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Volume 20, No. 60

Public safety ‘near miss’ as power plant accident causes river surge

By Philip Round Echo Staff An accidental release of huge amounts of water into the low-flowing Puntledge was a “public safety near miss,� says BC Hydro, which is responsible for controlling flows on the river.

Sirens sounded to warn people of the potential danger as flows suddenly doubled in the lower stretch of the river — and reduced by half further upstream, killing some stranded fish.

And as many more people are

going out tubing during the current spell of hot weather, Hydro is urging people to be alert to potential dangers as they enjoy the river.

The recent problem, which Hydro spokesperson Stephen Watson said created a domino effect in the river system, began at the Puntledge Generating Station at around lunchtime on July 18.

BC Hydro has been operating in ‘conservation mode’ to keep as much water as possible in the Comox Lake Reservoir during the extended dry period.

The aim has been to delay for as

long as possible the introduction of tougher water use restrictions for 40,000 Comox Valley residents.

Stage 2 measures restricting lawn sprinkling came in to force last Friday (July 25) in Comox and Courtenay.

As part of the conservation program, the generating station had been running at only 20 per cent of its capacity, and was then taken offline completely for maintenance work, said Watson. It has stayed offline since that time to help save water. “River flows have been main-

tained at about 13-14 cubic metres per second - and none of that flow is passing through the generating station,� he explained.

The flow through the penstock the big pipe that takes water from the river upstream to spin the turbines - had been completely blocked by valves at the power station end so the planned maintenance could take place.

But the penstock remained full, as it is also the conduit for the Comox Valley Regional District’s public water supply, and for the water needed by Fisheries and

Oceans Canada’s Puntledge Fish Hatchery. “On July 18, around lunchtime, an unplanned flow event took place through a piece of equipment within the generating station,�

Watson explained. “A valve opened up and released water sitting idle in the penstock into the river. This was due to a maintenance error that in turn caused the device to open.�

As the minutes passed, one problem led to another.

(Continued on page 2)

Developer says South Courtenay rental units remain a big ‘If’ for now

By Drew A. Penner Echo Staff

Get a bird’s eye view of the Valley this weekend There will be another chance to get a bird’s eye view of the Comox Valley - including close-up views of the iconic glacier - this coming BC Day weekend.

Harbour Air, which operates the daily seaplane service from Comox Marina to downtown Vancouver, is offering 30-minute scenic tours on Saturday and Sunday (Aug 2 and 3) as an extra attraction in a weekend packed with events.

The fights follows the success of a similar initiative during the Shellfish

Festival in June, when more than 100 people took to the sky in one of the company’s 14-seat DHC-3 Single Otter planes. For more information or to book this time around, call 1-800-665-0212.

This picture of Cumberland from the air, with the Inland Island Highway and Maple Lake in the foreground, was taken on the previous tour by the Echo’s Philip Round. More pictures of Valley landmarks from that flight can be seen in the slide show ‘On top of the world’ in the Photo Galleries section of the Echo website at www.comoxvalleyecho.com

A housing developer there’s been very little progress made on reviving a rental project he recently pronounced dead. Brett Giese of Crowne Pacific Development Corp. says despite optimistic refrains sung by the City of Courtenay, officials just missed a big opportunity to continue preparing a site that had been slated for the creation of a 94-unit apartment block across from Future Shop in the southern end of the community. “Where we are is not a whole lot different than where we were,� he said. “You won’t see anything happen until next spring - if it even happens.�

Frustrated by improvements to a section of sewage pipe necessary and to difficulties of upgrading the intersection at Cliffe Avenue and Anfield Road, which provides access to the planned Acadia on the Walk development, efforts were put on the back burner, he said.

He admitted there was some positive steps taken since then, but characterized them as small ones. “They agreed to basically have a monitoring period on the sanitary sewer capacity,� he said, referring to an agreement reached with City staff. “One thing that really held up the progress of this and became a major roadblock was the intersection design.�

An intersection design plan he paid McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd. to write up was rejected by the City, although they are now the company retained to do similar work on the City’s side, he charged.

(Continued on page 2)

Community party held to celebrate miraculous survival and recovery

By Michael Briones Echo Staff Jamie Sproule’s family, friends and volunteers who helped search for him when he was missing for six days celebrated his miraculous survival and recovery with songs, stories and poems over the weekend.

Gwyn Sproule, a Village of Cumberland councilor, held a “Jamie is Found� party for the community on Saturday as a way of expressing their gratitude for all the

assistance that was given to her family. “We had a beautiful party. There was lots of fun. Around a hundred people came out,� said Gwyn. “Lots of people had stories to tell and there were songs that were written especially.�

Jamie is back home after spending two months recovering in hospital. He is still on the mend. “It’s been glorious that he’s back,� said Gwyn, who at one time during the search expected the worse. “I can’t hardly remember

those dark days.�

The 65-year-old Cumberland man, with mild dementia and Parkinson’s disease, went missing May 22 after failing to return home for his daily walk in the woods. An official search was immediately conducted. But after three days, the search was suspended. However, friends and volunteer searchers from the community continued to scour the area.

On May 27, Jamie was found just 300 metres from his home, lying unconscious in a thick brush. He

was flown to St. Joseph’s Hospital and doctors were surprised that he did not suffer any organ damage.

However, he was weak, had some deep wounds and couldn’t walk or talk.

Gwyn indicated that Jamie “is getting better every day, better than in the hospital.� “He didn’t have his meds for seven days, which he has been on for 20 years. So that’s a long time,�

Gwyn said about Jamie’s injuries. “He didn’t walk for several days and now has neurological prob-

lems. He is now getting his walking back. He came home with a walker which he has put away already. But he still needs steadying. He’s just getting his balance back now. He didn’t get any walking in the hospital at all. He was just locked in a wheelchair because of concerns that he might fall.�

Jamie is also undergoing major rehab for his sore back he suffered from lying in one spot for seven days.

(Continued on page 2)

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A2 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 2014

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Tuesday, 29 July Sunny.

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Wednesday, 30 July Sunny.

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Decision day for Island rail line’s future

By Philip Round Echo Staff It’s decision day for the future of the Vancouver Island railway between Courtenay and Victoria.

Later this afternoon (Tuesday), Comox Valley Regional District has to decide whether it is prepared to release its $392,000 share of the

money needed towards bridge and structure repairs.

It is the last of five regional districts along the 225-km route to come to a decision.

And it’s being made clear if the answer is ‘no,’ the entire restoration project will run out of steam and come to a halt.

In an email to the regional board

Gwyn Sproule is happy to have her husband Jamie back

A rescue celebration (Continued from page 1) “That is the biggest thing that’s being rehabilitated.

It’s a very technological type of healing which is really working well,� said Gwyn.

Jamie is still unaware of his horrifying ordeal.

Gwyn said she doesn’t want to quiz him on it. “I just don’t want him to remember it,� said Gwyn. “He knows he shouted a lot the first day and I think he was unconscious in the last six days.�

Rental units a big ‘if’ (Continued from page 1) “They said, ‘We don’t accept this design,’� he said. “I just said, ‘You know what? I can’t give you anything more.’�

Giese also claims the City of Courtenay asked him to try to acquire parkland in the area to help with intersection construction possibilities. “They asked me to make the call to see if we could get it,� he said. “That’s not something the Big Bad Developer wanted.�

City officials recently revealed to the Echo the project is still in the works, but have declined to comment on the specific status of the project, pending discussions with developers about recent engineering work. “Once we’ve presented some of the findings to the developer we’ll be able to speak a little bit more about what’s going on,� said CAO David Allen.

Observers have noted the multi-million project would add needed rental space to the Comox Valley market.

received yesterday (Monday), Graham Bruce - the chief executive of the line’s not-for-profit owners, the Island Corridor Foundation - comments: “In the regional funding agreements, it is a condition that all five regional districts must agree or the project does not proceed. “We have four regional districts that have authorized the signing of

home. Jamie went missing for five days before he was locat ed in a wooded area near his home in Cumberland.Jamie Sproule is back home after two months in hospital (Photo courtesy Dean Stoltz/CHEK News

their respective funding agreements. “The signed VIA Rail agreement (about the restoration of passenger train services) was ratified by the ICF on July 24 and will be going to the board of SVI (Southern Rail of Vancouver Island, the train operator) on August 15 and the VIA board on August 27. “Once all the boards have ratified the signed agreement it will be available for you to review. “The federal-provincial funding (the $15 million offered for the track re-ballasting and replacement of more than 100,000 ties) is contingent on the project as laid out being completed - that is, from Victoria to Courtenay, and that passenger rail services recommence.�

In a separate letter to the regional district urging support, the president of SVI, Frank Butzelaar, notes: “Our funding from provincial and federal governments is subject to completion of the entire track and bridge upgrade from Victoria to Courtenay. “Regional funding towards bridge repairs must be released and available in order to proceed with any of the required upgrades. “Funds will only be expended after a thorough review of tenders and confirmation that the entire scope of work between Victoria and Courtenay can be completed within the funds committed to the project.�

And, he adds: “Awarding the bridge and track improvement contracts (will occur) only if successful tenders are within the individual funding budget limits for each component of the work.�

At a committee meeting earlier this month, some CVRD directors expressed concerns about whether the line restoration and passenger

trains would ever get to Courtenay, and sought further assurance on the issues before agreeing to sign the draft agreement to release cash already held in the bank.

CVRD staff note that if the agreement is signed, the local share of the funds would not be released all at once.

The first installment would be transferred only when a contract was awarded, the second in 2015 in accordance with a cash flow schedule as set out in the agreement.

Chief administrative officer Debra Oakman says it is now time for the board to decide whether or not the conditions they set have been met.

She makes no recommendation one way or the other, but notes that Graham Bruce, along with ICF co-chair Mary Ashley, and the Comox Valley’s representative on the ICF board, Courtenay Mayor Larry Jangula, have indicated they will attend this afternoon’s meeting to answer any questions.

If Comox Valley Regional District says ‘yes’ to the deal, it still does not guarantee the work will go ahead. But such a vote demonstrating unanimity among the five regional districts is crucial to securing the release of the federal and provincial funds.

And none of the money will be unlocked from any of the regional, provincial or federal coffers until there is confirmation of legally-binding support for passenger service restoration from the VIA Rail board when it meets in a month’s time.

But what is certain is that a categoric ‘no’ vote at CVRD today means the whole project will hit the buffers. pround@comoxvalleyecho.com

Public safety ‘near miss’ on the Puntledge (Continued from page 1) “The event caused a domino effect in the river system,� he said. “First the river flow below the generating station more than doubled in a few minutes. “This fast water flow increase initiated the siren warning system near the hatchery, and at Puntledge Park, to warn people to get off the river. Fortunately, the day was cloudy and generally cool, with fewer recreation users.�

BC Hydro staff quickly shut off the valve to allow river flows downstream to get back to normal within about 10 minutes. But elsewhere the release had trigged other problems.

Five kilometres upstream of the generating station is where water enters the penstock. There is a dammed head pond across the river, allowing water to be diverted into the penstock, or spill over the dam to run down the river in a natural way to ensure sufficient flows for fish to survive an thrive.

As the penstock was rapidly emptying, water from the head pond was sucked into the pipe to make up for the loss.

“The drop of water flow at head pond from water being briefly pulled into the penstock from the event downstream caused the flows at Nymph Falls and Stotan Falls to decrease by just over half,� said Watson. “When the device was closed at the generating station, water then quickly built up in the head pond and spilled over the dam again. Ultimately the river flow resumed to normal.�

By the time the reduced flows reached the power station site, the increased level flows from the valve release had subsided.

So flows in the lower stretch of the Puntledge experienced a swing from unexpectedly high to extremely low, before recovering to the scheduled flow rate much later in the afternoon.

Watson confirmed the sequence of incidents “had some minor impacts to juvenile fish and was a public safety near miss.�

He added: “BC Hydro has on-call biologists that were dispatched to key areas of the river and we also worked with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. “Through the various river flow increas-

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es and decreases, some low number fish mortalities were observed and some fish were salvaged from isolated pools. “The public safety warning system engaged as intended and provided suitable warning to downstream river users. “This may serve as a reminder to the community that the Puntledge River is part of a hydroelectric system where flows may change quickly. “Please obey signs and warning systems and exit the river if you notice any rapid flow changes. The few people on the river system (that afternoon) would have noticed the flow changes going up and down.�

Watson said BC Hydro considered it important to be open and transparent to the community on its operations, which is why it was offering a full explanation of what had happened. “We will strive to make improvements on the system so events like this are rare and can be mitigated for the benefit of public safety and fish,� he added. “The public siren warning system is one measure of mitigation.�

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Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 2014 A3

healthy LIFESTYLE Explore natural The Power of a Positive Attitude sleep remedies A balanced diet, exercise, genetics, and even hol as a coping mechanism when dealing with elcertain medications can work in concert to make a evated stress levels, and such people will not have person healthy. But a person’s demeanor also can to deal with the side effects that can come with factor into personal health. these unhealthy behaviors.

The Mayo Clinic says that whether or not a perBecoming a more positive thinker can take a son is an optimist or a pessimist can affect many little effort for those without a natural inclination areas of his or her health and well-being, and for optimism. But because positive thinking boasts those who see the glass as half-full may ultimatesuch significant health benefits, men and women ly be healthier than might want to try those who see it as the following methhalf-empty. ods to embrace Laughter is good medicine Positive thinking their optimistic Laughter combined with positive thinking is a can make it easier to side. prescription for good health. Research shows laughmanage stress. The * Exercise. Start ter relaxes the entire body, relieving physical tension body responds differan exercise regiand stress for up to 45 minutes. Laughter decreases ently based on an inmen, as physical stress hormones and increases infection-fighting andividual’s mood, and activity naturally tibodies. Endorphins that promote an overall sense it may produce stress reduces stress and of well-being and relieve pain can be released from hormones if a person’s can improve mood. a hearty bout of laughter. Furthermore, laughter can outlook is negative. * Embrace huincrease blood flow throughout the body, which proSuch stress hormones mor.

Surround tects against hypertension and heart attack. can compromise the yourself with others immune system, inwho bring a smile crease blood pressure and even reduce the body’s to your face. Look for ways to laugh as much as ability to burn fat effectively. Thinking negatively possible. Rather than go out to dinner or a bar with and being on edge also can increase a person’s risk friends, head to a comedy club. Choose comedies for developing cardiovascular disease and aging at the movie theater and find humor in everyday prematurely. happenings.

Conversely, maintaining a positive attitude can * Identify areas that need change. Think about be good for your health. Studies have shown that moments in life that may bring you down or inspire thinking positively can lower rates of depression negative reactions. If work is problematic, figure and anxiety, increase life expectancy and provide out ways to make it better and work toward imgreater resistance to certain illnesses, such as the proving the situation. common cold. A 2012 preliminary study from re* Be supportive of yourself. Consider what you searchers at Stanford University found that daughwould say to others and then treat yourself the ters of mothers suffering from depression were able same way. Would you be overly negative or derogato witness their own stress levels go down on a tory toward a complete stranger? Probably not, and real-time brain scan as they switched from negative there is no reason to be harsh with yourself, either. thoughts to happy ones.

Push negative thoughts away.

Researchers are unsure why positive thinking * Volunteer. One way to see the world in a more has such profound effects. But in addition to limpositive light is to help others who may be less iting stress-releasing hormones, positive thinking fortunate than you. Volunteering not only helps may inspire people to live healthier lifestyles that others, but it also can help you put your own probmake them more likely to get routine physical aclems in perspective. Volunteering also helps you tivity and eat a healthy diet. Happy people also feel good about your efforts, which can translate may be less likely to use tobacco products or alcointo positive thinking. * Think like a child.

Take a cue from youngsters and find joy in the little things. Let children be the leaders in activities and mimic what they do.

You just may find yourself laughing more and enjoying yourself. Being silly for a little while is one way to recapture the feelings of youth.

Positive thinking is more than the subject matter of self-help books.

It’s a viable way to improve personal health and live longer.

Laughter and positive thinking can be good for your health.

Sleep is a natural process designed to recharge the body and mind. Although some people find no difficulty in settling down for the night, many others profess to have periodic or chronic sleep problems. But before asking doctors to reach for their prescription pads, men and women struggling to fall asleep at night may want to consider some all-natural remedies to help them get a good night’s rest.

Delta Sleep Labs says between 20 and 40 percent of all adults have insomnia in the course of any year, and more than 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders and wakefulness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognize insufficient sleep as a public health epidemic that can result in difficulty performing daily tasks, hypertension, depression, and even obesity.

While sleeping pills can be effective, they pose the risk of dependence and also may carry with them dangerous side effects. Some individuals have driven or engaged in other potentially dangerous activities while under the influence of sleeping pills. No such side effects have been associated with natural remedies.

When lifestyle changes, such as limiting caffeine intake or creating a sleep hygiene program, fail to produce the desired results, the following natural remedies, when used as directed, may help men and women get a better night’s rest. * Meditation: Focusing on breathing and employing visualization may help relax the body into a state where it can drift off to sleep. In addition to calming the mind, meditation can reduce stress and hormone levels. Picturing a relaxing scene and focusing on all the senses involved in that scene may put you in a peaceful state of mind that makes it easier to fall asleep. * Distraction: Although there are conflicting reports as to whether reading or watching television before going to be can be a help or a hindrance, some people with insomnia do find these actions can help induce sleep. Choose a book or a program that isn’t stimulating to distract yourself from anything that is causing distress. Doing so can create a state of relaxation that makes it easier to fall asleep. Use the sleep timer on the television to automatically turn of the TV after a set number of minutes, so you are not woken from sleep by a loud show after drifting off. * Aromatherapy: Calming scents can relax the body. Preliminary research suggests that lavender essential oil may lengthen total sleep time, increase deep sleep and help people feel refreshed in the morning, particularly for women who have a more acute sense of smell than men. Put a few drops of lavender on a pillow before retiring to bed, or take a relaxing bath with the oil mixed into the bath water. * Magnesium: Magnesium is a natural sedative. Foods rich in magnesium include dark green, leafy vegetables, almonds, whole grains, and legumes.

Magnesium supplements also are available, and these are usually taken in a specific ratio with calcium to be the most effective. * Valerian: Valerian is a natural herbal remedy that grows in the form of a tall, flowering grassland plant. The roots are ground to produce the supplement that could assist with sleep. The Mayo Clinic notes that several small studies indicate that valerian may reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and help you sleep better. Other studies have shown valerian to be no more effective than a placebo. However, with relatively few side effects, valerian may be worth a try. * Lemon balm: This herbal supplement and tea works in a similar method to valerian. It is said to relieve anxiety and calm nerves, which could be infringing on your ability to fall asleep. * Acupuncture: A study from researchers at the University of Pittsburgh concluded that acupuncture may be an effective treatment for insomnia. The study found that five weeks of acupuncture increased melatonin secretion in the evening and improved total sleep time. * Melatonin supplements: A naturally occurring hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle in the brain, melatonin is produced when darkness falls.

According to a Journal of Sleep Research study, time-release melatonin supplementation was effective in reducing sleep latency and improving sleep quality.

Lower doses of melatonin have been shown to be as effective as higher doses, so less is often more with melatonin.

Insomnia can often be traced to anxiety and an overactive mind. However, it also may be a side effect of medication or a symptom of a larger condition.

Speak with a doctor if insomnia becomes chronic or problematic.

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A4 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 2014

healthy LIFESTYLE How to prevent muscle soreness

Strength training can result in muscle soreness if men and women do not take certain preventive measures before, during and after their workouts.

Daily exercise is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. When paired with a nutritious diet, daily exercise can help men and women maintain their personal health and put them in a better position to battle many of the physical quirks that come with aging.

But even the most ardent exercise enthusiast is periodically confronted with muscle soreness, which can interrupt an exercise routine and have a very negative impact on an individual’s quality of life. Muscle soreness often appears the morning after a workout and can make something as simple as getting out of bed feel as difficult as climbing Mount Everest. The frequency and severity of muscle soreness depends on a host of factors, including how old someone is, how often a person exercises and how well that person performs certain exercises. While muscle soreness may seem like another unfortunate side effect of the aging process, there are ways to prevent such soreness. * Stay hydrated. Many people forget to drink water when working out, and such forgetfulness can lead to muscle soreness. Roughly 50 to 60 percent of a person’s total body mass is water, but the body loses a lot of water during exercise, especially when that exercise is vigorous and causes lots of sweating. Losing a substantial amount of water can be debilitating and lead to muscle soreness, as muscle cells need water to recover fully from a workout. So it’s important that men and women stay hydrated both during a workout and throughout the rest of the day.

Carry a bottle of water with you when working out. You will be more inclined to drink water and stay hydrated during a workout if you have water with you as opposed to relying on repeated trips to the water fountain. One way to determine if you’re drinking enough water during a workout is to make note of the color of your urine in the hours following the workout. If your urine is light yellow or clear, then you’re probably drinking enough water to stay hydrated during and after the workout. If your urine is dark yellow or has an orange tint, then you need to make a stronger effort to stay hydrated during and after your workout. * Get some sleep. Sleep is another way to prevent or reduce the likelihood of developing muscle soreness. The body needs time to

recover from exercise, and sleep is an integral part of that recovery process. Adults typically need between seven and eight hours of sleep per night, so be sure to get enough rest so your muscles can recover before your next workout.

Muscle soreness may be your body telling you it was not given enough time to fully recover from a previous workout. * Cool down after a workout. If weight training is part of your workout routine, then it helps to cool down with some easy cardiovascular activity and light stretching after the weight training portion of your regimen is over. This can improve blood flow throughout your body, and improved blood flow can speed your recovery time and reduce post-workout muscle soreness by bringing fresh oxygen and healing nutrients to the parts of your body that may feel sore after a workout. * Don’t fight fire with exercise. Some people are tempted to fight muscle soreness by putting their muscles back to work. But such an approach can lead to injury. When muscles are sore, they also experience a loss of strength, which makes them more susceptible to damage and injury.

Rather than fighting muscle soreness by challenging the muscles, give them a rest as they recover from soreness and fatigue.Work muscle groups that are not experiencing soreness or avoid weight training in favor of cardiovascular exercise and stretching.

For many men and women, muscle soreness is an unfortunate side effect of any active lifestyle. But such active men and women can take various preventive measures to reduce their likelihood of developing sore muscles after workouts.

How to beat the couch potato curse Diet and exercise make great bedfellows for men and women looking to live a healthier lifestyle. A combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise makes it easier for men and women to maintain a healthy weight while lowering their risk of various ailments, including heart disease and diabetes.

A heightened awareness of what makes for a healthy and unhealthy diet coupled with the increased availability of healthy foods has helped many people smoothly transition to a healthier diet.

But many people still struggle to find time to exercise every day. Commitments to work and family can make it difficult to squeeze in regular workouts, and the call of the couch is often more appealing than a trip to the gym at the end of a long day juggling both personal and professional obligations. But exercise is integral to a healthy lifestyle, so it’s important that men and women take steps to incorporate exercise into their daily routines. * Figure out when you’re free. Finding free time is perhaps the biggest hurdle adults must clear when attempting to exercise more. Track your daily schedule for a week or two, making note of down times during the day when you might be able to squeeze in 30 to 60 minutes of exercise. If you notice you’re spending your lunch hours catching up on personal emails or surfing the Internet, then consider joining a gym near your office and turning those lunch hours into workouts.

If your mornings are not dominated by getting the kids ready for school, then wake up a half hour earlier each morning to squeeze in some time on the treadmill.

You likely have some down time with regard to your daily schedule, and identifying such time is the first step toward making better use of it. * Make it a team effort. Daily exercise is not just good for adults; it’s great for kids, too. Parents looking to fit more physical activity into their daily routines should consider involving their children, many of whom are dealing with a fitness crisis of their own. According to a 2014 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents over the last three

decades, putting youngsters at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, prediabetes, bone and joint problems, and sleep apnea. Parents can make daily exercise a family affair, which increases the time they spend with their children while ensuring their kids stay fit as well. Men and women without families also can make daily exercise a team effort by working out with a friend or significant other. The buddy system often proves motivational, encouraging men and women to exercise even on those days when the couch is calling. * Make exercise more interesting.

Many workout routines fall by the wayside because they simply do not engage men and women no matter how motivated they are to lose weight. An hour on the treadmill can seem like an eternity to certain men and women, who can benefit by choosing workout routines that are less monotonous. For example, Zumba is a combination of dance and aerobic exercise that is growing in popularity. In lieu of spending an hour on the treadmill or elliptical machine, Zumba participants get an equally if not exceedingly challenging cardiovascular workout that many find more fun than traditional aerobic exercise thanks to its incorporation of dance. For those without such happy feet, bring a tablet along to the gym and catch up on your favorite television shows or a good book during your cardiovascular routines. The more interesting you find your workout routine, the more likely you are to find time for that routine every day. * Choose an accessible routine. When planning your workout, make it as accessible as possible. While sports like kayaking and mountain bike racing make for great exercise, such activities are not readily accessible to many working professionals with busy schedules. Join a gym that’s only a short drive from home, or purchase some gym equipment you can set up in your own home. The more accessible a workout routine is, the more likely you are to embrace that routine.

The call of the couch can be difficult to ignore. But the side effects of a sedentary lifestyle can be grave, so men and women should work to find ways to include exercise in their daily routines.

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healthy LIFESTYLE A New Paradigm for Chronic Disease

OptimumWellnessFactor Opens in Courtenay

By Dr. Deidre Macdonald, ND

I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to everyone who helped make the May 31st Grand Opening of OptimumWellnessFactor a success. Clearly our most popular therapy offering so far has been the AR¯oMATOUCH Technique® developed by Dr. David Hill - Chief Medical Adviser for d¯oTERRA®. This clinical approach to application of Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® (CPTG®) Essential Oils (EOs) has been specifically developed to address four systemic constants we all face.

We all need support to heal from stress response, toxic assault and inflammation response. Finally, we all have a need to restore systemic homeostasis.

This one hour therapy is performed in a very quiet, relaxing atmosphere on a massage table by a trained practitioner and assistant. Eight synergistic EO blends are used in sequence to address the four systemic constants (in the order listed) and promote total mind/body healing and relaxation while soothing and uplifting our spirits. The EOs are applied along the spine, back, neck and feet using a standard series of hand movements that are better described as light touch than deep massage. The reason we focus application on the spine and the feet is because there are more receptor sites in cells along the spine, and because our skin pores are largest on the bottoms of our feet.

As modern life puts us all through the paces, the need to take regular time to focus on self care and complimentary therapies becomes even more important. If you are under the impression that Aromatherapy is just for ladies or just about experiencing pretty smells, I encourage you to attend one of my upcoming Introduction to Aromatherapy classes to get informed about the true value of Mother Nature’s wonders found in CPTG® EOs. Please contact me through my website http://optimumwellnessfactor.ca/ to be placed on an interest list for my next class as seating will be limited. Thank you.

There was a time when infectious disease was the leading cause of death and people died or suffered from incurable infections. The germ theory and the development of antibiotics revolutionized medicine. It was a spectacular success story and life expectancy rose the age of 47 in 1910 to 81 in 2012.

The current challenge in medicine is chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune diseases, digestive disorders, dementia, allergies, asthma, arthritis, depression, ADD, autism, Parkinson’s, hormonal problems, and infertility.

These are the diseases that cause much of the premature sickness and/or death in today’s world.

Chronic diseases now affect one in two people and account for 80% of our health care costs. They cause seven in ten deaths each year. Nearly one in two adults live with at least one chronic illness.

Despite new drugs and procedures, the incidence of chronic disease continues to rise. The model that worked for infectious disease was to find the single causative factor and blast it. That same model - the idea that we can reduce disease to one mechanism, one malfunctioning enzyme pathway, chemical process that can be modulated by a single drug, does not work too badly for acute illness. But it simply will never be the whole solutions for chronic disease. We have drugs that address the symptoms of disease, but we don’t have drugs that address the cause of disease for the most part.

Medications in many cases can provide much needed symptom relief in the short term. But if they fail to treat the underlying causes of the problem then there is not much chance of long term resolution of the problem. There is room for a different model in medicine that seeks to educate patients on the complexity of their health and what they can do to improve it, thus providing long term solutions to chronic health issues.

The questions I like to ask when my patients are suffering with a chronic disease are: what are the factors that created the right internal environment for this condition to develop? What can we do to change that internal environment so that we are working towards real and lasting resolutions to the problem?

The causes of chronic diseases are complex and multifactoral. The medical model that works best for chronic disease gets to the root of symptoms and restores balance by addressing the multiple underlying causes of chronic illness. Often I can see in a patient’s medical history that for years there has been signs of dysfunction in the underlying systems of the body: the immune, nervous, hormonal and digestive systems. Those dysfunctional systems create the environment for chronic disease to bloom. There are also intricate inter-relationships between these systems. Imbalances in the digestive system alone can affect brain function, immune function, and levels of hormones and inflammation.

Real lasting solutions come from addressing the stresses on these systems and endeavouring to regain proper function. For one person, it may be an untreated gluten intolerance that is contributing to autoimmune hypothyroid that is causing depression and fatigue. For another, it may be industrial heavy metal exposure that is affecting the mitochondrial function in their nervous system and causing neurological disease like Parkinson’s.

In my clinical experience, and in hundreds of research papers, lifestyle choices are identified as the best prevention for chronic disease. Genetics can play a role in our health, but lifestyle and environmental factors actually affect genetic expression. Health is more a matter of choice than chance.

Naturopathic physicians are university trained doctors who have practiced medicine according to this model for over one hundred years. These licensed physicians explore the complexity of the body to uncover the clues that can solve the mystery of “why me, why now?”. They employ traditional physical examination and lab testing, extensive questioning and naturopathic lab tests to understand the key risk factors in their patients’ health and then coach them on how to use lifestyle and natural medicines to systematically address them. Only then has the right internal environment been created in which the body can heal itself.

Dr. Deidre Macdonald is a naturopathic physician who has practiced in downtown Courtenay since 1997. Her office can be reached at 250 897-0235 or via www.getwellhere.com.

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teem. Through modern technology, prosthesis can be made to closely duplicate or even improve on what Mother Nature has given us. A denturist has the ability and training to fabricate from beginning to end, customized prosthesis to suit the patients individual needs. Services can include dental appliances ranging from 1-2 tooth “flipper”, acrylic or cast frame partials, full dentures, and implants sup-

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A6 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 2014

healthy LIFESTYLE Various things contribute to psoriasis flare-ups Skin is the human body’s largest organ, spanning roughly 3,000 square inches and weighing about 6 pounds on the average human. Flexible and rugged, skin also is susceptible to damage, and conditions that affect the skin can be visible, embarrassing and troublesome.

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition blamed on an improperly functioning immune system. The body may detect a perceived anomaly and attack itself. When a person is suffering from psoriasis, his or her skin cells are produced at an accelerated rate, resulting in red, raised and scaly patches on the skin known as plaques. Plaques are well-defined and typically appear on the scalp, lower back, face, palms, and soles of feet.

About one-third of people with psoriasis have a family member with the disease.

Studies show the emotional and social effects of psoriasis are more significant for women than men, but both can be affected negatively by symptoms.

There is no cure for psoriasis, and some people are affected more severely than others. In addition, certain factors can aggravate psoriasis and lead to flare-ups. Understanding these triggers may help those affected by the disease better manage their symptoms.

Although some of these triggers are not

backed up by firm scientific evidence, many people with psoriasis attest to their accuracy. * Overexposure to sunlight: Exposure to sunlight and other forms of ultraviolet rays can be beneficial in reducing symptoms of psoriasis, and some dermatologists may even prescribe UV treatment. However, overexposure to the sun can worsen symptoms, particularly if men and women get a sunburn. There is a fine line between what is too much sun and enough sun, which is why those with psoriasis should only undergo UV treatment under the care of a dermatologist. * Stress: Doctors don’t know exactly why, but psoriasis and stress seem to be linked. As stress escalates, flare-ups of psoriasis may become more common. In turn, flare-ups can lead to additional stress. Finding ways to reduce stress may result in clearer skin. Deep breathing, yoga and meditation may help alleviate stress. * Hot water: Bathing or washing in very hot water can worsen symptoms of psoriasis. Use lukewarm water and a moisturizing soap. Some dermatologists recommend colloidal oatmeal or Epsom salts in a bath to soften skin, relieve itching and help slough off scaly patches. Additionally, avoid situations that will lead to dry skin, such as exposure to hot or cold weather. Use moisturizer and reapply as needed.

* Certain foods: Some people with psoriasis note that certain foods and beverages trigger their flare-ups. Tomato- and pepper-based products and acidic or alcoholic beverages may cause flare-ups. * Infections: After a bout of strep throat or an ear infection, people with psoriasis may find their condition takes a turn for the worse. Thought doctors don’t quite understand why, certain infections and medications to treat those conditions can cause psoriasis to act up. Discuss your psoriasis with your physician before taking any medication. * Hormones: Women may find that hormonal changes trigger their psoriasis.

Research isn’t clear as the connection between psoriasis and hormones, but doctors do know that pregnancy and menopause can cause psoriasis to worsen or even appear for the first time. Others find that an increase or decrease in estrogen levels improves their psoriasis symptoms. But symptoms are unique, and psoriasis outbreaks need to be evaluated on a person-to-person basis.

Psoriasis is the most prevalent autoimmune condition in the United States, affecting as many as 7.5 million Americans according to recent studies. Certain behaviors, foods and skin care treatments can affect the severity and frequency of psoriasis flare-ups.

Certain factors can aggravate symptoms of psoriasis.

NEW PRODUCT, NEW PLAN, NEW EDUCATION NEW SUCCESS PRO-ENERGY NOW AVAILABLE IN THE COMOX VALLEY Our mission at Ideal Body Solutions is to help our clients achieve their ultimate weight and body goals.

As the only clinic offering Pro Energy Diet in the Comox Valley we have a fast, simple and effective weight loss program that can adapt to modern life. Our program promotes a weight loss of 3 to 6 pounds a week and encourages exercise. Results are fast and very effective.

Recognised by Doctors, this Advanced Protein Program consists of hyper-protein meals. Users slim down without being hungry. “This is a stimulating way to lose weight, while maintaining the lean body mass and protecting from further weight gain.” explains Leona Drewry owner of Ideal Body Solutions.

“What’s great about these pre-packaged pure proteins is that they offer a variety of flavours and they provide 8 essential amino acids. They taste amazing and people love how easy it is to follow ” she continues “The goal is to find your healthy body weight, maintain it, and adopt healthy balanced food habits once the goal has been reached.”

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News

No new clues in final search for lost hiker Sylvia Apps

By Philip Round Echo Staff A final, intensive effort to locate missing hiker Sylvia Apps on the weekend saw searchers scouring the deep rocky crevices of Castlecrag Mountain by helicopter, on foot, and by rope.

The main search had been stood down the previous weekend after discussions with the family of the Courtenay woman, an experienced multi-day hiker who had set off on a five-night hike on July 8. She was due back on July 11, but when she did not return the alarm was raised.

Over a period of days, several of Apps’ possessions were found, including her backpack, walking poles and cell phone — all in differ-

ent places on the mountain. The search effort had involved 19 different search and rescue teams from across the province working in often harsh terrain.

This past weekend, the Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue team decided on one final push in specific areas of Castlecrag Mountain before gathering up all their equipment.

The search included a SAR dog and RCMP K9 team along with SAR members performing open grid sweeps. A specialized rope team was also deployed to perform ‘on-rope’ searches of canyons and chutes near the summit.

Supported by Grizzly Helicopters, the team spent about 12 hours in the mountains on Saturday, but reported

they had found no further clues. “Despite our efforts on Saturday and the efforts of family and friends over the past week, Sylvia’s location remains unknown,� Paul Berry of CVGSAR told the Echo. “It is extremely disappointing for everyone. We had searched in the same areas before, but we wanted to get deeper into some of the steep and treacherous crevices to see if we could find her, to give some sense of closure to the family. “But there is only so much you can do. The case will remain with the RCMP as a missing persons investigation. “We thank each and every person and organization who assisted with the search,� he added. “All our thoughts are with the family at this time.�

It’s all go to get soaked, sprayed and splashed again at Lewis Park

By Philip Round Echo Staff Good news for all those looking to get soaked, sprayed and splashed in the Courtenay Rotary Water Park - it’s open again.

The facility in Lewis Park had to close down a week ago when City crews discovered a substantial leak in the pipeline carrying water to the various fountains and features in the free, fun park, which is usually open from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily.

Repair work got underway Wednesday, but tracking down, repairing and testing the work done took longer than expected.

However, the park did reopen for the weekend, and with the hot weather forecast to continue it’s expected to be extremely popular in the days ahead. “Parks staff may need to perform additional repairs,� said City spokesperson Anne Guillo. “They will monitor the situation over the coming days and weeks. But hopefully, if any further repairs are necessary, they can wait until after the end of the season in September.�

The closure did not affect the adjacent Memorial Outdoor Pool or the adjacent wading pool, which are also open seven days a week, including ‘open swimming’ sessions in the main 30-metre pool every day between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m.

Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue’s search effort on Saturday included complex rope work, in this case involving Anne Goodfellow, to explore deep crevices on Castlecrag Mountain. (Photo courtesy CVGSAR)

CVRD looks at improving first responder service on Hornby Island

By Michael Briones Echo Staff The Comox Valley Regional District wants to improve the medical first responder program for the Hornby Island Fire Rescue Department.

For many years, in the absence of a British Columbia ambulance service station on Hornby Island, HIFR has been providing limited transport of patients to meet the Denman Island British Columbia Ambulance Service for further transport to hospital.

Pre-hospital care is the sole responsibility of the BC Emergency and Health Services. It has developed a consent and indemnity agreement that authorizes the HFIR first responder to provide this service.

However, it excludes the provision of patient transport, which the HFIR has been providing using a decommissioned BCAS unit.

CVRD staff wants to enter into discussions with the BCEHS for an enhanced first responder program for the Hornby Island Fire Rescue. That’s because the HFIR volunteers that provide first responders are trained and licensed to the Emergency Medical Assistant - First Responder level only. They do not meet the criteria for the services they are performing.

CVRD’s manager of fire services, James Bast, wrote in his report that volunteers will require Emergency Medical Responder level of training to more safely and effectively manage patient care.

Staff wants to work out an agreement with the BCEHS that recognizes the unique nature of health services on Hornby Island, which is accessed by two ferries from Buckley Bay on Vancouver Island. Its objective in pushing for an enhanced First Responder Model is to ensure consistent, quality, pre-hospital care for the public. Towards this end, the proposed model looks at providing clarity of liability coverage, training and resources.

Hornby Island’s medical service is provided by a resident family doctor from a local clinic with primary care facilities under contract to Island Health. First responder is provided by the HFIR and the closest ambulance service is located on Denman Island, 71 kilometres away. The HFIR responds to an average of 68 medical calls per year.

During emergency situations, the HFIR first responder crews page the local doctor. The doctor is provided with a portable radio for better communications due to poor cellphone reception. The first responders stabilizes the patient and is in communication with the doctor to arrange to meet at the clinic for examination and treatment. If necessary, the doctor may attend the scene.

After doctor has examined the patient, it then notifies the BCEHS as to whether off island transport is necessary.

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A8 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 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.

Canadian Publications Mail Agreement Number #0661538

Letters

Our community is strong Following ten days of continuous operations, Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue team members continue to work on the clean up and repair of equipment, documentation and an operational reviews.

On Wednesday evening the team participated in two debriefings, a Critical incident stress debriefing; a process designed to look after the emotional health of the team member following traumatic and stressful operations, followed by an informal operation review of the seven day search for 66 year old, Sylvia Apps.

CVGSAR would like to extend its deepest appreciation to the Ground SAR Teams from across the province and to the Comox Valley Community for the overwhelming support it received through the seven operational periods of the Sylvia Apps Search.

Ground SAR Teams Alberni Valley Rescue Squad, Arrowsmith (Parksville-Qualicum), Campbell River SAR Central Fraser Valley SAR, Coquitlam SAR, Cowichan SAR, Chilliwack SAR, Juan de Fuca SAR, Ladysmith SAR, Lions Bay SAR, Nanaimo SAR, North Shore SAR Peninsula Emergency Measures Organization (Victoria), Ridge Meadows SAR SaltSpring Island SAR, Shushwap SAR, Squamish SAR, Sunshine Coast SAR, Canadian Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA) Community Organizations/ Businesses Of particular note was the open door cooperation and teamwork demonstrated by the management and staff of Mt. Washington Resort who provided the use of Raven’s Lodge throughout the search as well as areas for helicopter landing zones, as well as meals and accommodations for search teams across the province.

Thrifty Foods too opened its doors to provide lunches and gallons of water for thirsty searchers operating in the extreme heat in the first days of the search.

Overwhelmingly the searchers would like to thank the helicopter pilots who worked tirelessly shuttling search team and supplies in and out of the search area from early morning until late each evening. Without dedication and skillful flying of the following companies the searchers would not have been able to cover the hundreds of kilometers of search area. Our deepest gratitude goes out to: Grizzly Helicopters, West Coast Helicopters, E and B Helicopters, Kestrel Helicopters, Talon Helicopters, Black Comb Helicopters and RCMP Air Services.

Many other local organizations and businesses reacted immediately to our operational needs and supported our efforts to find Sylvia. These include: Comox District Mountaineering Club Comox Taxi Columbia Fuels Tim Horton’s Staples Citizens on Patrol Footprints Security RCMP Auxiliary members Our community is strong. Thank you for your support.

Paul Berry, Search Manager Information Officer Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue

Letters to the Editor

It’s a new world of garbage Norm: Read your funny letter in the paper but couldn’t help but notice that many myths were being perpetuated.

First, it is the “Comox Strathcona Waste Management Board” that is the governing body for Solid Waste NOT the Comox Valley Regional District.

Members from Tahsis to Cortez, Kelsey Bay to Baynes Sound and the Islands are tasked by the Ministry of the Environment to implement a “Solid Waste Management Plan” that includes closure and remediation of old non compliant landfills in Tahsis, Zeballos, Gold River, Sayward, Cortez Island and Cambell River.

This $49 million plan includes part closure of the Comox Valley site and construction of a modern compliant new engineered cell at the Cumberland site.

Believe me the local elected officials don’t sit around dreaming this stuff up.

In addition to drawing down all our reserve funds, we will need to use a combination of taxes (currently $3.04 per $100,000. per year) and tipping fees for use of the landfill. Yes Norm the

$4.00 “site fee” is a, albeit, a small part of the funding solution.

Recycling does NOT go into landfill but is processed through our contractor “Emterra” from where it shipped to the lower mainland for further processing and sale.

If you have been keeping up on the Multi Material B.C. debate you know that, in order to qualify for recycling rebates, new government regulations dictate that new recycling depots have to be attended, fenced, lite, gated so as to prevent contamination. Communities like Courtenay and Cumberland are already receiving cash to help with their curb-side recycling programs.

It’s a new world of garbage out there.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure....I guess.

Edwin Grieve, chair Comox Strathcona Waste Management Board

HEAR THE RESOLUTION Dear Mayor and Council, I am writing as a dismayed, disap-

pointed citizen at your decision to not hear the resolution request by Kathryn Askew, a citizen of Comox. A resolution asking you to join with other communities and First Nations in opposition to proposals by Enbridge and Kinder Morgan.

I feel your decision was totally anti-democratic, not allowing a citizen of our Town to at least present her resolution. Vote on the resolution as you must but to not even allow it to be presented is amazing.

Your stand is completely disrespectful to the K’omoks First Nation who are opposed to the Northern Gateway project.

Do you remember what you say on the Town of Comox banner on you website?

“We respectfully acknowledge that we live, work and play on the traditional lands of the K’omoks First Nation”.

I write in the hope that you will revisit this issue and at least hear the resolution.

Wendy Prothero Comox

GUEST COLUMN

LETTER

Get beyond rhetoric on skills gap

Cutting funding to the CBC is an assault on culture

By Paul Davidson It has been encouraging to see leaders in government, industry and education gather at two recent skills summits, in Toronto and Charlottetown, to try to reimagine the future of skills development in Canada and set us on a better path to prosperity.

Much has been said of the skills gap in Canada, but we have generally failed to get to the root of the problem and take action where real challenges exist. Unfortunately rhetoric has drowned out evidence, and anecdote has trumped data.

This must change.

Getting things right in education and training for a more prosperous Canada will require three things: better and more accurate labour market information; an approach to skills development that includes all levels of postsecondary education - universities, colleges, polytechnics and trades; and stronger collaboration between government, educators and business.

Recent efforts to promote skilled trades by devaluing the benefits of university education take Canada in the wrong direction.

Comments about how a whole generation of higher education graduates is lost are corrosive and unhelpful - especially when the evidence shows university graduates enjoy high employment and strong incomes.

Students can’t make career decisions and governments can’t make policy decisions based on myth or anecdote or a newspaper story about the situation in the U.S., where the system is very different

from our own.

And we must resist the urge to focus on short-term needs over the next six or 12 months. We need to set our sights on what Canada will need five, 10, 20 and more years down the road.

I was very pleased to see a consensus on this issue emerging at the National Skills Summit in Toronto, hosted by Employment and Social Development Canada Minister Jason Kenney on June 25.

Participating leaders from business, government and education recognize the need for longer-term solutions and to improve collaboration. Recent federal reinvestment in enhanced labour market information is a positive development.

Another important step is to realize that Canada’s skills challenges need to be met on several fronts at once.

Just because Canada may need more plumbers or welders doesn’t mean it needs fewer university grads.

In the fast-paced and rapidly changing global economy, we need more university graduates, more college graduates and more tradespeople if we are to develop the human potential of our country to its fullest extent.

Today’s employers need high-level skills at all levels of operations - from the shop floor to the boardroom.

In fact, a recent CIBC study found that the most in-demand occupations in Canada today require a university degree. Yet we’ve fallen from fifth place in university participation to 15th amongst OECD countries.

Finally, government, business and educators have to create more experiential learning opportunities for all students, such as internships and co-ops. We have a good foundation on which to build.

Today half of Canada’s university undergraduates have a co-op or internship experience before they graduate. Co-op enrolment has jumped by 25 percent in the last seven years, and more than 1,000 co-op programs are offered at 59 universities.

Universities are dynamic and responsive institutions. Some 45 Canadian universities have developed entrepreneurship degree programs and provide workshops, facilities, mentoring and other supports to students and researchers to help them commercialize product and service ideas.

Strengthening linkages between universities and employers in all sectors will further enhance the skills that graduates bring to their careers.

Close to one million Canadians will earn their first degree between now and the time we celebrate Canada’s sesquicentennial in 2017.

Some of them will still be in the labour force when Canada celebrates its bicentenary in 2067.

If we get skills development right, we will have equipped them to navigate a lifetime of adapting to the labour market of the future - and ensured Canada’s prosperity for decades to come.

Paul Davidson is President of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

An open letter to Mr. Duncan, M.P.: Good Morning John Duncan, Just thought I’d drop you a line to express my outrage at the latest assault on Canadian culture by you and your party. The CBC isn’t a business. It is a service to the people of Canada. A service which I have appreciated since I was a child. It is now more than 60 years since I became aware of CBC and I’ve enjoyed it. The proposed changes strike me as simply another attack on the CBC by a political party which doesn’t like the CBC. Unfortunately for the Conservatives, killing the messenger will not solve the Conservatives problems.

The CBC hasn’t been all that flattering to the Conservatives, but then there isn’t much to be flattered for.

By gutting their budget, you may hope to solve the problem It won’t. Solving the problem would require the Conservatives change some of the actions and policies.

CBC has produced some outstanding T.V. shows which helped many of us shape our views of this great country and our place in the world.

It enabled Canadians to not only watch hockey but watch and listen to Canadian entertainers.

To watch T.V. shows which were made in Canada, with Canadian actors, about Canadian values and stories.

That goes all the way back to Cariboo Country, which I watched as a child. CBC has produced

some of the most informative news stories seen. Things the others never cover, i.e. Global, CTV, etc. The documentaries are excellent. Not only have they been shown on CBC but elsewhere. How amazing that one country, with not a particularly large population, had all this to offer. Now you and your herd want to take that away from us.

Well you do have the majority in parliament, but there will be an election. One I am sure you hope will be not so well covered by the CBC. When I think of the scandal in England regarding Rupert Murdoch and his papers, you can clearly see what happens when powerful and wealthy people control the news media. They go on to control the politicians. It didn’t turn out so well in England.

If this is the vision you see for Canada, please by all means continue. I on the other hand have another vision for Canada. It a vibrant CBC. Gutting the budget of the CBCisn’t about saving money. Its about trying to force Canadians to accept the Conservative view of the world. Without an equaL budget for the CBC it might save the Conservatives some embarrassing moments.

Who will be around to make the documentaries which have held your feet to the fire? I know, no one and I’m sure the “great helmsman” wants it just that way.

E. A. Foster Comox

Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 2014 A9

News

K’omoks Estuary at the forefront of Blue Carbon research Something interesting is happening in our local waters. Project Watershed, a local environmental stewardship organization, is working on a project to learn more about how salt marsh and eelgrass beds in our local Estuary contribute to the uptake and storage of carbon from the atmosphere, called Blue Carbon.

Better understanding is required to determine the economic value of estuarine habitat restoration in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere and stored. Any mechanism that reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could help offset humancaused carbon emissions.

In the K’omoks Estuary, both salt marsh and eelgrass beds capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and store it in the underlying sediments.

These estuarine habitats are widely recognized as important habitat for marine creatures and for foreshore resilience.

However, before they can be valued additionally for the carbon they store, fundamental research is required to link the two.

This activity is being pursued by Project Watershed with funding provided by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation - a tri-country association with Canada, United States and Mexico - committed to community research on environmental issues. Project Watershed

Angela Spooner (Royal Roads M.Sc. candidate) and Russell Prentice (UBC student) measuring a sediment core.

is one of just three organizations in all of Canada that received funding.

The goals of the project are to develop a protocol suitable for other community groups to assess carbon stores and rate of carbon sequestration in estuarine habitats.

In addition, Project Watershed aims to foster greater community involvement and understanding of the environmental and economic benefits of eelgrass and salt marsh restoration.

The fieldwork for this project commenced in May of this year and will continue through the summer of 2015. Sediment cores will be collected and assessed for the amount of carbon in the different layers beneath the surface. This information can be used to determine the rate at which carbon is accumulated and stored over time.

Comparisons are being made between sites with eelgrass or salt marsh vegetation and sites void of vegetation to determine if the sediments below vegetated sites store more carbon.

Ultimately, the goal is to place a dollar value on the amount of carbon stored in these estuarine habitats so governments with jurisdiction over the estuary can use these to reduce their carbon tax burden. Says Paul Horgen, Project Watershed Board Chair, “The result is a 4-way win: a win for the estuarine environment and associated fauna; a win for

Project Manager, Christine Hodgson, collecting a sediment core removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; a win to protecting foreshores from storm surges due to climate change; a win to governments that are required to pay carbon taxes.”

This type of work relies heavily on community involvement. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Paul Horgen, Head of Blue Carbon team (p.horgen@utoront.ca) or phone Project Watershed at (250 703 2871 ) or visit their website, projectwatershed.ca.

Marmot refuge on former Island ski hill expanded The Vancouver Island marmot has more room, free from the risk of encroachment to the endangered species’ habitat.

The province has expanded the Green Mountain Wildlife Management Area by more than 40 per cent, adding 105 hectares.

The announcement came recently from Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson.

Once the site of a commercial skihill, the land is the prime habitat of the endangered Vancouver Island marmot, a rare mammal that is the largest member of the squirrel family.

“Green Mountain is one of the more important colonies of southern Vancouver Island,” said Don Doyle, Vancouver Island Marmot Recovery Foundation project co-ordinator.

The Green Mountain Wildlife Management Area was first established in 1991 to help Vancouver Island marmot recovery efforts.

The marmots are uniquely different from other species found in the Rocky Mountains, in the Canadian foothills and the Prairies.

In 2008 there were an estimated 166 Vancouver Island marmots in the world. Today they number somewhere between 280 and 400.

Expanding the Green Mountain Wildlife Management Area is expected to enhance their chances of survival.

Now at 342 hectares, the area is also important habitat for Roosevelt elk, black bear and various threatened and endangered species, including the white-tailed ptarmigan, western toad and northern pygmy owl.

Together, the wildlife area, along with Haley Lake Ecological Reserve “really solidifies the southern meadow population, so a lot of the populations of southern Vancouver Island is protected,” Doyle said.

The Nanaimo District Fish Game Protective Association helped clean up the area after the ski-hill was closed.

Doug Janz, a trustee, said the announcement of the expansion is good news for conservation of the species.

- Nanaimo Daily News

Canadian Western Bank sponsors free swimming The CVRD’s aquatic centre has been bustling this summer thanks to Canadian Western Bank supporting our free Saturday swims again this season. Jean-Marc Jaquier, Assistant VP/ Courtenay Branch Manager (right) presents the cheque to the CVRD’s manager of recreation services, Jennifer Zbinden, and

COMMUNITY SERVICE FOR MAN WHO SPRAYED CUMBERLANDER WITH GASOLINE

By Drew A. Penner Echo Staff An 18-year-old who doused a Cumberland resident who owed him money with gasoline to convince him to pay was given 25 hours of community service as part of a 12-month conditional sentence handed down in Courtenay Provincial Court July 24.

Judge Anthony Dohm noted Reuban Skene’s punishment was essentially the lightest he could give under the circumstances, but stressed the effects of the crime could have been calamitous.

“The situation was what I would describe as a serious one,” he said, referring to the incident, which took place March 29 at around 11 p.m. “On that day Mr. Skene went into the complainant’s yard for the stated purpose of collecting money from the complainant owed to the defendant.”

He arrived in friend’s truck, who thought to bring a gas can along for the score settling mission. As the supposed debtor didn’t cough up the dough right away an argument broke out.

Skene lost his temper.

In exchanging words he splashed gas on the victim.

In fact, Skene had poured enough gasoline on the victim that when police arrived they

could still smell the fumes even though the victim had changed clothes.

“This is troubling,” Dhom said, adding being a teenager is not an excuse for such behaviour.

“You know that is not how you collect money that is owed.”

The crime was particularly heinous since the victim had been smoking at the time of the offence, according to Crown prosecutor Megan Dyler.

“There is a huge potential of bodily harm,” she said, adding there was an element of premeditation to the crime. “The gas was brought to the scene.”

Earlier this year Cumberland was rocked when an outdoor gasoline accident left two people with severe burns and caused the community to rally in support.

Skene was charged with assault for the collection crime and released March 30 on several conditions, including a provision barring him from consuming alcohol.

Defence lawyer Dennis Evans noted the victim had a marijuana pipe and said it was not clear the pot had been lit.

Yet on May 21 police showed up at a house in the 200 block of Back Road in Courtenay to find him causing a disturbance, clearly intoxicated.

An RCMP constable noted he had glazed eyes

and slurred speech, upon investigation.

“It seems he was causing trouble at that point,” Dyler said.

Dohm tried to impress the significance of Skenes’s rash actions on the young man who sat in front of him with slicked back hair, not diverting his attention from the judge for a second.

He bound Skene to a 12-month probation order and ordered him not to have any contact with his co-accused or the victim.

He must do 25 hours of work service by Nov. 30 this year.

The previous week his co-accused was also sentenced to 25 hours of community service.

sports centre commission chair, Manno Theos, along with some helpful swimmers. The Saturday swims run until August 9, with no swim offered on August 2. For more information about the free swim program visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/rec

A10 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 2014

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

News

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

Taking tea, Downton Abbey style The huge success of an afternoon tea themed on the television series ‘Downton Abbey’ has resulted in a donation of just over $2,565 to the Anderton Therapeutic Gardens Society, where the event was held.

It was the second year in succession the Courtenay Kiwanis Club had organized the fundraising event, which was attended by 150 people - and many of those enjoying the tea wore decorated hats and

some even dressed in period clothing to suit the occasion. Volunteers who served were also appropriately dressed in costumes familiar to followers of the television series.

Accompanied by fellow members of the Kiwanis Club, president Wendy Harris has now presented a cheque for the proceeds to Len Landry, representing the Therapeutic Gardens Society.

Comox council endorses PILT payment despite the amount being short

By Michael Briones Echo Staff The Town of Comox will be receiving a smaller 2014 payment in lieu of taxes for CFB Comox.

But instead of appealing the discrepancy, town council has agreed to accept payment of $2,468,527, which is $411,050 less than the $2,879,577 that was claimed last year.

It is $48,000 more than the difference last year but it is comparable to years before 2013.

Comox’s share of the PILT for 2014 is $1,294,742, which also reflects a slight decline from last year’s amount of $1,310,906, which the town had budgeted for 2014.

Director of Finance, Donald Jacquest said it was a small disappointment but not a significant shortfall to the town’s overall budget.

He also indicated that because there is substantial cost to appeal the shortfall, staff

recommended that council accept this year’s PILT payment without appeal.

After receiving their share of the taxes, the rest of the payment will go towards school taxes, Comox Valley Regional District, the Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital District, B.C. Assessment and the Municipal Finance Authority of B.C. PILT is paid by the federal government to municipalities for federally-owned assets not subject to local property or commercial taxes, like CFB Comox.

Each year, the government calculates how much its own buildings and lands are worth, and pays out the amount to compensate the Town of Comox.

And because they based the rates on their own values, Jacquest said that the amount can be substantially lower than the values provided by B.C. Assessment.

The town in the past has taken issue with this and argued that they fall significantly short of what B.C. Assessment says the lands are worth.

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 pre-plan • Winner must be at least 19 years of age.

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I

t’s pretty hard to keep up with all the various cruise line booking incentives these days! The great news is that there are some tremendous values right now with generous onboard credits if you book by August 4 on quite a wide range of sailings. Other sailings (not all itineraries and cannot be combined with the onboard credit promotion) have their Explore 4 benefits, of which the best is their beverage package of 7 drinks per person per day.

The Panama Canal spring 20 night repositioning cruise is one to book now. On April 19th we’ll fly you from Vancouver to Ft Lauderdale, you’ll have one night at a 4 star hotel and then board the gorgeous Holland America ship ms Noordam (on its first cruise to Vancouver) for 19 days (great itinerary) in a high category balcony stateroom plus you will have $600 (between the 2 of you) to spend onboard. The price of $3699 CAD pp includes your air, hotel, cruise and all taxes. This is a fantastic deal! If you want to extend your stay or if you prefer to disembark a few days earlier in San Diego that can be arranged. For those of you who live or would prefer to disembark in Victoria, this may be an option, weather permitting. To get the big onboard credit, you must book by August 4th – and from what I’m hearing, this offer will not likely be extended.

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On December 15th we have a 31 night Hawaii, Tahiti & Marquesas package that includes air, 1 night 4 star hotel in San Diego, a desirable E category oceanview stateroom for your tropical 30 night cruise, a $600 per stateroom onboard credit and all taxes for $4999 CAD. We also have a similar offer for April 13th.

If you’d still like an Alaska 2014 sailing, we have a number of options, but our best deals are aboard the ms Oosterdam roundtrip Vancouver. We’ve got high category balconies (Sept 14 or 21) at a very special price. Also, there are some last minute deals for fall 2014 Panama Canal, South Pacific, South America, Asia, Africa & Europe itineraries too.

Please call CruisePlus at 250-390-0220 or toll free at 1-877-722-2202 or come visit us in Lantzville for more information on any cruise. I am sure you’ll like our non-pressured team of consultants and our ethical standards. We’ll give you exceptional value, advice and friendly, personal service.

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The COMOX VALLEY ECHO ❑ Tuesday, July 29, 2014

etc.

ECHO

Garth Brooks Tribute show at the Legion

Basically Brooks - Canada’s Garth Brooks Tribute is at the Courtenay Legion Upper Hall on Friday, 1 August at 7:30 pm.

Tickets $15.00 available at the Legion Lounge or call Marj at 250 335-0656.

See this one man tribute show put on an amazing after-show Dance Party set. Don’t be disappointed limited tickets available.

Come run, have fun, well dun ... in Comox Comox Valley Road Runners invite you to join in the fun at the Comox Nautical Days 4 Mile Road Race!

The starter’s gun goes off at 9.00 am on Monday August 4th 2014 at the Comox Town Hall on Beaufort Avenue in Comox. Registration is on the day (also at Comox Town Hall) and costs just $10, which includes male & female winner prizes, age category awards, post-race refreshments and draw prizes.

The event welcomes both serious runners and all members of the family to take part over the 4 mile / 6.4 kilometer course through the streets of Comox. The event precedes the Nautical Days parade & other festivities, making it an ideal start to the BC Day celebrations. Please note for safety reasons strollers & pets are not permitted.

This will be the 45th consecutive year the race has been held and is grateful to its main sponsor, Jim Smiley of Remax Ocean Pacific Reality, for his continued support over the last 9 years.

For more information contact the race director Graham Garner at graham53@telus.net.

A retired Tutor aircraft in Snowbird colours is a major drawing point at the Vancouver Island Visitor Centre near Cumberland

Visitor Centre enjoys continued growth The numbers are in, and they continue to rise at the Vancouver Island Visitor Centre (VIVC).

From the number of buses stopping at the Centre, to the number of true visitors utilizing its services, this past spring statistics showed positive trends across the board.

Owned by Comox Valley Economic Development and Tourism, the Centre, located on Small Road in Cumberland, was designed to act as the sales fulfillment hub for the regions destination marketing activities and tour-

ism businesses, by booking accommodations, activities, ferry passes and event tickets on behalf of guests, and to leverage visitation to the region by extending lengths of stays.

April to June saw an incredibly strong ‘true visitor’ numbers; April was 39% increase, May and June saw 29% increase resulting in over 7100 true visitors that were assisted with their trip planning needs by the Centre’s team.

True visitors are defined as people who live outside of the Comox Valley. Likewise, visitor inquiries

www.comoxvalleycrimestoppers.bc.ca

Give A Tip ONLINE Tell us

what you know,

not who you are.

Dr. Loys Maingon (RPBio) will lead a Garry oaks walk on Saturday

“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

Understanding. Business. Accounting. Tax.

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Marketing Advisory Committee, “Extensive multi-media marketing campaigns have included the Centre as the major call to action, enabling the region to fulfill its marketing and sales cycle, which is an incredibly powerful tool.”

The Centre can book a wide range of activities from tours of Fanny Bay Oysters, cycling trips on Island Joy Rides, harbour tours by Comox Harbour Charters and variety of whale watching excursions to Kayak Trips with Comox Valley Kayaks and Canoes, (Continued on page B2)

Free Courtenay Garry oak heritage interpretative walk

Get help while living with Alzheimer disease Alzheimer’s disease is the second most feared disease for Canadians as they age. And with many Comox Valley residents 50 years of age or older, dementia is becoming a pressing health issue locally. To help residents, the non-profit Alzheimer Society of B.C. brings its free workshop, Getting to Know Dementia, to the area on Thursday, August 21.

This session is only intended for people experiencing early symptoms of dementia, as well as family members or friends who are currently supporting a person with a recent dementia diagnosis. The workshop is not intended for the general public or health-care providers.

It runs from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Lower Native Sons Hall, 360 Cliffe Avenue.

Pre-registration is required. For information and to register contact Courtenay Recreation at 250-3381000 or Jane Hope at jhope@alzheimerbc.org.

The workshop is free. FMI: www. alzheimerbc.org.

via phone are up year to date with a 39% increase.

While there are a number of reasons for this, Discover Comox Valley’s development and extensive marketing of destination level festival and events included in the Destination Marketing Advisory Committee Tactical Plan, including WinterBites and BC Shellfish and Seafood Festival, helped drive up these numbers.

“The Centre is an integral component of the Discover Comox Valley marketing team,” said Bill Anglin, Chair of the Destination

2040 A Guthrie Rd., Comox • 250.941.3444 • jerad@jeradlangille.ca

The Vanier Garry oaks are one of Vancouver Island’s natural heritage treasures. They are the remnant populations of some of the northernmost distributions of Garry oaks in North America, and a vestige of the rich and complex Pentlatch culture that flourished in the Comox Valley along the estuary and the Tsolum River prior to the colonization of British Columbia.

As announced April 21, thanks to the generosity of School District 71 and the City of Courtenay a substantial part of this heritage is being set aside as a municipal public park.

Comox Valley Nature is therefore happy to host a free public interpretive natural and cultural history walk around the Vanier and Mission Hill sites, as part of its public educational mandate.

This walk will be led by Dr. Loys Maingon (RPBio). Dr. Maingon is president of Comox Valley Nature and is also a member of the recovery implementation groups of the Garry Oak Ecosystem Recovery Team.

Additionally he heads the Comox Valley Garry oak recovery project and manages the only major Garry oak nursery outside of Victoria, which is

currently growing about 4,000 saplings for restoration projects around the valley. This is an opportunity to discover and celebrate the wealth of the Comox Valley’s rich diversity.

This walk is scheduled for Saturday, August 2 from 9:30 to 12:00 (approximate slow walk time, 2 hours).

Participants should meet at the Vanier Recreation Centre (Ice Rink) parking lot at 9:30 am.

Comox Valley Nature is a non-profit society affiliated to BC Nature. It fulfills its educational mandate by hosting monthly lectures, organizing free weekly guided hikes for members, and undertaking a variety of environmental projects. Aside from its main activity as a non-profit, Comox Valley Nature also supports specialized groups ( Birding, Botany, Garry Oak Restoration, Wetland Restoration, Photography and Young Naturalists Club) which have separate monthly activities. Membership in BC Nature and Comox Valley Nature is $30 per adult and $40 for a family.

Anyone interested in participating in CVNS activities: http://comoxvalleynaturalist.bc.ca/

B2 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Community News

New Bishop set to take up the cross on the Island Diocese of Victoria owns and operates St. Joseph’s Hospital

By Drew A. Penner Echo Staff The call came in the middle of the night. And when that call is a direction from the Pope himself to move to Vancouver Island, you listen. This Bishop of Whitehorse, Most Rev. Gary Gordon, has a fondness for natural landscapes and an interest in taking on challenges of education and health care in rural regions.

Local Catholics hope this will serve him well as he takes over from Richard Gagnon, who was installed as the archbishop of Winnipeg last January, to shepherd a flock of 94,000 Catholics here. He will also be responsible for St. Joseph’s General Hospital in

Island Bishop, Most Rev. Gary Gordon Comox, which serves much of the North Island.

“As members of the diocesan family, St. Joseph’s General Hospital welcomes Bishop-Elect Gordon to Vancouver Island and looks forward to his guidance and support,” said St. Joseph’s board chair Chris Kelsey in a statement.

Pope Francis officially named Gordon Bishop of Victoria on June 14.

A mass to celebrate Gordon’s installation on the Island will be held on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014 in Victoria.

In an interview for Salt + Light Media while serving as Bishop of the Diocese of Whitehorse he recalled an even more significant “call,” describing how he initially got into ministry.

“I really sort of heard God saying, ‘I think this is what you want to do. I think this is what I want you to do,” he told the interviewer.

“It was like I heard all the stars say ‘Yes!’ And I’ve been saying ‘Yes’ ever since and it just seems to work out. It’s just kind of amazing.”

In the video clip Gordon described a duty to connect with First Nations and acknowledge the

Valley pioneer Piercy family ready for another big reunion In 1872 after 35 years of living in New Brunswick, Matthew and Agnes Piercy along with their sons John, Matt, Sam, and Walt and their two youngest daughters Agnes and Isabella moved to the west coast after receiving glowing reports of good land and mild winters.

Accompanied by their oldest son Thomas, his wife Jane and four children the clan traveled by railroad to the Great Lakes and then though the United States by rail to San Francisco.

Their trip north to Victoria was made on a freighter were they encountered a rough trip with their bunks below decks near the cattle.

The final leg of the journey was by boat to Comox after a month layover in a Victoria hotel.

The elder Piercys settled the land, which is now occupied by G.P.Vanier School, the Curling Rink and Fair Ground, the old Regional District office site and the Presbyterian Church on Mission Hill.

The Church and cemetery land was donated along with land from Samuel Crawford and George Grieve did the work of building the new church for Presbyterian

congregation of the Valley.

Matthew Piercy led an active community centered life, which contributed in the development of the Comox Valley. After several years of shared accommodations with other pioneer families Tom moved his family to Denman Island in 1888.

Tom Piercy was a true pioneer of Denman being the first Justice of the Peace and the first road foreman. He was involved in planning improvements for roads, school, church and logging. He also tended the lighthouse at Yellow Rock.

In 1902 he was appointed Postmaster and the post office was in their home.

Since 1962 the Piercy family has been gathering to celebrate family. The 2004 gathering saw attendance of approximately 700 descendants of Matthew and Agnes Piercy sharing the joy and bond that only Comox Valley Pioneer Family’s posses.

Registration for this year’s event is underway. Family members can receive more information by visiting our website at www.piercyfamilyreunion.com.

Continued growth at local Visitors Centre (Continued from page B1) fishing excursions with Crabby’s Fishing Charters and Caving Adventures with Horne Lake Caves.

Bookings via the Centre for these and so many other activities are up 69% from this time last year.

“Not all visitor centres offer the booking capabilities we have, so an important part of our role is to educate the visitors so they understand the depth of services offered here,” said Linda Yaretz, Manager of the VIVC. “We helped a family who recently visited the area and came into the centre last fall inquiring about all that the Valley has to offer. They checked off mostly everything they could squeeze into their vacation, went back to Alberta, sold their home and have since moved into the Valley. They dealt with a

local realtor and have been back to the Centre to book many weekend trips.”

Locals are also using the Centre for their booking services, when planning their own trips, and when they have visitors coming to stay with them.

Businesses interested in learning about the different booking agreements the Centre offers can call or email the VIVC info@vivccomoxvalley.com , 250400-2882. For information on Comox Valley Economic Development and Tourism Tactical Plans and the Visitor Services Strategic Plan, visit discovercomoxvalley.com/resources

culture-shattering impact of Canada’s encroaching JudeoChristian-based civilization.

“When you’ve got so many people who are suffering with woundedness and grief, it’s natural to want to be there,” he said. “We’re there; we’re present. And where there are people who are hurting we work with them. And it takes a long time.”

Bishop-Elect Gary Gordon was born on June 10, 1957 in Vancouver.

He attended Christ the King Seminary in Mission, BC, and St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ont., graduating in 1982.

He was ordained to the priesthood on May 22, 1982 for the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

Recently he witnessed his fair share of controversy, as sexual orientation and gender identity policy at Catholic schools in Whitehorse bubbled up as a significant issue as many Vanier Catholic Secondary School grads wore rainbow socks to their cap and gown event this year in support for the school’s gaystraight alliance, the Whitehorse Star reports.

On the medical front Gordon thinks Catholic health care organizations can act as a light in a rural region.

“When you’ve got catholic nurses, they come from an ethos, from the gospel of light; that makes a big difference in our rural nursing stations,” he told Salt + Light Media of his experience in the Yukon.

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Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 2014 B3

Community News

Comox Valley Farm Cycle Tours back again Aug. 9 and 10

Crown Isle Resort was one of several groups to receive approvals from Phase I of the Sport and Event Expansion fund, to support securing the Comox Valley as the host destination for the PGA Tour Canada Spring Qualifying School this spring. From left to right Bill Anglin - Chair of the

Comox Valley farmers are opening their back gates for an in-depth, behind the scenes tour where cyclists can explore, taste and experience the best of farm life and product during the fourth annual Comox Valley Farm Cycle Tour, Aug. 9 & 10.

This year, Comox Valley Farm Cycle Tours include three options: Saturday, Aug. 9: * Rural Ramble: The shortest loop among the Farm Cycle Tour options at only 21 Km, the Rural Ramble is the perfect option for families and casual cyclists. The tour takes cyclists through fields that include a dairy, berry farm, winery, and meat producer. Allot 2 hours leisurely riding between 10am to 2pm. * Back Roads Bliss: This route can be done in loops ranging from 29 to 55 Km, and features the largest number of farms. Farms along the Back Roads Bliss tour include dairy, berries, perennial plants, sprouts, garlic, and wine.

Allot 3 hours moderate riding between 9am to 4pm.

Sunday, Aug. 10: * Bayviews: Ranging in length from 15 to 45 Km, the Bayviews route lives up to its name, featuring views of the Salish Sea. The Bayviews Farm Cycle Tour is designed to be customized, allowing cyclists to visit as many farms as they wish, along with a number of stops to rest and recharge. Stops can include dairy, cinnamon buns, seasonal produce, ice cream, coffee, baked goods, berries and a ‘food oasis’. Allot 3 hours between 9am to 4pm.

The cost to participate is $15 per person, per tour (limit one tour per day). Two-day registration is $25 while kids under 15 ride free. The tours will happen rain or shine.

Those who register by Thursday, July 31 will be entered into the Early Bird Contest and have a chance to win an interactive cooking and pasta making experience with Sarah Walsh of Prontissima Pasta Studio located in TinTown.

The winner and nine friends will learn about the ingredients, processes and magic of creating various types and shapes of fresh, flavoured pasta.

All tickets, Early Bird Registration Contest details, and accommodation options can be booked online or through the Vancouver Island Visitor Centre by calling 1-855-4002882, or visiting www.cvfarmcycletour.com. One can also join the conversation at #CVFarmCycle.

Destination Marketing Advisory Committee, and Crown Isle team members including Jason Andrew, Real Estate Division, Mike Kearns - golf Course Superintendent, Ron Waugh - Accommodations Manager, Mike Boyd, F&B Manager and Rod Prieto - Director of Golf

Comox Valley Sport & Event Expansion Fund phase two deadline set for Aug. 31 Comox Valley Economic Development and Tourism (CVEDS) has announced its final call for applications by sport, festival and destination level events and meetings that will drive visitation, overnight stays, and investment in the Comox Valley, through its successful Sport and Event Expansion Fund.

Funding is available thanks to the Comox Valley’s additional two per cent hotel room tax (AHRT).

The Destination Marketing Advisory Committee (DMAC), which developed a tactical plan to market the area with the funds from the AHRT tax, developed this grant program to assist with attracting new and further develop existing events to the valley.

Successful applicants will receive what is often needed most to be successful - cold, hard cash.

Phase two funds will be disbursed to Comox Valley events as chosen by a DMAC Sub-Committee, a committee made up of industry leaders.

“Phase one of the Sport & Event Expansion Fund, assisted three events and festivals and helped build Comox Valley’s profile for having the capacity to draw people to our region, organize successful tournaments, and launch new festivals,” says Bill Anglin, chair of the Destination Marketing Advisory Committee.

“The funds are available to a very broad spectrum of events dance competitions, car shows, bridge competitions or a naturalists gathering. The goal is to increase room nights for the hotels during

the shoulder season, however many hotels have available rooms for groups on long weekends, such as the Canada Day long weekend.”

The final deadline for 2014 applications is Aug. 31, 2014. Submitted applications will be reviewed by the committee and selected based on meeting the criteria outlined below.

After this date, applications will be accepted and evaluated as funds remain available.

Interested parties may apply by visiting: www.discovercomoxvalley.com/ resources.

Eligible expenses that may be supported by the fund include online external marketing and print advertising; capital funding for new tourism infrastructure projects; bid fees for new events and conferences; and site inspections and travel costs for new events and conferences, prior to the event being awarded.

Two local events that were supported in the first round of 2014 funding included: * Hosting of the Vancouver Island National BMX Race (July 18-20, 2014), supported by Coal Hills BMX. * Expansion of the Comox Valley Half Marathon (March 21-22, 2015), presented by Comox Valley Road Runners.

In 2013, events that benefitted from the first phase of the Sport & Event Expansion Fund included: * Mini World Cup Event presented by the Comox Valley United Soccer Club. * BC Seniors Curling Event, held by the Comox Valley Curling Club

Call for entries for 2014 Art and Culture Program issued; YQQ looks to celebrate ‘Wanderlust’ The theme for this year’s art exhibit at the Comox Valley Airport is called “Wanderlust Vancouver Island”.

The Comox Valley Airport Commission, in partnership with the Comox Valley Community Arts Council, is now seeking submissions for the 2014 Art and Culture Program that will run for six months from November 2014 to May 2016.

In this call for submission, the airport is seeking two and three dimensional art pieces that celebrate the theme of Wanderlust Vancouver Island. This could include representations of the region’s landscape, environment, people, places, activities, or the artist’s own unique interpretation of what makes Vancouver Island such a wonderful place to experience.

Art submissions may be in the form of paintings, original prints, photography, mixed media, textiles and/or sculpture.

“The definition of Wanderlust is a strong desire to travel and we are looking for submissions that explain why tourists would want to come and visit our beautiful island,” explained Dallas Stevenson, Executive Director of the Comox Valley Community Arts Council.

“We are really excited about this theme and anticipate an excellent response to our call for entries.”

The Comox Valley Airport is the first point of entry for many Vancouver Island tourists. Part of the airport’s responsibility is to help form passengers’ first perceptions of the Comox Valley and Vancouver Island. This provides an ideal opportunity for YQQ to host an annual art exhibition featuring the work of local artists.

Open to all artists residing in the Comox Valley Airport’s catchment area of Northern Vancouver Island.

Boundaries include Parksville, Port Alberni and Ucluelet in the south; the Pacific Ocean to the west; Powell River to the east (including Texada, Denman, Hornby, Quadra, Cortes,

Alert Bay and Sointula); and the Pacific Ocean to the north.

Entries will be accepted from August 1, 2014 to August 31, 2014.

To view the submission guidelines go to www.comoxvalleyarts.com or visit www.comoxairport.com and look under Airport Services/Art and Culture Program or follow the links on the Comox Valley Airport’s Facebook page or Twitter feed.

* PGA Tour Canada Spring Qualifying School at Crown Isle Resort.

Criteria that each application will be ranked against for Phase two include: - How will the event or festival drive overnight visitation to the Comox Valley now and in the future?

- How many room nights will the event generate?

- How much experience does the applicant have in event hosting and marketing?

- Does this event or festival support many sectors of the tourism industry, and if so which ones?

“We look forward to supporting the growth of existing events and festivals and investing in new destination level events, helping to draw visitors to the Comox Valley, and increasing the economic impact on the region,” says Anglin.

For more information on the fund and a copy of the application form, visit www.discovercomoxvalley.com/

Shoppe Talk July 2014 Fall prevention part 2 – Medication and Falls

CARRIERS WANTED No collection required. Great exercise!

Call Comox Valley Echo • 250-334-4734 or drop by 407-D 5th Street, Courtenay

COMOX Rt. 1103 – Pritchard, Totem, Skeena, Orca Rt. 1120 – Sandpines Area Rt. 2129 – Sylvan, Parry, Aspen, Idiens

If you are on these medications please do not change the way you are taking them without consulting with your doctor. That conversation should include asking if the medication can be stopped, or if not, can the dose be reduced? Is the time of day that I am taking it appropriate? Is there a safer alternative?

CROWN ISLE Rt. 3120 – Monarch, Royal Rt. 3134 – Crown Isle Dr., Birkshire, Sussex

Rt. 3123 Rt. 3132 Rt. 3135

Taking multiple medications is linked to falls - the greater the number of medications a person takes, the greater the risk of any kind of adverse reaction from a medication, including falls.

The following list of medications is known to increase the risk of fallst Cardiovascular (heart) medications t Benzodiazepines (eg lorazepam, diazepam, clonazepam and other “pams”) t Opioids (eg codeine, morphine, hydromorphone and others) t Bladder relaxants and other anticholinergic agents t Insulin t Sleeping pills t Muscle relaxants t Antipsychotics t Antidepressants

COURTENAY Rt. 8105 – 29th to 27th, Moray Rt. 8106 – Anfield Centre (Walmart), Kilpatrick, Cliffe

Rt. 3110

Last month we did a risk assessment questionnaire regarding falls and discussed some things we could do to reduce our risk of falling. This month we will look at the affect of medications as they relate to the risk of falling.

How can we help? We have a variety of mobility aids, bath safety aids, and hip protection garments that we can recommend. As well, our pharmacists can do a private medication review to go over your medications to help you better understand all of your prescription and non-prescription medications especially as it pertains to the risk of falling.

There may or may not be a charge for that service depending on the number of medications that you take This review process will look at the systems you have in place for administering your medication. If necessary we can provide a system (blisterpack or PacMed) to ensure you are taking your medication regularly and at the appropriate time. We will also make sure you are getting adequate calcium and vitamin D to keep the bones strong.

VALLEYVIEW – Back Road, Glen Urquhart, 10th St. E., Hobson, 6th St. E., Aston – Nechako, Chemainus, 5th St. E., Cowichan, 6th St. E. – Inverclyde, Carstairs, Hebrides, Fife – Hawk, Swallow, Whiskeyjack

Don’t let pride go before a fall – come in and talk to us and get the information or products you need to keep you safe.

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B4 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 2014

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Sports and Recreation

Sepak Takraw: A strange name but a great sport to try out Sepak Takraw may sound like a weird name for a sport, but it’s more simply put as Kick Volleyball. The object is the same as volleyball or badminton, get the ball over the net and you score the point.

Anyone who loves Soccer, Hacky Sack or Volleyball will be intrigued with Sepak Takraw.

Instead of using a raquet or even your hands, you use your: feet, head, knees and chest to get the ball over the net.

The game originates in South East Asia and is played there as regularly and with as much respects as Hockey is here. In Malaysia and Thailand, ‘Takraw’ is taken to the next level.

Players regularly add out of this world jumping back flip roll-spikes to the game, making them almost impossible to return.

In Thailand the athletes train from a young age and compete for the ‘King’s Cup’, Locally it is just played for fun!

In the Comox Valley, the ‘Red Giants’ are the only active group playing the sport regularly. The level of play is consistently on the rise, but newcomers are always welcome and may find the sport easier to jump into than expected.

You won’t see any roll-spikes, but your teammates will be helping you get on the right track to dominating a new sport!

During the summer months the sport is played outside in the field between Lake Trail school and Puntledge Park school at 7:30pm every Wednesday evening.

Come on out if you want to watch it in action or give it a try! There’s no cost to trying and you may make some new friends!

For more information call Phill @ 250-7026774 - Submitted by Phill Fuller

Pieter Vorster going for the kill, while Nicholas Williams and Aaron Sorenson await the return. (Owen Embree photo)

The Cowichan Valley WELCOMES YOUR VISIT!

Here in the Cowichan Valley, we love to celebrate the abundance and diversity of our arts, culture and heritage.

Ongoing Summer Events

Totem Tours – Downtown Duncan Harbour Tours – Ladysmith, Cowichan Bay Historical Tours – Bamberton Historical Walking Tours – Cowichan Bay Artisan’s Garden Tour – Ladysmith District ( June 1 to Sept 14) Ladysmith Arts Council

Saturdays Honeymoon Bay Outdoor Market Duncan Farmers’ Market

han Bay

Sundays

Unique Cowic

Concerts in the Park – Ladysmith – July & August South Cowichan Farmers’ Market – April to October

July 25 - 27: Rock of the Woods Music Festival - Sahtlam 26 - 27: Bluegrass Festival – Chemainus 26: Lavenderfest – Cobble Hill July 31 - Aug 3: SunFest Country Rock Festival – Duncan olf Course

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Enjoy our estate wine & local cheese on the patio overlooking Cowichan Bay.

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2763 Beverly Street Duncan 250-715-2070

1 - 3: 2 - 3: 3: 8 - 9: 23: 23: 24: 24:

Cowichan Bay Regatta Ladysmith Days Kids’ Day at BCFDC Chemainus Accordion Days Cobble Hill Fall Fair Chemainus Jazz Festival Arts on the Avenue – Ladysmith Cittaslow Cowichan Bay White Dinner at Rocky Creek Winery

September 1: Labour Day at BCFDC 5 - 7: Cowichan Exhibition – Duncan 26 - Oct 5: Savour Cowichan Festival ~ a Celebration of Taste 27 - 28: Salmon and Mushroom Festival at Lake Cowichan

Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 2014 B5

9 & Dine is Back at Sunnydale!

•$20.00 plus gst •includes 9 holes of golf and your choice of meal from the grill menu, or the daily special.

•Monday-Friday 3pm-6pm •Book tee-times at the pro-shop

(250) 334-3232 5291 North Island Highway, Courtenay, BC V9J 1S7

Sports and Recreation GOLF NEWS McQUINN CUP PLAY AT COMOX

Gi Carlson on the right and Nancy Riva on the left with the McQuinn Cup at Comox Pizza, Looneyrama(Comox Mall) and Playtime Gaming.

- Submitted by Nancy Riva

SUNSHINE AT PARADISE 68 golfers braved glorious sunshine on Sunday morning at Comox.

Mike Simmons eagled #8 and Scott Fraser eagled #11.

0-16 low gross Josh Edwards 70, Dan Bailey 72 17 + low gross Pat Riva 80, Kevin Loga 83 Low Nets Marc DeWinter 60, Ken Simmons 61, Tony Vanuta 62, Burt Meek 63, Vic Crisp 64, Art Karpus 64 KP Prizes : 10 2nd shot 0-16 Gary Cramer Bowlzy Brkfst Comox Pacific Express 12 Long Drive 17+ Brian Slater Westview Ford Sales 13 2nd shot 0-16 Gord Baudais Men’s Club 5 All Kaj Petersen Men’s Club 14 All Rick Siddall Men’s Club 15 2nd shot 17+ Jim Poulson Bowlzy Brkfst Comox Pacific Express 16 Long Drive 0-16 Scott Fraser Westview Ford Sales 17 2nd shot 0-16 Dane Petersen Black Fin Pub 9 All Dan Bailey Men’s Club 18 All Larry Kulish Men’s Club 2 Golf passes to Sunnydale won

by Rick Siddall Many thanks to Rick Curiston for supplying our computer.

See you on the greens 3rd August 8.30 start.

- Submitted by Vic Crisp

1st. Rick Curiston 23pts. Stu Holland 23, Gavin Haigh 22, Ian Leakey 22, Rob Burrows 21, Mike Naso 21 Pts. KP Prizes 1 2nd shot 0-16 Gary Snider Men’s Club 2 3rd shot 17+ Ian Leakey Men.s Club 3 Long Drive 0-16 Rob Burrows Men’s Club 4 2nd shot 0-16 Charles Lawlor Thrifty’s 5 All Mike Naso Men’s Club 7 Long Drive 17+ Jeff Townsend Scott Fraser Royal Lepage 8 2nd shot 17+ Errol Flynn Boston Pizza 3 Deuces, Rick Curiston, Lawry Willis, Mike Naso.

See you July 30th 5.30 for 6 pm - Submitted by Vic Crisp

LADIES CHAMPS AT GLACIER GREENS Many thanks starting from the groundskeepers all the way up to Bill Kelly and his team at the pro shop for making the 2014 Glacier Greens Ladies Club Championship a great success. Mother Nature gets a nod as well.

Janet Edwards, Ellie Nicholas, Glenda Kinney, and Sue Guitard also worked tirelessly to foresee this tournament to its end. A great thanks to Club Captain Kevin Hunt and Men’s Tournament Director Richard Martin for their help and support.

Thank you to our donations from Chances Casino & Bingo, and Bob Scott Bob Cat Services for their continued support and to our Ben Gill

Left to right: Gene Renaud low gross winner, Bill Kelly Head Pro, Janet Edwards, Ladies Club Captain for providing BBQ chicken breasts, salads and the like at the completion of the tournament. Much appreciated was the ice cold bottled water donated by Canadian Western Bank and handed out by Rick Verbeek.

The overall low gross score was a tie at 166 between our defending Champion Tobi Norris and Gene Renaud. A playoff hole had Gene Renaud emerging as the winner and her mile wide smile could not be missed as she strode off to collect her beautiful vase and pro shop prize.

The overall low net score was also a tie at 134 between Bernice Henderson and Rosslyn O`Rourke. A countback in this case took much more figuring and Rosslyn O’Rourke was the decided winner and she happily accepted her beautiful vase and pro shop prize.

Following are the rest of the results: A Flight 1st low gross Tobi Norris 166 2nd Angie Krahn 176 3rd Ellie Nicholas 183 1st low net Liz Van Boeschoten 140 2nd Judy Brown 144 on a countback 3rd Marie Israel 144 on a countback B Flight 1st low gross Bernice Henderson 182 2nd Janet Edwards 188 3rd Lynn Pringle 197 1st low net Rikki Farrell 136 2nd Carmel Horochuk 142

Low Net champion Rosslyn O’Rourke 3rd Irene Perry 144 Saturday KP`s Hole# 4 Liz Stirrett #7 Marie Israel #12 Judy Brown #15 Jean Tonks #17 Tobi Norris Sunday`s KP`s Hole #4 Joanne Braun #7 Angie Krahn #12 Janet Edwards #15 Bernice Henderson #17 Gene Renaud Lastly, greatest thanks to all the ladies who entered the tournament. = Submitted by Lori Cameron

LATE RAIN IN COMOX GERMAN AUTO IMPORT NETWORK PROUDLY PRESENTS THE

28 golfers played Stableford Wednesday night at Comox with the following results:

VANCOUVER ISLAND

The Comox Ladie’s Golf Club played for the McQuinn Cup Tuesday, July 22nd.

The McQuinn Cup is a two ball tournament played with one high handicap and one low handicap player as partners. It is a true alternate shot format.

This year’s winners were Gi Carlson and Nancy Riva with a net score of 67.5. Mary Buchanan and Barb Buchanan were second with 68; Third- Patti Harris and Pat Ailes70.5; Fourth- Suzy Venuta and Louella Dooe- 71; Fifth-June Fraser and Pat Schmidt-72; Sixth-Phyllis Taylor and Linda Diamond-72 and Seventh- Rosalie Williams and Linda Verdenhalven- 72.5.

Winners of the skill prizes were: Closest to the bucket- Bernice Sutherland; KP 3rd shot #4and 13Nancy Riva; KP #5 and 14 Linda Verdenhalven; KP 3rd shot #7and 16- Sue Leakey; Longest putt went to Jean Kirby.

On an overcast Thursday evening , July 24th, Janice Nicklin won Low Gross on a countback with Jan Dafoe with a score of 42. For Overall Low Net, also in a count back, Phyllis Taylor beat out Linda Callender with a 33. Phyllis Taylor, Sue Leakey and Janice Nicklin won low putts with 14.

Winners of the skill prizes were: Longest putts were Mary Buchanan and Sue Leakey. Closest to the bucket- Donna Woodman; Longest drive (0-23)- Jan Dafoe; Longest drive (24+)- Brenda Good; KP#5 (0-23)Linda Callender; 2nd shot #9(24+); 3rd shot for all #4 was Laurie Appleyard; Water shots- Barb Siska; Sand Draw- Sue Leakey.

Donna Ermantraut had a chip in and her group was rewarded with chocolates. The green fees for non members was won by Sheila Doncaster.

Remember to sign up in the pro shop 250-339-4444 or in the locker room. Tuesday mornings are a shotgun start at 8:30 am. You must be there by 8. Thursday evenings the shotgun is at 6pm but sign in by 5:30pm.

The ladies club would like to thank all their generous sponsors: Signature Wines, Arizona Gifts, Thrifty’s, Gibby’s Pro Shop, The Tee Box Restaurant, Kathy Branch Hairstyling, Chinook Forest Products, Mid Island Gifts, Panago

In Support of

Registration is Now Open!

Sunday, August 17 | 11am-2pm

LAWN SPRINKLING RESTRICTIONS NOW IN EFFECT

STAGE 2 Watering times: 4am to 9am and 7pm to 10pm Even numbered addresses on Tuesday / Saturday Odd numbered addresses on Wednesday / Sunday Restrictions apply to residents living in the Town of Comox, the City of Courtenay and the Arden, Comox Valley, England Road, Marsden/Camco, and Greaves Crescent local water service areas.

Stage two will remain in effect until further notice. For updated information on the current restrictions including the bylaw, visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/restrictions Follow comoxvalleyrd

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Flyby Air Show Live Music 5DIÀH Live Auction

Gourmet BBQ Special collection In a private hangar And Much More!

Register your vehicle today at www.motorgathering.com A special thank you to all of our valued sponsors this year!

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B6 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 2014 B7

CARRIERS WANTED EARN $$$$$$$$ COURTENAY Rt. 8105 – 29th to 27th, Moray Rt. 8106 – Anfield Centre (Walmart), Kilpatrick, Cliffe COMOX Rt. 1103 – Pritchard, Totem, Skeena, Orca Rt. 1120 – Sandpines Area Rt. 2129 – Sylvan, Parry, Aspen, Idiens 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

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

B8 Comox Valley Echo Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Sports and Recreation

It’s a slippery slope to fun and prizes at the Fish Tossing event, Aug. 2

SOMETHING FISHY AT NAUTICAL DAYS Show your Chum tossing skills at Nautical Days event The fish will be jumping and tossing again at the Comox Nautical Days Second Annual Fish Tossing event, 4 pm, Saturday, August 2nd in Marina Park.

The second annual event “spawned” by Simon’s Cycles and Salish Sea Foods, is free of charge and open to the first twenty teams that register at the Nautical Days Info booth in Marina Park on August 2nd.

Teams of 2 must be 10 years and older, and those under 19 must have a parent/guardian signed waiver. All protective gear and Chum salmon will be provided.

The event will proceed in the style of the

World Famous Pike Street Market Fish Toss, similar to the age old Egg Toss and or Water balloon toss fashion.

Five teams will compete in heats with the winner of each heat proceeding to the final.

Drop the Fish and you are eliminated.

The Grand Prize Toss Team will win free processing of their tossed Chum salmon at Salish Sea Foods in Comox, other prizes donated by Simon’s Cycles.

All fish will be donated to the Mountainaire Avian Rescue Centre post event.

Visit www.comoxnauticaldays.ca for more info on the Free Festival of Family Fun.

Join the Whistle Stop NFL Club for a chance to win a trip to the How: See Barry or Tammy at Sound Whistle Stop or Rick at Visual Cost: $100 00.

Perks: Weekly winner gets $1 End of season winners get rest of joining fees:

1st - 50% 2nd - 30% 3rd - 20%

Watch NFL at the Stop Sunday & Monday and receive 2 entry forms for 2 tickets to the Super Bowl plus hotel airfare when you purchase a jug of Budweiser or Blue or a bucket of Budweiser, Blue, Kokanee or Corona

50/50 Draws Monday nights Lots of other prizes on Monday nights

rson Every Monday night 1 pe ose will win a chance to cho s a jersey of the two team playing that night