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Colin Palmer: a revered community leader

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Former mayor and regional board chair was a tireless advocate PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

Former Powell River mayor and qathet Regional District chair Colin Palmer died on Friday, March 13, at the age of 81 and the tributes are pouring in.

Palmer was fondly remembered by several community leaders, who spoke highly of his many years of service to the region, as a school teacher, businessman and politician.

Palmer began his political career as a Powell River city councillor, serving from 1973 to 1977. He went on to lead the city as mayor from 1984 to 1987.

From 1999 to 2018, Palmer represented Electoral Area C of the qathet Regional District as a director and from 1999 to 2014, he acted on behalf of the entire region as chair of the regional district.

He also served as chair of the Powell River Regional Hospital District from 1999 to 2018.

According to a media release from the qathet Regional District, he was a dedicated, veteran politician, who tirelessly advocated for improving services for the citizens he served. He was instrumental in promoting local economic development and highlighted the importance of transportation accessibility within the region. He was one of the first local environmentalists and even before he became an elected official, was drafting public briefs for the Powell River Anti-Pollution Association.

More recently, he was dedicated to supporting advocacy groups in their efforts to improve hospital and health facilities.

Patrick Brabazon, chair of the qRD, commented on Palmer’s knowledge and achievements in the community.

“Having served as a councillor and mayor of the City of Powell River for many years, he brought with him extensive knowledge of local government,” stated Brabazon in the media release. “Colin represented Electoral Area C for 20 years and served as chair of the board for 16 of those. As such, he served the whole of the regional community with his energy and knowledge. Colin’s contributions will not be forgotten. We offer our condolences to Colin’s wife, Ann and family.” »2 eht LLA teGGet ALL the ta sgnitsNEW il WEN listings at m prhotnewlistings.com oc.sgnitsilwentohrp eunevA ecyoJ 6674 4766 Joyce Avenue 6B3 A8V CB ,rPowell eviR llew River, oP BC V8A 3B6 1324 584 406 :ecOffi fifOce: 604 485 4231

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MULTI-TASKING: At work in his printing office is Mayor Colin Palmer. Palmer says it’s not unusual for people to call him away from the offset press to discuss municipal business.

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Politician leaves mark on community 1« PALMER The media release concluded by stating Palmer will be remembered for his passion, enthusiasm and commitment to local governance for more than 25 years.

Former Powell River mayor Stewart Alsgard said he had known Palmer for more than 50 years.

“I first met him when I came back to Powell River in the early 1960s when Colin was teaching at Brooks school,” said Alsgard.

“He became involved with the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets here as one of the officers of the corps.

Colin was a very gifted teacher and had a real ability to communicate and maintain the aura of being an officer of the corps. He was a role model to dozens of young people at that time.”

Alsgard said Palmer’s interests in the community were broad. He left teaching to become involved in the Powell River Progress newspaper, where he served as publisher.

That morphed into his business Phoenix Printers, Alsgard said, and Palmer became interested in local politics, where he would become a fixture for many years.

Alsgard recalled that Palmer was interested in BC Ferries and was a very good representative for the community in advancing its transportation interests.

“He held their feet to the fire and

many of the improvements of that era, and to this day, are to his credit,” he said.

Alsgard, who went into office without political experience, having come straight from a naval background, was able to call upon Palmer frequently for advice.

During Alsgard’s time as mayor and Palmer’s time as regional board chair, highlights included the sustainability charter and the signing of the community accord, between the Tla’amin Nation, the city and the regional district.

Health care was also an area where Palmer had influence with the regional hospital board, according to Alsgard.

He said on a number of occasions, he dropped down to Palmer’s print shop for discussions about particular issues of the day.

“He could provide a good counterbalance to things taking place,” said Alsgard. “He was a mentor to many.

“His presence in the community reached far and wide. He touched many, many personalities and organizations because he took time to listen and speak to people. The community can be described as grateful for his public work and his personal presence. It’s quite a legacy.”

Mayor Dave Formosa said he first recalls Palmer as his social studies teacher. Formosa said Palmer

formed a group called the Powell River Anti-Pollution Association and Formosa joined.

“We would do activities in the community, cleaning up and worrying about the climate of the world.”

Formosa would later get to know Palmer better, as a young adult, with the federal Liberal party. There was a group of “grandfathers,” who brought him in as the new young blood, handed him their files and mentored him for a number of years, handing the torch over. He met with Palmer with some degree of regularity.

Palmer was Formosa’s printer and Formosa gave his business to Palmer wherever possible.

Formosa also would “sit, chat-chat and solve the world’s problems at the print shop.

“He was a good friend, he was opinionated, thoughtful and dedicated to his community,” said Formosa.

When Formosa ran for mayor he narrowly defeated Alsgard for the position and there was a time where he couldn’t go to see Alsgard.

Formosa used Palmer as his mentor until he and Alsgard “got our hugs back together.” Formosa said he is grateful to Palmer for the guidance that he received.

Formosa said Palmer was very dedicated to his family.

He added that Palmer is known

Colin Palmer throughout the province for his hard work and advocacy in many areas.

“He fought hard for all of the interests of Powell River and represented us very well.”

Bob Astrope, who served on city council with Palmer, said he recalled one occasion when he was on council and Palmer was on the regional district board, having coffee, when Alsgard walked in and sat down.

“We were sitting there talking and it went dead silent in the place,” said Astrope, laughing.

“They were all sitting there listening for what was going to happen –

they thought something was going to happen, with three politicians sitting there having coffee. They all got a big laugh out of it.”

Astrope said he always got along with Palmer on council and they were “pretty good friends.”

“I think Colin tried to improve the community as best he could, and if you could give him a hand in any way he sure was appreciative of it,” said Astrope.

Ken Needham, who was the municipal treasurer when Palmer served on municipal council, said he spent quite a bit of time with Palmer as a member of the Anglican church prior to their crossover with the municipality.

“The church was my first encounter with Colin, way back in the mid-’60s,” said Needham.

In terms of service with the municipality, Needham said Palmer was a good mayor.

“I’ve always gotten along with him,” said Needham. “In his position he was a good listener as the mayor.

“He was mixed up in politics for a long time. As a politician he was polished in his conduct of meetings.”

Needham said Palmer was always conscious of the dollar.

“He and I got along pretty well in that regard,” said Needham.

“I was sad to hear about Colin. It is a loss to the community.”

Committee recommends using federal policy for towers Board chair encourages Telus to return to Lund area PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

qathet Regional District’s planning committee is recommending a telecommunications siting policy to the regional board.

At the March 10 planning committee meeting, regional directors voted to direct staff to use Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s client procedures circular called radio-communication and broadcasting antenna systems to guide the processing of applications for telecommunications towers and antenna systems.

The initiative came from Telus Communications Inc. trying to locate a tower in Lund that would provide cellular and internet service.

The proposal was eventually dropped by Telus, leaving Lund without the upgrade.

Electoral Area A director and board chair Patrick Brabazon said at the planning committee meeting that because of the situation at Lund, he is drafting a letter to the president of Telus, because, as part of the board resolution, the board asked Telus to come back.

“Following that resolution we communicated with what we thought was the responsible person in Telus corporation,” said Brabazon.

“We’ve had no reply. I’m going to carry on with the board resolution and I’m just going to go up the ladder, asking that they come

back and do a comprehensive assessment.”

According to a staff report, on September 25, 2019, the regional district received correspondence from Cypress Land Services, on behalf of Telus, regarding a telecommunications facility proposal for a private property in Lund. On October 8, 2109, the planning committee received a presentation from Chad Marlatt of Cypress Land Services regarding a proposed new Telus wireless antenna installation at 9561 Larson Bay Road in Lund.

The staff report indicates on November 12, 2019, the planning committee received a presentation from Jason Lennox, chair of the Concerned Citizens of Lund, opposing the Telus proposal.

On November 28, 2019, the regional board adopted

three resolutions. They included that the board write a letter to Cypress Land Services indicating the board was pleased that they had withdrawn from the Larson Bay Road site. The board also directed staff to explore a telecommunications siting policy.

The board also stated that it expected Telus to return to Lund and complete a fair and comprehensive survey of all available sites.

On December 10, 2019, the planning committee received correspondence from Cypress Land Services, on behalf of Telus, that they would no longer be proceeding with any proposed wireless infrastructure upgrade in Lund.

In response to the November 28 resolution, staff surveyed how other local governments in British

COMMUNICATION: qathet Regional District is hoping Telus will resume its attempt to install a telecom tower in the Lund area, providing residents with enhanced cellular and internet connection. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Columbia process applications for proposed telecommunications towers.

Staff engaged with 16 governments and received 12 responses.

Based on research, staff indicated they see no value in developing a telecommunications site policy, particularly if it replicates the federal default process.

3 Friday.March 20.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

NEWS »

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McDonald. “There is not enough difference to have any confidence that you are making the right diagnosis.

People should stay at home and stay out of public places, do their handwashing, social distancing, covering coughs and sneezes.”

Van Zyl said the term is “flatten the curve.” People are urged to take precautions and avoid exposure.

McDonald said this is a global pandemic and Powell River is going to be part of it.

“There are examples in the world of places where things haven’t been done well,” he said. “There are examples of places where things have been done better, and the outcomes are completely different.

“I’ve often asked myself where I would like to be if a pandemic hit and Canada would be near the top of my list. We’ve had time to prepare, we’ve got a public health system, we have people who are leading the public health process who are scientists and are delivering clear messages. We have a population that listens to them.”

McDonald said Powell River, because of its isolation, provides an opportunity to keep the virus in check if the advice of public health officials is followed.

“It’s a time not to be panicking but it’s a time to be resolute,” said McDonald.

For information on COVID-19, readers can access the BC Centre for Disease Control website at: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/ diseases-conditions/covid-19 Readers can also access updates from the Vancouver Coastal Health website at: http://www.vch.ca/ about-us/news/vancouver-coastalhealth-statement-on-coronavirus

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KEEPING DISTANCE: In the era of COVID-19, Powell River physicians Barrie McDonald, left, and Charles Van Zyl greet each other by avoiding the traditional handshake. A group of local physicians has launched a steering committee for dealing with the pandemic and are closely monitoring the situation. PAUL GALINSKI PHOTO

isolate, he said.

If people think they need hospital admission, the hospital is set up to see people.

“We are just asking for people to call ahead,” said McDonald.

When patients are tested for COVID-19, they are given an information sheet in terms of how to behave with regard to isolation, and to call a number in 72 hours to get the results of that test. The tests are not processed in Powell River, but are taken to the Lower Mainland to be If you think you are sick analyzed. enough to require a hospital If people do not have symptoms they assessment, then calling will not be tested. the hospital before you If people have mild show up is important. symptoms, they will not be tested either.

DR. BARRIE MCDONALD People who are rePOWELL RIVER PHYSICIAN turning from travprotective equipment. elling are not tested, they are just In terms of the physicians’ advice asked to self-isolate for two weeks. for patients, people may experience The only people who are being symptoms of a cold, a sore throat, tested are those with moderate to fatigue or some other non-emergent severe respiratory symptoms. symptom.

“It boils down to the discretion of “The goal of our message is if the clinician,” said Van Zyl. “The botyou’ve got those symptoms, stay at tom line is people should not expect home,” said McDonald. “Don’t come to be tested when they have mild to the doctor, stay at home. If you symptoms because it will absolutely think you are sick enough to require make no difference. Isolation is the a hospital assessment, then calling only really solid recommendation.” the hospital before you show up is McDonald said people can only be important. If you’re feeling sick and tested by referral from a health care you feel you need to be seen by your worker. People cannot just show up general practitioner, again, call the and be swabbed, he said, because reoffice. We will triage you. The other sources are limited. option is for patients to call 811.

COVID-19 is difficult to diagnose They are doing a good job of triaging without testing. patients.”

“I would say the symptoms of McDonald said if people have a COVID-19 overlap sufficiently with mild cold or flu, they don’t have to the flu or other respiratory viruscall anyone. They should just self- es that we see every winter,” said

ACREAGE

A group of local physicians has launched a steering committee structured for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, with action being taken throughout the community.

In the steering committee’s first report to the community, through an interview with the Peak, Dr. Barrie McDonald and Dr. Charles Van Zyl outlined a number of measures local residents can take with regard to COVID-19.

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) had indicated there are confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Powell River region in a staff memorandum to physicians and staff. Matt Kieltyka, VCH public affairs specialist, has since indicated the memorandum is erroneous.

McDonald said that as a matter of course there are going to be cases. However, it is not going to change what the medical community in Powell River does in response to the outbreak, and that is to provide comprehensive care to the community. The steering committee continues to meet regularly and monitor the situation provincially and internationally.

In terms of information for the community, the first important point is that colds and coughs do not need to be seen at doctors’ offices, said McDonald.

For those in serious condition who need to see a physician, McDonald said things will look different, and they may look even more different going forward.

“The first thing you’ll notice is very intense screening at doctors’ offices doors,” he said. “There will be big signs saying, ‘stop if you’ve got respiratory symptoms.’

“What we are trying to do with people with colds or coughs, is we will triage them. If we think they are at risk and need a test, we will refer them for a test. If we think they don’t need a test, and they are well [enough] to be at home, then we will

ask them to stay at home.”

The objective is to screen people and make offices and the hospital as safe as possible for patients and for the staff, McDonald said.

He said procedures might change going forward. This may include video visits, it may include more phone calls and it may come to a point where older patients are kept out of offices as much as possible. He said there will be contingencies going forward based on what is happening in the community.

Van Zyl said, from a hospital or acute care facilities point of view, the steering committee has been in effect for three weeks and it has been working at preparedness, including setting up a testing site, running simulation drills, getting the hospital’s over capacity protocol looked at, and fitting clinicians with personal

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PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

MP Blaney calls for sustainable salmon fishery

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Nor th Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney has published an open letter to federal fisheries minister Bernadette Jordan calling for measures to support the public fishing and tourism industry that is critical to many coastal communities, and for a comprehensive and science-based plan to protect endangered Fraser River chinook.

In a media release, Blaney said minister Jordan sent a letter to stakeholders on Monday, March 2, announcing planned regulations for public fishing of chinook salmon, effectively rolling over last year’s retention restrictions for a second year while consultations continue.

“The restrictions last year were devastating to many guides, lodges and tackle shops up and down the coast,” stated Blaney.

“Especially in our smaller communities, we need a sustainable salmon fishery to support our economy, our food security, and our way of life. These restrictions alone will not get us there. We need a real plan and investment in habitat restoration now.”

In the letter to the minister, Blaney calls for the establishment of a markselective fishery of chinook salmon where public fishers would be able to catch and retain hatchery chinook.

In the letter, Blaney stated that an adipose fin clipping program for existing hatchery chinook is required.

“Allowing fishers to keep hatchery chinook would help our local public fishing businesses survive through this process and the benefits outweigh the costs,” stated Blaney.

Blaney has also launched a petition to support the mark-selective fishery which is available by contacting her office at rachel.blaney@ parl.gc.ca or 250.287.9388.

4 Friday.March 20.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

Counsellor offers advice on managing emotions Anxiety and fear normal reactions during pandemic VANESSA BJERRESKOV Peak contributor

With various levels of government taking strong precautions against Covid-19, residents may experience feelings of anxiety, panic, or helplessness. According to Paul McIsaac, a licensed counsellor in Powell River, these feelings are completely normal.

“This is the first time our generation has experienced something like this,” he said. “I think we’re going to learn a lot from it.

I feel that this will be a test for our compassion.”

McIsaac said that the runs on grocery store supplies stem from people’s attempt to impose some control on their situation. “Stockpiling toilet paper is how some people try to control a situation they feel is completely out of control,” he said, “but it also comes from a place of self-interest. We have to remember that this situation is affecting everyone on a global scale, and we should act accordingly.”

McIsaac encouraged the commu-

nity to help each other as much as they are able. “People are offering to get groceries and do chores for others on Facebook, not just for their friends and family but strangers as well,” he said. “Going out and doing things is a great way to manage feelings of anxiety, and also helps strengthen our community bonds.”

Focusing on the future after the pandemic is also important, he said.

“We’re living in a bubble right now waiting for something to happen, and it’s important to focus on what we want the outcome to be on the other end. We will get through this; how do we want to see ourselves then? If we keep that in mind, we can act accordingly now.”

McIsaac also recommended focusing on physical activity, relationships, and a proper schedule including meals and sleep. “If you are feeling panicky, that’s a good indication that you have some excess energy to burn off,” he said.

“Go out for a walk, practice yoga, or do some other kind of physical activity. These things are not offlimits during the pandemic, and we’re lucky this is happening in March and not November.

“Humans are social creatures, and while we’re denied in-person contact by this situation, we have so many other ways of checking

TEST FOR COMPASSION: Feelings of stress and anxiety during a pandemic are normal, says local counsellor.

Helping others can be the key to dealing with the situation and strengthening the community. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

in with those we care about,” he said. “Give your parents a call, or email your friend to see how they are doing.”

In his own practice, McIsaac recommends people try to do one small thing a day if they feel paralyzed by anxiety. He also suggests making a list of things to do, or a schedule of activities like physical exercise or having time for meals, and to follow it.

“And sleep is very important for our capacity for handling stress,” he added. “If you find you are staying up late worrying, remember that you’ll be better able to handle things if you’re well rested. Consider the likelihood of the things you are worried about.

Yes, significant numbers of people have been hurt by this virus, but it hasn’t wiped out or decimated the population. If you don’t let your

worries take you too far, it’s a lot easier to come back to a place that’s calm and centred.”

McIsaac believes that Powell River will come out stronger on the other side of the Covid-19 pandemic. “This is a pretty good town and we’ve got a great history of helping each other,” he said. “I expect we’ll step up to the challenge, and we’ll all get together for a big meal when it’s all over.”

North Island 911 service to be modernized New system will allow interface with electronic devices PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

North Island 911’s service will be substantially upgraded over the next three years.

City of Powell River councillor George Doubt, who also sits as a city director with qathet Regional District (qRD), reported on a recent meeting he attended of the North Island 911 service, where changes were outlined. Doubt spoke at both the recent qRD and City of Powell River Council meetings about the changes to the system.

Doubt said at the March 5 council meeting that as part of his duties at the regional district, he is the qRD

George Doubt

director for North Island 911, which is the emergency dispatch service for Powell River and area. He said the organization is going to be transitioning along with the other emergency dispatch programs in the country to next generation 911.

Doubt said next generation 911 is what follows the existing 911 system, known as the legacy system, where anyone can pick up the telephone and dial to get the 911 service. Doubt said that

has worked for a long time, but that is changing over to next generation 911, which will offer a more comprehensive service.

He said it is an initiative for updating 911 service infrastructure to improve emergency communications in a growing wireless, mobile society.

“If Lyft and Uber can tell where you are and pick you up at the corner, why can’t the fire department do the same thing? That is going to require some major changes to the 911 service,” said Doubt. “The expectation is the 911 service will be able to be accessed from any device at any location. That means a cell phone, a tablet or any other electronic device that you can communicate with, you would be able to communicate with your emergency provider.”

Doubt said with the process now when 911 is dialed,

the call goes to an answering system, which is E-Comm 911 in BC. E-Comm 911 answers the call and then forwards it to the dispatching operator, which, in Powell River’s case, is North Island 911. He said they take the call, analyze it and decide which fire department or ambulance service to dispatch that call to.

“The calls in the new next generation 911 will come in maybe from a cell phone, maybe from an iPad and will go directly to the dispatching service, which is going to require a whole new set of communications ability, both incoming and outgoing for the dispatch centre, and the ability to store video and information they get.

“Someone, for instance, who is unable to talk may call from an iPad and provide video evidence of where a fire or emergency is taking place, and in order to do all

of the necessary paperwork and record keeping, the dispatch system will have to maintain a file of all of those things. It will go from voice telephone communication to voice over internet protocol, which is going to require some major changes to the North Island 911 equipment and program.”

This year, the upgrade will cost about $350,000, which North Island 911 has in reserve for performing the upgrade. Doubt said the transition will occur over a period of time, and will include what’s known as geodetic routing of calls, which will help the dispatcher to understand exactly where the device is that is making the call.

Doubt said in the future, North Island 911 may be able to relay video directly to a fire truck or the ambulance if the emergency service to which it is being routed has

the capability to receive it.

“It’s the beginning of a new process,” he said. “It’s not optional. The Canadian government has mandated the next generation 911 services. They will have to be developed in the next three years. At the end of those three years the communications companies will no longer be required to maintain the existing legacy 911 service.”

Doubt said it will make communicating with 911 easier and more flexible.

There are going to be some cost implications and he said the potential taxing ability will come through the qRD. This year, reserves are going to be able to take care of the upgrade.

“This new development is, I think, exciting,” said Doubt. “It is going to work particularly well for people who have difficulty communicating by voice.”

5 Friday.March 20.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

This is the time for our community to pull together and support one another

VIRAL PANDEMIC: The arrival of COVID-19 has caused the declaration of a provincial state of emergency, and chaos in its wake. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

A world in flux In a world where everything seems to have changed in the past seven days, here in Powell River, businesses and facilities are closing doors and people are staying at home. On Wednesday, March 18, the BC government declared a provincial state of emergency. The reason: COVID-19 pandemic.

“I want to assure citizens that their council is closely monitoring the situation and we promise to keep you informed,” said mayor Dave Formosa in a media release issued by the City of Powell River on Monday, March 16.

“This situation is fluid and information could be changing by the hour. It should make us all proud and give us each a sense of security that we’re coming together as a community to help each other through this crisis. We’ll get through it together. That’s the Powell River way.”

Daily media releases from the city keep the community updated on closures and cancellations, and a lot of these activities are coming while following orders from the provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. qathet Regional District has closed its doors to the public while keeping staff on hand to answer phone calls and emails, according to a news release on Wednesday. Tla’amin Nation Government Office closed to the public on Thursday with employees available via telephone and email.

For non-emergency matters, RCMP is asking people to phone first before going to the detachment (604.485.6255) and is halting all administrative services, including civilian fingerprinting and criminal record checks. “Police will be responding to 911 calls and crimes in progress,” stated Staff Sergeant Rod Wiebe in a media release provided by the city. “While we will still respond to calls for service, we will be limiting officers attending priority three and four calls. This means if the incident is not in progress, an officer will most likely follow up with you via the telephone to determine if attendance is required.”

Dental offices have closed until at least March 22, according to Dr. Ryan Sinotte, who said there are guidelines

ACCOUNTING • TAX • ESTATES

Self care:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands • Avoid close contact with people who are sick • Social distancing • Avoid public gatherings or crowds • Cough or sneeze into your sleeve and not your hands • Stay home if you are sick to avoid spreading illness to others • Eat well, exercise regularly and get enough sleep

Websites:

VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH: vch.ca/about-us/news/vancouver-coastal-healthstatement-on-coronavirus BC CENTRE FOR DISEASE CONTROL: bccdc.ca/about/news-stories/stories/2020/ information-on-novel-coronavirus GOVERNMENT OF CANADA: canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus.html SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL BY BC MINISTRY OF HEALTH covid19.thrive.health BC FERRIES UPDATES ON SCHEDULE CHANGES AND RESPONSE MEASURES bcferries.com that the BC Dental Association and the College of Dental Surgeons of BC have published for dentists to follow. “The overview of what they want offices to do is to close, or at least suspend all elective treatments and perform emergency treatments after a patient has been thoroughly triaged over the phone to determine if patients have symptoms of the virus, and whether it’s a true dental emergency,” he said in an interview with the Peak. The exception is Dr. Smillie’s office, which is currently open for emergencies only.

Public gatherings, at first of more than 250 people, and, as the week has progressed, now of 50 or more, have been cancelled across the region. The annual Seedy Saturday was one of the first events to go. Schools have been cancelled, and with Spring Break in full swing, school trips have been grounded.

Provincial and national championships for sports have unceremoniously ended.

Families are adapting to members being sent home from the workplace, with those who can do so working from home,

Now open in Powell River

and those who cannot, taking forced, sometimes unpaid, leave. Strains on the household budget are starting to show.

Phrases such as “social distancing” and “flatten the curve” have become common vernacular. The former is a guideline for keeping two metres away from each other, except immediate family, to reduce the opportunity for the virus to spread. The latter has to do with limiting the spread of COVID-19 and not letting it play out as it has been doing in other countries worldwide.

More actions, closures, cancellations are happening daily and it seems no carefully planned event is immune.

The chaos caused by the spread of COVID-19 leaves many unanswered questions. With diligent handwashing and social distancing the curve can indeed be flattened, but over what period of time? Where does this leave graduation ceremonies, PRISMA and International Choral Kathaumixw?

To stay up to date on announcements relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit prpeak.com.

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6 Friday.March 20.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

OPINION »

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

Advocacy GUEST EDITORIAL By Maggie Ellwyn One of the most important words you learn when you choose a career path that involves working with children, whether you’re working at a childcare, education, or ministry level, is advocacy.

We are all ethically bound to speak on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves, to protect the health and well-being of those in our care, and to provide environments that are safe. This obligation drives every decision we make, and we take it very seriously.

But what happens when no one is listening? What happens when the health and well-being of a six-year-old child gets prioritized over that of a twoyear-old? What happens when the health and well-being of a teacher gets prioritized over that of an early childhood educator? What happens when everything you know to be right is contradicted by the organizations and governments in place to support the families you work with? What happens when you are told by the premier it’s “business as usual” because, according to the provincial public health officer, you What happens when you are an “essential are told by the premier it’s service”?

If you’re an early “business as usual” because, childhood educator, according to the provincial you continue to show public health officer, you up. You continue to love the children in are an “essential service”? your care as if they are your own. You continue to put your health and well-being and that of your own family lower on the priority list.

As a society we are told to use social distancing. We are told to self-isolate.

We are told to limit touch. We are told to cover coughs and sneezes. We are told to not touch our faces. Early childhood educators would really like to know why those in power to make decisions to protect our children, our families, our communities, don’t seem to be able to apply their knowledge of COVID-19 to what we know is the ability of young children to do these things.

But, if you ask them, you get a brushed off response about how COVID-19 doesn’t really impact children. You get told that there’s no enforcement in place to make you operate your childcare facility and you could close if you wanted to.

But, if you stay open against everything you know is ethically right in a time such as this, you continue to receive operating funding.

We all know that childcare has a slim profit margin; we all know that if we close and lose our funding, our centres are at high risk of closing permanently. Shouldn’t the governments be more concerned about losing this essential service? Or are we only an essential service in a time of crisis?

Maggie Ellwyn is an infant-toddler early childhood educator in Powell River

LAST WEEK’S ONLINE POLL QUESTION Has the spread of COVID-19 affected your Spring Break travel plans?

51% YES 49% NO This poll was answered by 404 respondents.

This week’s poll question: Have you voluntarily self-isolated due to COVID-19?

Go to prpeak.com to cast your vote.

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Published every Friday

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VIEWPOINT

Paranoia thrives over pandemic

By Robert Dufour At first, there was one story circulating and I discounted it.

Then, a couple of days later, there were two more shared with me, and that’s when I decided to write this letter.

Powell River has been home to my family since 1967 and, after a hiatus of about 10 years away, I returned in 1993. The Powell River I have known, and am proud to describe, is one where people are welcomed, both visitors and new arrivals making the same choice we made in 1993. I cannot count how many times I have heard from new arrivals that Powell River is so welcoming and such a pleasant community in which to live. Unfortunately, there is another side to this story.

Many local families host students and guests from around the world including China, Korea, Mexico, Peru, Switzerland, France and more that I can’t count. I think we should be very proud

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of this welcoming attitude. Our own experience over a couple of years has been nothing but positive as we have hosted students from abroad. Even the less positive experiences others may have had pale in comparison to the new wave of xenophobia and, yes, I will say it, racism.

This current coronavirus situ-

they were no longer welcome at a home because of worries about coronavirus; in at least one case, the student(s) had been with the Powell River family for more than three months with no travel to questionable destinations. There is even a case of a parcel from Asia being thrown out instead of given to the recipient “because it came from…”; what a pathetic exThis current coronavirus cuse for paranoia.

If you are one of these situation is demonstrating families, shame on you. I that not all are welcome respect the desire to keep “your” circle pure, but your after all...and it is actions are despicable. It nothing if not paranoid would seem that rather than benefiting from the over-reaction. richness and variety of foreign students, you are in it ation is demonstrating that not only for the money. all are welcome after all. The eviFortunately, I choose to believe dence I have comes from other that most of Powell River unhost families (the students are derstands the value of these extoo polite, it seems, to complain changes both to our culture and publicly) and it is nothing if not to our economy. paranoid over-reaction. More Robert Dufour is a resident of than one student has been told Powell River.

ALICIA NEWMAN

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7 Friday.March 20.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

CROSSWORD

LETTERS »

Compassionate response Now is the time for complete compassion [“Stay or

Go?”, March 13, 2020]. We are a resilient species under extreme pressure. If you’re an employer and had to temporarily shutter operations, continue to pay your employees. If you’re a landlord and your tenants have temporarily lost their income, do not evict them. If you’re well-heeled, now is the time to shine. Proactivity is essential in order to prevent societal breakdown.

Now that the World

Health Organization has officially declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and given the coordinated mobilization efforts at containment, this is proof positive the human race is capable of applying the same response to the global climate crisis, given one rather large caveat: that we make the conscious decision to do so.

We’ve got this.

Steve Perkins Van Anda

Dealing with stress When everything feels like it is falling apart, we often put our physical and mental well-being on the backburner, when in reality, it is one of the things we should prioritize when in crisis-mode.

There are two types of stress in life: good stress (eustress) and bad stress (distress). Stress is our body’s response to changes that create taxing demands. Eustress is short term, feels exciting, improves our performance, motivates and focuses our energy, and is perceived as being within our coping ability. Physical activity falls under eustress. Distress, on the other hand, is short or long term, causes anxiety, feels unpleasant, decreases our performance, can lead to mental and physical problems, and is perceived as being outside our coping abilities.

So, for example, buying a house or starting a new job can be stressful, but in a good way. It is part of a decision we made, it is exciting, and we are looking forward to the challenges. An injury or job loss is mentally debilitating, feels out of our control, and we are dreading dealing with the issues and outcomes.

During times of distress and crisis, our bodies are overwhelmed, and get stuck in a constant loop of stress. It is at these times that practicing self-care can be most important. I want to distinguish between the more popularized and memed definition of self-care, which is going to the spa or spending

FRIDAY FLEX

By Melissa Sloos

money, versus focusing serious attention on caring for our physical, social, mental, spiritual, and emotional states.

Here are some things to consider when adopting a self-care regime.

Physical – How are you fuelling yourself? Are you giving yourself enough time for sleep? Are you exercising and stretching regularly? I, of course, prioritise the physical side of self-care. A good night’s sleep, a challenging workout, and a satisfying meal are my daily ways to ensure I’m ready to take on life’s challenges.

Social – How are you engaging, connecting, and feeling supported by those in your social circle? Even if it is through a quick text message, it helps to reach out to others during both stressful and non-stressful times to show we care.

Mental – Are you practicing compassion, kindness and acceptance of your-

self and others? Are you setting aside time to meditate or read? Compassion and kindness are my go-to tools, especially when it comes to myself.

Spiritual – This isn’t necessarily religion. Are you taking time to create deeper connections to yourself and the universe? It might seem cheesy or cliché, but there’s a sense of value and creativity in asking questions that reveal how you see the world, the universe, and your place in it.

Emotional – Are you acknowledging your feelings? Are you accepting yourself and how you feel? Are you giving yourself time to recharge your emotional battery? This one can be hard for many of us, myself included, when I give all my emotional energy over to others because I want to take care of them. Make sure you give that back to yourself as well.

Incorporating these things into your day to day or week to week routine will help prepare you, and make you more resilient the next time distress comes your way. Don’t forget to create calm in your mind and personal space. Focus on what is important and seek support when needed.

Do what you can with what you have where you are, and always prioritize the positive.

Melissa Sloos is a certified group fitness instructor, spin instructor and co-owner at Coast Fitness.

Spring break bus service cancelled Sunshine Coast Connector makes service advisory Sunshine Coast Connector has announced that bus service has been cancelled for spring break.

According to the Sunshine Coast Connector website, the cancellation is due to a medical condition of the bus driver.

“We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause you,”

the advisory stated. “Safety of our customers and employees is a priority for us.”

The advisory states that the next bus service between Langdale and Powell River will start on May 15, 2020.

Customers are prompted to follow the Sunshine Coast Connector Facebook page for updates.

The advisory concludes by prompting riders to check the bus schedule tab on the website for departure times, or email the company at coastconnector@gmail.com.

ACROSS 1. Quarrel 5. As of now 8. Blemish 12. Formal promise 13. Lobe’s location 14. Seclude 15. Able to read 17. At the summit of 18. Movie-rental choice 19. Exporters 21. Bronze coin 23. Faulty item 24. Volcanic emission 26. Destroy the interior of 28. Entice 32. Attendee 34. Thick stuff 36. Law 37. Put a stop to 39. Vote of no 41. Caustic material 42. Be suitable for 44. Ascended 46. More sharply inclined 50. Beneath 53. Weeder 54. Bring back 56. At leisure 57. Damage 58. Bottomless 59. Win by a ____ 60. Observe secretly 61. Makes mistakes DOWN 1. Auctioneer’s cry 2. Duet 3. Connected 4. Topic 5. Positive response

6. Dines 7. Wooded 8. Tremble 9. Water duct 10. Perfume 11. Hamilton bills 16. Clanged 20. Bolt’s partner 22. Jerk 24. Period in history 25. “Sanford and ____” 27. Freight weight 29. North American mammal 30. Tissue layer 31. Following ess 33. Arbitrator 35. Rowing implement 38. Chip’s companion 40. “Forever ____ Girl” 43. Stipulations 45. Insulting 46. Leg bone 47. Hubbub 48. Snakelike swimmers 49. Harvest 51. At all times 52. Salesmen 55. Strive

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given to all members that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Powell River Historical Museum & Archives Association will be held on: Monday, March 30, 2020 1:00 to 1:20 pm Powell River Historical Museum & Archives 4798 Marine Avenue, Powell River For further information, please contact info@powellrivermuseum.ca or call 604.485.2222

841222

I was shocked and horrified to read in the [March 11] Peak Midweek about the disturbing incidents re: people shooting and killing birds.

The photo of the young, dead gosling, beaten to death by an adult man, was heart-wrenching to say the least.

What kind of people are they to commit these cruel

acts? And how traumatic for the children who witness them.

It is illegal to discharge guns within the city and I think there must be some witnesses to these events.

Nan Dunn Sycamore Street

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION:

Cruel acts

8 Friday.March 20.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

Regional director objects to receiving correspondence Email makes allegations about residences on property PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

qathet Regional District’s committee of the whole has voted to receive correspondence regarding additional residences on agricultural land reserve (ALR) property.

At the March 12 committee meeting, directors received an email in the agenda package from Alan Rebane, to the provincial minister of agriculture, and copied to regional district chair Patrick Brabazon, regarding secondary residences on Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne’s property.

Rebane, in his email, made allegations about the property not being in compliance with the ALR. A mo-

tion was made by the committee to receive the correspondence.

Gisborne said the matter had been brought forward by chief administrative officer Al Radke and Brabazon and he wondered why it was not going through the regional district’s complaints policy.

Brabazon said this was correspondence to the provincial government, copied to the chair of the regional board, so therefore, it’s official correspondence and was dealt with as such.

Gisborne said the correspondence appears to be a personal and political attack against him.

Committee chair Sandy McCormick, Electoral Area D director, said the motion on the table was to receive the correspondence, so she asked him to focus on that during his discussion.

Gisborne said he did not think the committee should receive the correspondence because he did not think it was appropriate, based on the information

that has been provided.

“If you give me time I will go through the issues with the correspondence,” said Gisborne.

He said the regional district’s general complaints policy states that any complaints should be sent to the appropriate members of staff in the appropriate department.

Brabazon called a point of order to limit the discussion, saying the complaint was to the provincial government, not to the regional district, and it was on the committee of the whole agenda because it was directly pointed out to the government that is was copied to the chair of the regional district, thereby becoming an official piece of correspondence.

McCormick said she would uphold that point of order.

Gisborne said he disagreed with Brabazon’s statement about the point of order because the email was circulated to all of the members of the agricultural advisory com-

TAKING OFFENCE: Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne becomes the subject of a piece of correspondence sent to the provincial government and copied to qathet Regional District chair.

PEAK ARCHIVE PHOTO

mittee, whereupon McCormick said if Gisborne wished to challenge the chair on the point of order, he was welcome to do so.

Gisborne said he wanted to challenge the chair.

McCormick said the vote on the challenge was: should Gisborne’s appeal to the chair’s ruling be upheld? The committee did not uphold the appeal, so the point of order stood.

Gisborne then said he does not believe the committee should receive the correspondence.

Brabazon said the issue of receiving a piece of correspondence does not mean the committee agrees with the correspondence and it does not deny the correspondence.

“We don’t pass judgment on the quality of the facts, or lack of, in the document,” said Brabazon.

“The complaint has gone to the provincial government.

“If any of us have troubles with a writer of a letter that we have received, then it’s up to the individual director to handle that with the body involved.”

The committee voted to receive the letter, with Gisborne opposed.

Fewer housing sales this year February statistics show drop compared to 2019 PAUL GALINSKI reporter@prpeak.com

Real estate figures for the Powell River region for the month of February 2020 show a drop in sales com-

pared to the previous year.

In terms of single family homes, in February 2020, there were 12 units sold for a total of $4,403,500. This compares to 17 units in 2019 for a total of $6,858,450.

There was one mobile/ manufactured home sold in February 2020 for $164,000, compared to none in 2019.

There was also one condo/ apartment/duplex sold in February 2020 for $120,000,

compared to none in 2019.

Total residential sales in February 2020 were 14 units for $4,687,500, compared to 17 units valued at $6,897,450 in February 2019.

On the non-residential side, in February 2020, there was one parcel of vacant land that sold, valued at $314,900, compared to one parcel of vacant land in 2109 valued at $39,000.

In terms of the average monthly selling price, in 2020, the average was $366,958, with an average of 55 days on the market, compared to the 2019 figure of $403,438, with an average of 94 days on the market.

On a year-to-date basis, home sales totalled 27 units over the first two months of the year, falling 27 per cent (10 sales) from the same period in 2019.

“Home sales came within a handful of the average February, still a little on the quiet side but an improvement compared to January,” said Neil Frost, president of the Powell River Sunshine Coast Real Estate Board.

“That said, inventories are also still on the low side historically, which is keeping demand and supply in balance.”

There were 35 new residential listings in February 2020.

This was an increase of 29.6 per cent (eight listings) on a year-over-year basis.

Overall supply has risen from historical lows in 2018 but is still below average, according to statistics from the Canadian Real Estate Association. Active residential listings numbered 130 units at the end of February, an increase of 11.1 per cent (13 listings) from the end of February 2019.

SCHOOL BOARD BRIEFS Learning Innovation Team At the Powell River Board of Education trustees meeting on March 11, Kristen Brach, district principal of learning and innovation, provided an update on the Learning Innovation Team’s recent work with kindergarten teachers.

“All the district’s kindergarten teachers were at our last meeting,” Brach said. “They are very happy with the direction our discussions have gone, and we have a working model for assessment and gradual entry for next year.”

A group of kindergarten teachers had approached the board about increasing the gradual entry period. By working with the team, the teachers have developed a framework within which each individual school

will formulate a gradual entry plan that meets the needs of their school community, but will generally allow for a gradual entry for kindergarten students over two weeks.

There will be a district brochure created that outlines each school’s approach for the coming year.

The team also reached an agreement on student assessments for the 2020/2021 academic year. In the past, a teacher has been sent to schools in the spring to assess the basic skills of children registered for the coming year in order to determine if additional supports may be required. “Many kindergarten teachers have expressed interest in doing the assessments themselves,” said Brach, “so we have worked together to revamp this model and make it more modern and authentic.” Starting this

spring, if a teacher wishes, he or she can assess the students themselves, and the district teacher will act as a substitute teacher while they do so.

BC Tripartite Education Agreement The board held a brief discussion on the British Columbia Tripartite Education Agreement (BC TEA) and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

“We have a lot of things going on and a lot of resources developed at the school level with regard to indigenous education,” said superintendent of schools Dr. Jay Yule.

“What we don’t have right now is a plan to implement UNDRIP at the board level,

which will come up at the AGM in April.”

Trustee Jackie Timothy shared his experience attending vsimilar discussions at the Vancouver School Board, and encouraged the board to organize a talking circle to look at the changes and impacts in a different light. “We should be focused on making changes in the right places,” he said.

Chair Aaron Reid shared some of her experiences at the Vancouver Island School Trustees Association meeting in Nanaimo, including that the Nanaimo trustees are able to greet others in the local indigenous language. Reid indicated that she had a personal goal of learning greetings in the local language before the end of term. Timothy responded by providing a short language lesson in greetings and responses, for which the board expressed its gratitude.

9 Friday.March 20.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

Saying yes is the easy part Moving from what a wedding should be to what feels right VANESSA BJERRESKOV Peak Contributor

“Will you marry me?”

Three times on our family trip overseas he asked me, once by the side of the road looking at a herd of Norwegian spælsau sheep, again when we found some stainlesssteel rings at the Skagen gift shop, and then finally on one knee in front of most of my extended family. And three times I said yes, even though I threatened to say no if he

asked me at the family reunion.

But what I didn’t realize was that saying yes was the easy part.

No one really understands the stress and effort that goes into planning a wedding until they do it themselves. Saying yes begat a whole series of questions.

What province should we get married in? What city? Where in the city? How many people? What kind of food? What do we wear?

The decisions to be made are endless, and it’s hard to even know which thread to start pulling to untangle the Gordian knot that makes up what should be a celebration of love and commitment.

I started with a shawl. I spun yarn from some fibre I’d purchased

on one of our first trips as a couple, chose a beautiful crescent lace shawl pattern, and began knitting.

I said that once I reached the final section, I’d set a date, but when I got there, I realized how difficult even that would be.

Venue availability determines date; guest list determines possible venues, or vice versa. I tried extracting those threads off and on – starting a spreadsheet of names, exploring possible locations, considering upcoming weekends – but I found the whole thing so overwhelming that often the breaker in my brain would trip as my anxiety rose, and I would put the work aside.

Then, in early February, my sister

Sheila and my mother said, “We’re flying you here at the end of the month to go dress shopping,” and that’s when things got real. I kicked things into gear, going with my friend to look at bulbs and plants, and we made some decisions about what to grow this year for wedding flowers. Randy and I had some serious conversations about which dates would work best (there was lots of math involved). We also decided to get married in Lund, since we always go there when we take ourselves on a date. The day before I left, we met with Scott Wilshaw, the general manager of the Lund Resort, and booked our wedding for this September. Then I packed up my shawl and flew to Alberta.

Like many women, I have body image issues and a fraught relationship with shopping for clothing. I spent a lot of time in the month between booking the plane ticket and flying out getting myself into a good headspace.

“It will be fun,” I told myself.

“I’ll only get a dress that looks amazing.”

But despite that brain work, I still approached the first bridal shop with butterflies in my stomach. I was convinced that the experience would mirror how I usually shopped for clothes, taking armfuls into a changeroom and coming out with one thing that only looked half-decent.

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prise), I had the opposite problem. Not a single dress I tried on looked bad, though some certainly looked better than others. The consultants were positive and welcoming, and each shop had a different approach: the first steered us toward dresses in a particular size range; the second looked at the relationship between the dress and the shawl; and the third put me into a variety of different dress shapes.

By the time I stumbled out of the last shop, bleary and exhausted from a whole day of lifting pounds of fabric and trying not to step on trains and crinolines, Sheila and Mom had narrowed the options down to nine, which were further reduced to three after extended family members weighed in at dinner that night.

Our last appointment was the next morning, so we trekked back into town after a good night’s sleep. We met with Cecilia, who was about my height, asked intelligent questions, hung my shawl on a hanger, looked at pictures of the three finalists from the day before, and proceeded to bring me a series of dresses that combined all their best features, each one better than the last.

“This one is deceiving,” she said toward the end of our allotted hour. “It looks fantastic once it’s on, but it’s kind of flat on the hanger.”

I agreed with that assessment, but she hadn’t been wrong about a dress yet. As she worked on the laces, I watched in the mirror as the dress transformed me.

It was comfortable, stylish, flattering, easy to move in,

DRESS QUEST: The author tried on a variety of wedding dresses before finding “The One” [not pictured] in her twoday whirlwind purchasing trip to Alberta. She and her partner are in the process of planning a September 2020 wedding.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

and looked wonderful with or without my shawl. I tried on one more after that, but it was moot. When you find the right dress, or really the right anything, you just know.

Early in this journey, Sheila gave me a sage piece of advice. “Your wedding day is about the two of you,” she said, “so make it what you want, not what you think other people want.”

I think in some ways I had been stuck in what society has told me a wedding should be, which had forced me down a road that only increased my anxiety and stress. But going forward, I am going to try to take lessons from these experiences. When I need to make a decision, I will use my com-

fort and Randy’s as a guide. I will ask for advice and help when I need it, and accept the same when it is offered.

We still have a lot of things to do before September – invitations; menu; photographer; rings; what Randy’s going to wear (though my weaver friends at Powell River Fine Arts Association have taken on part of that challenge with no end of glee) – but by keeping these two tenets in mind, I know our wedding will be a perfect reflection of us and our love and commitment. And that, in the end, is what a wedding is all about.

Vanessa Bjerreskov is a Powell River-based freelance writer and regular contributor to the Peak.

11 Friday.March 20.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

How to feature bright colours in your wedding An increasing number of brides and grooms are incorporating bright colours into their wedding outfits and decor. Here’s how to do the same.

Choose the right colour While red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet look great on a rainbow, it may be overwhelming to use them all at your wedding. Instead, choose only one or two of your favourite colours.

Or, choose colours based on the meaning behind them and the feelings they evoke. For example, green is the colour of renewal and balance, while blue calls to mind feelings of serenity and peace.

Use colour judiciously Incorporating colours into your wedding doesn’t mean everything should be bright and bold. Instead, favour neutrals and use your chosen hue as an accent here and there.

The bride’s bouquet, bridesmaids’ dresses, centre­pieces and the groom and groomsmen’s ties are perfect places to inject a vibrant shade.

For a look that’s rich and voluptuous, be sure to use different shades and textures of your chosen colour.

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12 Friday.March 20.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

WEDDING/RECEPTION VENUES ARC Community Event Centre 7055 Alberni Street Capacity: 120 with tables and chairs Newly renovated and fully accessible Jenn Morris 604.223.7638

Carlson Community Club 4463 Joyce Avenue • Capacity: 130 Kitchen facilities, full catering, renovated Wheelchair accessible Brenda Knox 604.485.4571

Club Bon Accueil 5110 Manson Avenue • Capacity: 111 Kitchen facilities • Stage • Newly painted • Outdoor gazebo Wedding picture opportunities in the forest at the back Wheelchair accessible • Parking lot 604.483.3966 • admin@clubbonaccueil.com

Dwight Hall Powell River’s beloved ballroom set within historic Townsite Capacity: 350 • Vintage mirror ball 5,000 sqare foot hardwood floor 604.485.2891 or visit powellriverprc.ca

Powell River Town Centre Hotel 4660 Joyce Avenue • Capacity: 180 Newly renovated banquet rooms • Centrally located Full catering and custom menus available Free bridal suite for couple on wedding night Standard, deluxe or executive guest rooms 604.485.3000 • prtowncentrehotel.com

Wedding checklist The question was popped and the proposal joyfully accepted. Now it’s time to plan the wedding. Here’s a month-by-month checklist to make sure you don’t forget a thing.

12+ MONTHS BEFORE • Decide on the type of wedding you’d like (civil or religious, big or small) • Choose a date • Determine the number of guests • Establish a budget • Pick venues for the ceremony and reception (it’s best to reserve early) 11 MONTHS BEFORE • Make your guest list • Choose a caterer (meet with a few first) • Select your wedding party • Hire a wedding planner 10 MONTHS BEFORE • Start shopping for a wedding dress • Decide on a theme for your wedding • Choose an officiant if you haven’t already done so 9 MONTHS BEFORE • Book a photographer • Reserve a block of hotel rooms for your out-of-town guests • Purchase a wedding dress • Shop for the groom’s attire and purchase it

8 MONTHS BEFORE • Meet with your officiant • Book your entertainment (DJ, band, MC, etc.)

• Shop for and purchase your bridesmaids’ dresses • Design and order the wedding invitations and save-the-date cards 7 MONTHS BEFORE • Create a gift registry • Hire a florist • Plan your honeymoon 6 MONTHS BEFORE • Send out the save-the-date cards • Book your hair and makeup appointments for the day and trials • Book a hotel room for the wedding night if necessary 5 MONTHS BEFORE • Create a schedule for the big day • Decide on dates for bachelor and bachelorette parties • Shop for and purchase shoes, jewellery and accessories 4 MONTHS BEFORE • Reserve wedding day transportation • Select alcohol and other drinks for the reception • Taste and choose your cake • Buy wedding bands • Shop for and order the groomsmen’s attire

3 MONTHS BEFORE • Purchase wedding favours for your guests • If you’d like your loved ones to say or read something during the ceremony, let them know • Write down your vows • Decide on activities for the reception (photo booth, dancing, games, etc.)

2 MONTHS BEFORE • Send out your wedding invitations • Do trial runs for both hair and makeup • Give your music selections to the DJ or MC 1 MONTH BEFORE • Finalize the schedule for the big day • Choose a reception seating plan • Break in your shoes 1 WEEK BEFORE • Visit the desired beauty professionals (hair colourist, esthetician, etc.)

• Practice reading your vows • Finalize payments for vendors 1 DAY BEFORE • Get your nails done • Give the cheques to someone you trust to pay the vendors DAY OF Enjoy!

The Lund Resort at Klah ah men offers a quiet natural setting for a wedding that reflects your love, your priorities, your style. Combine your ceremony with nature, paddling, beaches, adventure, romance and culture, or simply choose to start your partnership in paradise, with an oceanfront ceremony and reception.

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13 Friday.March 20.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

COMMUNITY »

Dolphin pod rescue at Tla’amin 16 cetaceans released by concerned community members VANESSA BJERRESKOV Peak contributor

A group of concerned citizens rescued a pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins which had been chased inshore at Tla’amin Nation by a pod of orcas and then trapped by the falling tide on the afternoon of Monday, March 16.

“I was driving by around 1:30 pm when I saw the pod near shore, in very tight proximity and going around in circles,” said Derek Poole. “I spend a lot of time on the beach and you don’t see that very often.”

Poole discovered the orcas when he launched his drone for photos and videos. “That was likely why the dolphins had come so close to shore,” he said.

The dolphins had taken refuge in an old fish trap at Tla’amin. “When we were kids, we used to go down there when the tide went out to catch herring that had gotten caught in the pool,” said Lee George, a Tla’amin community member. “It was really the only place on this part of the coast for the dolphins to hide, but they got stuck when the tide started falling.”

George and Phil Russell were among the members of the community who were observing the dolphins. “Lee realized that this was turning into a rescue,” said Russell. “We made phone calls to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and to a few more people who know about rescuing whales. Lee went home to get tarps and his waders, but the water was going down really quick and the dolphins were starting to go belly-up in the shallow water. So myself, Russell Francis, and an-

DOLPHIN RESCUE: Many community members of Tla’amin Nation were on hand to help a pod of dolphins forced inshore by orcas. MICHELE MOIR PHOTO

other fellow named Barry got in there and started pulling the dolphins out to the channel.”

Barry Rice, one of the first people in the pool with Russell, acknowledged that the first rescues were not the right way to go about it (see sidebar).

“We knew that they needed to be carried with a tarp or blanket, but you can’t just stand there and watch someone in a burning building without helping,” he said. “We did the best we could with what we had, and when others arrived with tarps, everything went a lot smoother.”

The 16 dolphins, each weighing between 330 and 440 pounds, were carried out through the shallow channel to deeper water. It took about an hour to release the pod. “I realized after I got one of the dolphins out that I am not in as good a shape as I thought,” said Russell.

Michele Moir, another rescuer at the pool, agreed.

“They were very heavy, but you kind of go into rescue mode and just lift,” she said. “I’m just glad we were there to help, and I hope they’ll be okay.”

Many people helped rescue the dolphins from the pool. “There were people of all ages helping, even my granddaughter,” said George. “I told her about the [dolphins] when I was getting the tarps together, and when I came out of the house, she had already pedalled her bike across to the pool.

By the time I got there, she was in water up to her ankles.”

George commended everyone who did what they could for the dolphins. “This event really showed that people and communities can come together to do something good for Mother Nature,” he said.

The Peak received the following information from Peter Hamilton, LifeForce Ocean Friends, about the way to rescue cetaceans if provided with an ideal situation: 1. Do not attempt to move the whale or dolphin without the proper equipment and expertise, since the weight of the animal will cause severe scrapping of the skin, damage to internal organs, damage to the flippers and tail, and will normally be unsuccessful in the end. In no instance attempt to move it by its flippers or by pulling it by the tail or tail stock by human power, machine or boat. This can cause spinal cord injuries, et cetera. If an animal is rolled onto its flippers, irreparable damage can be caused. Do not allow an animal to roll onto its back so that the blowhole is covered.

2. Animals must not be dragged. They must be picked up and transported.

For large animals, heavy equipment is necessary in some cases. For small mammals, this can be done with a number of individuals using a tarpaulin.

Brooks students shine at Skills Canada regionals VANESSA BJERRESKOV Peak contributor

On February 27, a group of Brooks Secondary School students returned home from the Skills Canada regional competition held at Vancouver Island University’s Nanaimo campus with seven medals, including gold in public speaking and culinary arts.

“I think I’m one of the first, if not the first, person from Powell River to compete in the public speaking section,” said Ally Boyd, winner of a gold medal. “I’ve had a lot of experience speaking, including speech arts at the Powell River Festival for Performing Arts and competitions through Air Cadets, but this was definitely a different type of competition, and I was happy to get the gold.”

Competitors in public speaking are asked to prepare a five- to seven-minute speech, and also to present an impromptu speech. The impromptu speech component is new at the regional level.

“We were asked to experience the other parts of the competition for the morning, then our impromptu speech related to the things we saw,” said Boyd. “My topic was ‘what trades did you observe this morning?’ With only two minutes to prepare and two minutes to speak, you have to be able to narrow down your topic quickly.”

Boyd’s prepared speech was about encouraging people from underrepresented groups to choose careers in the skilled trades and technology. “I had to do a lot of research because it wasn’t a topic that I was familiar with, but I was excited for it,” she said.

Culinary arts student Esmé Long brought home the other gold medal for Brooks. “I’ve competed in singing, but this was my first time competing in cooking,” she said.

“The amount of practice was similar but in different ways. There is a lot more preparation in cooking, and you have to plan every step so that it goes smoothly.”

Avi Sternberg, instructor for the

dual credit culinary arts program with VIU and Brooks Secondary, had been a judge at last year’s Skills Canada competition and helped Long to prepare. “Skills Canada competitions focus on the fundamental skills that a cook will need in the industry,” he said. “Esmé embodies many natural gifts for a cook, and we worked on other points like keeping your station very clean and maintaining good food hygiene.”

The judges offered feedback to Long about how to improve her performance. “The judges said they appreciated my cleanliness and that I tasted my curry as I went.

But they told me I need to learn to iron my shirts properly. I tried, but ironing is harder than it looks,” she added with a laugh.

Boyd also received feedback to help prepare her for the next level of competition. “At regionals, the sense is that the judges are trying to nurture your skills,” she said. “It felt like Powell River in a way, that we were a small group and were here for each other.”

MEDAL WINNER: Brooks Secondary School student Esmé Long [left] won a gold medal in culinary arts at the Skills Canada regional competition held February 27 at the Nanaimo campus of Vancouver Island University.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Other medalists from Brooks included: Hunter Baillie, bronze, culinary arts; Seth Morgan, silver, auto service; Chance Rivest, bronze, auto service; Nic Mazurek, silver, cabinet making; and Riley

Robinson, bronze, hairdressing.

Long and Boyd qualified for the Skills Canada BC Provincials on April 15. Unfortunately, the competition has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

14 Friday.March 20.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

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.

DEADLINES Friday, 12 pm for Wednesday publication Tuesday, 12 pm for Friday publication

CLASSIFICATIONS 1000 NOTICES 1200 EMPLOYMENT 1400 EDUCATION

2000 MARKETPLACE 3000 CHILDREN 3500 PETS & LIVESTOCK

1105 Obituaries

Due to the current health crisis, our family has made the difficult decision to hold the funeral mass at the Church of the Assumption for immediate family only. As it would be important to Norina, we want to ensure the safety of everyone at this time. The family will hold a dedicated mass and reception to cherish the memories of our dear Mom and Nonna at a later date.

Colin Sidney Palmer Colin Sidney Palmer passed away on March 13, aged 81. Mrs. Palmer wishes to thank the staff at Powell River General Hospital for all of their hard work.

The family will be having a private service, with a public event at a later date.

1010 Announcements

Alcoholics Anonymous

REMEMBER YOUR LOVED ONE. Donate to Powell River Hospital Foundation.

Improving health care for all. prhospitalfoundation.com

604.485.3211 ext 4349

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, WiFi, 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

GET RESULTS! Reach almost 2 million people in 95 papers for only $395/week for a 25-word text ad, or $995/week for a formatted display ad bccommunitynews.com/ advertise

• 604.483.9736 • 604.485.6994 • 604.483.8349 • 604.807.0232 (Texada) • 604.414.5232 (Texada) Meetings FRIDAYS, 8-9 pm

United Church Basement

SATURDAYS, 8:30-9:30 pm Hospital Boardroom SUNDAYS, 8-9 pm Alano Club

Peak Classifieds 604.485.5313 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 i n d i v i d u a l l y. www.bccommunitynews.com/advertise or 1.866.669.9222

8000 SERVICE DIRECTORY 9000 TRANSPORTATION

1205 Career Opportunities CONTRACT BOOKKEEPER wanted for Life Cycle Housing: 25-30 hr/mth on rent records, payments, bank reconciliation, four monthly statements, payroll for two part-time employees. Requirements: bookkeeping training, Sage or similar software, Excel, fund accounting experience, good written/oral communication skills, minimum five years experience. Full posting at: www.lifecyclehousing. com. Applications must be submitted electronically to lchouse@uniserve.com no later than 4 pm, Wednesday, April 1, 2020. We thank all applicants, but only those selected for interview will be contacted.

1-866-669-9222

Book by province or whole country and save over 85%!

Church of the Assumption

Colin leaves behind his loving wife Ann, his son Jonathan and his daughter Kathryn. Colin was predeceased by his eldest son Jeremy. He also leaves behind four grandchildren, Christopher, Andrew, Cameron and Travis and five greatgrandchildren, as well as many amazing friends and family members.

MEYER, Trent Verne March 28, 2020 A Celebration of Life will be held for Trent on March 28, 2020, at the Town Centre Hotel from 1 pm to 3 pm.

Please RSVP to bmeyer3280@gmail.com and join us in celebrating the most annoying man we all know.

5500 LEGALS 6000 REAL ESTATE 6500 RENTERS’ GUIDE

1010 Announcements

In loving memory of Norina Prissinotti

1100 In Memoriam

4000 HEALTH 4500 TRAVEL 5000 BUSINESS & FINANCE

Covid-19 Revised Schedule Maximum 50 persons per Mass Assumption Church Two Anticipated Masses 4:30 and 5:30 PM Saturday St. Gerard’s Mass 8 am Sunday Morning Masses at Assumption Church 8, 9, 10 and 11 am Sunday Mass at Sacred Heart Tla’amin First Nation 12 pm Sunday Evening Mass at Assumption 7 pm Sunday

Father Patrick and Father Prashanth

NOW HIRING: Working Superintendant and Equipment Operators Ralmax Group of Companies has openings for a Working Superintendent and Equipment Operators at our St. Vincent Bay Quarry. See our website for more information about the roles and to apply. www.ralmax.com

Announce your

new arrival in the classifieds!

604.485.5313

ATTENTION YOUTHS, ADULTS AND RETIREES

Want to earn extra cash?

Carriers needed for our substitute list for both Wednesday and Friday deliveries Please contact Stephanie Keillor at the Powell River Peak 604.485.5313 circ@prpeak.com

THE CITY of Powell River Manager of Operational Services The City of Powell River, "Coastal by Nature," is pleased to announce they are searching for a skilled Manager of Operational Services to join their team.

As the ideal Manager of Operational Services, you will come with a background in municipal engineering with an understanding of planning, organizing, assigning and overseeing operations of a city’s infrastructure, water, sanitary, storm, roads, equipment and other systems.

You have ten years of municipal engineering, public works, or related experience, a Diploma in Civil Engineering or similar, as well as five years of supervisory experience. You have a thorough knowledge of all aspects of municipal servicing, (including water, sewer, roads and drainage services), maintenance and construction practices, materials, tools and equipment.

If this sounds like the position for you, we would love to hear from you. Please respond with a resume and covering letter outlining why you are interested in this position to: jobs@praxisgroup.ca no later than 4:00 pm on March 23, 2020.

For more info, please visit: praxisgroup.ca/opportunities

15 Friday.March 20.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

1205 Career Opportunities

THE CITY of Powell River Manager of Transportation The City of Powell River, "Coastal by Nature," is pleased to announce they are searching for a skilled Manager of Transportation to join their team.

As the ideal Manager of Transportation, you will come with a background in municipal infrastructure with an understanding of planning, organizing, assigning and overseeing the work of the Transportation Division, which oversees the city’s buildings, harbours, airport, transit, and other infrastructure systems.

You have ten years of municipal transportation, public works, or related experience, a Diploma in Civil Engineering or similar, as well as five years of supervisory experience. Certification under Project Management and Local Government is an asset, as is emergency management operations coursework ad experience. You must either have or be able to obtain after hire an Airport Vehicle Operations Permit (A.V.O.P.) and a Restricted Radio Operator’s License.

If this sounds like the position for you, we would love to hear from you. Please respond with a resume and covering letter outlining why you are interested in this position to: jobs@praxisgroup.ca no later than 4:00 pm on March 23, 2020.

For more info, please visit: praxisgroup.ca/opportunities

1205 Career Opportunities MANAGER, COMPLIANCE AND LICENSING Evolugen, a company of Brookfield Renewable, is looking for a Manager that will be responsible for managing all permitting, licensing, and compliance activities necessary to operate and maintain the hydroelectric generation assets located in British Columbia.

For more information please visit: evolugen.com/careers/

2145 Wanted RIDE-ON lawn mowers, running or not, cash for some. Contact Don at 604.487.0487 WE BUY houses, any condition.

Call Mike 604.414.8595

604.485.2234 TandRContracting.ca 6070 Real Estate Wanted

8255 Painting/Wallpaper

WANTED ACREAGE south of town, under $500,000, motivated cash buyer, quick closing, no realtor fees.

604.208.6595 WANTED OCEANFRONT property south of town. No realtors please. 604.485.6467

LEVEL 5 Painting, free estimates, new construction or repaints, interior, exterior. Woodworking stain and clear coating.

236.328.2007 or email: level5painters@outlook.com

6505 Apartments/Condos for Rent

PR4RENT.ca

inventing.davison.com/BC

Attention

Call Davison today!

1.800.218.2909 or visit us at

CLAY GLOSLEE CONSTRUCTION

Free inventor’s guide!

For all your renovations in 2020

6035 Industrial/Commercial

AQUARIUM, FLASH reptile tank. 6 feet long.

Text 604.414.4578

WINTER HOURS: Monday to Friday 7 am to 4 pm Closed weekends and holidays

6515 Commercial

1230 Work Wanted

2070 Free

Call us for your excavation needs

• Excavation • Trucking • Land clearing and Landscaping • Site services • Drainage systems • Retaining/rock walls • Driveways, pathways, parking lots and more...

5015 Business Opportunities

Inventors!

Ideas wanted!

COMPOUND BOW, Hoyt Spyder 30, right hand, 60 to 70 lb draw. $650. OBO. Call or text 604.414.3529 MOVING SALE, guitars and furniture. Please contact 604.413.1379 for viewing.

SAND AND GRAVEL PRODUCTS TOPSOIL • QUARRY ROCK SLINGER TRUCK • GRAVEL TRUCK EXCAVATIONS • LAND CLEARING

MALTESE PUPPY four months old, female, pad trained, weighs about six pounds when fully grown. $1,800 604.485.0890

3560 Pets

CROFTON HOUSE is seeking an on-call care worker to fulfill replacement shifts for permanent staff. Requirements: Health Care Aide Certification preferred, or three years recent, related experience as a health care worker. Send resume to seaviewguesthome@ shaw.ca.

2060 For Sale Miscellaneous

604.485.2234 TandRContracting.ca Stevenson Road, Powell River, BC 604.483.8007

2-BDRM APARTMENT is available 1st of the month, heat and hot water included, $790.

Phone 604.485.2895 UNFURNISHED 1-BDRM in Cranberry, available now. westcoastend.com call 604.414.8595

1215 General Employment

604.483.6153

8325 Sand & Gravel

INTEGRITY POST frame buildings since 2008. Built with concrete posts. Barns, shops, riding arenas, machine sheds and more.

Adam.s@integritybuilt.com.

1.250.351.5374 www.integritybuilt.com STEEL BUILDINGS STEEL BUILDING SALE...

“REALLY BIG SALE IS BACK - EXTRA WINTER DISCOUNT ON NOW!” 20X21 $5,929.

25X25 $6,498.

28X31 $7,995.

32X33 $9,994.

35X33 $12,224. One end wall included.

Pioneer Steel 1 . 8 5 5 . 2 1 2 . 7 0 3 6 www.pioneersteel.ca

FOR DETAILS ON

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IN POWELL RIVER

604.483.8200

9115 Auto Miscellaneous

Certified mechanics on duty

604.485.7927 9150 Sports & Imports 1989 NISSAN Sentra, four door, Automatic, A/C, mint shape, Original 64000 KM 604.223.3589 $1,500

9164 Truck Parts REBUILT 350, GMC engine still in crate, $1,600. Call 250.202.3101

9185 Boats 15.5’ GLASSCRAFT runabout, 60 hp Johnson, trailer, chart plotter, excellent condition, $5,500.OBO Call 604.485.4960

Seven fun facts about pets Did you know that cat and dog noses are as unique as human fingerprints? Here are seven more interesting facts about pets.

1. Dog remains were found alongside human ones in a 14,000-year-old German burial site.

Dogs are thus believed to be the first type of animal that humans domesticated.

2. Despite how often cats are represented as happily sipping milk from a saucer, most are lactose intolerant and can’t digest dairy products of any kind.

3. Cats only meow to communicate with humans. In fact, past infancy, felines rarely meow at each other.

4. Dogs’ noses are wet because they’re covered with mucus that helps them to absorb scents from the air. They also use their tongues to sample smells with their mouths.

5. Despite having a reputation for being a short-lived pet, the oldest goldfish on record died 43 years after his owner won him at a fair.

6. Just like humans, pet rats can be ticklish. Studies have found that when tickled, rats giggle and laugh, albeit at a frequency inaudible to human ears.

7. Cats spend 70 per cent of their life sleeping, and 30 per cent of their waking hours grooming themselves.

Not only do pets provide unconditional love and endless entertainment, they’re also good for your health. Studies have shown that a few minutes of playing with an animal can lower your heart rate and decrease your level of stress.

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TERMS

Clas­si­fied ad­ver­tis­ing is ac­cept­ed on a pre­paid ba­sis only.

VISA and Mas­ter­Card wel­come. Peak Pub­lish­ing Ltd. re­serves the right to clas­si­fy ads un­der ap­pro­priate head­ings, set rates there­fore and de­ter­mine page lo­ca­tion. 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 writ­ ten cons­ent of Peak Pub­lish­ing Ltd. Any er­rors in ad­ver­tise­ ments must be brought to the at­ten­tion of the pub­lish­er with­in 30 days of the first pub­li­ca­tion. It is agreed by any dis­play or clas­si­fied ad­ver­tis­er that the li­abil­i­ty of the news­pa­per in the ev­ent of fai­lure to pub­lish an ad­ver­tise­ment or in the ev­ent that er­rors oc­cur in the pub­lish­ing of any ad­ver­tise­ment shall be lim­ it­ed to the amount paid by the ad­ver­tis­er for that por­tion of the ad­ver­tis­ing space oc­cu­pied by the in­cor­rect item only and that there shall be no li­abil­i­ty in any ev­ent beyond the amount paid for such ad­ver­tise­ment. Peak Pub­lish­ing Ltd. can­not be re­spon­ si­ble for er­rors af­ter the first day of pub­li­ca­tion of any ad­ver­ tise­ment. No­tice of er­rors in the first week should im­me­diate­ly be called to the at­ten­tion of the ad­ver­tis­ing de­part­ment to be cor­rect­ed for the fol­low­ing edi­tion. All ad­ver­tis­ing is sub­ject to the ap­pro­val of the pub­lish­er.

604.485.2244 | 4480 Manson Avenue

BC SPCA Powell River & District Branch 7558 Duncan Street • 604.485.9252

ADOPTION ASSISTANCE WITH SPAY AND NEUTER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Cruelty hotline 1.855.622.7722

16 Friday.March 20.2020 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

We remain committed to serving the needs of our community Dear reader, advertiser, sponsor and community member, I write this to let you know that we at the Powell River Peak recognize the significant challenges the current COVID-19 pandemic is creating for many of you.

Our prime minister made significant comments and announcements in regard to the federal government’s actions and recommendations. We will behave completely within those guidelines and requests.

We are taking this issue very seriously at the Peak.

We remain 100 per cent committed to serving the needs of our community, especially at this unsettling time. Our newsroom staff are fully engaged (by phone and email) with community news happenings and particularly events and changes around the very fluid COVID-19 pandemic. We will keep you fully updated 24/7 on our website, prpeak.com.

We will continue to print and deliver your newspaper. The paper will carry up-to-date COVID-19 information as well as all the other community news that you expect. Our carriers have been asked to be especially diligent in providing social distancing for our readers, and we are encouraging frequent hand washing and cleansing during deliveries. Please respect our carriers’ wishes for social distancing as well.

We have made the decision to create work from home (WFH) solutions for all of our employees. This, in turn, affects our ability to provide personal service at our office. As such, our office is now offering restricted access to employees only. Please call ahead to make arrangements if you wish to visit one or more of our employees (604.485.5313). Many of our employees will be taking the WFH opportunity and will not be available at the office, so we encourage anyone looking to purchase or renew a subscription or advertising to contact us by phone or email. The newspaper boxes outside our front door will remain stocked with our Peak Midweek.

We understand that it will not be business as usual, but you can count on us to provide you with the most up-to-date information, available at all times. Please visit our website at prpeak.com.

We hope that all of you remain safe and healthy during this outbreak of COVID-19. Practice personal hygiene, maintain social distancing, and self-quarantine with the very first sign of symptoms that match the expectations of this virus.

Kelly Keil Publisher, Powell River Peak