TAKE 5
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Letters Green effort appreciated
I would like to praise the Mayor, Councillors, and staff of the Town of Ladysmith for their efforts in the “Greening of Ladysmith.” I am very proud of local governments around the world with their efforts to move towards sustainability and stopping climate change. I am distraught about the lack of effort made by national governments to reach global agreements to do the same. Every little bit helps, but without agreements at the national and global level, we are doomed. -Mayta Ryn
Other Side
I am a big fan of the magazine and today on my lunch break I was reading of all the lovely activities and the wonderful people of Ladysmith and was thinking to myself how brilliant this magazine really was. Unfortunately I came across Jeff Virtanen’s Other Side (TAKE 5/May) and I was not very impressed. I do not think it necessary for Mr. Opinionated to voice his opinions in our small town magazine. First off I couldn’t care less and secondly I found them to be obnoxious and just plain annoying. Obviously the Country does not have a problem with Stephen Harper so in my opinion Jeff can chew on his own foot. And please TAKE 5 leave the politics to the News. - Web mail Tell Jeff it is pronounced “Maaajooorriiiteeeey.” - Richard Brownfield
Imported Birds
Could Rob Pinkerton tell us his source for calling the California Quail (Take 5, May) an introduced species on southern Vancouver Island? My authoritative Sibley “Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America” does not mention this, and maps its coastal distribution as an unbroken arc from the tip of the Baja peninsula, through California, Oregon and Washington, up to south-coastal B.C. and a bit of the B.C. southern interior. This pattern of range suggests we can rule out introduction to our shores. Or does he have some special information or new definition of the term? - Wade Richardson, (Ed note) Birds of Southwestern BC and The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds both mention that the California quail was introduced to BC. – Rob Pinkerton
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JUNE 2011
Harper Got In
The Neighbour just phoned to say Harper got in, The Wolf’s at the door and he’s starting to grin, And all of the Albertans are hugging their kin The Tories are ready to take some more of your skin. Even tho’ Layton is sitting in a seat far across, Stephen’s in charge, he’s the dictator boss, Punishing us all in the name of the Cross And laughing like hell at the Liberals’ Loss. Ontario’s gone to the dark side again Women subservient, and bow to the men, CBC’s dead and abortions will end, And all of our oil to Obama we’ll send. American companies they’re laughing out loud, Our Children in prison, tear gas in the crowd, If you are a Tory, everything is allowed, They’ll smile and gloat, with their head in a cloud. Do unto others is thrown out the door, Eye for an eye is what churches are for, Gays are detested and tycoons can make war, Cause Harper is now crowned the Canadian Czar.
Now Stevie Harper, can show us his hand, Nothing but Kings, every Joker is banned, Funding is stopped; he’s the Lord of the Lands, And control of our money is now in his slippery Hands. - Gord Barney
TAKE 5
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JUNE 2011
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Thunderbirds
In the early hours of Monday morning this writer sat watching a program featuring a lecture on the environment. Although this writer does not have a degree of any kind, my memories, I’m sure, are still intact. Many people have told me that I should have written a book, and perhaps this is still an option. When I was a boy over 85 years ago in this same area of Cedar (Vancouver Island, British Columbia) I do recall the wild flora and fauna - well, perhaps not all, but much of it. In most of the lands people were very nice, warm and sociable. In crop harvesting time they all helped one another. It did not matter who you were, if they saw someone approaching their dwelling the first item on the agenda was to put the kettle on for tea. Much of the land was in 100 acre lots originally; they now cut it up in smaller parcels. Nearly everyone had a barn of some kind or size to support stock. People were almost constantly clearing ground for one thing or another. Around milk time cattle would slowly wend their way from the pasture to the barn where they would wait for farmers to open the door to admit the cows for milking. As they milled about they would almost constantly defecate. Grass seed is not destroyed as it passes through cattle and remains intact. So, when song birds gather by the hundreds in these places we can easily realize what they are doing. I well remember approaching these
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small areas and these black capped chickadees (by the hundreds) would explode to the air at a person’s approach - and now they are gone! Except for the likes of one or two (maybe). Around the edges of nearly every open field were blessed with wild gooseberry bushes, each producing the most luscious sweet jelly-like berries. They were a large one and a half inch in diameter and bright red when ripe. The thin outside were rather sticky and covered with a fine black down. It was almost impossible for one to go hungry in the summer months if you travelled by foot across country. The last time I saw this plant was about 30 years ago. I would like to mention a certain bird that used to fly our early evening summer skies. Just before sunset and up to about 10pm one could see them gyrating through the lower skies searching for their food. They had the most beautiful black bulbous eyes (very large) - I suppose they had to be for the life they led. Every few seconds they would make a very eerie cry like it was saying “peeeeeerd, peeeeerd.” Suddenly they would spot a large beetle bug of some kind that would be flying across the lower plain. This two foot wing span hawk would fold up and fall about a one hundred foot swoop. But as it did so, upon having to brake the fall speed to make the catch it opened its wings which caused a tremendous fluttering roar that could be heard for at least 1/4 of a mile in the quiet evening sky (thunderous in sound).
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Although we have many types of birds that still hawk their food from the sky there still remains an outstanding type that borders on a pre-historic pre-historic principle, but we still do not have yet that hard evidence to prove it as fact! Some newspaper and magazine articles have been printed in the last 10 years from mountainous areas in Alaska to Colorado of USA about certain sightings of a feathered creature of some 30 ft wing span, that when in gliding stance at a 1/4 of a mile away appeared to be a Cessna aircraft until it started to undulate its wings! However, pilots who do give their testimonies all state quite sincerely that had they not had passengers, they most certainly would have followed for a time at least. I do believe that the possibility of this creature existence is certain. There are millions of crags in the high mountain fastness that could nest these predators. The point I’m trying to make here is that the probability of this bird is the very one the early Natives called “Thunderbird!” And the very grave meaning behind the old lore was because it might have been responsible for the taking of small animals, well - the size of children - maybe. - J.L. Knighton, Cedar Letters to the Editor are welcome but subject to space and editing. Letters may also be used on the take5.ca website. Write PO Box 59, Ladysmith, BC, V9G 1A1, editor@take5.ca, or post your
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Ladysmith Mayor Report
Saving to replace Cowichan Hospital BY ROB HUTCHINS, LADYSMITH MAYOR
Rob Hutchins
The Cowichan District Hospital (CDH), our region’s community hospital, was opened in 1967 to serve a population of approximately 35,000. Since its opening this hospital has served us well. However, the facility is aging and over the last four decades our population has more than doubled. Furthermore, we have lost the acute care hospital services historically provided by the Chemainus and Ladysmith hospitals. The present hospital needs to be replaced and planning is underway. Two options have been examined 1. Replace the CDH on the existing site, and 2. Construct a new hospital on a different site. The second option is widely supported. The cost estimates to replace the hospital range from $100 to $120 million. Through the provincial health funding formula, forty percent of that cost must be borne by the local taxpayer. So where do we find as much as $50 million? We could choose to borrow the funds when the time comes to build, or we can choose to begin saving today. The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) which
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stretches from the Malahat in the south, to the southern boundary of the Nanaimo Airport in the North, and from the east coast of the island to the west coast provides such regional services as 911, solid waste management, emergency planning and economic development to name but a few. The Directors who serve on the CVRD Board also form the Cowichan Valley Regional Hospital Board (CVRHD). The CVRHD was established in 1967 by the Hospital District Act. The principal business activity of the CVRHD is to provide the local share of capital funding for the region’s health facilities and hospital equipment. Typically, this share is 40% with the Province and/or other funding partners providing the balance of funds.Although a new hospital facility for Cowichan
Cowichan District Hospital needs a makeover
is still several years away, the CVRHD adopted a plan in 2010 to begin raising our share of the funds. For a home assessed at $300,000, approximately $20 was levied to raise $1 million across the Cowichan Valley, which has been placed in a reserve fund. This year, in 2011, that same home will pay $40, with two million dollars being transferred into the reserve fund. This savings plan calls for another lift next year to $60, with a total annual capital reserve contribution of $3 million. In subsequent years, the plan calls for maintaining that $60 levy ($3 million annual collective contribution), until we have raised at least 50% of our contribution. In the meantime, a Master Site Plan will be developed for the new hospital and will include an analysis of the scope of services needed in the Cowichan Valley as well as a site assessment. It is currently thought that a new facility will require approximately 75% more space in addition to more beds. It is envisioned that rooms in the new hospital will be larger and that over 85% of them will offer single occupancy with enough space to have a family member stay with the patient during recovery. More information will be available on the Cowichan District Hospital and health care in the region next fall when the Cowichan Communities Health Network meetings begin again. If you are interested in health and wellness in the Cowichan Valley, watch for the Health Network ads in the local papers or visit CCHN website at www.cchn.ca Ladysmith Mayor Rob Hutchins can be reached at rhutchins@ ladysmith.ca or by phone 250 245-6403.
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JUNE 2011
Botanical Beach surfer. Moments after the photo was taken the surfboard it broke in two.. (left) What’s left of a purple sea urchin. Photos: Jill Collins
Botanical Beach TV We have heard it all before. Canadians today spend too much time in front of the television and not enough time outside. I’ll admit watching television is entertaining. High definition, big screens and surround sound make it seem like I am part of the action. That’s what makes it so darn entertaining but let’s not forget that going outside can be too. Botanical Beach, located in the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park, is one of the most fascinating places on the west coast. It’s a place that captivates my imagination, proving I do not always need the remote control. Standing at the edge of Botanical Beach,
I witness a scene no big screen television could offer. The colours are vibrant, shown at a high resolution and I enjoy a stunning 360° view. There is no need to wear 3D glasses; the waves crashing on the rocky coastline are really spraying towards me. I have yet to come across a television with a built-in spray bottle. A gull flying overhead is heard long before I see it, confirming the surround sound is turned on. All the components of a television are working perfectly outside. It’s not just the bells and whistles that make television entertaining; interesting programs intrigue audiences. Botanical Beach could easily have its own channel and offer original programming for a variety of viewers. One program might be called Discover Botanical Beach, an hour long program of discovering the life that exists here. The beach has spectacular geological features facilitating an
abundance of intertidal marine life. At low tide, we were able to walk across the flat sandstone and view tide pools full of marine life. Inside sheltering holes were purple sea urchins hiding from predatory crabs. I was particularly interested in the not so lucky sea urchins. After a sea urchin dies and the purple spines have fallen off, what’s left is a beautiful round delicate shell called the test. We manoeuvred around California mussel beds and were careful to avoid deep tide pools camouflaged with surf grass. A short list of what we found includes branched coralline algae, graceful coral seaweed, iridescent seaweed, and shield limpets. I am looking forward to the next episode of Discover Botanical Beach. I hear grey whales can be spotted. Another episode could be called The Adventures of Hank and Harriett an interactive and fun program for children.
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TAKE 5
Checking on the campstove bannocks
It’s a story about two thrill seeking hermit crabs that compete, play and live at Botanical Beach. We missed the episode where Hank and Harriett fend off other hermit crabs in a vigorous competition to claim two vacant Blue Top snail shells as their own. I hope we get a chance to watch that one. Instead we watched an exciting episode where Hank and Harriett try cliff diving for the first time. Being an interactive program, they required help from my son, Ben, in positioning them safely along the cliffs edge and once that was taken care of, Hank and Harriett quickly set off. Hank, who loves competition, was not to be outdone by Harriett. Immediately he headed towards the steepest cliff and executed a perfect tuck and roll jump back into the tide pool. Harriett, using the same style and form, chose a less daring cliff for her first dive but was soon diving alongside Hank. It was a great tale of two friends sharing adventures together. No channel is complete without some sort of sports program. Between Botanical Beach and Botany Bay lies a rough and wavy paradise for experienced surfers. As the water surges in, a rocky shelf, situated offshore, causes the swell to break and creates a powerful wave to ride. I was amazed the surfers were not smashed against the rocks but they obviously knew what they were doing. I watched in amazement as they surfed along the waves, executing perfect dismounts only to paddle back out for more. I was intrigued and wanted to get closer to the action and get a sense of how powerful the waves really were. Had I paid attention to the volume on the surround sound speakers, I may not have been swamped by an incoming wave. It was the only time I wish I had been sitting on my couch watching TV instead of being outside. I’m a fan of the Food Network. I en-
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joy trying new recipes that test my culinary skills but mostly I like to eat. Camp Stove Cooking on Botanical Beach is a fabulous show. I get to sit back, relax, and watch Chef J prepare the best bannock right before my eyes. He blends a perfect mix of whole wheat, butter, pine nuts, and dates turning it into a tasty warm treat. Knowing that perfection takes time, the kids and I explore tide pools and let the chef do what he does best. Funny how each time we return to check on the progress, there is a sample
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waiting for us try. For me, being outside is every bit as entertaining as watching television. I recommend Botanical Beach as a “must see”, “4.5 out of 5 stars” program. Follow the adventures of Jill Collins and her family in their year long challenge to find five living things on every adventure. Check out the living things they found at Botanical Beach at www. wix.com/onthebeatenpath/on-the-beatenpath or facebook.com/Onthebeatenpath
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TAKE 5
Villages Connected to Africa In June and July, four members of the Yellow Point-based Villages Connected (VC) team will travel to Fort Portal, Uganda to set up a media co-op. Project leader de Villiers van Zyl, Ernie Tomlinson, both from Yellow Point, and former residents Greg and Caroline Spira’s mission will be to train and equip 20 volunteer citizen journalists, set up a micro finance fund for entrepreneurs and assist with the production of valuesbased media content to re-brand poverty and promote socially responsible business practices. The media produced will amplify the voices and insights of those directly affected by poverty. “Africa is full of potential, but we’re only told about poverty,” says de Villiers who grew up in South Africa. “It’s a shame that there is so much potential there but people don’t have the opportunity we have. We’ll provide the skills and equipment.” Filmmaker Ernie Tomlinson will be documenting the process. Over a 5-week period, the journalists made up of students, business owners, and local media will learn the fine points of video production, interview techniques and community mobilization. Simultaneously, participants will explore small business solutions to reducing poverty – a skill they will employ in covering the stories of the local entrepreneurs receiving assistance from the Villages Connected micro finance fund. The participants, ranging from high school students to community leaders, will bring forward stories of their community and its opportunities – through their own eyes, in their own words. Through socail media the global community will be able to follow along true life stories. One of teh applicants is a 17 year old who with his father lives in a small community. They are pig and chicken farmers. “Because the buildings where so dilapidated animals where dying. A micro
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loan will finance a barn renovation and increase their livestock. Another applicant is a university student who needs help creating a business plan for a flower shop. A total of 10 business ventures will receive funds, and using social media. Villages Connected has launched a public campaign under the banner “Unlocking Potential – Re-Branding Poverty”. Using the power of social media, people around the world will be able to follow along with Fort Portal’s media co-op photography and film production, get to know the opportunities for poverty eradication that participants identify and the entrepreneurs around them. “The amazing thing is that you can see the change your dollars brings. I travelled a lot in Africa. I wanted to create something positive to help support people.” Villages Connected is a social development venture building global partnership that alleviate poverty by combining the tools of media, marketing and micro finance. For more info on how you can get involved www.villagesconnected.org.
HomeTown Tourist Weekend Mark your calendar for June 4 & 5, and get ready to be a HomeTown Tourist! Locals and visitors are invited to find the hidden treasures that are in our back yard. With free events, shopping discounts and fun family activities, you are sure to find something for everyone. Learn about the history of Ladysmith’s past by joining the historical walking tour and visiting the Ladysmith archives. While you are downtown stop by one of the merchants that display the HomeTown Tourist poster and see what special discounts are available. Fore! Tee up at one of the 3 golf courses to sink that hole in one, or if you have the nerve drop in to Wild Play Elements Park and 1-23 Bungy! After all this excitement stop in for a coffee drink and talk about all you have seen and done. Now that the morning is over head down to Transfer Beach and rent a kayak, glide along the tranquil waters of Ladysmith Harbour, or take part in a harbour tour at the LMS Community Marina. Have you ever wondered what is a bed and breakfast stay? Well wonder Ladysmith Maritime Museum is a stop in the Be A Hometown Tourist Weekend, June 4 & 5.
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de Villiers van Zyl of Villages Connected will be heading to Africa to set up a volunteer media co-op. Photo: Marina Sacht
no more. June 5 visit local area B&B’s open house tour and check out what is available. This is a chance to recommend that summer visitor a great place to stay - not your pull out sofa! Join local naturalist Bruce Whittington for a walk along Holland Creek Trail, a great opportunity to learn about the wildlife and plants in our area. Dive in to Frank Jameson Community Centre - swim, sauna or try out the fitness equipment. Now if that sounds like too much work take the ride south to Chemainus and get aboard the train or horse drawn trolley for a guided tour. We have a great line up of free events and discounts and it is all available at our website www.take5.ca/hometowntourist or stop at the Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce, 250-245-2112.
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BC Marine Trail opens It was a stroke of history. Over 150 paddlers and a Voyager Canoe carrying dignitaries converged on Transfer Beach on May 14 during Paddlefest to make history at the ribbon cutting and official opening of the Gulf Island’s section of the BC Marine Trail Network. The BCMTN, when completed, will be the world’s longest marine trail covering over 22,000 km. Set in motion over 10 years ago, through the hard work of dedicated paddlers the marine trail has opened its first section, the Gulf Island Trail System. www. bcmarinetrails.org
Big Bike Returns It takes a big heart to ride a 30 seat bike, and on June 6 residents from Ladysmith will show they have just that as they raise funds for leading heart and stroke research, by participating in the Heart & Stroke Big Bike Campaign. Last year, Ladysmith participants raised $11,200. This year they are hoping to increase that goal by $5,000. www.bigbike.ca.
Authentic Japanese Dinner An authentic Japanese dinner and auction is the latest fundraiser initiative from the Cedar Skateboard Association. The Japanese dinner will be held at the Tamagawa University campus in Cedar. An entertaining evening of food, wine, music, cultural demonstrations by talented and lively students and live auction can be yours for a $50 ticket. Call Pat Knowles, Cedar Skatepark Association 250 722-3909.
NCO presents third concert The Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra is presenting its third concert of the season with guest artist, Seamas Finnerty, a 16 year old pianist and winner of the NCO 2011 Young Musician’s Concerto Competition. Two performances, June 17 at 7:30 pm at Brechin United Church in Nanaimo and June 18 at 7:30 pm at Ladysmith First United Church.“Music for a Midsummer’s Eve” features Haydn, Purcell, Vivaldi, Greig, Elgar and Richter. Tickets are $20, Students $10 and under 12 free at the Port Theatre Ticket Centre 250-754-8550, www.porttheatre.com or at the door. In Ladysmith at Salamander Books.
Torch Song takes SIZ Torch Song Triology directed by John Fox and presented by Ladysmith Players is the winner of Theatre BC’s South Island Zone (SIZ). It beat out three other plays as best production and will go on to Kamloops in July to compete at the provincial level with other zone winners at Theatre BC Mainstage, a week long competition.
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Blooms’ n Art Garden Tour June 12 from 10am to 4pm is your chance to tour gardens and art clustered in Chemainus and Saltair. Sponsored by Mount Brenton Garden Club, $10 garden passes are available in Chemainus at Sandpiper Garden & Glass, Russell Farms Market and Garden Centre and A Flower Affair. In Ladysmith, at SharKare Feeds & Pet Supplies, and at Byron’s Food, Saltair.
Art Exhibit opens Diminishing - Natural Worlds is the June exhibit for the Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery, opening June 4 at 7pm. The show offers an opportunity to celebrate what survives – a broad coverage from Aquatic, Terrestrial to Atmosphere. Open TuesSunday noon-4pm, 610 Oyster Bay Drive, Ladysmith. 250245-1252, www.ladysmithwaterfrontgallery.com
Chemainus music concerts Chemainus Valley Cultural Arts Society presents their Music in the Park series every Tuesday, 7pm, Waterwheel Park, Chemainus, rain or shine. June 14, Malaika Marimba, vibrant, upbeat South African sound. June 21, Renovation Blues Band, High-energy blues featuring Howard Mallet- bass/vocals, Paul Gorosh- drums/vocals, Sean Kilback- guitar/vocals, and Darcy Phillips-piano and organ. June 28, Holly Arntzen and Kevin Wright have co-written a collection of environmental music: songs such as Up Your Watershed!, March of the Spirit Bear and Creatures of Habitat. MusicInTheParkSeries@gmail.com
Vision Arts Tour Local artists present the Visions Art Studio Tour in the Cowichan Valley June 30 to July 4, 10am to 5pm. Each day 11 artists will open their studios for visitors to browse, observe and shop in the stunning settings that inspire their work. Brochure/maps are available at community centres, libraries and tourist centres as well as on-line at the Visions website: www.visionsarttour. ca, where images of the artists’ work can be seen. The free, selfguided tour takes you from Mill Bay to Crofton with studios all the way along. For more information call 250-743-3862.
On the Wall Amy Falkenberg’s exhibit Expose Yourself to Art! is on view at In the Beantime Café until June 15. The exhibit offers Contemporary Outsider Art by a local artist and poet living with Asperger’s Syndrome.
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TAKE 5
Any day now you will receive your property tax bill. You may be shocked to see what you have to pay this year. Municipal taxes are based on the assessed value of your home, which is then multiplied by a tax rate set by the Town. This year the Town of Ladysmith has increased residential taxes by 5 per cent (4.96) and 3.5 per cent for commercial properties. Water and sewer parcel tax have also been raised by an additional $90. That means is that I will be paying approximately $197.50 more than last year which is a 12 per cent increase. Town Council tries to limit the municipal tax rate increases to around 3.5 to 5 per cent, hopefully less, each year. To do this they have to make many decisions to keep to an acceptable level. This year
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they had to decide what items and projects will be done or dropped this year. What are some of the items they are spending money on this year? The provisional budget issued on April 18 shows that $164,760 is for the Trolley, an increase of 17.96 per cent. It also shows Wages-Others-Corporate increases by 221.8 per cent to $11,263. Legal Services rises to $50,000 from $30,000, a 66.67 per cent increase. Salaries-Finance jumps to $80,124, up 15.96 per cent and Benefits-Public Works Administration goes up 105.76 per cent from $28,660 to $58,970. I must point out that in the final budget some of these numbers may change, but I doubt it. Did you know that your Provincial Home Owner Grant has been raised by $200 this year? The Town Council knows. This is one of the reasons that Council took advantage to increase its reserves for future capital projects by $210,000, by targeting your additional grant money. They voted to increase your parcel taxes by $60 for sewer and $30 for water. Their rationale is that if they tack on this additional $90 to your tax bill, you will still be paying less tax this year than
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last year, because the Province gave you $200 to help reduce your taxes. This was done without public input unlike Duncan with its Budget Open House. Using their logic I will be paying about $2.50 less that than last year. The way I see it is that I am paying the Town of Ladysmith $195 more. First the home owner grant of $200 is not earmarked so the municipalities can raise your taxes. Secondly, not everyone is lucky enough to get this additional $200. Commercial properties don’t get the grant, so guess who will be get charged more for products and services? I have no problem with asking the taxpayer for more money for future projects by building up reserves, as these projects are needed and benefit the whole community. It is the way the Town has gone about doing it that makes me feel that this is a cash grab just because the Province has granted us this money. The bottom line is that when you add in the increase in parcel taxes, your percentage increase will be more than the 4.96 per cent and 3.5 per cent increases toted by the Town. At least that’s as I see it.
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Sustainable Communities “Communities have the potential to lead the way to a sustainable future.” - National Roundtable on the Environment & the Economy, Spring 1994
Overheard musing and idle speculation of two business suits, strolling 1st Avenue recently, apparently skipping school at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Victoria in early February... “Another conference. After 110 years you’d think the Federation of Canadian Municipalities would have it all solved by now, eh? Think globally, act locally, and here we are today - across the continent listening to 1900 local government’s best recipes for sustainable communities. What’s the world coming to,? My accountant says it all boils down to principals. You only spend the interest on your savings, and leave the principal alone! I’m putting that in my report to the company. They sent us out here, fishing for contracts. I’m sure they’ll want to know there’s enough for everyone’s needs, but not enough for their greed. I’ll give the municipalities credit for trying, and I’m all for sustainability ...but what say you and me keep skipping the formalities and catch some of this greening they’re all talking about? Hmmmm, this pamphlet says it’s the 25th anniversary of ‘our common future’, the Brundtland Commission’s 1986 UN report on sustainable development...a way to work together for local long-term social, employment, economic and environmental benefits, blah, blah, blah. Seems to me that community sustainability’s just another name for the old problem of getting people to do something, to improve where they live, or at least not let it get any worse. I like the goal, hell Jesus would’ve liked it. But implementation’s a bit tricky when you’re not in business just to save the
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world, or somebody’s neighbourhood. That display at the Conference Centre, on their Regional Sustainability Strategy, has some future greenback growth we’d be interested in though. Opportunities around climate change and carbon trading, and transportation and resource management. And of course, ‘economic sustainability’s’ our middle name, eh! Y’know maybe we could partner up on stuff like affordable housing too, and saving some land for farms. But really now, when has ‘social wellbeing and ecological health’ ever been anything but fodder for a good speech? Bottom lines talk cash. Like that Dockside Green for starters. In the heart of Victoria and making money as a residential and commercial complex, fixing up old contaminated wastelands and accessing grants too. That’s practical, on the ground stuff you can see. Beats the heck outta finding “new coalitions, strategic alliances and leadership”. Y’know, what that woman we met last night’s trying to do up at Royal Roads University, Ann Dale, Canada’s Research Chair on sustainable communities. The guy with that non-profit society, City Green Solutions, is onto something though. Last May they got two awards for serving 15,000 clients on Vancouver Island. Now there’s a hot drafty foot in the door for ya - energy audits of homes and business, saving heating costs and lowering GHG emissions. That growth potential’s going in my report. And that’s making me think maybe we should turn around and head back to the Conference. Talk with that rep from Saanich about their solar hot water systems, and the Carbon Fund project coming up. We’ve got skills and resources that would be a nice fit there. Another week here might be nice too, and not just for those eco-tourist opps you were reading about. There’s work out there if we play our cards right. Maybe check out that Elkington Forest thousand-acre eco-development in south Cowichan - ‘the World’s 1st Conservation Community’ they’re calling it. And there’s that huge brownfield and toxic waste cleanup in Ladysmith harbour that’s just waiting for big daddy government to fork over enough cash so the shoreline ca be cleaned up. Dockside Green North we’ll call it, and just pack them condo’s and hotels in chock
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o’ block. All we need are some big investors from back east, or maybe those overseas connections you have, and we’ll own the view. Hah, we’ll clean up in more ways than one! Then check out the composting plant up at Duke Point. Nanaimo was recognized at that conference for it’s organic waste collection y’know. Plan B’ll have us making money selling them stuff, then making more money picking up all the stuff they’re throwing out. And there’s energy and carbon money in smelly methane from the dump, and sooner or later recycling’s gotta turn a buck. Then maybe catch a ferry from Nanaimo, investigating mass transit opportunities we’ll call it on the expense account. Head on over to Gibsons, where they won the UN award for World’s Most Liveable Community a couple of years ago. Maybe they’d like a corporate partner to sell some of that liveability? And we absolutely have to go to SFU, maybe ‘borrow’ some good ideas from their Sustainable Community Centre. The university’s a public institution, and if we get in good with them there’s gotta be a few projects that’ll put us in the frontline of Vancouver’s greenest city push. Let’s think big, and act small. I mean, big bucks are being invested for local economies, and urban rehabilitation, all around the world. Maybe this Conference’ll help us cultivate sustainable communities here, y’know, with Vancouver Island the pearl and the world our oyster. Maybe then we can do cross-country ads with Joe Who, Clark. Sell Canada as ‘a sustainable community of sustainable communities’, export some key services overseas, and go to more exotic conferences, eh! And, y’know Joe used to be the chair of the Conservative’s environment committee. I bet he’d be interested in bond opportunities if we contacted him. Maybe...” Laurie has worked with environmental groups for thirty years, farms 20 acres organically on Vancouver Island with life-partner Jackie Moad and, as a contributor to ‘Our Common Future’ and, finding no evidence to the contrary,
believes he may have been the first to capsulize such local work as he does in running Thistle Consulting Services – actively seeking local solutions to global challenges, as ‘sustainable community development’. Maybe...
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Welcome! It is with great pleasure I announce the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 171, Ladysmith has been awarded the 2011, BC Legion Highland Gathering. The events will commence on Friday, June 17 with a meet and greet at the Branch, a parade of massed pipes and drums will take place on Saturday, June 18, starting at 9:30 am, followed by Scottish games and competition at Aggie Field. A large banquet will follow at the Ladymith Secondary School, starting at 6 pm. On Sunday, June 19, our Ladies Auxillary will host a pancake breakfast. The success of an event of this magnitude not only requires the dedication of Branch members, but also the active partnership of everyone in the Ladysmith community. The Games were formed to provide fellowship and promote competition between the bands and Colour Parties. The success of the Highland Games will see much needed dollars required to meet the needs of the Ladysmith community. We welcome all the competitors, sponsors,vendors and visitors. A special thank you to to the Branch, sponsors and volunteers, dedicated to making this event a success. - Darrel Byron, Chairman, BC Legion Highland Gathering, Branch 171, Ladysmith. Photo: Brian Kelly and Darrel Byron
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Message from the President On behalf of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 171, Ladysmith, it is my great pleasure to welcome all the participants and spectators to the BC Legion Highland Gathering for 2011. I would like also to say thank you very much to the Town of Ladysmith and the organisations and citizens of Ladysmith who have supported us, provided help in many areas and have volunteered to help to ensure we will have a gathering to remember. Our Branch has a long history of dedicated and hard working volunteers who have proven time and again, they can undertake and successfully complete an event. I have asked Darrel Byron, our Sergeant at Arms to assume the Chairmanship of the Legion Highland Gathering. I am confident. Darrel, along with the many volunteers he chooses and assigns to the many tasks, will make this Highland Gathering the best ever event. - Brian Kelly, President RCL Br. 171
Greetings from Ladysmith Mayor Oh behalf of Council, I would like to extend a very warm Ladysmith greeting to all the participants and visitors for the 2011 BC Legion Highland Gathering. Many of our citizens are deeply proud of their Scottish heritage. Even with no Scottish ancestry, most hearts are stirred by the sounds of the famous bagpipe. We are all looking forward to enjoying the colour, music and entertainment in store for us during the Highland Gathering. We hope that you will in turn enjoy our small town by the sea and that you will have an opportunity to explore the community and the many things our Town has to offer. I would also like to congratulate and thank the members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 171 for organizing and hosting this spectacular event. I wish everyone a weekend filled with good music, rewarding competition and wonderful memories. - Ladysmith Mayor Rob Hutchins
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BC Legion Highland Gathering in Ladysmith BY ROB JOHNSON Are you one of the many people who love the sound of the bagpipes? Do you enjoy the precision of marching bands? Then you have a real treat in store for you. On the morning of Saturday June 18, 14 pipe bands and our own Royal Canadian Legion Ladysmith branch band with be the stars of the BC Legion
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Highland Gathering parade. The parade will be the start of a day that will see Pipe Band and Colour Party competitions, children’s events and heavy games including events such as the caber toss and hammer throw. The Highland Gathering is an annual event that began in the mid sixties when a few branches of the Royal Canadian Legion from the Lower Mainland held the first competition. Over the years more and more events and activities have been added to make it a family fun event. Originally designed for Legion Pipeband and Colour parties, the Gathering has grown over the years and now many other bands are invited to participate. Traditionally it is held on the third Saturday of June and travels all over the province with different Legion Branches competing for the honour of hosting the “Gathering”. What can you expect at the Ladysmith Gathering? The day starts with an inspection of the colour parties and the Pipe bands., followed by a Grand Parade at 9:30 am down First Avenue, ending at the Aggie Hall. Opening ceremonies will com-
mence at 11:30 am with The Honourable Steven L. Point, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia on the dais. Once the Gathering has been officially opened the competitions start. Each of the pipe bands will perform and they will be judged on their talents with lots of traditional pieces of music. Similarly, each of the Colour Parties will compete for trophies and medals. In addition, competitors will participate in traditional highland sporting events such as Tug o War, Sheath Toss and of course the tossing of the 19.5’, 175lb “caber”. The day will also allow children a variety of activities from face painting to arts and crafts. For the adults there will be a beer garden in the afternoon to allow them to relax and share stories where the participants, and to hear about their past experience at other Gatherings. You’ll be able to pick up bargains at various vendors that will be in attendance. The Legion will be running a silent auction,with many good deals, show your support by making generous bids. The competitions end with the highlight of the day, the pipe bands competing
against each other for the title of “Best Pipe Band”, and it’s treasured trophy. Later in the evening the Ladysmith Legion will be hosting the awards banquet, where the participants will receive their trophies and medals. The dinner will be followed with a dance featuring local Celtic rock band Skellig. And you never know …maybe some of the pipers and drummers might join in for a “jam session”. If you would like to attend the banquet, it is open to the public and tickets are available at the Legion office for $30. On Sunday, Fathers Day, the public is invited to join the Highland Gathering participants and Ladysmith Legion members for a Father’s Day Pancake Breakfast upstairs in the Legion for only $5. This event not only provides us with a day full of music, sports and good family entertainment, it exposes our community to thousand of people who may have never heard of Ladysmith but also provides a shot in the arm for the local economy. So if you see what appears to be visitor here for the Gathering, (they are easy to spot especially if they are wearing a kilt) say “Hi, and welcome to Ladysmith.”
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Let the Heavy Games begin!
Sheaf toss is one of the games
The BC Legions Highland Gathering’s Heavy Games are not unlike our loggers competitions where people compete in skills they use in every day life. Keep in mind these games were developed in the 1500’s when men not machines did the heavy work. And these guys do it in kilts. When the Scots came across a narrow chasm they needed to cross they would through logs across for a foot bridge. From this they developed the caber toss. The caber itself is a pole that varies in length from 16’ to 22’ and weigh from 100-180 lbs with the smaller end rounded off enough for a thrower to hold in their cupped hands. He then takes a short run with the caber and then stops and pulls the Ladysmith Legion Br. 171 on parade Photo: Rob Johnson/Cindy Damphousse caber so that the large end hits the ground and the small end flips over and faces away from the thrower. Scoring is like the face of a clock (our digital generation may have to visit a grandparent for a visual). The player faces 12:00, a judge behind the thrower calls how close the competitor is to the perfect throw of 12:00 that the small end of the caber lands. A caber pointing at 11:00 would be worth more than 10:30 but the same as 1:00. A caber that lands and falls back towards the thrower is scored lower than any that falls away but will still be based upon the maximum vertical angle that the caber achieved. The Hammer Throw, and Stone Put are pretty self explanatory with different weights for categories. The Sheaf Toss is a bag made of burlap or plastic and stuffed with chopped rope, straw or mulch and weighing between 16 and 22 lbs. The sheaf is over a cross bar with a pitch fork. The bar is raised after each player has had 3 tries to get over the cross bar. We have the pleasure of watching Karyn Dallimore competing this year, a four time BC Provincial Woman’s champion ranked 3rd in the world and 1st in Canada in Women’s Masters and 2nd in Canada in Women’s. For more information, please visit www.highlandgathering.ca .
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RDN - Area A BY JOE BURNETT Regional District of Nanaimo Tracks Energy Savings In an effort to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the RDN Board adopted a new energy policy on Oct. 26, 2010. The policy targets a 10 per cent decrease in the electricity consumption levels at existing RDN facilities by 2014. Achieving that goal will reduce RDN corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 27 tonnes per year and save up to $83,000 annually. In 2010, the RDN reduced electricity consumption in its facilities by an amount equal to what 10 single family homes would consume in a year. Electricity use at nine high consumption RDN facilities is now being monitored at five minute intervals, while electricity at all other facilities is being monitored on a monthly basis using regular data provided by B.C. Hydro. In addition, energy efficiency upgrades at poorly performing facilities will be considered necessary if a 10 year or less payback period is being demonstrated. The energy policy is in line with RDN commitments to achieve carbon neutral operations by 2012 as part of the climate action charter signed by the RDN in 2007. Regional Transit Offers Free Fares Teachers in the Regional District of Nanaimo can incorporate alternative transportation into their lesson plans now that the RDN Board of Directors has approved a one year trial for Free Fares for Class Rides program. The program allows classes to use the Nanaimo Regional Transit System free for the purpose of a field trip which also helps students to learn about the transit system with the goal of encouraging them to use transit in the future. To apply please visit the Regional District of Nanaimo website @ www.rdn.bc.ca and click on the School Programs tab.
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Recreation and Culture I am pleased to welcome Tracy Stuart, our new Area ‘A’ Recreation Programmer. Tracy is relieving Kelly Valade who is on maternity leave. Tracy has been working diligently to organize a summer program for our Area ‘A’ children which is being offered in partnership with Cedar School and Community Enhancement Society (CSCES). The program Summer Explorer Day Camp is for 6 yrs – 12yr olds. Join the summer explorer’s crew for an exciting summer of activities and exploration. The camp will run weekly 10am-3pm Monday to Friday at Woodbank Elementary School. Leaders in Training Program. The LIT program for ages 12yrs -17yrs (Grades 7-12) will also take place June 25 and 26 at the Cedar Heritage Centre for those wanting to have fun while learning valuable work and life skills. This training provides youth an opportunity to develop leadership skills that can benefit themselves and their community. These skills can be developed through practical means of participation in summer recreation programs. For information and to register contact: Tracy Stuart, Recreation Programmer 250722-0123 or email: tstuart@rdn.bc.ca. or www.rdn.bc.ca Stay safe. Joe Burnett, 250-722-2656; quaillanding@shaw.ca
CVRD - Area H BY MARY MARCOTTE In my monthly contributions to this magazine, I usually talk about political issues that affect you, the taxpayer. In this submission I am going to put on another hat and speak of a good news story totally unrelated to politics. North Oyster Community Centre – The History: You may recall that in early 1990’s, School District #68 de-
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cided to undertake some much needed upgrades to the North Oyster Elementary School. In order to make those upgrades, it was deemed that the original portion of the school must be torn down. This caused a great deal of angst in the Community. As a result of community concerns, a group of ordinary citizens banded together to work with the School District to save our school. Rather than tearing the building down, the District agreed to give the group a little time to find a site on which to relocate the old school. While it may have lacked funding, this small group had unlimited dreams and enthusiasm. Property owner Bert Gisborne was approached and he generously agreed to allow the school to be sited on his property. Thus, the restoration project was born and the work began. Land clearing, digging trenches, and constructing building foundations were all part of the preliminary work that the skilled and not-so-skilled volunteers performed. Rezoning, building permits, regulations, red tape and fundraising were also part of the work that spanned the decades. It seemed that for every hurdle that was overcome, an even bigger one took its place. But this dedicated group that formed the non-profit “North Oyster & Area Historical Society� has never given up. Instead, the small group that dared to dream expanded to include volunteers and members from every corner of this community. The project has connected North Oyster/Diamond in a way that was not imagined. Over the years, a great deal of blood, sweat and tears has gone into this project but not one penny of your hard earned tax dollars. That speaks to the value and importance placed on this building by the residents of this area. ow for the really good news! New Funding Partner: I am very pleased to announce that Fortis BC (formerly Terasen Gas) has joined our project as a major supporter. Due to their generous efforts, a number of outstanding projects have either been completed or are well underway. Through the Fortis BC community funding programme, the company has managed to leverage support from local businesses which enabled their monetary contributions go even further. Although the project has benefited from support numerous companies, this column does not allow me to mention them all. At this time I will highlight only one. Rona Hardware in South Nanaimo has been particularly generous in providing services and goods at a very low cost. By the time you read this, our new kitchen will be operational. Rona designed and supplied the cabinetry; they supplied and installed the flooring and provided three sinks and all the kitchen plumbing fixtures. Two stoves – complete with hood fans, a microwave unit and a dishwasher have been supplied by wholesale appliance dealers; all of this was made possible through the Fortis monetary leveraging process. On May 28, Fortis scheduled a work party which involved volunteer time and equipment from their employees and their families. The work party included installation and painting of siding, completion of a storage area, parking lot improvements and landscaping. The level of corporate support is amazing and has allowed the Society to shave years of volunteer work off the project in one giant leap. On behalf of all the Society volunteers and the community of North Oyster/Diamond, I would like to recognize and express our appreciation to Fortis BC for the staff time, material
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and dollars they have invested in our community and to Rona for their generosity and cooperative spirit. I, for one, will think of these corporate sponsors when undertaking my own home improvement projects.
CVRD - Area G BY MEL DOREY Now that the weather has turned for the better a lot of the focus is on our local parks. One of the great things about living in Saltair is the wonderful environment that we live in. Having access to this natural world is the main function of our Saltair Parks Commission. Creating walking trails, beach accesses and acquiring more parkland serves everyone and prepares us for future generations. By the time you read this column we will have had two work parties planting trees around Saltair. In the first one we hired Saltair’s Bill Oldfield of Bullet Services with his backhoe to help us dig holes at Centennial Park for the planting of decorative trees for further beautification of the park. Volunteers manned the shovels and we loaded compost into the holes to give the trees a good start. We also planted a walnut tree so that the food security issue is addressed in a very small way. At this time of the year on any given evening there can be up to 150 people using Centennial Park at one time. The other night there were two softball games going on along with a game of roller hockey in the sport court. Tennis players were on the tennis courts and children were playing on the children’s
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playground. It’s great to see so many people taking advantage of our facilities. The second work party involved planting cedar trees in Princess Diana Park. We are decommissioning part of one of the trails because it slightly encroaches on private property. As part of the process we will plant trees to block off the use of this part of the trail. Last year we planted some 700 trees throughout our parks and this year we will again plant some more where needed. It’s also part of our greenhouse reduction plan because trees suck up a lot of carbon dioxide. We are also making our community more walkable so people won’t have to drive everywhere. Going for a walk strengthens your community. You can chat to neighbours and mingle with others. Every new relationship is a sound investment in your community. Neighbour helping neighbour adds to the economy of your community. Later in the summer we will be upgrading the lower trail on the north end of Stocking Creek Park. We will hire John Beggs of Beggs Contracting to do the backhoe work that will entail grading of the trail and filling in holes. Then volunteers will rake the rocks off and fine tune it. We like to hire local businesses as much as possible. In fact, Kim Williams of the Saltair Ratepayers Association has published a list of local businesses in Saltair. Believe it or not, that’s more than 50 businesses. By using local businesses you not only help local people but you cut down on greenhouse gases as well because they won’t have to travel so far to service you. The Saltair business directories will be available soon at the Saltair Pub and Byron’s Store.
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Damn those tomatoes They say a man’s home is his castle. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you doubt me, drop by for a look around. We do however have a palace on the property. That would be for the tomatoes, their latest demand, but by no means their only one. It started off three years ago when my wife’s happiness became dependent upon her having a garden so she could grow, among other things, her own tomatoes. Because of the deer, the garden needed an eight-foot fence, in addition to fertilizer, compost and manure, all that had to be rototilled in by you know who. Kiss good-bye to hours of precious goofing off time and $500. End result? Seven red tomatoes but lots of green unripe ones. “Not enough sun”, my wife said, which was funny because by the time I had finished rototilling I was sun burnt to hell. A tree guy, who for a paltry $500, spiral trimmed the maple tree, which was partially blocking the sun. That year, still only seven tomatoes, four of which were so deformed I posted a sign in the garden warning about the downside of inbreeding. This year’s project was the tomato palace so the tomatoes won’t get “the blight” which is the venereal disease of the plant Kingdom. Very West Coast, the palace is a structure of cedar and glass with its own running water. She hasn’t asked for grow lights and a big screen TV yet, but I know they’re in the future. If you’re getting the idea tomatoes are a demanding plant, you’ve got it right. In my opinion they’re a dangerous agricultural menace. But this should come as no surprise, look at some of their names. Beefsteak. Celebrity. Lemon Boy. Big Boy. Attitude or what? To make matters worse, they’re the lowest class of scoundrel; manipulative ladies’ men. They can take your normal understanding wife and turn her into an intransient, tomato-obsessed tyrant.
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The Internet is full of sites listing all the latest tomato demands, demands that I am not making up. First off, their own house, something I didn’t get until age 40. Then they want hand watering, automatic sprinkles aren’t good enough for them. That’s because they simply won’t tolerate getting their hair wet. They only want water at their base. Oh, and make sure that water is heated, just like a baby’s bottle. And while you’re at it, be a prince and heat the soil. No, I am not kidding. Their fertilizer demands are also fussy. No standard fish fertilizer for them. Instead they want only fertilizer from 100% sashimi grade Ahi tuna, or if that’s unavailable, line caught Fraser River Coho. Then we get into their exercise program. Twice a day, for ten minutes each, they should be subjected to the wind from fans. This toughens up their little stalks. That’s right, core exercises twice a day for the tomatoes. And no chintzing please, spend some money and get them a good personal trainer. But you know what? We’re buying into this. Store bought tomatoes come from massive agribusiness farms in California. Don’t tell me these ruthless, farming capitalists are putting up with all this nonsense. No Siree. That’s why, at my insistence, we now have a support group, Tomatoes Anonymous (TOMANON). There we learn basic life skills and coping strategies for standing up to our tomatoes. There we learn that tomatoes cause 17 per cent of North American divorces. Or in the words of Harvey Bogshead from Mud Lake Saskatchewan, “For 25 years our marriage was going great, I never had to do a thing, then she got the tomato plants. Before you can say, vitamin C sucks, those tomatoes were living in a nicer house than we had. When I came home from work one day and found she had moved the TV out there and my easy chair, that’s when I had to seek help.” The torn apart family is especially prevalent when one spouse believes in tough love, while the other is a “tomato enabler”, aka, my wife. So we’re going to regular meetings, getting through this as best we can, trying to keep the cost of tomato production under $100 a tomato. For a while there she was demanding every tree in a 50-mile radius be cut down so the tomatoes can get more light, but I talked her out of it.
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Wait a minute; there she is now, directing those deliverymen. Hold on, what’s that? A heat pump, they’re installing a heat pump at the palace. Operator, get me TOMANON. Tell them it’s an emergency. A little something to go with your tomatoes, if you’re lucky enough to get any, a dry French rose. Chat-en-oeuf Rose, $12.99. Perfect for the warm weather. Delbert Horrocks is co-proprietor at the Mahle House Restaurant in Cedar.
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Mahle House now serving lunch.
Lunchtime at Mahle House BY CINDY DAMPHOUSSE Weekends are all about having great food and drink, sharing with friends and family. That is why the Mahle House has decided after decades to open Fridays Saturdays and Sundays for lunch. The restaurant during the day has a different feel, more casual and relaxed. The service however is still as attentive and caring as usual. We had an opportunity to sample from the new lunch menu and
it is a definite must for your weekend outings. “We made the menu more approachable and kept the prices competitive” explained Tara Wilson of the Mahle House. After being seated and the drinks had arrived it was time to have our appetizers. They call them starters and small plates but that is far from the truth. The Porcupine Prawns were as big as my hand and oh so good. We also shared the calamari and both of these were done to perfection. The four of us all ordered a different dish to share, although my husband was a little short on the sharing. Albacore Tuna
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Nicoise salad was large enough for two. The perfectly grilled tuna was topped with a quail egg that each of the diners at our table were just waiting to try. But it was not to be! The pasta dish, housemade papardelle noodles with a braised duck ragu, and Kalamata olives was a delightlful blend of intense flavours while remaining surprisingly light. This dish was shared among all of us and everyone agreed this was a hit. There was also a daily soup and salad menu item that comes with a grilled garlic baguette. This day a cream of cauliflower was the soup and it was excellent. The last of our dishes was the Burger Trio. Three mini burgers that come with house salad was well as homecut fries. The three burgers were tasty but not much sharing going on though. Delicious! The menu is simple yet has the Mahle House flair, we had a great time and it was so nice to sit and chat while enjoying fabulous food. The restaurant is open for lunch Fri-Sun. 11:30 am - 2pm. If you have never been to the Mahle House this is a great time to try something new, and we’re sure you’ll be back to try more.
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New Mexico I went to sleep listening to coyotes yipping and howling on our first night just outside Santa Fe and woke to house finches burbling in the naked ash tree outside our window. The sun was shining but it was cold outside and there was frost and snow a few days ago. Alan, my brother-in-law, picked us up at the Albuquerque airport the night before and drove us through the unfamiliar landscape of scattered juniper, cholla cactus and tawny grass against a backdrop of eroded red and orange cliffs, arroyos and the Sangre de Cristo mountains to the east. The altitude of 7,000’ and the thin, dry air gives us minor headaches and our noses feel as though we have been snorting corn flakes. The state of New Mexico has a population of around two million; about as many people who live in the greater Vancouver area. Santa Fe is the size of Nanaimo. This is a land of small towns. The obligatory day in downtown Santa Fe wandering among the faux adobe architecture (there are no buildings over three stories), squares and parks, gazing at wonderful native
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Rattler on the road. Photo: Rob Pinkerton
American pottery, silver, turquoise, weaving is a treat for the senses. Painters, sculptors in clay and bronze depict the culture, the colours and the mood of the place. Everything is expensive. Very. Back at Alan’s beautiful adobe house we help with the spring gardening, trimming and pruning as his two Yorkshire terriers, Carlos and Diego, hunt lizards. We are told never to leave the dogs alone outside as a coyote would be over the five foot adobe wall, snatch a dog and be gone in a flash. Great horned owls may also make the grab. No country for small dogs. As the long haired one likes to snoop, we decide to walk the dogs around this semi rural neighbourhood. “Snakes?” I ask Alan. “Don’t worry” he says. “In all the years I have been here, I have only seen a bull snake and they are big but harmless.” A quarter mile down the gravel road, I stopped dead. A three foot rattlesnake lay still, watching us. The long haired one looked like a road runner going back the way we came, dragging a confused dog. I take the serpent’s picture and then because it was not
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One of the tourist shops in Madrid, New Mexico . Photo: Rob Pinkerton
moving, (I think it may be dead: a car?) I kicked a little dust at it. It coiled and I followed the long haired one. No country for wimpy tourists. We saw four snakes in the short time we were there, one a beautiful but dead bull snake. There are no crows to be seen but the ravens are very large and plentiful. Magpies, cheeky, elegant black and white with long tails glide from tree to tree. A mountain blue bird visited for a minute, eyeing the bird bath. A curved billed thrasher spent every night on our wisteria vine and scoured the junipers by day for insects and lizards. Rabbits hop by, unconcerned. Coyote food. I wanted to see a roadrunner. Beep beep! This is roadrunner territory and the New Mexico state bird. I asked locals and very few had seen them. A Californian tourist told me they are as thick as fleas outside San Diego. We stopped at a coffee shop on the outskirts of Taos and chatted to the nice lady about fly fishing for brown and rainbow trout in the mountains, deer and elk hunting. She told us that her husband and son had shot a wild turkey on the last day of the season and they had been feasting on the bird for days.
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We drove for miles, the long way to Taos (more galleries), over Bobcat Pass, pine forests and ski towns, at 8,500 feet through blizzards, down the other side, cowboy country, to Angel Fire, Mora and Las Vegas (No, we are not in Nevada. This old town about the size of Ladysmith is where “No Country for Old Men” was filmed.) Los Alamos where the A bomb was developed, Madrid, Cerrillos and many pretty and not so pretty towns connected by good roads with little traffic. When you stop for lunch, make sure it is a roadhouse or local eatery as the New Mexican food is fantastic. Steaks, grits, Americanized Mexican food, burgers to die for and don’t ask about dessert. No room. Americans are big on dessert. Back at Alan’s, a towhee makes an appearance. His bird book calls it a spotted towhee, a bit different colouring to ours and with a nicer voice. Cow birds are common as well as red winged blackbirds. Orioles, the always present English sparrows and a scrub jay makes a quick stop. Turkey vultures soar overhead, although not as many as we see here. Our last night the coyotes barked and yipped and an owl hoohooed and the Milky Way was brilliant. There is a lot more to see in this rugged country and we will go back.
White on! Thanks to Jill Collins for this photograph of the white feathered robin who is feeding a nest full of babies. These rare colour variations do not usually last long as they stand out so much that they are picked off by hawks. Lots of fun to have around the garden.
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com. Hometown Tourist weekend. www.take5.ca/ hometowntourist Jun 4-Sept 24, 10am, Saturday Harbour Tours and Lunch, LMS Marina, 250-245-0109. Hometown Tourist weekend. www.take5.ca/hometowntourist
June Jun 1, 10am, Vancouver Island Symphony’s Community Launch, Nanaimo Museum; 12:30pm, Serious Coffee, (Hammond Bay Rd.); 3pm, Fairwinds Centre, Nanoose, 250-754-0177 Jun 1- 4, 8pm, Something’s Afoot, Bailey Studio, 250-758-7224 Jun 1- 7, 1pm, Watercolour in the Afternoon, info@nanaimogallery.ca Jun 1- 8, 7:15pm, Belly Dancing, Howe Yoga, Chemainus, 250-246-1257 Jun 1-15, 8am, Expose Yourself to Art! Exhibit, In the Beantime Café, 250-245-2305 Jun 1 -30, TheatreOne’s Fringe Flicks, 250-754-7587 www.theatreone.org/fringeFlicks.html Jun 1-Aug 20, Art Show-Body of Evidence -Charles Breth, 900 Fifth Street, Entrance 5D, 250-740-6350 Jun 3, 7-8:30pm, Kendall Patrick, The 49th Café, 250-245-3221 Jun 3-5, 1pm, Nanaimo Flying Club Wings & heels, Nanaimo Flying Club, Nanaimo Airport, 250-756-2680 Jun 4, 8am-1pm, Good Cents for Change garage sale, 813 Sivers Place, (off Malone Rd.) Jun 4, 10am Historical Downtown Ladysmith Walking Tour with Rob Johnson, starts at Ladysmith Visitor Centre, free. Hometown Tourist weekend. www.take5.ca/hometowntourist Jun 4, 1-2pm, Cooking Demo - free. The Worldly Gourmet, 524 First Ave, Ladysmith, 250-245-7307 Hometown Tourist weekend. www.take5.ca/hometowntourist Jun 4, 12pm, Nanaimo River Estuary Field Trip, free. Chase River park, www.asbcnanaimo.nisa.
Jun 4, 7pm, Art Exhibit Opening-Diminishing Natural World, Ladysmith Waterfront Art Centre Gallery, 250-245-1252. Hometown Tourist weekend. Jun 4, 10am, Drug Awareness And Emergency Preparedness Fair, Cedar Community Hall, 2388 Cedar Rd Jun 4, 7pm, Open Mic Song Writers Nite, Dancing Bean Café, 9752 Willow St. Chemainus 250-246-5050, Jun 4-5, Harbour Tour, Ladysmith Maritime Society dock, reservations: 250-245-0109, Hometown Tourist weekend. www.take5.ca/hometowntourist Jun 4-5, Family Tour by Train or Horse Drawn Trolley, Chemainus, 250-246-5055 Hometown Tourist weekend. www.take5.ca/hometowntourist Jun 4-5, 3pm-5pm & 6pm-7:30pm, 2 For 1 Swim, Frank Jameson Community Centre. Hometown Tourist weekend. www.take5.ca/hometowntourist Jun 4-5, Garden classes, Hazelwood Herb Farm, www. hazelwoodherbfarm.com or 250-245-8007. Hometown Tourist weekend.www.take5.ca/hometowntourist
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Jun 4-5, Drop in at Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Centre, 250-245-2112. Hometown Tourist weekend. www.take5.ca/hometowntourist Jun 4-5, 11-3 pm, Archives Tours, Ladysmith Archives, 250-245-0100. Hometown Tourist weekend. www.take5.ca/hometowntourist Jun 5, Ladysmith Kid Tri, triathalon for kids 4-14yrs., FJCC, 250-245-6424. Hometown Tourist weekend. www.take5.ca/hometowntourist Jun 5, 5pm, All Grown Up, Malaspina Theatre Jun 5, 12pm-4, B&B Open House Tour, Ladysmith & Chemainus, www.ladysmith-bc-accommodations. com. Hometown Tourist weekend. www.take5.ca/ hometowntourist Jun 5, 9am & 2pm, Holland Creek Walk, meet at Shelter at 6th and Methuen St. Free. Hometown Tourist weekend. www.take5.ca/hometowntourist Jun 5, 10am- 3pm, Cedar Women’s Institute, Cedar Farmers Market/Crow and Gate Pub. Hometown Tourist weekend. www.take5.ca/hometowntourist Jun 6, 4:45pm, BINGO, Chemainus Senior Drop-In Centre, 250-210-2344 Jun 7, 7pm, Nanaimo Glad & Dahlia Society meeting, Paine Horticulture Centre on E. Wellington Rd., 250-245-4231
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Jun 9, 7pm, The Cedar Skatepark AGM, Cedar Community Secondary School
Jun 17, 7-8:30pm, Allie Sunshine,The 49th Café, 250-245-3221
Jun 24- 25, 10am- 4pm, Printmaking with Anne Jones, Nanaimo Art Gallery, info@nanaimogallery.ca
Jun 11, 7pm, DANCE “The Esquires”,Chemainus Senior Drop-In Centre, 250-210-2344
Jun 18, 7:30 pm, Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra, Music for a Midsummer’s Eve, Ladysmith First United Church
Jun 25, 7pm, DANCE “Happy Hans”, Chemainus Senior Drop-In Centre, 250-210-2344
Jun 11, 7:30pm, CHLY Song Circle, Dancing Bean Café, 9752 Willow St. Chemainus 250-246-5050
Jun 18, 6:30pm, Flight by Night Fundraiser, Dancing Bean Café, 9752 Willow St. Chemainus, 250-246-5050
Jun 25, 8pm, Four on the Floor with Overdrive, Dancing Bean Café, 9752 Willow St., Chemainus 250-246-5050
Jun 11, 1- 5 pm, Green Building workshops and open houses, Cedar Heritage Centre, www.rdn.ca 250-390-6510
Jun 18, 4:30pm, X-RAY MACHINE Fundraiser, Chemainus Senior Drop-In Centre, 250-210-2344
Jun 25-26, Leaders in Training Program, Cedar Heritage Centre, 250-722-0123
Jun 13, 10am-3pm, Summer Explorer Day Camp, Woodbank Elementary School, 250-722-0123
Jun 18, SPCA Dog wash, Buckerfield’s in Duncan
Jun 26, 10am-5pm, Gabriola Home and Garden Tour, 250-247-7311
Jun 14, 7pm, Mailika Marimba, Chemainus Waterwheel Park, 250-246-3111 Jun 15, 9:30am, Probus Club of Ladysmith, St John’s Anglican Church Hall, 250-245-5965 Jun 15, 11:30 am, Soup & Sandwich, Chemainus Senior Drop-In Centre, 250-210-2344 Jun 16, 9am-12pm, Blood Pressure Clinic, Chemainus Senior Drop-In Centre, 250-210-2344 Jun 17-18,10am, Crofton Art Group Show and Sale, Crofton Senior’s Centre, 250-416-0608 Jun 17-19, 9am, 40th Annual BC Legion Highland Gathering, various venues in Ladysmith, www. highlandgathering.ca Jun 17- Sep 3, Fiddler on the Roof, Chemainus Theatre Festival 250-246-9820 Jun 17, 7:30pm, Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra, Music for a Midsummer’s Eve, Brechin United Church
Jun 20, 5:30pm, Chronic Pain Support Group, LRCA, 250-667-5587 Jun 20- 21,10am- 4pm, Life Drawing with Carole Brooke, Nanaimo Art Gallery info@nanaimogallery.ca Jun 21, 7pm, Renovation Blues Band, Chemainus Waterwheel Park, by donation, www.cvcas.com Jun 21, 5-9pm, The Art of Slowing Down - Yoga Therapy Principles, Legion Hall Ladysmith, 250-923-5006 Jun 22- 23, 10am- 4pm, Acrylic painting with Linda Findlay, Nanaimo Art Gallery info@nanaimogallery.ca Jun 23, 1-3pm, LIVING WELL, DRIVING LONGER Workshop, Chemainus Senior Drop-In Centre, 250-210-2344 Jun 24, Authentic Japanese Dinner, Tamagawa University, 250-722-3767 Jun 24, 6:30-9pm, Dive in Cinema, Burlesque, FJCC 250-245-6424 Jun 24, Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser, Cottonwood Golf Course, 250-245-2112
Jun 28, 7pm, Ladysmith Camera Club “Bring Your Camera Night”, Hardwick Hall, info@ LadysmithCameraClub.com Jun 28, 7pm, Holly Arntzen, Kevin Wright & the Dream Band, Chemainus Waterwheel Park, www.cvcas.com Jun 30- July 4, Visions Art Studio Tour, Cowichan Valley, 250-743-3862
July Jul 3, 6pm, Ryan McMahon, Americana, Amphitheatre, Transfer Beach, Ladysmith Jul 5, 7pm, The Nanaimo Glad and Dahlia Society meeting, Paine Horticulture Center on E. Wellington Rd., 250-245-4231 Jul 5, 7pm, Live Music, Chemainus Waterwheel Park, by donation, www.cvcas.com Jul 5,18, Aug 22, Sept 2, Ladysmith Yacht Club Junior 2 week programs, FJCC 250-245-8424 Jul 7-10, VI MusicFest, www.islandmusicfest.com Jul 9, Aunty Kate and the Uncles of Funk, Powder Blues Band, The Saltair Pub, www.dancingbean.ca Jul 9, 8am, Chemainus Giant Market Day, Willow Street, 250-246-3944 Jul 10, 6pm, Nanaimo Concert Band, big band music, Amphitheatre, Transfer Beach, Ladysmith Jul 12, 7pm, Live Music, Chemainus Waterwheel Park, by donation, www.cvcas.com Jul 13-Aug 20, Snow White, Chemainus Theatre Festival 250-246-9820 Jul 15, Aug 12, Ladysmith Yacht Club Adult 18 hr course, FJCC 250-245-8424
To view the complete events calendar or submit your event visit www.take5.ca/events
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CLASSIFIED ADS PAINT & SAVE OPTION: Do it yourself, with a little help from a pro together we can make your job more affordable and accomplish a great look. Making the world a brighter place over 25 years. Call Harvey 250-245-2174
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PROFESSIONAL PET CARE SERVICE: leash em & walk em with Marlena. Insured & bonded. Animal First Aid and CPR. Service for all pets including dog walking, home care visits, overnight with pet in your home and much more. As my love is yours! 250-246-3394.
DRIVING LESSONS: Approaching Road Test time? Need an evaluation of your driving skills? Also available: Collision Avoidance Training. Great prices on Road Test Packages. 49th Parallel Driving School 250-416-1606 or 250619-2713
HOME BUDDIES PET & HOUSE CARE since 1994. Licensed, Bonded, Insured. Professional, kindhearted, experienced & reliable care for all pets. Pet First Aid and CPR Certified. Certified Security Professional through Westguard Security. When loving care and security are essential, Peggy Wildsmith 250-245-0151
AJ’S PLUMBING AND GAS - Licensed - Bonded – Insured. Journeyman with over ten years experience. New and renovation construction, repairs and installs. For quality work at a reasonable rate. Call Aeron Jensen 250-802-7123
HOW IS YOUR DRIVEWAY? Have those concrete and asphalt areas patched. Seal your driveway professionally to prepare for the summer heat! Enhance your homes “Curb Appeal” SealTech Specialties call Stuart 250-734-2681.
LIGHTWORKS WINDOW WASHING and gutter cleaning. Careful & considerate. Call David 250-722-3599
BOBBY’S MINIHOE & CLEANUP Landscaping, lot clearing, debris removal, excavating, small deliveries with dump trailer, mulch, lawn soil, garden soil, driveway chip, serving Nanaimo, Cedar, Ladysmith and area call Bobby 250-713-4970
BOWEN TECHNIQUE is a gentle soft tissue remedial therapy that resets the body to heal itself. Useful for joint, back and neck pain, frozen shoulder, asthma, chronic fatigue and many other problems. For information and appointments call 250-245-7738. Lilja Hardy FMBAC in practice since 1994. www. bowtech.com GOT GRANITE? Have your Granite and Marble Countertops professionally sealed and buffed. Kitchens starting at $75. We do tile as well! SealTech Specialties Call Stuart at 250-734-2681 www.sealtechspecialties.com
OFFICE SPACES -Downtown Ladysmith, rent or lease. 250-245-3395 THE HAPPY GARDENER, weeding, digging, raking, etc. Cheerful and conscientious. Call David 250-722-3599 SEASONAL GARDENING SERVICES now available. Pruning shrubs, waste removal and lawn care. Spring clean ups are here now call for estimates. Dunn Lawn & Garden. Fully Insured 250-618-6660
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THINKING OF SELLING YOUR HOME? Ready for a fresher look in your existing home? The affordable design services provided by Rooms n Blooms can help. Call Shar at 250-245-0548 or email shar@roomsnblooms.ca ISLAND PRUNING - Pruning, tree care, fruit trees, vines, ornamental trees, shrubs and hedges. Chainsaw work and small and large clean-up. Darcy 250245-1260 SPRING CLEANING! Walkways, Driveways, Gutters, Decks Moss, Algae and Dirt. We clean it all and then we seal it well. Be proud of your home. Technology is what we do. www.seicoat.com 250-816-5002 AGILE HOME REPAIR & IMPROVEMENTS - Interior and exterior repairs and upgrades. Insured. WCB/ Worksafe B.C. Call Ian at 250-714-8800 or e mail agile@telus.net
SEMI RETIRED MASSAGE THERAPIST working in Cedar By The Sea $60. an hour session 250-722-2669 ARE YOU CONCERNED? Hot flashes, sweats. Arthritis, colitis, bursitis, migraines, constipation, blood pressure, shingles, gout & tumors? Over 90% of diseases originate in our colons. Call Mavis for information re: Canaid & Yuccan 250-245-3054 mavis.clark14@gmail.com OVERCOAT PAINTING - Professional - Reliable - Reasonable. Operating 6 years in Ladysmith. No job too small. Will do minor repairs. Special senior rates. Call Heather McIntosh for a free estimate. 250-245-5557 VINYL, ALUMINUM & HARDY PLANK SIDING and gutter cleaning by Cal Allenby. Affordable rates. Call 250246-9784 or 250-710-6759 LOOKING FOR A RELIABLE HONEST CLEANER, then look no more. Call Shauna at home 250-722-9413 cell 250-816-9413. Excellent references available. Serving Nanaimo & Area for six years. HANDCRAFTED GEM STONE NECKLACES. Jade, garnet, lapis, aventurine and more! $20 each. See jewelry table at Campers Corner Saturday flea market, 8am-3pm 250-245-3829 WINDY SHORES BOOKKEEPING Bookkeeping Services for Small Businesses. Accounts receivable & payable, month-end reports, bank reconciliations, payroll, tax remittance. Reliable, prompt and dependable. Tari Oakes 250-8029256 windyshores@shaw.ca NITTY GRITTY GREENHOUSE now open. Roses, old time heirloom veggies, bedding plants, perennials, and more. Off Nanaimo Lakes Rd just before the Southforks Rd turn-off. 250-716-9363 QUALITY RENOVATIONS, big or small. 25 yrs exp/journeyman, affordable. For a free estimate, call Lars 250616-1800 12’ FG BOAT with TRAILER, needs work ,$200. 250-756-8892
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JUNE 2011
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SEPTIC SERVICE by ReQuest Holdings Ltd. A local family owned business. Waste bins - commercial and residential. Emergency callouts welcomed. Mention this ad for a 10% discount. 250-7407742 mikesoder@telus.net FOR RENT IN LADYSMITH 4-plex 2 BDRM apartment, senior 55+, well maintained 1000 sq.ft. oceanview, drapes-carpeted. W/D-F/S-N/S-N/P’s no elevator. $750. To view contact 250245-4646 or 250-758-5816 TIMBER BUILDER POST & BEAM – farm buildings, heavy construction, steel buildings, architectural concrete, custom beam work – steel buildings, pergolas, gazebos, decks, finishing, All General Contracting needs, Unusual or remote projects 250-616-0990 Timberbuilder@shaw.ca MR. FIX-IT General Contracting Professional. All phases of Restoration, New construction & Repair, Commercial and Residential, Over 30 Years Central Island Licensed and Insured, Reliable Tradesmen, Meticulous Quality, Excellent References 250–924-5436, Mr_Fixit@shaw.ca CERTIFIED RCA with 20 years experience. Available for personal, respite and palliative care, housekeeping, transportation and errands. Personalized care that fits your schedule. Trusted, reliable and affordable. Call Sheila 250-668-4294 WANTED: ISLAND MADE Products for new online e-store. Email editor@ take5.ca or www.take5.ca/islandmade SERGE’S DRIVING SCHOOL Packages for all, road test service, high success rate, 10 hours of lessons plus 2 hour road test service for $448.00 including HST. ICBC certified. Call Serge250-245-0600 OUR TOWN CLEANING SERVICES- Thorough cleaning for both residential and commercial clients. Respectful of your privacy and treasures. Veteran Affairs Cards now accepted. Call Jacquie at 250 245 2455 CLASSIFIED ADS run in the TAKE 5 print and online. Only $17 for 30 words max. www.take5.ca/classifieds
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SEX! Now that I have your undivided attention, dear reader, let’s get on with this month’s column. Not long after researchers told us that having sex increases our chances of having a heart attack, a new study has come along showing that making sexy time can damage our brains. Dutch researchers who you’d think as residents of a country that is famous for its red-light districts would be promoting the positives of knocking boots are claiming that having sex increases the chance of having something called an intracranial aneurysm that can cause a stroke. In short, a little horizontal bow chika wow wow CAN blow your mind.
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(Ha ha. What? We’re supposed to leave that low hanging fruit alone?) Okay,okay, we’ll get back on topic. Here’s what Dr. Monique H.M. Vlak, a neurologist and lead author of this blasphemous study has to say. “Subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by the rupture of an intracranial aneurysm is a devastating event that often affects young adults.” Now, let me tell you one thing, dear reader. That kind of talk certainly SOUNDS fancy, but it is definitely not conducive to getting lucky. For example, I was having a pretty good make-out session with a hot chick from Victoria on the couch the other day. “This is getting me hot,” she panted in my ear. “Yes,” I breathlessly agreed, unbuttoning my shirt. “I feel a subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by the rupture of an intracranial aneurysm coming on.” Apparently this TOTALLY killed the mood, because she suddenly realized she left her toaster on or something and hightailed it out the door. Anyways, the lesson here is A) Do NOT use researcher’s lingo when attempting dirty talk, and B) Let’s not get carried away with
JUNE 2011
this whole ‘sex is bad for your health’ theory. Because if we delve deeper into this inane study, we find that drinking coffee is MORE likely to set off a subarachnoid hemorrhage than bumping in the night will. In fact, a little giggity giggity falls below coffee drinking, vigorous physical exercise, and even blowing your nose on the whole subarachnoid hemorrhage scale. Sex comes in fourth place, right above, and we quote from the study here, “straining to defecate.” (which causes us to think,in our humble opinion, that if ‘straining to defecate’ is NOT the name of a punk rock band, it darn well should be.) In the proverbial clamshell, we wish that one day these well-meaning researchers would quit trying to find bad things in all the good stuff. It’s depressing to hear that fun things like sex can be bad for you. Just once we’d like to hear what the damage those feminine hygiene commercials or watching the Toronto Maple Leafs play hockey are causing us, instead. Until then, dear reader,we wouldn’t be too concerned about the dangers of having sex if we were you.