Powell River Peak VOL 25 January 10 by The Peak

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Friday.January 10.2020

Vol.25 No.12

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Fighter brings home amateur lightweight belt Raphaël Ouellet battled a cold as well as his opponent to win VANESSA BJERRESKOV Peak contributor

A cold was not going to stop Raphaël Ouellet from going to Rise V in Chilliwack at the end of November to face opponent Damon Marlow in a tie-breaking fight, but it did change his strategy. “If I sign a contract, I’m going to be there, no matter of sickness or injury,” said Ouellet. “But when you’re sick, that affects your cardio, and a title fight is five rounds instead of three, so I knew I had to finish it quickly.” Ouellet won the fight by arm bar submission in the second round, claiming the Rise amateur lightweight belt for fighters between 145 and 155 pounds. He had faced Marlow twice before, and each fighter had a win heading into the third match. “We first met at Rise II in Chilliwack last November, where he won by kind of a controversial decision,” said Ouellet. “I won by split decision when we met again at Extreme Fighting Challenge in Vernon at the end of August, so this fight was the end of the trilogy for us. I have lots of respect for Damon; he’s a cool guy. When you fight someone three times, you feel like you know them.” Ouellet has a long background in martial arts. “I’ve been doing karate since I was three,” said Ouellet. “Later on, my brother Nic and

I got into boxing and kickboxing, then we progressed to grappling and Brazilian jiu jitsu. Jiu jitsu really took over, because we saw a big hole in our skills. “We went into the discipline thinking we’d clean up because we were blackbelts, and these girls completely wiped the floor with us because they were grapplers and we weren’t,” he added with a laugh. Ouellet plans to turn professional in mixed martial arts eventually, and the belt win is a big part of building his fighting resume. “Mixed martial arts has only been around for 25 years or so, so it’s a young sport,” he said. “Now is the peak time to become an athlete, and I think my brother and I can make a big splash in it. We’re both lightweights, we both have amateur belts, and we’re getting better and better all the time.” Born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Ouellet moved to Powell River when he was three. He attended École Cote Du Soleil and Brooks Secondary School, graduating in 2016. He and his brother Nicolas run Powell River Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, where residents can learn the finer points of grappling. “We have a great program, and I love teaching,” said Ouellet. “We have a really good environment, where everyone wants to help each other. There’s competitive spirit there, but only when it’s an appropriate time.” Ouellet will defend his belt in mid to late 2020, although he wants to take part in some jiu jitsu competitions first. “It’s been too long,” he said, “and I want to do some more training before I fight again. In mixed martial arts, four competitions in just over a year is a lot.” $479,000 STARTER HOME

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BELT WINNER: Powell River mixed martial arts fighter Raphaël Ouellet [right] came away from Rise V in Chilliwack with the belt for amateur lightweight champion after submitting opponent Damon Marlow. Ouellet will have to defend his title in 2020. ALEX PARMAR/CREATORS OF COMBAT PHOTO

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2 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

Median assessments rise in region Property notices reflect increase over 2018 PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

Most owners of properties in the Powell River region have received their 2020 assessment notices, which reflect market value as of July 1, 2019. According to BC Assessment, in City of Powell River, a typical assessed value, or median assessed value, has increased $10,000 from July 1, 2018, to July 1, 2019. In 2018, the median value was $327,000, which grew to $337,000 in 2019, for a three per cent increase. In qathet Regional District, the median value has increased $20,000, for an eight per cent increase, year over year. On July 1, 2018, the median value was $257,000, rising to $277,000 for the July 1, 2019 period. “The market has stabilized in most areas of Vancouver Island this year,” said Vancouver Island

assessor Tina Ireland. Powell River is part of the Vancouver Island region. “In the south part of Vancouver Island, the majority of residential property values are moving minus five to plus five per cent, while upisland the value increases are a little higher,” said Ireland. “The commercial and industrial markets are generally showing increases over last year’s assessments.” BC Assessment collects, monitors and analyzes property data throughout the year. Overall, Vancouver Island’s total assessments increased from about $246 billion in the 2019 assessments to $255 billion this year. A total of almost $4.14 billion of the region’s updated assessments is from new construction, subdivisions and rezoning of properties. BC Assessment’s Vancouver Island region includes all communities located within Greater Victoria, South Island, Central Island, North Island, West Coast, Northern and Southern Gulf Islands and Powell River. BC Assessment's website at bcassessment.ca includes more details about 2020 assessments, property

information and trends such as lists of 2020’s top valued residential properties across the province. This year’s assessments are already posted online. The website also provides selfservice access to a free, online property assessment search service that allows anyone to search, check and compare 2020 property assessments for anywhere in the province. Property owners can unlock additional property search features by registering for a free BC Assessment custom account to check a property’s 10-year value history, store/access favourites, create comparisons, monitor neighbourhood sales, and use the interactive map, said Ireland. “You get something that looks a lot like your assessment notice,” she said. “There’s even more information if people take a moment or two to create an account with BC Assessment.” New for 2020, the website is fully mobile-friendly. “Property owners can find a lot of valuable information on our website, including answers to many assessment-related questions, but those who feel that their property

assessment does not reflect market value as of July 1, 2019, or see incorrect information on their notice should contact BC Assessment as indicated on their notice as soon as possible in January,” said Ireland. “If a property owner is still concerned about their assessment after speaking to one of our appraisers, they may submit a notice of complaint (appeal) by January 31, for an independent review by a property assessment review panel.” The property assessment review panels, independent of BC Assessment, are appointed annually by the ministry of municipal affairs and housing, and

typically meet between February 1 and March 15 to hear formal complaints. “It is important to understand that changes in property assessments do not automatically translate into a corresponding change in property taxes,” said Ireland. “As indicated on your assessment notice, how your assessment changes relative to the average change in your community is what may affect your property taxes.” Property owners can contact BC Assessment toll-free at 1.866.825.8322) or online at bcassessment.ca. During the month of January, office hours are 8:30 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday.

Council considers development cost charge bylaw PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

City of Powell River Council has given first reading to its development cost charge bylaw and will be sending it to the inspector of municipalities for review. At the December 19 council meeting, councillors considered the bylaw to impose

development cost charges for the capital cost of providing, altering or expanding infrastructure and parkland improvements. Councillor George Doubt said the revision of the development cost charge bylaw has become necessary because of new development in the community. He said there has been consid-

erable consultation with the development and real estate community within the city to make sure the changes are appropriate. Doubt said the levels of the development cost charges before council were significantly lower than the first proposal that came to council because of those consultations.

Call for Interest: Member of Economic Development Commi�ee

in relation to the capital cost of prevailing standards of service; will not deter development in the city; will not discourage construction of reasonably priced housing or the provision of reasonably priced serviced land; will not discourage development or redevelopment of commercial or industrial properties that would otherwise provide employment and economic diversity and stability in the city. The development cost charge bylaw was last updated 10 years ago. According to the proposed new bylaw,

the development cost charge for a single-family home would be $10,159, including $4,205 for sanitary sewer, $393 for water, $751 for drainage, $4,080 for roads and $730 for park improvement. This is up from $7,598 in the previous bylaw. Townhouses and duplexes would increase from $5,197 to $7,211 and apartments, condos and trailers would rise from $4,022 to $5,417. Commercial, institutional and industrial development cost charges would be assessed on a per square metre basis.

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The Economic Development Commi�ee plays an important role in the economic development of the Tla’amin Na�on. Being a member of the commi�ee is not expected to be a significant �me commitment. Mee�ngs are typically held four to six �mes per year. Members of the commi�ee will be provided honoraria for their �me, along with reimbursement of reasonable expenses. The mandate of the Economic Development Commi�ee is to provide informa�on to assist the Execu�ve Council in fulfilling its oversight responsibili�es for economic development and repor�ng to the Legisla�ve Assembly on economic development ac�vi�es of the Tla'amin Na�on. In accordance with the Tla’amin Economic Development Law, the Tla’amin Na�on is seeking interested individuals to sit on the commi�ee. The law requires that these members must have: (i) a degree from a post-secondary ins�tu�on, OR (ii) a professional designa�on, OR (iii) a minimum of five years of relevant experience, as determined by the Legisla�ve Assembly How do I apply? Please submit an applica�on by Friday, January 24, 2020 at 4 pm to Rod Allan, CAO, Tla’amin Na�on at rod.allan@tn-bc.ca or at the Tla’amin Na�on office – 4779 Klahanie Road. Please include the following: (a) A cover le�er that explains why you think you would be a good candidate (b) Your resumé Selected candidates must undergo a sa�sfactory criminal record check, at the Na�on’s cost. If you have any ques�ons, please contact Losa Luaifoa, execu�ve assistant, at 604.483.9646, extension 124 or losa.luaifoa@tn-bc.ca Thank you for your interest.

“I’m in favour of the bylaw,” he said. According to the proposed bylaw, development cost charges may be imposed for the purpose of providing funds to assist the city in paying the capital cost of providing, constructing, altering or expanding roads, storm, sewage and water infrastructure, and improving parkland in order to service, directly or indirectly, the development in respect of which the changes are imposed. The bylaw further states that the charges imposed by this bylaw: Are not excessive

604.413.3035• dez@royallepage.ca @DezSells 4766 Joyce Avenue • 604.485.4231 • royallepagepowellriver.com

3 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

NEWS »

City will review fees for use of electric vehicle charging stations Council to consider charges between one and $2 per hour PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

City of Powell River Council will consider charging fees to use city-owned electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. At the committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday, December 17, Ana Lukyanova, the city’s sustainability planner, provided a report into the prospect of charging an hourly fee to use the charging stations. Lukyanova said there are seven city-owned, level-two EV charging stations at city hall, the north boat harbour, Powell River Public Library and Powell River Recreation Complex. All stations currently operate free of charge, she added. BC Hydro has also installed a level-three fast charger at the north harbour parking lot, which is one level up in terms of power over the level two; the latter charges

EVs in about 40 minutes. Lukyanova said BC Hydro is covering the cost of power at that station and the city is seeing increased use of EV charging stations every year. “The usage has been more than doubling every year,” said Lukyanova. “In fact, for 2019, the data is for until the end of October, and probably by the end of the year, the number of users will more than triple over 2018.” She said looking at how much the stations are used, based on 2019 data, the average is four and a half hours a day. One thing noticed when examining the data is that 30 per cent of the time, vehicles are plugged in but they are not charging. Lukyanova said this means people are using the library or recreation complex and the cars are fully charged but remain plugged in, limiting access to charging for other users. “They are not moving away from the parking spot and allowing other users to come in,” she added. She said there have been conversations with the EV charging station provider, a company called FLO, and the company’s suggestion

was to introduce an hourly charge to incentivize users to only use the station for as long as owners need to charge their vehicles. Lukyanova said the proposal was for fees, if collected, to go to general revenues and the climate action reserve fund. She said fees that cover electricity costs could go to general revenues and the remainder could go to the climate action reserve to fund new EV infrastructure going forward. Lukyanova said there are two options for fees. Option A is for $1 per hour for charging and option B is for $2 per hour. She said that is within the range of what is seen nationally. A dollar per hour is at the lower end and $2 per hour is at the higher end. Lukyanova said the report to the committee of the whole was coming from the climate change mitigation and adaptation committee, which is recommending the $2 per hour fee. The average charging session is two hours, which would translate to a $4 fee for the users. The $1 per hour fee would cover electricity costs for the city but may not be sub-

PROSPECTIVE CHARGE: Charging at city-owned electric vehicle stations is currently free but city council will consider charging an hourly fee for use of the stations. PAUL GALINSKI PHOTO

stantial enough to discourage leaving vehicles plugged in without charging. The lower rate does not generate enough revenue to help the city expand the EV charging infrastructure. Lukyanova said the $2 per hour fee is still low enough to keep charging affordable and will cover the costs for the city. The more substantial fee is more likely to discourage users from leaving their cars plugged in without charging, she said. It would also provide a small revenue stream to help expand EV charging stations in the future.

Option B would have resulted in $7,411 in revenue in the first 10 months of 2019, with $1,519 of that going to electricity costs. That would have provided revenue of $5,892. Under option A, electricity costs would remain the same, with revenue of $2,186. City councillor CaroleAnn Leishman said the presentation provided a good breakdown of the options. She said she had spoken with EV users and nobody was opposed to the $2 fee. “Most people thought the $2 an hour fee was fair and

would help contribute to the building of more infrastructure,” said Leishman. “Electric vehicles owners are not buying them because the city has free charging. It has been a bonus for them and the reason we did that in the beginning was to encourage people to buy electric vehicles. “I would be totally in favour of $2 an hour because that actually puts a little more incentive into getting off the charger.” Committee of the whole gave unanimous consent to send the matter to city council for consideration.

Council approves fire department grant application Equipment and software would help firefighters with their training PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

A grant application for Powell River Fire Rescue is designed to assist the fire department in training its members. At the City of Powell River Council meeting on Thursday, July 19, councillors supported a grant application, for up to $25,000, to assist the fire department in leadership and

command training. At the Tuesday, December 17, committee of the whole meeting, in introducing the initiative to councillors, city chief administrative officer Russell Brewer said the report from Powell River Fire Rescue he was outlining was seeking city council’s support for a grant application and providing overall grant management. Powell River Fire Rescue wanted to apply for a Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) $25,000 grant through the UBCM’s community emergency preparedness fund. “Powell River Fire Rescue has established incident command training as a priority for all career firefighters and auxiliary officers,”

said Brewer. He said Powell River does not have a purpose-built facility here, so the virtual training equipment option would allow firefighters to train in Powell River and help improve incident command training. Brewer said the UBCM grant was 100 per cent funding, so there was no need for matching funds on the city’s behalf. “If council is supportive, the recommendation before you would go to UBCM and we’ll find out in the new year if we’re successful,” he added. Brewer said he understands that the grant would cover equipment and software. Councillor George Doubt said the virtual training tool sounds like an interesting

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idea, with software and hardware supplied. He wondered if there were any protocols in place for sharing the tools with various volunteer departments in the region. Councillor Maggie Hathaway said they all train together. Deputy fire chief Rocky Swanson, in a report to council, stated that although not a replacement for hands-on training, the proposed virtual reality system will simulate environments firefighters may encounter. “This grant application provides an opportunity to procure a piece of training equipment that would not otherwise be possible within existing operating budgets,” stated Swanson.

4 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

Comparing communities for tax purposes difficult, says city CFO Adam Langenmaier looks at comparisons to other cities PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

When it comes to comparing municipal taxation to other cities, there is no simple formula, according to City of Powell River chief financial officer Adam Langenmaier. Speaking at a recent finance committee meeting, Langenmaier provided a report on comparable communities for financial planning. Langenmaier said the question always comes from council: who are we comparable to? He said he decided to investigate that question. Langenmaier said he wanted to give the finance committee and council some information that would be useful when they are questioned by taxpayers about comparisons between Powell River and taxation in other communities. Langenmaier said the basic starting point was population. There are 162 municipalities in BC, according to Langenmaier. Powell River is ranked 46 in BC with a population of 13,874. Langenmaier also looked at average house value. He said the two closest communities

Adam Langenmaier

in terms of average price value – Rossland and Lumby – are not like Powell River, yet their home prices are similar. He said he dug a little deeper into house values, looking for comparable data in assessments and size of population. He said, for example, that for Campbell River, to which Powell River is often compared, there is a significant difference in average house value. Courtenay and Parksville are even higher. He said Fort St. John has similar prices but it is a very different market. Port Alberni is a town of reasonable comparison to Powell River for size and average home value, but if the residential tax rate

was to be examined, Langenmaier said they would be looking at Powell River and saying “why are Powell River residents paying a lower tax rate than residents in Port Alberni for similar services.” The next comparison Langenmaier made was where the money comes from. He based his comparison on how much of the assessment is residential, major industry and commercial. Langenmaier said he was surprised at how few communities have major industry as a tax base. In terms of major industrial assessments, Powell River is in 23rd place in BC. Langenmaier then compared the municipal property tax levy for an average house value. He said in Surrey, the average house value was more than $1.1 million and the taxpayer would pay $2,028 in city tax. Powell River’s average house value was listed at $344,487 and the municipal tax levy is $2,015. Langenmaier said it is all well and good to have data and say we are high or low in certain categories. “How do you take that and say this is what we compare to?” asked Langenmaier. He said he was surprised about the difficulty to find comparisons and how many different ways the information could be interpreted. Langenmaier put together a summary, comparing population, area, density and house value and Powell River came out in

P A

M E WE VALUE YOUR TH

1.877.952.7277 1.877.952.7277

These are cases reported to Powell River RCMP in the past two weeks. If you have information about the crimes listed here or any other crimes, call Powell River RCMP at 604.485.6255 or Crime Stoppers at 1.800.222.TIPS.

Anyone with information about these or any other incidents is asked to contact the Powell River RCMP at 604.485.6255, or to remain anonymous call Crime Stoppers at 1.800.222.TIPS (8477) or go to bccrimestoppers.com.

N O

PROPERTY AS MUCH AS YOU DO.

JANUARY 2 • Joyce Avenue, 4700 block At approximately 9 am, police responded to a report of a theft from a business. It was determined that earlier that morning, at around 3 am, the suspect(s) stole numerous items from on top of a shipping container. The items stolen were described as tents and camping kitchens. JANUARY 2 • Powell River At approximately 12 pm, police received a complaint about a fraud. The victim received a text from what was believed to be a co-worker, asking to purchase a Google Play card worth $100. The gift card was purchased and the access code was texted to the co-worker. Shortly afterward another text was received asking to purchase another Google Play card. At this point the victim contacted the co-worker only to learn the co-worker’s personal information had been compromised. Other co-workers had received the same requests. Police advise everyone to be wary of any request for gift cards; that kind of request should set off red flags. Take all steps necessary to verify the communication has actually come from whomever the request supposedly originated from. JANUARY 6 • Pine Tree Road, 2000 block In the early morning hours, police responded to a house fire. Upon arrival a residence was fully engulfed in flames and being tended to by Malaspina Fire Department. The residence was unsalvageable and was totally destroyed. Cause of the fire is unknown but given some unusual circumstances, it is being treated as suspicious. Fire investigators were on scene the next day to examine it and the investigation is continuing.

JANUARY 2 TO 8, 2020 TOTAL SERVICE CALLS = 129 IMPAIRED DRIVING = 2 ASSAULTS = 4

65th place. He said Sechelt averaged out to 62nd place, so it could be a reasonable comparison. Finance committee chair George Doubt said it was fascinating information. He said it was really difficult to take one category and say Powell River was average. He said it was important to look at the whole picture and see what the comparisons are. Mayor Dave Formosa said it was an excellent exercise and really opened his eyes. Councillor Rob Southcott said the report provides a tool for councillors to judge where the community is. “It’s a fascinating study to see how we are similar and how we are different and see how that relates to decisions we make,” said Southcott. In the conclusion of his report, Langenmaier said the age-old request from council when staff bring forth information and reports is: “what are other communities doing?” or “how do we compare to other communities?” Langenmaier said each municipality is unique and no two are the same. “The information that has been summarized shows how some communities might appear comparable in certain aspects, but very different in others,” stated Langenmaier. “It has become clear that there is no simple solution to the question: What is a comparable community when you look beyond population and physical location?”

If you’re among BC’s approximately 2 million property owners, you should receive your 2020 property assessment in the mail early in January. If you haven’t, call us toll-free at 1-866-valueBC. Access and compare property assessment information using our free assessment search service at bcassessment.ca. The 2020 assessments are based on market value as of July 1, 2019. If you have questions or want more information, contact us at 1-866-valueBC or online at bcassessment.ca. The deadline to ﬁle an appeal for your assessment is January 31, 2020.

For more property information and assessment highlights, visit

bcassessment.ca We Value BC

BREAK AND ENTERS = 3 THEFTS = 18 MISCHIEF = 6 1. AUGUST 20 7300 block Duncan Street At approximately 4:15 am Powell River RCMP attended a break and enter at a

5 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

City council hears opinions regarding timber harvesting rights Resident believes Lot A trees belongs to city; lawyers not so sure PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

It is difficult to see the forest for the trees when it comes to ownership of timber on City of Powell Riverowned property known as Lot A. At the December 19 council meeting, councillors heard from resident George Orchiston, as well as a legal opinion from the city’s lawyer Lidstone and Company, regarding timber harvesting rights on Lot A. Orchiston, appearing as a delegation, said he was before council to comment on a memorandum from Lidstone and Company in response to a letter he wrote to the city on September 16, 2019. He said his letter had to do with the city’s purchase of Lot A between Brooks Secondary School and Millennium Park, the timber on it, and who owns it. He said he read the Lidstone legal memorandum and it was substantially non-responsive to the purpose of his September 16 letter. Orchiston said that on June 23, 2017, the city was registered at the Vancouver land title office as the owner in fee simple of Lot A after purchasing it from PRSC Land Developments for $800,000. He said for clarity, no charge, such as a grant of timber harvesting rights, was or is registered on this

land title in the name of any third party. Orchiston said while memorandums the city has received from the lawyers spend a copious amount of time speaking to the history of timber licences, harvesting plans and licence expiry, they fail to provide a single piece of factual evidence establishing the city, in purchasing Lot A, ever agreed any third party would possess timber harvesting rights for that property. “In conclusion, the City of Powell River is lawfully entitled to enjoy maximum interest in Lot A, guaranteed by the Province of BC, including the land and timber upon it,” said Orchiston. “If there exists a third party claiming they have an interest in Lot A, such as timber harvesting rights, there are legal options available to address such claims. It is not for the city to make arguments on behalf of a claimant.” Orchiston said he would caution council not to adopt the October 22 memorandum from the lawyer as its own as the conclusions are inconsistent with points Orchiston has made. “The bottom line, as of today, the city owns the land and the trees,” said Orchiston. “The province guarantees that. If there is any challenge to that [by a licensee], they have options. They could go to court and argue that the city was fraudulent in making the agreement. My position is the city conducted itself in good faith in negotiating the purchase of that land from PRSC. I don’t see any challenge being successful to the city’s purchase of that land.

“Those trees belong to the people of Powell River. I really do think we are wasting our time discussing timber rights. Until some third party comes along and actually questions in court the city’s declaration and the commitment by the BC government that we own the land and the trees, end of story.” Mayor Dave Formosa said when the city purchased the land, city council was aware there was an agreement for ownership of the trees. He said he and chief administrative officer Russell Brewer had gone through all of Orchiston’s points with the lawyer and asked if there was something Orchiston had come across. “We went through all of the points you’ve made with the lawyers,” said Formosa. He added that this is the third time the city has received an opinion. “I don’t know what to say,” said Formosa. “Legally, this is above me. We knew there was an agreement for those trees.” While the property was logged between September 1999 and April 2002, there has been no harvesting in the 12 years Formosa has been on council. Councillor Maggie Hathaway she did not think the city needed to do anything until the licensee comes to cut down the trees. She said the city could then say no, the city owns the property in fee simple and take it to court, which is the proper forum. “They are not showing any indication they want to cut down the trees,” said Hathaway. “It’s just sit and wait it out.” Orchiston said a third par-

BRANCHING OUT: Powell River resident George Orchiston spoke as a delegation to City of Powell River councillors at a recent meeting to express his views on the ownership of the trees on Lot A, situated between Brooks Secondary School and Millennium Park. PAUL GALINSKI PHOTO

ty challenging the city would have to show the licences did in fact not expire. “Right now, the land belongs to the city, held in trust for the residents of this community,” said Orchiston. “We own the land, we own the trees. I don’t want to talk about who owns the trees anymore until Island Timberlands walks across the street and says ‘we own them.’” Formosa said council’s position is that nobody is coming to log these trees. “We are enjoying the trees,” said Formosa. Later in the meeting, Brewer reviewed the October 22 memo from the lawyer. The memo stated concerns have been raised that there is a dispute as to whether the timber harvesting rights granted by the timber licences have expired. The legal opinion states that the timber li-

cences for harvesting on Lot A have not conclusively expired. The terms of the timber licence states: once the timber has been harvested in accordance with the agreed to harvesting plan and removed from the lands by the licensee, this licence and all the rights inferred will terminate. Any remaining timber not harvested by the licensee will at this time belong to the licensor, which would be the city. The legal opinion further states: therefore, the timber licences likely do not expire until the timber is harvested as set out in the harvesting plan. Because the harvesting plan has not been located, the city is unable to concretely determine whether the plan provided for more harvesting has already been carried out. The legal opinion concluded that the city is taking a

cautious approach to ensure it is not exposed to an unnecessary liability. “The city continues to consider the range of options available to it with respect to this matter and will keep the public informed as the city moves forward on this,” the memo stated. Hathaway said this legal opinion cost more than $4,000 and required approximately three and a half hours of staff time. “Legal opinions are expensive and I’m reluctant to do them because we get blasted all the time for legal costs being way too high,” said Hathaway. “I hope, Mr. Orchiston, that we can let this lie for a while and at such time as Island Timberlands wants to come and cut down the trees, of course we’ll take some kind of action, but at the moment, it’s getting very costly responding to your request.”

BOARD OF EDUCATION BRIEFS Position appointments During the Powell River Board of Education December meeting, trustees nominated members to positions of chair, vice-chair, BC Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) representative and BC School Trustees Association(BCSTA) officer. Trustee Aaron Reid will resume her role as chair by acclamation, while Dale Lawson

will serve as vice-chair. Trustee Doug Skinner was acclaimed as both BCPSEA representative andBCSTA provincial council representative. In her opening remarks, Reid thanked her fellow trustees for their support for her continuation as chair, and noted the board had completed the first full year of its four-year term. “It’s been a steep learning curve for all of us as we have navigated it together,” said Reid .

“I would like to thank trustees for jumping in with both feet, and for keeping your heads above water. The learning will continue as long as you remain a trustee.”

#AllOnBoard campaign Reid expressed concern that the school district’s letter to City of Powell River expressing support for the #AllOnBoard campaign, which would provide free bus passes

for youth aged up to 18, created some confusion as to whether the district or city would fund such a program. “That wasn’t what our discussion was at this table,” she said. “It was us supporting the campaign.” However, trustees assured Reid that this point was later clarified during the council meeting. Council voted in favour of sending a letter expressing support for the #AllOnBoard campaign on December 6.

6 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

Board chair apologizes for comments at meeting Patrick Brabazon calls his words intemperate and improper EXPRESSES REGRET: On December 19, qathet Regional District chair Patrick Brabazon offered an apology for words used in his response to a motion put forward by Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne one week earlier. PAUL GALINSKI PHOTO

PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

qathet Regional District chair

Patrick Brabazon has apologized for remarks made during a recent debate. At the Wednesday, December 19, regional board meeting, Brabazon said that at the committee of the whole meeting on Thursday, December 12, Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne put forward a motion, and during the subsequent discussion, he [Brabazon] used some “intemperate words

and improper language,” which he regrets. “I apologize to director Gisborne personally, I should not have done so and I will not in future,” said Brabazon. “I also apologize to the board, because, as the senior director, I should set a better example than I did. I’m sorry I did that. I shall endeavour not to do so again.” Brabazon did not elaborate on the words that led to his apology.

Regional directors postpone decision on parkland acquisition fund Discussion will be set over until the next meeting PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

Regional directors voted to postpone sending a decision on a parkland acquisition reserve fund to the qathet Regional District board. At the committee of the whole meeting on December 12, regional district directors considered a motion that the committee recommend the board approach Friends of Stillwater Bluffs

Society to lead a region-wide public engagement before deciding on any model for a parkland acquisition fund. When the motion was introduced, Electoral Area C director Clay Brander said he would like to move that the motion be postponed to the January 2020 committee of the whole meeting. City director George Doubt said he has spent a lot of time looking at this initiative and that he thinks having a well-developed parkland plan is a good idea. Well-thought-out regulations and policies dealing with those things would be a good idea, too, he added.

“I’m in favour of postponing the motion,” said Doubt. “We have an opportunity to do some work between now and when it comes back. This gives us an opportunity to do more work and get more progress on this. “What the motion is going to be talking about when it comes back is a tax increase for all the people in the region. We need to go about that very carefully.” Committee chair Sandy McCormick said she believes it is the regional district’s responsibility to deal with matters concerning taxation rather than community groups. Area B director Mark

Gisborne said there was discussion in a staff report about introducing a parcel tax or a property value tax for parkland acquisition. He said he could not support a parcel tax. He pointed to a table in the staff report that looked at collecting a hypothetical $128,000 for parkland acquisition. Gisborne said the impact of using a parcel tax is residents will have to pay $117,000, whereas if a property value tax is used, residents will have to pay $86,000, with the remainder of the $128,000 collected from other taxation categories.

“I don’t think a parcel tax is a fair way to go,” he said. “I don’t necessarily think we need to go to the Friends of Stillwater Bluffs to help us make this decision. We can just move forward to property value taxes.” Gisborne also said one point of concern is that the staff report does not address the issue of the weighted vote from city directors. “My concern is that the municipality, not necessarily right now, but in the future, could potentially use the weighted vote to offload their current parks onto the regional district, which would then allow us not to

find new parkland,” said Gisborne. “That is a concern that has not been addressed in this staff report.” He said he would like to see that matter decided by one director, one vote. Chief administrative officer Al Radke said Gisborne was alluding to something that was far behind the scope of taxation, which was what was being discussed. “That will have to be a different subject matter at a different date and time,” said Radke. “What we have is a service and what we have to figure out is how to put a taxable model into the current service.”

Remuneration review approved by regional directors New system will streamline paperwork for directors and staff PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

qathet Regional District directors have endorsed recommended changes to directors’ remuneration. At the Wednesday, December 18, regional board meeting, directors

gave approval to remuneration as recommended by a consultant, which streamlines the accounting process. The regional district had hired consultants Dugal Smith and Associates to conduct a review of director remuneration. At the meeting, Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said he did not think he could support the changes to the remuneration bylaw. He said his concern was that any time an alternate director attends a regional district meeting it will increase taxes over the previous model. He said with the model in place, if a director is

not able to attend a function, an alternate director attends in their place and is paid what the director would have been paid to attend that meeting. “As such, I don’t agree with the changes and I’ll be voting against the motion,” said Gisborne. Chief administrative officer Al Radke said this would not be a massive hit to the bottom line. “I believe there might be a bit of confusion by saying there is going to be more tax dollars,” said Radke. “In the big scheme of the matter, I don’t believe this will amount to very much.”

The board passed the motion with Gisborne opposed. According to a report from Smith, 50 per cent of qathet directors’ base remuneration is paid in additional meeting and wage loss allowances each year. The additional meeting and wage loss payments create significant paperwork for both directors and regional district staff. Smith’s recommendation, to streamline the administrative work, is to incorporate meeting and wage loss allowances into base remuneration. There was also the recommendation that the region-

al district forego the consumer price index increase in 2020 in light of integration of meeting allowances and base remuneration, and the expected increase in 2019 remuneration. Smith further recommended that the regional district update directors’ remuneration annually using the BC consumer price index. Smith’s report stated that with remuneration increases projected for 2019 and qathet’s alignment with other regional districts, no increase in overall remuneration appears necessary for 2020.

7 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

Regional board sets out meeting schedule for coming year Area B director advocates for more meetings to be held PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

qathet Regional District directors approved board and standing committee meeting schedules for 2020, but one board member was asking for more meetings in the coming year. At the board meeting on Wednesday, December 18,

Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said one of the problems he experienced in 2019 is there were, in some cases, large and expansive agendas. He said in some cases regional directors are feeling rushed to get on with business, stop debating and passing the motions. “That is ultimately a disservice to the public,” said Gisborne. “We should have the possibility of at least a second committee of the whole meeting in case the agendas start to run long so we can really give the issues in front of us good debate.” He said in the past year there were 15 committee of the whole

meetings and in 2020 the plan is to have 12. He said the regional district will be making up for it by having six meetings of the newly constituted finance committee but he thinks the board will still run into issues of postponing matters over and over and not giving enough time for decisions before the board. “I don’t agree with the schedule and I really wish we had a second committee of the whole meeting on there, even if we don’t use it,” said Gisborne. Board chair Patrick Brabazon said he wanted to point out to the board that what was being proposed was a minimum meeting schedule and

that all committees can meet more often than the schedule provides, at the discretion of the chair. “If we need an extra committee of the whole meeting or an extra meeting of any sort, the chair of that committee can call it,” said Brabazon. Chief administrative officer Al Radke said that would be the wiser way to go, because if the board puts in a number of meetings, they will have to be held, and if they are not needed, there is advertising that needs to be done to notify the public. Area D director Sandy McCormick said that as chair of the committee of the whole, she

agrees there are meetings that can be onerous and tiring. She said she is looking forward to the formation of the finance committee, to see how much that takes matters away from the committee of the whole. “There are quite a number of issues that are really financial that I believe could go to the finance committee rather than committee of the whole,” said McCormick. “I am going to give this a go for the first few months of the year and see how it unfolds. We’ll see if the committee of the whole agendas are more what we feel is an appropriate amount of reading material and work. We’ll let this have a try.”

Regional district names new standing committee Board chair hopes addressing finance matters separately will alleviate time pressures at committee of the whole meeting PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

In 2020, qathet Regional District will be establishing a finance committee. At the committee of the whole meeting on Thursday, December 12, Electoral Area A director and qathet Regional District board chair Patrick Brabazon said each year in January, the chair announces which standing committees will exist, which is “pretty pro forma most of the time.” He said, however, that he is going to establish another standing committee. He said the intent is to relieve some of the burden from the committee of the whole. ‘We’ve had some complaints from directors that the committee of the whole agenda

runs far too long and it’s heavily loaded with items that could be dealt with elsewhere,” said Brabazon. “So, for 2020, in addition to the committee of the whole and planning committee, I will be establishing a new standing committee to address financial matters. It is hoped the committee will help alleviate the time pressures at the committee of the whole meeting at certain times of the year when financial matters are considered.” Brabazon indicated with that said, the mandate of the finance committee will be to assist the board in fulfilling the responsibilities by reviewing and providing recommendations in relation to the regional district financial plan, as well as additional financial considerations. He added that members of the committee will be all members of the assembly for qathet Regional District. “It will be a new committee and the subject matter will be restricted to financial plans and basically anything to do with finances,” said Brabazon. “It will meet separately from the committee of the whole.” Committee of the whole chair and Electoral Area D director Sandy

McCormick said that was very good news. Brabazon had originally scheduled the finance committee meetings for Thursdays, once a month, but City of Powell River director George Doubt said it would create a conflict for city directors, who have city council meetings on the same day as

the finance committee meetings were proposed. The committee voted to hold meetings on Wednesdays at 4 pm rather than on Thursdays. Meetings have been scheduled for January 22, February 19, March 18, June 17, November 18 and December 16.

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HILLTOP ART: Landscaping now surrounds the City of Powell River water reservoir atop Haslam Street, accenting a mural created in 2019 by Powell River artist Stefan Fogarty, also known as Catnip. At a committee of the whole meeting in July, Fogarty said he wanted to reclaim a bit of nature onto the building and adorn it with a water goddess pouring water down the hill from her hands; the result is depicted above. The committee approved the project, underwriting the cost of the paint required to complete the mural. On the side facing the road, different animals from the local area are featured. PEAK PHOTO

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8 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

OPINION »

Published every Friday Unit F, 4493 Marine Avenue, Powell River, BC V8A 2K1

Golden glory What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time Canada’s entry into the World Junior Hockey Championship had just lost to Finland in a quarter-final game. The fact that the tournament was hosted by Canada only magnified the loss. As is usually the case when one of our hockey teams loses a best-on-best tournament, it created somewhat of a national crisis in the sporting world: Were we still the best? One year later, the team and country basked in the glory of a comeback win in the gold medal game against Russia and all was good in the hockey world again. In reality, results from last year and last week could have easily been different. Each tournament featured games that could have gone either way. In the loss to Finland last year, Canada missed a breakaway in the third period, gave up a fluky goal in the dying minutes that forced overtime, missed a penalty shot in the extra period, and a player’s stick broke when he had The chain of events were a wide open net to shoot surprising and exhilarating, at, also in overtime. except perhaps from a Seconds later, Finland scored the winner, en Russian point of view. route a third championship in six years. Sometimes it’s all about the bounces. Finland got them last year; this year, in the end, they went Canada’s way, and another crisis was avoided. Trailing 3-1 midway through the third period against Russia, a shot bounced off a Canadian player’s leg and into the net. Shortly after, the team’s captain, who wasn’t expected to play due to an injury in the semi-final, tied the score with a power play goal. After taking the lead with a few minutes to play, the inevitable happened: we took a penalty, a common occurrence for Canada when leading by one goal near the end of a knock-out game. Is there some kind of conspiracy? Then came the biggest bounce of all. While attempting to kill that penalty, a Canadian clearing attempt sailed over the plexiglass, which is an automatic penalty. However, the puck bounced off of a camera belonging to a Canadian broadcaster and back onto the ice. Play was stopped, but for some reason, Canada was not assessed another penalty, which would have resulted in a lengthy five on three opportunity for Russia to tie the game, or six on three if they pulled their goaltender. Who knows what would have happened in that case? The chain of events were surprising and exhilarating, except perhaps from a Russian point of view. Were the hockey gods balancing out last year’s result by tilting the ice in Canada’s favour? Canada has now won three gold medals in the last six years. Are we still the best? Finland might have something to say about that, but for 2020, we are the champions.

LAST WEEK’S ONLINE POLL QUESTION Did you make a New Year’s resolution for 2020? 23% YES 77% NO This poll was answered by 103 respondents. This week’s poll question: Did you borrow a book or movie from Powell River Public Library in 2019? Go to prpeak.com to cast your vote. Follow us on Facebook (Powell River Peak), Twitter (peak_aboo) and Instagram (prpeak)

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Appreciating the view from here The other day, just after we said goodbye to another decade and it became 2020, I turned 50. We survived, we are here and so now what? Also, where did that half of a century go? After 50 times around the sun, it feels a bit like being in the middle of everything while pausing at a place with an expansive view, like when driving up a mountain and resting at a designated lookout point. You stop to take a deep breath and soak it all in; through the haze you see where you have been, where you are and, with some hesitation and squinting, where you are going. Google maps don’t work here; you’re on your own for this trip. Might as well pocket the phone, too. As omnipresent as smartphones are, at times, they’re only a 185-gram paperweight.

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HEALTHY LIVING By Robert Skender

Long-term addiction and other mental and behavioural conditions push you into selfdestructive places where experiences are reduced to neurochemical attempts to cover

pain: physical, mental or maybe spiritual. Life can drift away from any balance and become disconnected from authentic things and feelings. However, you can teach an old dog new tricks. New developments in neuroscience show evidence of neuroplasticity. To oversimplify, changes in behaviour will result in physical changes in our brain. At that point, perception can change reality into a better place. It only matters that change is a constant we can have influence over. At this point, for me, a primary take away idea is how stunningly brief everything is, and how that brevity makes every moment an invaluable but fleeting thing. Lately, time seems to be accelerating and it’s starting to be an ex»9

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Full, complete and sole copyright in any advertising produced by Peak Publishing Ltd. is vested in and belongs to Peak Publishing Ltd. No copyright material may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Peak Publishing Ltd. PAUL GALINSKI

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Peak Publishing is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please contact publisher@prpeak.com, 604.485.5313. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the website at mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1.844.877.1163 for additional information.

9 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

CROSSWORD

REGIONAL BOARD BRIEFS

A t t h e We d n e s d a y, December 18, qathet Regional District (qRD) meeting, directors voted to send a letter in support of public access to e-books. The regional district received a letter from Rebecca Burbank, chief librarian of the Powell River Public Library, asking that the regional district sign the joint statement on equitable public access to e-books from the Canadian Urban Libraries Council. In her letter, Burbank stated that the circulation of audio books and e-books has increased 99 per cent in the past four years, and that 22,000 digital books will be circulated to the library’s patrons in 2019. She stated that the libraries are facing obstacles from publishers, including elevated pricing, restrictive licences and now an embargo of all e-books purchased from book publisher Macmillan. “Libraries are a cornerstone of an open democratic society where citizens

educate themselves to vote,” stated Burbank. “Providing free and equitable access to information, regardless of its format, is the core purpose of a public library, and precisely what is being hindered by the publishers who provide our digital content.”

Expressing thanks qathet Regional District will be sending a letter of thanks to City of Powell River and Powell River Community Forest for money allocated to building a longhouse at Shelter Point Park on Texada Island. The regional district will be receiving a community forest grant of up to $112,119 to construct the longhouse. At the December 12 committee of the whole meeting, Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick said she would like to say a sincere thank you to the city and Powell River Community Forest for the funds to construct the longhouse.

Sets dates The financial planning

process for qathet Regional District (qRD) has been adopted. Each year, the qRD goes through a financial planning process to prepare a five-year financial plan that must be adopted by March 31 each year. The first draft of the budget will be introduced January 23, 2020, the second draft will be tabled on February 20, the final 2020-2024 recommended updates to the financial plan will be before the committee of the whole on March 19, and the adoption of the 2020-2024 financial plan will be at the regional board meeting on March 30.

Authorizes agreement

Approves charges

An amendment has been made to the qRD solid waste regulation and tipping fee bylaw. Effective January 1, 2020, the rate per tonne of solid waste will be $230, raising to $235 per tonne on January 1, 2021 and $240 per tonne on January 1, 2022. A minimum charge of $5 will apply on all waste loads less than 21.5 kilograms on January 1, 2021, 21 kilograms on January 1, 2021 and 20.5 kilograms on January 1, 2022.

qRD has approved a bylaw to impose development cost charges for the Lund sewer service area. Under the bylaw, the wastewater development cost charges will be based on $2,067.46 per dwelling unit, payable upon subdivision approval, and for non-residential, the cost will be $5.17 per square meeting of gross floor area, payable upon subdivision approval.

qathet Regional District has passed a bylaw to authorize entering into an agreement respecting financing between the regional district and Municipal Finance Authority of BC. The regional district, in passing Bylaw 556, consents to finance the debt of City of Powell River in the amount of $10 million over a 30year term for the city’s liquid waste treatment plant.

Amends fees

8« HEALTHY LIVING ponential thing. Somehow, it’s important to appreciate the moment while within that moment, because it’s gone quickly. It all sounds confusing and kind of bewildering, mostly because it is, to me at least. Along the way, some thoughts or ideas stuck to me and got woven into my thoughts and values. They are trying to teach me something, if I listen. A passage from The Sheltering Sky, a novel by American writer Paul Bowles, who spent most of his life in Tangier, Morocco, has been in my head lately.

Bowles writes with a concise elegance: “Because we don’t know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inex-

Lately, time seems to be accelerating and it’s starting to be an exponential thing. haustible well. Yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number, really. How many more times will you watch the full

moon rise? Perhaps 20. And yet it all seems limitless.” Thinking that life is limitless and an “inexhaustible well” can become a default position easily enough. It takes effort to realize all the potentially amazing moments that construct life are finite and will disappear like raindrops into the ocean unless we appreciate life in the moment, and then the trip really begins. For me, at least. Robert Skender is a Powell River freelance writer and health commentator.

ACROSS 1. Dull 5. Not at work 8. Remove, as clothes 12. Suggestive 13. Tavern drink 14. Cato’s garb 15. Story starter 16. Iced brew 17. “When You Wish ____ a Star” 18. Perceived 19. Disﬁgure 20. Oﬃce furniture item 21. Swiftness 23. ____ patrol 25. Gambling stake 27. Clod 29. Scandinavian 33. Natural mineral 34. Avoid capture 36. Tilling implement 37. Slogged through water 39. Zilch 40. Hole punch 41. Gray shade 43. Ladder rung 45. Plug up 48. Play division 50. Certain vipers 53. Tow 54. Animal park 55. TV “opera” 56. Unit of land 57. Slip up 58. Hem 59. Examination 60. Permit 61. Colored

DOWN 1. Sis’s sibs 2. Country road 3. Received 4. Laughing ____ 5. Hot cereal 6. Hopping insect 7. Is terriﬁed of 8. Artist’s workroom 9. Cape of Good ___ 10. Self-images 11. Damp and chilly 22. Female students 24. Prepared to propose 25. Boat’s front 26. Historical epoch 28. Amusing 30. “____ in Blue” 31. Miss Piggy, e.g. 32. Electric ﬁsh 35. Warp 38. Young American bird 42. Green-brown color 44. Soothed 45. Casual talk 46. Ornamental fabric 47. Mine and yours 49. Middle 51. Hotel employee 52. Went in haste LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION:

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10 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

New Seniors’ Independent Living Village

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11 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

CULTURE »

The life and times of Nancy Crowther Chapter 14: The yellow truck Previous chapter [“The hippies,” December 13]: In the late 1960s and into the 1970s, the newest threat to Nancy Crowther’s wilderness lifestyle was on two legs instead of four. Hippies, draft dodgers, deserters and back-to-the-land-ers descended into the Lund and Desolation Sound area, often seeking the end of the road or beyond, which many times led them to Cougar Nancy’s front gate. Changes were rapidly occurring all around Nancy Crowther, and she faced those threats boldly and directly, just as she had done her entire life. Over the years, the Cougar Queen of Okeover Inlet had become such a legend that she allowed various media outlets to interview her so she could get her story out. Crowther was also a passionate letter-writer, and would often be seen carrying bundles of envelopes to and from the Lund post office. Some of those letters appeared in the Powell River News, when public meetings were being held over a proposed provincial park on the shore of Okeover Inlet in the late 1970s. “I can’t get into Powell River to the meetings to express my views or to hear other’s views because of the stealing problem I have experienced for over 10 years on my property. I must pay someone to stay in my home so I can leave and it is difficult to find anyone I can trust. I own a large amount of waterfront. I have experienced

THE COUGAR LADY CHRONICLES By Grant Lawrence

this stealing ever since I developed it for oyster farming. I came here with my parents in 1927 when there was no connecting road from Lund to Powell River. There was no road to Okeover Inlet either, only a trail, and in these modern times I am finding that I wished it was still the way it was.” She signed the letter: Yours truly, Nancy Crowther, a voice crying in the wilderness. Nancy was somewhat surprisingly in favour of the newly proposed Okeover Arm Provincial Park. When interviewed for the Powell River News, Cougar Nancy said she hoped the park would mean more conservation enforcement, specifically for shellfish poaching on her oyster lease. But she also wondered, “who would ever want to use a park in the middle of nowhere?” Okeover Arm Provincial Park, also known Tuxwnech, was officially opened in 1979, and its entrance is on Crowther Road. Cougar Nancy’s complaints increased. According to a neighbour named Selina Smith, Nancy had a running battle with BC Hydro over the placement of a transformer Nancy wanted moved further away from her log cabin, supposedly because it made her toes tingle. Nancy also had concerns about the electromagnetic rays from the microwave oven at the new restaurant near the government wharf, some two kilo-

metres away (a restaurant that is still there, and now the renowned Laughing Oyster). Nancy was also extremely wary of a mysterious black boat that apparently moored in the bay in front of her cabin at night, but was gone each morning. Nancy also began to loathe her telephone, which was a party line, so it rang often. Nancy stopped answering it and eventually disconnected it all together, effectively cutting herself off from the outside world except for letter mail and in-person visits. When folks like my family arrived on her beach to launch our boat, Nancy would insist that we disconnect the battery to our car to prevent “radio waves” from entering her cabin. She eventually began to intermittently turn people away altogether, including those who had helped her for years, telling friends and neighbours to get off her property and not to come back. Only extended family and the occasional reporter were allowed. In the 1980s, Cougar Nancy felt that the mysterious force she referred to as “them” had managed to get inside her log cabin. She once told a story of coming home to mysteriously find a pot on the boil, another time her bathtub was full of water, and other odd occurrences she couldn’t explain. It spooked Nancy to the point that she covered up all of her furniture in sheets and moved out, refusing to sleep nights in the cabin, returning only in the daylight. When night fell, Nancy would stake out her cabin from a tent pitched in the woods on her hill-

NEW THREAT: In the 1980s, Nancy Crowther disconnected her phone and was rarely seen off her property in Penrose Bay. PHOTO COURTESY POWELL RIVER HISTORICAL MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES

side, rifle at her side. When winter came and tent living proved too cold and wet, threats from inside the cabin were still too great for Nancy to consider moving back inside. Instead, she began to sleep in her beat-up, yellow, rusting Dodge pickup truck, which she would park haphazardly at various blind corners and other dangerous spots on both Crowther and Malaspina roads. Her truck would often be sticking out into the road. Neighbours would check in on Nancy, knocking on the driver’s side window to see if she was okay. She could be found sleeping on the bench seat of the truck with her dogs, her rifle, and a thick wool blanket. If Nancy recognized those visiting her truck, she was kind and full of stories, assuring those concerned that she was comfortable. As always, she’d sent people off with a “Cheerio!” Due to neighbourly concerns, the RCMP visited her for a wellness check when she was working her oyster lease and didn’t see cause for concern. However, some say Cougar Nancy was sleeping in her truck for up to two years through

all seasons. Many attributed Nancy’s increasingly paranoid hallucinations to her wilderness isolation for so many years. There were lots of oddballs, misfits and eccentrics at the end of the road, and Cougar Nancy was one of them. In local terminology, Nancy may have “gone bush,” a supposedly common affliction among isolated coastal dwellers, settlers or hermits. In the end, it turns out the locals were wrong. A car crash in that rusty yellow pickup truck would be the catalyst for finally figuring out what was wrong with Nancy Crowther. That’s in the next and final chapter of the Cougar Lady Chronicles. Grant Lawrence is an awardwinning author and a CBC personality who considers Powell River and Desolation Sound his second home. Portions of the Cougar Lady Chronicles originally appeared in Lawrence’s book Adventures in Solitude and on CBC Radio. Anyone with stories or photos they would like to share of Nancy Crowther are welcome to email grantlawrence12@ gmail.com.

Library releases list of most-borrowed books and movies for 2019 Powell River Public Library recently released its list of the most popular books and movies signed out by patrons last year. The list includes adult fiction and non-fiction, children’s and teen categories, as well as the top-ten movies. For more information, go to prpl.ca.

Adult Fiction 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny In a House of Lies by Ian Rankin Washington Black by Esi Edugyan Past Tense by Lee Child Wild Fire by Ann Cleeves Careless Love by Peter Robinson Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly

8. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty 9. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood 10. The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

Children’s Picture Books 1. The Bear’s Sea Escape by Benjamin Chaud 2. This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen 3. The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems 4. The Pigeon Needs a Bath! by Mo Willems 5. The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! by Mo Willems 6. “Slowly, slowly, slowly,” said the Sloth by Eric Carle 7. Peppa Pig and the Silly Sniffles by Neville Astley 8. Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman 9. The Wolf, the Duck & the Mouse by Mac Barnett 10. There’s a Dinosaur on the 13th Floor by Wade Bradford

Teen Chapter Books and Graphic Novels 1. The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan 2. The Witch Boy by Molly Ostertag 3. The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline 4. The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan 5. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan 6. The Maze Runner by James Dashner 7. Tokyo Ghoul by Sui Ishida 8. The Death Cure by James Dashner 9. The Hidden Witch by Molly Ostertag 10. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas For all top-ten lists available, readers can check out prpeak.com/culture.

12 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

COMMUNITY »

Photograph will depict people who have lost loved ones to drugs Darlana Treloar hopes to help the community get the picture PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

To focus on substance userelated death, a photo campaign is being planned for Powell River. Darlana Treloar, a member of the Moms Stop the Harm organization, wants to replicate photographs taken in other cities to humanize the issue of drug-related deaths. The Powell River photo

will be done in the name of Moms Stop the Harm. Treloar said that in Kelowna in 2019, members of Moms Stop the Harm created an awareness campaign for people who have been lost to overdose or substance use-related death. “They had crosses and had a picture taken,” said Treloar. “It was a powerful visual. That picture is now on their buses.” Treloar said one was also done at Jericho Beach in Vancouver. “What this does is it humanizes people who have been lost to substances,” she said. “It helps families who are grieving.

“It will help to reduce some stigma towards people who use substances. People are dying at an alarming rate. There’s toxic drugs out there now. Now that fentanyl’s out there, it’s a game-changer and people need to change the way they think about addiction and be more caring.” Treloar said people who are addicted are struggling, they feel shame and are scared to talk about it. She knows the subject well, having lost her son Sean Treloar to addiction in 2016 at the age of 27. “My son got addicted to prescription pills when he was a teenager,” said Treloar. “When he came to me for help, he told me he had no idea what he was getting into when he started. “He passed away from fentanyl poisoning on Glacier Street. I have been advocating ever since he passed away.” Treloar said an overdose prevention site has opened in near proximity to where he died. She added that people are really trying to understand why having the facility is a good thing, so the campaign will also help with that. In terms of the photograph, Treloar said she wants to get people together and have this picture taken to raise awareness about how many people are affected here in Powell River. “There’s more than people know,” she said. “I just really

think it makes a powerful statement. It needs to be talked about.” The photograph will be taken on Saturday, January 25, at 1 pm at the old Civic Arena site adjacent to Willingdon Beach. In preparation for the event, Treloar said she will be making some crosses and has already checked into how to make them. The Powell River photograph will include people who have lost someone. “I just want the rest of Powell River to be aware of the fact that we are just people,” said Treloar. “There are a lot of people out there who don’t understand what’s going on and are in the old mindset that drugs are bad and people who use drugs are bad. I want that to change. “People are struggling hard to get off of this stuff. It’s very potent and it’s not easy.” Treloar said she will be approaching individuals she knows have lost people to substance use-related death to be in the photograph. There may be others in the community who want to participate; they can contact her on Facebook at Darlana Tilley-Treloar. She can also be reached by email at darlana.treloar@gmail.com. “I know quite a few people who I will reach out to personally, and then I’m hoping others will come forward

VISUAL REMINDER: Darlana Treloar, dressed in black, with a photograph of her son Sean and a white cross, is organizing a photograph with people who have lost loved ones to drugs to create awareness in Powell River about substance use-related deaths. On January 25, a photograph involving a number of people who have lost loved ones to drugs will be organized in the same spot, replicating campaigns that have taken place in other communities. PAUL GALINSKI PHOTO

and message me,” she said. “I’m asking for people to contact me so I know how many want to participate in the photo.” Treloar said Willingdon Beach is the logical location for the photograph, which is where the addictions bench she had put in three years ago has been placed. It is also the location where the international overdose awareness days are held. Treloar is hoping the weath-

er will cooperate. The photograph, when taken, will be in the news and all over social media, said Treloar. People who would like to participate in the photo shoot need to wear all black, she added, and have an eight by 10 photo of their loved one. Helping Treloar with Moms Stop the Harm events and campaigns are Rob Fitzpatrick, Maureen Christensen and Lyn Nicol.

Nurses share work experiences PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

Three Powell River nurses travelled to the Children’s Healthcare Canada national conference held recently in Ottawa to showcase their work. Nova Cleghorn, Jodie Young and Melissa Hindle attended the conference in December. Children’s Healthcare Canada is an association that includes members from all provinces and sectors of healthcare who share a vision to continuously improve children’s health in Canada. The three Powell River nurses were among more than 400 attendees from across Canada, including parent advi-

sors, doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs, hospital executives and politicians. The local nurses shared their experiences in creating a highly effective clinical support network in Powell River, allowing clients to remain at home and be supported within the community. “We were thrilled to have a number of professionals from other provinces who have faced similar situations approach us to ask questions about how we accomplished our work, and to congratulate us on stepping up and making a difference in Powell River,” said Dana Warn, manager of clinical practice at Bayshore Home Care Solutions in Burnaby, which is associated with

the Powell River nurses. “My experience working with this local team of nurses and other care providers was exceptional. All members went consistently above and beyond.” Warn said when she reflects on this team in conversation with other professionals, she describes them as “the little team that could in the little town that would.” “I feel a true sense of community when working with this group and I believe this is also felt by our clients,” said Warn. “Our hope in sharing this work is to inspire other health-care teams to take on unfamiliar or complex care situations in small or isolated communities.”

13 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

SPORTS »

Division rivals split weekend series Kings and Alberni Valley continue battle for third place After ferry cancellations due to adverse weather resulted in the postponement of their matchup on Friday, January 3, Powell River Kings and Alberni Valley Bulldogs met for the first of two weekend games on Saturday, January 4, at Weyerhaeuser Arena in Port Alberni. Alberni increased its lead over Powell River to four points in BC Hockey League standings with a 3-1 win in the first game. All four goals came late in the second period, with the Bulldogs scoring three times in a span of 17 seconds to take a three goal lead.

Jack Long replied for Powell River 1:09 after the third Alberni goal, cutting the lead to two after 40 minutes; Brett Roloson had the lone assist. Despite outshooting the home team 14-3 in the third period, and 34-21 overall, Kings were unable to solve Bulldogs goaltender Jackson Glassford again. Derek Krall made 18 saves for the Powell River. KINGS 6 - ALBERNI 5 Kings allowed the first goal on Sunday, January 5, before answering with five straight goals to take control of the second game. Rowan Miller and Roloson scored first-period goals for a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes, then Jacob Badal added his 10th of the season 28 seconds into the second, followed by Levi Glasman’s 15th and Jack Brackett’s ninth. Alberni respond-

ed before the end of the period to cut the lead to 5-2. Bulldogs continued to push back in the third period. At the six-minute mark, the home team scored the first of two goals in 22 seconds to reduced the deficit to one. Kings responded with Badal’s second of the night and eventual game winner at 14:52, assisted by Reilly Moran. Alberni added a late power-play marker to make the final 6-5. Krall stopped 37 of the 42 shots he faced to earn the win. Nanaimo leads the Island Division with 56 points, followed by Cowichan Valley (55), Alberni (44), Powell River (42) and Victoria (32). Kings return home to host Wenatchee on Friday, January 10, at Hap Parker Arena. Game time is 7 pm.

LONE SCORER: Powell River Kings’ captain scored the only goal for his team in a 3-1 loss at Alberni Valley on Saturday, January 4. ALICIA BAAS PHOTO

Regals look ahead to playoff action Hockey club prepares for Coy Cup series

Powell River Regals will be announcing their Coy Cup playoff schedule later this month, with a best-of-three series taking place at Hap Parker Arena. “We will be playing to

determine one of two remaining spots available for the provincial championship,” said Regals’ coach Tod English. “Rossland, Kelowna and Dawson Creek are also vying for this.” The four-team Coy Cup tournament will take place from March 24 to 28 in Quesnel. In preparation for the playoffs, Regals hosted Kelowna

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play and couldn’t connect, then gave up a power play goal to make it 1-1.” Sparta added two more goals late in the middle frame to take a 3-1 lead, then added another pair in the third period, including one into an empty net to seal a 5-1 victory. Regals were more successful in finding the back of the net the following day, but

so were their opponents. Sparta posted a 9-4 win to sweep the two-game weekend series. English said the Regals improved after playing three consecutive weekends at home but being consistent for a full 60 minutes will be crucial come playoff time. “We showed we could put a few in the net, but not having Kyle Bodie, Mike Behan

and Ryan Alexander in our lineup was a somewhat challenging,” said English. “We did have newcomer Josh Gray, who showed very well and made an impact on a line with Billy Walters and Brett Kinley.” English said teams contesting the Coy Cup are currently in the process of choosing dates for best-ofthree series.

Powell River Professional Fire Fighters Charitable Society is working hard to fulfill needs that are otherwise not being met within our community. Run by Local 1298 IAFF off-duty firefighters. XXXXXX

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Sparta for a pair of games in mid-December. Despite strong goaltending from Cam Stevenson, and taking a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes, Regals were unable to muster any more offence against Sparta on December 14. “I thought both teams matched up evenly,” said English. “In the second period we had an early power

We are a non-proﬁt society that raises funds to support other local charities including: Local school food programs (lunch and/or breakfast) 2018-2019 school year: Brooks, Brooks offsite, Henderson, Westview B.C. Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund Muscular Dystrophy annual boot drive Local individuals and organizations in need and local registered charities.

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PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER.

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TO BOOK YOUR AD » 604.485.5313 | classifieds@prpeak.com | Unit F, 4493 Marine Avenue | Book your ad online at prpeak.com REACH 2.3 MILLION READERS WITH A COMMUNITY CLASSIFIED $395 is all it costs to place a 25-word BCYCNA Community Classified ad, reaching 2.3 million readers. For more information, call Classifieds at the Peak.

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1105 Obituaries

Edwin Rud

Richard Alan Wey

July 19, 1925 - December 26, 2019

December 24, 1921 - December 26, 2019

Edwin died peacefully at the Evergreen Extended Care Unit in Powell River. He was a longtime resident with a career in logging alongside his brother Elmer Rud. Edwin was predeceased by his parents Hans and Thora (Bakke) Rud, originally from Norway, and siblings Louise, Paul, Elmer, Walter, Johnny and Margret. He is survived by his niece Lynne Axford (Rud) and nephew Lane Rud, along with their respective families. Thank you to Evergreen staff for their care. With special appreciation to Ron Depape for his years of support and friendship.

Born in Melksham, England, Alan passed away peacefully in Victoria, BC. He was predeceased by his loving wife Iris in June 1998. Alan is survived by his three sons Richard (Karen), Nigel (Tanis) and Neil (Karen), six grandchildren, five greatgrandchildren and his close friend Dolly Christiansen. By request, there will be no service.

William Julian Drew Watson (aka Whipper) November 4, 1952 - January 2, 2020 Sadly, taken from us way too early due to cancer, and a late diagnosis in November, we were left stunned at the loss of our “leader” and “biggest brother” William Julian Drew Watson, aka Whipper. He was predeceased by his father Bill, sister Cathy, nephew Travis, brother Vince and stepson Marcus. Bill is lovingly remembered and survived by his mother Mary; four brothers Chuck (Cathy), Mario, Leonard and Ken (Steph); his daughter Shauna; stepdaughters Natasha and Eileena; many nieces and nephews, particularly the special bond with his nephew Ryan Watson; the Vella cousins; many wonderful and close friends, especially Mike and Maria O’Keefe, and longtime friend and devoted partner Leslie. Bill was born in Plymouth, England, in 1952 and immigrated with his mother and three of his brothers to Powell River in 1957. He spent his teenage and adult life working in our mill, where he saved and accumulated the wealth he then shared by taking care of those he loved. Bill will always be remembered for being the reliable one who everybody turned to in their times of need, whether it was a helping hand, babysitting a cat, or even giving thousands of dollars at a moment’s notice, because that was just the kind of guy he was. Bill was considered the rock of not only his family, but his circle of friends as well. If anyone needed anything, he was always there. Although nervous of the unknown, his faith kept him in good spirits until the very end. We should all take a page out of Bill’s book and be a little more kind and giving to one another. The Watson and Vella family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Leslie for her care, unwavering support and comfort she provided to Bill. A service will be held at 1 pm on Saturday, January 18, at Church of the Assumption, followed by a celebration of life at 2 pm next door at Assumption Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend. Bill’s ashes will be returned to the earth at 1 pm on January 20 at Powell River Regional Cemetery in Cranberry.

Derek Robert Cole August 4, 1963 - December 27, 2019 It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Derek Robert Cole, who passed suddenly on December 27. Derek was predeceased by his father Bill Cole. He is survived by his wife Sandy Cole; stepchildren Ryan (Angela) and Vicky (Jenny) Bennett; mother Shirley Cole; brother Randy (Cindy) Cole; niece Candice (Thomas) Spencer and their children Wyatt and Emmett Spencer. Derek left Powell River to attend school at BCIT. After graduating, he spent a short time working for BC Tel. He returned home to begin a rewarding and successful career at the local paper mill in vibration analysis and eventually supervision and maintenance planning. Derek had a zest for life that was unmatched. He experienced every moment fully, and never took anything for granted. His passion for music and drumming overflowed into all aspects of his life, from jam sessions in the basement to drumming on buckets at the cabin he loved so much. He could keep a rhythm on anything: his knees, steering wheels, the kitchen table with silverware (much to his wife’s chagrin). He believed firmly that, just like the placard that hangs in his home says: “Without music, life would B Flat.” Derek was not only passionate, he had an incredible sense of humour. His sharp wit and clever jokes kept everyone on their toes and in good spirits. He lived a full life in his hometown of Powell River and will be greatly missed by all. A memorial service will take place at 1 pm on Saturday, January 11, at Dwight Hall. A jam will immediately follow the service. As a special request, instead of flowers, please make a donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, a cause that was very important to Derek.

Ivan Cecil Clarence Stride February 22, 1938 - December 31, 2019 Ivan is lovingly remembered by his wife of 61 years Janet Stride, his children Robert (Lee), Cindy (Randy) and Brian (Ann), his grandchildren Dane, Nathan (Jessannee) and Candice (Tom), and great-grandchildren Wyatt and Emmett. He is survived by brothers and sisters Monson, Peg (Gordy), Irene, Ed (Helen) and Olin (Marion), and sistersin-law Sheila and Ella. He was predeceased by his parents Frederick and Jean, as well as siblings Albert, David and Kathleen. Ivan grew up in Bishop’s Falls, Newfoundland. His first trade was welding; he then served in the Royal Canadian Air Force stationed in France and later in Comox. In 1966 he had an opportunity to come to work in the Powell River paper mill and had a long and successful career as an instrument mechanic until his retirement. He enjoyed family, hunting, fishing, gardening, camping, his beloved farm and watching everyone enjoy his famous wine on the hillside. Sharing his bounty with family and friends gave him endless joy. Ivan was a member of the Masonic Lodge and an instructor for the C.O.R.E. program. The family would like to thank Dr. Danielle Marentette for her exceptional and dedicated care for Ivan over the years. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to BC Children’s Hospital. As-salamu alaykum.

1100 In Memoriam REMEMBER YOUR LOVED ONE. Donate to Powell River Hospital Foundation. Improving health care for all. prhospitalfoundation.com

604.485.3211 ext 4349 1010 Announcements GET RESULTS! Post a classified in 95 newspapers in just a few clicks. Reach almost two million people for only $395 a week for 25-word text ad or $995 for small display ad. Choose your province or all across Canada. Best value. Save over 85% compared to booking individually. www.bccommunitynews.com/advertise or 1.866.669.9222

1010 Announcements Dale Manor Assisted Living Registry has openings for Seniors and Persons with Disability who wish to maintain independence in a caring home atmosphere. Dale Manor has eight beds with private bathrooms, Wi-Fi, cable TV, security and sprinkler systems and is wheelchair accessible. Respite available. Medication is supervised by an RN; provides hospitality services, nutritious healthy meals and snacks, housekeeping, including personal laundry; staffed 24 hours. Please call 604.414.9460 for more information or email info@dalemanor.com Kiwanis Club Book and Marmalade Sale 4943 Kiwanis Avenue Saturday, January 11 10 am to 1 pm Proceeds raised go to Kiwanis charities Please bring your own bags.

15 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

1105 Obituaries

1215 General Employment

6505 Apartments/Condos for Rent LARGE, BRIGHT 2-bdrm apartment in Townsite, newly renovated, wood floors, N/S, $1,200/mth, includes heat, call after 5 pm, 604.483.6376.

Trent Meyer June 21, 1957 - December 23, 2019

SANDMAN INNS rural BC recruiting management couples, both full-time and part-time roles available. Ask us about our great employee perks and accommodation. Apply at innsco_bc@sandman.ca Selma Park Evergreens is looking for Salal Harvesters. No limits on product. Door is always open. Cooler available for Salal storage. Weekly pick ups from Powell River. Call Mike at 778-985-7778.

It is with broken hearts that the Meyer family announces the passing of Trent Verne Meyer (June 21st, 1957 - December 23rd, 2019). Trent dedicated his career to BC’s Ministry of Forests - spending over three decades driving his colleagues (both Ministry of Forests and local contractors) insane with his impossibly high standards and stubborn passion for road building. After Trent retired in 2015, he channelled his energies into constructing elephant-proof fences for his horses, raking up leaves before they hit the ground, perfecting the art of stacking firewood, and fire-proofing his acreage with his crew. Trent leaves behind his mom, Ethel; wife, Kim; daughters, Jenna and Brianna (Matt); son, Mark; nephew, Michael (Cristina); and three dogs sitting on the front porch waiting for him to come home. We would like to thank the nurses, staff, and doctors at the Powell River Oncology Clinic, Ambulatory Clinic, and staff at Rexall Pharmacy for their help navigating cancer treatments over the past two years. A special thank you to all the friends and family who stepped up, baked post-chemo apple pies, provided fence-building or firewood-stacking services, brought Trent prawns and farmfresh eggs, loaned Trent a backhoe (against sound logic), visited during chemo, and refused to leave Trent’s side during his last hours in the hospital. You know who you are - and Trent did too. A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers, donations are gratefully accepted to Pancreatic Cancer Canada or the BC SPCA.

1230 Work Wanted EXPERIENCED FIBREGLASSER includes stringers, floorboards, transoms, sundecks and custom showers. 604.414.6149

2060 For Sale Miscellaneous MOVING SALE, guitars and furniture. Please contact 604.413.1379 for viewing.

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604.483.8200 6950 Shared Accommodation Looking for accommodation 4-6 retired women teachers during Kathaumixw, June 29 to July 5, 2020. References available. Phone Deborah 604.414.7379

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9115 Auto Miscellaneous Certified mechanics on duty

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604.485.7927 9150 Sports & Imports 2000 VOLVO S70, 4-door, no rust, looks good, reliable transportation, $2,500 OBO. 604.487.0609

8325 Sand & Gravel

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6030 Houses for Sale HOUSE FOR SALE Cute 2-bedroom, 2 bathroom rancher in Wildwood on 60’x240’ lot. Close to schools, bus route, and parks. New roof, gutters and some windows. NEW PRICE $315,000. Call 604.483.2495 to view.

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16 Friday.January 10.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

CITY OF POWELL RIVER SERVICE NOTICE: Important changes have been made to area boundaries and schedules for garbage pick-up and recycling in 2020. Please check the map and at-a-glance schedule for changes to your collection day. The new routes and schedules were included in the Waste Wise Guide that was mailed to every household in Powell River and available at city hall, Powell River Recreation Complex, Powell River Public Library and on the city’s website at powellriver.ca. The city apologizes for any inconvenience. Residents requiring more information can contact public works at 604.485.8657.

City of Powell River 2020 Garbage and Recycling Curbside Collection Calendar

CITY OF POWELL RIVER

powellriver.ca • 604.485.8657