t s e B the
of Salt Spring Island
AUGUST 2018
THE
DgiM
DRIFTWOOD
GULF ISLANDS MEDIA
best
Salt Spring has to offer!
S E V E N T H A N N U A L B E S T O F S A LT S P R I N G I S L A N D
At the Driftwood we know it’s truly summer when we’re working on our annual Best of Salt Spring Island publication.
photo by mi
chael murr
ay
While we are fortunate to have newspaper industry jobs that are never dull year-round, I can say without hesitation that BOSSI is the project we have the most fun with. It’s a virtual blank slate that we can fill with random tidbits and some of our favourite things. It requires keeping an eye out for fresh additions to the island’s landscape and culture, and pondering groups or happenings that have contributed to island life for years. Our newest staffperson, Marc Kitteringham, jumped on the BOSSI train with ease and also shared his deep cycling expertise in a couple of pieces. Creating this Best of publication also needs enthusiastic cooperation
Gail Sjubeicratgions editor d publ
Drift woo
from islanders. Fortunately, we have “the best” community partners, and we are always grateful for their willingness to participate in a project or give us the answers we need to make a particular story work. One example is Bob MacKie, whose photos have been invaluable on a number of occasions. He’s the guy on the cover seen in one of his volunteering roles. Our advertisers are also a huge part of this publication, with their original concepts and ads making each page unique. Like Salt Spring itself, the Best of Salt Spring Island is an intricate web of character, commerce, landmarks and love. We hope you enjoy this year’s version!
THE
MEMBERSHIPS FOR
SMALL BUSINESS
The Chamber of Commerce is Celebrating our 70th Anniversary! Thank you to our great members for your support! We are here to help you succeed - you are in business for yourself but not by yourself! As a member, you are also a part of the Shop Local program supporting a strong local economy.
GULFISLANDS ISLANDS GULF TOURISM.COM TOURISM.COM chamber@saltspringchamber.com • 250 537 4223 • saltspringchamber.com 2014 2014 SaltAD SpringTO Island's Visitor Information Centre and bus stop on Lower Ganges Road in Ganges. AD TO PROOF PROOF 24 response 24hour hour AUGUST 2018 |response GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD 2 required required Here Hereisisa low-res a low-res pdf ofpdf yourofadyour ad for forproofing proofing via email. via email. AAhigh highres.res. version version will bewill usedbe in printing. used in printing. Pleaseproof proofthis this carefully Please ad ad carefully
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gail sjuberg photo
Join in on the Salty Awards! - Nominations and voting through September and October at saltspringchamber.com. The Salty Awards are being presented on November 15th. Cheer on your favorite business and community group!
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3
GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
Salt Spring Island Cheese
the
David Wood and his son Daniel from Salt Spring Island Cheese sold their first piece of cheese in 1996. Today they supply all our stores with delicious, handmade beautiful cheeses.
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2002
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4
THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
contents Amber Ogilvie, PUBLISHER
Gail Sjuberg, Managing Editor news@gulfislandsdriftwood.com
Lorraine Sullivan, PRoduction manager
Advertising: Shirley Command Editorial: Elizabeth Nolan, Marc Kitteringham, Gail Sjuberg Front office: James Burton, Johanna Walkner
10 Rowing their boats
42 Picture perfect park
Music keeps coming at All Saints By-the-Sea.
Drummond Park & playground has it all for families.
18 Try topping this one
Eric Taylor’s marriage proposal hits the skies with surprise.
34
DriftwooD gulf islanDs MeDia
328 Lower Ganges Rd., Salt Spring Island, B.C. V8K 2V3 PH: 250-537-9933 | FX: 250-537-2613 Toll Free: 1-877-537-9934 driftwood@gulfislandsdriftwood.com www.gulfislandsdriftwood.com 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday
DgiM
38 Tea hits the spot
GISS team has best-ever national showing.
production@gulfislandsdriftwood.com
the
6 Sea star search
David Denning leads citizen science initiative.
aogilvie@gulfislandsdriftwood.com
DgiM
A few of our Best of Salt Spring Island picks
22 Best big booms
Marv Coulthard and his cannon crew.
34 Still going strong
38
22
Island Pathways celebrates 30 years of achievements.
JOB DONE RIGHT AND SAFELY
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THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
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5
GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
S
tarting in 2014, sea star populations along the Pacific Coast of North America were decimated by a plague known as sea star wasting disease. Local studies in 2015 and 2016 showed that the plague wiped out 80 to 100 per cent of intertidal sea stars in local populations. In an effort to see what’s changed since then, the first Sea Star Recovery BioBlitz was held on Salt Spring from Aug. 10 to 12. Sponsored by the Salt Spring Trail and Nature Club and the Salt Spring Ocean Stewards, it saw local naturalists pair up with interested members of the community to survey 100% as many island beaches as Island Owned possible during the month’s lowest tides. & Operated!
Best The
citizen science initiative
the
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THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
RENOVATIONS, ADDITIONS AND DESIGN WORK
the
forw pos Mountain Star Ventures Inc. has been building and renovating homes on Salt Spring Island for over 25 yrs. We work closely with our clients to design, budget and execute building programs tailored to your needs. Our clients vision and desires are always respected and we will combine our experience to produce results that will be beyond your expectations. Contact us today to schedule a meeting to discuss your ideas. Regardless of the size of your project we would be honored to work with you through this very exciting process.
Rene Van Hullebush c 250 538-8339 mtnstarventures@hotmail.com
Mountain Star Ventures Inc.
Photos courtesy david denning
Above: Healthy sea stars before the plague. Below: Loonie next to juvenile sea stars. Previous page: Biologist David Denning leads a citizen science walk.
DESIGN
“In the last three years, we have observed very little recovery from the wasting disease plague,” explained local coordinator David Denning. “The large stars we now see along our shores are not ‘sea stars coming back.’ Rather, they are survivors of the plague. We know this because it takes at least four years for a sea star to reach 8 to 10 cm in diameter, so these larger stars made it through the plague times.” The citizen science research project aims to determine how much new recruitment of sea stars is happening. Islanders were on specialized data collection and how to look for juvenile sea stars with minimum disturbance to the intertidal environment. Results will contribute important information to the bigger — and so far confused — picture of sea star recovery.
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7
GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
Best The
female power in action
P
addling North: Voices of the Inside Passage is the name of the project dreamed up by Rebecca Grim and Leonie Mahlke. The two island women launched their kayaks from Southey Point on May 19 and planned to keep paddling
2,000 kilometres through the Inside Passage for more than three and a half months to reach Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. Their documentary adventure includes stops at research centres and communities along the way
the
where Grim and Mahlke have been interviewing women who are working towards the protection of the Inside Passage and are spearheading projects at the front lines. Their goal is to raise awareness of the threats to local wildlife, ecosystems and
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THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
THEIR GOAL IS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE THREATS TO LOCAL WILDLIFE, ECOSYSTEMS AND COMMUNITIES. Photo courtesy paddling north
Above: Leonie Mahlke and Rebecca Grim at Ketchikan, Alaska. Previous page: Using WindPaddles on the kayak journey. communities and to help reduce or prevent those threats from doing harm. Mahlke is a biologist who has worked with the Alaska Whale Foundation and Cetacea Lab in the Great Bear Rainforest during the past few years. Grim is an adventurer and outdoor advocate who designed her own tiny house. Though avid
kayakers, the journey required completely new levels of strength and endurance, the acquisition of specialized gear — from solar chargers to a female urination funnel — and months of advanced training and planning. The two women crossed the border into Alaska and were preparing to leave for their seventh leg from
the
Ketchikan to Petersburg at the end of July. News at the time was that filmmaker and editor Hank Leukart planned to join them for their ninth and final leg to Glacier Bay. Grim and Mahlke intend to finish their journey at Muir Glacier on Sept. 5. Follow their progress under Paddling North on Instagram or their blog at paddlingnorth.com.
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9
GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
Best The
sports team growth
G
ulf Islands Secondary School added new members to its rowing team and saw its largest ever group go to the national championships this year. The team sent 13 scullers to the Canadian
the
Secondary Schools Rowing Association’s 70th annual championship regatta, held on Henley Island, Ont. from June 5 to 7. Three GISS boats qualified for semi-finals, with senior women’s single, junior women’s double and senior women’s quad boats all making the cut.
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The team sent 13 scullers to the Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association’s 70th annual championship regatta. Come into the store and I’ll give you my pastry recipe!!
FINE COOKWARE & ACCESSORIES 140 FULFORD-GANGES RD. 250-537-5882 Photo by marc kitteringham
GISS rowing team members training on St. Mary Lake, from bow to stern, are Gabriella Oloriz, Emma Phillips, Charley Bennett-Peters and Sasha Hroch. Previous page, from bow to stern: Haley Cadenhead, Celia Segura, Maya Neufeld-Boucher and Malaya Hart-Weller.
SMILES
The senior women’s quad boat advanced to the finals, marking the first team from Salt Spring Island to ever do so at the national championships. Quad team members Bonnie Reynolds, Zoey Johnson, Linnea Barrett and Bronte Mah came in fifth place in their final race, missing fourth by only two seconds. “What was incredible about this group is the final race was their sixth time in a boat together, showing the powerhouse that our Salt Spring Island rowers really are,” GISS rowing coach Stacy Mitchell said after the event. Reynolds graduated this year and was recruited by the rowing team at Brock University in St. Catharines for her spectacular effort. “For me that means I’ll be rowing at least six days per week with 5 a.m. rows for possibly the next four years,” she told the Driftwood in June. “That’s a major transformation in terms of the future I saw within the sport.” “I feel like I have a new level of commitment to actually feel the pain within the sport. I’m more willing to push myself and I can see the results,” she added. THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
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GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
Best The
S
CYCLING ROUTE
alt Spring has been growing as a destination for cyclists. All it takes is a glance at the bike racks on market days and it becomes apparent. While some people are not keen on riding their bike up and down Salt Spring’s many hills, winding hilly roads are some of the most sought after among cyclists because they provide a challenge and an interesting riding experience. Where some may see a hill and decide that cycling is not worth the effort, for others the suffering of the climb is all part of the fun. Fortunately, this makes Salt Spring a great place for cycling. The combination of paved roads, relatively little traffic and steep climbs followed by long winding descents makes this little island a cyclist’s dream. For those who are looking to get a leg workout and to explore some of the island’s better roads, there are a few great options for routes. The best route to get a mix of everything that cycling on the island has to offer is a loop of the north end of the island. This ride starts in downtown Ganges. You head west on Rainbow Road, enjoying the relatively flat and quiet country road. A series of curves makes this road exciting, letting you really lean the bike over and have some fun. At the end of the road, turn around and head back towards town. Turn
onto Booth Canal Road and enjoy a nice quick descent before your first steep climb. It is a short jaunt up the hill before joining up with Lower Ganges Road. Head north toward the four-way stop near Portlock Park. Here there are a couple of choices. Riding on North End Road, continue onto Stark Road for a good climb until it meets up with Walker’s Hook Road. Walker’s Hook is a smooth straight shot along the ocean, with a place to stop for the first rest of the route. Continuing past onto North Beach Road, the oceanside riding eventually ends with a steep short climb back toward North End Road, which is a relatively quiet road and eventually ramps up to a decent climb as it changes into Sunset Drive. Fight the wind on Sunset until turning into Vesuvius for the second rest stop. At this point, there are a few options. The ride could be at an end with a quick jaunt back into Ganges by either Lower Ganges or Upper Ganges roads. Alternatively, you can brave the dip on Robinson Road for a fun, steep climb. Or take a rolling cool ride down to the Long Harbour ferry terminal to
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THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
Red-lined roads show a north-end loop route with optional extra kilometres added with Robinson Road and Long Harbour jaunts.
give the legs a nice rest. All told, the route as described is around 1,300 metres of elevation gain, at a total distance of around 73 kilometres. While it is hard to make the determination of “best” anything, this route gives the rider a good look at the best of the north end. A very close second is a similar loop of the south end, which is shorter, but has punchier climbs for those inclined for a leg buster. When in doubt, ride both!
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GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
Best The
Photo by marc kitteringham
KID ART
Panels in the Fulford school mural.
The new mural at Fulford Community Elementary School was unveiled this spring, featuring artwork done by the students that depicts their interpretation of coastal wildlife. There is just something fun about kid art. It is innocent, whimsical and entirely genuine. The goal behind the mural is to make people feel welcome at the school and on the island as a whole. There are plenty of examples of kid art on Salt Spring, but the mural at Fulford school is the best. Officially unveiled on June 4, the mural was designed as an expression of west coast life through the eyes of the children. It was a collaborative project with local artists and First Nations teachers. The mural features a sun painted by Quentin Harris. The sun is surrounded by a coastal scene populated with different animals all done by the children at Fulford school. One of the project’s coordinators, Karen Reiss, said that they “sort of try to start out with perspective and sizing, but after a few times you throw that aside . . . There are small whales and big birds. It’s kid art and it’s just great.”
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AUGUST 2018 | GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD
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THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
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GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
the
CHOICE TO RECYCLE EVERYTHING FROM
TIN CANS TO THE KITCHEN SINK!
Best The
Salt Spring Island
Recycling Depot
UNKNOWN VIEW
Operated by the SSI Community Services Society
Salt Spring Island Recycling Depot Accepted Materials Recycling
• All beverage containers (tin, glass,Salt plastic,Spring tetra, milk The BEST “Award Winning” Island Recycling cartons, gable top cartons) along with the BEST recycled Depot. Fully Licensed… • Cardboard, pizza boxes, boxboard Book & Magazine Exchange • Corks •
Electronics
ACCEPTED MATERIALS • Glass bottles and jars
• Paper, newsprint, magazines • Large appliances • • All beverage containers (tin,coolers, glass, The Salt Spring Island recycling Fridges, freezers, water air conditioners - $25filmdepot • Plastic bags, tetra, milk cartons, gable top • plastic, Paper, newsprint, magazines • Plastic containers and lids offers extensive recycling options • cartons) Plastic bags, film, yolks • Scrap metal • • Cardboard containers and toPlastic residents oflidsthe Salt• Large Spring Island appliances • • CorksScrap metal • Small appliances Small appliances Electoral Area, and encourages • • Electronics • Styrofoam • Styrofoam • • Glass bottles and jarsincluding tourists, and boaters Tin cans and foil everyone • Tin cans and foil • • Fridges, coolers, Tiresfreezers, (vehicle water and bicycle) • Tires (vehicle and bicycle) to recycle with us. – $25 fee • air conditioners Wooden shakes • Wooden shakes
Photos by marc kitteringham
View east from a spot not far from Ganges with graffiti on the BC Hydro infrastructure.
D
etermining the best view on Salt Spring is futile. The island has so many vantage points with panoramic vistas of everything from the Beaufort Range on Vancouver Island in the north to the Olympic ranges in the south. While the “best view” on the island is elusive, the best unknown view might be a bit easier to pin down. A short drive up Juniper Road just off Rainbow Road will take view-seekers up towards the trails at Mount Erskine. Instead of turning right toward Trustees Trail, a left will take you towards this more secret viewpoint. Trustees Trail road officially comes to an end, but an open gate with a paved road leads beyond the cul-de-sac. The road quickly turns into a gravelly mess, but for those determined to find the viewpoint, it’s possible to navigate the potholes and washboard roads fairly easily. The road dips and then climbs again, and passes under the powerlines. Alternatively, for cars that can’t quite handle the gravel, a drive to the end of Wilkie Way connects to the unnamed gravel road. The route from Juniper Road is also a great bike
Household Hazardous Waste HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE -by ALWAYS ACCEPTED Our core funding is provided the Capital Regional
for(automotive, the recycling of residential paper, cardboard • District Batteries marine) • Ink and toner cartridges WE ACCEPT THE FOLLOWING: (household and rechargeable) • Paint materials, the andBatteries containers. Inmarine) addition to these • • Batteries (automotive, Cell phones solvents and flammable • • Batteries (householdaand depot accepts wide variety of• Pesticides, items for recycling as • rechargeable) CFL bulbs and fluorescent tubes liquids (gasoline) well as some household hazardous wastes, a complete Inkcameras and toner cartridges • Smoke detectors and carbon • • Digital Paint monoxide alarms listphones of materials accepted is shown on the reverse. • • Cell Pesticides, and flammable liquids (gasoline) • • CFL bulbs and flsolvents uorescent tubes, • as well Smoke and carbon as alldetectors bulbs & light fixturesmonoxide alarms ALL THIS AT THE BEST PRICE…FREE! (except $25 freon removal fee) Tuesday – Saturday Contact Us 10Contact am – 5 pmUs Phone: (250) 537-1200 349 Rainbow Phone: (250)Road 537-1200 Web: www.saltspringcommunityservices.ca/recycling Web: www.saltspringcommunityservices.ca/recycling Email: recycling@saltspring.com Email: recycling@saltspring.com Mailing Address: c/o Salt Spring Island Community Services 349 Rainbow Road 268 Fulford-Ganges Rd SaltIsland Spring Island Salt Spring BC V8K 2K6
Depot Location
Depot Hours
10.00am - 5.00pm Tuesday to Saturday (NOT OPEN statutory holidays CRD Recycling Hotline: 1-800-663-4425 and long weekends) For 3R information visit www.myrecyclopedia.ca
AUGUST 2018 | GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD
16
THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
It is a reminder that we aren’t perfect, and neither is the view. route, especially for those who love a bit of a climb. Standing at the base of the massive power poles on a clear day will open up a view of Ganges, Booth Canal, Channel Ridge, St. Mary Lake, Trincomali Channel and Galiano Island. A glance further north will show peaks on Vancouver Island. The large power poles are covered in graffiti, and the electrical wires criss cross the sky, but they lend a sort of industrial grit to the beauty we’re all accustomed to seeing. It is a reminder that we aren’t perfect, and neither is the view. Though the view is not one of the better known sights on Salt Spring Island, it is definitely worth the climb.
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290 Park Drive • Open dawn to dusk BEHIND DAGWOODS 17
GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
“Will You Marry Me?”
Best The
D
anielle Head and Eric Taylor have been together for over six years and have been talking about getting married, so when Taylor took Head to Whistler for her birthday in July and didn’t propose she was a little miffed. “I had a little anticipation it would happen there but he was like, ‘Nope, that’s too predictable,’” Head recalled. Little did she know, but Taylor had actually been working on an elaborate scheme for the entire past year and would be ready to spring it on her the week after they returned from that trip. With both parties deeply connected to Salt Spring Fire-Rescue, it was fitAUGUST 2018 | GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD
marriage proposal
ting that the event took place at the department’s Fulford training grounds during a Tuesday training session on July 24. Most of the firefighters there didn’t know what was happening until 30 minutes before Head arrived in a helicopter piloted by Don Arney. She didn’t know what was happening either until the guys started flipping over the plywood signs Taylor had stashed on the roof that spelled out “Will you marry me?” Taylor worked with Head’s employers at Island Savings/First West Credit Union to get her into the helicopter. He staged a fake contest allegedly initiated by Arney to thank the staff for all their work with the 18
Full Cupboard campaign and the local food bank. Any employee who had volunteered had their name entered in a “draw,” and Head’s name was the one that got “pulled.” She almost didn’t accept the prize because Taylor had bought her a helicopter ride with Arney for her birthday a few years previously and she felt guilty about getting to go twice, but fortunately her boss (who was in on it) convinced her to go. Head was surprised that Arney went into Victoria’s airspace on the south part of the island and even more surprised when he doubled back to the training ground and swooped in really low. THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
Photos courtesy danielle head
Above: ‘Will You Marry Me’ signs on Fulford Fire Hall roof as seen from the helicopter. At right: Eric Taylor and Danielle Head with the ring on her finger. Previous page: Head in the helicopter with pilot/owner Don Arney. “I was so confused until I saw the signs,” Head said. “Eric always complains I’m so hard to spring a surprise on, but he got me with this one. I don’t think my heart has pounded that hard for a long time.” Taylor made the proposal official and received his answer when Head stepped out of the helicopter. Their daughter Addison, who is turning five, was supposed to be at home with the babysitter but they were also there to witness the event. The wedding will take place sometime next summer. Taylor said they’ll probably have a small ceremony and then a big party for their many friends and family, but he isn’t planning to match the elaborate scale of the proposal. “I don’t think I could top it,” he laughed.
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GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
Best The
way to rile up islanders
photos by marc kitteringham
Scenes from a March 23 protest rally in Ganges. Of the many reasons Salt Springers have had to protest, none have been as all-encompassing as the controversial Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion. The pipeline was commissioned in 2013 by Kinder Morgan. The scope of the project is to twin the existing pipeline running from Edmonton to Burnaby, which will increase capacity from 300,000 barrels of oil per day to 890,000, according to the Trans Mountain website. The increased capacity will bring more oil tanker traffic to the Salish Sea, which is home to the at-risk southern resident killer whale population. Islanders of all ages have spoken out against the pipeline. Federal Green Party MP Elizabeth May was arrested and charged with criminal contempt of court after protesting at the Burnaby Mountain construction site. Nine other demonstrators from Salt Spring were arrested at the site. There were also more homegrown protests, with a march through Ganges on March 23, and a Gulf Islands Secondary School student-led walk-out gave high school students a chance to voice their opinions on May 23. Even elementary school kids were in on the issue, with a Grade 4/5 class from Salt Spring Elementary School writing and submitting a petition to have the federal government reconsider their decision to buy the pipeline. The protests and demonstrations continued off-island throughout the province and across Canada. In May, the federal Liberals committed to buying the pipeline to ensure the expansion is completed. Kinder Morgan had been working with the government to identify another privatesector buyer, with a deadline of July 22. Since no companies expressed interest, the federal government was expected to go through with the $4.5-billion purchase. The purchase price did not include the remaining construction costs, which are estimated to be around $7.4 billion.
Islanders of all ages have spoken out against the pipeline.
AUGUST 2018 | GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD
20
THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
Best The
social enterprise
T
he patio area behind the Core Inn is looking fabulous these days, with craft picnic tables and flowers boxes providing an appealing place to enjoy a break. Salt Spring Island Community Services’s Harvest Kitchen is located on — and the reason for — the inviting plaza, and eating there tastes even better with the knowledge of how it all fits into one big sustainable island food cycle. The simple but satisfying menu at the shipping container turned food stand includes power bowls with seasonal greens, homemade samosas with a variety of fillings, espresso and treats. Ingredients for meal items are sourced from Harvest Farm, SSICS’s garden in the Burgoyne Valley, and Second Harvest, a food recovery program that reclaims items that local grocery stores can’t sell. “This all comes together into a practical opportunity for a social enterprise café using locally sourced ingredients that would otherwise go to waste, at the same time providing nourishment for those in need from the proceeds of the low-cost operation,” SSICS food secu-
profits from the cafe go back into programs like the salt spring food bank. Photo by elizabeth nolan
Harvest Kitchen Cafe patio tables. rity coordinator Simone Cazabon said when the cafe opened last October. “It reduces waste and supports local sustainability in several ways.” Profits from the cafe go back into programs like the Salt Spring food bank, while people living in poverty are also able to access Harvest Kitchen’s healthy meals directly.
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GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
Best The
use of explosives
The firing of cannons on Canada Day is now a noisy and beloved Salt Spring tradition. Marv Coulthard started the tradition in 2005 when he offered to add the final touch to the Salt Spring Concert Band’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. The first year, he had one cannon go off right at the end of the piece. Inspired, he decided to make a bigger bang the following year. “I said if I was gonna do it again next year I’d require more than one cannon, and a way to fire them all at once. It calls for about 21 or 25 cannons during the piece,” Coulthard said. “I’ve got five of them now. I put together a team and a system to fire them electronically and away we went. We’ve been doing Canada Day ever since.” Coulthard has been bringing his cannons to other events on Salt Spring when the need arises, but the main attraction has always been during the band’s performance on Canada Day. This year the cannons were fired during O Canada. The cannons are wired together and fired electronically. They consist of a small charge of black powder ignited by a device called a squib. Squibs are small explosives used in the theatre industry. Many of the bullet hits in action movies are actually squibs hidden under the actor’s shirts. Even though there is no projectile, Coulthard said they are quite flammable.
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he plans to do a few more years with the cannons, but has passed the operating reins to his grandson curtis.
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photo by gail sjuberg
Concert band members, from left, Jeff Millerd, Kerry Graham and David Manz play with cannon smoke and explosions behind them.
photo by gail sjuberg
Coulthard family members with cannons on Canada Day this year are, from left, Curtis Coulthard (grandson), Tara Coulthard (daughter), Paul Goodwin (son in law), Paul Sommerville (son in law), Marv Coulthard, Don Wilkinson (son in law) and John Coulthard (son).
the
“They do blow a large amount of flame,” he said. Coulthard is recently retired from his post as technical director at ArtSpring. He plans to do a few more years with the cannons, but has passed the operating reins to his grandson Curtis. “Last year and this year I had my whole family here as a team to do it,” he said. “They come home and run the cannons for Dad.” Even though the cannons are not as loud as their real-life counterparts, they can still make quite a bang. They are also Salt Spring’s best use of explosives.
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GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
Best The
bike rack
C
ycling is popular on Salt Spring, with tourists coming to the island to enjoy the hills, paved roads and relatively low traffic. Locals are embracing cycling more and more, with organizations like Island Pathways and the Salt Spring Island Bike Club promoting the sport on the island. All of these people need somewhere to park their bikes, and the best bike rack on the island is the rack on the southwest corner of Centennial Park. This rack is in a great spot for cyclists looking to rest after the long ride from Fulford, or to psych themselves up for the climb out of Ganges. It is also well used on market days. A wide range of bikes belonging to both locals and tourists are often seen at this rack on Tuesdays and Saturdays. On less busy days, the location is perfect for cyclists who want to explore the Ganges core or hang out in the park. Certain things contribute to a first-rate bike rack. One of those is ensuring that it is solidly anchored to the ground. This can be through bolts, concrete or myriad different configurations, but making sure that nobody with a friend and a pick-up truck can abscond with your ride is essential. Next, there should be a place to secure your bike to the thickest part of the rack. Your lock is only as good as the thing it is locked to. Beyond that, ensuring there’s enough room to attach your ride without jostling other people’s bikes helps. There are several similar racks throughout the island, making it easy for cyclists to explore and enjoy Salt Spring’s roads.
Photo by marc kitteringham
Well-used Centennial Park bike rack.
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AUGUST 2018 | GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD
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THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
Best The
TV filming location
S
alt Spring island regularly gets put on the top 10 list for magazine features such as “secret island hideaways” or “best arts town,” so it was probably inevitable that its unique mixture of nature and culture would soon attract other types of media. Canadian television networks have definitely caught on and are starting to be regular guests on the island. In the past few years, we’ve had Salt Spring-themed segments on Chuck and Danny’s Road Show (Food Network Canada), in an episode that aired in March 2017, and Island Diaries (Knowledge Network), originally airing in October 2017. APTN’s Moosemeat & Marmalade filmed an episode just off Salt Spring on Russell Island and in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve for a feature on local clam beds that aired in January, while the CTV show Amazing Race Canada visited the Saturday Market in April for screen time in July. Salt Spring Islanders are also proving TV-worthy: Philippe Nicky MacKenzie, a 2018 GISS grad, was sent to Marill of Salt Toronto last summer to Spring Sea Salt audition for a team of star was part of producers and songwriters Amazing Race with CTV’s show The Canada. Launch. The program debuted on television this year.
Photo courtesy APTN
Art Napoleon of Moosemeat & Marmalade, an episode of which was filmed partly on Russell Island.
Photo courtesy CTV
Nicky MacKenzie during an audition for The Launch.
THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
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GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
Best The
new farm sign
Driving through the Burgoyne Valley this summer it’s been hard not to notice brightly painted wooden signage marking the EcoReality Co-op at 2152 Fulford-Ganges Rd. With the EcoReality name and logo painted on the top piece of wood, subsequent signs hanging below advertise available farm produce. According to Jan Steinman of EcoReality, the project has been over 10 years in the making.
Photo by Lauren Chisholm
From left with newly installed sign: Jan Steinman, Roscoe Strem, Rockwell Strem, Rex Strem, Leonard Dekens and Reverie Strem.
AUGUST 2018 | GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD
26
“I have so much on my agenda that things like this don’t happen unless someone — usually a volunteer who wants to leave a mark — kicks my butt to provide direction and make it happen. “The logo and sign concept are mine, but MANY people helped out,” he said. “I wanted the peace sign, recycling symbol, sun, water, soil and vegetation all incorporated. I wanted a design that would hold up at multiple sizes, in line art, grayscale and full colour.” Graphic artist Natasha Kong took Steinman’s rough sketches and created the logo design way back in 2007. Also many years ago, Steinman acquired a Douglas fir tree from some neighbours and before bucking it into firewood cut the sign slab on a bias to make an oval with the intention of putting the EcoReality logo on it. “The slab moved with us to our present location, and I messed with it now and then, planing, sanding, smoothing, and at one time, projecting our logo onto it and tracing it. “In 2011, a volunteer whose name escapes me re-worked the logo into something she thought would be easier to implement in wood, while still incorporating the original design elements, and still recognizable as our ‘brand.’ Then through 2011-12, a number of us spent quality time with earplugs, a router and way too much nose-blowing and coughing, carving the logo elements. Ben Corno, currently of Heavenly Roots Farm, did a lot of the carving.” Last summer, Gaia Bevilacqua THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
“I wanted the peace sign, recycling symbol, sun, water, soil and vegetation all incorporated.” and Alex Lloyd from Italy made the painting come together. “I went down to Slegg with Gaia, and they generously gave us a bunch of tinting colours to go with the un-tinted base paint we bought, so we could mix our own colours. I had some mill slabs from Shane O’Donnell’s mill on Jones Road, and several of us made the sculpted daughter-signs. Shane also supplied us with straight cedar posts, which we peeled, smoothed and painted — largely the work of Philipp Klein from Germany. I finished everything with several coats of UV-protecting clear lacquer.” Then this spring Steinman asked Leonard Dekens, a volunteer from France, what he would like his “special project” to be. “He said, ‘Get that sign hung!’ So Leonard and I made it happen, finishing the day before his return to France.” Steinman said EcoReality has received numerous positive comments about the sign. Photo by gail sjuberg
Completed EcoReality Co-op farm sign in the Burgoyne Valley.
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rolling artwork
F
ollow the sound of live music and a magical experience could very well be waiting: musicians could be travelling in a giant interactive art piece powered by human feet. The “pedicab” Bird Cage is a kinetic sculpture consisting of a lightweight, eight-foot-tall cage mounted on an industrialstrength tricycle. Constructed by islander Terry Bieman and a crew from Vancouver’s Burning Man community, it contains a fully functioning wooden piano and room for at least six musicians and other instruments. It is lit for night, has off-road tires that will work on gravel and is amplified by a mobile sound system. Bryan Dubien, the author of various Salt Spring community gifts, helped inspire this piece when looking for new spots to house the pianos he places in outdoor locations each summer. Bieman came up with the idea of putting a piano on a towtrailer and then tackled construction of the pedicab after Dubien mentioned how much he hates motorized vehicles in parades. “The whole core idea was ‘how much of a whole band could you put in a single human-powered vehicle?’” said Bieman. “And that’s when it really hit: It’s really got to be in a bird cage.”
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Bieman was further inspired by the Patrick Watson song called Big Bird in a Small Cage, and the work also references Maya Angelou’s poem Caged Bird. Another Angelou connection arose at Burning Man, attended by Bieman and young Salt Spring artist Emrys Duyf, who created the cage’s canvas with a phoenix design that can be placed on top to protect performers and instruments from harsh weather. “At Burning Man there was both a sculpture of Maya Angelou there and also a phoenix,” recalled Bieman. Duyf’s contribution was made possible by a Salt Spring Arts Council grant. Meghan McKillop is another key part of the Bird Cage leadership team, which aspires to invigorate the poetry and music scene both on Salt Spring and beyond. “For me it’s about opening space to the public and the community facilitated around creativity in music,” McKillop said. “It’s about offering space for people to show their gifts.” Locals may have spotted the mounted stage when it made a beautifully eery appearance on Maliview Drive on Halloween night, or during the 2017 Pride Parade. Its guardians have also brought it to events such as a climate change action march in Vancouver, the Otherworld festival in the Cowichan Valley and all the way to Burning Man itself. Dubien said the team is looking for a semi-permanent home for the Bird Cage in town so it can make more regular appearances in and around Ganges (and its pedallers can achieve the distance). Listen for the sound of music on the move and you might just spot it. “It’s unfortunate that there is very little public interactive art on Salt Spring,” said Bieman. “We stand out as a vacant spot for that on the coast.”
“It’s about offering space for people to show their gifts.”
Photos courtesy bird cage project
Bird Cage on a trailer on the Skeena Queen. Previous page: Meghan McKillop plays piano in the cage with Na’ara and Oliver Dubien.
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www.rocksaltrestaurant.com GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
Best The
summertime Christmas fundraiser
F
or more than 20 years, motorcycle riders on Salt Spring have gotten together for a ride and collected toys and funds to help make some kids’ holiday seasons a little brighter. Spearheaded by Lil and Don Irwin in 1996, the first event saw 10 riders participate. That jumped to 37 the next year. Last year saw 110 bikes in the ride for what has become an all-weekend community gathering at the Salt Spring Farmers’ Institute grounds. Camping, dinners, live music, a beer garden and bike games are now part of the fun, and you don’t have to own a motorcycle to enjoy and contribute to the fundraiser for Santa’s Workshop. Kevin Kopetzki, who has been a stalwart of the organizing committee for a number of years now, is encouraging locals to come to
the
driftwood file photo
Santa leads Toy Run riders last year. Inset: Soul Shakedown plays at outdoor Friday night gathering in 2016. The whole community is invited to attend music, dinner and dance events at the Santa’s Workshop fundraiser that helps island families in need.
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“It’s outdoors. It’s warm. Come and check this out.”
the Farmers’ Institute on the Aug. 24-26 weekend to take in one or all parts of the fundraiser. “We do it for everyone in the community,” he said. Duck Creak — Valdy and co — provide music in the orchard at a by-donation evening on Friday night, with the beer garden open and food available to purchase. The Friday night event might be Kopetzki’s favourite of the weekend. “It’s outdoors. It’s warm. Come and check this out.” After the Toy Run itself at 11 a.m. on Saturday, people can enjoy entertaining “bike games” and the beer garden in the afternoon. Then Brad Bompas will be in charge of the “amazing food” for the dinner, before Brent Shindell and his band play for a dance at the institute hall. Wendy Eggertson coordinates the Santa’s Workshop program and stresses the importance of the run’s success. “Santa’s Workshop could not exist without the generous funding from the annual Toy Run. This capable and hardworking group of motorcyclists are the main monetary contributor to Santa’s Workshop every year, giving us the ability to provide for needy Salt Spring families at Christmas.” A complete schedule is at www.saltspringtoyrun.com. Many volunteers make this fundraiser tick. If you’d like to join a fun team and help out with traffic control, set-up, clean-up or anything else, email ssitoyrun@gmail. com. Time commitments are minimal and the rewards are great.
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Best The
gift to the community
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alt Spring Island has a lot of neat stuff kicking around and much of it has been quietly donated to the community for their use without any request for recognition. That’s why this publication regularly contains an entry for “best community gift.” This year we pay tribute to a most fitting addition to the Salt Spring Public Library, a book-shaped coffee table that had belonged to Bert Outerbridge and was donated by his son Jeff in July. “My father was a lover of books and had a large collection,” Jeff Outerbridge told the Driftwood. “In 1994 when he and mom retired they bought a house on Salt Spring. During the course of purchasing furnishings for the house, dad came across the Big Book coffee table and had to have it. He was very fond of it and made a point of showing it to everyone who visited the house. “The Big Book coffee table ended up in storage with many of mom’s furnishings for a number of years. Recently it was uncovered when we removed the last items from storage. We felt that this unique table needed a special home and that the Salt Spring Public Library was that place.” The coffee table book now enjoys a prominent space in the row of comfy chairs located between the nonfiction section and the magazines. “We know that dad would be so pleased to know that his big book was now in its rightful place, surrounded by other books, in the library where others can enjoy it,” Outerbridge concluded.
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Salt Spring Public Library chief librarian Karen Hudson and Jeff Outerbridge with the Big Book coffee table.
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GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
Photo by gail sjuberg
Decorated bike on a Rainbow Road pathway as part of 30thanniversary celebrations in June.
Best The
active transportation anniversary
I
sland Pathways is a small community organization of volunteers with no permanent funding that has managed to create quite a bit of island infrastructure. Celebrating 30 years in action this year, the group held a big birthday party and scavenger hunt in June at the Salt Spring Farmers’ Institute and surrounding pathways. The fun family event was a nice reminder of what can be accomplished given enough commitment and enthusiasm: through volunteer contributions and grant leveraging, Island Pathways has created an estimated $1-million worth of community-owned pathways in the Ganges village area for a cost of just $250,000 to local taxpayers. The group has done much over the past three decades to improve options for people who walk, cycle and use mobility scooters. Working with the Salt Spring Transportation Commission, they recently completed a long-time goal with the Ganges Pathway Network, creating one safe off-road pathway at a time. The group is now looking at how to expand the network to reach other underserved parts of the island outside the Ganges core. While off-road pathways are an important part of the organization’s work, they have also contributed to the knowledge AUGUST 2018 | GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD
base of locals and visitors alike with their cycling and hiking maps (both pocketready and posted on ferries and at island kiosks). Salt Spring Island on Foot, the group’s most recent publication, charts every trail, path and beach walk open to the public with descriptions of length, difficulty and features to note. Island Pathways also has a bike helmet program that brings affordable and properly-fitted gear to school children, and acts as a strong advocate for connecting Salt Spring to regional and national cycling/ pedestrian trail systems. Its members have installed seven hand-built benches and 36 bike racks on the island so far.
Photo by bob mackie
Charles Kahn and Pat Walker, who worked on the new Salt Spring Island on Foot map. 34
Photo by bob mackie
Judy McLennan, left, and Nicola Wheston do the scavenger hunt.
Photo by gail sjuberg
Jean Gelwicks at the mic for anniversary celebrations. THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
Best The
sunflowerS
S Photos by gail sjuberg
From top: Russan Mammoth sunflower in Becca Dekker’s garden; some of many Salt Spring Elementary School sunflowers; an Autumn Beauty variety at Chorus Frog Farm.
THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
35
unflowers have really taken off in popularity in recent years, with all kinds of varieties making their bold presence felt in Salt Spring gardens. When we asked Driftwood Facebook fans for suggestions of “best sunflowers”on the island, they suggested the Salt Spring Elementary School garden, Chorus Frog Farm on Rainbow Road and the corner of Vesuvius Bay Road and the first Mobrae Avenue, where Becca Dekker has fabulous flower and vegetable gardens. (We know where to find the “best lilies” too!) Growing sunflowers is relatively new for Dekker, but they’ve proved practical in addition to being stunningly beautiful. She notes that “bees love them” and that they provide welcome shade for tomatoes and raspberries growing in the same hot garden area. One of her most dramatic varieties is called Russian Mammoth, with huge stalks and flower heads. Over at the Salt Spring Elementary School garden on Rainbow Road, the sunflowers are mostly volunteers from Salt Spring Seeds varieties planted the year before. Firecracker and Autumn Beauty sunflowers, with gorgeous auburn-burgundy colours, are among the plants growing in a practical shade line at Chorus Frog Farm on Rainbow Road. At all three locations, bees were busily working the flowers while photographs were taken for this page. GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
Best The
way to spruce up the island
L
eading up to Earth Day this year, two different clean-up campaigns merged to inspire islanders to take pride in their home and to help clean up the island.
Photo courtesy bob mackie
LVC member Bob MacKie sweeps up on McPhillips Avenue.
Salt Spring’s Chamber of Commerce created a “Local Village Committee” (or LVC) to organize an April 21-22 blitz to breathe some new life into Ganges. As committee member Jeremy Milsom explained, the plan was to do sweeping and cleaning, weeding and gardening, and to add colour with flowers and painting. A dedicated crew of volunteers and business owners got down to business and
The community came out in large numbers for Greening Salt Spring. The full list of people signed on for the clean up is as follows. Others simply took a garbage bag with them on their daily stroll: • Viv Nielsen and son Noel: Vesuvius Bay Road from ferry terminal to Chu An Drive, plus side roads to beach. • Salt Spring Sneakers: Upper Ganges Road from Central to Robinson Road.
AUGUST 2018 | GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD
made a huge difference to Ganges village. The Driftwood’s Greening Salt Spring campaign started on April 4 with an invitation for residents to do their part and clean up a section of road on the island. Awards were given out to Viv Nielsen, for being the first person to sign up, and to the Salt Spring Sneakers running club for most garbage collected.
• Tour Salt Spring: Upper Ganges Road from intersection with Lower Ganges Road to intersection to Mansell Road, continuing on Mansell. • Patrick and Rosamund Dupuy, Caroline Hickman andJordan Soames: Fulford Hall to FulfordGanges Road/Isabella Point Road intersection, and from the bridge over Fulford Creek to Drummond Park plus the beach. • Nick Hunt and Celia Duthie: Churchill Road and part of Long Harbour Road. 36
• Lucy Austin and daughter Bronwyn: Booth Canal Road. • Gail Sjuberg: Cranberry Road from intersection with FulfordGanges to Blackburn Road. • Amber Ogilvie: Channel Ridge Drive and trails. • Bishop Green residents: FulfordGanges Road from SAR building to town. • Lloyd-Jones Family: Park Drive, Lakeside and Kanaka loop. • Bill Goddu: North End Road from Central to Stark. THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
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Photos courtesy lvc clean-up crew
From left: Donated bin for Ganges clean-up; Driftwood’s Elizabeth Nolan (with DW Salty) and award winner Viv Nielsen. • Peter Grove: North End Road from Stark to St. Mary Lake. • Brook Holdack: Charlesworth from Fulford-Ganges to Reid, and both wings of Reid Road. • Gretta Hildebrandt and Adina Hildebrandt: Long Harbour Road between Eagle Ridge Drive and Quebec Drive. • Norgard Family and the Hikebabes: Cusheon Lake Road/ Stewart Road area.
• Jim Beck and Rosalind Wallace: Lower Ganges Road between Blain and Brinkworthy. • Kit Lewis: Atkins Road. • Patricia Calvert and Brinkworthy residents: Lower Ganges Road from Brinkworthy to Central. • Salt Spring Elementary: Ganges Harbour beach cleanup with SS Adventure Co., plus ongoing green initiatives on school grounds.
• Fernwood Elementary School: Fernwood Beach cleanup, school grounds cleanup and roadside on the way to the beach. • Salt Spring Middle School: Annual Earth Week activity cleanup of Ganges Village/ Rainbow Road.
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GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
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some regulars playing every year. Lunches were prepared for anywhere from 35 to 80 people for almost 500 days over the two decades. But the disappointment was short-lived when the group announced by-donation music and socializing would continue in a new form. Tea à Tempo would see the same recital format, but the post-music lunch would be replaced by tea and treats. As explained by Music Makers stalwarts Marjie Radford (in charge of lunches), Lottie Devindisch and Al Robertson at the time, tea and cookies required far fewer volunteers and less energy than making lunch. Tea à Tempo features the same eclectic and varied program of musical styles, from classical to folk to jazz and global sounds, with soloists, duos and bands, all heard approved verbal amber thurs through the beautiful acoustics of the church on Park Drive.aug 09 2:15pm Thanks to Music Makers volunteers and their faithful audiences, island music lovers didn’t have to miss a beat.
hen Music Makers of the Anglican Parish announced in 2016 that their June 1 Music and Munch program would be their last, followed by one grand finale concert the next week, M&M faithful were disappointed. Free or by-donation recitals, followed by a delicious optional lunch, had been taking place at All Saints By-theSea church in Ganges for 20 years. On a weekly schedule in the summer and monthly through the rest of the year, Music and Munch saw 140 different groups perform, with
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From left, Wesley Hardisty, Tobin H. Nilsson and Joanna Lussenburg perform at Tea à Tempo on June 20, 2018. At top, Reeds and Wires members play at the Music & Munch farewell concert on June 8, 2016.
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THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
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eer are hyper-abundant on Salt Spring and often dangerous to drivers, so islanders rarely get too excited about members of the ungulate family. A number of people who happened to come across two elk in the south end this past April were very excited indeed, however, and for good reason — the last time any elk were seen on the island was in the 1950s. The last time elk resided on the island before they were all killed was close to a century before that. Ministry of Environment conservation officers were skeptical of public reports at first, but confirmed that photos taken of the two male animals were in fact Roosevelt elk. The young bulls most likely swam to the island across Sansum Narrows from one of the nearby herds established in the Cowichan Valley. Isabella Point Road resident Derek Melton was one of the lucky people to spot the animals, which seemed to move large distances across the south end over the course of a few days on a trek that included Melton’s garden. “I just happened to be doing some
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wildlife sighting
Photo by derek melton
Roosevelt elk check out Derek Melton’s Isabella Point Road garden in April of 2018. work inside and looked out the window, and couldn’t believe my eyes. They just wandered across the lawn slowly, heading from north to south,” Melton said. It’s not known what happened to the visitors, but the bachelor pair may have headed back to the larger island
after realizing Salt Spring would be a lonely place for them. Roosevelt elk are blue-listed and hunting them on Salt Spring would be illegal, although a limited number of licences are assigned by lottery for the Vancouver Island herds each year.
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GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
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hen it comes to summer swimming holes, there are certain Salt Spring beaches that always see a crowd due to easy drive-up access, the presence of sand and relatively warm waters. Vesuvius Beach is a favourite for ocean sunsets, while the small public beach at St. Mary Lake is favoured by parents of small children. For those who enjoy a less crowded, more serene swim and also enjoy jumping into the ocean after a bit of a walk or hike, there are several special combinations on the island. Near the island’s northernmost tip, the Jack Foster Trail begins at the start of Southey Point Road and takes walkers through the forest for 20 to 30 minutes before reaching the northeast side of the point. The trail offers varied terrain, including a steep ravine in the centre before traversing a small wetland and heading back up to a higher elevation. The end of the trail descends a set of stairs to a sweeping shallow shell beach with views across Trincomali Channel to Wallace, Galiano and Penelakut islands.
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THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
Heading further south around the corner of the main bay, walkers will find an echoing curve just beyond. A stretch of beach with small smooth stones offers a good entry point to the ocean where it’s deep enough to swim immediately. This is a quiet place that people rarely seem to visit. Swimmers can find nearly tropical views of water and islands, with boat traffic in the channel often the only company. At the other end of the island, two settings in the southeast part of Salt Spring offer beautiful walks and equally lovely swimming at the end. The Tsawout First Nation Reserve, accessed at the end of Menhinick Drive where Fulford Harbour opens on its eastern side, has several trail options to explore. (Dogs are not permitted, but respectful members of the public are welcome to visit the uninhabited reserve.) Those looking for a dip afterwards can lounge on a good-sized beach closer to the reserve entrance, or explore tiny pocket coves and rocky outcroppings near the far end. Grandma’s Beach at Ruckle Park is another spot where the journey is matched by the endpoint, each full of delights. Visitors can choose a quick walk from the park entrance near the farm, or park at the campsite for a 20-minute walk that heads south along the water and then west to reach the sheltered white shell beach.
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Photo above by ELIZABETH NOLAN; previous page photos by gail sjuberg
Beach on east side of Southey Point is a perfect reward after a hike. Previous page: Grandma’s Bay in Ruckle Park and part of a trail to get there.
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THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
Photos by GAIL SJUBERG
Clockwise from left: Jungle gym with seaside view; swing set, also with a view; Roy Lee memorial stone; deluxe teeter-totter.
F island life at its best!
THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
or families with young children — whether residents of or visitors to the island — a well-equipped playground is a must for free play. Salt Spring Island has a number of spots where youngsters can climb, swing, slide and run wild, but the best one is also the most out of the way if you don’t live in the south end. Drummond Park in Fulford Harbour really has it all: A mix of spiffy newer jungle gym equipment and classic swings for kids of all ages and wee ones; a 21st-century teeter-totter; trees for shade; and benches for caregivers. But perhaps best of all is the park’s oceanside location on Fulford Harbour. Families can hop from the playground to the beach and back again, take a cooling dip in the water or just enjoy the view. Island life at its best!
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The site is called the Roy Lee Memorial Playground, dedicated to a lifelong islander who was an invaluable member of the Fulford Hall Committee (now called the Fulford Community Hall Association), which owns Drummond Park. Lee died in a logging accident on the island in 1981. FCHA member Brian Finnemore explains that his group leases Drummond Park to the Parks and Recreation Commission for a nominal sum, PARC handles regular maintenance and most bookings for park use, while the FCHA takes care of minor repairs. For a fun way to explore more local playgrounds, see The Great Playground Challenge on the Salt Spring HOP website, a spot to learn about “Family and Child Friendly Happenings on Salt Spring Island.” It’s at www.saltspringhop.com.
GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
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EV population Photo at top by amber ogilvie; photo inset by gail sjuberg
By Jim Standen, Salt Spring EV Registrar
Silver Shadow Taxi’s Chevrolet Bolt, and Salt Spring Tours’ Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid.
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stations to pay for gas. They are, bluntly, much cheaper to operate and astute business owners will appreciate that. We now have two examples on Salt Spring. Silver Shadow Taxi has recently added a Chevrolet Bolt to their fleet. It was displayed at the June 22-24 REVolutionSS show and provided a ride to our MP Elizabeth May from the show to her awaiting Tour Des Îsles boat to Pender. Tour Salt Spring was already a Green Tourism Canadaaccredited business offering a variety of island tours when it added a plug-in Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid to its “fleet.” Owner Jason Griffin can use the Pacifica to run tours with battery power only, and by using solar panels to create electricity, the company can offer tours run on sunshine. Based on the substantial cost savings alone, it just makes good “cents”. Of course, the business image is improved and we all benefit from cleaner air, which is a good thing. I expect many more Salt Spring businesses to jump on this opportunity in the near future.
alt Spring Island has for a long time gained the reputation as the highest density of EV ownership (by population) in North America. We remain unchallenged in this milestone and hope to remain so as vehicles continue to come here at a pace that is increasingly difficult to track. The numbers have always, until recently, been due to individual ownership. But the story is now changing. Owners of fleet or business vehicles are beginning to be aware of the great advantages of deploying EVs as part of their business model. Why? First off, there is the environmental factor. By replacing their internal combustion vehicle with an electric vehicle, and therefore no longer burning gasoline, the company has reduced their GHG emissions and has legitimately “greened” their business. The second reason is the lower operating costs. EVs don’t need oil changes and most parts that require maintenance in an internal combustion engine car no longer exist. And there is the daily impact of no longer joining line-ups at gas
AUGUST 2018 | GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD
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Best way to express gratitude
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eeling grateful and talking about it is one of the lovelier characteristics of island life. We often hear and read about reasons to be thankful, from strangers offering help to someone whose car won’t start in the ferry line-up to the bountiful examples of financial generosity that exist on the island. A “Gratitude Tree”set up next to the wall of the parking lot side of the downtown Pharmasave and just outside of Transitions Thrift Shop is providing another way to express gratitude. Part of an arbutus tree has been secured in a pot and contains paper “leaves” on which people can write what they are grateful for. “I think it is wonderful to watch everyone stop and write a note, ponder and read others. Beautiful!” said Transitions store manager Roberta Temmel. “I don’t know who put it up but I’m grateful for the time taken and thoughtfulness of others in our community to put it up.” Photo by gail sjuberg Behind the tree on the wall, words such as “hear, learn, Gratitude Tree “leaves” with messages written on them. speak, breathe, create” are written.
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GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
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place to have fun while volunteering
e know this will be a controversial one: there are so many places to volunteer on Salt Spring where people have fun while they’re contributing. But volunteers at the Ganges Visitor Info Centre have an edge over other locales because they mostly deal with people on vacation who are in a positive mood to start with. “They come in happy and they leave even happier,” notes Gwen Davies, who has volunteered at the centre for about four years. “Every Wednesday morning I know where I’m going to be.” And what could be more fun than telling eager listeners all about Salt Spring Island? Most often the visitors want directions; sometimes they want recommendations for what to do or where to eat. That’s when volunteers ask about the person’s interests and help them make the most of their stay. Understandably, the question that is probably asked the most is: “Where are the public washrooms?” Then there are the more unusual requests, like one received by 2018 summer student Josephine O’Donnell. “Where can I find the chanting?” She managed to solve the mystery for them. And she adds: “Working here is lovely!” Kim Clarke is also on staff for the summer, but says she enjoys her job so much she may stay on as a volunteer when it’s over. Centre volunteers also enjoy a Christmas party and a summer potluck where they can share stories and celebrate their community service. Note too that the centre is also the spot for newcomers to pick up a “welcome bag” prepared by volunteer Terri Skjaveland, or for residents of all tenures to get information about the island. Visitor info Centre 2018 Steering Committee: • Laura Moore: Volunteer scheduler • Terri Skjaveland: In charge of brochure refreshing and welcome bags • Gwen Davies: Events coordinator • Zeke Blazecka + Connie Wray: Volunteer training coordinators • Lynne Fraser: meeting coordinator
Photo by gail sjuberg
Above, from left, volunteers Sue Savage and Ros Woolley, and summer staffperson Kim Clarke.
Numbers: Visitor Centre 50 ers: • # of Volunte y • 2 shifts per da ys per year • Open 363 da recorded in 00 centre visits ne when • At least 37,0 to count everyo 2017. (It’s hard !) in the summer things get busy d in most requeste • Information 84); Directions (6,1 2017: Maps & ture/ en (4,068); Adv Transportation 87). Recreation (2,2 Photo by gail sjuberg
From left, volunteers Zeke Blazecka, Connie Holmes and Laura Moore. AUGUST 2018 | GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD
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THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
the
PLACE TO FIND WATER CONSERVATION TIPS
Be Water Wise
Use Only What You Need Water is a precious resource and supplies on Salt Spring are much more limited than in other parts of BC. Please join islanders as we work together to ensure that this summer, and every summer, we use this limited resource wisely. Try these conservation tips: • Keep showers short. • Run only full loads in dishwashers and washing machines. • Shut off the tap while brushing teeth, shaving, and washing. • Flush less often. • Inform guests about our island’s limited water supply, and ask them to be part of the solution.
Together we can make a difference
www.northsaltspringwaterworks.ca THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND
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GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD | AUGUST 2018
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WAY TO TRAVEL
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Silver Shadow now chauffeurs their customers in top of the line electric vehicles.
“It is our pleasure to deliver top of the line service to top of the line customers.” “Contributing to the betterment of the health of our community is one of the many bonuses of converting to the electric vehicles,” said owner Dave Sikora.
250.537.3030 AUGUST 2018 | GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD
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THE BEST OF SALT SPRING ISLAND