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at Yellow Point Park
Talking to people who use the park on a regular basis, I hear, “It’s a mess”; “Looks terrible”; “Horrible” and some say that the money could have been spent on a more worthwhile project. Many have said the natural beauty of the park has been taken away and I agree. There was nothing wrong with the hard-packed dirt trails that have been used over and over for years. The only areas that could have gravel are where the paths are wet a lot of the time. You can walk along 15 or 20 feet of gravel now; then there is a gap of five to ten feet before it continues on with a patch here, a longer stretch there and so on. Crossing the meadow, which I am glad they left alone, you come to a very steep hill. Hardpacked dirt was much easier to walk down on, as it didn’t move like gravel. Now you have to pussy foot and watch you don’t fall. If they wanted gravel on the wet area at the bottom (which they did), that would have been fi ne. Taking visitors there over the years, they’re in awe of the trees, especially the arbutus, which they have never seen before, and springtime, when the wild flowers are in bloom, is spectacular. I sure wish there had been a public meeting so residents in this area could have had a say before they went ahead. Too late now! — Theresa Kowall
TrailLettersUpgrades
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Director Commentary
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I thought it was time to write a short review of our Area H director’s performance since he won the by-election last year.Before you roll your eyes and exclaim, “Murray is starting to campaign for the election in October,” I’m not! I will NOT be running in the upcoming civic election! I have many other things to do that are far more important than a place at the CVRD Board. Some, but not all of the things that require my attention are an elderly father-inlaw, who we will be visiting every two months. As he is in Ontario, we will be staying for at least two weeks per visit. My grandson, Austin, is fighting cancer, and it would be very nice to visit him and his sister in the little town up north — Fort Smith, NT. I was delighted when Ben put one of his fi rst columns in the TAKE 5 magazine. It outlined where all of the gas tax money had gone, under the previous regime. The amount of funds handed out to the three areas with their own water systems was most shameful and supplying them with bulk water that is then distributed through an aging water system. I doubt that your little bit of grandstanding helped the relationship between the Town of Ladysmith and the Diamond Water Board.
— Murray McNab Full Moon Date? Thank you for your wonderful publication — and the fact you still print it! I rip out several articles and ads to share or put on my fridge to remind me of the many wonderful upcoming events in ourThatcommunity.said,I’dlike to point out Tamara White-Wolf’s article about the blueberry full moon is incorrect. The story is lovely but the date of the full moon this year is August 11 (not August 8). It’s also known as the Sturgeon moon — a date very important for salmon fishers.
— Marlane Allen Letters to the editor on community topics and concerns are welcome. Opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of TAKE 5 and its affiliates. Send letters to editor@take5.ca or Messenger on Facebook. unethical. These three areas have some of Area H’s highest assessment values and could easily have paid for their own water-system upgrades. Since that publication, there has barely been a bite of anything resembling news from the centre of the CVRD! I was delighted to watch the great fi reworks display, put on by the Town of Ladysmith and sponsored by the LDCU and the local marine contractor. It was pointed out to me that the Area H director’s fi rst order of business was to put forward a motion calling on the CVRD to pass a by-law that prevented the fi reworks show from being put on in 2021. This rather ridiculous move in no way represented the majority of Area H residents and only caused the Town of Ladysmith to pass their own by-law and away they went!
Then it was the new director’s turn to hand out the gas tax money — what a surprise! The YES crew got almost $3 million, to be used for study and then construction of the Yellow Point Road Trail.Please get out to the Town Hall meeting to be held at the Diamond Hall in September.
As an elected official, it is important that you at least appear to be representing the majority of the people living in the area that elected you, not just the folks that donated the most to your campaign.The residents of the Diamond are in a precarious position, with Ladysmith
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Ladysmith Agricultural Hall 100th Celebration Event
“It is great fun to see how quickly they progress with the game,” says Mike Smitty of Ladysmith Golf Club. “We only charge fifteen dollars for the whole experience, and that includes lessons, clubs and cool drinks — a good deal.”
The Ladysmith Golf Club recently held a youth learn-to-golf camp this summer for children aged 6 to 13. It was four days in July, with a 1.5 hour session each day, for youth who have little or no gol fi ng experience.
Young Golfers
The public is invited to a special party celebrating the Ladysmith Agricultural Hall’s 100th anniversary on September 24, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The opening ceremonies, the Young Wolves dance group and cake cutting will be at 11 a.m., followed by an afternoon of fun activities.TheAggie Hall 100 Planning Committee has been meeting all year to organize a day of celebration to mark the 100th anniversary of this most iconic of Ladysmith landmarks.
“We will unveil Legacy Story Panels on the walkway perimeter outside the hall that tell its story, and host an all-day open house with a Retro Agricultural Fall Fair Display. Everyone is invited to participate in the Retro Fall Fair,” says Lesley Moore, event coordinator. “We will be using categories from 1922 — everything from fruits to flowers, knitting to embroidery, squashes to watercolours and models. Did you grow something amazing in your garden? Try your hand at a new craft or art form? There will be tables for you to show off your creations and receive a memento for your participation.”
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Deadline to book is September 6, 2022.
“As well as the Retro Fall Fair, there will be a children’s activity tent, an exhibit of artifacts and memorabilia, a running slide show, a Cadet demonstration, a fifties and sixties dance demonstration, refreshments and more,” says Moore.With the generous support of Canadian Heritage, the Town of Ladysmith, the Ladysmith Historical Society, the Ladysmith Air Cadets and community contributions, this will be a fun, family day, free of charge for the entire community.Thehall was built in 1922, providing the community with a sense of identity
TAKE5 take5.ca 13 and recreation. The hall has hosted agricultural fairs, community dances and legendary rockers, such as Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis. Today, the hall is just as vibrant although its uses have changed somewhat through the years. This is the Ladysmith Air Cadet Squadron’s home and a meeting place for LaFF and headquarters for most important community events.
Cowichan residents will be voting on a usage-based funding model for nine regionally signi ficant recreation facilities in a regional referendum in October 2022. For decades, the CVRD and its municipal partners have been trying to develop an equitable funding model for taxpayers for recreation services in the Cowichan region. Currently, there are nine recreation facilities within the CVRD that have been identi fied as regionally signi ficant that are owned and operated by di fferent jurisdictions, and funded inequitably by different tax payers within the region. Being considered for this new usage-based funding model are the Cowichan Aquatic Centre, Cowichan Community Centre, Cowichan Lake Sports Arena, Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, Cowichan Sportsplex, Frank Jameson Community Centre, Fuller Lake Arena, Kerry Park Recreation Centre and Shawnigan Lake Community Centre.
To participate in the Retro Fall Fair or for more information, contact Lesley Moore at 250-826-3228 or leave a message at the Ladysmith Museum at 250-245-0423.
Jazz Festival
The Nanaimo International Jazz Festival is ready to make some beautiful music September 16 to 18, with international guests - The Brubeck Brothers Quartet. The Festival is packed with a variety of jazz musical offerings. “This fall you’ll fi nd something for everyone at the Nanaimo International Jazz Festival,” says Francois Savard, president of the NIJFA. “From the world-renowned headliners to Disney music jazzified. We will have the ever-popular New Orleans Street Parade on Saturday at noon - and free and fabulous music in Nanaimo’s Old City Quarter, The Vault, Nanaimo Bar and Minnoz Restaurant.” For more information about the Nanaimo International Jazz Festival, please visit www.nanaimojazzfest.ca.
New Usage-Based Funding Model for Cowichan Recreation Facilities?
“It’s taken a long time and a great deal of work to arrive at this moment with a solution to ensure that these public facilities are funded fairly through tax dollars collected from the Nanaimo International Jazz Festival headliners this year is the Brubeck Brothers Quartet. Photo: Brubeck Brothers Quartet
www.planyourcowichan.ca/recfund
“Whether it’s math, ESL, computer or other training, these programs go a long way to set people up to navigate their dayto-day lives effectively,” said Doug Routley, MLA for Nanaimo-North Cowichan. “I am grateful for all of the people that help run these programs and make our communities a more welcoming place to live.”
The provincial government invests $3.4 million annually in Community Adult Literacy Programs.
The Town of Ladysmith dedicated a new community park in honour of the Rutti family and its longstanding historical ties to this area. A ceremony and unveiling of the sign for Rutti Park was held on Thursday, July 28, 2022, and attended by Ladysmith Council, members of the Rutti family and many community members from the neighborhood.
On September 3 & 4, the Stz’uminus First Nation will be hosting their Stz’uminus Traditional War Canoe within our Stz’uminus traditional territory. Our Chief and Council will be the hosts for this year’s event. We are determined to make sure that our races will be fun, safe, and successful for all. The Canadian circuit for indigenous canoe races promotes a healthy way of living for our hwulmuxw (First Nations) people. The paddlers live a clean lifestyle free of drugs and alcohol and weekly strength and core training. The Canadian circuit entails weekend host Nations such as Malahat, Songhees, Musqueam, Snuneymuxw, Stz’uminus, and numerous others. Our race brackets included children from 5 years old all the way up to adults. Over 1,000 people came to Stz’uminus/The Town of Ladysmith last year to take part in the races. This year we’re hoping the event will be bigger than ever. If you would like to be a sponsor call the Stz’uminus First Nation Administration Office at 250-245-7155 ext. 225.
New Democrat MLAs Sheila Malcolmson, Doug Routley, and Adam Walker say people in Nanaimo, Oceanside, and the Cowichan Valley will have more opportunities to improve their literacy, math skills, and digital skills thanks to increased funding for Community Adult Literacy Programs.
Hugo arrived in Ladysmith via the United States from Finland in 1910. He found employment as a farm labourer and in the Extension coal mines. He purchased ten acres of land from the Russell family to start his farm and later expanded it further. Records from the Ladysmith Archives mention that Hugo was well known for selling his farm produce from a horsedrawn wagon in town.
In 2020, community member Shelia Andreychuk applied to have the neighbourhood park officially named “Rutti Park.” The park dedication was endorsed by Ladysmith Council with support from the Parks, Recreation and Culture Committee and the Ladysmith & District Historical Society. In the new year, the Town will launch a public engagement process, similar to Kinsmen Park, with the local community on potential amenity improvements for Rutti Park.
Adult literacy program
New Neighbourhood Park
Rutti Park is located just off Russell Road and features an open green space next to a unique rock formation as well as several fruit trees recently planted by the Town. The park sits on a section of the former farm established by Hugo Rutti over a century ago. The farm was in the family for five generations before it was purchased by the Town in 2003.
2022 Annual Fabric Sale fundraiser
Stz’uminus Canoe Races
NanGo Grannies are holding their annual Fabric Sale on September 17, 2022 at the Nanaimo Curling Club. All proceeds go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which assists over one
14 take5.ca SEPT2022 communities who benefit from them,” says Lori Iannidinardo, board chair of the CVRD. “We hope all residents in the region will take some time to review the project site and background materials so they understand how this new usage-based funding model will impact them personally and be able to make a meaningful decision when going to the election polls in October.”The new usage-based funding model for regional recreation services would be administered by the CVRD in partnership with four-member municipalities (City of Duncan, Municipality of North Cowichan, Town of Ladysmith and Town of Lake Cowichan) and the Cowichan Sportsplex. The new usage-based funding model will affect every electoral area and member municipality differently; however, the overall level of service and funding will remain the same if this new model is voted in.
A number of organizations are receiving funding for their community adult literacy programs: including Literacy Central Vancouver Island, Central Vancouver Island Region from Ladysmith to Parksville, including Gabriola.
Support for Unhoused People in North Cowichan New Democrat MLA Doug Routley says that people who are unhoused will have more access to support services in North Cowichan as a result of provincial funding.“Only by working together with local leaders can we address the needs of unsheltered people in our region,” says Doug Routley, MLA for Nanaimo–North Cowichan. “We have listened closely to local leadership, and the funding we are providing today will help further our work to create more resilient Fabric sale fundraiser
TAKE5 take5.ca 15 million grandmothers in sub-Saharan Africa who care for over 15 million children who have lost their parents to HIV andGarment,AIDS. costume, decorating, Christmas and specialty fabrics, in addition to tons of quilting fabric, quilting notions, yarn and knitting/crochet notions will be available.nangogrannies.org
The suggested changes endorsed by Council include allowing duplexes on R-1-B Single Family Residential; requiring commercial in C-1 Local Commercial zone; negotiating with the applicant to acquire or protect the Douglas Fir/Arbutus ecosystem as park; and that all construction on the property meet BC Energy Step Code 2. Next, Council issued a development permit for a 25-unit multi-family building at 201 Dogwood Drive — the site of the former Dalby’s Automotive building. The permit is subject to the applicant providing a landscaping bond to the Town. The developer has completed remediation to the site due to its contamination and received a Certificate of Compliance from the Province last month. The ful fillment of this requirement meant Council could proceed with issuing the development permit. Moving on, Council awarded the tender for the Fourth Avenue Reconstruction Improvement Project (Root Street to White Street) to Hazelwood Constructure Services in the amount of $2,272,664.81.Councildirected staff to amend the 2022–2026 Financial Plan and increase the project budget by $450,000, with the funds to come from a combination of reserves, previous surplus and the Canada Community-Building Fund — previously known as the Gas Tax Fund. The previous tender was cancelled due to the two bids exceeding the budget that was approved by Council. Council then approved the schedule to deliberate the 2023–2027 Financial Plan. These budget meetings will start in September and continue through to December. A portion of the proposed budget schedule is earlier than in previous years, as the Town must meet the CVRD’s budget schedule if the Regional Recreation referendum proposal passes in the October
Ladysmith Council met for an electronic Public Hearing and Regular Meeting on August 2, 2022, with the development permit for 201 Dogwood Drive among the agenda highlights.
Council Meeting Highlights
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The Strengthening Communities’ Services Program is administered by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.
The meeting opened with the Public Hearing for Lot 5 Block 1399 Oyster District Plan, otherwise known as Arbour Heights Neighbourhood located within the Holland Creek Local Area. The applicant has proposed amendments to the Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw to allow for single-family homes, townhomes, optional small scale commercial and park.
North Cowichan is receiving $624,050 to respond to the impacts of homelessness through the “A Place to Be” project. This project, in partnership with the Cowichan Valley Regional District, Duncan, Ladysmith and Lake Cowichan, will provide a safe space for unhoused individuals to seek shelter and comfort during daytime hours, with access to washrooms, healthcare services and local outreach teams.
The provincial government is investing more than $15 million into projects in 44 communities as part of the Strengthening Communities’ Services Program. This funding stream supports local governments and modern Treaty Nations in building capacity to address the needs of unsheltered people.
Following the Public Hearing, Council voted to postpone consideration of third reading and refer the proposal back to staff to explore changes with the applicant.
Ojibway legends are passed down orally, I offer you the teachings of the 9th Moon, the Corn Moon also known as the Harvest Moon. Its fullness starts September 9, rising to its full beauty September 10.
18 take5.ca SEPT2022 local general election. Council waived one-third of the rental fees for the Ladysmith Lions Club, in partnership with McNabs’ Corn Maze, to provide up to 17 one-hour swim session on Wednesdays. The funds will come from the Grants-in-Aid waiving of fees budget. Ladysmith Lions initiated the swim to accommodate persons with developmental challenges in the Ladysmith Community Link program; however, the swim is open for all members of the public to participate.
Ladysmith Legion Executive Changes
EarthAndSkyConnection.com
Moon Legends From The Great Lakes ~ Corn
The Ladysmith Legion had their 2022–2023 elections and have shifted a few of the executive members. They would like to thank and congratulate their “retired” executive for their time and accomplishments on their board (Rain Stacey, Bill Stacey, Rhett Jamison and Jeanne Seney) and welcome the new executive (Shona Conroy, Tim Low, Lawrence Markowsky, Marilyn Hempworth and Bruce Milroy). The board of directors includes President Darlene Paulson, First Vice President Corrine Lauder, Second Vice President Don Smith, and Recording Secretary Barb Martin. The executive who have stayed on include Amber Paulson, Sandra McDonald, Edward Graczyk, Allyson Wagner and Violet Mortensen.
Creator planted Corn to be strong and tall so they would continue to feel their connection to star nation. Their silk hat provided shelter from the sun and rain. As they grew living their life, they began to feel a need to explore the earth mother. Corn explained this to Creator and so it was decided to give them seeds in order to help spread the goodness Corn brought to all their relations. Under their silk husk hat, they began to grow many seeds looking somewhat like a brain. Each seed carried Corn’s hopes, dreams and visions into the world which supported and helped all of Corn’s kin. One day Corn’s silk hat dried up, cracked open and all the seeds were freed falling to the earth. Each one began their personal journey rising up towards grandfather sun. Corn watched on as each seed developed into its own individual being, sharing the core teachings in their own unique way. This pleased Corn to see each stalk strive to meet their commitment spreading nourishment far and wide. In this time beans and squash appealed to Corn to work together. They called themselves “The three sisters”. Together they provided enough abundance to feed all indigenous tribes. And so, it has been for many years that these three are a reminder to work within community inter-dependent of one another, creating all that is needed without the burden and struggles of trying to do everything alone. As you look to the moon this month rise-up to your dreams, see the bigger picture, and acknowledge the impact your legacy may leave for the collective consciousness, Mother Earth and all our relations.
BY TAMARE WHITE-WOLF, SEER
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More than 30,000 Canadians are affected by pulmonary fibrosis, and 6,000 Dr. Holly Smith driving Georgie. Note: Oxygen tank on back. Activities like these, for sufferers of Pulmonary Fibrosis, would not be possible without the support of family and friends.
Photo: Marina Sacht
Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness month Like those around the world, the Town of Ladysmith and the City of Nanaimo have proclaimed September as Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness month. The lights at Ladysmith City Hall will be red and blue on September 8 and 14, 2022. These are the colours of the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (CPFF) and represent the colour of blood oxygenated and deoxygenated on either side of our Takinglungs.awalk with friends and family has become a regular activity for many Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic. But for people like Dr. Holly Smith who live with pulmonary fibrosis (PF), even short walks are a challenge. Smith was diagnosed in October 2015.
“The disease affects me in all levels of daily chores from showering to cleaning and doing laundry. It is hard to bend over to put laundry in the washer and dryer. I need to use oxygen 24 hours a day,” she Pulmonarysays.
fibrosis causes scarring in the lungs, thereby making the oxygencarbon dioxide exchange difficult. Patients often experience extreme fatigue and challenges with breathing, to name a few Withoutsymptoms.thesupport of her partner, she would not be able to do many things including the carriage driving she enjoys with her horse Georgie. “We have had to hire extra help for yard work and house cleaning. I cannot work at all. My partner does all the shopping.”
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Canadians will be diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis this year. While medication and pulmonary rehabilitation can slow the progress of the disease, it is not a cure. Many patients will consider a lung transplant, as it might prolong their life with extra time to spend with their loved ones. However, not everyone is eligible for a lung transplant and will need to contact their pulmonologist or family doctor to see if this might be the path for them.
We have a local group here on Vancouver Island, co-led by Martha Hardy and Dr. Holly Smith, that supports patients and caregivers to move through and handle this difficult disease. They meet on the fi rst Monday of every month from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The group also meets in person for recreation, endeavouring to make these meetings a hybrid of sorts to allow for in-person attendance and attendance by Zoom. The meetings are free. Caregivers are welcome at the support group meeting as they are pivotal in making life worth living, says Smith. Please contact Dr. Smith at hollyjeans@shaw.ca if you were interested in receiving the Zoom link for these meetings.Asaresident of Vancouver Island, Smith recently joined the Board of Directors of the CPFF to help raise awareness about the disease, support and advocate for patients and caregivers, and to raise funds to enable research as they search for a cure. “I joined the board of CPFF to help support patients and caregivers have a voice. CPFF is dedicated to being the voice of patients as well as advocating for patients, contributing to the training of doctors through fellowships in the form of research dedicated to pulmonary fi CPFFbrosis.”has a number of activities planned throughout the month across the country. Smith is helping to raise funds and awareness along with her family. She is driving Georgie, her miniature horse, three times a week for CPFF, and her daughter, Orianna is running every day for the fi rst three weeks and then running in a marathon for CPFF in Montreal.Pleasecheck out the CPFF website www.hopebreatheshere.com for educational seminars via Zoom.
Metal recycler under fire
BY KERITH WADDINGTON
Two days after the 2020 tire fire, Schnitzer Steel hired Envirochem Services Inc. to do some well-water testing. The results? Drinking water quality impacts were not identified in any of the drinking water/supply wells sampled based on comparison to federal and provincial guidelines. Envirochem pointed out in their summary that these drinking water/supply wells draw from a lower con fi ned aquifer that is hydraulically isolated from the upper uncon fi ned aquifer that receives surface water in filtration. A clay aquitard separates the two Envirochemaquifers.wenton to say the groundwater-monitoring well-sampling program identi fied potential impacts in one well of the five wells on-site based on comparison to provincial Contaminated Sites Regulation (CSR) standards. However, “it is uncertain at this time if this water is representative of the actual groundwater quality or if other factors may have in fluenced these results.”
A massive tire fi re in 2020 sparked long-smoldering environmental, noise and bylaw-infraction concerns by some Ladysmith residents regarding a local automotive and scrap-metal recycling plant, and has resulted in a lawsuit being filed in the Supreme Court this past June. Area resident Dorothy Fahr filed the civil suit June 23 with the support of the Vancouver Island Water Watch Coalition (VIWWC) and the North Oyster Diamond Rate Payers Association.Thelawsuit alleges ongoing bylaw infractions by Schnitzer Steel Canada Ltd. and failure to enforce those bylaws by the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD). Cassidy Sales and Service Ltd., who own the land on which Schnitzer Steel is located, are also named in the lawsuit. Alleged infractions include excessive noise for an area largely agricultural and res-
idential, heavy industrial activity (specifically metal recycling and the outside storage of materials) in an area zoned “light industrial,” and lack of environmental stewardship regarding the Cassidy aquifer, which is under Schnitzer Steel. Long-time residents might argue that there has been an autorecycling business at that location for at least the last 40 years.
The speci fic bylaw infractions listed in the lawsuit include (a) the external storage of materials for recycling; (b) the recycling, sorting and storage of heavy metals, batteries, appliances, wrecked motor vehicles and automotive parts; and (c) activities carried out outside of an enclosed building. All three of those are deemed “heavy industrial” activities.
Photo: Kerith Waddington
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Fahr, meanwhile, says Envirochem sampled her wells September 23 and 29 and October 6. A hydrologist with the Ministry of the Environment recommended that the water continue to be tested once a week for a month, once a month up to three months, once every three months up to a year and annuallyDorothy Fahr in front of Schnitzer Steel complex.
The plaintiffs — and the CVRD Advisory Planning Commission itself in 2017 — note that “[Schnitzer’s Steel’s] very valuable and essential facility is situated in an entirely inappropriate location. It may have been relatively harmless over 40 years ago when the facility was one tenth the size it is today and when automobiles and appliances were built from simple materials, but now they contain a myriad of extremely toxic and/or carcinogenic substances, including mercury and PCBs, etc. The value of the facility is completed overshadowed by the value of the [Cassidy] aquifers and the risks the facility exposes them to.”
Island Health informed Fahr that her drinking water was safe after receiving the results from Envirochem, but she says they neglected to inform her that the testing revealed her irrigation well was contaminated beyond safe levels for use, and it was only after she paid out-of-pocket for her own testing that that was revealed. Fahr’s enquiries about further testing have gone unanswered by Island Health, the CVRD and Schnitzer Steel.
June Ross, chair of the VIWWC, claims that the water testing done by Schnitzer just two days after the fi re, which required massive quantities of water to be put out, was not adequate.
Fahr acknowledges that she had both her wells tested for safety before purchasing her home in 2012 but that regular testing is not sensitive enough to determine the presence of such things as hyrdrocarbons and cadmium. Because of the high levels of cadmium and lithium in her irrigation well, Fahr’s family suspended their extensive farm stand operation after the fi re and started purchasing bottled water.
“The character of our neighbourhood has been terribly altered by the noise and environmental pollution caused by Schnitzer Steel. We have stopped growing food on our property and are concerned about the impacts on groundwater and our property value due to Schnitzer’s activities,” states Fahr. Fahr and her family moved to their home on Cedar Road behind Schnitzer Steel in August of 2012 and were selling everything from vegetable, herb and flower starter plants to garlic, food produce, pickled produce, jams and jellies at their stand.
On or about October 6, 2016, Schnitzer Steel submitted a zoning Amendment Application No. 03-H-16 RS (the “2016 Rezoning Application”) to the CVRD in respect of the lands. The 2016 Rezoning Application sought permission for bylaw variations to permit the recycling, sorting and storage of metals, motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts, batteries, hazardous wastes (which come from the end-of-life vehicles received on site), appliances and electrical equipment. The proposed zone would also permit exterior storage of said material. The Rezoning Application has been under consideration by the CVRD since 2016. No decision has been made or public hearings held since this time. When approached for comment, the CVRD’s Mike Tippett, manager of Community Planning Division, Land Use Services Department, had this to say: “While we are not at a liberty to discuss matters that are before the courts, we can offer the following information. In 2016, Schnitzer Steel applied on behalf of the landowner to rezone the site of their Simpson Road operation. Our enforcement policy is to suspend active bylaw enforcement activities if there is a bylaw amendment application active, so long as that application would — if approved by the Board — result in the land use being explicitly permitted. There are two amendment bylaws holding at second reading as of late 2018: Bylaw 4194, Official Community Plan Amendment; and Bylaw 4195, Zoning Amendment. The next step usually is to either hold a public meeting in the community or a public hearing; the Board in 2021 indicated that it is prepared to proceed to a public meeting (not hearing) if the owner agrees in writing to a covenant that would assist the CVRD in protecting groundwater. Discussions on this point are underway at this time.”
Fahr says there was no other entity other than Island Health to whom Schnitzer Steel was accountable after the fi re concerning water safety issues.
“We demand that the CVRD deny the application of Schnitzer Steel for rezoning and ful fil their responsibilities to enforce their bylaws and protect the CassidyIslandAquifer.”Health and Schnitzer Steel did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
Those words don’t hold much water for Ross. “We are seeking to protect the Cassidy Aquifer, which supplies drinking water and agricultural water to residents in Area H of the CVRD and should be protected by CVRD bylaws, which are not being enforced,” she says.
“It would take longer than two days for contaminants to trickle down into the aquifer,” she says, adding that the VIWWC and NODRA “have been highly concerned about the Cassidy Aquifers vulnerability to contaminants for many years. We fought the airport expansion because that too sits over top of the aquifer. We believe that the CVRD, who has zoned the land where Schnitzer sits as light industrial, allowed Schnitzer to illegally expand, and expand and expand some more!”
TAKE5 take5.ca 25 after that. However, Fahr says that Island Health — after conversations with the MOE — felt that weekly monitoring would not be a representative way to go about monitoring given the velocity of the groundwater through the soil.
The marina has 150 permanent moorage spots (approx. 4500’) for annual, seasonal and monthly moorage. Visiting boaters can use their 950’ of visitor docking space. They also operate a berth sharing program which provides transient moorage when the permanent occupants are away on a voyage. That may sound like a lot, but the reality is that they are at capacity with long wait“Welists.feel that Ladysmith is a very attractive boating destination. We believe there is su fficient demand to justify doubling our capacity – for both, permanent and visiting boaters,” says Kelly Daniels, LMS President. While the marina offers much, it lacks a fuel dock, something boaters have wanted for many years. Parking space is also limited, and there is an uphill walk that isn’t well marked to get to downtownThisservices.yearDaniels estimates that LMS hosted 7000 boaters. That’s a lot of hungry, thirsty shoppers. So with the marina at capacity, how can we expand our burgeoning marine tourism trade? The answer is in developing the shoulder season, says Daniels. We need more collaboration between key agencies such as the Town, Stz’uminus First Nations other marinas, the Chamber of Commerce, community groups and partners to promote boating. A shuttle bus operated by Ladysmith businesses during the boating season would benefit the Town’s businesses and further the attraction of the Ladysmith Community Marina as a destination is one suggestion. Improved parking is another. Series continues next month.
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The community part comes in with the beautiful Welcome Center, Social Dock with picnic tables, Seasonal Oyster Bay Café, Paddle Center, Harbour Boat Tours, Floating Museum, Sea Life Centre, and displays of their operational Heritage Boat Fleet. During the summer special events are held such as Dine on the Dock, Concerts, Open Mic and Song Circle. It’s also home to three maritime festivals as well as programs such as Purple Martin Recovery Program, Dragon Boat Program, Disabled Sailing Program, and new this year, MOSS –Mobile Optimist Sailing School.
Ladysmith Maritime Society’s President Kelly Daniels at Ladysmith Community Marina.
Ladysmith Community Marina
The Ladysmith Community Marina (LCM) has a reputation as the friendliest marina on the coast. You can feel that vibe when you walk the docks. And you don’t have to be a boater to appreciate its Operatedfacilities.bythe non-profit Ladysmith Maritime Society, the LCM has all the services you’d expect as a boater: accessible showers, elevator, laundry facilities, and sewage pump-out station.
Originally known as Oyster Harbour when it came into use as a coaling port for the Dunsmuir-owned mine at Extension, the bay was also very rich in shellfish including clams, oysters, scallops andTodayabalone.theharbour carries on its working traditions with forestry and shell fish industries but now also includes recreational boating. In this series we will look at some of our local marinas.
The Marine Scene
Ladysmith Harbour, with its warm protected waters is a haven for boaters. Its welcoming coastline and four marinas with a fifth one just around the corner, is an economic boost to our growing marine tourism industry.
On reflection, road improvements are the sole responsibility of the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, but working with the department’s local folks, we managed to get widened shoulders on Cedar Road between the north and south ends of Yellow Point Road. I also continue to work with the Yellow Point Ecological Society on developing the Yellow Point Trail.
The RDN application was submitted to the province prior to my term and wasn’t reviewed and allowed to proceed until just recently. As a result, the trail completion project, which many believe was halted, is back on the list of projects being worked on. Further information on this project should be forthcoming shortly.North Cedar Improvement District was mandated to build a new water treatment plant by Island Health by 2018. While the project took longer than expected, a substantial contribution from Electoral Area A Community Works Funds were earmarked and contributed to the successful project, which is now complete.
RDN Area A Cedar I am surprised how quickly four years have passed. I was elected in October 2018 and had an idea of what I wanted to accomplish in my fi rst term. Some of the issues were appropriate for local government, but others, I came to discover, were the responsibility of the provincial or federal governments (like roads and rights-of-way, for example) or other agencies like the RCMP or Island Health.Onmy list of issues were improvements to road shoulders to make them safer for walkers and bicyclists, progress on the Morden Trail over the Nanaimo River, fi nancial support for NCID’s new water treatment plant, a community centre in South Wellington and a playground in Cassidy. I also wanted to extend transit service through South Wellington and Cassidy.
Progress on the Morden Colliery Trail’s bridge over the Nanaimo River has been very slow, due to the backlog of permit/licence requests being processed by the provincial government.
The desire of residents of South Wellington to keep the South Wellington School as a community centre goes back to closure of the school in 2013. Early in my term, members of the South Wellington Area Community Association, expressed this desire to me and asked that I do what I could to get this to happen. After several meetings between RDN and school district staff and elected officials, an agreement was struck to make the school into a community centre. At this writing, the paperwork is largely completed, and the RDN is scheduled to invest funds into making the building safe, functional and up-todate for residents of South Wellington and the rest of Area A. Work on a playground in Cassidy has
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TAKE5 take5.ca 29 been frustrating. We have identi fied several parcels of land and tried to acquire them, but the deals never come to completion for one reason or another. The RDN is still looking for a workable location for a playground to serve the young families in Cassidy, who have very little recreational options in that community.Thetime has passed quickly, and the work continues. Thank you to all residents who offered guidance and suggestions over the past four years. I hope the work I have done has helped in our community. I look forward to meeting with many of you over the next six weeks, and don’t forget to vote on October 15. CVRD Area H North Oyster/Diamond
I’ve done a lot of swimming over the years. Even logged in a couple of fi nishes in the Ironman Triathlon and was a member of a Masters Swim Club. So, I’ve seen the bottom of a lot of swimming pools. While I’ve never seen the bottom of the Frank Jameson Communiy Centre’s pool, though, I value the access to pools, gyms and other recreational facilities. They are there for the health of us as individuals, as a community and as a region. I believe it is a worthwhile investment and should be funded in a way that is sustainable for us and future generations. On October 15, 2022, you will be asked to vote on whether you support a regional recreation model for nine regionally signi ficant facilities in the region.
The funding of the many signi ficant recreation facilities in the region has been a challenge for decades, and after many reports, studies and debate, the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) Board of Directors has requested that the regional recreation model, based on usage, proceed to a referendum. A referendum is required for any new service — in this case, the creation of a regional recreation funding model. This will not result in a change in the overall funding of the facilities included, just how that funding is shared by each area. To pass, the referendum requires more than 50 per cent of the votes cast across the CVRD vote in favour of the new model. Why do this? Some areas are currently overpaying for the share they use. Others, like Area H, are currently underpaying for the share they use. To balance out the cost, if the referendum passes, some areas will pay less and others will pay more. Area H will pay more. Despite our annual payment to the Frank Jameson Sport Complex, according to the usage model, we haven’t been paying our share. The CVRD will post a full table of cost impacts at www.planyourcowichan.ca/RECFUND . The increase will be noticeable on the property taxes. To ease the impact, the direction from the Board is to phase the regional recreation model in over three years. How much are we (Area H) using the different facilities? In the February 2022 issue of TAKE 5, I wrote about a regional recreation initiative in which recreation centres across the CVRD were undertaking facility usage studies to assist in the creation of a new equitable funding model for nine signi ficant facilities in the Cowichan region. The results are in, and the facility use analysis is remarkably similar between 2017 and 2022.The nine signi ficant recreation centres and the usage by Area H (in brackets) are:
• Cowichan Aquatic Centre (0.55 per cent)
• Cowichan Community Centre (0.35 per cent )
In 2020, I brought this project forward to the Board for inclusion in the 2021 budget. It will provide a safe and convenient access to the CVT for all residents.
• Cowichan Sportsplex (0.50 per cent) Ladysmith Frank Jameson Community Centre (11.55 per cent) Fuller Lake Arena (1.35 per cent) Kerry Park Recreation Centre (0.05 per cent) Shawnigan Lake Community Centre (0.00 per cent) A fair funding model is the foundation to a sustainable recreation for any community. So, the referendum question you will read on October 15, 2022, will be something to carefully consider and decide if it is worthy of your support. Here is the wording of the referendum question:Areyou in favour of the Cowichan Valley Regional District adopting “CVRD Bylaw No. 4438 — Regional Recreation Funding Services Establishment Bylaw, 2022,” to establish a new regional funding model replacing the current Recreational Services to fund the usage based costs of 9 Regionally Signi ficant Recreational Facilities that include: Cowichan Aquatic Centre; Cowichan Community Centre; Cowichan Lake Sports Arena; Cowichan Performing Arts Centre; Cowichan Sportsplex; Ladysmith Frank Jameson Community Centre; Fuller Lake Arena; Kerry Park Recreation Centre; and Shawnigan Lake Community Centre, and annually requisition the greater of up to $35,000,000, or an amount equal to the amount that could be raised by a property tax rate of $1,954 per $1,000 of the net taxable value of land and the improvements within the service area?
• Cowichan Performing Arts Centre (0.65 per cent )
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• Cowichan Lake Sports Arena (0.25 per cent)
Saltair Portion of the Cowichan Valley Trail (CVT) The CVRD Board has now voted to ask the provincial government to reallocate a $459,000 grant to Taylor Park in Shawnigan Lake to the Saltair portion of the CVT. If the reallocation is approved, the grant will be used to close the gap between existing off-road Chemainus Road portions of the CVT/Trans-Canada Trail between North Watts Road and Greenhill Drive (the Ladysmith bound-
We have been very fortunate with all the grant funding our system has received in the past couple years. We received $3.9 million towards the filtration system, $610,000 CWF for distribution upgrades, and $400,000 from the sale of the old water office property, for a total of $4.9 million — a benefit of approximateBazan Road upgrades.
There is always lots going on with our system. By the time this article is published, the Bazan Road and Gardner Road West upgrades will be done.
Saltair Water System
It’s a mouthful, but the structure of the question is somewhat prescribed and required approval by the province. Despite the increase to property tax, I will be voting yes for each area to pay its fair share based on usage.
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CVRD Area G Saltair/Gulf Islands
I will be running for re-election as the Area G Saltair/Gulf Islands director. As I approach the end of my fi rst term, I am reflecting on the complexities of our local government and the knowledge that I have gained over my four years in office. We live in an amazing, unique area. As the director of the area, everything I do is all about our communities and the larger CVRD community.
October 15, 2022, Local Government Election
The next Director’s Town Hall meeting will be at the Diamond Hall at 6 p.m. on September 22, 2022. The guest speaker is Kate Miller from the CVRD to talk about “all things water.” I made a promise when I was elected to make an effort to hold town hall meetings at both North Oyster Center and the Diamond Hall. I hope to see you there. 250-5105930; ben.maartman@cvrd.bc.ca
ary). The project will provide a parking lot for 31 vehicles, with additional parking for two buses and over flow parking, between Chemainus Road and the train tracks, and a CVRD standard portable toilet with wood surround. Two crosswalks will be painted: one between the parking lot and the east side of Chemainus Road just north of Skye Road; and another across Greenhill Drive.
Photo: Lynne Smith
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I will continue to advocate taking a short-term loan that will see our tennis courts, practice court, and multi-use courts repaired, replaced and modified so we can play tennis, pickleball, basketball and ball hockey safely in Saltair Centennial Park within the next two years. There are also some gaps in the playground that might fit in as options for this two-year plan. This will allow the CVRD Parks and Trails Division to realize economies of scale and avoid in flated costs for Saltair taxpayers. This work will increase the use of the park.
Earlier this year, CVRD Strategic Initiatives staff moved into the MOCP phase with opportunities for all electoral area residents to participate. There have been community circles, online workbooks, paper workbooks, LAP virtual meetings, etc. CVRD staff are now putting all the community input they have received together for a future Ideas Fair and additional community engagement on the nine LAPs. There will be more community meetings with more opportunities for residents to participate in. This is a very slow process because it involves all nine CVRD electoral areas. CVRD Recreation Referendum
Saltair Centennial Park
Modernized O fficial Community Plan (MOCP)
The current total Area G funding is $202,122, with $131,689 towards two facilities with usage over two per cent, and $70,433 towards six facilities with usage under two per cent. Based on a statement on page six of the 2022 Report by RC Strategies, “… the 2017 analysis resulted in accuracy of +/-3%, nineteen times out of 20, this current study has results which are at or better than +/2% nineteen times out of 20.” The RC Strategies reports for 2017 (Phase 2) and 2022 can be found at ca/2926/Regional-Recreation-Planning.www.cvrd.Also,whatis“signi ficant” about the Shawnigan Lake Community Centre?
It has no pool, arena, sportsplex, or theatre, etc. This centre is the same as many of the other community centres in CVRD communities that are not included in this Regional Recreation initiative.
TAKE5 take5.ca 31 ly $6,000 per parcel to Saltair taxpayers.
On July 27, the CVRD Board adopted the wording that will appear on a regional wide referendum question on the October 15, 2022, ballot. The earlier amount $1.0468 per $1,000, was reviewed by the ministry, and they required $1.1954 per $1,000 as this amount closely matches the maximum requisition amount of $35 million.Icontinue to oppose this initiative, as I feel there are too many regionally signi ficant recreation facilities, with Area G usage under two per cent and most of those are under one per cent. Only two of the nine facilities indicate Area G usage over two per cent.
Will Area G residents be on committees that will have a say about each of the eight facilities they will be taxed for?
After years of discussion, surveys and debate, we fi nally have the framework for revitalizing and increasing usage in Saltair Centennial Park. The plan has been endorsed by the Saltair Parks Commission and approved by the CVRD Board. The fly in the ointment is that the amenities supported by the community are spread over ten years.
If you have any questions and/or comments, please contact lynne.smith@ cvrd.bc.ca or 250-701-1407. or visit www. SaltairNews.ca.
Ladybug populations are often found near aphid colonies, especially on the underside of leaves. Ladybug eggs are found in 5 to 30 yellow or orange upright clusters and take about one week to hatch. After that, they are lean, mean eating machines. Young larvae eat dozens of aphids a day while older larvae eat up to a hundred a day. Larvae look nothing like their superstar parents, though. They resemble little black alligators with orange or red patches on their spiny backs; they’re sometimes erroneously mistaken for pests or foes, and now you know they are friends.
Photo: The Spruce/K. Dave
Attract ladybugs What can nobody resist? An all-youcan-eat-bu ffet! But instead of meatballs and jelly salad, think nectar and pollen. A ladybug larva.
“Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly Away …” to My House, Please BY UTE HOLEWA, MASTER GARDENER
There are 90 species of ladybirds, ladybird beetles, lady beetles … Take your pick of names — they are all the ladybug we know and love in the Paci fic Northwest. Worldwide, 6,000 species are coloured orange, yellow, black, brown and the familiar red, with or without spots. These adorable creatures are one of many predatory insects that form an army of biological controls to help maintain a healthy balance in our gardens and the natural world when encouraged.
Most Ladybug species are omnivores, preying on a variety of soft-bodied garden insect pests, such as aphids, whiteflies, mites, mealy bugs, leafhoppers, scale insects, small caterpillars, other beetles (including other ladybugs) and some spiders. A single ladybug can eat up to 1,000 aphids in its lifetime. Adults also feed on plant-based delicacies such as pollen, nectar, honeydew (a sugary insect secretion) and even fungi. As they move throughout the garden from plant to plant, they help with plant pollination too.As with all living things, ladybugs need habitat — a place to raise their young (OK, lay their eggs) with plenty of food, shelter and water.
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Photo: Animalspot.net/ladybugs)
TAKE5 take5.ca 33
Certified master gardeners are volunteers who provide education to home gardeners using current, science-based horticultural knowledge that exemplifies environmentally-responsible practices and stewardship.
Picture a swath of colourful flowering herbs and daisy-like flowers (ladybug landing pads); it’s a ladybug heaven, especially important in late spring before prey insects are abundant. Some flowering plants for ladybugs are angelica, asters, blue bottle, calendula, caraway, chives, cilantro, cosmos, daisies, dandelions, dill, fennel, feverfew, geranium, marigold, mint, parsley, statice, sunflowers, sweet alyssum and yarrow. Get them to stay. Ladybugs are opportunistic feeders, consuming all the food in one area and moving on. You can keep their bu ffet open by encouraging your flowers to bloom longer, maybe all summer long, by deadheading. Deadhead by removing spent flowers before they go to seed. Plants will usually “try again” or rebloom, producing more pollen and nectar.Ladybugs’ prey are primarily softbodied insects that feed on your garden plants. If we want ladybugs to stay in our yards, we need to abandon the idea of extermination and learn to tolerate some “pests.” In the long run, the practice of using insecticides is counterproductive.
Ladybug eggs.
Shelter is important in a ladybugfriendly garden, whether for hiding from enemies or the hot sun. Leave objects for ladybugs to crawl under, such as boards or fallen branches, upturned flower pots and leaf litter. This is also important in the fall and winter, when ladybird beetles are looking for places to hibernate.Youwill see ladybugs resuming life in your spring garden when you create habitat for them.
Targeting unwanted insects with blasts of poison will result in decreasing the overall insect population, including ladybugs and other beneficials, for a short time only. The unwanted insects will be back, and without predators to keep them in check, you have moved further and further away from a natural balance in your yard.
One common strategy that helps with pest management is to incorporate decoy plants to take the brunt of pest damage. This draws problem insects away from your valuable food and ornamentals. Try early cabbage, nasturtium and radish, which are aphid magnets and provide food for both adult ladybugs andWaterlarvae.will attract ladybugs to your yard and encourage them to stay. This is even more important in dry times, especially critical during a heat dome. Place shallow dishes of water around your garden that contain pebbles so that the ladybugs can safely drink from the pebbles and exit the dish without drowning.
When I fi rst came to Canada and heard of the term “old growth forests,” my mind immediately thought of a dark, unforgiving environment where trees and animals are constantly in a battle to survive. Whether it’s competition for the few patches of light that may make their way down to the forest floor or something bigger like the perfect growing area on a nurse log, for me, woodlands seemed to be the survival of the fittest. And sure enough, in the very core of our forest here at Wildwood, there are areas where this is often the case. But in truth, parts of the forests can be much more open and hospitable than you would think. When large trees die and eventually fall, shifting mosaics of open areas are formed in the heart of our forests. They range from the small openings created by the falling of an individual tree to the large meadowlands where a forest fi re or windstorm has come through. These are termed “canopy gaps” and provide a variety of benefits to the forest.
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Photo: Cheryl Bancroft Canopy Gaps BY ALEX SMITH, ECOFORESTRY INSTITUTE SOCIETY NATURALIST
Forest understory at Wildwood Ecoforest.
If you’ve ever stood in a canopy gap, it’s easy to see why these are so beneficial to so many plants and animals. Sunlight and rain, which may have been intercepted by the trees above, suddenly make their way directly to the ground. This gives plants that have been outcompeted in other areas a chance to grow. From saplings of the great cedar and fi r to pockets of salal and ocean spray nestled into blankets of twin flower, every aspect of life jumps at the chance to thrive under canopy gaps, making them often very colourful and vibrant places to be. With the presence of young plants and shrubs, it is not surprising to fi nd that
If you want to fi nd out more about other naturally occurring wonders of our coastal Douglas-fi r region, keep an eye out for some upcoming news and exciting September events on our website at www.ecoforestry.ca/events.
Photo: Cheryl Bancroft
Canopy Gaps allow sunlight and rain to make their way directly to the ground.
As all of these animal and plant varieties are attracted to these openings, it’s no wonder that canopy gaps provide a huge in flux of nutrition into the surrounding environment too. Droppings and leaf litter, which build up over time, slowly break down, offering vital reservoirs of food for the forest to use. Furthering this, recent studies have shown that canopy gaps allow trees to naturally socially distance themselves from one another, which can reduce the spread of parasites and diseases within the forest. If a tree is in bad shape, perhaps because of a fungal infection or wood-boring parasite, natural gaps in the forests can reduce tree-to-tree contact and stop the spread of the disease too!
TAKE5 take5.ca 35 canopy gaps are used by a variety of animals too! At Wildwood, it is not uncommon to see our resident black-tailed deer grazing in numbers. In other forests, moose, bears and elk will feed on the young shoots as they burst from the ground. Insects attracted by the flowering plants hover in droves, and woodland birds such as the pileated woodpecker and spotted towhee predate on them from above. This coming together of animals and plants offers a unique insight into the wildlife of our forests, which may otherwise remain hidden.
Whether it’s providing food for animals, sunshine for plants, or a place for you to sit and feel the fi rst fall raindrops on your skin, canopy gaps truly are an amazing part of our forests.
New plants ready to replace the ivy.
Adopt a Patch BY NIKKI TOXOPEUS AND GUY DAUNCEY Thinking about adoption? A baby? Perhaps a bit too demanding. Patch the dog? Too noisy. So how about a quiet patch of nature in Hemer Park, Cedar? We love our parks, but we often love them to death by introducing plants that are invasive, which overwhelm the native plants. Over the past three years we — the Yellow Point Ecological Society (YES) — have been working with BC Parks and the community to clear ivy and daphne from Hemer Park. English Ivy (Hedera helix) has its own beauty. Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, agriculture, festivity and theatre, whose followers liked to worship through drunken frenzy and ecstasy, is often depicted wearing a crown of ivy. In Greece, that’s fi ne, but when the ivy arrived in North America with the colonizers, it said, “Wahoo!” and took off Give it a tree, and it will climb. Give it some land, and it will smother it. Give it the Empress Hotel in Victoria, and it will get delusions of grandeur. Other species, such as salal and the Oregon grape, that have called Vancouver Island home since the ice age are quickly defeated, as the ivy climbs every fi r tree, fords every stream, follows every pathway, till it meets … a volunteer from YES with muscles and gloves to pull and loppers to cut. During the last two years, we have cleared a big (yes, big) patch of ivy that was spreading in the heart of Hemer Park. Given time, it would have advanced down Hemer Road, consumed Mahle House and taken over the Wheaty baseball fields. This year, we will restore the patches we’ve cleared, helped by a grant from BC Parks. We will set up a system to enable volunteers who are willing to adopt a patch to identify and remove the invasive plants while leaving the similar native plants and to dispose of them safely.
Photo: Nikki Toxopeus
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Members of YES doing the IVY Patch clearance. Volunteers are wanted to come join the fun.
Photo: Nikki Toxopeus
TAKE5 take5.ca 37
If you’d like to join us, we’ll meet at the Hemer Park entrance at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 1, and Sunday, October 2, where we’ll work with BC Parks and the Invasive Species Council of BC to learn the knowledge we need and restore the patches we cleared. The Nanaimo Area Land Trust Nursery and Satin flower Nurseries in Victoria have generously subsidized the purchase of the native plants we will use to rehabilitate the land, and we will scatter some native plant seeds that we have collected locally to encourage natural revegetation. We’ll track what works and monitor the area in case the ivy is still lurking, ready to re-invade. We will also tackle patches of invasive Daphne — spurge-laurel — which fights back, releasing a poisonous sap that can distress the skin. We’ll grab the plants when they are large and rich in berries, wearing goggles, long sleeves and pants, and then we’ll bag, tag and carry them away. We’ll post guidelines on the YES website (yellowpointecologicalsociety. ca) if you have Daphne on your land. BC Parks has been also been working on patches of holly (another invasive), and in the future, we will turn our attention to Scotch broom, yellow archangel (Lamium), hawthorn, the yellow flag iris and Himalayan blackberry. Some invasives do provide some ecological services, so we need to do minimal harm and monitor progress. Once the patches have been restored, the animals and insects that depend on them will be able to flourish, while we — and our grandchildren — will hopefully continue to protect them by adopting a patch and taking care of it. If you would like to join us, email us at YellowPoint2020@ gmail.com.
Tales of the Amalfi Coast “Improbable, totally improbable.”
general alarm, alerting your spouse to fold in her side mirror and keep her eyes closed for the next 30 km with its countless curves. And “Please, no screaming!”But that’s the Italian Department of Goat Trails and Highways for you. Like some demented video game, cars, trucks, tour buses, scooters, super bikes, cyclists, pedestrians and the occasional jogger fight for precious road space. The only vehicle that looks in proportion is the indigenous Fiat 500. Not the new one, but the original, the one that looks and accelerates like a moderately-sized turtle.The stars are the tour bus drivers.
Fighter pilot cool, they squeeze their behemoths an inch this way, half an inch that way. After work, they probably relax with something easy, like landing on an aircraft carrier at night, blindfolded. Why did they build on these insanely steep cliffs in the fi rst place? Local folklore claims it started with one man, Raymundo, trying to keep his wife Maria happy. Problems arose from Maria’s wealthy background. She came from Naples where her affluent parents lived on a hilltop with a spectacular view of theRaymundowater. was warned at his stag, an evening where enough limoncello was consumed to turn his skin bright yellow. “Raymundo,” his friend Giuseppe counseled, “That girl will be nothing but problems. After living in her beautiful view property, she’ll never be happy without it. You’re just a poor tradesman with a mild limoncello problem. How are you ever going to afford view property? You will always have to live inland. Besides, the Amal fi Coast is far too steep to build on. Even the mountain goatsGiuseppecomplain.”wasright. Maria was a grouch for the first four years of their marriage, always whining about not having a water view. Then, one evening, an angry Maria tested the pasta for al dente by throwing it at the back of Raymundo’s head, her usual practice. But this time, thanks to watching Sugar Ray Senini on Friday nights at the Forum, Raymundo had learned to bob and weave. Instead of his head, the pasta hit the wall, where it stuck.
Words that come to mind when fi rst seeing Italy’s spectacular Amal fi Coast. Who in their proper mind builds on slopes steep enough that the mountain goats wear safety harnesses? If your child, for homework, designed one of these cities, you would tell that deluded child in no uncertain terms, “Hey, what’s the matter with you, kid? You can’t build a vertical city! Too many stairs. And how are you planning to attach a road to a vertical cliff face? Even worse, that villa is 3000 feet up with only a goat trail for access. Where are you going to fi nd tourists stupid enough to pay for that?” (Answer: North America.) Paragraph ends with sounds of child whimpering.Thetowns are one thing. The Amal fi Coast road - a paved goat path that connects them - is entirely another. It takes about three corners to realize your shiny new rental car is never going to look the same. You immediately sound the Amal fi traf fi c.
Photo: Marina Sacht
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TAKE5 take5.ca 39
But fi rst they had a technical problem to solve: how to hurl the mortar. After much thinking, the resourceful Raymundo found the answer. “We’ll use the old catapults down at the fort in Salerno. They haven’t been used since the Greeks realized it was pointless invading us because they had enough crappy waterfront of their own.” So, Raymundo rounded up his cronies and, with the aid of much limoncello, dragged a catapult from Salerno to the base of the Amal fi cliffs. With the whole village looking on, he cranked the mighty spring back and hurled the wet concrete 1000 meters up the cli ff where it…didn’t stick. Raymundo was heart-broken. Tears flowed down his face dampening his best Oscar de la Renta toga Maria made him wear for the occasion. Then Maria saved the day. “Raymundo, the mortar mix, you put any egg yolks in it?” He shook his head no, trying to sti fle tears. “Stupido!” she said. “What do you think makes pasta stick? I’ll give you a hint - it’s not the flour.” Ever a woman of action, Maria went home, got some eggs from her basket, mixed a new batch of high cholesterol mortar, and they tried again. Perfecto. It stuck like glue and the project was a success. As a result, Maria became an A-list guest for Italian talk shows where she became famous for not keeping all her eggs in one basket. She soon became the driving force in what later became known as the “Amal fi Project.” And no wonder; Maria had vision. She had visited Rome and seen hordes of tourists. “Raymundo,” she said. “They’ve got nothing in Rome. Just a bunch of crumbling buildings. And no view! We can do much better here. Tourists are stupid. They’ll look at anything out of the ordinary. Take the Leaning Tower of Pisa. What’s so special about that? A dumb engineer built over a sink hole, he gets fi red, and then millions of tourists show up to see his mistake.” Maria rolled her eyes. “You build a road wide enough to accommodate tour buses, and we’ll have a tourist trap the likes of which Rome has never seen.”
It was as if Raymundo had been hit by a lightning bolt. “Maria!” he exclaimed. “You can have your view property. I know how to do it. I know how to build on the Amal fi Coast. We hurl mortar at the cliffs and it will stick. When it dries, we hurl some more. Soon, we have a footing. From there, it’s just a matter of time before we have a luxury villa we can rent out at exorbitant prices.”
Reminder to male readers: Behind every successful man is a woman who hurls pasta. Around this time, Raymundo and Maria’s marriage began to improve. The pasta hurling incidents became fewer and fewer as the cliff face was developed. One day, Maria sat Raymundo down and with the great wisdom she had cultivated on all those talk shows she said, “You do realize our project to turn Amal fi and environs into a world-class tourist destination has an Achilles Raymundoheel?”didn’t have a clue. All those pasta shots to the back of his head had taken their toll. Maria explained: “Parking, Raymundo. There’s no parking in front of the rental villas. On average, it’s an eight-minute walk from a parked car to the over-priced villa. That’s sixteen minutes of dragging an overweight suitcase up and down steep flights of stairs. We must keep this a secret from the tourists or they won’t book.”
And to this day, as we found out, that secret was well kept. Wine pick of the month by Gord Johnson
Sangre de Toro!!! This Spanish wine from Torres, in Catalonia, was once on every Canadian pizza parlour’s wine list. It’s even better now. Made from Garnacha and Carinena, it’s just plain delicious, and versatile too. And, it’s $5 off at BC Liquor Stores until Sept 3rd. Sales price is $12. Unbelievable value, buy by the case. Bravo Torres!!
Pick up a copy of Delbert’s Slightly Corked for some great reading. $20 at the Mahle House, and the TAKE 5 office. What a deal! Slightlycorkedandmore.wordpress.com
Yellow Point Farms grow a lot of fresh produce, and sell it in their new farm store, including blueberry leaf teas, goat milk soap, and baby doll sheep wool products. Currently, they are growing blueberries, garlic, and other seasonal produce using regenerative agricultural practices.
Empress Acres, Cedar is growing organic vegetables, fresh flowers and crunchy, juicy pickling cucumbers with fresh dill and a variety of squash, root vegetables, pumpkins, apples, tomatoes and more. This season look for many more vegetables, strawberries, eggs, pasture-raised chickens, turkeys, and pork! Stocking Creek Farms, Ladysmith grows 7 varieties of blueberries, freeClockwise: Fresh berries, fi eld of garlic. Photos: Yellow Point Farm. Cover of Cowichan Farm Map produced by Cowichan Green Community.
Eating locally in season has many benefits. Studies show that fresh-picked local food contains more vitamins and nutrients than shipped foods. Because it is harvested at its peak, fresh produce has superior flavour. Seasonal foods are also often cheaper and support farmers who live and work in your area! According to BC Farms and Foods these vegetables and fruits are at its peak in September. Vegetables: artichokes, beans, beets, bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauli flower, celeriac, celery, chard, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, fennel, garlic, green onions, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce/salad greens, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, rutabagas, shallots, spinach, summer squash, sunchokes, tomatoes, tomatillos, turnips, winter squash, zucchiniFruit: apples, asian pears, blackberries, blueberries, crab apples, cranberries, grapes, loganberries, melons, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries, strawberries With somewhere between 50 and 80 local farms that provide us with our seasonal fresh eats let’s take a look at a few in the neighbourhood.
Seasonal Eats BY ELLY SMITH
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Island Hothouse, Ladysmith family owned and operated they are “growing a fresh future” Sustainably grown pesticide-free local produce. Greenhouse production includes bell peppers, specialty peppers, cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, eggplant, and beans. Field crops include garlic, basil, corn, asparagus, and wild flowers for their beehive.
Cowichan Farm Map Now in its 13th edition, the Cowichan Green Community map covers the growing region from Shawnigan Lake to south Nanaimo, showcasing 55 unique farms and businesses all with something distinctive, fresh, and delicious to offer consumers. In addition, it not only enhances the local economy by promoting these local food producers, but also by promoting local businesses, restaurants, farmers’ markets and grocery stores. The map also provides a cycling route for those who want even more fresh air in the country! fi nd-your-food/buy-local-buy-fresh/about-the-map/
The Vancouver Island Farms & Food Map is also a fantastic resource and is published by BC Farms & Food, a news and information site which features articles and videos about local foods, seasonal eating, and sustainable farming in British Columbia. This map is a guide to farms and fresh produce, and local food products on Vancouver Island and Salt Spring Island. Search the map for farms, farmers’ markets, food producers, wines, in-season fruits, vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, meats, and more! https://bcfarmsandfood.com/farm-map/ and type in the region you are looking for.
And with all this wonderful fresh food to enjoy, how about a chilled glass of wine to accompany your bounty?
TAKE5 take5.ca 41 range eggs, free-range turkey, free-range chicken, crab apples and pears.
https://cowichangreencommunity.org/
Rocky Creek Winery started in Ladysmith, is now nearby in Cowichan and has gone on to make a name for themselves with their Pinot Gris and Robin’s Rose 2021 vintages. Both have scored 90 points from the National Wine Awards of Canada, the largest wine competition in Canada. “It is important for our wine region to celebrate accolades such as these ones for wines made from grapes grown 100% from the Cowichan Valley. Our region can compete with the rest of our Canadian wine regions. This year our vintages have stood up against the best of the best and are coming out on top” boasts winemaker Mark Holford.Ifyouare looking for something harder, try Misguided Spirits. The craft distillery is ramping up production of its stable of craft spirits, as a sense of post - pandemic normalcy replaces fear on Vancouver Island. The distillery, which was eyeing property in Ladysmith a few years ago, made the difficult decision to choose a larger space in Errington, one kilometre west of Parksville. The business opened in January 2020, after an 18-month build-out, according to distillery owner/chief distiller Darrell Bellaart. Misguided Spirits’ Brother XII Vodka was awarded a silver medal for taste and smoothness in April, in the 2022 national Artisanal Spirits competition. Each Misguided Spirits product tells a story from Vancouver Island history on the label. Got tasty news bits to share? Email Elly at info@take5.ca
FISH FISH FISH. Buy direct from the guy who caught it! High-quality salmon, lingcod, rock fi sh. All fi sh blast frozen at sea. Satisfaction guaranteed! Contact Jim at oceandancer. wallace@gmail.com or 250-245-5957/250-739experience, certified journeyman carpenter. Renovations For free estimate, call Darrell 250-714-3823. MAKE IT NICE. Qualified, experienced, gardening and fruit tree pruning. Available for private, residential gardens. Please call CONCRETE250-754-9346. RESULTS. Foundations, retaining walls, patios, driveways, walks and stairs. Full forming and finishing. 40 years’ experience. Email Gord at concreteresults@ ISLANDlive.com.
PETS
TAI CHI for mental & physical health. Beginner class Monday mornings. Ongoing class every Wednesday morning. For class time and location and more information, visit www.taichinanaimo. org or call Sara 250-245-1466.
EXPERT
ANYONE CAN MASSAGE WORKSHOP. Learn to massage or hone your skills and gain confi dence! Through lecture, demonstration and practice, you will leave this workshop relaxed and armed with knowledge. $95. October 1, from 10am to 4pm, 4962 Christie Rd., Ladysmith. More info at www.wild fl owernaturalhealth.ca.
42 take5.ca SEPT2022
BUSINESS I CAN EDIT. Copy editing, proofreading, structural editing and more. Fiction or non fiction, web content and eBook prep. For more information, email editican@gmail.com PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS for small business. Take advantage of YouTube and let us do the work for you. reasonable rates, friendly service. Call for an estimate 250-245-7015 or email editor@take5.ca FARM FRESH EMPRESS ACRES FARM. Pasture-raised chickens, pork, eggs, flowers, strawberries and a variety of vegetables, including pickling cucumbers and dill. Visit our new Farm Store, 2974 Haslam Rd., Nanaimo. Visit our website: www.empressacres.ca. HEALTH & WELLNESS
PROFESSIONAL PET CARE SERVICE. “Leash ’em & walk ’em” with Marlena. I have Animal First Aid, CPR and criminal record check. My service for all pet includes dog walking, home care visits, overnight in your home and much more. As my love is yours! Call 250-246-9368.
HOME & YARD PAINTER. Certified journeyman. Clean, efficient, respectful, punctual, responsible. 20+ years’ experience. WCB coverage. Enhance your enjoyment of the home you love. Call Howard 250-245-2751. KB HANDYMAN AND YARD WORKS. Minor carpentry work, decks, fences, power washing, tree pruning, yard cleanup, lawn fertilizing, mowing. Seniors discount. Contact Karl kbhandymanandyardworks@ gmail.com or 250-714-2738.
HEART LAKE ROOFING for all your roofing repairs QUALITY250-668-9195.RENOVATIONS. Big or small. 25 years’ exp/journeyman, affordable. For free estimate, call Lars 250-616-1800.
CLUB FOR BEGINNERS at 3:15pm at Cedar Heritage Hall, 1644 MacMillan Rd., on Sundays, September 4 & 8 and October 2; ages 16–90 years; learn to play simple toe-tappin’ Irish Dance tunes; $5 at the door. There are Irish music fans around the world and it is not necessary to be of Irish ancestry to learn Irish concertina. Please pre-register and to borrow a beginner concertina, contact Morgan 250-245-5778.
PRUNING. Professional tree care from large scale orchards to budding new trees. I can meet any pruning need. Shrubs, vines and ornamental. Large & small cleanups. Call Darcy Belcourt 250-323-1260. & MUSIC FINE ART CLASSES. “My fine art practice makes me fully alive and gives my life meaning and purpose.” Is this what you want? If so, or visit www. strasbourgthomsponstudio.ca or call Barry at IRISH250-210-2237.CONCERTINA
TAKE 5 ADS work! Get them working for you. We combine the power of print with digital muscle giving you the bst of both worlds. info@take5.ca or 250245-7015
WHAT’S HAPPENING Weekly until September 21 Chemainus Wednesday Weekly Market, 10am to 3pm, across from the Waterwheel Park September 15–18, Nanaimo International Jazz Festival; SeptemberNanaimojazzfest.ca16–18154th Cowichan Fall Exhibition, Cowichan Exhibition Park, Duncan September 17 Nanaimo Wellness & Spirit Fair 2022, free admission, 10am to 5pm, Cavallotti Hall, East Wellington Rd., Nanaimo September 21 2022 Municipal Candidates Forum, 6:30pm to 8:30pm, Aggie Hall September 24, Aggie Hall 100 Party. 11-3 pm. October 1 Anyone Can Massage Workshop, 10am to 4pm; www.wild fl owernaturalhealth.ca FOR SALE
THE PET NANNY is back. I have cared for animals for the last 7 years. I offer overnight care at your home or daily home visits for pets or home security. Email sburchard@hotmail.ca or call 250-924-8809.
CAL1123. 25’ SAILBOAT with sails and Honda 9.9. $2,000 obo. For photos, contact 250-756-8892. VANGUARD TRAVEL TRAILER, 20 ft. 1973 4,000 lbs towing weight. $2,001. Call 250-585THE7901 NANGO GRANNIES SIXTH ANNUAL GIANT FABRIC AND YARN SALE; all proceeds to the Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers Campaign. Supporting grandmothers in Africa raising their grandchildren whose parents have died from HIV and AIDS. All types of fabric, starting at $3 per metre: clothing fabric, quilting, costume, Christmas, yarn and notions. Bring your own shopping bags. Masks are required for entry. Saturday, September 17, 10am to 2pm, Nanaimo Curling Club, 106 Wall St., Nanaimo. ALL ACRES, providing all aspects of tree work. Pruning, falling, hedging, dangerous tree removal. Fully insured. Professional work at reasonable rates. Call 250-246-1265. DARRELL ESSAR RENOVATIONS. Over 35 years’
ART
Envision all those delectable blackberry possibilities. Come on, give in. Resistance is futile! Jackie Moad is forever drifting in beautiful memories while the tantalizing aroma fills the farm kitchen, testing out new and old recipes with her beloved blackberries deftly plucked from that 20-acre organic farm in Cedar.
Goodies made from blackberries will be some of the homemade items featured at the Cedar Women’s Institute Blackberry Tea on Sept 10 at the Cedar United Church. Photo: Jackie Moad.
“Blackberry tart, with berries as big as your thumb, purple and black, and thick with juice, and a crust to endear them that will go to cream in your mouth, and both passing down with such a taste that will make you close your eyes and wish you might live forever in the wideness of that rich moment.” - Richard Llewellyn I love sweet food. Especially fruit. Especially berries. And most especially, blackberries. And right now, it seems like they’re everywhere, ripe for the picking … if you dare. It was way back in the late ’70s when we fi nally came west. Not until then had I ever tasted the likes of our local blackberry. Now, I’m not talking about the small wild ones, the ones that cling to the tripweed vines, spreading all over the ground, just waiting to catch and rip the ankle flesh of someone dragging their feet. Although the berry is packed with flavour, they are just too small and too seedy, and defi nitely not worth the danger pay. I’m talking about the plump, deliciously juicy deep-purple berries that fall into your waiting palm and then with lightning speed into my mouth.
So, why not stop in for a wee repose under the umbrella, sip tea and nibble on supremely skilled home baking? Or just scoot over and buy dessert to take home for the family ... or perhaps just for you?
Berrytime is happytime!
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Enter to the rescue: the Cedar Woman’s Institute Annual Blackberry Tea and Sale. Now mark this on your calendar: Saturday, September 10, 2022, at the Cedar United Church Hall, from 1 to 3 p.m. Be there or be square! Just think of it, dream of it … all things blackberry. Pies, tarts, cheesecake, scones, pavlova, sorbet, ice cream, flans, cookies, mu ffins, jams and jellies. And each year, there seems to be new culinary ideas and recipes. I think this year I might whip up some wee tri fles in mason jars, or experiment with blackberry-stu ffed shortbread.
I blame Lynne Wallace for my lifetime love affair with that noblest berry of them all. She was a local goat farmer, environmentalist and all-around exceptional woman of her time. We were fortunate to know and love her and bought her farm after she slipped away in 2003. But 25 years earlier, shortly after becoming Islanders, our local Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC) group started a Friday night coffeehouse at the old Boy Scout hut in Nanaimo.Thedeal was you get free admission if you perform on stage or bring something delicious to sell at the concession table. There was all manner of local talent and musical instruments, from guitars and banjos to flutes and oboes. David Weston would come with his harp. Tim Lander would read his poems. And there was Lynne’s homemade blackberry pie — the best pie ever (sorry, Mom). It was love at fi rst bite. Lynne would arrive at the coffeehouse with three fresh-out-of-the-oven blackberry pies. The aroma trailed close behind her (as I did) when she took the still warm pies into the wee kitchen area. Before the fi rst intermission, only pastry crumbs were left. A dozen years later, family and job opportunities having lured us back east, it seemed that I could cope with missing many of the perks of West Coast living except one. I developed what is well known as “ABW” — acute blackberry withdrawal. The prognosis was grim. Thankfully, Lynne was well versed in the treatment of this dreaded condition. And bless her sweet soul, we received regular mailings of masoned-up blackberry preserves. She would send us overnight packages too. Once it was a sponge cake with a carton of unwhipped cream and a triple-wrapped load of her fresh farm blackberries. But it was when she would send us her fi rst-of-theseason blackberry pie that I just wept for theOnceWest.back, I set on developing a plan so that I would never, ever, be without blackberries. It takes too much space here to impart my research into growing the best blackberry, su ffice to say it requires vigilance and persistence and is fraught with flesh-ripping danger. Much easier to just go and buy the fruit at the grocers, ya think? Ever notice that (a) blackberry anything is hard to fi nd in a store and (b) if found, they are pretty heavy on the purse strings. Oh my, what’s a blackberry lover to do?
