TAKE 5 August 2021 by Take 5 Print & Digital Media

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Letters Scrape Slack Point Rob Johnson’s column about the erosion at Slack Point explains its origins and correctly explains that it is not “land” at all. He then argues that we should invest in ways to maintain this artificial “landscape.” Johnson — and many others, I believe — miss what may be the most logical way to deal with Slack Point. As he points out, it is nothing more than a pile of industrial waste. He does not mention that it may contain toxins as well. There is also no mention of what negative impact the buildup of a huge amount of coal slack on the harbour mouth has had on the harbour itself, and continues to have as it erodes further into the harbour. The best solution in my view is to remove the industrial waste; yes, remove Slack Point entirely. Restore the harbour floor and the foreshore as nearly as possible to their pre-industrial condition. Ladysmith should be recognized not for saving an industrial waste heap, but for restoring a damaged ecosystem, in some ways like jurisdictions in the US that are removing dams from rivers to restore the habitat for beleaguered salmon runs. It would, of course, require a basis in sound science to do it right. Who would pay for this? We can be certain that James Dun-

smuir’s heirs will not be paying for the damage they caused while accruing their fortunes. The province could be pressed to provide compensation for remediation and perhaps the federal government as well. But if we are looking at the best solution in the long term, it makes sense to think in the VERY long term and restore the health of a beautiful harbour.— Bruce Whittington

Cedar Road Safety Thanks to RDN Area A Director Keith Wilson for bringing up road safety in Cedar in the July issue of TAKE 5. Road safety seems to be a recurring issue, yet I find myself quite boggled by the lack of action, not just in Cedar, but in BC in general. I am born Dutch and have married into Canada. There are many good things about Canada, but engineering of infrastructure is unfortunately not one of them. I am quite perplexed how complacent the general attitude here is towards the relatively high number of casualties on the road for a developed Western country. On the various local Facebook groups,

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I notice frequently some bickering and ranting about fellow road users. Usually the creativity of solutions oﬀered to improve people’s behaviours doesn’t go beyond placing more cops on the road. Any suggestion beyond that is mostly met with the response that this is countryside and we should leave it as is, or people fear their taxes being raised. I think the diﬀerence in northwest Europe is that the population understood that the amount of (lethal) accidents really could and needed to come down. Be aware that for every death there is a factor of seriously injured and lifelong disabled people. Whether this was driven by valuing lives more, or having a better understanding of the monetary cost of road accidents to society. With the significant improvements to vehicle safety standards since the 1970s, the safety standards for roads increased as well. In North America, the standards for vehicles have gone up too; however, the roads never seemed to have changed, especially not in the countryside. There is more needed than just a maximum speed sign, the odd speed trap and faith in human nature to shield the lives

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of pedestrians from motorized traffic — especially those unpredictable kids you mentioned. In The Netherlands, there are numerous traffic calming measures: roundabouts, speed bumps, road narrowings, and various other optical and sensory “tricks” to have people slow down in their cars and on motor bikes. In many places, slow traffic is separated from motorized traffic (particularly in the countryside). Just by looking at the road pattern, you can tell what the maximum speed is. A 50 kph zone looks different than an 80 kph zone. It is definitely not comfortable to drive 80 in a 50 zone. In The Netherlands, the default mode of transportation is, of course, the bike, so it is no surprise that the roads have evolved in accommodating bikes better. It has nothing to do with being a consious cyclist, being healthy or environmentally friendlier, it is purely that a bike is so much more convenient to go from A to B in a five- to seven-kilometre range than a car. In the YouTube channel “Not just bikes,” the difference between North America and Europe demonstrates how

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we have ended up in a vicious cycle. Because our roads are deemed unsafe for slow traﬃc, people step in their cars, lowering the safety factor again by adding another vehicle on the road. Because of this, our children miss out on a lot of independence that their peers in The Netherlands have. Until they can drive their own cars, they are totally dependent on their parents to go anywhere, especially in rural areas. If commuters got stuck every morning behind a group of thirty biking kids and growing as you approach the school, would there be a bigger push to get them their own bike lane, rather than worrying about your taxes increasing? I do see fortunately lots of progress being made in the urban areas on this front, including Nanaimo. I hope we will come to the understanding that our roads can and should be a lot safer, without sacrificing the rural landscape. I also hope that the responsible authorities will get better at translating the costs of road accidents to our society, so citizens don’t see improvements as a burden on their taxes, but actually as a lowering of the burden on the health care systems, insurance premiums and our social safety net. Above all, I do hope that, government and citizens alike, will feel more urge to bring the number of casualties on the road down and are willing to accept some changes in infrastructure planning that make the roads more sensible and safer for everyone. — Barry Wijnandts

More on Cedar Road In his monthly report, Keith Wilson rightly addresses the worry he and others have about speeding vehicles, notably on the road by the 49th Parallel Store and at the crossing of Gould and Cedar. I could add the chicane where Holden Corso becomes Barnes, and I’m sure readers could add other danger spots. He says, “there is little that the RDN can do”; however, I disagree. My first thought was speed bumps, but when RDN residents in Area H (Bowser, Qualicum) were trying to get the traﬃc to slow down in 2017, the RDN’s senior planner, Courtney Simpson, noted that “The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) is resistant to any form of speed bump, as they believe that they contribute to traﬃc accidents,”

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and “they are more open to considering crosswalks then reducing speed limits or installing speed bumps.” She also noted the risk “that drivers become complacent about crosswalks that are not frequently used and tend to speed through them.” So if it’s not speed bumps and crosswalks, what else might work? On Fairfield Road, Victoria, on a stretch where the residents want traﬃc to slow down, there’s a radar sign that gives you a smiley face when you drive slower than 40. In England, villages through which drivers used to speed are now full of warning signs, radar signs and painted strips on the road, to force the traﬃc to slow down. They work. Of course, there are things we can do. The RDN is being complacent, at the risk of our children’s lives. I hope Keith will reconsider his position and lead an RDN initiative to urge MOTI to get more creative, and DO something. — Guy Dauncey, Yellow Point Ecological Society

Seraphina’s Oven reflections We started 2020 with a very busy schedule and most classes filled. Angelique and I went to Italy for professional development in January. While we were away, we heard of people getting seriously sick in China and then, when we were back in Canada, realized that the virus had spread and was rampant in Italy, exactly where we had been staying. We were in the middle of a four-day class in early March and we were all so stressed that we decided to postpone after the second day. We were in the middle of a pandemic; life as we knew it was turned upside down and we sheltered in place save a few excursions to get basic supplies. I remember driving to Coronation mall at 4:30 p.m., on a Friday in March, and Highway 1 was eerily quiet and there were few cars in the parking lot and a security guard outside SaveOn-Foods. We were living in dystopia. We kept ourselves busy; with a commercial kitchen, you can make a lot of food. One day, we made 11 quiches, another some shepherd pies, then litres of chili. We used up all our basics. We helped people make sourdough online and sent dried starter all over Canada, and even some to Texas!

After a few weeks, we ran out of room in the freezers for prepared meals and, one Sunday in April, decided to put up a few of our products on the web to see if anyone would come by and buy some bread and pastries. With the two brands, Angelique Patisserie and Seraphina’s Oven, we soon had a list of sourdough breads, Viennoiserie and Angelique’s macarons and caramels, and it was time to set our little production venture in motion. We had no idea that we would get so much support from our local community. Some “pop-up” days, we would have 50 to 60 orders. We got to meet a whole bunch of new neighbours, and after a few weeks, we knew people by name, who would come first, who would need a nudge by text and who liked their bagels well done! We didn’t have a fixed schedule, and we missed some weeks and no one minded. We worked long shifts and pumped out volumes of product from our little bakery. The wood-fired brick oven (Seraphina) performed very loyally, and all our sourdoughs kept bubbling. Angelique and I worked hard and danced around each other in the bakery, and we couldn’t have done it without each other. The only time that we would disagree was what music to play on Spotify! When Angelique returned to her full-time job at the VIU Professional Baking and Pastry Department, our friend and newly retired Chef Allan Aikman (Bobino), from Saltair, came and filled her production spot. We slowly introduced small classes, then stopped, then restarted and then waited again, just like life on the Island. Now with the restrictions eased, we feel confident in oﬀering a full slate of baking and pastry courses this fall. We would like to thank our community from the bottom of our hearts for supporting us during these unprecedented times and we look forward to seeing you at a class in the future! — Martin Barnett Letters to the editor on community topics and concerns are always welcome. Letters may be edited for length. Opinions represented here are not necessarily those of TAKE 5 or its agents. Email editor@take5.ca

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On Residential Schools BY HERB DUMONT MÉTIS NATION B.C. (DUNCAN OFFICE) Years ago, in July, the Dumont family would travel from Sundre, Alberta, to Catholic Lac Ste. Anne Pilgrimage (west of Edmonton) in a half-ton truck, with a willow and tarp canopy over the box made by my dad. Eight kids fit in the back. A stop was made overnight, and we set up camp at Hobbema to see the relatives (the reserve is named Maskwacis now). Mom and Dad were fluent in Cree. We were Road Allowance People and poor, and that was our summer holidays. Now, our family and others have lost all faith in the Catholic Church when we see what they did to the children in so many Residential Schools across Canada. Now, my faith is found in nature. I have gone back to my roots. They would say, “It’s not manmade” and “This is where you came from.” The more you study your body, the more you are amazed at what you are. I guess this is old school to many, but new to some. What I do believe is that Canada must pursue criminal charges for the deaths of the many children found buried on the grounds of the Indian Residential Schools on the reserves across Canada and the Métis colonies of Alberta (Alberta is the only province in Canada that has Métis colonies), and it will be enormously complex to investigate this situation. These charges are not only warranted, but necessary if Canada wants to fulfill its pledge of “reconciliation” with the Indigenous peoples. What has happened is a crime against humanity, and no one is above the law. Canada has the records; now show them!! I guess if you apologize, you are guilty. It is of the utmost importance to us to contribute in any way possible to the resolution of this situation through transparency and by making the history and records accessible, and by participating in activities that can lead to healing and reconciliation between Canadians and Canada’s Indigenous peoples. A man on the news said, “I walked the church yard, and I heard small voices in the breeze say, ‘They found us! They found us!’” Perhaps a spirit of someone’s soul? When you dig a hole or grave the soil changes, the composition changes, caused by alterations in the soil density and compaction. The Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) picks up those changes and allows us to map that. It can provide us with an image of where the soil has been disturbed.

Road Allowance home in Sundre. (Partial) Dumont family. Front Row right, Herb Dumont. Photo Dumont Collection

First Nations are now buying GPR equipment to search for their loved ones. It is ironic and mysterious to me that radar multi-path echoes reflect oﬀ objects which they call ghosts. Do they really know what they are, or where they come from? Perhaps they live in other forms. Who knows?

March for the Children

The community is invited join in support of friends and neighbours of Penelakut Island, who are organizing a “March for the Children” of Kuper Island Industrial School. The march is in solemn remembrance of the innocent children buried at the school and in support of those who survive today. The walk starts at 9 a.m. at the Salish Sea Market (formerly 49th Parallel, 2835 Oak Street, Chemainus) and ends at Waterwheel Park. Please see instructions at the march regarding waivers to be signed starting at 8 a.m. at the Salish Sea Market.

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Show and Shine Returns! Saturday, August 21, 2021, downtown Ladysmith will again hear the sounds of muﬄers, music and a little bit of mayhem as the annual Show ’n’ Shine returns to town. Last year, along will almost everything else, the event had to be cancelled due to the pandemic, “but for 2021, we are looking at a pretty large show,” says Vice Chair Duck Paterson. “Almost all of the shows on the Island have been cancelled or are still on hold,” Paterson says, “and we were kind of sitting back, waiting so see what Dr. Henry was going to do. It turned out that that kind of hit the accelerator for us and we decided we could move ahead.” The Show ’n’ Shine has a special tribute for 2021. “We wanted to do this last year,” says Paterson, “but with COVID, we had to put the brakes on, and it was decided that the show, this year, would pay tribute to Bhagwan Mayer. Not only were he and his wife, Gail, great supporters of Ladysmith’s Show ’n’ Shine, they were involved in many other local charities and events and gave a lot of support, behind the scenes, to many aspects of the community.” Mayer had a collection of ’30s Packards and Cadillacs. First Avenue, from Roberts to Warren Street, will be closed to traﬃc from 6:30

Ladysmith Show and Shine returns. Photo: Duck Paterson

a.m. to 4 p.m. Also the block of High Street from First Avenue to the alley on the east side will also be closed so that some special edition show vehicles can be parked along there as part of the show. Paterson says, “With no shows happening round us, many car owners are really anxious to get out and show oﬀ their … hard work and many of the vehicles coming to the show are one of a kind.” He then adds, “Many owners spend thousands of dollars on their babies and are so proud; they are excited to show them oﬀ, and not having had much chance for over a year, our show will really attract a lot of attention.” As well as unique and distinct vehicles, there will be live entertainment, a 50/50 draw, concessions and the Kinsmen will be hosting a beer garden. As we’ve come to get used to, all appropriate COVID protocols will be in order and organizers are asking everyone to please practice social distancing and please leave your pets at home.

Ladysmith Railway Station About 50 people attended an open house at the Ladysmith Railway Station on July 21. The purpose of the event, hosted by the Ladysmith & District Historical Society (LDHS), was to familiarise the community with the building so that the best community uses for it could be decided. Now the property of the Island Corridor Foundation, the building has been unused since suspension of rail service in 2011. Quentin Goodbody, president of the LDHS, addressed the gathering and gave background to the initiative. In February of this year a group of volunteers, under the umbrella of the Ladysmith & District Historical Society, approached the Island Corridor Foundation to see if an agreement could be reached to put the heritage building to use. The ICF responded enthusiastically, and a memorandum of understanding was signed, under which the LDHS would try to assess the best non-profit community uses

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Open House at the Ladysmith Railway Station. The Ladysmith & District Historical Society, the Island Corridor Foundation representatives. Photo: Marina Sacht

of the building, with the potential of a long-term lease being available from the ICF for a nominal fee. Since then, the ICF paid for a new roof and volunteers have worked diligently to bring the building to its current state, which allows the community to see its potential. Apart from thanking the volunteers for their eﬀorts, Quentin thanked the Kinsmen and Rotary clubs for generous financial contributions toward building repairs to date and noted that local firms Heart Lake Roofing and Gutter Gator had been contracted to install the new roof and guttering. Larry Stevenson, CEO of the Island Corridor Foundation, said that he was very pleased that the community had taken the initiative to put the building to use and was most impressed with the rehabilitation work done to date. He noted that all but two of the stations along the E&N line were currently being put to community use. Aaron Stone, speaking as mayor of Ladysmith and as co-chair of the ICF Board, said that he was excited about the potential for the building to be an important part of Ladysmith’s waterfront development and to be put to community use, and thanked the volunteers for their eﬀorts. Goodbody noted that a lot of work remains to be done before the building is in a useable state, and that this will require significant investment. He encouraged interested parties to contact the LDHS with ideas and business plans. For those that missed the occasion, other viewings of the building may be made by arrangement with the Historical Society. Community Feedback is welcome with an email to info@ladysmithhistoricalsociety.ca or take a public tour of the Ladysmith Railway Station, Wed.10 am to noon for tours.

Petunia plays Chemainus Petunia, not the flower-- but the musician is coming to Chemainus on Saturday, August 14, 2021 for an evening of memorable music. Petunia has been described as “extraordinary – a left-field genius”, and referred to as “The Savior of Country Music”, a man who exists in a diﬀerent era, bringing the past forth as something new to be celebrated and not forgotten.

When he’s not on the road playing shows, Petunia is also involved in the theatre world including and starring in a web-based series called ‘The Musicianer’ by director Beth Harrington. Born in Quebec, today he works with several sets of sidemen across Canada, the US and Europe in addition to his own Vancouver-based band, The Vipers. The show is sponsored by Brownlow & Sons Contracting. Tickets are $20. Call Ken Brownlow 250-245-7475. La Petite Auction House 250-7102902 or Calypso Jewelry Design 780-807-4722 or order them online through Eventbrite. Petunia in concert. Photo submitted.

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Public Market in Chemainus Thrives The Public Market in Chemainus opened in June of 2020 and, with amazing support from locals and all of Vancouver Island, has flourished through the pandemic adversity. Chemainus has always been a focal point for visitors. With its strong support of the arts, wonderful local shops, fabulous restaurants, cafes and world famous murals, the town is the perfect destination for a little rest and relaxation, says owner/

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Candy shop at the Public Market in Chemainus. Photo submitted.

operator Patricia Berry. Inside the new Public Market reflects a marvelous selection of merchandise, services, fabulous food and fun. The market is home to many talented local artisans, specialty items, salon, clothing, jewellery, pet supplies, books, and antiques, as well as a British candy shop, a video arcade, a café, Archie’s Ice Cream Parlour and Diner, and Captain Andy’s Fish and Chip restaurant. There is even a Lego-themed party room just for kids. “It is an organic and evolving project that has so much to offer the public for enjoyment and shopping,” says Berry. Berry, a local entrepreneur, has been involved in such projects as Osborne Bay Pub, Berry Music Company, Mortel Developments, the Author’s Corner and others. She describes herself as “very dedicated to supporting our local economy” and has called Vancouver Island home for more than 15 years, having fallen in love with the natural beauty and wonderful communities on the island after visiting 20 years ago. “The market’s inception was a beautiful collaboration of many community focused small businesses that were looking for a home.” The indoor Public Market, located at 9790 Willow Street, Chemainus, is open seven days a week. Food service is from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the retail shops are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mobile Mammography Unit Visits BC Cancer Breast Screening’s digital mobile mammography service will be visiting Ladysmith Community Health Centre, 1111 Fourth Avenue on August 9 to 12, 2021. To book your appointment, call 1-800-663-9203.

Island Drought, Water Scarcity Conditions Drought is aﬀecting much of Vancouver Island and southern British Columbia. The East Vancouver Island Basin is at Drought Level 4. Adverse impacts on fish have been observed due to high water temperatures combined with low flow conditions, dewatering of riﬄe habitats and disconnected side channels. Water conservation is being urged across the region. British Columbia ranks drought levels from 0 to 5, with Drought Level 5 rated as the most. Areas of particular concern for risk of additional impacts of water scarcity and drought include but are not limited to the

following watersheds: Koksilah River, Chemainus River, and Fulford Creek on Salt Spring Island, as well as the majority of the Gulf Islands. The West Vancouver Island Basin, which roughly stretches from Cape Scott to Jordan River, is currently under Drought Level 3. In response to the record-breaking heatwave and increased demand on local water resources, Stage 3 Watering Restrictions for the Town of Ladysmith and eight of the nine Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) Water Service Areas are in eﬀect immediately and until further notice. Aggressive conservation is being urged for all areas aﬀected by drought.

Fish Art Show What better way to celebrate summer than with a Fish Art show? You can catch the original art show at In the Bean Time Cafe in Ladysmith, showing now until September 1. The show features colourful papiermache fish by Maggie Wouterloot and framed “gyotaku” fish prints by Liz Tosoni. Liz and Tom began using the ancient Japanese fish printing art form

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called “Gyotaku” about five years ago while onboard their sailboat in Mexico, after returning from their sailboat circumnavigation. They lived in Japan for a four year period, having sailed there via the South Seas, and while there, Liz studied “sumie” or Japanese ink painting with a private “sensei”. The techniques learned there apply to her fish creations, which are prolific and varied, from frame-ready prints to framed ones, table runners, cushion covers, table cloths and wall hangings depicting loner fish and schools of fish. The colour Liz adds, a departure from traditional gyotaku, reflects the natural coloration of the fish, making them come alive on the fabric.

Gendron, Canucks Fan Hero

Jen Gendron (right) with La Rosa resident Henny Mook admiring her signed jersey.

In May 2021 Jen Gendron, who works at La Rosa Gardens, won the Vancouver Canucks Fan Hero Award – selected by fans. There were 4 people in all of BC that won. The recognition was for “frontline workers in our community and helping the people in BC this past year”. Jen was featured on the jumbo screen

on the last Vancouver Canucks home game as well as having Canuck Brock Boeser wear a warmup jersey with her last name on the back. “This is truly a special honour,” says Gendron who treasures the framed autographed jersey hanging on a wall at her home.

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Our Sea Life As the Ladysmith Maritime Society (LMS) prepares for its Sea Life Celebration on Sunday, August 15, 2021, we caught up with École North Oyster Elementary students Évangeline Laforest and Oscar McClements, whose names you probably recognize. They have received a lot of media attention for their invention La Méduse, which was one of 15 finalists chosen for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) Little Inventors program. La Méduse (the Jellyfish) is a device that removes oil and garbage from the ocean. The students are passionate about the

Touch tanks. Photo: Shirley Blackstaff

ocean and plan to build their careers on helping to protect it. They especially like the variety of sea life, sharks and the coral reefs. You will get a chance to learn more about local sea life at the celebration on Sunday, August 15, 2021, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Ladysmith Community Marina (611 Oyster Bay Drive), where young people and their families will be introduced to the wonders of the sea life of Ladysmith Harbour. The theme this year is Mollusks – oys-

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ters, clams, mussels, etc and Crustaceans – crabs that we have in our local sea. There will be hands-on touch tank experiences with divers, marine biologists and students, a Stz’uminus First Nation language game, sea life games, art projects, science displays and music. Not to be missed will be the Salish Young Wolves chanting, dancing and drumming. The activities will take place at the big tent in front of the Welcome Centre, at the Maritime Museum and Sea Life Centre. Learn more about our local sea life and harbour history on the “Maritimer” tour boat, free during the celebration. Parking will be along Oyster Bay Drive, and the LMS golf carts will be available to shuttle visitors. Along the way, you may uncover a similar passion for the ocean that Évangeline and Oscar share. “I want to do whatever I can to help,” she says. They have a message for people: stop throwing trash into the oceans. “If we don’t take care of the ocean, it will be filled with trash,” says Évangeline.

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Oscar McClements and Évangeline Laforest searching for sea life at Transfer Beach. Photo: Marina Sacht/TAKE 5

“We won’t be able to swim in it.” Oscar looks saddened by the thought. Before they return to their search for crabs under rocks, he adds, “If we fail, we will still see crabs, but they will be dead.” You can view their invention along with the other finalists at protectouroceans.littleinventors.org/exhibition. Visit www.lmsmarina.ca for details and videos on the Sea Life Celebration.

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Fire Safety BY FIONA STEEVES NOVFD FIRE PREVENTION OFFICER Forest fires are foremost in many people’s minds right now, following the heat wave and as we watch more and more wildfires start throughout our province. Some of you may be wondering what you can do to prepare in the unfortunate circumstance of a wildfire igniting nearby. North Oyster and Ladysmith Fire Departments want to oﬀer you some tips. • First of all, don’t be the one to start the fire! There is a campfire ban and all open burning is currently prohibited throughout the whole province. This includes all incendiary devices, such as fireworks, lanterns, tiki torches and chimineas. • Forest use may be restricted during high or extreme fire hazard conditions. Please refer the BCWFS website for forest use restrictions: http://bcfireinfo.for.gov.bc.ca/hprScripts/ WildfireNews/Bans.asp. • The Fire Danger Rating in our area is currently EXTREME. Please use the utmost caution when doing any outdoor activities and especially when extinguishing cigarettes. • All high risk activities within 300 metres of forest or grass land must cease after three consecutive days of extreme fire danger — we have been in extreme fire danger since July 5. This includes activities such as operating a power, tree felling, grinding and welding, etc. This website lists all high risk activities and their restrictions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/

NOVFD Fire Prevention Officer Fiona Steeves walking into the Woodley Range Ecological Reserve fire last summer. Photo courtesy of Cole Schisler/Chronicle

content/safety/wildfire-status/prevention/for-industry-commercial-operators/high-risk-activities. • Call 911 or *5555 to report a wildfire. • Have a grab-and-go bag ready. This should include sea-

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sonal clothing, important documents, medications, phone chargers, etc. Visit this website for a more complete list: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/ safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recover y/preparedbc/ buildan-emergency-kit-and-grab-and-gobag#grabandgo. • Have a household wildfire evacuation plan that includes a designated emergency meeting place, alternate escape routes from your community, and evacuation plans for pets and livestock. • Know the diﬀerence between an evacuation ALERT (get everything ready so you can leave at short notice) and an evacuation ORDER (you have to leave NOW!): https://www.cvrd. ca/2887/Evacuation-Preparedness. • If there is a wildfire in the area, be sure to stay clear so that firefighters are able to perform their duties without hindrance from the public. • Download the “FireSmart Begins at Home” App or visit the FireSmartBC.ca website to do a Home Assessment to assess your risk to wildfire and to learn the steps you can take to better prepare your house and the zones around your house. • Make a plan to FireSmart your home. PLEASE NOTE: some of the suggested activities, such as pruning trees or cutting brush, are NOT PERMITTED at this time, as all power tools have the potential to cause sparks and start fires. These are best planned for the fall or next spring. • Activities you can do now are clearing tree litter and other debris from your gutters and roof valleys, moving your firewood piles and propane bottles 10 to 30 metres away from the house, and keeping your grass 10 centimetres or shorter. For more information on Emergency Preparedness and FireSmart, please visit the CVRD website: https://www. cv rd.ca /231/ Emergency-Preparedness andhttps://www.cvrd.ca/2517/ FireSmart-Information. The CVRD also oﬀers a free two-hour FireSmart workshop to residents. Email ep@cvrd.bc.ca or call 250-746-2560 for more information. The Fire Prevention teams at North Oyster Fire Department and the Ladysmith Fire Department wish you a safe and enjoyable summer!

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RDN Area A Cedar This month’s column is written by Cheryl Bancroft, a member of the Board of the Ecoforestry Institute Society, the custodians of Wildwood. I am pleased to support the work of the EIS and oﬀer this glimpse of the magical Homestead property. — Keith Wilson, RDN Area A Director Climate Change — it’s on everyone’s mind as the hot, dry days of summer envelope us. But what can we do individually to create change? Part of the answer is right here in Area A. Wildwood, a rare and unique 77-acre demonstration ecoforest, is located in the middle of Yellow Point. Here, you can learn about the value of standing old growth trees and how they are the “greatest climate-protecting technology ever devised.” Carbon sequestration is not the only thing that old growth trees provide. They purify the air we breathe and provide food to forage and habitat for wildlife, birds and insects, who in turn enable a biodiverse and healthy forest. There is commercial value in these ecologically sensitive forests. Selectively logged trees enable value-added products, such as furniture, boats, artistic creations, outdoor education, hiking, ecotourism and a myriad of health benefits. In 2011, the RDN realised the broad-

er community value of Wildwood and the Ecoforestry Institute Society (EIS), which owns and manages the property. The “Shared Community Vision” process established a new land use designation of “Ecoforestry,” and it was added to the Oﬃcial Community Plan. The objective was to provide for sustainable ecoforestry operations in Area A. Wildwood is the “heart of ecoforestry” practices and provides education and demonstration of this approach for private woodlot landowners and those interested in understanding how these techniques can change the way we manage forest lands in BC. At Wildwood, the 2,500-square-foot log Homestead of Merve Wilkinson had fallen into disrepair after Merve’s passing in 2011. Nature was reclaiming the house. On 2016, the EIS appealed to then RDN Area A director, Alec McPherson, for assistance in approaching the RDN for grant funding to restore

Nanaimo Forest Kids at Wildwood Ecoforest. Ancient mother tree nourishing others. Photos submitted.

the heritage Homestead. The grant application was successful, and $150,000 was provided towards the extensive renovation. The restored Homestead, at the edge of Quennell Lake, opened its doors in mid-2018 to conservation guests from all over the world. Since that time, even during COVID-19 restrictions, the privacy aﬀorded at the Homestead has proven to be a unique respite for local Islanders. As Wildwood emerges from COVID-19 restrictions, the EIS is focused on providing educational programs to limited groups of SD68 students, Adapt Island (kids with disabilities) and is working with Knowledge Elders from Stz’uminus and Snuneymuxw to open the forest for language learning and cultural experiences. The RDN continues to support this important contribu-

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tion to our community and has provided $10,000 towards construction of an outdoor classroom at Wildwood. The old growth and ancient trees of Wildwood are a learning and healing place for all. For more information, visit the website at ecoforestry.ca. -Cheryl Bancroft

CVRD Area H North Oyster/ Diamond The last month has been incredible. I am hoping that you also share in my experience of the freedom to meet with others in person. Such a wonderful feeling, and one that I will endeavor not to take for granted. And speaking of get togethers, there are meetings being planned in the next few months that I feel are important to announce ahead of time and to provide some background information. Let’s start with the one I’m organizing. There will be an in-person Town Hall meeting at 7 p.m., Thursday, September 16, 2021, at the North Oyster Community Centre. The agenda will be in the September TAKE 5. I trust there is an

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appetite to have a really good discussion on a variety of topics, and I look forward to that. One of those topics will likely be the protection of the Cassidy Aquifer, which leads me to the meeting that the CVRD is organizing. The CVRD will hold a public information meeting in Area H. This requires some explaining, so let me unravel this a bit. Over the last month, CVRD staﬀ have brought forward the latest in a series of reports regarding the application by Schnitzer Steel for a rezoning amendment. Schnitzer’s, on behalf of the landowner, is requesting a zoning amendment to permit a vehicle dismantling and scrap metal recycling operation — fronting the Trans-Canada Highway — in North Oyster. The purpose of the latest report is to reconsider the requirement for a covenant on the subject property as a prerequisite to a public hearing. Covenants are conditions that are tied to the ownership or use of land and are registered on the land title and stay there even when ownership changes. In this case, the purpose of the covenants is to ensure the required upgrades are used

appropriately, that there is compliance with the maintenance plan concerning drainage and runoﬀ controls, and there is regular groundwater monitoring and reporting. In mid-July, the CVRD Board approved that the covenants are required, and subject to the covenants being accepted in writing, the next step will be a public information meeting. In some cases, the application would next proceed to a public hearing, but at the CVRD Board meeting, I spoke to the need for a public information meeting as the next step. So, what is the difference between a public information meeting and a public hearing? Here is my understanding of the diﬀerences. A public hearing is for people to express their view. However, it does not provide an opportunity to ask questions and is subject to a number of procedural rules, as it is a formal step in the application process. On the other hand, a public information meeting provides an opportunity for people to seek clarification and to express opinions. The land use on this property is of much interest and concern to the community, and a public information meeting will allow people to ask

questions of CVRD staﬀ and hopefully the applicant. In addition to a public information meeting, the board approved what I consider to be three very important additional steps. First is announcements: Area H residents have had past issues with getting notification on events. With a public information meeting, there is more flexibility in providing notice, so I’ve requested there be a Canada Post mailout to all residents of Area H and meeting notices in the Ladysmith Chronicle, TAKE 5 and Nanaimo News Bulletin. Second is participation: I want to make sure people can participate. Virtual meetings are not easy for everyone and pose a challenge in a rural community. This will not be a virtual meeting. It will be a face-to-face meeting once there is public health guidance authorizing indoor gatherings of more than 100 people. Third is reporting: The CVRD staﬀ will prepare a report summarizing the questions and comments recorded at the public meeting. This will be provided to all the Electoral Area directors to review before there is further discussion

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on this application. In closing, I would like to acknowledge the help I received on this and other files. The staﬀ at the CVRD and, in particular for this file, Ann Kjerulf (General Manager, Land Use Services) and Mike Tippett (Manager, Community Planning Division) have helped me immensely. I also receive great advice from Barry Marcotte, alternate director, Mike Fall, Advisory Planning Commission chair, other directors, and from a number of people in the community that have taken the time to lend me support and encouragement. I can tell you that this Regional District is blessed with people of all backgrounds and expertise. Please mark the Town Hall on your calendar for September 16 at 7 p.m. I hope to see you there. Ben.maartman@cvrd.bc.ca or 250510-5930

CVRD Area G Saltair/Thetis Island Like Manchester-by-the-Sea, Saltairby-the-Salish-Sea has a ring to it. About 10 kilometres of Saltair, from Dogwood to Greenhill, is oceanfront. Many uphill homes enjoy a view of the Salish Sea, and six Community Beach Accesses provide opportunities for everyone to enjoy the Salish Sea and its beaches. Have you explored our beach accesses? They are at the foot of Solmie Road, Bazan Road, Skinner Road, South Oyster School Road (Boulder Point), Clifcoe Road, and at the Davis Lagoon. The CVRD holds permits from Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) for using small portions of these undeveloped road ends for beach accesses. I have explored the possibility of using other undeveloped road ends for beach access with our MOTI representative. Most of them can only provide complicated access requiring significant taxpayer funding or are completely inaccessible. In August, watch for the reclaiming and removal of sod along the Chemainus Road shoulder in Saltair. This year, MOTI (Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure) has made this a priority. I have been working with MOTI on this since I was elected. It is good to know there will soon be a safer walking/ cycling shoulder for us to use. Saltair speed limits are 60 kilometres

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on Chemainus Road and 50 kilometres on our feeder roads. These speeds are set by MOTI (Province of BC). I often receive emails about the traffic on Saltair roads. These emails express concern about increased traffic due to new developments and excessive speed. As a Saltair resident, I encourage everyone to follow the speed limits in Saltair and to respect speed limits everywhere. Let’s all work together to keep everyone safe. Centennial Park Questionnaire/ Place Speak My thanks to everyone who filled out the questionnaire or Place Speak. Did you consider park usage based on age? Are we promoting changes that encourage young families to join our community while ensuring our community’s aging demographic is accommodated? Over the past 40 years, our community and our outdoor recreation choices changed. With climate change, our choices will change again. After the Mount Brenton Elementary School closed, there was far less demand for playing fields and multi-use sports courts, but there are still many children in Saltair. The 2018 and 2019 surveys for Centennial Park showed 73 per cent walked in the park. Most of these users walk the forested trail that has deteriorated with tripping hazards and swimming pools. Under the Area G OCP, trails connecting areas to the commercial area is a priority. The funding authorized by the CVRD Board to fund the upgrades for this trail is based on the past survey usage percentage and the OCP. It will be interesting to see what comes out of the questionnaire and Place Speak for Centennial Park. Chatting around the neighbourhood, there seems to be some confusion about the questionnaire and Place Speak. Residents now realize that they didn’t consider looking at the park amenities with a lens on different age groups and the gaps. Some of the parents indicated that they didn’t really consider what activities their children might like as they age. Seems there wasn’t a climate change adaption consideration for the park. Quite a few Saltair residents indicated that they did not participate in the recent survey, as they do no use this park. Are we being proactive? Shady areas

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in the playground can provide places for children to play on hot days. Children wait in line to ride on ziplines. Is this something we should consider? Basketball nets that have flexible heights could serve multiple age groups. Gaga Ball is a great new game for children of many ages. A small cycling dirt bike trail for young children located in the forested area behind the Community Centre or a wildlife walking trail for kids might be worthwhile. How can we assist young persons who want to play tennis? Could Saltair produce a Wimbledon champion? Can we attract tennis associations interested in holding workshops on our courts? Creating pickleball courts is a great way to attract more senior residents to the park. Working on trails and paths that connect Saltair residents to commercial areas would also likely attract more people to the park. Amazing trails and community parks are goals in the Saltair OCP. If you have any comments or ideas that might make our parks better and more attractive, please send them to Tanya.soroka@cvrd. bc.ca, with a copy to me, lynne.smith@ cvrd.bc.ca. CVRD Land Use Services Do you need to file a development application or obtain a building permit at the CVRD? Contact the CVRD Development Services staff at 250-746-2620 or ds@ cvrd.bc.ca. Checking with staff before proceeding can save you time, fines and additional costs. HOCP/MOCP Update The CVRD will start advertising the MOCP (Modernized Official Community Plan) in the fall of 2020, with community engagement starting in early 2021. Many of the municipalities around us are also working on their OCPs. They are not combining nine electoral area plans into a Harmonized Official Community Plan (HOCP) and then creating a MOCP. Thetis Island Wharf Rehabilitation Project I am disappointed to report that the CVRD grant application to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program – COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Program for the Thetis Island Wharf Rehabilitation Project ($270,000) was not selected for funding under the program. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at lynne.smith@cvrd. bc.ca or 250-701-1407. Additional articles and information at SaltairNews.ca.

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Re-Wilding with Native Plants – A New Perspective For Yards BY SABINE ALSTROM As a nature lover who has enjoyed native plants for many years, I have noticed that the vast majority of gardens feature hardly any native flora in their designs. Even more intriguing is the fact that this includes the gardens of people who genuinely care for our natural world and who understand the urgent need to preserve wildness. The most likely reason is our conditioning from childhood onwards by the gardens around us, which focus on the

Mountain Sneezewood. Photo: Sabine Alstrom

decorative value of plants, never their ecological function. Nurseries strengthen this cultural mantra by promoting showy flowering species that are native to Asia, the Mediterranean, the tropics and so on. And why not? I hear you say. After all, they are beautiful to look at. Plus, one might add, they garner respect and admiration from neighbours and visitors, enhancing our status. Regarding native plants, the cultural imperative seems to be: not in my backyard. But here’s the big catch: introduced plants are not good at providing food for the native animals that drive our ecosystems. A full third of our wild bees are specialists, meaning their larvae, the next bee generation, can only feed on the pollen of certain native plant lineages. Over hundreds of thousands of years, they have evolved with these local plants in a win-win relationship. Bees get pol-

len, food for their larvae, from specific plant genera or even from a single species, while the plants ensure that their pollen is spread mostly in their own genus, guaranteeing seed production and propagation. Now, picture a little newly emerged specialist bee, single-mindedly searching for the particular native flowers it needs to rear its brood. If this mother bee can’t find those plants, it can’t fulfill the purpose of its short life: nest-building, egglaying and provisioning the babies with a pile of pollen food. When this little bee dies, so will future generations with it. This scenario is happening around us millions of times, around the neighbourhood, the country and, sadly, the world. For the wild specialist bees, the most stunning introduced plants might as well be made of plastic. Our love aﬀair with foreign plants is killing our bees by leaving them without food. To make things worse, many common introduced garden plants, like periwinkle, mountain bluet, yellow archangel and others, have become invasive inside and outside of gardens, forming smothering carpets that might otherwise be populated by native plants supporting ecosystem function. Generalist bees, like mason bees, bumblebees or the non-native honey bee, fare a little better, as they can make use of the pollen and nectar of some introduced plants. But along with most other insects, all are doomed by the pesticides and insecticides we liberally apply to our gardens for the sake of sterile prettiness and a perfect lawn.

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Is it any wonder that an insect apocalypse is happening everywhere? And yet, we don’t have to despair. There are some powerful positives that can fuel a turnaround: We are lucky because the insects, although decimated, are still around. We control what grows in our gardens, and we can choose biodiversity over ecological destruction. We can replace parts of our lifeless lawns and ornamentals with native plants, including shrubs and trees, that are the host plants for caterpillars, which are the indispensable food for baby birds. Introduced plants are essentially useless at supporting the caterpillars of our native moths and butterflies. We can opt against chemical poisons and for a natural variety of insect life, without which, by the way, we humans would quickly be “toast.” Oh, and did I mention that we have the most stunning native plants right here on the Island? They grow in my garden, but we hardly see them in nature anymore. When did you last notice such beauties as Woolly Sunflower, Farewell-to-Spring, Camas, Yellow Monkeyflower or Mountain Sneezeweed in the wild? Let’s bring them back, and the wild bees, along with countless other insects, will find them. Let’s endow them with the high status they truly deserve! Sabine Alstrom lives in Duncan. For free help with your garden or more information, please contact her at sabinealmstrom@gmail.com.

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A statement by Cedar Community Hall identifies several health and safety issues. Topmost was the regular lining of both sides of CeBY KERITH WADDINGTON dar Road and Quennell road by atSafety concerns, as well as the desire to make Cedar Hall tendees’ vehicles because outdoor available to a broader, more diverse community of users, vendors took up much of the parkwas the rationale behind the June 2 decision this year by ing lot. This congestion created not the hall’s eight-member, volunteer board to not renew the only safety issues for attendees, but year-to-year long-standing rental agreement with the Cedar access issues for area residents. FidSwap Meet. dick admits to being amazed that “… So says Jim Fiddick, president of the Cedar Community no one has been killed yet.” Hall Board of Directors, and while he recognizes the social Similarly, the statement continand economic importance of the meet to many, he says, “It ues: the indoors was over-crowded was a for-profit business, not a community event, as many Josh Winterhalt, fan of Cedar to the point that access and egress people think, and it had long-outgrown the hall and its Swap Meet. Photo: Kerith Waddington to and from the hall had become property.” safety issues. The Cedar Swap Meet has been around since the 1950s, Fiddick also acknowledges that the presence of the swap when it was held on the grounds of the Cassidy Drive-In. When meet has long limited rental opportunities by other members it moved to Sundays at the Cedar Community Hall almost 20 of the community wishing to hold weekend-long events. This, years ago, there were far fewer vendors inside the building and he feels, runs contrary to the mandate of the Community Hall, only a few outside. According to a swap meet supporter, the meet which is to “serve the community, not a private enterprise” now has “well over 100 families” and “over 100 vendors” attendand to “provide locals with a space for community events as ing every week. Those numbers clearly show how the swap meet inexpensively as possible.” has outgrown a hall with fewer than 75 parking stalls and an Board member Bruce Rowland points out that two other local indoor capacity of less than 200, says Fiddick. businesses — the Cedar Farmers’ Market and the Yellowpoint The occupancy figure of the hall is 238 for a seated, banquetChristmas Spectacular — recently, and successfully, relocated bestyle event, such as a wedding (with six people per table and 40 cause they had outgrown their original space. “The board hasn’t tables). The allowable occupancy for the swap meet is less than cancelled the swap meet. Nor is it against private businesses rentthat number, as more tables are set up for it.

Cedar Swap Meet needs home

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ing the hall. The simple fact is that our 100-year-old hall was simply not designed for a business of this size and scope.” Rowland says new renters are coming on board, and in the coming months, the hall will be home once more for community dinners, concerts and dances, weddings and memorials, recreational activities, and the resumption of local youth groups, like Guides, Scouts and 4H. Erica DeFrane, manager of the Cedar Swap Meet at Cedar Hall since 2005, is deeply disappointed by the board’s decision to not renew the contract. “The board told me, they want to get more cultural events in here,” she says. “Well, the hall was built to be a social institution and the swap meet is the very epitome of that. It brings people of all walks of life together to swap not only items but stories, and laughter, and support. We are a real community that cares for and checks in with one another. Economically and socially, this event is a huge part of Cedar. And this building was erected almost 100 years ago for that very reason.” As far as safety issues go, acknowledging that while drivers may have had to slow down while passing the hall, there has always been a way through. Defrane adds that “the meet has never had an attendance anywhere close to the building’s capacity” and that “… we worked closely with the fire department in terms of inspections and making sure we were always up to code.” Since the meeting on June 9, Defrane has left phone messages for the board but, to date, has not heard back. Neither has long-time Cedar resident Josh Winterhalt, who sent an impassioned letter to the board on June 15 asking for their reconsideration.

He believes that losing the swap meet’s aﬀordable meals, livelihood opportunities, and sense of social cohesion is a real blow to the community. “I have been a regular attendant at the swap meet for the past 15 years. It is in no way hyperbolic to say that the swap meet was the foundation for my family’s experience of community here in Cedar/Yellow Point. My children made their first friends there, first learned lessons in economics and entrepreneurship, and it helped them learned the value of saving — not to mention the skill of dickering! It was where we too made our first friends here and we furnished much of our home from the swap. The benefits that accrue to our community from the Sunday Swap Meet are legion and I find it inconceivable how those benefits could have been taken into account in making this decision.” Winterhalt, like Defrane, believes the positives that come from the meet greatly outweigh any negatives. “This is not the time to close doors to opportunities for better mental, physical and communal health.” The Cedar Swap Meet hasn’t been held at the Cedar Hall since COVID-19 hit in March of 2020. Currently being rented to VIHA as a vaccination centre, the hall wouldn’t have been available to the swap meet till November at the earliest. By meeting with Erica about their decision on June 9, the board says they are giving her business a good half-year in which to find a more suitable location. Defrane remains hopeful that the board will be motivated by listening to community feedback and work with her to come up with a solution. “I don’t want to shut that door yet,” she says.

Docking your boat There comes a time in a man’s life when he wakes up in the morning with the overwhelming urge to do something really stupid, like buy a boat. I’m not talking about a rowboat or a small runabout, but something that could get you into the yacht club. If you’re that guy, here’s what you do: 1. Immediately hand over all cash, credit cards and cherub books to your lawyer (unless he happens to own a boat). 2. Mention none of this to your immediate heirs, especially relevant if they own handguns. 3. Proceed, on the next windy day to the public docks where all the visiting yachts are moored. At the public dock, swept by 25 knots of northwester, you discover bedlam: crunching fiberglass, splintering wood, screaming husbands and sobbing wives. Be prepared to wince in embarrassment, grimace in terror, and howl with laughter watching the antics, which are similar to bumper cars, but with much higher

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stakes. It’s called docking. The main problem with docking is a boat’s steering system. It sucks. Boats rely on prop wash pushing against the rudder to provide steerage. The slower a boat goes, the worse the steering as prop wash diminishes. Just when you need it most, to avoid crunching into the 42foot gin palace owned by the litigious Seattle lawyer J. Richard Pobelly, your steering becomes next to useless. And if going forward sucks, wait until you select reverse where the prop wash is pushed forward, away from the rudder. Making matters worse, single screw vessels are subjected to prop walk where the turning propeller causes the stern to ignore your commands and walk to one side or the other. Peachy. Imagine having a car where going slow or selecting reverse disconnects the steering. Wouldn’t that make parallel parking fun? But at least with a car, you can come to a full stop to sort things out. Not in a boat, where wind and tide push you around, usually in a direction you don’t want to go. Like towards Pobelly’s boat where his wife stands shrieking. Enter Captain Salty, an old guy with a massive silver beard large enough to qualify as a spinnaker. He travels in a make-shift rowboat with a rowing style best described as “one oar in the water.” He is oblivious of the near collision with the 42-foot Bayliner making docking attempt number five because in a rowboat you face where you’ve been, not where you’re going. (Imagine if the inventor of the rowboat had designed aircraft, with

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controls and windows in the tail.) Now, I know what you’re saying: “Yes, but docking is a snap with a twin-screw vessel with a bow thruster.” Explain that to the sports fisherman in the gazillion horsepower, twin-screwed, bow-thrusting monster who crunched the dock loud enough to make people wince half-a-mile inland. (Bow thruster: A small propeller mounted underwater in the vessel’s bow that makes a lot of bubbles and loud panicked sounds like a cross between a blender and a leaf blower when called upon in earnest. This sound functions like an emergency siren alerting yachtsmen in the surrounding area to grab a deck chair, pop open a beer, and enjoy the accident about to happen. This is the same bow thruster that worked perfectly on a calm day in the middle of the harbour, when the well-tanned yacht broker effortlessly pirouetted the boat in circles. To get a fuller perspective on yachting, let’s see how seasoned yachtsmen go about it. We’re at the yacht club, where you notice, despite it being a sunny July long weekend, 98% of the boats are in their slips. There, from the safety of the dock, senior club members practice speaking in a strange tongue where a toilet is a head and the vice commodore is not the man you see about adult entertainment. They take particular delight flaunting this arcane vocabulary, especially when a visiting yachtsman, whose only crew member is his cautious 73-year old wife, who is missing her bridge tournament to

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crew the foredeck gamely. She is simultaneously encouraged to “Bear away,” “Bear down,” “Bear up,” “Bear with me!” Her husband on the flying bridge is decidedly not “smarter than the average bear” as, once again, he has forgotten to take his boat out of gear. Stamping his foot on the floor where his Lexus brake pedal would have been does not seem to be helping. Meanwhile, over on the commercial docks where people speak normally, the tugboats make it appear easy. They sail up to their slips, pirouette 180-degrees with the grace of a river otter, then somehow are sucked, as if by magnets, into the dock, the whole performance observed by nonchalant deckhands. Crucially, their boats as well as their docks are festooned from bow to stern with rubber tires. Also, their hulls are hide-the-dent black, not white. That’s why I’m suggesting you name your new boat Goodyear Gal, and drape it with every tire you can get your hands on until it looks like a tire shop display. If it’s good enough for the professionals, it’s good enough for you, mate. This month’s wine recommendation by TAKE 5 staﬀ is a beer because it’s summer and who does not like a cold one after a hot sweaty day? Try Riot Brewing Co.’s Jimbo Boysenberry Blackberry Sour, named in support of drag queen Jimbo. Partial proceeds to Rainbow Railroad. Available in bottles and cans in liquor stores across the Vancouver Island. You can follow Delbert at Slightlycorkedandmore.wordpress.com or pick up his book at Mahle House, Co-Co Cafe, TAKE 5 oﬃce or throughout the community for just $20.

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ISLAND PRUNING. Professional tree care from large scale orchards to budding new trees. I can meet any pruning need. Shrubs, vines and ornamental. Large and small clean ups. Call Darcy Belcourt 250-323-1260.

HELP WANTED LADYSMITH MUSEUM seeks assistant for operating museum, research & community programming immediately. This is a full time position only for a 30 years and under candidate. Hourly wage: $15.20 We acknowledge Canada Summer Jobs funding. Send resume to: museum@ladysmithhistoricalsociety.ca or drop off in person. FOR SALE FISH FISH FISH. Buy direct from the guy who caught it! High quality salmon, lingcod, rockfish. All fish blast frozen at sea. Satisfaction guaranteed! Contact Jim at oceandancer.wallace@gmail.com or 250-245-5957 / 250-739-1123. BUSINESS EXPERIENCED HOUSESITTER Now offering senior companionship, respite care and concierge services. Peaceofmindcare. wordpress.com. Contact Kathleen at kgrcoaching@gmail.com or 250-619-0786. I CAN EDIT. Copy editing, proofreading, structural editing and more. Fiction or nonfiction, web content and eBook prep. For more information, email editican@gmail. com. HEALTH & WELLNESS TAI CHI for mental & physical health. Beginner classes start Sept. & Jan., Mondays; ongoing class Wednesdays. Both classes 10am–noon at the Cedar Hall, 2388 Cedar Road. More information: www.taichinanaimo.org or call Sara 250-245-1466. HOME & YARD HEART LAKE ROOFING for all your roofing repairs, 250-668-9195.

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PAINTER. Certified journeyman. Clean, efficient, respectful, punctual, responsible, with 20+ years’ experience. WCB coverage. Enhance your enjoyment of the home you love. Call Howard at 250-245-2751. INTO THE POND – MAINTENANCE & REVITALIZATION, division of Into the Garden Landscaping Services. Cleaning, maintenance, consultations. Really love your pond! Call for free estimate, 250-466-9339. KB HANDYMAN AND YARDWORKS SERVICES. Minor carpentry work, decks, fences, gutter cleaning, power washing, tree pruning, yard clean up, lawn fertilizing, mowing. Seniors discount. Contact Karl kbhandymanandyardworks@gmail.com or 250-714-2738. QUALITY RENOVATIONS. Big or small. 25 years’ exp/journeyman, affodable. For free estimate, call Lars 250-616-1800. ALL ACRES TREE SERVICE 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 30 years’ experience, certified journeyman carpenter. No job is too small, from fences, decks, tile work, hardwood flooring, painting, drywall, etc. For free estimate, call Darrell 250-714-3823.

PETS PROFESSIONAL PET CARE SERVICE “leash ’em & walk ’em” with Marlena. I am bonded, have Animal First Aid and CPR. My service for all pet includes dog walking, home care visits, overnight in your home and much more. As my love is yours! Call 250-246-3394. SENIORS HIRED HAND for Independent Elder. Odd jobs, companionship, meal prep, etc.! Valid First Aid/ CPR, clean driver’s record, Level 2 FOODSAFE, gardener and handywoman. Call Marilyn at 250606-7069. GRANNY’S ON THE GO COMPANION SERVICES covering Cedar, Ladysmith, Chemainus. Clean drivers abstract, FOODSAFE, First Aid/CPR Gerontology Based Therapeutic Recreation Certificate Kwantlen University, Osteo Fit, Pool Assist & JAVA programs certificates. Working with active seniors that are not quite ready to stop the adventures. COVID-19 guidelines in place when out and about in public. At your service, Janet Bowman at janetmb@shaw.ca or 250-924-1515. LEAVE A LEGACY. Do you have a story to share? We can capture it for future generations in a book, e-book or video format. Professional publishing services for business or individuals. editor@take5. ca or call TAKE 5 at 250-245-7015.

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Are we running out of water? Over the past few years, the topic of Ladysmith’s water supply keeps coming up -- People are worried that we could be running out of water and wonder why the Town continues to allow addition development in the municipality. I decided to take a closer look at this question. First, I looked at the water data tables on the Town’s website. Holland Lake is the Town’s main water source during the summer. It shows that, as of mid-July this year, the lake is 86.2 per cent full. Over the past five years, the capacity of the lake has ranged from a high of 93.1 per cent to a low of 81.1 per cent. So, I determined that as of midJuly, we are in pretty good shape. What about the eﬀects of a long, hot summer? Can we run out of water? Based on the information I gathered from the Town’s website, over the past five years, the lowest level we have reached was 42.3 per cent capacity in 2018, which was another long, hot summer. So, based on this, I believe that we have an acceptable amount of water to meet our present needs. But, then comes the question about development and population growth, as well as the increased demand for water. Over the same five years, statistically our population has grown by over 600 people. This is based on Stats Canada reports that between 2011 and 2016, our population grew by 7.4 per cent. Therefore, using this same rate of growth, Ladysmith’s population grew by 620 people in the last five years. How about the number of new houses being constructed? According to the building inspectors reports, published in Council meetings, 278 dwelling units were approved during the same five years. One would expect that with this influx of people, the demand for water

Outflow from Holland Lake in July. Photo: Rob Johnson

would jump sharply, but the Town’s water data tables show surprising numbers. The average daily water consumption by the Town has stayed relatively constant. Last year, an average of 3847 cubic metres per day, but over the past five years, it has ranged from a high of 3998 cubic metres per day to a low of 3254 cubic metres per day, so it appears there has not been a sharp increase in consumption. Does this mean we can go ahead with unrestricted growth? No! We have to be conscious, as summers are getting hotter while the snow packs on the mountains are smaller. So, what do we do? Town records show that Holland Lake will fill to over capacity by winter and excess water will flow away from the damn into the Chemainus River for about seven months of the year. The wise move is to increase the capacity of the damn to store this excess water. If this is done, then all our existing needs for years to come will be met and this will allow for responsible development, as growth is inevitable. Plans call for raising of the damn and improved water delivery systems for the town. It is estimated that cost of the works, including the expenses incidental, is $23,220,000,

of which the sum of $6.2 million is intended to be borrowed by the Town. This is a lot of money, and hopefully the Town will be able to access both federal and provincial grants to help pay for this, but the Town will still have to raise $6.2 million for its share. The Town applies what are called development cost charges to all new developments. Because new development is the largest benefactor, they will pay most of the total cost of this project, with the taxpayer paying a small portion, thereby benefiting from greater water security. This is very important to all of us because of the uncertainty as to climate change. As long as the residents of Ladysmith are respecting water restriction and water use, we will be okay and plans are underway to increase water supply I think we will be okay. This is important because we are under drought conditions at the present and in the foreseeable future. I believe that some development is possible now, and we will need more in the future if it will be paying for our much-needed upgrades. And that’s as I see it.