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‘STACKED’ OR ‘ICON’ LOGO CORPORATE / NON-MASTHEAD / SOCIAL MEDIA REVERSED + COLOUR PALETTE VERSIONS
DISTRICT’S CLIMATE INITIATIVES GET POSITIVE REVIEW
Bruce was part of the District’s climate leadership team and was an advisor — but not an author — to the municipality’s climate action plan. The plan was approved by council last month and gives the community a blueprint to reduce its carbon emissions in line with the goals set out by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC. That means the intended targets are a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 45% from 2010 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. BY WARWICK PATTERSON / SQUAMISH FLYING CLUB SEA TO SKY FLYOVER : The Squamish Flying Club held a tribute flyover Monday night in honour of the Snowbirds’ Operation Inspiration, which ended with a deadly crash Sunday. Capt. Jenn Casey died in Kamloops when the jet she was in suddenly crashed into a residential home. The local club flew over Squamish and Whistler at 7 p.m. in Operation Backup Inspiration.
The thumbs-up arrives after the municipality approved its climate plan STEVEN CHUA steven@squamishchief.com
O ne of the top figures at the David Suzuki Foundation is giving the District of Squamish’s environ mental efforts a thumbs-up.
Ian Bruce, the chief operating officer of the foundation, said that compared with smaller communities of similar character istics, the town is doing well when it comes to climate-conscious efforts. “It’s hard to compare cities small and large to each other,” said Bruce. “What I can tell you is that I’ve worked with many cities and provinces putting in climate change plans for over the last decade, and I can say that Squamish is really helping lead the way for communities that aren’t necessarily large urban cities.”
4 WOODFIBRE DECISION Council votes to require LNG company meets higher standards Returning chinook Salmon are being returned to the Elaho River decades after road construction reduced their numbers THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 SQUAMISHCHIEF.COM 8 062160000 2 1 If you are considering selling your property and want the best results please contact me! 41301 Horizon Drive LISTED AT $1,988,888 302- 41328 Skyridge Place LISTED AT $599,000 40616 Highlands Way North LISTED AT $1,049,000 SOLD SOLD SOLD WEST COAST REALTY604.723.3525 | jennifersale.com Thinking of selling? Call me and put my 29 years experience to work for you! PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION CLIMATE: Continued on 5
2 | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 squamishchief.com An opportunity to share a note of thanks, greetings or celebration for a frontline health care worker, helpful friend or colleague, or celebrate a birthday in print! Or a personal reminder to donate to the foodbank or another worthy Squamish cause. 1/8 Page $ 100 1/4 Page $150 Thank you Owain for all of your hard work! You will be missed and we wish you the best of luck! Sincerely, Your Squamish Save On Foods team. Starting June 2, 2020 The Squamish Save On Foods will be under new management. We look forward to having John Riecker as the new Store Manager. Come visit us and say hello! Kudos to Jennifer, Steven, Denise, Fiona, Cathie and Lou for keeping the presses running at The Squamish Chief. We’re hard at work reporting the news, helping advertisers, and getting the papers to the streets! www.clubflex.ca • 604-892-3539 THANK YOU SQUAMISH FOR YOUR SUPPORT DURING THESE TRYING TIMES! We are excited to announce that we have reorganized the gym so that every machine can be used with the minimum 2 meter social distance. We have moved out some equipment and furniture to create more space. Everyone must use the hand sanitizer before and after using the facility. Each member is supplied with their own spray bottle and towel for cleaning. Every piece of equipment and attachment must be cleaned after use. All members are required to keep a 2 meter social distance at all times. As always, shoes must be changed into dedicated inside gym shoes before going onto the gym floor. Thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you soon! thank you! Thank you for your support! This year we raised over $13,000 for our 14th annual Hike for Hospice! We couldn’t have done it without you, our valued supporters and community, With your donations you have helped ensure these services exist and continue to be offered to community members in their time of need. With you we are helping people stay home longer, supporting people as they redefine quality of life, bringing moments of joy, and supporting families both young and old while they anticipate and grapple with loss of life.
squamishchief.com THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 | 3 4 – 2662 Rhum & Eigg Drive • Outstanding view home in Garibaldi Highlands • Three beds + den + 1 bed registered suite • Open floor plan for great entertaining • Master suite with a Japanese-style ensuite B208 – 40120 Willow Crescent • Renovated one bed/1 bath condo in Diamond Head. Within walking distance to shops, schools, recreation, restaurants, transit & golf course. • Newer flooring with sound-proofing, paint including ceilings, electric switches, light fixtures, baseboard heaters, kitchen including counters, appliance package with microwave and hood fan, bath with new tub, toilet, vanity, taps & mirror. 28 – 40750 Tantalus Road • Beautiful end unit facing greenspace • Open floor plan, vaulted ceiling & fireplace in master • Largest floor plan with 1910 sq. a • Gorgeous backyard, with all day sun 55 – 2401 Mamquam Road • Popular Highland Glen town home with 2 beds (easily converted to 3 beds) • Across from the golf course and trail head; within walking distance of restaurants, shopping • Oversized living room, massive master with a balcony West facing, sun-drenched yard to garden and entertain in! 2227 Read Crescent • Garibaldi Estates 4 bed/3 bath 1.66 acre gem with views • 20 fruit trees, gazebo, swimming pool, two ponds, ‘hotel ready’ for chickens, greenhouse, • Shed on concrete base, massive veggie garden • Full sunlight and complete privacy from neighbours. 604.815.1921 • tara@tarahunter.com • www.tarahunter.com NEWLISTING NEWLISTING NEWLISTING NEWLISTING We’re here forBusinessyouOwners: Complimentary Business Listing We’re offering free GuidedBy.ca listings, courtesy of The Squamish Chief, to help connect locals to your business during these trying times. The Squamish Chief staff are busy setting up profiles now. Email fiona@glaciermedia.ca and we’ll get you connected.
BP announced in February it’s aiming to get its operations to become net-zero by 2050.Pettingill said that the motion reflected the urgency of climate change’s impacts. He noted that while the District’s climate plan acknowledges it can’t count all the emissions, such as those from Woodfibre, it’s still necessary to ask for carbon reductions.
A copy of the letter was provided to The Chief by Woodfibre.
On the other hand, environmentalist group My Sea to Sky said that municipal council made the right move.
t’s official — the District of Squamish won’t support Woodfibre LNG’s request for a five-year extension to its licence unless the company promises to reduce its carbon emissions in line with targets set out by the United Nations.
I
4 | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 squamishchief.com
“We don’t quite have a plan for everything yet, but I think we still do need to call out that [the] 45%, and, subsequently, 100% [carbon reductions] are necessary for our survival,” said Pettingill. “Any new project that comes along — this needs to be part of theHurforddiscussion.”saidit’s not a go- or no-go position that the District is giving, but rather feedback for the province. Woodfibre spokesperson Rebecca Scott expressed disappointment about the decision.“Today’s vote was not about [greenhouse gas] emissions or the environment. It was about a small group who have opposed this project for years in spite of scientific data that shows our facility will offset global emissions and help meet the most aggressive Paris Agreement target of keeping temperature rise to under two degrees, she said.
However, a prominent member of the Nation, hereditary Chief Ian Campbell, wrote to municipal council and Woodfibre in support of the project. Campbell is a member of the Nation’s council but is not its leader.
STEVEN CHUA steven@squamishchief.com
“The Squamish Nation officially supports Woodfibre LNG, and [I] encourage you to not pass resolutions that could interfere with our environmental and economic interests related to the project,” wrote Campbell.
As part of the process, the EAO is asking for feedback from those affected by the project. The District is among those allowed to give feedback, and this motion is part of what it is choosing to submit to the province.
“The world has changed since Woodfibre LNG first received their environmental assessment certificate in 2015. We need to critically reassess whether Woodfibre LNG should be granted an extension to their environmental assessment certificate given the changes to local, provincial, and federal policies; new and emerging scientific understanding; and the implications of developing new fossil fuel infrastructure in a climate emergency,” said said Tracey Saxby, the executive director of the organization.
Khelsilem (Dustin Rivers), a councillor and spokesperson for the Squamish Nation, said last week that the band does not have a formal position on Woodfibre’s request for an extension on its environmental certificate.
COUNCIL ASKS PROVINCE TO IMPOSE STRICTER CONDITIONS ON WLNG
BUSINESS AND PERSONAL LAW • Real Estate • Wills and Estate Planning • Business Transactions 301-37989 Cleveland Ave. Squamish BC • k.vanderree@raceandco.com604.892.5254 Kathleen van der Ree RACEANDCOMPANY.COM 37907 Second Avenue 604.892.3110 Now Available: Library Take-Out A curbside pick-up service to get library items safely back into the hands of our community. For more info, scan the QR code or got to librarytakeout@squamish.caContacthttps://squamish.bc.libraries.coopusat604-892-3110or RENDERING COURTESY WOODFIBRE LNG At issue is if the LNG export facility slated for the shore of Howe Sound should be granted an extension on its environmental assessment certificate.
Andersen said this could establish a precedent that will discourage investment in theOncommunity.theotherhand, Stoner said that the District has applied stringent environmental standards to other industries in town.
“In passing this motion, council may compromise the opportunity for meaningful engagement with the Squamish Nation in building a sustainable economy, while protecting Howe Sound through proper management regimes.”
“The most concerning thing for me about this move is the message that it sends to industrial operators thinking about relocating here or starting up in Squamish,” said“We’reFrench.essentially telling a business that has federal approval, provincial approval, Squamish Nation support and property that’s appropriately zoned that they’re not welcome here.”Race said that by his count, the Woodfibre project will release significantly less carbon in comparison with the province’s standard for carbon emissions.
He added that the motion’s ask to reduce
In a divided vote 4-3 vote, councillors passed a resolution saying that Woodfibre LNG must meet the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change targets for its operation within the District of Squamish to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and 100% by 2050. The decision gives final approval to a motion that was discussed last week. Council again voted along the same lines this time around on May 19.
Mayor Karen Elliott and councillors Jenna Stoner, Chris Pettingill and Armand Hurford were in Councillorsfavour.John French, Doug Race and Eric Andersen were opposed. This motion is not necessarily binding for Woodfibre, as it is the province that will have the final say on this matter. Council made this motion because B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office, or EAO, is currently considering a five-year extension for the project’s environmental certificate, which will expire in October.
It’s arguable that Woodfibre has already met much of the targeted reductions, as it has shifted from powering its facility by natural gas to powering it via electricity, which has saved on a lot of emissions, Race said.
In a divided 4-3 vote, municipal council finalized a motion that was proposed last week
She added that at least one other major fossil fuel company has committed to reducing its carbon emissions.
carbon emissions doesn’t make clear the timeline or the relation to which the reduc tion is to be measured.
“We’ve been having this conversation with our construction industry for years [about] the Step Code and what the future of the Step Code is going to look like, so to say this is singling out a single industry is not fair,” sheThesaid.Step Code provides a path for builders to make environmentally-friendly facilities.
The plan also acknowledges that it does not come close to achieving the 2050 target. It also notes that there are several factors that are out of its scope, such as big industrial emissions and embodied carbon, which refers to all the carbon emissions that go into producing a product, including emissions from things likeHowever,transportation.Brucesaid
However, the municipality’s plan does acknowledge it falls short of the mark. If its measures are implemented, the town will still fall 6,200 tonnes shy of its 2030 goal. This is a 7% shortfall from the reduction target of 45% by 2030.
The second aspect Bruce mentioned focuses on reducing the amount of waste coming into the landfill. It also focuses on separating organics from garbage. Putting incentives on greener, more energy-efficient buildings was also a key element, he said. These are some examples of the ‘big moves’ encapsulated in the plan. Listed altogether, these are: reducing waste, reducing use of cars, using zero or low-carbon vehicles, decarbonizing existing buildings, building better buildings, and supporting continued emissions reductions.
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the plan helps the municipality work on areas where it has control.“Ithink what this plan does is...it takes very strong action where the city has authority and agency over these solutions and you know, for example, emissions coming from the landfill or from waste... being collected in the community as well as transportation,” he said. Transportation, waste management and greener buildings were some highlights of the plan, Bruce said. The first aspect focuses on the creation of more active transportation, like cycling and walking trails, as well as the encour agement of electric vehicles by implementing things such as the creation of more charging stations. So far, to accomplish that goal the District has implemented car-sharing; created the safe routes to school program, which helps students walk and bike to class; and is aiming to increase the frequency of public transit to 15 minutes or less within the core transit network.
“Every climate change plan recognizes that we need to act as a community, as a province, and as a country as we tackle challenges like the climate crisis.”
Before the onset of the COVID-19, the District had budgeted $2.4 million for climate mitigation projects and $8 million for climate adaptation special operating projects this year, she said. However, the municipality has since had to make changes to its budget, as it is expecting less money from property taxes as a result of the pandemic. “We need to act together, it’s similar to whether we’re addressing climate change or the current COVID pandemic, we need to take collective action,” said Bruce.
CLIMATE: Continued from 1
PHOTO BY BRIAN AIKENS BIRDS OF A FEATHER: Have a photo to share? Send it to news@squamishchief.com.
squamishchief.com THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 | 5
Mayor Karen Elliott told The Chief in March that the municipality has taken significant action on sustainability and climate change, including declaring a climate emergency on July 2, 2019. The District of Squamish has maintained carbon neutrality in its operations since 2018, she “Climatesaid.isnow at the forefront of every decision made at the District, and policies have been identified through the Squamish 2040 Official Community Plan to aggressively pursue climate change adaptation and mitigation,” she said. “In addition to developing the Community Climate Action Plan and Big Moves within, the District will continue to develop policy and demonstrate leadership that directs meaningful action and ensure climate change remains at the core of all future reports and operations.”
~With files from Jennifer Thuncher I think what this plan does is... it takes very strong action where the city has authority and agency over these solutions.
GOT NEWS? Email
IAN BRUCE your jthuncher @squamishchief.com steven @squamishchief.com or keili@squamishchief.com
RCMP and coroner are investigating
“There does not appear to be anything suspicious in nature at the current stage but will be fully determined after addi tional investigative steps,” said Squamish RCMP Sgt. Sascha Banks in an email to The Chief. Britannia Beach Volunteer Fire Department and RCMP responded to a structure fire on Minaty Lane May 12 after 11 p.m. Fire chief David Rittberg says crews put out the RCMPflames.saythe blaze was snuffed out by 1:45 a.m. and officers continue to investigate. If anyone has any information as to the circumstances surrounding the fire please contact the Squamish RCMP at 604-8926100, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, or go to website www. solvecrime.ca
PHOTO BY BRIAN AIKENS THE NEW NORMAL: Have you seen the new COVID-19 signs? This one is at the Stawamus Chief. If you have a photo to share, send it to news@squamishchief.com.
TWO PEOPLE DIE IN BRITANNIA BEACH FIRE: BC CORONERS SERVICE
STEVEN CHUA & JENNIFER THUNCHER news@squamishchief.com
GET MORE. VISIT: SQUAMISHCHIEF.COM
T wo people have died in the Britannia Beach fire that engulfed a mobile home on May 12. The BC Coroners Service says it is investigating the deaths of a man in his late 30s and a woman in her late 40s. No other details have been released.
The mobile home fire is under investigation.
•ALARM SYSTEMS •CAMERA SYSTEMS •CARD ACCESS CONTROL •BUILT-IN VACUUMS SERVING WHISTLER, PEMBERTON AND SQUAMISH FOR OVER 30 YEARS Phone: 604-898-5146 • Fax: 604-898-0771 SQUAMISHSECURITY 24 HR MONITORING
PHOTO COURTESY SQUAMISH RCMP
6 | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 squamishchief.comNEWS
squamishchief.com THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 | 7NEWS
SQUAMISH NATION SETS TERMS FOR
In a separate matter involving the project, Khelsilem said the Nation also has not yet formed an opinion on the Woodfibre’s application to extend its environmental certificate by an extra five years.
Nation will work with provincial and federal governments in a non-binding agreement
However, the Nation’s vote in favour of the harmonized process lays the question to rest.Khelsilem said that opting for this method does not mean the Nation’s voice will be diminished, as they will still provide feedback on the matter. Their consent is still required.TheMOU is non-binding, he added, meaning there is some flexibility.
We’re working in good faith to work through the information that’s been submitted KHELSILEM
EVALUATING WOODFIBRE’S FLOATEL
“We’re working in good faith to work through the information that’s been submitted, weigh that against our own concerns and our own interests in the area, and determine either what mitigation can be requested or what conditions need to be applied,” Khelsilem said.
He added the mandate is to study the proposal from the viewpoint of the Nation’s interests in its cultural, heritage, environ mental and archaeological assets, as well as things like justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
“Because the amendment is — relative to the project as a whole — a rather minor amendment dealing with just the living quarters for workers, we felt it would be easier and more efficient to do a harmonized process than to do an independent one,” he“[For]said. any other potential amendments, the Nation would reserve the right to determine at that time if it wants to continue. It would pursue another MOU or it could do its own process.”
“We’d participate as equal reviewers,” said Khelsilem. “We have an equal seat at the table, basically....Whatever conditions are to be agreed to, have to be agreed to by all thePreviously,parties.” the Woodfibre project was subject to an independent assessment by the Squamish Nation, in addition to the usual evaluations from the provincial and federal governments. This amplification of the Nation’s voice marked a significant change in how environmental assessments have normally been done, and the approach made headlines.
At the moment, he said the Nation still has not formed an opinion on the floatel.
RENDERING BY WOOFIBRE LNG Should the floatel go-ahead, this rendering shows its placement next to the Woodfibre LNG site.
It also led to a major change in the project — the proposed water cooling system for the facility was swapped for air cooling.
STEVEN CHUA steven@squamishchief.com
T he Squamish Nation has decided to use a three-way assessment process involving itself, the province and the federal government in evaluating Woodfibre LNG’s proposed floatel. The floatel is essentially a stationary boat that would house workers at the Woodfibre site. It was proposed as a solution after locals criticized the idea of creating a work camp in the Britannia area. This new proposal requires the company to notify authorities, who will then examine the idea and decide whether it should be approved.Spokesperson and councillor Khelsilem (Dustin Rivers) said the Nation’s council decided unanimously to pursue a memo randum of understanding for a harmonized review process with the Environmental Assessment Office and Impact Assessment Agency of Canada on May 7.
“If at any point, the Nation wanted to withdraw from the process, it has the ability to do so as well,” said Khelisilem. This agreement also pertains only to the floatel amendment, so the Nation can draw up new terms for examining possible further changes to the project.
Since Woodfibre was initially subject to an independent review from the Nation, there were questions as to how the floatel amendment would be evaluated. Would there be another independent review from the Nation regarding this item?
COVID-19 COMMUNITY UPDATE
The 2020 Re-Use-It Fair has been cancelled in light of the guidelines set by the Provincial Health Officer that restrict gatherings of more than 50 people.
What’s proposed: A lease extension for Rope Runner aerial course
ADVENTURESQUAMISHLOGGERSLANECENTRE ROSEROPEPARKRUNNER INC. LEASE AREA
As we learn new ways of safe social interactions, it is important to remember that some things remain unchanged. Physical distancing, hand hygiene, nonessential personal travel and staying home if you are sick are still critical.
Hello Squamish, We are now in Phase 2 of the BC Restart Plan, BC’s fourphased approach to protecting our community during COVID-19 as we begin to re-engage more in community Aslife.of this week, businesses can begin to reopen with enhanced protocols and I encourage you to support them, if you can, during this new phase. Constructive feedback and conversation will be important as businesses seek to do the best they can to ensure the safety of their employees and customers.
Let us enter this phase of change like we did with our first response to this pandemic – calmly and with compassion. And please, let us not forget to compliment people on their new haircuts and continue to find small ways to spread kindness in the community. Thank you, Squamish. The following facilities remain closed for now: 6,696ft2 portion of Land, for the purposes of an aerial ropes course, on PID: 026-772-701 Parcel A District Lot 4261 Group 1 NWD Plan BCP 25359, with a civic address of 38400/38540 Loggers Lane, Squamish, British Columbia for a minimum basic lease rate of $23,216.21 per year, with an additional percentage rent of 4% of the tenant’s gross sales above $405,000 per year.
• Squamish Adventure Centre • Brennan Park Recreation Centre, except showers • The 55 Activity Centre • Squamish Public Library Front counter services at all facilities Open Facilities: • Brennan Park and Eaglewind tennis courts • Skate Parks • Portable toilets in recreation locations • Public washrooms are available in Junction (Pavilion) Park, Downtown Squamish on Cleveland Avenue between Victoria and Main Streets. • Playgrounds • Trail Hubs How to contact staff: Municipal Hall 604.892.5217 or info@squamish.ca Public Works To report an operations emergency after hours, please call 24-hours: 604.815.4040. Bylaw Enforcement 604.892.5217 or bylaw@squamish.ca Recreation Services 604.898.3604 Karen Elliott, Mayor ImprovementInfrastructure Project Re-Use It Fair Cancelled Clarke/Guilford Drive Intersection Upgrade and Corridor Trail Extension Impact: Expect short traffic delays and consider using an alternate route when/where possible. Timeframe: May 25 through mid-July squamish.ca/building-our-future Business Opportunities • Comprehensive Engineering Consulting Services for the Squamish Landfill - Request for Proposals • Recreation Management Software - Request for Information • Valleycliffe Fire Hall & EOC LEED Commissioning Authority Consulting Services - Request for Proposals • Mamquam Road Landslide - Slope Stabilization and Road Reinstatement - Request for Quotations squamish.ca/doing-business-with-the-district COVID-19 Facilities and Services Updates ZERO WASTE TIP Put your food scraps in your Organics bin and not in the garbage. When food ends up in the landfill, it produces greenhouse gases like methane. Organics from Squamish are composted in Pemberton, producing nutrients for your garden! Notice of Land Lease The District of Squamish (“District”) hereby gives notice pursuant to Section 26 of the Community Charter that the District intends to grant a three (3) year and four (4) month (July 3, 2022 to November 2, 2025) lease extension to Rope Runner Inc., for an approximately
8 | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 squamishchief.com DISTRIC T OF SQUAMISH
It is now up to us continue the good work that we started, and continue to keep COVID-19 at bay in Squamish. We must think carefully each day about how we will continue to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe, and make good choices as we go about our daily tasks. Each household may have different circumstances that are influencing how and when they connect with and move about our community, send children to school or expand their circle of contacts. It’s important that we kindly respect these choices, as folks may have an underlying condition that makes them more vulnerable to COVID-19 or a family member they want to protect. This past weekend saw the re-opening of some B.C. Parks and recreation amenities including tennis courts, skate parks and bike hubs. Playgrounds are opening after getting their usual annual inspection and clean. If your children use the playground please bring along hand sanitizer and practice good hand hygiene before and after play. As we start to see visitors return to Squamish, it will be important to share our backyard respectfully and plan ahead in order to avoid overcrowding. When you do go out, pack a to-go kit that includes hand sanitizer.
The Re-Use-It Fair is an annual volunteer-driven community event that has saved hundreds of items of furniture, appliances, clothing and other household goods from entering the Squamish Landfill. Please consider reducing, reusing and recycling your unwanted useable goods whenever possible, and refer to the Waste Wizard look-up tool at squamish.ca/wastewizard to know what goes where. We look forward to hosting in 2021.
Service Modifications: For a full list of current service modifications, please visit squamish.ca/covid-19
squamishchief.com THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 | 9NEWS
“I feel for people in the industry who run buses and trains and resorts and all those things that are far more complex and harder to imagine a clear pathway to reopening.”
The gondola has reduced its theoretical capacity by 75%, Brown said. Passholders will be able to bring up to four guests with them at 20% off per visit. However, tickets to the general public will not be sold in this initial phase. Hours of operation in the first phase will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the last download at 7 p.m.The Sea to Summit Trail will remain closed.Annual passes will be valid as of May 22, but the gondola says it will not be reinstating time left on passes until June 1st. For example, those who had eight months left as of March 19 when the gondola paused operations will have eight months left as of June 1.
Brown said it is the Friday music nights with all the locals he will miss most, but the gondola is looking for new ways to engage the community.“Itisgoing to be an adjustment for all of us, but we need to step smartly and gently into this new reality and get used to it.”
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Financially, the last year with both shutdowns, has been a hit for the gonolda that has made him appreciate banks, Brown said with a laugh, adding that CIBC has been supportive of the business plan going forward and extended the company’s credit.
REOPENING MAY 22
jthuncher@squamishchief.com
The cabins will soon be running again at the gondola.
JENNIFER THUNCHER
“It is a really weird headspace to be in,” he said, recognizing that he feels lucky to be in the type of business that can open and put protocols in place.
In the second phase, later in the summer, the gondola says it will be opening its online ticket store for pre-purchased tickets. Non-passholders will be required to purchase tickets online prior to arrival at the gondola to avoid unnecessary physical contact at ticket windows and proceed directly to the gondola from the parking lot.
“It has been tough,” he said. “We have had to make decisions we wouldn’t have otherwise made.”
Brown said it is weird for a tourist attrac tion to think about operating the business in a manner that limits, not increases, the number of people who come.
The Sky Spiral construction has been deferred to spring of 2021, for example. [But Brown said he is excited that it will be going ahead next year and can’t wait for visitors to see the views offered by the 2.5-km-long elevated tree walkway.]
A s COVID-19 restrictions begin to loosen, the Sea to Sky Gondola has announced it is reopening on May 22 for annual passholders and their guests. It’s the second time in less than a year the gondola has had to close and reopen. Before shutting down due to the pandemic, the popular tourist attraction had to stop operations after a saboteur cut the cable that held its cabins. It had reopened on Valentine’s Day this year, but shut again once COVID-19 began to sweep the nation. May 22 marks the first part of a two-phased reopening.KirbyBrown, general manager of the gondola, says he feels an element of “relief and anticipation all at once,” about re-opening once again. “I know we have done a really good job on the protocols and everything else, to be responsible in how we reopen, but there is no perfect timing,” he said, adding he under stands some in Squamish will be excited to see the attraction opening up and others will beFortrepidatious.thosewho are nervous he says, he gets“Theyit. are not wrong,” he said. “Ultimately, this whole situation is coming down to your own judgment and a shared social respon sibility about that. For people who are nervous, there is no world in which we live now that has no risk. We know what we are going to do here is the very best that can be done anywhere and I am completely confident in that.”
He said the hardest part of the pandemic was laying off the gondola’s workforce again, after reopening in February. “I know everyone has had that experience, so it is not a woe-is-me scenario, but after keeping everybody going for six months of shut down and then opening for four weeks and five days and then having to lay off almost everybody — including management — that was heartbreaking. It really was.”
The gondola says its staff will be carefully monitoring capacity and guests may be required to wait in their car prior to loading the gondola or be asked to visit later in the day.
PHOTO BY RICK MELOFF OF @ONECUTMEDIA_RM ON INSTAGRAM
SEA TO SKY GONDOLA
The gondola will be undergoing a two-phased reopening process
Please be advised of the following: - Only two people in the shop at one time.
“We’ll have to see what happens with the summer. I don’t believe that we’re going to have, unfortunately, a summer in the region that’s going to bring enough people to the region to bring back the guide fishing,” heGoyettesaid. said the nature of the guiding business makes it infeasible to transition online.“We’re paid for our information and training in-person,” he said. “We book trips based on people coming to the region. “If there’s no people, there’s no fishing tour to be Whilehad.”there has been federal and provin cial support announced for businesses in myriad sectors, Goyette said the structure of guiding businesses means they’re not covered.“Wedon’t have paycheques, per se. It’s paid through dividends or subcontracting to assistant guides,” he said. “If you don’t have employees, you don’t qualify as a business that needs money.
10 | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 squamishchief.comNEWS
COVID-19 WATERS
GUIDES NAVIGATING
“We fall through the cracks entirely.”
Guiding in the Sea to Sky, like everything else, has been impacted by the pandemic.
Anglers weighing feasibility of operating this summer
For The Squamish Chief A s COVID-19 precautions slowly scale back, Sea to Sky fishing guides are wondering how they can safely operate.While outdoor businesses like fishing and hunting were deemed essential services by the province, it was as food and agricultural service providers, so guiding is not included, according to the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development public affairs officer Dawn Makarowski.Whilenottechnically shut down, guides are wary of ramping up their efforts.
THE CUTTERS BARBERSHOP will be re-opening for business starting Friday May 22nd
Tuesday - Friday : 9:30AM – 5PM • Saturday : 9:30AM - 3PM
- We require that your hair be washed prior to coming to the shop as we are unable to provide this service. - Guidelines will be posted on the shop window for your information.
Clint Goyette of Squamish-based Valley Fishing Guides Ltd. is pessimistic about operating this summer with the bulk of his business coming from the U.S.
DAN FALLOON
PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES
- Thank you for your patronage, Janet and Danielle 40384 Tantalus Way, Garibaldi Highlands • Phone: 604 898-3237 • (Located beside TopHat Pizza) Walk-Ins always welcome!
We are welcoming everyone back and look forward to seeing you! Our hours of business will remain the same.
Meanwhile, Brad Knowles of Pemberton Fish Finder, which operates as far south as Squamish, said he may yet host some tours this summer, but they would look far different from those in prior years. With the borders closed and non-essential travel discouraged, Knowles is considering doing the previously unthinkable: focusing on local anglers.“Ifpeople are going to be fishing, from Vancouver, we’re going to keep them as close to Squamish, in that area, as a day trip will allow,” he said in late April. “In the past, it’s kind of been a no-no, but these are troubled times. People still need to be outside and recreate, and I’m pretty firm with telling clients that if they see me show up in an area that the spot is my spot and they need to moveOtheron.”adjustments would include meeting on site instead of providing transportation and using individual pleasure crafts to ensure that all members of the party maintainKnowlesdistance.saidheand his guides were coming off a strong winter of ice fishing and appreciated a bit of a shoulder-season break, but with the weather improving, there’s an itch to hit the water again. That said, as a father of four, he is adamant that he won’t resume if it’s not safe. In his time fishing on the rivers for pleasure, Knowles has seen more people out than in past years, though he’s also seen an increased Conservation Officer Service presence to ensure anglers are following regulations.“Aslongas everybody’s following the rules and regulations, there’s a healthy population of fish for everyone to enjoy,” he said, noting the Sea to Sky has several stocked lakes in case anyone is looking to catch their dinner.
Quest and its lawyers said that neither they nor its CCAA monitor had given consent to the Vanchorverve lawsuit. A spokesperson for the school said that it was a violation of the stay of proceedings. Previously, Quest was granted CCAA protection by the Supreme Court of British Columbia in January. This protection will be in place until May 29.
Q uest University’s biggest lender has dropped a lawsuit that it filed against the Vanchorverveschool.Foundation filed a notice of discontinuance for its civil action on March 27. The foundation had previously initiated a lawsuit against the school on Feb. 13. In the suit, the foundation alleged it was owed $23.4 million. However, that lawsuit was started shortly after the school received financial protec tion under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, or CCAA. This made it unclear as to whether any legal proceedings could go forward, as CCAA protection generally acts as a shield against litigation.
squamishchief.com THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 | 11NEWS
The CCAA motion has given the school a temporary reprieve from going into receivership or bankruptcy, and it’s expected the university has been using the time to financially restructure itself.
We are navigating a daunting, unprecedented time and our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates you need to keep safe and informed. Now more than ever, we need your support. DONATE: Makesupport.squamishchief.comaonetimedonationorconsider a monthly level of support at just $5, $8 or $18 per month. Give back when your community needs you most Sea to Sky Community Services is accepting applications for our BOARD OF DIRECTORS Share your leadership skills to build and strengthen our communities in the Sea to Sky Corridor. For more information or to apply: community@sscs.ca or (604) 892-5796 Contact us today. Booking deadline is May 25th to get your business on the map! BE ON THE MAP FOR Includes your logo and business listing information. $199!
LAWSUIT AGAINST SCHOOL
The CCAA motion has given the school a temporary reprieve from going into receivership or bankruptcy.
The school sought CCAA proceedings after Vanchorvere called in a debt of $23.4 million in November 2019. Prior to the judge granting the school protection, Vanchorverve had demanded that it be able to install four people of its choosing into the university’s board of governors. It also wanted Quest to take a loan from a creditor of its choosing.
The school remains under financial protection until May 29 STEVEN CHUA steven@squamishchief.com
FILE PHOTO BY DAVID BUZZARD/FOR THE SQUAMISH CHIEF
QUEST’S BIGGEST LENDER DROPS
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f Squamish residents were strict societal rule-followers we would all be living in the Big Smoke wearing suits and sporting shoes that pinch. Instead, those who chose to make this place home are usually a little outside the box thinkers and doers. We prefer comfy clothes, start innovative businesses — rec and green tech companies spring to mind — or are self-employed (16%, according to District data). We are also generally younger, healthier — and drink a little too much (even prepandemic we were drinking 4.3 drinks per day versus the Canadian average of 1.5 per day, according to the 2016 report for the Centre for Addictions Research of BC). We hurl ourselves down mountains or off cliffs, fly above Howe Sound on kiteboards or cling to rock faces hundreds of metres above theOurground.live-by-our-own-rules quality has a lot of positives, but it can also mean that we resist being told what to do by the “establishment.”(Whohasn’theard the long-time Squamish mantra of do it first, ask for permission later?)TheB.C.
All of that evaporates in an instant when faced with the undeniable possibility that tomorrow, or the next hour, or the next minute, or the next second you will catch a virus that could cause you to die. All of that is wiped out when every time you open the door of your home to step outside, you enter involuntarily into a game of Russian Roulette. There is a simplicity about living life in the moment-by-moment increments forced upon us by the prospect of dying. I walk by trees all the time. A few weeks ago was the first time I actually heard the breeze brush their leaves in I-don’t-know-how-long.
content, please
I
COVID-19 Survey is a provincial government initiative to gather the informa tion that will help inform the government’s response to the pandemic.
Dr. Bonnie Henry has been promoting it at each daily briefing. It is vital Squamish residents fill out this 10-minute survey. Yes, it asks personal questions about your health, stress level, and attitude toward COVID-19.Italsogives residents an opportunity to participate in a forthcoming serology survey and possible contract tracing. But fill it out anyway. Squamish sometimes seems ignored and misunderstood by the provincial and federal powers that be, with us either lumped in with the Lower Mainland and North Shore, or with our resort neighbour to the north. We are unique in culture and needs and this survey, which asks for our postal code, offers an opportunity for our needs to be heard.This will be helpful with the expected second wave of the virus when assessing what resources Squamish requires and what we worry about. More than this, it puts Squamish’s reaction to COVID-19 on the record. Because we are in the midst of it, it is easy to forget we are living and making history. Rarely has Squamish been so impacted before by an illness. Of course, Squamish endured other global pandemics, including AIDS most recently, the 1968 flu and the 1918 Spanish flu, for example.Butthis is definitely the first time in history Squamish residents moved their school and work online at home due to a pandemic. Generations that come after us will study what we did and how, so let’s make sure Squamish residents are included. Find the survey here: www.bccdc.ca. The deadline is May 31. If it makes your Squamish free spirit feel better, wait till the last minute. Heck, you can do it on your phone from the trail, or before jumping in the water or heading up the rock. Just do it.
12 | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 squamishchief.com
A s quarantine restrictions start to gently lift, I find myself looking at life in lockdown in an oddly rosier light. Yes, there was a terrible cost. Yes, it’s been hard on many people. The economic fallout has been staggering and it has shoved the most marginalized of us into more precarious places.Irealize I’ve been privileged enough to weather the worst of the storm (so far) without the worst of consequences happening to me. So yes, giant caveat there. However, I found that there was something oddly calming about pushing the pause button on society. We spend so much time rushing around for urgent matters that, in the long run, won’t be things we even remember a year from now. We get upset over small slights. During times of peace and prosperity, in absence of any true life-or-death problems, the mind begins to zero in on trivial matters and transform them into monsters. You worry about where you are in life. Are you in the right career, are you doing the rightYouthing?worry about what people think about you. You ruminate over how Bob didn’t wave back to you over the fence, and you wonder what you might’ve done, or what he might’ve done — or you know what, screw him he’s not getting a Christmas card this year and you’ll avoid eye contact with him until you die.
EDITORIAL
I’ve often worried about missing out. Of being left out. During lockdown, there was nothing to worry about — we were all together in that we were all missing out on everything.Ihaveoften been worried about how I’m performing professionally, socially and even in my Now,hobbies.I’mmore worried about cleaning every door handle I touch, wiping them in concentric circles over and over again — wax on, wax off. Perhaps it’s simply just replaced one set of fears for another. But it felt strangely refreshing to rotate the crops.
Siemens PRODUCTION MANAGER
JUST TAKE THE SURVEY
A LESSON ON LOCKDOWN WORRIES
lstevens@wplpmedia.comO’Brien C ANADIAN COMMUNIT Y NEWS PA PER AWARD 2013 2013 CCNA Reproduction of any material contained in this publication is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the publisher.
The Squamish Chief is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial contact Editor Jennifer Thuncher at jthuncher@squamishchief.com. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the web site at mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information.
Some fears are simpler than others, and in a strange way, sometimes oddly easier toWaxbear.on, wax off. Jacqueline Lou
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statement, are my idea of seven immuneboosting secrets, all supporting serotonin. What is the opposite of this opportunity for growing
LETTERS POLICY
THIS IS JUST FOR A WHILE
HOW I SPENT MY COVIDCATION
Let’s reclaim our right to resilience by making choices that support our innate immune system. Plan for resilience by incorporating the seven immune boosting secrets.
One thing we were all forced to do was slow down. Everyone, it seemed, had more time. The pressures of work had, for the most part, lessened. The trips to activities and events had vanished, and the feeling that you had to be somewhere evaporated. That time that was created was filled by some pretty good things. Daily (or twice daily) walks became the norm. And judging from the people walking the dike, trails and streets near us, we weren’t alone. People had time to stop and talk, if at a distance. Kids were playing on the streets and in their driveways, and we got to know neighbours whom we had only waved to before. I’ve played more guitar, gardened more, learned how to use some of the functions on that camera I had bought, and started playing chess again.
So now that school’s returning — and teachers are returning to work, I wondered, “Just how did I spend my Covidcation? What happened over these past two months?”
depleted, and our mood deteriorates. We may feel physically unwell, and less motivated resulting sometimes in anger or anxiety or a very low mood that gets stuck.
Squamish Flying Club to hold tribute flyover in honour of Snowbirds
Ihad lofty goals. After this “pause,” I thought, I didn’t want to look back and say to myself, “I wish I had…”
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
I saw it and it was excellent — right past the Chief!!! Douglas Sag
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PHOTO BY MYKEL THUNCHER/FOR THE SQUAMISH CHIEF IN HONOUR: Gerry Cotter has been flying the flag in front of his Garibaldi Highlands home at half-mast in honour of Snowbirds crash victim Capt. Jenn Casey, who died Sunday. Cotter served in the Royal Canadian Air Force for 25 years, he said.
The Chief welcomes letters to the editor of up to 400 words. The deadline for submission is 5 p.m. Monday for Thursday’s edition. All letters must be signed and include a phone number for verification plus the name of the writer’s hometown or neighbourhood. Unsigned letters will be discarded. The Chief will not publish phone numbers and addresses. Letters may be subject to editing for length, clarity, grammar and legality. The Chief reserves the right to decline to publish letters. Letters are the opinions of their writers only and do not reflect the opinions of The Chief. Send your letters to news@squamishchief.com.
LETTERS: Continued on 14
CREATING RESILIENCE M any of us are asking: “How do I develop a strong natural immune system?” Well, whether the resilient in Squamish and in West Vancouver know it or not, many of them were doing just that on the weekend.InWest Vancouver, hundreds of people were walking or sitting on the beach respecting distance. As I drove home to Squamish, I noted hiking spots were filled with cars, people were swimming in a cold lake, and children were laughing as they splashed in the cold river. All of these creative individuals were boosting their natural innate immune system reserves. They were building contentment and happy brain responses by supporting the neurotransmitter called serotonin.Serotonin basically helps our body reduce stress, release toxins, and discern more brilliantly between good and bad bacteria and viruses. We always want to ensure the balance is on the side of the good guys! Being out in nature has always been a recipe for building resilience and supporting health and healing. Eating real food versus processed food or ‘junk’ food, and fruits, actually eating nothing with added sugar; getting enough sleep; ensuring adequate exercise; developing a sense of inner capacity; nurturing close interpersonal relationships; and, starting and ending each day with a gratitude
Editor’s note: Veronica Woelfle sent this letter that she read to her grandson over the phone. She had just had her first sociallydistanced visit with her grandson and family in Squamish, and when she got home, penned this. H ere we are at a distance, you show me your smile, then send me an air hug. I pretend it’s a big bear hug, and if I close my eyes I can feel the love. Knowing this will be just for a while. So show me your smile, while we keep our distance.Thankyou to our dedicated essential workers who are there helping us all. Let’s give them a big bear hug, and send them our love. We are all in this together, be safe, be strong, keep your social distance.
squamishchief.com THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 | 13
I used the newfound time and energy to start exercising more regularly. The number of runners and riders out at mid-day on a Thursday (everyday seemed like Thursday) suggested that others, too, found time to look after their health. Along with many other people, I’ve had a lot more time to read. A survey by Booknet Canada indicated that 58% of readers said they were reading more. Neighbours and friends have created webs more complex than the internet to share books with each other while the Booknet survey also reported an increase in book sales in Canada.Eventhings that became more challen ging were positive. Running into the grocery store to pick up a few things after work, which had been a fairly regular occurrence in our lives, was no longer a thing. Now shopping involved a plan and time. I’ve spent more time in lines outside of stores and services these past two months than I’d ever spent in lines inside before. But even these experiences have been good. Chatting with those in line has been pleasant and people have been genuinely kind. I will admit to wishing I had got to some of those niggly little jobs around the house by now, but it’s just been too busy. Oh well, maybe I’ll get to them over summer. There doesn’t seem to be much on the calendar for July and August.
Paul Demers is a long-time Squamish resident. He teaches English and writing at Howe Sound Secondary School.
Veronica Woelfle GIVE SENIORS RESPECT I t has come to my attention that the senior centre ( The 55 activity centre) has been slated to become the gathering
Thank you Squamish Flying Club! What a wonderful honour for a special lady. Bonnie Scott-Cranston
Ruth SquamishLambresident and co-ordinator for health and human services and private practice at Langara College.
doespleasures.mine-producingmoreduepowered,socialcontentment.sionscycle.arewithwhenrushingmuchmuchofalmosthaveprocessedsugarresponsehappy,meantimeasksthistermtransmitterDopamineDopamine.contentment?isapleasure-seekingthatdemandsmoreshort-andofteninstantpleasure.Sadly,neurotransmitteradjustsquicklyandformoreandmore,whileinthewearelesscontent,andfarlessasweseekthepleasureorrewardoverandover.Herearesomeexamples:cravingforinanyform,insoda,fruitjuice,pop,foods;technology,havingtoouriPadorcellphonenearusandinconstantuseorcravingit;misusealcoholorothersubstances,oreventooshopping;andsometimeseithertoodown-timeortoomuchhyper-andtheneedfordistraction.Whenwearehonestwithourselves,wearecravingandmaybeflirtinganaddiction,andarelesscontent,wechainedtothedopamine-rewardAhealthybodyandhealthydecisupporttheserotonincycleandIfwestayhomealone,distancefromcontacts,feelafraidanddisemandstackstressontomorestresstofinancialorotherhardships,wearelikelytoturntounhealthydopashorttermunhelpfulEveniftheybringimmediaterewarditnotlast,andovertimewefeelmore
GUEST COLUMN PAUL DEMERS
It is correct that the centre is not running at full capacity, this I see as foresight in the planning and building of the centre — we have room for growth that is needed in our community, a community that is growing every year.
GUEST COLUMN AUGUSTCHRISTOPHERELLIOTT
Asked about it again on April 30, Dr. Henry made the point even clearer. “Being outside is important for us to be able to release when we’re going through stressful times,” she said, adding, with special emphasis, “it was not me who closed theGivenparks.”then that Dr. Henry’s evergreen advice clearly contradicts Austad’s justifications, one wonders why this decision was made in the first place — especially on grounds of public health. Some observers have retrospectively speculated that the decision to close was a staffing or budgetary issue (a “clean washrooms” problem) — but this week’s re-opening seems to disprove that. Even more damning for BC Parks, a May 12 response to a freedom of information request for communications to and from BC Parks and the Ministry of Health show that neither medical experts nor the BC Centres for Disease Control epidemiolo gists had been consulted in the months prior to the closure of the parks — a remarkable revelation when one considers the enormous social impact of this decision.Sowhy was this recreation-preventing decision made? One logical possibility is that instead of seeking out sage medical advice on viral transmission in green spaces (“infinitesimally low,” according to Dr. Henry), the system-wide closure was a knee jerk response to mounting community hysteria that outdoor activities, in and of themselves, were an imminent threat to public health. Throughout March and April in B.C., the COVID-19 information environment was even more feverish than it is today. On social media, Facebook pages, outdoor users groups and lifestyle magazines had begun issuing their own “advisories” beyond and on top of the BC Centre for Disease Control official advice. Meanwhile, social media influencers had deployed to trailheads and to Instagram in order to spread the word about the novel corona virus — posting incorrect information about the stability of SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces like bin lids, handrails, and access ladders. Much of this vigilante advice spread quickly — often outpacing the speed with which official information could be disseminated. In my capacity as a working anthropolo gist, my job during this crisis has involved monitoring the impact of misinformation on our society as we ride out the COVID-19 pandemic.Muchlike an infectious disease, one thing we know about misinformation is that it can transmit “virally” through networks, undergoing rapid mutation (like a game of broken telephone) as it spreads. In the context of COVID-19, the impact of misinformation has been observed prominently in the proliferation of online conspiracy theories among anti-lockdown activists. At their most extreme, these warped ideas have led to the destruction of 5G cell phone towers. But misinformation can also be less insidious — as seen, for example, in the public’s confusion about social distancing versus self-isolation versus isolation (which are all different prevention categories). It’s worth pointing out that no one is immune in this eco-system of misinformation. Indeed, even within government, the interdepartmental transmission of error-laden information seems to have been something of a problem during this emergency, such that Dr. Henry’s advice to stay local led to BC Parks construing that the entire system should be closed immediately.Thesocialrepercussions of this closure, hidden though some may be, should not be understated. Certainly, in some commun ities, the consequences of this decision have been more than unfortunate. With park closures forcing the population indoors, health-promoting outdoor activities have been taboo for months — even when done safely, socially-distantly and locally. In particular, social media is now a platform for publicly shaming “selfish” recreators — an unfortunate development, which has ramped up local anxiety and compounded the effect of an emergent mental health crisis whose curve we are only now beginning to model. The worst thing about BC Parks’ closure then is that it vindicated this misbegotten behaviour, providing a thin veneer of officialdom to a growing public attitude that was thoroughly antithetical to the common good. In times of crisis, the role of government is to be a steadying force in society: a steely-eyed quantum of evidence-based policy-making where the advice of specialists is valued first and foremost. In this, BC Parks has decisively failed. Indeed, that a public body was seemingly more attentive to the whims of social media influencers than it was to the advice of the provincial health officer speaks not only to a deafness to expertise but also to a fundamental failure of government.BritishColumbians deserve better.
Turning back to the ways of before will continue to impact this planet and create havoc. We must think of our children and their children and of all the animals that will suffer. Start again with green technology; solar, geo-thermal, wind, water turbines and electric cars. Think ahead. Lorraine SquamishFralin A THANK YOU FOR THE SHY S ome have told me they would die of embarrassment if they were mentioned in the paper for their decades of good deeds — for example raising money through bottle collection for Hilltop House, baking for the Squamish youth centre, or giving count less volunteer hours to pull off beloved local events like Squamish Logger Sports. So, you will remain un-named, but not unappreciated.Ialsothinkof those who give their time and talents to support the Squamish Hospital Foundation. I’m sure there are many others, espe cially seniors, in our community who have given so much over the years. So, when I go out on the deck to “thank the helpers” at 7 p.m. with my toddler and husband, and we make our racket to thank all the helpers in this COVID-19 pandemic, I am also thanking you: the faithful, quietly generous, and kind helpers of Squamish who have always been behind the scenes. Catherine Wilson Squamish
PHOTO BY BRIAN AIKENS SPECTACULAR SQUAMISH: Brian Aikens, usually behind the camera, sent in this self-timed photo of himself looking over the trestle in the north end of Paradise Valley, with Cheakamus to the right. never miss a beat Pick up a copy of our latest issue every Thursday
But this does not seem true. The Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry’s messaging on the public health benefits of outdoor recreation has been consistent since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.OnMarch 13, while opining on the importance of spending time in the open air, Dr. Henry noted that “this virus does not transmit when people go outdoors.”
On April 29, she echoed this statement, stating that the overwhelming majority of COVID-19 cases had been traced, not to outdoor settings, but to clusters of people “in close proximity indoors.”
fter more than a month of blocked gates, taped-off trailheads and padlocked parking lots, on May 14, British Columbians woke to the news that BC Parks was rescinding an earlier decision to ban all access to our public lands. As the subject of widespread dismay when the policy was first implemented, that the system-wide closure has now been reversed even before the provincial state of emergency is over shows just how arbitrary this decision was in the first place.
I understand that a new youth building is underway, reason being that the plumbing is no longer working, and that the new building will be completed in two to three years.
14 | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 squamishchief.com
BC PARKS FAILED US WHEN WE NEEDED THEM MOST
In ordering all parks to close, executive director of BC Parks, Robert Austad claimed that he had done so on the advice of the B.C. government’s medical experts —asserting that his department was closely “following the recommendations set out by the provincial health officer and the minister of health.”
I suggest that instead of uprooting the youth from their present place, everyone would win, if a toilet trailer were placed adjacent to the existing facility. In this way, the youngsters will have easy access to their skate park and continue to use their familiar gathering place.
I have been teaching at the senior centre for the past four years. Please let the centre grow for the seniors, please do not undermine seniors
A
Christopher Elliott is a Squamish resident and PhD researcher at King’s College London.
Lone SquamishTratt
Everyone will one day be a senior, and they will then like to have a tranquil place to go to.
LET’S NOT TURN BACK T his horrific virus has shown that when we humans stop polluting, our environment does have an oppor tunity to begin repairing.
place for the youth. As understand the seniors have not been consulted on this matter. A senior’s centre is for seniors. Seniors are people who have lived long lives, during which they have contributed to the community in which they live. As seniors here in Squamish, we would like to be respected, in the same way as our Aboriginal neighbours respect their Elders. We would like to be counselled, and be part of the decision making, in matters of our senior centre.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR (continued from page 13)
squamishchief.com THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 | 15
BABIES DON’T CARE ABOUT COVID Giuffre said she hadn’t been too concerned about being pregnant or giving birth during the pandemic because of the relative safety of the Sea to Sky.
“Because of the layout of our hospital, being on the ground floor, there has been a lot of really fun things that families have done to come to the windows to see the babies postpartum,” she said. “Lots of balloons and pictures.”Intheunit, there are dedicated OB nurses who are not moving between other depart ments in the hospital, as they may have pre-pandemic.Eachweek,the OB team also gets together to go over a simulation case concerning COVID-19.“Justsothat we are prepared as a team, if and when a woman with COVID presents in labour,” King said. To greet the expectant mom, staff are dressed in personal protective gear, King added. This means that patients can only see their caregivers’ eyes, but usually, by the time they are in labour, women know who they are seeing.“Weare a small OB team of nurses, physicians, and midwives who do this work, so I feel like it is not a new person all the time for patients. We all look... the same with our masks and our goggles and our gowns, but hopefully, there is some familiarity there by the time they come in to deliver.”
A s if being pregnant and in labour during COVID-19 wasn’t enough, Micaela Giuffre wasn’t sure she was going to make it to Squamish General Hospital to deliver her second child on Mother’s Day night.
The maternity ward has been isolated and has a separate entrance. “Previously all of our maternity patients would enter the hospital through emerg, get their assessment done in emerg, and be brought down to the maternity unit.
There are two groups of maternity care providers in Squamish — Mountain Maternity, which is made up of five female physicians, and Roots Midwifery, which boasts four midwives.
“That has been great in terms of making women feel safer.”
Further, only one support person can come through with the woman in labour, reducing the risk even more.
There is also a dedicated maternity clinic in town, where women can come for assess ments, rather than going to regular doctor’s offices, and appointments are spaced out. That way, expectant and postpartum moms aren’t put in waiting rooms with other people.
DAFFODILS TO OUR LOCAL RBC BRANCH which initiated a home calling campaign to all their local senior customers to ensure that they were coping. Thank you Lynette and to the other RBC staff for your community service!
Giuffre stayed on the phone with her midwife, who jumped in her car and caught up with the couple as they made their way to theTheyhospital.pulled up to the new special mater nity entrance and rushed Giuffre inside. A mere 10 minutes later, at 9:55 p.m., the 8-pound, five-ounce baby boy was born.
Midwives and physicians have also been travelling to Whistler to hold prenatal and postnatal appointments for women in that area.“Ijust think it has increased access across the board in the Sea to Sky,” King said.
“We are so proud of all these measures that we put in place quickly.”
GIVING BIRTH DURING COVID-19 — AND A BABY BOOM
Got something nice to say or some constructive criticism? Send your Darts & Daffodils: Email: news@squamishchief.com or drop off at The Chief office (38117 Second Ave.) during business hours. Deadline for submissions is Monday at 4 p.m. for Thursday’s paper. All submissions must be signed and include a phone number for verification. Maximum length is 75 words. Darts are intended to be an anonymous critique between private parties. Darts must not directly or indirectly identify an individual or business.
JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@squamishchief.com
Soon, Giuffre was in full-on labour.
But of course, now, that is a big risk factor for pregnant women in terms of exposure to bugs,” King Currently,said.even if women are just coming in for prenatal assessments, they come through that new, special entrance.
PHOTO COURTESY VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH
The Squamish OB team: Amy Randell, RN; Shandell King, RN; Jordi Cumber, RN; Dr Rachel Kelly, OB Dept head; Dr Ali Leighton; Ashley Dempster RN, Kelsey Roberge, RN. DARTS & DAFFODILS
“As soon as May 1 arrived and we saw our list of expectant moms for May, there’s just been this looming sense of anticipation: when will the babies arrive?” said Shandell King, lead obstetrics RN at Squamish Hospital. It is a team effort, she stressed. Extra nursing staff was brought in. Also, one of the delivering physicians, Dr. Kristen Siemens came off her own maternity leave early to assist with the baby boom, delivering four of the five Mother’s Day babies, according to the health authority.
Five babies born on Mother’s Day at Squamish hospital; 35 expected by end of the month
So they took action early to prepare for the pending pandemic-era births.
“It was really quick,” Giuffre said with a laugh as her newborn cooed into the phone during the interview with The Chief on May 15.Giuffre and her family live in Pemberton and received prenatal care in Whistler and Squamish.Shesaida bonus of the pandemic is that — though it was a Sunday night, and a holiday — the highway was clear of traffic. “We were really lucky in that respect,” Giuffre said.Mom, dad, baby, and three-and-a-half-yearold big sister Riley are at home now and doing well.What Giuffre didn’t quite grasp at the time of her yet-to-be-named baby’s birth was that he was part of a local baby boom. A total of five babies were born at Squamish Hospital this Mother’s Day. And what is more, 35 to 40 babies are expected to have been born by the end of this month, which is very high, according to Vancouver Coastal Health.
Though things are a bit different, many things are the same. Once the baby arrives, mothers can keep their newborns with them overnight in their room, still have skin-toskin contact with their babies, as well as breastfeed, if women want to. With breastfeeding, good hand hygiene and masking is recommended, King added.
“You have to deal with whatever comes your way, and this is just what it is right now,” she said, adding she knew what she was in for in terms of the birth protocols. “I had been to the Squamish Hospital a few weeks ago for a checkup. I had been to the midwifery clinic for an ultrasound a month or two ago — everything just felt very calm and very organized and everyone seemed so prepared.”Kingsaid medical professionals are doing their best to normalize the maternity experience for moms. One of the challenges with obstetrics during a pandemic is that “babies don’t care about COVID,” she said. “While other departments in the hospital — and across Vancouver Coastal Health — were able to redirect patients and reduce volumes in anticipation of a COVID influx, we didn’t have that luxury in OB,” she said.
In fact, as her husband Geoff Patterson drove them down the Sea to Sky Highway from Pemberton, the pair debated pulling over at Brohm Lake for her to birth the child in the truck. But — he missed the turn-off.
JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@squamishchief.com
Syetáxtn said it wasn’t an easy sell. Government authorities would say there was no evidence that the fish had been impacted.TheNation would counter that they had seen a drastic decline, Syetáxtn said. “The Nation really saw it as: we need to reopen all of that prime habitat of the Elaho valley, the Elaho basin, where Clendinning [River] and Sims [Creek] come in,” he said. “It was just something ever since I was young, and echoed even more by Randall Lewis and Chief Dick Williams when I got on council, saying this is what we have to do; this is one of our major projects that we need to do.”
16 | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 squamishchief.comSPECIAL FEATURE
Chinook return to the Upper Elaho decades after boulders from road construction activity blocked their passage
Edith Tobe of the Squamish River Watershed Society says that in 1998 she and Randall Lewis tried to get funding for the project, but it was denied.
Our elders told us that, in order to get those big chinooks back, we needed to remove the rock.
pounds — that were caught in the Elaho River, which is within the traditional territory of the Squamish Nation. Historically, there were Squamish fishing villages along the river, which is a tributary of the Squamish River. “All of that changed when the logging road got put in,” Syetáxtn said. Road construction in the area in the 1960s and 1970s led to large boulders, one the size of a large house, falling into and blocking the migration of salmon, at about 55 kilometres north of the Squamish Estuary.“Itwas basically from then that the Nation and the elders started seeing the drastic decline in those five-year-old chinooks,” he said. “Every year, there were less and less of them. So, from a traditional knowledge, oral history point of view, my uncles and our grandparents and our elders told us that, in order to get those big chinooks back, we needed to remove the rock.”
PHOTOS BY CHESSY ApproximatelyKNIGHT5,000 chinook fry were released into the Upper Elaho in July 2019. The event was accompanied by Squamish Nation ceremony.
“Year, after year, we tried,” she said. In 2017, the Nation was able to get funding through the West Coast Environment Fund, Tobe recalled, and the Nation contracted Tobe to do an assess ment to determine what needed to be
SQUAMISH NATION PROJECT HELPS CLEAR RIVER PATH FOR SALMON
SYETÁXTN (CHRIS LEWIS)
W hen —massiveusedhisLewis)SyetáxtnSquamish’s(Chriswasaboy,grandfathertotalkofthesalmonupwardsof40
: Elaho November 2, 2019. Library Take-Out A curbside pick up service to get library items safely back into the hands of our community. TAKE-OUT More info: Scan QR code or go to squamish.bc.libraries.coop/ Contact us at 604-892-3110 or librarytakeout@squamish.ca squamish.bc.libraries.coop/community. YOU’REIF A Senior WHO IS WEISOLATING,SELFCANHELP! Do you, or someone you know, need support from the Sea to Sky Community Services Better at Home Program? Seniors who would like help with getting groceries, picking up medication, delivering library books or just having someone to talk to can be matched with a volunteer through the Better at Home program by calling 2-1-1 or contacting the program directly at 604-567-9090 or betterathome@sscs.ca. SPECIAL FEATURE
On May 9, 10,000 chinook smolts were released.Morework still needs to be done to remove remaining rocks, but there is hope the river will help move some of that, said Syetáxtn. FAST FACT T he Elaho River watershed encompasses three “wild spirit places,” meaning places that should not be developed, but instead managed to keep their natural cultural value. These places include, the “Nsiiyx-nitem tl’a sutch (Upper Elaho), Nexw-àyantsut (Sims Creek) and Esté-tiwilh (West Squamish).
squamishchief.com THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 | 17
done.Work on the project and the work to remove the blockage began that year. In addition to the Nation and the Squamish River Watershed Society, the Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Resource Restoration Units (RRU) program was also involved and Squamish’s Tenderfoot Creek Hatchery ultimately contributed fish and assessment.“Itisavery exciting project and very large scale,” said Tobe. Blasting to move the rocks was done in 2017, with the largest blasts in September ofApproximately2018. 5,000 chinook fry were released into the Upper Elaho in July 2019. Syetáxtn was there. The Nation held a ceremony on the banks of the river and thanked the fish and recognized the chinook in the mythology of the Squamish as the chief of the salmon people, hence why they are the first ones to return back to the river each year. “I really wanted to recognize Randall Lewis and all his tireless work, in terms of boots on the ground along with Chief Dick Williams, continuing to push for that and for passing along the baton to me,” he said. “It was emotional. It is something your elders have been telling you. The Nation had to convince many others that this was the right thing to do, so it was great.”
TOBE
PHOTOS COURTESY EDITH Top: Before : Elaho Bottom: After
River as seen on October 3, 2017.
Reflecting on their choice to self-isolate, versus the forced shelter-in-place of many around the world, Sørby said having a choice means the women could prepare extensively and thoughtfully for their life in a remote location.“Wehad time to fill our ‘toolbox’ with coping skills and routines that helped us thrive,” she said.“Living in isolation without preparation without any real sense of the length of time must feel so unsettling, full of angst, and difficult.”Despite the differences in choice, Sørby said the pandemic has impacted the pair as well. Both work in polar tourism and there is none of that for the foreseeable future.
Sørby said that in Longyearbyen, there were no cars on the road and no one walking the streets.Mayis typically the start of the tourist season and there were no tourists in sight, she added.
18 | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 squamishchief.comCOMMUNITY
Squamish citizen scientist is one of two women to ever overwinter in Svalbard, and she’s going back JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@squamishchief.com
“The shops are open, a few restaurants, no one wears masks and there are signs to keep one-metre distance.” All events are cancelled and a 10-day quarantine is in effect for any resident of Norway coming to Svalbard. “There are no tourists in Svalbard and the community is hurting as tourism is their primary driver economically,” Sørby added.
Norway’s borders are closed, though there are no reported cases of the disease in Svalbard, she said.
A
PUTTING THEIR HEARTS BACK ON ICE
When they first arrived at the trapper’s hut known as Bamsebu nine months ago for their Hearts in the Ice: Embrace the Planet Project — which aimed to raise awareness and educate others about climate change, and undertook science data collection such as Aurora borealis observations and microscopic marine life observations — they could never have guessed that when they re-emerged, the world would be paralyzed by a pandemic.
“This depends on our partners as communica tion costs from here are so huge.”
“We are having to be creative in how we manage our time, resources, mindset — and how we manage our own personal expecta tions,” she said. They have decided to return to Bamsebu and extend their stay and data collection for the summer.Theycollect weather and wildlife observa tions and data for the Norwegian Polar Institute, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UNIS and NASA. “We have set new goals to continue with our science data collection for international researchers as the only ones doing that this summer in the Arctic,” Sørby said.
They arrived in the town of Longyearbyen, which has a population of about 3,000, on this auspicious occasion with Ettra, their polar dog.
PHOTO COURTESY HEARTS IN THE ICE Citizen scientists Sunniva Sørby and
fter nine months in isolation, they rode their snowmobiles for six hours to the nearest town. The ride to civilization marked a milestone for citizen scientists Sunniva Sørby and Hilde Fålun Strøm as they had officially completed the first all-female overwintering in a remote, isolated trappers’ hut on the archipelago of Svalbard, which is located between mainland Norway and the North Pole.
If it is possible, the plan is Sørby will hop a ship and end the project on Sept. 11.
The first thing Sørby, who is from Squamish, wanted after so long on the northern tundra was a fresh salad “with every colour of vegetable,” along with a cappuccino and some freshly baked cinnamon rolls.”
Sørby said while in isolation they initially received only bits and pieces of news through emails about the spread of COVID-19. “Then the statistics rolled in as countries closed borders and we began to hear of health care systems overwhelmed,” she told The Chief.
“It was surreal, to say the least. Who could have imagined that when we started this project last year as nine-months of selfimposed isolation to study climate change and
observe/record and report findings that the entire world would be in lockdown and in isolation involuntarily?”
“We are working to find new revenue streams and explore how we can continue to stay relevant in this crisis we are all in.”
“We rode the last stretch up to Hilde’s house [in Longyearbyen] and saw five reindeer outside and no humans,” she said.
To learn more about the project and their work, go to www.heartsintheice.com. Hilde Fålun Strøm at Bamsebu.
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“If this is not the case, it might be that we spend another winter here, if it makes sense for the contributions we can make to our understanding of climate changes,” she said.
quamish’s western toad project is hopping along. This year marks the second season of the Squamish Environment Society and BC Parks project that is studying the health of our western toad population.
The ultimate goal is to figure out if the toad population at Alice Lake Provincial Park is stable, and whether the baby toadlets are crossing trails while migrating in the summer, and if so, determining their mortality rate from hikers and other traffic, Rachel Shephard, of the Squamish Environment Society, told The Chief. With amphibians in decline worldwide, the western toad is listed as a species of special concern due to its own population decline.
“Western toads possess bufotoxins at all life stages and are reported to be unpalatable to fish. However we captured footage of sunfish predation,” Shephard said.
squamishchief.com THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 | 19COMMUNITY
DIARY OF A TOAD STUDY In mid-March, data loggers were installed at both lakes to measure air and water temperature.Theninthe last week of March, informal surveys began every two to three days, to detect the presence or absence of adult toads.
Project volunteers also count the peak number of breeding pairs. That is the best way to estimate of the number of females, according to Shephard. The ratio of males to females is 20-to-1, so if there are females there, they will have a toad on their back, mating. “We are aiming to gather year-on-year data about how many breeding pairs, how many females we are seeing at the breeding site eachVolunteersyear,” also watched for the first eggs being laid, and the subsequent hatching. They kept an eye on the eggs to see if any had died off, and if so, what had happened to them.
Shephard said what has stood out this second year of the project is how different the breeding season was.
“Last year, we had a long extended breeding season — their breeding activity is really dependent on temperature,” she said, adding that last year, breeding took place over a period of three weeks. This year, with sunny, warm weather, there was a short and intense mating period.
The first toads of the season were seen at Fawn on Sunday, March 29, and at Edith Lake on Wednesday, April 1. Mating was in full swing on April 10, so daily counts began at both Fawn and Edith Lakes. Daily surveys were done for 30 days from April 10 to May 9.
“As good stewards of the environment — the local environment and the global environ ment, it behooves all of us to care about species loss.”
“The variation is quite interesting,” she said.
Something of interest is that non-native sunfish were seen in Edith Lake, so the team is curious about what the invasive species’ impact on tadpole survival could be.
JENNIFER THUNCHER jthuncher@squamishchief.com
The team is also interested in casual sightings of toadlets or adult toads at Alice Lake Park, the trails leading to the park, or elsewhere in Squamish. Submit by email or use the iNaturalist app. Though interest is the project is welcome, Shephard said, she stressed caution is needed to protect the species. ‘If you are hiking at Fawn or Edith Lake, you may see tadpoles schooling along the shoreline. Please observe tadpoles from existing lake access points and avoid tramp ling shoreline vegetation.” Toads mating
PHOTO BY JOHN BUCHANAN
“The best indicator of their population stability is the number of breeding females,” Shephard said. “They don’t necessarily breed every year, so they are like gold, those females.”
S
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“Last year, we didn’t see any tadpoles in Edith Lake,” Shephard said. This year they watched the hatchings and saw the tadpoles swimming in the lake.
Endangered amphibian project in second year; next sessions start in July
WESTERN TOAD STUDY LEAPS INTO ITS NEXT PHASE
A total of 15 volunteers participated in the project, doing toad surveys by foot at the lakes. This spring, they looked at the breeding activity of the western toads at Edith and Fawn lakes in the park.
THE COVID-19 FACTOR Like with everything else, the study was altered by the arrival of COVID-19. Park closures came into effect just as breeding started, Shephard said. “Project volunteers were granted an exemption letter from the regional director that allowed us to enter the park during the closure to conduct surveys.”
Survey procedures were modified to avoid sharing equipment and to ensure appropriate physical distancing, she said. The project’s next monitoring phase will begin in early July, as the tadpoles near metamorphosis.Anyoneinterested in getting involved can email toads@squamishenvironment.ca.
“Anecdotally, it seems as though the populations in Alice Lake Provincial Park may be in decline, so we are just trying to gather information so that we can know whether that is the place,” she said, adding that, broadly speaking, it isn’t known what impact the species loss has on the broader environment.
Golbeck said it was important to first bring back services for people in those demographics.“Thosearethe core, critical areas, especially kids who are school-aged who are used to having a lot of structure in their lives,” she said.
courts. Brennan Park opened late last week while Eaglewind Park followed shortlySmithafter.noted that the court on The Boulevard is expected to open next week as crews repair the playing surface. “The Boulevard [court] has got some structural problems. There have been some tree roots that have come up and just made a really rough surface in the playing area,” he said. “We had... staff in there last week and over the weekend, and they’re still up there periodically. “We have to pour concrete and then we have to put a special surface material in there to resurface the patches that we did.”Players will be required to: play singles only unless partners are from the same household; mark their own balls and touch only those; and touch only their own“We’rerackets.really counting on the parents and the users to monitor themselves,” he said.Asfor
DISTRICT RECREATION
PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES Match point: the courts are opening back up in Squamish.
Tennis courts, skate parks back in action while some programming will return soon
20 | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 squamishchief.com
AMENITIES REOPENING
At all sites, visitors are told not to loiter and to wash their hands before and after play. Users must bring their own sanitizer, as Smith said the DOS made it available, but it was often removed shortly after.
GOT SPORTS? Email the upcoming event info to: jthuncher @squamishchief.com
Fresh Air Fun, for kids aged six to 12, comprises of fun physical-literacy activities, and seniors-oriented strength and pole walking and nature walk programming is also on tap.
Also a priority was responding to high demand for local tennis and pickleball
playgrounds, Stan Clarke Park was the first to reopen late last week. Smith hopes to have the full slate reopened early nextSmithweek.said the reopening procedures take the form of an in-depth annual inspection, which typically takes place around this time of year. “In the spring, we do a more formal inspection,” he said. “[In] the annual inspection, we actually get on every nut, bolt,“Wescrew.alsodo a pressure wash just to get any moss or bird droppings off. “They’re fully ready. They’re completely inspected and we know that they’re safe.”
DAN FALLOON For The Squamish Chief D istrict of Squamish (DOS) recreation amenities such as tennis courts and skate parks are starting to reopen after being closed because of COVID-19 precautions.Directorof public works Bob Smith said he and his crews are setting to work to safely reopen facilities as quickly as possible.“We’re a little short-staffed, so it’s a bit challenging to get everything done at once,” he said. “We started with some of the high-demand-slash-easier ones to reintroduce.”Smithsaidthe three skate parks were at the top of the list, since users were removing the signage daily. “They were very challenging sites to keep closed. The signs would end up thrown off in the bush, so that was actually an easy one,” he said. “The joke we had is that the kids pretty much opened it for themselves.”
Smith added that bike hubs are open, complete with porta-potties at locations that had them previously.
Other outdoor activities that Golbeck expects to be introduced next are yoga and tai chi. Eventually, indoor activities will be slowly brought back.
The DOS is also bringing back some recreation programming at four parks as it employs a neighbourhood-hub model: Pat Goode Park, McNaughton Park, Junction Park and Eagle Run Park. DOS general manager of community services Natasha Golbeck said outdoor programming is the first order of the day, with a “soft launch” of light programming at the neighbour hood level having started on May 19.
“There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work that has to happen to reopen. It’s not a matter of reopening the doors and telling people to stay far apart,” said Golbeck, noting that the WorkSafeBC review of the DOS’ amended plans and procedures is critical. “Luckily, it’s summer, and so we can do quite a bit outside right now.”
For complete details, visit squamish.ca.
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22 | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 squamishchief.com Luz Tacos Mexican food Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner Order Now CRAVING AN EASIER WAY TO ORDER? FREE CHURROS FOR DELIVERYALLORDERS The Nest is open TAKECONTACT�LESSforPICK�UP,OUTANDDELIVERY! Monday - Thursday 5PM - 8:30PM Friday - Sunday: 4PM - 8:30PM Selling assorted beer and wine with the purchase of food. Check out our daily specials and visit our website for the full menu Eagle604.898.4444likeDon’twww.thenestrest.comforgettousonFacebook!RunVillage 41340 Government Road, Brackendale SQUAMISH EATS: Lunch is ready & waiting for you at IncredibleourDeli! TAKE OUT FREE WIFI Chieftain 604-892-5976Mall 1347 PEMBERTON AVE, CHIEFTAIN MALLWE310-0001DELIVER! PANAGO.COMC M Wood-fired Pizza New York Crust The Best Gluten free Crust Take Out! 2nd Ave & Pemberton Squamish 604-390-0044 Open Tues – Sat: 4 – 9 pm Sunday 3 – 8 pm TAKE OUT, PICK UP & DELIVERY 37996 Cleveland Ave, Downtown Squamish thecoppercoil.com • 604-892-0646 Cajun inspired BBQ NOW OPEN Sunday to Thursday 11am-10pm Friday/Saturday 11am-11pm BE PAGE!THISON CALL SALESYOURREPTODAY!ONLY$25 WEEK/ Hwy 99, Squamish • 604.898.1306 DailyEat-InSpecialsTake-OutMon.-Fri.12-8pmFreshFoodFast-sh!
SAGITTARIUS Emotions may run high this week, but you won’t lose your cool. You’ll even be able to make people around you smile during tense situations.
TAKE A BREAKsquamishchief.com THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 | 23 CROSSWORD HOROSCOPE WEEK OF MAY 21-27, 2020SUDOKU HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 x 3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once. Each 3 x 3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: you must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3 x 3 box. ACROSS 1. Festive occasion 5. Not this 9. Chap 12. Piece 13. Type of hoop 14. Arctic 15. Office announcement 16. Squeal 17. “You ____ My Love” 18. Boggy area 20. Rowed 22. Staten or Coney 26. Matthew and Peter 30. Unrefined metals 34. Cried 35. Large tree 36. Hurry 37. Behind schedule 38. Sham 40. Meeting plan 42. Pack animal 45. Small fish 50. Above, to a poet 51. Browns in the sun 55. Slice off 56. Emerald or garnet 57. Departure 58. Unlatch 59. Earth’s atmosphereupper 60. Alluring 61. Those opposed DOWN 1. Chewing and bubble 2. Again 3. Certain bean 4. Powerful particle 5. “____ kingdom come . . .” 6. Tinge 7. Once and for ____ 8. Bird’s claw 9. Dishonest person 10. Farm measurement 11. Changed the color 19. Hole 21. Idolize 23. Hill 24. Memorize 25. Questioned 26. Boring instrument 27. Garden veggie 28. Select 29. Iron setting 31. Scamper 32. Snaky letter 33. Female pronoun 39. Child’s game 41. Fence doors 42. Pieces of trees 43. Onion’s cousin 44. Military branch 46. At the top 47. Mama’s fellow 48. Hunted animal 49. Wishes 52. Have an ____ to grind 53. Veto 54. Porky’s place YOUR ARTWORK COULD BE IN THE NEWSPAPER!! SEND US YOUR ARTWORK OR COMPLETED COLOURING PAGES! Send us any artwork or finished colouring pages that you want to show off to the community! Remember to include you name, age and any details you want to include with your submission so we know who these masterpieces belong to! You can scan and send to: Fiona@glaciermedia.ca ANSWERS/LAST WEEK:
Open Your Heart to the Adventure Sundays at 10:00 am Don Ross Middle BrackendaleSchool, Little Dippers - Ages 0-4 River Kids - Grades K-6 The Bahá’í Faith Devotional Gatherings, Study SQUAMISHASSEMBLYChildren’sCircles,Classes.@SHAW.CA Blessed is he who mingleth with all men in a spirit of utmost kindliness and love. BAHÁ’U’LLAH
SCORPIO You’ll start planning your summer vacation. Don’t hesitate to tighten your belt to save up for a dream trip or a pilgrimage that’ll reinforce your spirituality.
YOUR PLACE OF
AQUARIUS You’ll have to take on more responsibilities when one of your colleagues is unexpectedly absent. You may fall behind on your work, but you’ll benefit in the long run. A promotion is in the works.
Holy Communion and Morning Worship Sundays at 10AM Rev Cameron Gutjahr 1930 Diamond 604-898-5100Road
GEMINI A closer look at your budget will reveal you have the means to start a project that’s close to your heart. Some details regarding your love life will need clarification.
TAURUS Pay attention to instructions to avoid doing the same thing twice at work. Expect some miscommunication this week and doublecheck your information.
Aug. 23 Sep.to 22 Feb. 19 Marto20
CANCER Your leadership skills will increase tenfold this week and a substantial pay raise awaits. Take the time to negotiate with people before making a decision that concerns them.
VIRGO Your love life and social life aren’t always compatible, and you’ll need to make a choice between the two. You’ll also have to adjust your priorities to balance fun and responsibilities.
“Open,38014andCompassionateSeeking”-4thAve604.892.5727
The Rev Karen Millard Sunday Worship and Sunday School begins at 10am www.squamishunitedchurch.org Sunday Gatherings at 10:30 AM
ARIES You’ll spend a lot of time with demanding children this week. You might need to drive them around, but take advantage of the situation and have some fun together.
CAPRICORN You’ll be in an excellent position to conclude an important negotiation at work. The result will prove profitable and make everyone involved happy.
Mar. 21 Aug.MayApr.to20Apr.21to20May21toJun.21Jun.22toJul.23Jul.24to23 Sep. 24 Oct.to 23 Oct. 24 Nov.to 22 Nov. 23 Dec.to 21 Dec. 22 Jan.to20Jan.21toFeb.19
LIBRA You’ll be inspired to redecorate and take on larger projects at home. Thankfully, your friends will be more than happy to lend a hand.
Exalting Jesus Equipping His Followers Engaging the World
The Journey 9:00am Worship Ser vice 10:30am Childcare available at both ser vices 2262 Read 604-898-3737Cres
ww w.squamishbaptistchurch.org
www.squamishanglicanchurch.ca info@squamishanglicanchurch.ca
The Parish of St. John the Divine, Squamish - check websites for details 604.848.8007
SquamishUnitedChurch ww w.intheriver.ca
LEO A dip in your energy will remind you to take better care of yourself. A new diet or treatment will improve your quality of life and help you accomplish your goals.
PISCES An accomplishment you’re very proud of will be recognized and appreciated. Your romantic partner will pay attention to your wishes and propose big plans for your relationship.
The Ledge CoffeeCommunityHouse Located at 38055 Cleveland Ave KidsRock Church for Grades 1-6 www.therocksquamish.com
24 | THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 squamishchief.com 710-1200 Hunter Place, Squamishnestersmarket.com2019 TEMPORARY HOURS: Grocery Store: 8am - 8pm Pharmacy: 8am - 6pm Help us help you! CALL AHEAD for... • New prescriptions • Refills • All health 604-892-0226essentials Pro Tips - Shop alone - Prepare a list - Prepare a route - Socialize outside after shopping - Least busy times 9am-11am & 7pm 8pm - Use washroom at home before shopping (sorry!) - Be safe, kind and patient - Seniors & immune compromised 8am – 9am ONLINE SHOPPING NOW AVAILABLE! GO TO: nestersmarket.com/squamish
