Another beautiful evening on Thursday was attended by 32 ladies. Low gross with 39 was Jan Dafoe. Karen Vanetta won Low net with 30. There was a tie for second low gross with Judy McMartin and Suzy Venuta with a 42. Second low net was won by Marg Siddall with 31. Karen Vanetta won low putts with 13. Long putts were won by Joan Lord and Patti Harris. Sponsored prizes were won by: Longest drive 0-23 Sandi Tufnail; Longest drive 24+ Marg Siddall; KP 0-23- Karen Vanetta; second shot KP on #18-Norma Leakey; third shot KP on #13- Jan Dafoe; Draw for Trees hit- Norma Leakey(8) and honorable mention to Mary Buchanan(7); Sand draw was won by Joan Baudais. The draw for our guests, a free round of golf on Thursday night was Judy McMartin. We especially would like to thank our hole Sponsors for Tuesday and Thursday. It is important to shop locally and tell these people how much we appreciate their involvement in our community: Thrifty’s, Arizona Gifts, Kathy Branch Hairstyling, Gibby’s Pro Shop, The Tee Box Restaurant, Chinook Forest Products, Bulk Barn, Panago Pizza, Playtime Gaming, Mid Island Gifts and Looneyrama(Comox Mall). - Submitted by Nancy Riva

NICK USHER ‘THE CRUSHER’ Congratulations to Nick Usher for a superb gross 61 shot on our Sunday Men’s morning at Comox. Five birdies and a deuce flowed as part of his round, achieved in beautiful sunshine. Tom Shaw shoots his best gross score, 78 and Ken Tait hits a net 60. A great course awaits everyone. After an enjoyable Mr/Mrs and His/Hers competition on Saturday, 47 players participated with the following results. 0-16 Low Gross Nick Usher 61, Bill Wheeldon 74. 17+ low Gross Tom Shaw 78, Brian Slater 80 Low Nets Ken Tait 60, Don Ellis 65, Ken Loga 65, Burt Meek 65, Art Karpus 65, Pat Riva 66 KP Prizes: 10 2nd shot 0-16 Pat Riva Bowlzy Brkfst Comox Pacific Express 11 3rd shot 0-16 Nick Usher BlackFin Pub 12 Long Drive 17+ Ken Tait Westview Ford Sales 13 2nd shot All Nick Usher Men’s Club 5 All Nick Usher Men’s Club 14 All Brian Slater Men’s Club 15 2nd shot 17 + Ron Pratt Bowlzy Brkfst Comox Pacific Express 16 Long Drive 0-16 Mark (Skinny) Vandervoort Westview Ford Sales 17 2nd shot 17+ Kevin Loga Boston Pizza 9 All Hank (V12) Verdenhalven Men’s Club 18 All Jim Eremko Men’s Club Thanks to Ian Smith for assisting today, and our match. To Gibby and staff: We have the best. Computer is down so enter scores at home. See you all on July 20th. - Submitted by Vic Crisp

T AND F DAY FOR SUNNYDALE LADIES Tuesday, July 8th was a T and F day for the Sunnydale Ladies Club. It was a fun round, using the best score on the holes that start with a T and F ... figure that one out (some of us had problems). The overall winner was Becky Kenner with a 29.5, 2nd Sharon Littler 30.5, Betty Lund and Mo Ross with 31, Lucille Campbell with 32, Maylene Friesen with 32.5, Lorna Fowler with 33.5, Susie Currie with 34, Norman Rankin with 34.5, Fran Shaw and Teri Sleigh with 34.5 Becky Kenner was the winner of the day with the lowest number of putts 28 and longest putt on #9. We also would like to congratulate her on breaking 90 for the very first time. She shot an 88 today. Way to go Becky. KP on #10 sponsored by Rob Speer Pro Shop was Marg Poje and she received a sleeve of balls KP on #5, 2nd shot 0-24 Hdcp was Lynda Lee Root and the 25 and over hdcp was won by Mo Ross, they each received a gift certificate for the pro shop We had 4 birdies today, Sharon Littler and Chris Annand on #10, Lynda Lee Root on 4 &6, Mo Ross on #5 Please remember the Ladies Tillicum 2 Ball is on Saturday, August 9th. Find a partner and come and join us. You may sign up at Sunnydale. See you next week. - Submitted by Pat Costello

Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 15, 2014 A5

The BC Summer Games will be taking place this week (17-20 July) in Nanaimo and involving a number of Comox Valley and area athletes. Anton Cecic, a 14-year-old Isfeld student, will be competing in Triathlon. Anton has been participating in Triathlon events, including the Comox Valley Shoreline Orthodontics Tri-K and the Victoria Youth Triathlon since 2006. A member of the Comox Valley Triathlon Club, Anton works with the Sharks swim club and the Blue Devils in the Spring and Summer and plays hockey and soccer and skis in the remainder of the year. “I started doing triathlon to keep up my swimming skills and to maintain some fitness activity in the Summer

after the hockey and soccer seasons. After a few races, I found that I really enjoyed the competition and the challenge of beating my personal best times”. Following a couple of very successful races in 2013, Anton decided to take his game to a new level this year. Joining forces with Lynda Magor, a highly experienced triathlete and coach, he increased the intensity and focus of his training program and landed a spot on the Zone 6 (Vancouver Island) triathlon team for the BC Summer Games. With the generous support of sponsors Frontrunners and Oak Bay Bikes, Anton and his seven teammates will be showcasing their skills in the Sprint, Duathlon and Aquathon events against other BC teams.

Mr. and Mrs. winners at Comox Golf Club On an amazing day, July 12th, the Comox Golf Club crowned Ian and Sue Leakey as the new winners of the Mr. and Mrs. Trophy. Second was Marc and Carmen deWinter, third Pat and Nancy Riva, fourth Tracy and Kathy Branch and fifth Al and Brenda Good. The Odds and Ends section was won by Vic Crisp and Laurie Appleyard, second Don Gates and Nancy Newton, third Dan Bailey and Jan Dafoe and fourth was Art Carpenter and Louise Luster. The KPs were won by Vic Crisp #5, #18 Marty Petersen, #9 Louise Luster and #14 was Marg Walker. The Tee Box provided a great dinner. Gibby Gibson (course manager) was there to help organizer, Phyllis Taylor, hand out the prizes

WARM NIGHT AT SUNNYDALE Sunnydale Thursday Night Ladies July 10th we had a warm evening and a good turn out. Welcome back to the new ladies! Prizes were given out for: Hole 2 for shots out of the sandtrap to Judy Hughes Hole 3 for closest to the pin 2nd shot to Lynda Baker Hole 4 for closet to the big rock to Erma Derkson Hole 5 for closet to the pin 3rd shot to Maylene Friesen Hole 6 for longest drive to Pearl Madden June Fuller had the longest putt on #9 Mary Lynn Doubinin had lowest putts Most Honest Golfer was Pearl Madden. Draw Prizes were from: Rob’s Pro Shop to Mary Lynn Booster Juice to Lynda Baker Boston Pizza to Jean Wheaton Fluids Bar & Grill to Judy Hughes Investors Group/Locals Restaurant to Louise Smiley Jo Klassen’s to Diane Bowley & June Fuller Michaels Off Main to Monique Walker Panago Pizza to Erma Derkson Quality Foods-Comox to Pearl Madden Royston Roasting Co. to Andrea McInnes Thursday Night Ladies sign up at 5:00 pm, tee off at 5:30 pm

Everyone welcome! - Submitted by Mary Lynn Doubinin

EREMKO, MUDGE SHINE AT COMOX After a long weekend’s golf in the North Island Tournament only 36 golfers played Stableford on a beautifull sunny Wednesday night with the following results: 1st Jim Eremko 22 pts, Brian Hegg 22, Kyle Mudge 21, Pete Wittick 21, Ken Loga 20, Rick (Chachi) McCaughan 20 pts. KP Prizes: 10 2nd shot all Rod Nichol Men’s Club 11 3rd shot 0-16 Kyle Mudge Thrifty’s 12 Long Drive 0-16 Kyle Mudge Men’s Club 13 2nd shot 0-16 Pat Riva Chads 14 All Rick (Chachi) McCaughan Men’s Club 15 2nd Shot 17+ Net Champion Keith (Horton) Welch BlackFin Pub 16 Long Drive 17+ Brian Hegg Scott Fraser Royal Lepage 17 2nd shot 17+ Dan Buss Boston Pizza 18 All Rick Adams Shilo Painting/ Glacier Gutters Birdies Kyle Mudge, Jim Eremko, Marc (skinny) V11 Keith (Horton) Welch, Brian Hegg,, Andy Dean, Deuce Jim Eremko well done. DON”T FORGET to record your nine hole scores. See you July 16th 5.30 for 6 pm.

Triathlete Anton Cecic will be competing this week at the BC Summer Games

“My practice is about more than just tax. It’s about building your business, understanding the difficulties that you’re facing and finding real solutions. Solutions that lead to growth. I’ve been part of the management team of a growing business for the last decade, and I’ve seen the challenges that business owners run into every day. If you own a business and find yourself thinking that there has to be a better way, we should talk. And of course, I do taxes too.”

Accepting New Clients

- Submitted by Vic Crisp

Understanding. Business. Accounting. Tax. 2040 A Guthrie Rd., Comox • 250.941.3444 • jerad@jeradlangille.ca

A6 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Sports and Recreation

Vanier rugby trio selected to play for BC in National Championships By Philip Round Echo Staff Three of Vanier School’s provincial championship-winning rugby team are going from strength to strength. Not only have they just helped lift another BC trophy, but provincial selectors have picked them to take part in the upcoming National Championships. The trio - Madi Gold, Georgia Bellamy and Lauren Sargent - were on the Vancouver Island North U18 Tsunami Rugby Academy team that has just been crowned Provincial

Champions. They went undefeated in this month’s tournament and only conceded one try. Such an achievement by any team has been a long time coming, as Fraser Valley has held the title for the past five years. Following the tournament, all three Vanier students received calls informing them they had been selected to be part of the U18 British Columbia Women’s Rugby Team. Gold, Bellamy and Sargent all say they are very excited to be representing the province at Rugby Canada’s National Championship Festival to be held in Calgary, Alberta, from

August 4-10. To keep them in shape, and prior to competing at the Nationals, the three will also be part of a rugby 7’s team representing Vancouver Island at the BC Summer Games in Nanaimo this coming weekend With success comes the expense of competing at a higher level, including travel, so the three are hoping to attract a number of $100 sponsorships to help defray the cost. Any company or individual interested in offering support is asked to email Lauren’s mom for more details - Debi.sargent@hotmail.com pround@comoxvalleyecho.com

Picked to play for National honours - from the left, Madi Gold, Georgia Bellamy and Lauren Sargent.

Dr. Clay Ward, right, and Dr. Derek Vinge

Local chiropractors living by example as they qualify for XTERRA World Championships in Maui Two local health-care providers, Dr. Derek Vinge and Dr. Clay Ward, are set to represent the Comox Valley at the XTERRA World Championships in Maui, Hawaii on October 26, 2014. The annual XTERRA Victoria took place July 6th, 2014 at Durrance Lake and Mount Work Regional Park. Both Vinge and Ward placed in the top spot in their age category, each earning a coveted qualification spot at the XTERRA World Championships in Maui. The Victoria event is part of the Xterra World Tour and challenges athletes with a combination of open water swimming, cross country mountain biking, and technical trail running. Rain on race day resulted in wet and difficult conditions however the local chiropractors managed to represent the Comox Valley in perfect form. In addition to top placement in their respective age categories, Dr. Derek Vinge and Dr. Clay Ward both finished in the top three overall. Vinge finished 2nd behind Elite Olympian Brent McMahon in a time of 2:09:37 followed by Ward in 2:14:42. “I have trained for months aiming for this race, and it all came together on the day” Vinge said after the race. Dr. Derek Vinge is the owner/chiropractor at Fit Chiropractic in Downtown Courtenay, and said he recently moved to the Comox Valley for the lifestyle and endless options of activities. Dr. Clay Ward is the owner/chiropractor at Dynamic Spine, Sport and Wellness in Courtenay and is also a recent transplant. “The Comox Valley is a thriving community that provides all the training and recreational opportunities to prepare for this level of racing” Ward says. The chiropractors will face tough competition in Maui - both professional and amateur athletes will be competing in the three stage race.

Blue Devils’ Abby McDowell racing the 50 Fly at the Nanaimo Invitational Swim Meet.

BLUE DEVILS POST PERSONAL BESTS

The summer swim season on Athletes will have to be in peak conVancouver Island is underway, and dition to master the difficult course, the Comox Valley Blue Devils are which has been described as a tropiachieving many personal bests and cal roller coaster. The race begins podium finishes. with a 1.5 kilometer rough water Under the guidance of coaches swim near D.T. Flemmings Beach in Drew Kuhnert, Kyle Brush, Tristan Kapalua, is followed by a 32 kilomeSteven and Megan Rousseau, Blue ter mountain bike ride up and down Devils swimmers have participated the slopes of the West Maui in four meets thus far - Cowichan Mountains, and concludes with a 10 Valley, Oak Bay, Courtenay and kilometer run along steep dirt trails Nanaimo - and are looking forward through oleander fields and around to the annual campout and airband mountain lakes. competition at Campbell River. Vinge and Ward both have their With over 35 Blue Devils swimsights set on the world championmers participating in the June 21-22 ship title for their respective categoswim meet, hosted by the club at the ries, but also recognize that it is a Lewis Park outdoor pool, the team major accomplishment just to have posted impressive results. qualified for the prestigious event. “It Special mention must be made of is a fantastic opportunity to be able novice swimmers - Alexa Pauletto, to represent Canada and the Comox Callie Blasco, Jasmine Ho-Gillis, Valley at this level of competition,” Pepper Hedquist, Ethan Olson, Jack Ward says. Olson, Fin Hedquist, and Liam Fath Both chiropractors are living by - most of whom competed in their example on a daily basis by keeping very first 25 metre races. Also swiman active and healthy way of life. In ming personal bests were: addition, both Vinge and Ward have Div 1 girls - Ella Prager, Leela been selected for the Active Release Muir, Shadia Zuccato and Neve Technique (ART) Therapy Team for McDonald the upcoming IRONMAN Canada in Div 1 boys - Jace McDowell, Whistler July 27th, 2014. ART is a Stephen Henly, Spencer Webb and state of the art soft tissue system/ movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves and is widely utilized by Olympians and high level athletes. When asked about what keeps him Call Comox Valley Echo • 250-334-4734 active, Dr. Vinge or drop by 407-D 5th Street, Courtenay said “Utilizing ART is the gold COURTENAY standard in soft tissue injuries Rt. 7131A – Creekside Common (303 Arden) and keeps me COMOX going for high performance Rt. 1103 – Pritchard, Totem, Skeena, Orca competitions”.

Liam Fath Div 2 girls - Ava Webb, Naomi Swift, Chloe Pritchard, Aislen Ferguson, Elise Ferguson, and Chloe McDonald Div 2 boys - Eli Blasco, Sebastien Morin, Alex Paul, Jordan Raume, and Peter Shaver Div 3 girls - Abby McDowell, Isabella Anderson, Lauren Blasco and Natasha Muir Div 3 boys - Cole Barker OCat 1 boys - Jaden Fath and Delwyn Marcoux O Cat 2 girls - Avry Bowers Div 4 girls - Zoe McDougall, Myia Dunn and Jaida Blasco Div 4 boys - Douglas Lightfoot Div 6 girls - Megan Rousseau, Emma Rudolph, Amelia Helpard, Sydney Kuhnert, and Kyla deWitt Div 6 boys - Caleb Clarke Div 7 girls - Beverly Jolley With 17 swimmers competing at the Nanaimo Invitational from June 27-29, the Blue Devils once again swam impressively. Facing tough competition from the mainland and Island, many achieved personal bests: Callie Blasco, Jace McDowell, Spencer Webb, Stephen Henly, Eli Blasco, Sebastien Morin,

Ava Webb, Shadia Zuccato, Abby McDowell, Isabella Anderson, Lauren Blasco, Myia Dunn, Jaida Blasco, Emma Rudolph, Douglas Lightfoot and Caleb Clark. Dominating their respective divisions, Zoe McDougall (Div 4) and Megan Rousseau (Div 6), brought home a combined 8 medals (5 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze). New to the club, Megan Wilson (OCat 2), also had an outstanding meet, earning one gold and two silver medals. With the Vancouver Island Championships scheduled for August 2-4 at Saanich’s Commonwealth Pool, the Blue Devils will continue to train and compete hard over the next weeks. One of BC’s oldest swim clubs, the Blue Devils Swim Club has provided thousands of Comox Valley youth with fitness, friendship, competition and enjoyment since 1948. The Blue Devils caters to all swimmers, providing excellent coaching and enabling every swimmer to develop to the full potential of their individual interest. For more information, visit www. bluedevilsswimclub.com.

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Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 15, 2014 A7

Special Needs Recreation call for volunteers

Mary says join us for fun times.

Special Needs Recreation is looking for volunteers to help in its summer programs for adults with developmental disabilities. “We aim to make our programs fun and successful,” says Heather Crites, co-ordinator for Special Needs Recreation. “In the summer it’s all about fun, and we do a range of relaxed short term activities from bingo to clay, to picnics and horseshoes. We like to have volunteers in each program so each participant gets the support he or she needs, and so we can all have fun.” Special Needs Recreation is looking in particular for volunteers for the Monday & Wednesday morning Music In the Park in July, and also for Clay, and Bingo on various days. If you are able to donate a few hours a week to work with a great group of people, call Heather at the Lewis Centre 250338-5371 or email hcrites@courtenay.ca. And check out the summer Special Needs Rec newsletter online http://www. courtenay.ca/recreation/special-needs.aspx

Evergreen Club volunteers in their pancake themed aprons. Left to right: Dennis & Gail Flynn, Bea & Joe Tomkinson and Peter Vincent

Fuel up at pancake breakfast before shopping Fuel up before you shop till you drop at the 44th Annual Market Day Sale Saturday July 19th. The Evergreen Club is inviting everyone out to their pancake breakfast from 7:30 am11:00 am. This yummy meal is fully served right to you at your table at the Conference Hall of Courtenay Recreation’s Filberg Centre. “It really is the biggest and best pancake breakfast you’ll find this summer,” says Evergreen Club volunteer, Bea Tomkinson. For only $5.00 a person you will get your

choice of beverage and choice of buckwheat or buttermilk pancakes. You also get delicious Hertels bacon or local sausages from Tannadice Farms. Event convenor, Evergreen Club volunteer Sally Say laughs, “Just bring your money and your mouth!” Gather your friends and family and share in this all ages feast and feel good about supporting the Evergreen Club. Mark Saturday, July 19th down in your calendar. For more info call 250-338-1000 or www.evergreenseniorsclub.org.

Library launches name the whale contest for kids

RBC branch manager Colleen Sawyer presents cheque to David Stapley, program manage,r Comox Valley Conservation Strategy (centre of photo).

RBC supports two local environmental groups with cheques for projects Seven RBC staff came out to lend a hand June 12, to Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society (MARS) and presented cheques totaling $6,000 to both MARS and the Comox Valley Conservation Strategy (CVCS) Community Partnership. The CVCS received $5,000 from the RBC Blue Water Project. The funds will be used to support education activities for improved protection and restoration measures for streams and stream side habitat (riparian areas) and continued work towards protection of the Comox Lake Watershed. “A recent assessment of 2,329 hectares of riparian ecosystems in the Comox Valley between 1992 and 2012 shows that land use has negatively impacted half of the ecosystems. Of the total area impacted

about 450 hectares was through development activities. “This affects fish and many other species that rely on healthy riparian ecosystems for their habitat. It also affects our water quality and quantity in local streams,” reveals CVCS Program Manager David Stapley. The CVCS Community Partnership has proposed a number of measures to protect the health of the Comox Lake Watershed, the drinking water source for 45,000 Comox Valley residents. These include working with the many stakeholder agencies, recreation groups, land owners and the general public to implement better protection measures. “The RBC Blue Water Project is a wide-ranging program dedicated to protecting the world’s most precious

natural resource: fresh water. The Blue Water Project supports initiatives that help protect water in growing towns and cities,” explains Colleen Sawyer, RBC Ryan Road branch manager. MARS received $1,000 to help in their ongoing efforts to rehabilitate wildlife and release them back into the wild. MARS volunteers also assist the Regional District maintain the Headquarters Town Site park. The seven RBC staff spent the morning helping MARS with trail maintenance at the park. “Not only did the RBC staff come out to give us a hand but they brought us a cheque as well! We really appreciate the funds needed to support our avian rescue program,” exclaims Maj Birch of MARS.

Vancouver Island Regional Library is excited to announce the Name the Whale Contest! In celebration of the Library’s newest staff member, an orca mascot who starts full-time this month, VIRL is inviting kids to get creative and send in their suggested names. The contest runs from the beginning of July to August 16th and is open to children ages 6-12 years old. Kids can enter the contest by filling out a contest entry form and handing it in at any local Vancouver Island Regional Library branch. Contest forms are available at any VIRL branch. Multiple entries are welcomed! The winner will receive a special prize and certificate, announced in September. For more information about the Name the Whale Contest, or for a downloadable entry form, visit us at virl.bc.ca/contests! Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) is the fourth largest library system in British Columbia. We serve over 430,000 people on Vancouver

Island, Haida Gwaii, and Bella Coola on the Central Coast through 39 branch libraries, a virtual branch, and a books-by-mail service. VIRL’s holdings number one-million and include books, magazines, CD’s and DVD’s.

On June 4th, the four Comox Valley Tim Horton's locations raised $15,000. to send kids to camp in Kanaskis Alberta. The deserving participants have been selected from local schools and will participate in a 1st class experience at a top grade camp facility. They will go horseback riding, an overnight excursion, white water rafting, archery, zip line and many more fun and safe activities to challenge them and uplift their self-esteem while showing them what the world has to offer

A8 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Opinions ECHO

THE COMOX VALLEY ECHO Publisher Dave MacDonald Editor Debra Martin Advertising Manager Keith Currie Office Administrator Deb Fowler Circulation Manager Hedi MacDonald Production Manager Ryan Getz Phone 250-334-4722 Fax 250-334-3172 Classifieds 250- 334-4215 Circulation 250-334-4734 E-mail: echo@comoxvalleyecho.com

An independently owned and operated newspaper published by Echo Publications at 407-D Fifth Street, Courtenay, B.C. V9N 1J7 All material herein is protected by copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part is not permitted without written authorization from the publisher.

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Editorial

Raising vote rate a worthy effort The owners of three Victoria coffee shops will be stamping messages on their coffee cups that encourage customers to vote in November’s municipal election. In addition to finding pro-voting messages on their cups, customers at 2% Jazz, Habit and Shatterbox coffee shops will also be directed to votepledge2014.ca, a website launched in March by Victoria Coun. Lisa Helps to encourage people to get out and vote. Go for it, we say. Anything that might help increase the region’s low voter turnout is welcome. In the 2011 municipal election, voter turnout in the region averaged about 30 per cent, with Metchosin highest with 49 per cent and Langford at the bottom of the list with 14 per cent. A dismal rate of participation in the democratic process, to say the least. Since the 1960s, voter participation has declined among the world’s established democracies. Low voter turnout usually sparks a lot of hand-wringing about the state of democracy. However, several studies by political scientists show data that indicate there’s no need for alarm, that the extent of voter turnout has little effect on election outcomes. Dutch political scientist Martin Rosema, in a paper published on an electoral studies website, takes the argument further and suggests low turnout might be a good thing. Which would be preferable, he asks, a high turnout election in which voters make their choice by flipping a coin or based on the looks of the candidates, or a low-turnout election in which voters weigh the worth of the performance and platforms of candidates? “Arguably, the latter situation would be preferable,” he writes. There are a couple of problems with the studies that dismiss concerns about low voter turnout. Generally, they are based on polls taken after an election. And we have learned from the recent Alberta, B.C. and Ontario elections just how wrong polls can be. They show that how people say they will vote is not a guarantee of how they will actually cast their ballots. And asking non-voters how they would have voted has even less meaning. The only way you can truly know how someone would have voted is if they actually vote. Also, these surveys usually focus on national elections, where the votes of a small minority are not likely to substantially affect the overall outcome. Researchers Zoltan Hajnal of the University of California San Diego and Jessica Trounstine of Princeton University in New Jersey say that when the studies focus on local elections, the results are different. They suggest that in municipal elections, the lower the voter turnout, the higher the possibility that the results can be skewed by one segment of the population or special interests. Regardless of studies, voter participation does matter. While the public has many opportunities for input in civic government, it’s only at the polling place that politicians’ feet are truly held to the fire. While it’s best that voters be informed before they vote, even the mere act of casting a ballot makes a person more aware of the candidates and issues involved in local government. The voting rate is lowest among younger people. Only a third of young people vote when they first become eligible, half the rate of a generation ago. Apathy and a sense of helplessness are significant factors, but those can only be cured by getting involved. It was encouraging, then, to see high school students in the region stage walkouts in June to protest the impasse between teachers and government. Whatever their motives, those students got involved. Messages on coffee cups alone are not likely to reverse the downward trend in voter turnout, but perhaps they can help make the voting habit contagious. - Victoria Times Colonist

Letters to the Editor

Food is going to be major issue While I was volunteering as a driver/ schlepper at the Vancouver Island Music Festival, taking performers to wherever they wanted to go, one fellow and I ended up talking about the heat. This particular musician with guitar in hand, travels quite a bit, having done so for over 30 years as a performer, and he openly volunteered to me that climate change was so obvious wherever he went. Why I found this so interesting was that I don’t normally think of country music stars with a bit of a twang in their voice, telling me about our nation’s leadership when it comes to environmental policies that are “denying the science”. I listened to him telling me just what he was witnessing in changes from places he’s visited over the years, and how bad things are going to get in the future. Speaking to me, he was talking to an already converted biologist as I keep abreast of many reports and comments from other scientists on my various discussion forums via the internet, and yes, he was spot on! I do not talk to many folks about this issue on a daily basis as we seem to be in a collective denial “shield” about this pressing and most serious of looming situations facing us and the generations to come - It’s just too... I don’t know, scary? We hear about climate change but sort of push it back when we have entertainment to take in, and recreating to indulge ourselves with, but it’s there all the time like a creeping mould coming on to our favourite cheeses stored in the fridge. However, when I give public presentations on native bees and pollination, pesticide use and looming food-security are always included in my talks. If one looks at what’s going on in the U.S. and especially California, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Palmer Drought Index), shows that drought now covers 34.3% - Yes, California, remember that state where a lot of our produce comes from we see in our grocery stores? Drought for California, means more

local consumption of their reducing fruit and vegetable production, leaving less for us to purchase. If one looks at the almond industry alone, it consumes 10% of the water they have. I don’t see too many folks around here growing almonds. This gives even more credence for us to protect our agricultural growing parts of Canada, especially here in B.C. when some would like to see even more lands taken out of the A.L.R. for development. Talking to my fellow tubers that frequent the Comox and Cowichan Valley rivers, we collectively notice the low levels in our rivers, the pathways clogged with protruding boulders, and the need to be concerned about our struggling salmon fry. While we might have a decent return this year on the Puntledge, Cowichan is looking at once again shipping salmon fry past low areas in the river. Our rivers are at September levels in July so most of us feel it in our “fun” bone, but we stop short of bringing it further into the public discussion. I am encouraged by the increasing numbers of people who are switching to growing their own food and have started to realise that we can’t always rely on outside sources for all our food requirements. Like many of my biologist, food-security and environmentally-connected friends and colleagues state, local food production is going to be the major issue hitting us in mere decades if we don’t get a grip on the combined links between local agriculture lands, access to ample water supplies, and the reduction of available imported produce. Like fuel prices, I predict our food prices will soar much higher. Gord Hutchings Cobble Hill, BC

TRUE DEMOCRACY In response to Bob Mortimer’s letter of July 11 in which he says that I suggest a vote without the facts. It seems that he has failed to completely read or misunderstood what I wrote. Either that or he is misunderstanding the difference

between a plebiscite and a referendum. I said no such thing, as a matter of fact just the opposite. So I will repeat here for clarification. The last paragraph in my letter said “Amalgamation will only be democratic if they first hold a Plebiscite to see if the community is even interested. “If they are, only then, should a study be commissioned and with full knowledge to go by, hold a Referendum. That way the electorate have been involved at all levels. “Determine the numbers, decide if the outcome is beneficial to your individual community and cast your ballot accordingly. “ So it can be clearly seen that I did mention a study and voting, by referendum, with full knowledge of the facts. My concern over the recent proposal is that a petition is not an adequate way of gauging public desire for a study. I contend that the only valid method of getting public consent is by putting a question on a ballot. With an election coming up this fall we are presented with an opportunity to do just that. Which is how the process took place in the 1990s. That way, everyone who votes has the opportunity to express an opinion. With petition it is quite possible that only those who are in favour of the question, or who get badgered to sign by a canvasser, express opinion. Let’s get back to true democracy and encourage more people to participate in our political process. DW (Don) Davis Comox

EXPECT MORE ACCIDENTS A higher speed limit combined with high temperatures will inevitably lead to more accidents such as loss of control due to blown tires. Have you checked your wheel alignment lately? I would strongly suggest every vehicle be equipped with a fire extinguisher within easy reach. Dave Matthews Courtenay

B.C. liquor taxes still costing consumers dearly By Jordan Bateman Earlier this year, two brides-to-be from Prince George - to protect their identities, we’ll call them “Thelma and Louise” - made a run for the Alberta border and cheaper liquor. Thelma and Louise are each getting married this summer, and both weddings are set to be huge bashes, with hundreds of guests coming from across Canada. To save money, the brides borrowed a van and drove east. Nine hours later, they were in an Edmonton Costco, purchasing dozens of cases of beer, wine, and spirits. The pair loaded the van all the way to the roof. It was so heavy, the vehicle sagged on its suspension as the women drove back to

Prince George, past the unsuspecting wildlife in Jasper National Park. Careful not to speed, the brides managed to avoid any attention from the RCMP. “Not sure what they would have thought if they had caught us,” laughed Thelma. Even with the cost of gas and a day off work, the total estimated savings for each bride: close to $1,500. “Or a good start on a pretty nice honeymoon,” joked Louise. Thelma and Louise aren’t the only British Columbians looking east for cheaper alcohol, where Alberta’s lower liquor taxes help keep prices down. Take a $15 bottle of wine, for example. In B.C., we pay $7.11 for the Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) markup tax, 60 cents in

other LDB fees, and 94 cents in Provincial Sales Tax - a total of $8.65 in taxes. That means British Columbians, when they buy a bottle of wine, actually pay more in taxes and markup than for the actual drink itself. In Alberta, a $15 bottle of wine faces only $3.45 in provincial taxes and government markup, meaning you get a lot better wine for your $15 in Edmonton and Calgary than in Enderby and Coquitlam. WineMarketing.ca offers a B.C. tax calculator where British Columbians can put in the B.C. Liquor Store cost of a bottle of wine and see how much we’re paying in taxes. A nice, $50 bottle of wine, for example, is 68 per cent taxes and markup. Despite the higher taxes and

prices, the B.C. government’s recent announcement of 73 potential liquor reforms fails to offer a single nickel of tax relief to consumers. Worse, it entrenches policies like minimum prices, a favorite hammer of the B.C. government. Minimum prices schemes have made the province’s much-ballyhooed happy hour rollout a failure by artificially forcing beer and wine prices up again. Things could get even worse. Wildly exceeding its legislated responsibilities and taxing abilities, the City of Victoria is now trying to add their own nickel-per-drink tax. This would set a frightening precedent: imagine every city across B.C. slapping local taxes on your beer and wine. And if you

think that tax would hold steady at a nickel per drink, ask yourself this: how often do local governments cut taxes? How often do they raise them? We all know which way this would trend. So British Columbians keep paying more than we should be at the liquor store, more at the pub, more during happy hour. As the movie version of Thelma and Louise famously said, “You get what you settle for.” If British Columbians want to quit overpaying for a drink, we have to quit settling for government treating us like children and over-taxing our drinks. Jordan Bateman is British Columbia Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 15, 2014 A9

Community

etc. ECHO

Dance to Nite Life at the Courtenay Legion

Courtenay Legion Br. #17 is holding a dance on Friday, July 18th in the upper hall. Come dance to the music of the 50’s & 60’s with Nite Life. Dance starts at 7:30 and runs till 10:30 Everyone welcome.

Vegan dine-out at Wenjie’s Restaurant This coming Monday July 21st at 5:30 pm Wenjie’s Restaurant at 1496 Ryan Rd. East in Comox will host this month’s Earthsave Vegan dine out. The restaurant formerly known as Vera’s is open 6 days a week for lunch and 7 days a week for dinner. Hostess Wenjie has come up with the following buffet menu: Spring Roll, Vegetable Fried Rice, Mixed Vegetables with Rice Noodles, Vegetable Chop Suey, Kung Po Tofu and Mixed Fruits for dessert. The cost for the evening including coffee, tea, taxes and tips is $20 for adults and $15 for kids to age 12. The evening is by reservation only. To reserve call Bob at Earthsave; ph. 250-338-0751.

Family Services AGM coming up July 21 Comox Valley Family Services Association (CVFSA) is holding its Annual General Meeting (AGM) Monday July 21st at 3:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at Comox Valley Family Services Association, 1415 Cliffe Avenue, Courtenay.

Annual Lavender Harvest Open Farm event this week Shamrock Farm is inviting the public to its 3rd annual Lavender Harvest Open Farm Event, July 17th through to the 20th between noon and 5:00 p.m. Stop by and enjoy an afternoon at the farm surrounded by the sights and scents of lavender including lavender harvesting and lavender essential oil distillation demonstrations, ask questions, see the barn where hundreds of lavender bundles are hung to dry, pick-your-own lavender, and wand making. A variety of lavender snacks and refreshments will be available including sweet lavender lemonade

and Benino Gelato’s lavender lemon gelato. Bring a chair or blanket, have a picnic lunch if you wish. Sit and relax among the aromatic lavender in the field a the symphony of bees float over you. A variety of the farm’s lavender products and lavender plants will be available for sale. Admission is free and the farm accepts cash or cheques for any purchases. Shamrock Farm is located in Comox at 2276 Anderton Road. For more information, visit the farm online at www.shamrockfarm.ca or call (250) 339-1671.

Lyric was harvesting Shamrock Farm’s beautiful English Lavender last week. Everyone’s invited to visit at the farm’s open house July 17-20.

CA$H REWARD$

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

Photo by Brad Darling

South Region Liquid Waste Management Plan Moving Ahead Together

Open House Join the project team and engineering consultants at an open house to learn more and provide feedback on the south region liquid waste management plan.

Giant garage, book sale for the Tour de Rock A giant garage and book sale is being held Saturday, July 19, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm at the Union Bay Community Hall. A large selection of items will be for sale with all proceeds to the Tour de Rock. For more information call Donna McKay at 250-335-2147.

Thursday, July 17, 2014 | 5-8 pm Fallen Alders Hall, 3595 Royston Road Open House Style Drop in and speak to project staff and consultants about the planning process now underway to determine the best options for wastewater management and water resource recovery in the south region. This is the first in a series of public consultation events scheduled to occur throughout the planning process.

Call out for poets to read at lunch hours The Comox Valley’s Writers Society and Courtenay Library invite local poets and the public to a free noon hour session of poetry readings to take place in the Courtenay Library Events Room, Thursday, July 31 and Thursday, August 28 from 12:00 to 1:00 PM. Local poets who wish to read can sign up at 250-334-3369 and FMI at 250-339-5391. There is no charge to participate. Admission to everyone is free so come, read, listen, and relax over the noon hour with our talented local poets.

Learn more about the south region LWMP, visit: www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/southregionLWMP Contact: CVRD Engineering Services southsewer@comoxvalleyrd.ca | 250-871-6100

Made in BC – Good for Everyone! Hi Friends, Did you know that some of the best upholstery manufacturers are to be found right here in British Columbia? It's true! One of them is Van Gogh Designs. A few months after my wife and I had opened Anmarcos Mattresses, the Van Gogh Company Furniture & Mattresses, approached me and asked if we would be interested in showcasing their products. I jumped at the opportunity! I had worked with Van Gogh previously for another company, and knew the level of quality I could expect. There was another benefit to buying a product that was Made in BC; lower shipping costs! With transportation being so expensive, other brands of the same quality level would have to sell for a lot more. BC products make it a lot more affordable for you! And that's what counts!

A10 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 15, 2014 A11

CARRIERS WANTED EARN $$$$$$$$ COMOX Rt. 1103 – Pritchard, Totem, Skeena, Orca Rt. 1112 – Noel, Nootka, Tsimshian, Kwakiutl, Salish, Pritchard Rt. 2129 – Sylvan, Parry, Aspen, Idiens Rt. 2135 – Denman, Quadra CROWN ISLE Rt. 3120 – Monarch, Royal Rt. 3134 – Crown Isle Dr., Birkshire, Sussex VALLEYVIEW Rt. 3110 – Back Road, Glen Urquhart, 10th St. E., Hobson, 6th St. E., Aston Rt. 3123 – Nechako, Chemainus, 5th St. E., Cowichan, 6th St. E. Rt. 3132 – Inverclyde, Carstairs, Hebrides, Fife Rt. 3135 – Hawk, Swallow, Whiskeyjack Rt. 3136 – Bluejay Place COLEMAN ROAD AREA Rt. 4106 – Sea Terrace, Avonlee, Loxley MISSION HILL Rt. 5110 – Tatton, Virginia, Paula, Adrian

No Collection Required Call COMOX VALLEY ECHO 250−334−4734 or drop by 407−D 5th Street, Courtenay

A12 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Community

CELEBRATE BC PARKS DAY JULY 19 Jamie Sproule is recovering well in hospital and is expected home soon after his ordeal lost in the woods

A ‘Jamie Sproule is Found’ party planned July 26 A “Jamie Sproule is Found” celebration will take place at the Cultural Centre in Cumberland on Saturday July 26 at 5 pm. It will be an opportunity to share stories, songs and poems about the search. There will also be a pot-luck supper. Proceeds from donations at the bar will go to the Cumberland Community Forest Society (cumberlandforest.com) which is seeking to buy forest land around Cumberland

to protect as parkland. Jamie survived six days in the bush near his home in Cumberland before being found alive on May 27th. He is recovering well in hospital and is expected to be home soon. The successful search involved a huge amount of community support, from volunteer searchers and meal providers to those who prayed and sent well wishes for Jamie and his family.

6 hour, 13 km outing may include an extension to a ridge lookout, or a swim in the lake, depending on conditions. Pre-register at coordinator@strathconapark.org BC Parks Day is an everyone welcome event! Please dress for the weather; wear proper footwear, bring lunch or snacks, water, bug spray and sun protection. The Strathcona Wilderness Institute runs ongoing programs and is always thankful for the public’s support. BC Parks Day is a free event; however, any donations to help with the Institute’s ongoing activities are always much appreciated. For more information please visit http://strathconapark.org or https://www.facebook.com/pages/ Strathcona-WildernessInstitute/138071356263649

Strathcona Wilderness Institute invites the public to celebrate BC Parks Day on Saturday July 19th. This event will run from 10am 3pm at the Strathcona Wilderness Center at the Paradise Meadows trailhead in Strathcona Park. The Center is located adjacent to Mt. Washington’s Raven Lodge. Parks Day is about celebrating and supporting parks and nature, re-engaging with our natural heritage and ensuring that parks are protected for future generations to enjoy. Strathcona Park has a special significance as BC’s first Provincial Park and the largest on Vancouver Island. On Saturday July 19th you can browse information and displays from local organizations and participate in educational activities that will be fun for the whole family. There will also be a guided hike to Croteau Lake leaving at 9:00am. This

The volunteer team of eight that found him were using the tight grid pattern learned from Search and Rescue and were working in a confined area of old logging slash covered in low bush. It was 5pm in the evening and the group planned to keep working till they had covered all the area. It was a moment of surprise and great joy. People are hailing it as “a miracle”. Please come and wish Jamie well.

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