Issue2009 02

Newsstands $1

Rural

Serving Port Renfrew Jordan River Otter Point East Sooke Songhees Willis Point Malahat Shirley

OBSERVER Celebrating Our Rural Community Lifestyle

Winter Wandering Saving Local History Disaster Relief Through PEP

Cover Photo by John Walls of Shirley

There’s Syrup in Them There Trees

Vol. 6 Issue 1 February 2009

The Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society Mission Statement A group of Juan de Fuca residents formed a non-profit society to launch a news and advertising publication for the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area.

We provide a forum for our rural communities to share news, exchange ideas and develop a sense of community. At the same time the publication gives businesses within and outside the electoral area an opportunity to promote their products and services and reach potential customers. We also hope to make current information about the region and its services available to the many tourists who visit the area each year. Our goal is to protect, preserve and enhance rural life.

The publication will rely on community members to share their interests and points of view through articles, correspondence and photographs.

We welcome articles and letters reflecting the very diverse interests of our member communities and expressing all points of view. The editorial committee reserves the right to edit for brevity, accuracy, clarity and taste. Though every reasonable precaution will be made to verify the accuracy of material submitted, the editorial committee assumes no responsibility for the content of published articles. The responsibility is that of the writers. References and descriptions of products or services are provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied.

We’re online! www.ruralobserver.com If you wish to submit an article for an upcoming issue of the Rural Observer, please email it to: submissions@ruralobserver.com Or mail to: Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society 6790 East Sooke Road, Sooke BC V0S 1N0

2009 MEMBERSHIP This is your opportunity to renew (or start) your 2009 membership in the Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society.

Our fee structure is as follows - you may renew/join at the basic level of $10, become a “Friend” of the Rural Observer for $25, a “Supporter” for $50, or a “Lifetime Member” for only $100.

We recommend the lifetime membership - you won’t need to remember to renew each year! The Rural Observer needs your support to keep it strong, viable and independent. Please make out cheques to the Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society and mail to: J.Schadt, Box #40, Malahat, BC, V0R 2L0

New Board for Rural Observer

Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society 2009 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM

At the recent AGM of the Juan de Fuca Rural Publication Society the following people were elected to the Board for 2009:

Name ____________________________________ Address _______________________________________

Charlotte Senay Terri Alcock June Roots Patricia Sloan John Corsiglia Susan Nelson Merilou Clapper

______________________________________________ Phone ____________ E-mail ______________________ Are you able to help? _____________________________ Return to: JdF Rural Publication Society, J. Schadt, Box #40, Malahat BC V0R 2L0 2

February 2009

Wine Tasting Fundraiser….

Sip, Nibble, Learn and Support! by Vivi Curutchet The Rural Observer is growing. People look forward to reading all the local stories, and businesses look forward to posting ads, but still, some months the numbers do not add up to enough to pay the expenses. We are committed to keeping the prices of advertising low to give the opportunity to local businesses in and outside of the area to promote their products and services. There is no charge for the magazine itself inside the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area and it is freely distributed to various businesses in Sooke and environs. Some of the initial startup costs were covered by a grant in 2004 from the JDF Economic Development Commission, but since then there has been no further grant money received. The paper supports itself through advertising.

Bon

appetite.

Wild Salmon Local Seafood Naturally Raised Meat Products Sommelier Ben Philip, of Stile Wines delighted everybody with his charm and knowledge. The wines were accompanied by a great variety of cheeses donated by the Market on Millstream and exquisite bread by Little Vienna Bakery. It was a lovely sunny day, and around fifty guests came together at the Scotts’ beautiful home to support the Rural Observer, taste and learn about wines and enjoy good conversation.

To complete the afternoon there were Door Prizes! Almost everyone went back home with a beautiful gift. The prize contributors were also among our advertisers: Alice McLean Pottery, Marlene Bowman Pottery, Otter Point Tea Room, Tanya Hair Design, Bombora Gift Shop and Hatley Castle Tours. Some members donated to the event too: Bobbie Metzger, Michael Galizio, Marta and Wally Newberry, Dwight and Connie Adamic, and Merilou and Jack Clapper.

Thank you all so much!

We extend our deepest appreciation to Kathy and Mike Scott, Pat and Stan Warlow and Debbie Needham for donating so generously of their time, energy and resources to our community newspaper. And thanks go out, too, to our readers and friends who attended and made the event a huge success.

2,000+ Certified Organic Grocery Items Island-Raised Poultry Signature market made fresh Bakery & Deli Fare

903 Yates At Quadra 381-6000 7 AM-11 PM 125-2401 C Millstream Road 391-1110 8 AM-11 PM

Photos by Terri Alcock Top: MLA John Horgan and Rural Observer Board Member Charlotte Senay Left: Sommelier Ben Philip of Stile Wines Bottom: East Sooke Resident Peter Charak

The Board of Directors decided to hold a fundraising event that would not only raise money, but also be entertaining, educational and participatory. Kathy Scott, an enthusiastic volunteer, had the idea of a wine tasting event. She brought the inspiration but also took off with it, recruited some more people and organized from zero this amazing “Afternoon of Wine & Cheese” on October 12, 2008, at Kathy and Mike’s home in East Sooke.

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February 2009

MAKING MAPLE SYRUP

an inch) deep. Gently tap the spigots into the holes.

Remember, these spigots will have to be removed later! Attach the pails, and wait for the sap to flow.

Sap should be boiled down daily, or it will become musty.

by Dale Read

The local big leaf maples may be tapped to make maple syrup - just like eastern sugar maples. And what’s more, essentially all the local native maples-the ones with leaves the size of your hand-are ‘big leaf maples’.

Care must be taken when boiling down sap. If the resulting syrup isn’t sufficiently thick, it will spoil when stored. If too thick, a sugar sludge appears.

A hydrometer is useful; the specific gravity of good syrup is about 1.32.

The season for tapping these trees starts Photo by Jack Schmidling about the first of January, and lasts until early in March, when the buds start to swell. The sap flow is intermittent, If you have no hydrometer, buy a small jug of eastern maple but tends to be greater during warm days. syrup. When the syrup you are boiling down seems to be thick enough, test it by pouring out a few drops into a spoon, letting it Some equipment is needed. Included are: an auger with a 7/16 cool, and then adding it to a small volume of store-bought syrup. inch bit, clean plastic pails, stainless steel spigots and a stainless If the added drops stay at the top of the store bought syrup, you steel pot in which to boil down the sap. A spigot extractor is also have more boiling to do. If the added drops go immediately down useful after the season is over. to the bottom, you’ve gone too far. If they diffuse evenly into the larger volume, the specific gravity is about right.

A very good selection of equipment is available from: Watch out for late season sap! When tree buds start to swell, the sap gets an unpleasant flavour. Because of this, don’t mix late season syrup with the rest until you’ve tasted it! With a little care, you can make syrup that is a gourmet’s delight!

Atkinson Maple Syrup Supplies R.R. 1, 2907 Hwy 11 Oro Station, Ontario, L0L 2E0 Phone: (705) 487 333; Fax: (705) 487-0460 www.atkinsonmaple.com

More detailed information is available from a book entitled, Bigleaf Sugaring, available at the Queen’s Printer.

Bore the holes into the tree trunks about two centimetres (almost

Vivi Curutchet

Advertising Sales Ph: (250) 413-7321 Email: advertise@ruralobserver.com

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February 2009

Sooke Region Food CHI Society Update by Kathryn Kusyszyn

www.sookefoodchi.ca awarenessfilmnight@gmail.com

including country markets, community gardens, wild-harvesting information and workshops on all sorts of related topics.

On March 11, the film “Island on the Edge” will be screened at the EMCS theatre. This film is about sustainable agriculture on Vancouver Island, and the film’s producer Nick Versteeg will be in attendance. This screening is by donation and is a joint presentation with Awareness Film Night.

Did you know...

There are 4000 farms on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, and of these about 1000 farms are in the Capital Region.

There are over 10 community and farmers’ markets in Capital Region.

There are 15 community gardens, with about 500 community gardeners in the Greater Victoria area. (Taken from CR-FAIR Newsletter, Issue 1, December 2006)

Membership in Food CHI is by donation and open to the whole community. For more information contact Sheila Wallace, Sooke Region Food CHI Coordinator at 250-642-7906, or smwallace@ shaw.ca. For upcoming events check out the website at www. sookefoodchi.ca

The Sooke Region Food CHI Society (SRFC) evolved as an offshoot of The Community Health Initiative (CHI) nearly two years ago. This non-profit society is committed to pursuing a vision of ‘good, local, affordable food for all’. By harnessing the knowledge, experience and passion of local growers, fishers, chefs, wild-harvesters and interested community members, SRFC coordinates educational, hands-on events so Sooke Region citizens can actively increase the sustainability of the local food supply.

The Farm Forum, Festival and Feast held Oct. 25 at Edward Milne Community School is one recent and successful Food CHI event. With funding support from the District of Sooke and the Juan de Fuca Economic Development Commission, the day provided educational and entertainment opportunities for all ages. The Forum part of the day was a facilitated workshop session with 120 registrants. This session laid the groundwork for a regional agricultural area plan. The Sooke Agricultural Advisory Commission is charged with moving this plan into action. One local producer captured the optimism created by the forum: “It’s the most progressive thing that has happened in our region in ten years”. The Food Festival and Harvest Feast showcased local growers, fishers, producers, chefs, craftspeople and wild harvesters. Increasing knowledge and support of local food producers is vital to their livelihood and to the region’s food security.

Photos by Daniel Chauvin

In 2008, Food CHI sponsored seed saving and healthy food preparation workshops at CASA, fun-filled community garden workdays, inspiring local food potlucks, action-promoting letter writing campaigns and more. This year Food CHI is actively engaged in the creation of a food guide. An evolving document, the Farm and Food Guide, will highlight local resources 5

February 2009

Winter Wandering

During this season the river is temperamental and volatile.

Water levels can go up and down dramatically within hours.

There are places where you can see the debris deposits high up on the cliffs and wonder at this level of reach. It is possible to observe the power of the river safely. You need only follow the well marked trail that parallels the river and not be tempted any closer. Green Canyon, one of the spectacular spots, can be viewed from the old lodge site with its well fenced stairs and balconies. The railings and rock works by the lodge site set off the boiling canyon below.

by Rosemary Jorna

One of my favourite spots for a winter wander is the Sooke Pot Holes Regional Park at the end of Sooke River Rd.

Snow adds its own magic with a tracery of animal tracks.

You can take the trail close to the river, the road itself or the Galloping Goose. Which parking lot to use depends on the weather. On our rare icy days the road to the upper two parking lots is closed, but there is good footing for winter boots and the possibilities of cross country skiing. You can learn more about the park on the CRD Park web site: www.crd.bc.ca/parks/ sookepotholes

This 55 hectare park was acquired by the Land Conservancy (TLC) of British Columbia for the Capital Region in 2005. It is run in partnership of the Capital Region District and the TLC who retains ownership of the old lodge site, the cabin site and the camp ground. Most of us are familiar with it in the summer with its beaches, swimming holes and trails. In winter it’s a different place, changing every day. Responding to the rains of November, the river swells and boils through the canyon.

Spectacular, it deserves respect and should be approached with caution. This December, however, the river was quiet with the water levels nearly at a summer low. A skim of ice formed on quiet pools, the rock faces frosted with ice formations. The river seemed in a unexpected contemplative mood this year.

Rosemary Jorna is Director of Hiking, Juan de Fuca Community Trails Society, www.jdfcommunitytrails.ca

When the rains begin and when this snow melts it will be once again a raging torrent; the canyons white with rushing water.

Daily Walks Backyard Breaks Pet/House-Sitting Pet 1st Aid Vet. Asst. Training

642-4440

www.outboundhounds.com outboundhounds1@hotmail.com

6

February 2009

Changes to Rural Observer Delivery

by Terri Alcock

For those keeping track, this is year five of the Rural Observer, our first issue having been delivered to your mailboxes in September 2004. Now we are moving to a new era with new delivery systems – due to changes in Canada Post regulations. Sometimes it is through adversity or challenge that we become renewed and improved- we can only hope!

Since its inception, the Rural Observer has been classified as a community newspaper and has therefore been delivered not as ad mail but as a ‘legitimate’ newspaper to each and every postal box in the Electoral Area. This has been a tremendous advantage for the paper, for our advertisers and for you, our readers. We have been the only newspaper to provide complete coverage of the JDF. Now, with changes to postal regulations, the paper has been told that because it is not published every month, it is no longer eligible for this classification and therefore will be delivered in the future as ‘ad mail’. This means that approximately 500 people in the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area will no longer see the paper in their mailboxes, as many people concerned about the environment and the excessive amounts of paper used to produce and deliver ads to homeowners (and rightly so) have opted not to have ad mail put into their mailboxes. It is ironic that those very discerning readers are the ones that we will have to work harder to reach.

What do we plan to do to ensure that the Rural Observer is available to all residents of the Electoral Area and beyond? Firstly, we have always had a presence on the internet, with our website, www.ruralobserver.com.

Now we plan to better utilize the site, and post each issue in a more timely fashion, as well as offer additional advertising options to enhance coverage of the area for our advertisers.

Secondly, we currently deliver copies of the Rural Observer to locations throughout the JDF and Sooke. We will beef up distribution so that more copies are available for those who no longer receive delivery. And we will look for other ways to reach our readers, including possibly installing boxes near rural mailboxes so that people can pick it up as they do other publications.

What can you do? Contact the Post Office and tell them that you want to continue to receive the Rural Observer as a community newspaper. Call or write to your MP, Dr. Keith Martin, and ask him to work with Canada Post to get this regulation changed. We are not the only community paper affected and there is no logic to the Post Office dictating how often a newspaper must publish in order to be called a ‘community newspaper’. This regulation causes hardship for small papers like ours, produced by volunteers and financed strictly by advertising.

Thank you for your support over the past five years.

Watch our website for changes and please keep on reading and supporting the Rural Observer.

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February 2009

Calendar of Events for Shirley

Unless otherwise indicated, all events held at the Shirley Community Hall

Shirley Fire Department Practices every Thursday 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Chief Rob Vanveen - 646-2107 Shirley Community Association Annual General Meeting March 11, 2009, 7:30 p.m.

Chuck – 646-2077 Shirley’s Spring Craft Fair March 29, 2009 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Chuck – 646-2077

Saving a Lighthouse – Saving Local History

by Michael Galizio

Working to save the Sheringham Point light station, the public access and the land surrounding the navigational aid has been a long and arduous process. Starting in 2003, the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society has dedicated its members’ collective energy toward those goals. To date there has been quite a bit of progress.

First, however, it must be said that without the work of the hundreds of volunteer members and the legions of supporters in the JDFEA and the CRD, the advancement of the Society’s goals and mission would not have been possible. The support of Erik Lund, former JDFEA Regional Director; Dr. Keith Martin, Member of Parliament; John Horgan, MLA; and the Office of Premier Gordon Campbell has been vital to the many successes of the Society.

A cornerstone of the Society’s work has been the agreement with the adjacent landholder. This was an important part of the puzzle that made up the overall goal of securing the Lighthouse property for a passive park.

The agreement included four strategic provisions: a 3-4 kilometer trail system; protection of 160 acres surrounding the lighthouse property - guaranteed by a “no further subdivision” covenant; a no logging and tree protection covenant; and financial support for the Society.

The completed trail resulted from months of consultation with the Shirley Community and other area groups and individuals. The small parking area at the end of Sheringham Point Road that connects to the trailhead will act as an area for guests who come to use the trail and to walk down to the lighthouse property.

The work continues on all fronts – including collecting an oral history of the Lighthouse, the light keepers and their families; working with all levels of government on securing the land and light station as a passive park; liaising with the T’Sou-ke Chief and Council; and communicating with as many people as possible about the Society.

For more information please go to www.sheringhamlighthouse.org

THE SHIRLEY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION HAS A NEW WEBSITE!!

Visit shirleycommunity.org and you will be able to:

• discover Shirley history • find out about up-coming events at the Shirley Hall, or how to rent the Hall for your own event • learn about membership/ volunteering in the Shirley Community Association • check out the Community Clipboard 8

February 2009

From Shirley to Prospect- Every Dog Shall Have Her Say by Rosemary Metz

At home, and with little warning sometimes, we all had to leave the house because a ‘house showing’ was soon to occur. These persistent events dogged our daily routine. Manic house cleaning always preceded the ‘house showing’.

During the summer of this year, we sold our house in Shirley and moved to Prospect, Nova Scotia where we have family.

While we were in the process of moving, residents from the JDF area demonstrated their awesome sense of community spirit. Neighbours and friends from Shirley showed their bigheartedness by baking for us, inviting us to dinners and offering places to stay during our upheavals. Such camaraderie is not easily forgotten. Our two enthusiastic Labradors, Jasper and Phebe, long since anthropomorphized into four legged human personalities, would also like to thank our neighbours for the excellent baking they tasted whilst their owners’ backs were turned, pre-occupied that they were, with box packing. Dogs Phebe and Jasper want it to be known that they are proud of their perfected technique of lifting items of food from the table with a single sideways swipe of the tongue. They are likewise pleased to have wagged and stolen their ways into our lives. The following is in the form of a letter concerning differing perceptions of object and place, to be read from an imagined canine perspective.

It made no difference to us if fruity scented floor cleaners or straight ammonia were used. It was only cosmetic. Our two legged friends miss a lot when they rely so heavily on sight as a first line of observation. It’s strange how humans, also born with five senses, rely so much on only one. They have even created such things as paintings, where it seems humans deliberately try to confuse themselves. Look at that painting called “The Death of Acteon” by Titian, which concerns a hunting scene where a stag is caught and killed by dogs. The stag, not really a stag, but actually a human called Acteon, has been cursed and transformed when caught watching the goddess Diana having a bath. What’s the point in all that visual stuff? Confusing! As a dog, would this visual nonsense get me out of a jam in the woods? Would I be the hound or the hounded? Why use one sense when you’ve been born with five?

Now that we are in Prospect, those five senses have all had a chance to re-establish themselves. Recent tropical storm season has helped sharpen our instincts as well as our owner’s emergency preparedness. Old Christmas cookie tins from last year that contained earthquake emergency food hidden outside our house in Shirley are now pressed into use for Prospect.

Dear Reader, It is said that Dog is Man’s best friend. I would like to think that the reverse is also true. And, it could be said that our species’ specific needs tend to run on a parallel with humans. For example, dogs like certainty. They like being fed regularly and appreciate a warm dry bed to sleep in. This is very true. Born as working dogs, Labs like us need regular walks as well. And when established certainty shows signs of breaking down, canis familaris are similarly affected. ‘Going to the dogs’ is a description of such a situation used by humans. Whatever happens to a dog’s owners happens to the family mutt in one way or another. This is definitely true.

The Chronicle Herald of Sunday September 5th headlined: “N.S. Bracing for Hanna; the message to Nova Scotians is they should have their 72 hour emergency preparedness kits ready to roll at any point. We all know that it’s hurricane season.” Fortunately, we were not affected.

Another set of newspaper headlines that drew attention as we moved into our house at Prospect was: “Close Encounter of the Weird Kind”. This story concerned a tourist who had spied strange lights in the skies over Prospect and caught them on video. At the local farmers market someone asked if anyone had heard about the UFO sightings. An anonymous voice yelled from beyond the cabbages, “Oh, that must have been the Metz family moving in!” Carve Carne!

Moving home is a good example. We dogs became suspicious that something was about to change in our lives when new scents began infiltrating our living space from late in 2007. This kind of change sneaks up on you slowly - like the sudden appearance of coloured ribbons in the woods where we walked daily. Change was everywhere. We did our best to reinforce our scent around the ribbons to recreate a kind of certainty. Dog is man’s best friend, and we were only helping him to mark his ground.

Our Office is Open to Serve You! 800 Goldstream Avenue Victoria V9B 2X7 (250) 391-2801 john.horgan.mla@leg.bc.ca

John Horgan, MLA Malahat - Juan de Fuca

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February 2009

CONTROVERSY OVER - Lyme Disease Exists On Vancouver Island

treated differently; ranging from no treatment at all through to IV antibiotics and complete excision of the tick. One woman who had the classic ‘bull’s eye’ rash and was quite ill, was taken seriously only on a second visit to the doctor, who hollowly said, “Oh my goodness,” and prescribed a lengthy antibiotic treatment.

by Patricia Sloan

Local health officials have grudgingly accepted the fact that ticks infected with Lyme disease do indeed exist in our area. In fact, it is endemic on parts of Vancouver Island, specifically in the Shawnigan area as well as other southern wooded regions, such as Willis Point, Sooke and Duncan. It is vitally important that we all know this so we can protect ourselves as well as educate our physicians.

What to watch for. What to do.

Ticks, gangsters of the trails, live in the grasses and bushes, hanging out waiting for blood. When a luscious source of plasma comes their way, such as a deer or a dog, or a human with uncovered skin, it’s party time. Hungry ticks are small - about the size of a sesame seed - and painless, and are easily overlooked.

A full tick (full of your blood) can swell to the size of a small grey grape and is fairly obvious unless in your hair. Your cat or dog can transfer ticks to you, but the disease itself is not transmittable from pets. Nor can Lyme be spread from person to person. Ticks will catch on your clothes, hair, socks, etc. when you are out in the bush, which, for most of us, is our back yards.

Prevention measures include full body armour (or so it seems) of long sleeves, socks tucked into boots, no bare skin etc., but that’s a lot to expect from anyone walking down to the Bight in the summer. ‘Deet’, an insect repellent will do fine. Just make sure to thoroughly check yourself and your pets after each walk.

What is Lyme disease? What causes it?

Lyme, a bacterial disease, is transmitted to humans through infected ticks. In our area, we commonly call them “deer ticks”, but the resident species is the Western black-legged tick. It is a relative of the scorpion. When a tick is obvious, recognized and treated, the disease can be easily overcome within weeks by administration of a specific antibiotic. If ignored or not immediately treated, or inadequately treated, the disease will eventually progress to the joints, the heart, and the nervous system, leaving many people permanently and unnecessarily disabled.

Anyone you ask will give you a different method of removing ticks. Oil, matches, heat, pulling out clockwise, pulling out counter-clockwise, Vaseline, ice, etc. (I’ve heard good reports about a yellow plastic tick remover, available at some vets.) The best way is to go to medical services and let them take care of it. If unable to get to a doctor within 24 hours, slowly pull the tick straight out, then save the tick for autopsy. (The tick’s, not yours!) Try not to squish the tick because more toxins will be released. The oil and matches trick will only set you on fire, adding to your troubles.

Throughout North America, diagnosis of this disease has been extremely difficult, and therefore Lyme has been underrated and has become somewhat of a medical controversy. Sufferers have been told they are depressed and are direly in need of psychiatric care; that they have auto-immune chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, arthritis, lupus, irritable bowel, memory loss, myalgic encephalitis, Parkinsons, and other incurable, debilitating and chronic life-altering illnesses; - the ‘black holes’ of medical diagnoses. These are extremely serious conditions.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease First stage (immediate to 3 weeks): fatigue; chills; fever; headache; muscle and joint pain; swollen and sore lymph nodes. The classic “bull’s eye” rash gives you a huge clue. It may appear at the bite site or elsewhere on your body. This is a serious boot in the rear for you to get to medical services ASAP.

Physicians who do acknowledge and treat Lyme disease have been subject to ridicule; researchers have been harassed, threatened, and stalked. A BC physician treating Lyme was investigated by his peers and forced to resign.

You will find that many local physicians and vets still continue to deny the existence of this increasing problem. As mentioned a couple of years ago in these pages, four Willis Point residents had imbedded ticks, and each person was assessed and

Second stage (untreated) will develop and last for several months: central and peripheral nervous system disorders; multiple skin rashes; arthritis; heart palpitations, extreme fatigue and weakness. (For those interested, best-selling author Amy Tan, who wrote The Joy Luck Club, has late stages of Lyme, and her story is scary - just Google ‘amy tan’ then to the heading ‘lyme’. After reading what she has, and is, going through, I know that I will be much more careful.)

Third stage (untreated) can last for years with more severe symptoms.

David Cubberly, retired MLA for Saanich South, has been an advocate for Vancouver Island Lyme disease victims. For information call 250-952-4418.

Walk safe!

10

February 2009

Reflections from Sooke

by Kathryn Kusyszyn

What do you get when you combine ten authors with a mission to inspire young writers during the 150th anniversary of BC? Well, when the group of authors is the Sooke Scribblers, you get Reflections from Sooke, a collection of short pieces and sketches with a local theme.

All of the pieces are noteworthy in that their setting or subject is in this region. For example, the opening piece by Jill Morton is on the Lighthouse which stands at the Sooke Region Museum. And Nancy Bennett’s poems include, The Scots who came to Sooke and Vancouver Island Tsunami 1700. Whether real or imagined, historical or contemporary, each piece has something to offer the reader; a vivid image, a heartfelt emotion, a familiar sounding voice, a catchy rhyme or a surprise ending. All are deeply imbued with a strong sense of place-this place we all call home.

Left to right: Jill Morton, Bill Skuce, Shirley Skidmore, Peter Lee, Nancy Bennett, Kathryn Kusyszyn, Jackie Lamoureau.

Absent: Paulina Pallot, Joe Haverty, Kate Hamer.

Photo by Emily Morton

The Sooke Scribblers is a writing group founded by Shirley Skidmore over seven years ago. Shirley is well-known for her murder mysteries including, Murder on the Galloping Goose and the recently published, Murder at the Sooke Potholes. Reflections is the first collection from the Scribblers in five years. Proceeds from the sale of this book go toward writing prizes for Edward Milne Community School students. Two previous winners of these prizes, Paulina Pallot and Joe Haverty, make their debut in Reflections.

The group meets once a month to exchange bad puns and give feedback on each other’s work. The atmosphere is one of conviviality and support. Whether experienced or novice, whether writing for fun or for work, the group is open to new members. Contact Shirley Skidmore on 642-7350 or shirleysm@shaw.ca for more information. Reflections is available for purchase at: The Reading Room, People’s Drug Mart, South Shore Gallery, The Sooke Region Museum and The Market on Millstream. Kathryn Kusyszyn is a member of the Sooke Scribblers.

* A Warm Relaxed Atmosphere * No Preservatives * No Additives * Saturday Brunch Buffet * Lunch & Breakfast Daily * High Tea by Reservation * Gift Shop

642-1825

6716 Otter Point Road, Sooke www.sooke.org/opbakery

11

February 2009

Common Sense in Land Use Planning

The Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund of West Coast Environmental Law helped us hire a registered professional biologist. She took soil samples in the neighbouring property and observed vegetation types. She concluded the natural boundary of the lake was higher than shown on the registered survey. We couldn’t get any answers, so we eventually filed a complaint with the Association of BC Land Surveyors. Over a year later, they said everything had been done according to rules and regulations, so we had no grounds for complaint. We never did learn how the survey met the definition of natural boundary or met the public interest in safe housing.

by Heather Phillips

Back in 2006, when building permits were issued for the requested sites, people then working in the CRD offices referred to the registered survey and the Sooke Land Use Bylaw which dates from 1992. The Land Use Bylaw doesn’t agree with the Official Community Plan (OCP) that was in effect for Otter Point in 2006.

The OCP recommended a 30 metre horizontal setback from the high water mark on Kemp Lake and had a policy statement prohibiting habitable buildings below the 200 year flood level of a water body when the flood level could be identified. However, the Sooke Land Use Bylaw refers to the natural boundary for set backs and construction levels. The development permit required a setback of 30 metres from the natural boundary.

Tempting to say, “I told you so.” On January 7, 2009, houses at the bottom of Chubb Road beside Kemp Lake were surrounded by water. That evening, we watched news clips of the people being evacuated from their homes. That morning, fellow lookieloos down by the lake were saying, “I could have told them,” and “Why did they let this happen?” As reported in the Rural Observer in the spring of 2006, I was one of four people who actually tried to tell them. Here is an update on what happened.

The JDF staff—not the same as today—said they had to go with the professionals’ opinions. One professional told us the annual high water was ‘flooding’, as if the high water mark would not help determine the natural boundary. Another said ‘top soil’ was taken out so foundations could be poured. We never were confident that the professionals, aka they, actually used soil samples to figure out where the lake bed ended. Wet clay isn’t my idea of top soil.

I asked the Secretary Treasurer of the Association of BC Land Surveyors for advice. He talked to the surveyor who told him a dam of logging debris at its east end caused Kemp Lake to maintain unnatural high levels. Caused by human activity, these high water levels didn’t establish a ‘natural boundary’.

The surveyor used an earlier survey to determine the natural boundary. The Secretary Treasurer phoned back to explain things were okay. We never found a dam. On January 7th, the logs at the east end were floating with water flowing freely under them.

A covenant on the land title specifies a 15 metre set back and a flood construction level 1.5 metres above the natural boundary as shown on the registered survey. Common sense says when you decide on a house site, work from an identified flood level, especially if your lake doesn’t agree with your survey on where its natural boundary is. The covenant also says if there is flooding or erosion, the property owners won’t claim damages from the Province or Capital Regional District.

The moral of this story is if bylaws prevail over common sense, then we need all you people with common sense to help put some in our new bylaws. When developers depend on professional opinions and insist on the letter of the law, it does not always protect our community. The lookie-loos were right: the houses should not have been built there. Now we need to talk about the future.

Photos by Rosemary Jorna

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February 2009

ntp_rural.pdf

7/25/08

9:06:32 AM

Court Decision To Be Appealed

by Kelsey Singbeil

A taste of

Another chapter was added to the Tree Farm Licence deletion story on January 7, 2009.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

On December 23, 2008, the BC Supreme Court ruled to strike down the Juan de Fuca Land Use Committee, and in doing so, ruled zoning bylaws for Shirley/Jordan River and Otter Point invalid. The court decision found that the process through which the bylaws were approved was flawed, not the bylaws themselves. But, on January 7, the Capital Regional District(CRD) committed to appeal the court ruling.

in the heart of Sooke, BC

On October 15 and 16, 2008, Western Forest Products and members of the Association of BC Landowners challenged the process by which the CRD implemented progressive zoning on forest lands in the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area (JDFEA).

“The CRD passed the bylaws in response to the release of 28,000 hectares of land from Tree Farm Licences 6, 19 and 25 on Vancouver Island by the Minister of Forests,” says a CRD media release on the appeal.

Under the old bylaws, Western Forest Products only had until April 23rd, 2009 to have their subdivision development applications approved. The December 23, 2008 Supreme Court decision to quash the new bylaws extends that period indefinitely.

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The CRD’s appeal has the potential to slow Western Forest Products’ development plans for the area, and give local communities much-needed time to complete community planning. In addition, the CRD’s request for a stay of proceedings would keep the new bylaws in place until the appeal process is completed.

zoning authority in an appropriate and orderly manner if and when private land deletions occur.

“By failing to consult with local government and community stakeholders, former Minister Coleman landed the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area in a planning nightmare as Official Community Plans, Park Plans, the Regional Growth Strategy and governance issues were in various stages of development.

The CRD’s bylaws were aimed at slowing proposed subdivision developments along the coast, and the court case highlights the need for more community consultation around planning in the region,” says Otter Point resident, Rosemary Jorna. “We need the space for this area and all the communities hit by the release of the TFLs to revisit planning documents and for local governments to initiate inventories of their regions to look at sensitive ecologies, watersheds and future potential for agriculture, parkland, trails and green space. I hope that the CRD’s appeal of the court case will give us that space.”

Dogwood supporters are asking Premier Gordon Campbell and Provincial Cabinet members to fix the WFP TFL land use issues in the JDFEA and step up to protect the public interest. The WFP lands removed from the Tree Farm Licences in the JDF should be preserved as forest resource lands and not be developed.

This latest court case is again evidence that local communities and local and regional governments were not consulted and have been forced into a very difficult situation. Kelsey Singbeil is Outreach Coordinator for the Dogwood Initiative.

Since the 2007 announcement of TFL deletions in the Electoral Area, local communities, recreation-users, surfers, environmentalists and a huge number of concerned citizens have been working to preserve the wild nature of the JDF and protect the west coast from large-scale development.

The Ministry of Forests had previously stated that it is committed to working with the Ministries of Community Development, Agriculture and Lands, and Transportation and Infrastructure to ensure local governments are better positioned to exercise their 13

February 2009

Liquid Shovel

closed due to floods, slides, downed trees; the usual mishmash around here.

by Ted Mehler, Port Renfrew

I have been up since 0530 hours doing river watch to see if the storm brought too much, or much too much. My guess now is somewhat in between, but definitely more than I ordered. And much wider spread than my driveway. Other people perhaps will not appreciate my generosity in ordering such a fine present, nor the spirit in which it was ordered.

I learned a lesson: Before enlightenment, chop wood.

After enlightenment, chop wood - but put on your rain gear when you get a surplus of riches.

So I chopped firewood in the rain, stacked it in the shed to dry for next winter’s storms, so I can throw another log on the fire, sip tea and snuggle.

But now I gotta run, do another check before dark, and see how the swans, geese, and Great Blue Heron I saw at the 0800 hours patrol are doing.

I can’t get out of Renfrew to the island of Shirley because the road is closed for many imperfections in the running surface and ditches and bridges due to a major winter rainfall. After much snow that overstayed its welcome, got too soggy to snowshoe in, too heavy to shovel, I ordered some rain (liquid shovel) from my weather radio self-serve store.

Stay dry, summer is coming and you can complain about the lack of rain then.

PS Sid, I have carried the snowshoes about 2500 kms up and down the West Coast road looking for suitable snow. Was it available only the day before you lent them to me?

I thought I’d order up some for Neah Bay, Washington, our neighbour to the south as we are in their rain shadow, or maybe it is Victoria that receives less rain on the north side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Surfers delight in a storm at the west entrance as that brings appropriate waves to Gordon River, Sombrio Beach and on down to Jordon River. Perhaps I overwished as roads are

PPS By the way, the weather did get worse, the consequences greater and the amount of time and money to repair the damages to the roads will be extensive. Next year I will go snowshoeing on the first available snowfall which is appropriate, as it seems there is only one snowfall a year here on the island for snowshoeing.

Today I saw a determined surfer pedaling his mountain bike carrying his surfboard in his hand heading for Sombrio, with at least another 6km to go besides how many he already pedalled. All that to save a 5 hour drive the long way around. Whoops, the sun is coming out, time to go chop wood.

The road may be open for one lane traffic Jan 12th or 13th. Work is being done now. Engineering decisions have to be made to decide the full extent of the work to be done.

That determines how long it all will take. Repaving to be done in the better spring weather.

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February 2009

Disaster Financial Assistance In Juan de Fuca Electoral Area

by G. A. OBriain, Emergency Coordinator for Juan de Fuca Emergency Program

We have just come through a wicked rainstorm that has taken a serious toll on the communities of Jordan River, Shirley and Otter Point. Some damage was also experienced in East Sooke and Port Renfrew. This Provincial Program applies to all of the Juan de Fuca EA, and those impacted by a disaster may apply to the Province for Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) where the losses could not be insured or where other programs are not available. Disaster financial assistance helps to replace or restore essential items and property that have been destroyed or damaged to pre-disaster condition.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!

The Juan de Fuca Emergency Program has an urgent need for the following personnel:

Director of Training - Oversees all group and individual training for Program personnel.

Assistance is available to qualifying home owners, residential tenants, small businesses, farm operators, and not-for-profit charitable organizations. Applicants should be aware of the following:

Director of Volunteers - Coordinates processing, records and data for Program volunteers.

Emergency Operations Centre requires volunteers to man the EOC during an emergency for the Operations Desk and the Logistics Desk.

􀂾 Financial assistance is provided for each accepted claim at 80 percent of the amount of total eligible damage that exceeds $1,000, to a maximum limit of $300,000. 􀂾 Claims may be made in more than one category (e.g., home owner and farm operation).

The Juan de Fuca Program provides training for the appropriate positions. The time commitment is approximately two evenings a week.

􀂾 A home owner or residential tenant must show that the home is their principal residence. Seasonal or recreational properties, hot tubs, patios, pools, garden tools, landscaping, luxury items (like jewelry, fur coats and collectibles), are recreational items (like boats), are not eligible for assistance.

Please forward by letter, your name and contact information to: Juan de Fuca Emergency Program 2-6868 West Coast Road PO Box 283, Sooke, BC V9Z 0S9

􀂾 Small business and farm owners must demonstrate it is their primary source of income. Owners of damaged rental property must apply and qualify as a small business. 􀂾 Not-for-profit Charitable Organizations must provide a benefit of service to the community at large. 􀂾 Applications for DFA must be submitted to the Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) within 90 days of the date that DFA was authorized.

Assistance is also available to local governments for: 􀂾 Emergency response measures authorized by PEP, including incremental costs associated with their Emergency Operations Centre. Financial assistance is provided for each accepted response claim at 100 percent. 􀂾 Recovery measure to replace essential materials and rebuild or replace essential public infrastructures to the condition it was in before the disaster. Assistance is provided for each accepted recovery claim at 80 percent of the amount of total eligible damage that exceeds $1,000.

Road Washout at Denewood Place in Shirley Photo by Dominique Bernardet

To apply for DFA, the form and information for individuals and communities is available at the PEP Regional Offices, PEP Recovery Office in Victoria at the toll-free telephone of 1-888-257-4777, or on the PEP website at www.pep.bc.ca.

There is financial assistance available when there are individual cases of extreme financial hardship from the Red Cross.

See their website: www.redcross.ca . The Red Cross have individual household clean-up kits available through Juan de Fuca Emergency Social Services Director. The Director may be reached at 250.883.0610 or by email at jdfess@telus.net .

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February 2009

Rural RECIPE The following recipe was submitted by Pia Carroll of the EMCS Culinary Arts Dept. with this attached note: “This is a recipe I made up quite a few years ago and one you will love to make and eat! (It freezes very well) The yams give this soup a lovely flavour, however squash may be substituted.

From the desk of John Horgan, MLA Malahat - Juan de Fuca Time for the Provincial Government to Work with Rural Areas Another year has passed and a new one has dawned with both significant challenges and opportunities. Two issues of primary importance to us all are the state of the economy and how we govern ourselves.

The Christmas season was complicated by the vagaries of the weather and the messy road conditions. The shopping season is one that I enjoy more for the people I meet than the consumption.

It was a brief chat with a staffer at one of my shopping stops that brought into focus the early effects of the current global economic meltdown. She was in her late fifties, working in the retail sector waiting for her husband to retire before starting the next chapter in their lives. Her perspective on the end of 2008 and the beginning of an uncertain new year is shared by many people in our area.

Ingredients:

Cooking Oil 125 ml Onions (diced) 1000 gr.

Yams (peeled and sliced into rings) 2350 gr.

Carrots (diced) 400 gr.

Vegetable Stock 5 litres Tomatoes 2-28 oz cans Peanut Butter 1/3 cup Garlic 56 gr.

Parsley 1 bunch Hot sauce 2 Tbsp.

Fresh Ginger 2 Tbsp.

Cumin 1 ½ Tbsp.

Curry Powder 2 Tbsp.

Salt & Pepper 1 tsp. or to taste

Method:

1. Sauté onions in oil until softened in a large pot.

2. Add sliced yams and carrots and cover with vegetable stock.

3. Add tomatoes, garlic and remaining seasonings.

4. Bring soup to a gentle boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer.

5. Let cook for about 45 minutes (or more) as this helps to soften and cook through the vegetables and develops a wonderful flavour!

6. Taste and alter seasoning to your taste buds.

We all assume extraordinary times require extraordinary measures, but all we get from our leaders is the same old rhetoric. A tune that seems increasingly off-key. If we are on the cusp of a climate catastrophe as many contend, then isn’t an unprecedented economic downturn the perfect time to completely change the way the economy works and how we act locally? People sense that change is coming, but is this generation the one to make the shift to a sustainable economy and put the brakes on the growth monster?

The debate on how we govern ourselves here at home will be crucial to the future livability of the Capital Regional District.

Amalgamation studies are well advanced in Metchosin and East Sooke. The second phase of the analysis will help residents understand if amalgamation is the right course for them. The future of the WFP lands and how proposed development will proceed has again been altered. At the end of December, the

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African Yam Soup

The savings she had expected to be there to serve as the financial foundation for the rest of her life are in doubt. Her children, now adults with young families and new obligations, are less sure that the near future would look anything at all like the recent past. Big unknowns make predictions worthless and comfort difficult to find.

What will the money markets do? Will President Obama come even close to our high expectations? Those are the big questions that we here on Southern Vancouver Island have very little control over.

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February 2009

Supreme Court struck down bylaws that were intended to ensure growth in the unincorporated areas of the CRD was driven by community planning and public input. The CRD has made a decision to appeal this ruling and also intends to ask for a stay of proceedings while the appeal is heard.

The resulting uncertainty respecting land use compounds the economic turmoil for our region. What is now required is a concerted effort by the CRD and the Province to restore certainty and facilitate proper planning for future growth and development. It is more important now than ever that the Provincial government engage with the CRD, our area director, First Nations and our rural communities to prepare a plan that supports the vision of the majority of residents and large landowners alike.

The WFP issue has been before us for almost two years and in that time the Provincial government has adopted a hands-off approach claiming that local government is responsible for development planning.

That is as it should be, but the local government needs significant financial and human resources to do the job in the public interest. The Province must first acknowledge the mistakes of the past 24 months and then commit to resolving the problems, not with rhetoric, but with resources. Rural British Columbians deserve the same support as those in urban centres.

The Province failed the rural residents of the CRD, and now is the time to correct that error.

No matter where you stand, the next number of months will be crucial to re-establishing the land use maps for the rural parts of the CRD. I encourage residents to participate to the greatest extent possible to ensure you have a say in the future of our region. The challenge is also an opportunity. Working together, in good faith, we can get where we all want to be.

Erosion of West Coast and Anderson Roads at the site of the Arden Gravel Operation Photos by Dominique Bernardet

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OPEN DAILY TILL

CLOSED 3UNDAYS AND (OLIDAYS %USTACE 2OAD

17

February 2009

On Our Cover

From Juan de Fuca Regional Director Mike Hicks Happy New Year! The Rural Observer staff has offered me the chance to continue the JDF Director’s report. I, of course, am jumping at the opportunity to use the Rural Observer to communicate news, progress, wins and losses in my new job representing the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area.

First, let me congratulate Ute Schnarr on her terrific campaign.

It was rough and tumble at times but always respectful between Ute and myself. I wish Ute all the best and I look forward to tapping her knowledge over the next three years.

Shirley resident John Walls captured this image from his kayak near Sheringham Point Lighthouse.

For the past three weeks since my swearing-in as Regional Director, I have met with the different tiers of the CRD staff, learned how to use a blackberry and tried to tackle some individual problems of constituents. We have a full slate of LUC and APC committee members with the exception of the Malahat. Resident Darren Wright has volunteered to be the LUC member, but it would be terrific to find five residents for the Malahat APC. Please contact me if you are available for a meeting in the Malahat if land issues come about.

My month of January will involve many meetings with various committees, a major CRD Board meeting discussing the ramifications of the BC Land Owners/WFP court case, and the day to day dealings including the design of a fire hall in Port Renfrew. Our local CRD staff are looking forward to serving our constituents and using their expertise to help in any way possible.

I can be reached at 250-642-1500 extension 207 or through my e-mail directorjdf@crd.bc.ca . E-mail is the best method to reach me. The next month let alone the next three years will be very challenging. I am up to the task and will do my very best to be fair and consistent. Thank you for supporting me and I hope we can work together to keep improving our way of life in the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area.

All the Best Mike Hicks

Vivi Curutchet

Advertising Sales Ph: (250) 413-7321 Email: advertise@ruralobserver.com

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February 2009

Alice McLean Pottery p.4 642-3522

Marlene Bowman - Seagirt Pottery p.17 642-7620

Candlelight & Wine Creations p.5 478-4822

Numa Farms - p.16 474-0006

Cindy’s Serenity Salon & Spa p.4 642-3758

Nut Pop Thai Restaurant p.13 642-5911

Dr. Keith Martin, M.P. p.7

Otter Point Tea Room & Bakery p.11 642-1825

474-6505

East Sooke Counselling p.4 642-4074

Outbound Hounds p.6 642-4440

Felix Irwin - Chartered Accountant p.8 642-5277

Peoples Drug Mart p.19 642-2226

Food CHI - p.5

Pure Elements Hair Design & Bodyworks p.18 642-6452

Fotoprint p.2 382-8218

Rural Observer - Vivi Curutchet - Advertising pp.4, 18 413-7321

Force of Nature Landscaping p.17 642-6920

Salts Organic Clothing p.9

Holmes Cleaning Services p.6 642-2648

Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Soc. p.20 646-2528

Hugh Gregory Fine Painting p.11 480-8295

Sooke Harbour House p.7 642-3421

JdF Emergency Program pp.10, 15 642-2266

Sooke Veterinary Hospital p. 11

JdF Ground Search and Rescue p.13 642-1085

The Market on Millstream p.3. 391-1110

John Horgan - Malahat Juan de Fuca MLA p.9 391-2801

The Stick In The Mud Coffee House p.17 642-5635

Juan de Fuca Veterinary Clinic p.18 478-0422

Victoria Alarm Service p.18 721-0266

Markus’ Wharfside Restaurant p.12

WorkLink p.7 642-3685

642-3596

642-4413

Please help the Rural Observer by supporting our advertisers. When you use their services, tell them you found them in the Rural Observer!

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February 2009

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February 2009