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WYNDANSEA
District still expects $1M payback; vote expected Wednesday
Now, THAT is a
INSIDE THIS WEEK: INSIDETHIS WEEK
pothole FAMILY LITERACY DAY Saturday events to mark fun, benefits of reading PAGE 16
ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News While Ucluelet’s council may not be ready to optimistically sing along with the Barenaked Ladies just yet, they’re still expecting to see $1 million come their way from Wyndansea. The development filed for bankruptcy last Wyndansea month leaving developer Elke its long list Loof-Kohler of unsecured creditors in the lurch. Vancouver-based Onni Group has put together a proposal to purchase Ucluelet’s bankrupt Wyndansea development, which creditors were expected to vote to accept or decline on Weds., Jan. 28. The proposal would see the development’s roughly 180 creditors—a list that includes the District of Ucluelet—receiving a small percentage of the approxiSee PAYBACK, page 5
ALSO INSIDE: Few answers after creditor meet-up, Page 5
WARRIORS get gold at Alberni Invitational PAGE 9
Tofino Mayor Josie Osborne shows scale of the 10-foot-deep sinkhole that opened up across Grice Bay Road Friday. JOSIE OSBORNE PHOTO
Massive sinkhole closes Grice Bay JACKIE CARMICHAEL
Westerly News A 10-foot deep sinkhole that closed Grice Bay Road near Long Beach, on Vancouver Island has local leaders wondering about aging infrastructure – specifically 10 similar culverts of a similar age on Highway 4 leading into Tofino. District of Tofino council members voted Tuesday to immediately initiate discussion with the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to investigate the
state of the these culverts and of highway safety on the only road artery in and out of the West Coast. The cavern that opened up late Friday afternoon took up more than a lane, and narrowly missed swallowing vehicles commuting from Grice Bay to West Coast communities. Between rain erosion, narrow or non-existent shoulders and aging wood box culverts, water will find a way, Mayor Josie Osborne told
the Westerly. “It slowly eroded a cavern and the road was bound to fail,” she said. Now the concern is for other spots in the road that may be on their last legs, she said. The closure of Grice Bay road for significant repairs disrupts some boat commuters and pleasure recreators – but a similar disruption on Highway 4 could be a
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See SINKHOLE Page 2
COUGARS on losing end with human contact (photo by Szymon Szymczakowski) PAGE 15
COMMUNITY ALBUM Ucluelet First Nation marks grand opening of new community centre PAGE 12
Page 2 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE
Westerly seeks to raise awareness of packing band issues Sea lions hauled out in the Broken Group Islands rest; an entangled sea lion in the background has a neck worn raw from a loop of plastic.
JACKIE CARMICHAEL /WESTERLY VOICE
WENDY SZANISZLO PHOTO
In 2014, the Westerly News began identifying stories that reported on conflicts between humans and wildlife as “HUMAN/ NATURE.” There are a lot of stories about this on the beautiful West Coast, and we’ve missed a few labels, but we of course noticed the trend. It’s sad when animals are destroyed when their wild ways intersect badly with simple proximity to humans. As a story on Page 15 about cougars attests, this ends badly for the animals. We have identified a single issue – packing bands – as something that education can help with. In coming months, we will be engaging readers to help us spread the word: Lose the Loop. When that intact loop used to secure a box or stack stays a loop, it can tragically end up around
the neck of a curious marine mammal. Many thanks to biologist Wendy Szaniszlo, and to Dr. Marty Haulena of the Vancouver Aquarium, for their combined efforts to address this. This week’s cartoon (see Page 4) by Westerly cartoonist Karine Gordon-
Beaumier seeks to put a gentle spin on this lesson; together, Karine and the Westerly are offering proceeds from any publications using this cartoon to go directly to the Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, where a team of professionals and volunteers has
been freeing entangled sea lions. It’s a big effort – we’ve written about it before – and we will continue to talk about it. If you’d like to help get the word out or donate, we can be reached at jcarmichael@westerlynews.ca or 250-534-9213.
SINKHOLE, continued from Page 1 major concern considering the essential travel on the road as well as the million or so tourist visits made to the West Coast each year. “There are other culverts on Highway 4 that were built at the same time,” said Osborne, estimating that there are 10 culverts of similar age and materials just between the north end of the park boundary and Tofino. Osborne said she’d seen similar things in her work as a Fisheries biologist. “The Park is not alone when it comes to infrastructure challenges. We see this across Canada as bridges and highways fail because of deferred maintenance or delayed replacement,” she said. Until this week, Alicia Bailey of Ucluelet commuted from Grice Bay to Creative Salmon’s Dolly Pass site via boat. Her commute just got 15 minutes longer with the trek into Tofino after the road closed. “I drove over it without realizing – it was a big lump in the road at 4:30 p.m. It was enough for us to stop and say ‘What did we run over?’ “By the time we got home, it was a full-blown sinkhole. I’m very glad it didn’t go while we were going over it,” she said. “If it had
Shown Saturday, Grice Bay Road was closed after a 10-foot-deep sinkhole opened up at the site of an aging failed wooden culvert on a fish-bearing stream. The Long Beach Golf Course wasn’t affected by the closure, and the tsunami evacuation site is still available.. J. CARMICHAEL PHOTO
caved in, it would have caused an accident or something.” Laura Judson is communications officer for the Pacific Rim Nation-
al Park Reserve. She said records indicate the culvert was repaired and the road strengthened about 15 years ago.
Last week’s heavy rains caused the wooden culvert to collapse, she said. Temporary steel plates were put
down to bring out Creative Salmon cars stuck at Grice Bay, she said. The Park was already looking into doing some updates to the road that winds from Highway 4 to the scenic Grice Bay, but replacing the culvert and opening the road is now top priority, Judson said. “It’s seriously undermined, so we won’t be able to let traffic on it until we’ve got that new culvert in there,” she said. “It is an important fish-bearing stream, so we’re taking that into account in how we make the repair.” Judson said Park officials are grateful people quickly spoke up about the sinkhole. “We were able to get on the scene and barricade it. We’re really glad people spoke up and took action as soon as they saw it occur,” she said. Parks Canada has a 24-hour dispatch for such emergency notices. Callers can dial 1-866-944-1744, Judson said. The Long Beach Golf Course wasn’t affected by the closure, and the tsunami evacuation site is still available.
jcarmichael@westerlynews.ca
The Westerly News | Page 3
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
The Westerly News (1987) Ltd. is a division of VI Newspaper Group Limited Partnership The Westerly News publishes weekly on Wednesday and regularly posts online at www.westerlynews.ca
Sunday morning liquor grab ANDREW BAILEY
WHO WE ARE
Westerly News A Tofino liquor store was busted Jackie Carmichael, Publisher into on Sunday. editor@westerlynews.ca Police are investigating a robbery Andrew Bailey, reporter at the Maquinna Liquor Store that reporter@westerlynews.ca took place during the early morning hours of Jan. 18, according to Cpl. Geoff Johnson, advertising gajohnson@westerlynews.ca Therese Cochlin of the Tofino RCMP. Cochlin said one of the store’s winCONTACT US dows was smashed and the thief or P.O. Box 317, Ucluelet B.C. V0R 3A0 thieves were able to reach in and 102-1801 Bay Street, Ucluelet grab alcohol without actually gainPh: 250-726-7029 Fax: 250-726-4282 ing entry into the store. E-mail: office@westerlynews.ca The broken window was boarded up at press time and Cochlin said DEADLINES security measures would be added Display ads Monday at noon to deter future incidents at the Call 250-266-2400 office@westerlynews.ca Maquinna. “Measures have been taken to Classified ads Tuesday at 10 a.m. reinforce security and strengthen the Call 1-866-415-9169 classifieds@westerlynews.ca security at the Maquinna Beer and Online ads Start anytime Call 250-266-2400 office@westerlynews.ca
Wine Store,” she said. The break-in occurred about two hours after an attempted breakin at Tofino’s BC Liquor Store and police believe the two incidents are linked, according to Cochlin who added thieves came away from the attempted BC Liquor Store robbery empty handed. “The security system in the liquor store is such that they weren’t able to gain access,” she said. “Entry was not gained and no product was taken.” Police had no suspects for either incident at press time but their investigation continued. “Our investigation is ongoing and we do have some different avenues to The Maquinna Liquor Store in Tofino was robbed last week. pursue,” Cochlin said. reporter@westerlynews.ca PHOTO ANDREW BAILEY
Widespread scam shows up on West Coast
Letters to the editor Monday at noon office@westerlynews.ca
ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News
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A Tofitian restaurant owner dodged a scam last week and the Tofino RCMP are hoping to help others do the same. On Wednesday, Jan 21, the local restaurateur was We acknowledge the financial support of contacted by a person the Government of Canada through the Canada Peri odical Fund of the Department claiming to be a BC Hydro of Canadian Heritage. representative. The caller stated that the The Tofino-Ucluelet Westerly News, a division of the VI Newspaper Group Limited restaurant’s Hydro bill Partnership, respects your privacy. We was overdue and if a paycollect, use and disclose your personal ment was not made within information in accordance with our 30 minutes the power Privacy Statement which is available by calling 250-729-4223. The contents of this would be shut off, accordnewspaper are protected by copyright ing to Cpl. Therese Cochlin and may be used only for personal, nonof the Tofino RCMP. commercial purposes. “Obviously this represents a significant challenge and loss, potentially, to a business like a restaurant,” Cochlin said. She said the restaurant owner made the right moves by checking their Hydro bill and phoning the company to confirm all their accounts were up to
Jan. 28 UCLUELET Recycles
date before contacting the Tofino RCMP to report the attempted fraud. “They went to their own invoice and their own bill, phoned the BC Hydro number, confirmed that their accounts were all up to date and in order, and immediately reported it to police,” Cochlin said. “No money was lost and they did all the right things.” Cochlin investigated and discovered the energy bill scam is a common one that has occurred across Canada and the United States. Cochlin said the scam has altered overtime and, instead of asking for credit card information, scammers are now directing restaurant owners to purchase pre-paid credit cards. “The people at this call centre are then able to access the funds from that prepaid credit card,” she said.
Cochlin contacted the the country and then work to fraudsters. Canadian Anti-Fraud Cenwith the telephone pro“BC Hydro initially tre to report the attempted vider to try and shut this warned customers of the scam and it turned out centre down but in the scam in early September. that the phone number meantime we don’t want Since then, more customprovided to the Tofino anyone to lose any of their ers have come forward restaurant has been used hard earned money...We’re with additional details. in at least 10 other scam on top of it and we want to See FRAUD page 6. attempts from BC to Nova educate people.” Scotia. The Hydro scam became “This phone number has so common last year that only been in operation BC Hydro posted a bulletin for a short period of time, on its website warning less than a month; what customers not to fall prey ADVENTURE the fraud SHOPPING centre does at now is try to track down The Big Game the phone XLIX Patriots vs Seahawks number and Sunday Feb 1 Kickoff 3:30 Join us for the game get it shut Quality used down,” Coch- Karaoke Every Friday housewares, lin said. HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS · 3-7pm clothes, books “They have Mon: Ciders $4.75 & music investigaTues: Fireball & a Lucky $8.75 Wed: $3.5O Domestic Beer & OPEN 11-5 tors and Bar Highballs intelligence MON-SAT $ Thurs: 4.25 pint Islander Lager CRIB EVERY analysts $ Fri: 4.24 Apple Pie Shot MAIN ST. UCLUELET THURSDAY AT 7PM that will Sat: $3.50 bar Highballs (across from CIBC) $ gather this Sun: $5.25 Caesar Supporting local charities $ 2 Glass Islander Lager information Donation items welcome from across
This Week at…
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T H U R S DAY 2 9
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TIDES Thursday 29 metres
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Friday 30 feet
1.7 5.6 3.4 11.2 1 3.3 2.8 9.2
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Saturday 31 feet
1.8 5.9 3.5 11.5 0.9 3.0 3 9.8
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Sunday 1 feet
1.8 5.9 3.5 11.5 0.8 2.6 3.1 10.2
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Monday 2 feet
1.7 5.6 3.6 11.8 0.7 2.3 3.2 10.5
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Tuesday 3 feet
1.6 5.2 3.6 11.8 0.6 2.0
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Wednesday 4 feet
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3.3 10.8 1.5 4.9 3.6 11.8 0.7 2.3
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Opinion
Page 4 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
What do YOU think? Go online to www.westerlynews.ca to answer this week’s poll question: Is Family Literacy Day, Jan. 31, important? a) Education is the school’s responsibility. b) Awesome! Reading is fundamental to adult success, and is the family’s responsibility. Days like this remind us to take the time to read. c) Who has the time to read to kids? Read The Westerly News next week for results of the online vote. Last week’s results: Asked “What do you think of 1-in10 odds that say a megathrust quake causing damage to structures could occur on Vancouver Island in the next halfcentury?” 26% said those aren’t very high odds, and I like it here - besides, the scientist herself lives on Vancouver Island. 23% said I have my earthquake plan in place, we will stick to higher ground. 11% said I’m worried - suddenly I wish I lived in Edmonton. 40% said Big-city media makes too much sensationalism over what-if’s - did you see the zipper headline?
LETTERS POLICY: The Westerly News welcomes letters to the editor. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, taste, legality and length. We require your hometown and a daytime phone number for verification purposes. Letters must include your first name (or two initials) and last name. Unsigned letters will not be accepted. Email submissions to office@westerlynews.ca
LETTERS
Drop, Cover, Be Buried Thank you for your revealing article about the high likelihood of our school and hospital crumbling in an earthquake. Residents and parents, if the province thinks that this issue doesn’t bother us, then nothing will get done, as has happened so far. But if we support our municipalities in calling for structural improvements, we can make this request heard. Better to be the LOUD squeaky wheel when the alternative is children buried under rubble and no hospital to help them. Sincerely Joanna Streetly Clayoquot Sound
Left, Ahousat Suns with the repeat win. Good luck in Prince Rupert, take us home the trophy already! MELODY TOUCHIE PHOTOGRAPHY
Thanks for support of VIMFF Dear Editor, Thank you so much to VIMFF production manager Kelli Green for bringing the Best of the Vancouver International Mountain Film Fest to Tofino! Clayoquot Action raised over $800 with the raffle and beer sales. Shout outs to Tofino Brewing Company for donating the beer, to Storm Surf for the raffle grand prize of a wetsuit, and to Chocolate Tofino, Live to Surf, Sea Wench, Shelter, SOBO, and Wolf in the Fog for raffle prizes. Thank you volunteers Sieneke, Lorena, Ryan, Elyse, Jess, Tyson, Emily, Forrest,
Alvine and Joey for rocking the event! Last but not least, thank you Tofino for 2 sold-out screenings! See ya next time. Bonny Glambeck Clayoquot Action Tofino
Evan Touchie Legacy Tourney thanks The 7th Annual Evan Touchie Legacy - Tournament of Health took place Jan 23-24th in Yuuthluithaht. 7 men’s teams participated from in the event, we were super stoked to show off our new gym and
were very proud to host the first of many basketball tournaments to come in our new home! The event happens gratefully with the support of the following business : Place TV, Black Rock Resort, Yuuthluithaht First Nation, NTC Nurses, Michele Eng & Jacqueline Seither, Green Soul Ogranics, Common Loaf, Tofino Coop , Far West, Eagle Aerie Gallery. , West Coast Motel Thank you to all the volunteers who came and worked their bunnies off. It’s only with all of you this happens! People tried new foods at the healthy heart concession & participated in the various health booths, which is what it’s all about for me. From the bottom of my heart, my family and I thank you for sharing our message of health & healthier. tiitii aałuk - Look after your health - wellbeing.
Melody Charlie Ucluelet
The Westerly News | Page 5
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Wyndansea meeting offers few answers property is.” St. Jacques said the district will continue its efforts to get itself in the loop and to meet with the parties involved, most specifically the Onni Group. “We’re really looking forward to hearing from the Onni Group as to what their plans are,” she said. “We did express our disappointment that we feel that we Developer Elke have been left Loof-Kohler out of the loop and that it’s a huge piece of our land base as a community and we really want to know what the plans are for it and what’s going on.” Ucluelet’s council made several resolutions at the meeting including to advise the parties involved that “The district considers it has been unjustly treated given the timing of the proceedings during the known District office holiday closure, the lack of notice and the lack of identification of pertinent information to the Court in the CCAA Proceedings regarding the District’s interests.” The motion includes expressing council’s disappointment in the parties’ choosing not to participate publicly in the special council meeting.
ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News The district of Ucluelet held a special meeting last week to be brought up to speed on what’s happening at the bankrupt Wyndansea development but none of the parties invited to the meeting agreed to speak publicly. “We have invited the parUcluelet Mayor ties involved Dianne St. in the latest Jacques activity of Wyndansea to give us a bit of a report on where they’re at and what their plans might be,” said Ucluelet Mayor Dianne St Jacques at the start of the meeting. “We invited them to come but it was very short notice so we’re anticipating that we will have them on a conference call situation if they want to make a statement to all of us as a community.” The Wyndansea Development Corporation, once spearheaded by developer Elke Loof-Kohler, filed for bankruptcy in December. The Onni Group, based in Vancouver, has submitted a proposal to purchase the Wyndansea development but this proposal would see many of Wyndansea’s 178 creditors receiving significantly less than they’re owed. Creditors will vote on Jan 28 on
The district of Ucluelet is frustrated about being left out of the loop in regards to recent legal proceedings concerning the bankrupt Wyndansea development. PHOTO ANDREW BAILEY
whether to accept Onni’s proposal and 60 per cent of voters must approve the proposal for it to move forward. The district of Ucluelet was never consulted on Onni’s proposal and this has local officials feeling frustrated about being left out of the loop. “This restructuring plan was prepared by others without consultation with the district,” said the district’s lawyer Lui Carvello. The district’s frustration was amplified when none of the three parties invited to last week’s special meeting agreed to speak publicly. Carvello said the invited guest list included the petitioners who
filed for bankruptcy in December, the property’s four current mortgage holders, and the Onni Group. After Carvello laid out the guest list, district CAO Andrew Yeates said all three parties had declined the district’s invitation to make public statements at the meeting but had agreed to speak with Ucluelet’s municipal council in private. “We’re feeling left out so we’re trying to remedy that,” St. Jacques said. “This particular exercise has happened very quickly, just in the last three weeks basically, so that’s why we’ve got the folks waiting to speak to us on the phone to try and get more information because
we’ve got lots of the same questions that everyone does.” The meeting’s public audience was asked to leave so the district could speak to the invited parties in private but St. Jacques told the Westerly after the meeting that not much new information was received after the public left. “Not as much as we would like that’s for sure,” she said. “We mostly heard from the accounting group that’s presenting the proposal to the court...They answered questions about their proposal that they’re putting forward for the purchase of the debt, but their answer didn’t give us any new information on what their plan for the
PAYBACK, continued from Page 1 mately $110 million owed to them. “It’s basically a restructuring proposal, which would see these numbered companies that Onni controls acquire the shares of Marine Drive Properties with essentially everything after the Bancorp mortgages falling off the title,” said Ucluelet’s lawyer Lui Carvello. “So all the debts and so on that are related to that, there’s a resettlement proposal that sees a small percentage applied to all of those debts.” Carvello was speaking at a special meeting held in Ucluelet last week to bring the community up to speed on Wyndansea’s latest developments. The district is believed to be owed about $1.3 million, though Carvello suggested that figure should be closer to $2.3 million. He suggested some of these funds owed relate to property taxes and will be dealt with under the community charter but a $1 million covenant on the property will continue to be owed to the district regardless of whether the Onni Group’s proposal is accepted. “The $1 million is already on title, it’s been on title since 2006 rezoning and it’s the only charge that is on title before the
Bancorp mortgage; that’s why it stays,” Carvello said. “It is a section 219 covenant that attaches the master development agreement that prevents the use, building and subdivision of land until the obligations under the master development agreement are done.” Carvello said the Wyndansea property contains two separate agreements, one for the ocean side portion of the land, and one for the inlet side known as Lot 5. He said all of the development costs associated with the ocean side was paid in full in 2005. “There was $2.3 million plus a bunch more for other things that was paid,” he said. The inlet side carries the $1 million covenant, which has not been paid and has been accruing interest, according to Carvello. “That side was never paid and nothing has ever happened on that side so there will not be a permit issued on that side until that payment is made,” he said. “What the restructuring plan proposes is that $1 million will stay on title, it won’t get paid, it will stay on title so that, at some point, potentially
in the future if anybody wants to try to do something with that land it will be addressed at that time. I’m not going to say it will be paid at that time, I’ll say it will be addressed at that time.” Following an in-camera discussion, council made several formal resolutions regarding the Wyndansea proceedings including: “That District staff and Legal Counsel are authorized to dispute, if deemed in the best interests of the District, any decision reached by the Monitor or Court that does not include prompt payment of property taxes and the $1 million amenity payment.” After the meeting, Ucluelet Mayor Dianne St. Jacques told the Westerly News that the district does not intend to budge on the $1 million owed to them. “Anybody, whether it’s Onni or if they sell it...whoever wants to go and do something on that property, before they can they need to pay the district of Ucluelet the $1 million,” she said. “The money that’s in question is the interest that’s been charged on that $1 million and that’s what Onni is dealing with.” reporter@westerlynews.ca
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Page 6 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Rains pour down on wet West Coast The Pacific Rim Highway was bombarded with rain on Friday causing some areas of the road to flood.
Courtenay locals Rea Vandermark and Daniel Stewart took a day trip to Tofino and basked in the soaking wet sights of Long Beach on a very wet Friday afternoon. PHOTO ANDREWBAILEY
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND THE “DISTRICT OF UCLUELET ZONING BYLAW No. 1160, 2013” District of Ucluelet Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 1179, 2015 Notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing, pursuant to Sections 890 and 892 of the Local Government Act, will be held at the Ucluelet Community Centre, located at 500 Matterson Drive, Ucluelet B.C., on February 10th, 2015 commencing at 7:00 p.m. Ucluelet Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 1179, 2015 amends Zoning Bylaw 1160, 2013 by rezoning Lot 4, District Lot 281, Clayoquot District Plan VIP76214, P.I.D. 025-812-700 (542 Marine Drive) from CD-2A Sub Zone - District Lot 281 (Lot 1), Single Family Dwelling to VR-1 Vacation Rental. Shown in area highlighted below
Friday’s rain didn’t stop Meredith Mainguy from taking her two-year-old tatra mountain dog Levy on a jaunt through Tofino.
PHOTO ANDREW BAILEY
Fraud, cont. from pg. 3 A copy of the proposed bylaw and other relevant documents and information may be inspected at the District of Ucluelet office at 200 Main Street from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. between January 15th and February 10th, 2015, (inclusive) except weekends and statutory holidays. Inquiries, comments and concerns may also be directed to John Towgood, Planning Assistant by telephone at (250)-726-4770 or email: jtowgood@ucluelet.ca. Written submissions may also be mailed to the District of Ucluelet, P.O. Box 999, Ucluelet B.C., V0R 3AO, or faxed to (250)-726-7335, but must be received before the commencement of the Public Hearing. John Towgood Planning Assistant
According to reports, the fraudulent calls may come from a 1-800 phone number. The customer’s call display may show BC Hydro or display a legitimate BC Hydro phone number,” the bulletin read. “BC Hydro is reminding customers that it does not collect credit card or bank account information over the telephone and BC Hydro does not take payment from
cash gift cards.” The bulletin advises any Hydro customers who doubt the legitimacy of a call they receive to immediately hang up and call the company at 1-800-224-9376. Cochlin encourages locals to check out the Canadian Ant-Fraud Centre’s website and to alert the RCMP if they receive any fraudulent calls from fake Hydro personnel.
“We want everybody in Tofino to know that, while we don’t think they’re necessarily targeting businesses in Tofino, we do want people to be aware that this exists,” Cochlin said. “We don’t want anyone to be defrauded out of any money so be alive to it.” reporter@westerlynews.ca
The Westerly News | Page 7
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Do pick up your dog’s doo-doo Tofino (it’s the law) ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News A Tofino resident is urging her local leaders to do something about the amount of dog excrement locals and visitors are encountering in town and at the beach. Some local dog owners are failing to pick up after their pets and Tofino’s municipal council received a letter from Elisabeth Smith urging them to do something about it. Smith and her husband have been splitting time between Tofino and Nanaimo for the past four years.
“It has come to our attention that there is a big problem in Tofino of people who do not pick up after their dogs,” she wrote. She suggested the amount of excrement is particularly brutal on local beaches and said she has heard complaints about the situation in downtown Tofino as well. “I know there is a by-law about owners picking up after their dogs, but it doesn’t seem to be enforced very well,” she wrote. “I realize that it is probably a difficult by-law to enforce, but perhaps the placement of more garbage bins and bag dispensers along the beaches and in town would help.”
Tofino’s Animal Control Bylaw No. 866, which came into effect in 2001, requires Tofitians to pick up after their pets. “The owner of every animal, at all times when such an animal is off the premises of the owner, immediately remove or cause to be removed any feces deposited by such an animal in a public or private area and dispose of the feces in a sanitary manner,” the bylaw states. Smith suggested the issue has become a popular topic on social media where locals are airing out their frustrations over the amount of dog feces they are encountering. “A great many people seem to
be quite annoyed and disgusted by this on-going problem. It has even been pointed out that it can be a health hazard for some individuals like small children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with immune disorders,” she wrote. “All summer long small children dig and play on the beaches and it’s sad to think that dog feces might be part of the sand they are playing in.” Smith added that the eyesores pets are leaving behind could have a negative effect on Tofino’s tourism experience. “If I and many other locals are noticing all the dog poop, I’m sure
the tourists must be noticing it as well,” she wrote. “I think the situation gets a little bit better in the summer time, when there are many more people around and so dog owners feel more obligated to pick up after their dogs. But in the winter months it becomes a very disgusting problem.” Smith’s letter was expected to be reviewed by council on Tuesday. “We sincerely hope that something can be done that will help remedy this on-going issue,” she wrote. reporter@westerlynews.ca
COMMUNITY ALBUM West Coasters kicked up their boots at a Line Dancing class held during last week’s Free Fitness Week in Ucluelet. PHOTO ANDREW BAILEY
GOVERNMENT
District puts bylaw policy under microscope; CAO: Despite rumours, enforcement is ongoing ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News Ucluelet is navigating through the murky waters of bylaw enforcement. During last week’s Committee of the Whole meeting in Ucluelet—Ucluelet’s first such meeting since 2008—district CAO Andrew Yeates said the district is conducting reviews of several policies including its bylaw policy. The district’s bylaw officer position has been vacant since July 2012 but Yeates assured other staff members have been filling in since that time. “Bylaw enforcement is still going on,” he said. “I know there’s a rumour out there that we don’t have anybody that does bylaw work but we do.”
Yeates said he handles some of the bylaw work himself along with Ucluelet’s Manager of Planning Patricia Abdullah and Manager of Finance Jeanette O’Connor and he added that other staff members fill in as needed. He said Ucluelet’s bylaw policy has been under review for roughly the past eight months but noted November’s municipal election brought three new faces to Ucluelet’s five-member council, “A very large part of council is new so we’ll be restarting that process,” he said. “Bylaw enforcement is a tough topic; it’s a difficult policy question and it’s something that council’s grappling with.” Yeates explained that there are various routes to take towards bylaw enforcement
and these routes are attached to a wide array of processes, mechanisms, and approaches. “It’s very important that the community and council decide what kind of processes and what kind of enforcement they want,” he said. “Do they want somebody driving around in a car all day looking for problems and writing tickets and harassing people and doing that or do they want it on a complaint-only basis or a two-complaint-only basis or do they want bylaw enforcement to become a go-between between neighbours?” He added there are a number of other factors to consider with bylaw enforcement including collecting fines. “Do you want to start sending your bylaw stuff to col-
lections? Do you want to start going to court over bylaw tickets and bylaw situations? How far do you want to go? You can spend a lot of money in court pursuing people,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is get as many of these issues on the table for council to look at, examine, and consider, and then help them come up with a policy that we’ll end up enforcing.” He said other municipalities have created a special bylaw court, which he touted as “a cheaper, simpler, way of bringing parties together to solve things.” One of the meeting’s audience members asked about the timeline for the bylaw See BYLAW, Page 15
Proudly Presents Local Theatre Production Auditions Auditions will be held on Monday, February 2nd 2015 @ 4pm At The Ucluelet Community Centre in Ucluelet for Grades K-12 by The Missoula Theatre Production There is no guarantee that everyone who auditions will be cast in the play
Rehearsals will be Monday through Friday from 4-6pm and 6.30-8.30pm (Depending on ages and parts of the actors)
Fees to participate are: $20 for 1st Child and $15 for any other children in family
Performance Shows will be WHEN:
Saturday, February 7th, 2015
WHERE: The Ucluelet Community Centre TIMES:
1st Performance @ 3.00pm 2nd Performance @ 7.00pm
Tickets to see Rapunzel will be for sale at Door Children under age 5 – no charge: Children ages 5-18 - $5: Adults $10 (Contact Suzanne Ryles, Event Coordinator on behalf of PRAS, 250-266-2094 for more Information)
Page 8 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
LOCAL BUSINESS FEATURE
Inner Harbour peaceful setting for day spa JACKIE CARMICHAEL
Westerly News Jodeyn Grills has a phrase that comes to mind as she fosters a very tranquil small business on Ucluelet’s placid Inner Harbour. “Inner Harbour equals inner peace,” she said with a smile as a pair of ducks paddled past the deck of Nurture Day Spa. Nestled in amongst the condos at Water’s Edge Resort, her day spa is scenic in a quiet way, on the other side of the inlet from the stormwatching. “It is an ocean view but it’s not wild and crazy, it’s calm and serene,” Jodeyn said. With a small staff, she offers a wide range of beauty and wellness services for men and women alike – with a menu that includes manicures, pedicures, waxing, tinting, facials, RMT massage, and body treatment, including hot stones and wraps. “We’re full service, really,” she said, adding that the menu will soon include an infrared sauna.
Jodeyn Grills surveys Ucluelet’s Inner Harbour from the deck of her business, Nurture Day Spa, at Water’s Edge.
“Local is the new black ... shopping local is a big thing.” She offers the Aveda line of products, and after meeting the founder of the line, she was very impressed with their emphasis on use of sustainable ingredients and organic wherever possible. “They’re high-touch, not high-tech,” she said.
Jodeyn has been providing esthetic services for 20 years, with 13 of those years in Ucluelet. She has been at Water’s Edge for four years, where a growing clientele list find her for esthetics and spa services. “I like to be able to offer
LOCAL IS THE NEW BLACK AT
services that come from the heart - I like being able to connect with people and to have the opportunity to be someone’s day-maker,” she said. “I think that is a beautiful thing.” With new and local management, the Water’s Edge Resort is bringing visitors
B.C. calls for Frenchspeaking jurors Westerly News
We love our locals and are pleased to offer a new loyalty program to say THANK YOU for loving us back: After 5 visits of the same service (eg. Brow shape, gel manicure, etc), receive 20% off your 6th visit After 10 visits of the same service, receive 50% off your 11th visit and a FREE AVEDA gift WE OFFER Waxing • Manicures • Pedicures Gel polish • Tinting • RMT Massage Body Treatments and Facials
www.nurturedayspa.ca 1971 Harbour Cres, UCLUELET
250-726-6278
to her door as well – but her business is 80% West Coast local, and that is important, said Jodeyn, who has been known to open her doors in her Christmas open house to everything from Jolene Sohier’s silver jewelry to Foggy Bean coffee. “Local is the new black
… shopping local is a big thing,” she said, adding that she shops local whenever possible. “I’m all for the feel-good and knowing where your money is going,” she said. She also sells Wild Pacific Trail merchandise, with 100% of the proceeds going to the trail on the inlet’s stormwatching side that has become Trip Advisor’s toprated attraction in BC. Jodeyn Grills is an avid fan of “The Trail.” “The Wild Pacific Trail’s second to none, I love the views, I love the beauty - I cant believe it exists in our town, it’s amazing. I believe in the project, and I’m just so grateful that it’s here,” she said. She loves the gentle diversity of wildlife within view from two sides of the inviting spa, with eagles and deer and sea lions and harbour seals all nearby. “Those little birds tuck here in the wintertime – they come in after the first storm, and as soon as weather gets nice again, they disperse,” she said.
VICTORIA - Are you French-speaking or bilingual and eligible to be a juror? If so, B.C.’s court services invites you to put your name on its French-language jury list. All eligible B.C. voters are listed on the general jury list. Adding your name to the French-language jury list is as simple as going to the website - www.ag.gov. bc.ca/courts/jury_duty/ info/french-trials.htm - and choosing to move your name from the general jury list to the list for French-language trials.
There is a juror list specifically for French-language trials. The website helps expand the pool of eligible bilingual individuals: www.justicebc.ca/en/cjis/ you/juror/french-trials/ index.html Since 1990, Francophone people charged with a crime in B.C. have been entitled to be tried by a judge and jury who speak French. As directed by the chief justice of B.C. Supreme Court, French-language jury trials are currently held in the New Westminster courthouse, unless otherwise ordered by the court.
The ministry is recruiting French-speaking British Columbians to add to the New Westminster list and to potentially make it possible to hold French-language jury trials elsewhere in B.C. Census numbers from 2001 suggest 57,280 (or 1.3%) of British Columbians consider French, one of Canada’s two official languages, their mother tongue. Ahead of them in linguistic number: English, 3.062 million; “other” Chinese, 388,000; Cantonese, 133,000; 94,000 Punjabi and 73,600 German and 66,100 Tagalog.
Check out our new hours: Our oϞce at 1801 Bay Street, Suite 102 is open from 9a.m.-noon on weekdays. Reach Publisher Jackie Carmichael at 250-534-9213 or jcarmichael@westerlynews.ca
The Westerly News | Page 9
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
USS Warriors win top spot at Alberni Invitational The USS Warriors wrestling team is looking strong at the midpoint of the high school season with a successful showing at the recent Alberni MIKE Invitational tournaRHODES ment in Port Alber/LOCAL ni on Jan. 23-24. The ladies took VOICE top honours as Above, Mayben Crabbe looks for the pin. Below, Lukas Bewick they captured the team title with solid performances shoots for a double leg takedown to a pin. from each member while the boys battled hard individually throughout the weekend. Everybody wrestled great. The girls have a good core group that are all about the same age so when they’re all on their game they are very competitive for team scores. The boys are more spread out age-wise so while they do well individually, they don’t really have the numbers to challenge for team titles. The Alberni Invitational is one of the premiere tournaments in the province as teams from all over Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and the Interior attend as the season builds towards the Island and Provincial Championships. “The kids have been working hard all year and it’s nice to see the training paying off at this point in the season,” said Coach Norannda Sigmund. “Hopefully this helps to build momentum and determination towards the end of the season.” The girls finished in top spot, ahead of Campbell River’s Carihi Secondary and host ADSS of Port Alberni with some clutch victories and gritty performances. Heather Morrison took home gold after a tough final match against teammate Murrin Bewick, who earned silver. The girls had a good scrap. They’re fortunate to have each other to train against so they can push each other to get better. You could really see the payoff of this in Murrin’s semi-final match where she dominated a former provincial medalist to get to the finals against Heather. Marlowe Mathieson won bronze despite wrestling through a painful shoulder injury. “I was really impressed with Marlowe’s toughness,” said Coach Sigmund. “You could see it was painful each time she stepped on to the mat but she was determined to push through and not give up.” Maija Watson rounded out the team scores for the girls with a solid fourth place finish for the girls in the senior division. Mayben Crabbe continued to show that the older girls had better watch out for her in the upcoming weeks as she dominated her age division to take gold and then finished the weekend with an exhibition victory over the senior champion. Mayben’s been working really hard and it’s showing in her wrestling and her fitness. She’s going to be one to watch out for heading in to the final weeks. Leigha Auld of UES also took silver in her age division as she continues to progress in her development. On the boys side, each of the Warriors earned at least one victory on the weekend and primed themselves for the push to the season’s end. Van Law showed he’s rounding into form with a silver medal performance in the senior division. Everett Watson started with a decisive victory before a couple tough losses put him just out of the standings. Lukas Bewick and Rowan Mayes had solid finishes to take home fifth places in their categories while Ottis Crabbe won one and lost a couple as he continues to build his skill set in his first year on the team. All the boys wrestled great. They are all progressing as they work hard and compete in some very tough weight classes.The Warriors have one more invitational in Campbell River on Feb. 7 before heading to Duncan to compete in the Island Championships on the 14th and then to Abbottsford for the Provincial Championships. I’m excited for these next few weeks. The rest of the province had better watch out because our Warriors are coming.
Above, Murrin Bewick secures a cross-ankle turn. She earned Silver. Below, Heather Morrison’s on top, and brought home the Gold.
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Page 10 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
WEEKLY CROSSWORD
EVENTS CALENDAR
What’s On!
1. Cut into cubes 5. Food flavorings 11. Longest tenured “Tonight Show” host 14. One being educated 15. British conservatives 18. End without completion 19. Boater 21. Indicated horsepower (abbr.) 23. Protects the chest 24. Expresses pleasure 28. Stiff hair, bristle 29. Blood type 31. Taxis 33. Ribbed material 34. Young female socialite 36. Game cube 37. Priest’s liturgical vestment 40. 2.1 km tributary of the river Seille 42. The golden state 43. Powder mineral 45. Coat with plaster 47. Far East housemaid 48. Digital audiotape 51. Merchandising 54. Libreville is the capital 58. Incapable of flexibility 60. Language of Andorra 62. Repeat in concise form 64. Dark areas 65. Enough (archaic)
12. Filippo __, Saint 13. One below tens 16. Impatiently desirous 17. Inflict a heavy blow 20. As fast as can be done (abbr.) 22. Ma’s partner 25. Carrier’s invention 26. Possessed 27. Invests in little enterprises 29. Summate 30. Rosary part 32. A large body of water 35. Woman’s undergarment 37. Essential oil obtained from flowers 38. Cripples 39. An explosion 41. Of, French 44. Fish of the genus Salvelinus 46. Bahrain dinar 49. Banded calcedony 50. Giant armadillo 52. In place of 53. Electronic countercountermeasures 55. Large package of cotton 56. 3564 m French Alp 57. European defense organization 59. Check 60. Former OSS 61. Not old 63. Goodwill promotion
THIS WEEKS ANSWER
CLUES DOWN 1. Disk jockeys 2. 9th Greek letter 3. Fish of the carp family 4. Medical prefix for within 5. Short for synthesizer 6. What part of (abbr.) 7. Farm state 8. Thermionic vacuum tube 9. Employee stock ownership plan 10. A crane
ture story, which is good thing because it’s a pretty chill week here on the coast. Don’t panic. There’s still the Monday Night at the Movies happening in Tofino at the Clayoquot Theatre. This week they’re screening The Judge (2014) starring Robert Downey Jr. and an excellent supporting cast. It’s a story about a jaded, bigcity defense lawyer forced to face his past and return to his smalltown home where his father (the town’s judge) is being investigated for murder. This film has received excellent ratings and is definitely not suited for youngsters. Movie starts at 8 p.m. Ladies, check out Expressive Writing (Journals, Memoir & Poetry) for Women, 7 - 9 pm, Free dropin offered by Westcoast Community Resources Society at the Social Services Hub, 500 Matterson Drive. Call 250-726-2343 for info. Last weekend’s screening of
the best of the Vancouver International Film Festival sold out and a second, earlier screening was added to accommodate demand. The short-film entitled And Then We Swam was a story about two light-hearted but inexperienced men from England who embark on a rowing journey attempting to cross the Indian Ocean, until they lose their boat just miles away from the finish-line. This film left the audience hanging on the edge of their seats. The event was hosted by Clayoquot Action as a fundraiser for their mission to keep our waters clean and green. Organizers started off the show with a presentation highlighting local environmental issues. The work they do is important for our lush environment and collective future here on the coast. See WHAT’S ON Page 14
• Books • Natural Foods • Espresso 243 Main St. 250-726-7668
HOROSCOPE ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 There is no harm in being ambitious, Aries. But a little humility to accompany that ambition can go a long way. Accept any recognition you earn in an appropriate manner. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Your desires make it seem like anything is within reach this week, Taurus. You may have to work a little harder to achieve your goals, but hard work is its own reward. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Postpone chores that are not essential, Gemini. This way you can make the most of your upcoming free time with friends and family. You deserve a little break now and again. CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, try to avoid stretching yourself too thin in the coming weeks. Your ambition and energy are at an all-time high, but if you do not slow down, you can easily get burnt out. LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 It’s impossible for people to try to contain all of your energy this week, Leo. Direct your energy in a positive way and use it to reach your goals. VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 Express your feelings without any inhibition, Virgo. Others will appreciate your honesty, especially if you employ some tact when sharing your opinions. LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, no matter how crazy your life is right now, you still manage to come out looking no worse for wear. You have a handy way of making lemonade out of sour lemons. SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 Your long-term career opportunities are looking good, Scorpio. If you do what makes you happy, you will always end up on top and financial rewards will follow. SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, although you see lucrative career opportunities at every bend, you are not ready to make a big change. You will know when the moment has come to make a change. CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 Proceed gently if you want to make any real progress, Capricorn. You’re feeling more optimistic, but you still need to exercise caution. Common sense can keep you grounded. AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, friends may arrive at your home with plans for fun and adventure. Any kind of celebration or social situation is what you crave right now. Go ahead and enjoy yourself. PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 Don’t worry about a potential conflict, Pisces. In due time you will realize this was nothing to get worked up about.
Parties, Weddings, Events 250-266-2044
www.sharkyballoons.com
SUDOKU
CLUES ACROSS
Reading with your young children for 15 minutes a day can increase your child’s learning skills and development. So pack up the family and head on down to the Ucluelet Community Centre this Saturday ALISHIA (Jan. 31) from 1 FOX p.m. - 4 p.m. and get involved in the /WEST Family Literacy COAST SOUNDS Day fun. Learn to count in NuuChah-Nulth, listen to grown-ups read stories they loved as kids and stick around for a family-friendly session of Bingo. See related stories on Page 16. No family, no kids? No problem. You’re still invited to join in on the fun. Bring your favourite recipes and dust off those gently used books for a swap. Everyone is sure to walk away with a new yummy dish to try or an exciting adven-
Fun By The Numbers Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku THIS WEEKS savvy to the test!
Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
SUDOKU ANSWER
The Westerly News | Page 11
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
COMMUNITY ALBUM
West Coast local Lyvi Rivera shook Ucluelet’s Free Fitness Weekers through her Latin Fury Cardio class on Saturday. PHOTO ANDREW BAILEY
Ukee kicks up Age-Friendly Action Plan ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News With more locals opting to stay local rather than retire elsewhere, Ucluelet is taking steps to ensure the community is catering to its senior crowd’s comforts. Ucluelet is drawing up an AgeFriendly Action Plan thanks to a $19,450 grant it recently received from the Ministry of Health’s age friendly community planning and project grant program. Ucluelet’s grant funds will not be spent on capital projects but will go towards identifying, through community consultation, capital projects and programming to pursue to best benefit Ucluelet’s 55-and-up population, according to Ucluelet’s Director of Parks and Recreation Abby Fortune. “Our older population is staying in the community more than we’ve ever seen before,” she said. “That’s a trend that’s going on right now.” She said the creation of an age friendly action plan will help the district identify projects and
establish policies and funding allocations based on the needs of local seniors. “It’s really important that it’s community driven,” she said. “We have a lot more people staying here. Are we providing them with the best that we can provide them with?” She said the district will conduct surveys and meet with various seniors’ groups to discuss and brainstorm priorities and plans. “Getting feedback from the community in a relaxed setting,” she said. “We need to hear from the community in order to create an action plan.” The end product will prioritize funding, programming, and infrastructure and will also identify additional grants that could be pursued, according to Fortune. Accessibility will be a big piece of the process as brainstorming sessions will hash out how best to help the older crowd explore the best Ucluelet has to offer. “Look at our incredible trail net-
work that we have here in Ucluelet, it’s second to none, are we making that accessible and how can we make that better accessible,” Fortune asked. She said downtown accessibility will also be looked at to ensure locals can get to Ucluelet’s various facilities like the community centre. “You want to make all the facilities as accessible as possible,” she said adding increased pathways throughout town may be discussed. Programming will also be looked at to ensure seniors have access to a solid menu of recreational activities. “We’ve got some very, very, successful senior’s programming here, are we going down the right road, is that enough, are there other areas that we can further enhance,” Fortune asked. “Our big key is the overall health and wellness of the community; are we delivering to this age group the way we want to be?”
Ucluelet was one of twenty-eight that are making changes to betBC communities to receive a grant ter support the needs of seniors,” through 2015’s age-friendly comsaid Union of BC Municipalities munity planning and project grant president Sav Dhaliwal through a program, which committed about media release. $500,000 to various age friendly Of the 28 communities to receive projects across the province, grants through the program this according to a Ministry of Health year, Ucluelet is one of 18 that media release. plan to use the money developing “Supporting seniors’ independage-friendly action plans, which ence and health in their home are required to achieve recognition communities is part of the provas an age-friendly BC community, ince’s strategic vision for an ageaccording to the release. friendly British Columbia,” said “I am particularly pleased to see BC’s Health Minister Terry Lake numerous communities’ projects through the release. focused on accessibility and keep“These grants will see local goving seniors safe,” said Parliamenternments develop locally focused ary Secretary for Healthy Living plans and projects to support the and Seniors Michelle Stillwell. needs of older adults.” Fortune said the need for an The grant program is offered age-friendly plan was identified through a partnership between the in Ucluelet’s Parks and Recreation Ministry of Health and the Union Master Plan. of BC Municipalities. reporter@westerlynews.ca “This long running program Vaccine and Appointment Clinic provides a capacity boost for communities
Courtenay woman, 72, saves friend, 89, from fire TIMES COLONIST - With singed hair and first-degree burns, 72-year-old Helen Goulet dragged her 89-year-old friend Rose out of her Courtenay home, which was quickly being consumed by flames. It was a dangerous rescue on Sunday afternoon, but Courtenay’s fire chief said
if Goulet didn’t run into the home, Rose likely would have died. Goulet was at Rose’s house, helping her husband clean out the garage when she heard Rose scream. She saw flames spreading throughout the living room of the single-storey wood-frame
house, said Fire Chief Don Bardonnex. Goulet ran around the back of the house, entered through a back door and found Rose lying on the kitchen floor. Rose, whose last name was not released, has extremely limited mobility so it took Goulet a considerable effort
to help Rose out of the house and around the front to safety, Bardonnex said. Courtenay firefighters got the call about 4:55 p.m. and rushed to the home on Rachel Road. One third of the house was on fire and crews began to tackle the blaze.
for Dogs & Cats
Wednesday, February 11th, 2015 Ucluelet’s UAC Hall (located beside the firehall on Peninsula Rd)
9:30 am – noon &
Tofino’s Royal Canadian Legion
Alberni Vet Clinic ph 250-723-7341 www.albernivet.com
1:30 – 4 pm Visit our website
Page 12 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
COMMUNITY ALBUM
Above, dancers at the grand opening of the Ucluelet First Nation new community centre. TOP PHOTOS, MELODY CHARLIE. Below, District of Ucluelet Coun. Randy Oliwa presents a commemorative gift to UFN President Charles McCarthy. Right, drummers perform. LOWER PHOTOS, WESTERLY NEWS.
Above, dancers wear colourful shawls. Far right, elders of the Ucluelet First Nation in the beautiful new facility. WESTERLY NEWS PHOTOS
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Above, NDP candidate for MP Gord Johns and Port Alberni Mayor Mike Ruttan are among the dignitaries at the event.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
The Westerly News | Page 13
Page 14 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Experts: Elk poaching common in Alberni Valley ERIC PLUMMER
Alberni Valley Times Elk poaching is easy for those willing to search the wilderness south of Port Alberni, say some wildlife experts of an ongoing problem caused by forestry operations in the area and tight restrictions on legal hunting of the animals. The issue has grabbed headlines in recent weeks with the discovery of six Roosevelt elk carcasses since early November in various parts of the area east of the Inlet and south of Port Alberni. A limited entry hunt exists for the animals, and First Nations are permitted to harvest elk in some parts of Vancouver Island. But the carcasses found over the last two and a half months were all illegal kills, as the B.C. Conservation Officer Service allows no elk hunting in the region south of Port Alberni. The Nuu-chahnulth Tribal Council and the provincial wildlife authority have posted a reward of more than $30,000 for information leading to the conviction of those involved in the poaching incidents. Despite the alarm the recent kills have created, elk poaching south of Port Alberni is nothing new, according to Dennis Jelinski, an associate professor in the University of Victoria’s Department of Geography. He believes the six
carcasses found could be a small fraction of the poaching that is actually taking place. “I bet you there’s just someone driving around on an ATV with a rifle looking for elk,” said Jelinski. “How many carcasses are out there that nobody has seen?” Elk often graze near roads or in the vegetated areas along riverbanks. Forestry activity makes the animals easy prey for illegal hunting, as poachers can drive along logging roads or spot elk in clearcuts where no hiding places are available, said Jelinski. “By virtue of building more roads for forest practices, it means you’re opening up a lot more of the landscape to easy access,” he said. “Then people just drive up and down these roads, and elk tend to be found along forest edges, not deep in forest.” Mike Stini has worked as a consultant with the province assessing winter ranges for elk and deer on Vancouver Island. He’s seen for-
estry activity have a direct impact on elk herds, including within the Franklin River valley. “There was an elk herd starting to establish and then they started logging it at a very rapid rate in there. Now they’re gone,” he said, adding that open logging roads and elk poaching often go hand in hand. “These are big animals. If somebody kills them, they’re not going to pack it for miles down a deactivated road. They’re going to shoot it somewhere close to their vehicle so they can get it and get out fast.” Despite forestry’s impacts on elk herds, most Roosevelt populations on Vancouver Island are stable. The draft of a Roosevelt elk management plan being undertaken by B.C.’s Ministry of Forests estimates that some groups south of Port Alberni could even be growing in numbers, including the Klanawa River’s 70 animals, an area where a poached female was found by a Port Alberni resident
Community Events Calendar See What’s On (page 10 and 14) for special events. 28 WEDNESDAY Preschool Play Group, 10am–noon, Tofino Community Hall. Seniors Social Afternoons, 1:30-4pm, Tofino Legion. Free admission & refreshments, games Free drop-in meditation class, Westcoast Community Resources Society at UCC, Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m. Strong Start, Ucluelet Elementary School, 8:35-11:35. Holy Family Church, 9:30am, 1664 Peninsula Rd. Ucluelet.
Ucluelet library, open 1–6pm
29 THURSDAY Bingo, Royal Canadian Legion, Tofino, every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Dads’ Night Out, Swim Night at Ocean Village Pool – 6:00-7:30 pm Free for kids and dads or ‘fatherly figures’. Contact Kyla at 725-3229 to arrange free transportation with Tofino/Long beach area. Boat transport available from Opitsaht – call Sheenagh at 725-2555. Healthy Babies Program/Family Ties, 10:30am. Drop-in for
expectant, new parents, Coastal Family Place, Ucluelet AA weekly Monday and Thursday at 8pm. at Holy Family Church at 1663 peninsula rd. The Edge Youth Room, 3–6pm, UCC & Youth Nite at the Edge, Cooking, movies, art projects & more, 6–8pm, $2. Tofino library, 331 Main St., 3–7pm. St Columba Anglican/ United Church Bible study, 10:30 a.m., UCC
23 FRIDAY Tofino Library Storytime: 11:30 am – 12 noon. 331 Main
St. Songs, stories, rhymes and more! Ages 3-5 with caregiver. The Edge Youth Room, 2–6pm, UCC Storytime at Tofino Library.
24 SATURDAY Family Literacy Day UCC, see Page 16 for details Tofino library, 331 Main , 10am–noon & 1–5pm. St. Francis of Assisi Church, mass 5:30pm, 441 Main St. Tofino. AA meeting, 7:30pm, St. Francis Church, 441 Main, Tofino.
Tofino Clayoquot Heritage Society Annual General Meeting and special resolution
coastrealty.com
Wednesday Feb 11, 2015 4:00 p.m. at Museum Space in Tofino Legion
Tofino & Ucluelet 250-726-8113 sold@telus.net
on Dec. 28. “Although their global distribution is smaller and more fragmented than pre-1900, the B.C. population is growing, particularly in the South Coast region,” states the ministry’s report. Jelinski doubts that the recent poaching reported south of town would threaten herds in the region. “I don’t think that this would have much or any impact, especially in the Port Alberni area,” he said. “There’s some of the highest densities right around Port Alberni.” But hunting of the species remains tightly controlled to approximately 300 licensed kills annually. Meanwhile, 15,000 hunting applications for Roosevelt elk are made in B.C. each year. Under the provincial Wildlife Act, poachers can face up to six months in prison, a $50,000 fine and a 30-year hunting licence suspension. But penalties this severe
Call for community events update: Please update your community event listing. e-mail office@westerlynews.ca
25 SUNDAY Christ Community Church, 10:30am, 1419 Peninsula Rd. Ucluelet. Grace Bible Church, 10:30am, Ucluelet Community Ctr., 500 Matterson Holy Family Church, 10 am, 1664 Peninsula Rd. Ucluelet. St. Columba Church, 10:30am, 110 Second St. Tofino. Tofino Bible Fellowship at Tofino Legion at 10:30.
26 MONDAY Monday Night Movies, Clayoquot Community Theatre, Strong Start, Ucluelet Elementary School, 8:35-11:35.
Ucluelet AA, weekly Monday and Thursday at 8pm. Holy Family Floor hockey,
Dave Christensen
are rarely given, said Jelinski. “A big problem around poaching for a long time is that the courts don’t take it very seriously,” he said. “For a poacher, the chance of getting caught is pretty slim. And then if they’re caught, it’s worth $50.” Legal hunting opportunities near Port Alberni could open up in the future, according to the ministry’s elk management draft. Plans are underway to introduce a limited entry hunt in the Klanawa valley and the Nitinat Lake area, where the province estimates a group of 66 elk are growing. “Guided hunts for non-residents are in high demand and provide a high return to guide outfitters,” states the Ministry of Forest’s report. “Roosevelt elk are also highly sought after for wildlife viewing. These uses generate direct and indirect revenue to the Crown, as well as economic benefits to communities, regions and the province.” Until the management of Roosevelt elk changes, it appears poaching will continue. The Nuuchah-nulth Tribal Council reported 17 illegal kills near Port Alberni in the year before this winter’s wave of poaching incidents. Report possible poaching by calling 1-877-952-7277. Tips can be given anonymously
7–9pm, Ucluelet Seaplane Base Rec Hall. $2 drop-in. Indoor Soccer, 8–10pm, Ucluelet Secondary School gym, $2. Competitive & drop-in darts, doors 7pm, play 8pm, Tofino Legion.
WHAT’S ON, from 10
Hey families, Dads’ Night Out, Swim Night at Ocean Village Pool – January 29, 6:00-7:30 pm Free events for kids and dads or ‘fatherly figures’. Contact Kyla at 725-3229 to arrange free transportation with Tofino/Long beach area. Boat transportation is available from Opitsaht 27 TUESDAY – contact Sheenagh at 725-2555. StrongStart, 5-8pm Sponsored by Wickaninnish ComFish and Loaves free munity School Society, Tofino Parks community lunch, and Rec., and Ocean Village. Tofino Community If that’s not enough to keep you Hall entertained this week, the storms Healthy Babies Prohave certainly kicked up a whole gram/Family Ties, new batch of trash on our shores. 10:30am. Get your rain gear on and head to Ucluelet library. Uclue- the beaches with friends (or family) let Community Cen- and make a game out of cleaning up. tre, open 1–6pm. Get creative, have fun and do someThe Edge Youth Room, thing rewarding for yourself and 3–6pm, UCC our communities. You never know Youth night, 7-9pm, what kind of treasures you’ll find Tofino Legion. and if you come across something St. Francis of Assisi interesting, please feel free to send Church, mass 5pm, us a picture with your names and 441 Main St. Tofino. the beach your treasure was disFood Bank on the covered on. Have a great week, West Edge, pick up Coasters! 1–3pm, Seaplane Base Rd. AA meeting, 7:30pm, St. Francis Church, Tuff
office@westerlynews.ca
The Westerly News | Page 15
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
WESTERLY NATURE PAGES population of Cougars on losing end of human contact Island big cats rebounds KATHERINE DEDYNA
Times Colonist Wildlife might be close to the hearts of B.C. residents in theory, but in real life, it’s rare for cougars who come into contact with humans or pets to survive the encounter. The cougar killed near Ucluelet Jan. 6 after stalking a cat inside the home of Ted Benson was among 63 cougars killed by B.C. conservation officers since last April, including 23 on Vancouver Island. Another 30 big cats were killed by RCMP or others in cases of “imminent threat” or when an officer was unavailable, an Environment Ministry spokesman said. (Two more of those cougars destroyed were sibling and mother to the big cat that chased Ted Benson’s little cat into his house, the Westerly News reported.) In the past four years, only five cougars from the Island were anesthetized and relocated by conservation officers and six more hazed — that is, re-habituated to their natural diet and fear of humans, according to ministry figures. That’s because it’s not only difficult and traumatic for the cougar, but almost always unsuccessful, said Mike Badry, wildlife conflict manager for the Environment Ministry. Yes, it’s more expensive to trail a cougar and capture it depending on the number of staff involved and how far the animal is transported by vehicle or helicopter but “money is not the issue,” he said. “If it worked, it would be used quite readily.” Relocation is so unsuccessful that a cougar is “pretty much dead” even as the process is being undertaken, he said. They are severely stressed by anesthetization and being moving and then use their “incredible ability” to find their way back to the place where the problem occurred in the first place, he said. That is if they don’t get killed on the highway or by another cougar whose hunting territory they’re invading as they travel, Badry said. Whatever the cougar’s predicament, the key issue is the risk to human safety. A total of 29 B.C. residents were injured by cougars since 2000, but none killed since two people in the 1990s, according to the Biodiversity Branch of the B.C. government. Once a cougar has been bold enough to enter a house to pursue a food source — a pet — it must be destroyed, as it has
lost its fear of humans, which increases the risk to human safety, Badry said. That said, a B.C. resident is much more likely to be killed by a dog or stinging insect than a cougar, says the 2010 report on cougars called B.C.’s Neglected Carnivore produced by the Rainforest Conservation Foundation. A bullet reduces the chances of more conflict between humans and a particular cougar to zero and is “much cheaper” than tranquillizing and relocating, said foundation science director Chris Darimont, also a University of Victoria geographer. Given how seldom cougars survive encounters with conservation officers, Darimont isn’t sure the officers’ title is the correct one. “I’ll also say that I suspect most to all feel awful about having to kill cougars and other animals. They work within a system that is broken.” How? “It’s broken because it’s increasingly underfunded to perform conservation objectives, as evidenced by the typical lethal outcomes of human-cougar conflict as opposed to more expensive options — education and relocation. “It’s also broken more fundamentally in that the target of conservation is so-called ‘game’ prized by hunters, not the conservation of carnivores as populations or individuals.” The cougars’ ecological role and the welfare of individual cougars should be taken more into account instead of a “default to lethal control” methods, he said. Human behaviour is frequently the reason that cougars become habituated, said the ministry official. “We’ve allowed cougars to be comfortable around urban areas,” Badry said. One way is by making communities attractive to deer — cougar prey — by offering plenty of easy food in the form of gardens or handouts. Another is garbage left outside
SZYMON SZYMCZAKOWSKI PHOTOGRAPHY
that attracts raccoons — another favoured prey. For cougars, pets are an easy kill compared to other wildlife, he said. When cougars become aware of humans as food sources and have shown no fear around them, they are habituated, and could try to return, “causing a significant risk to humans, specifically small children, as well as to pets and livestock,” the Environment Ministry spokesman said. Hazing sounds good as an alternative to shooting cougars, but its application is “very limited” to naïve young animals who do not associate humans with available food and react to them by fleeing, rather than indifference, curiosity or starting to crouch. If they have attacked pets or livestock, cougars must be destroyed, he said. They’re habituated, Badry said. Juvenile cougars, often the ones that are destroyed, might be spilling into marginal hunting areas closer to humans because mature cougars have established the best hunting territory for deer and the occasional elk, Darimont said. “There are a lot of cougars out there, getting pushed out,” he said, turning to areas closer to homes in light of the downturn in blacktail deer in the wild. He
cringes at Oak Bay municipality culling deer when cougars go without. Darimont abhors how cougars are sometimes tracked after habituation on the way to their destruction. He describes cougar hounds equipped with radio telemetry collars set off near fresh tracks and treeing cougars until the arrival of officers in a vehicle who shoot the cougar out of its perch with a high-powered rifle. The Raincoast foundation quotes a 1997 report that says: “Remarkably, the annual budget for cougar management in B.C. was estimated at only $12,000. These funds were used primarily for the inspection of dead cougars.” Wildlife budgets are not allocated by species, responds Greig Bethel, spokesman for the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. That figure likely refers to the compulsory inspection the province requires. “This means that after harvest, they must be presented for inspection to a designated official to confirm the kill, which monitors harvest.”
kdedyna@timescolonist.com
BYLAW, continued from Page 7 policy review to be complete and Yeates responded that it could be doable in six months but that it would depend on council’s wishes and how much Ucluelet’s new council wants to restart what was done under the last council. Coun. Randy Oliwa noted the policy would need to go through a public process as well. Mayor Dianne St. Jacques said a more solid answer to the timeline question could be provided once council has gone through strategic planning and prioritizing sessions next month.
“We’re going to be doing that in hopefully early February,” she said noting Coun. Marilyn McEwen is currently away. “We’re just waiting for our other councillor to return from a preplanned holiday that she’s on and she’s back the first part of February so we’ll be able to give you some more clear answers about that.” She added there is a lot of interest within the community regarding bylaw enforcement.
reporter@westerlynews.ca
A dozen years ago, cougar numbers on Vancouver Island had plummeted to 400 or fewer, barely half the total from the mid-1990s. Now, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations estimates the population has rebounded to about 600 cougars on the Island out of 5,150 to 7,000 in B.C., with a mid-range of 6,075. Cougars can be hunted as part of a General Open Season “since they are not a conservation concern,” said Greig Bethel, a spokesman for the ministry. But Chris Darimont, a University of Victoria assistant professor and science director of Raincoast Conservation Foundation, said no one knows for sure whether cougars in B.C. are a healthy population. “That has not been studied directly.” The cougar hunt on the Island runs from Sept. 1 to June 15, and is closed from June 16 through Aug. 31. Throughout B.C., it is illegal to hunt a cougar kitten or an adult cougar with a kitten at any time, regardless of season, Bethel notes. But Darimont said there is nothing to stop hunters from killing a mother after she has left her kittens in the safety of a nursery. Adult females remain targets on the Island for most of the year, he said, despite their importance to population health. Bethel said wildlife biologists assess the health of cougar populations, including how many are hunted, their age, calls regarding problem cougars and prey population trends. A project recently funded by the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund ($46,600) and the ministry ($10,000) will use DNA and computerized modelling to generate cougar population estimates for northern Vancouver Island. Although Darimont is a hunter, he eats what he kills and calls for a more ethical approach to hunting carnivores such as cougars for trophies, rather than food. “It’s irrelevant that there might be ‘enough’ cougars to hunt at this level,” he said. The cougar hunt amounts to letting a minority of hunters who want to boast about their trophies to cause unjustifiable suffering to wildlife and jeopardize the ever-weaker social status of hunting in general, he said. — Kathryn Dedyna
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Page 16 | The Westerly News
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
FAMILY LITERACY WEEK
Celebrate love of reading with West Coast events JACKIE CARMICHAEL
Westerly News It’s Family Literacy Week, and related events will pop up on the West Coast. For starters, Saturday, Jan. 31 is Family Literacy Day from 1-4 pm at the Ucluelet Community Centre. Look for a book swap and recipe swap, as well as 1:30 p.m. Grownups read books they loved as kids, 2 p.m. Learn to count in Nuu-chahnulth with Gisele Martin, 2:30 p.m. Storytime with Sgt. Jeff Swann and 3 p.m. Family Bingo. For Ucluelet recreation programmer KK Hodder, a gift from cousins Sarah and Susie at age 6 formed a lasting bond. It was Shel Silverstein’s ‘Where the Sidewalk Ends.’ “I loved this book … I was really stuck on a couple of the poems ... I loved his made up words and the imagination around it. The
life-long reader,” she said. Marcie deWitt is a community developer for the Coastal Family Resource Centre. As a kid, she was engrossed in the works of Dr. Seuss (think ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go’), Robert Munsch – and also the poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson. DeWitt said the Richard Scarry illustrations Chantel Gemmell, Abby Fortune, Marcie deWitt and KK Hodder show the fave books of that went along their childhood in preparation for Family Literacy Day at the UCC. with Stevenson’s “Child’s Garden of illustrations were always great, selves, still totally encouraged her Verses” were appealing. and I loved the absurd,” Hodder voracious appetite for the written “It’s the only one I took from my said, recalling that her parents, word. parents’ house,” she said. who weren’t big readers them“It’s definitely made me into a Abby Fortune’s key into the
Sue Lee organizing readings at UCC Sat.
book swap Bring your books to trade for new ones! books for all ages. no magazines or textbooks pls
recipe swap share your favourite (simple) recipe and get many more in return from our recipe wall!
world of reading was Beverly Cleary’s ‘Ramona the Pest.’ “This was the reason I started to read as a kid,” she said. Ramona – and Encyclopedia Brown – and having a librarian for a mom. (Interestingly enough, Lyvi Rivera also identified with this book as a child..) And now, after countless readings of ‘Are You My Mother?’ her son is an avid reader, too, Fortune said. When Chantel Gimmell was 12, John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ had a transformative effect. “It completely changed my view of good and evil, right and wrong,” she said. Now she has a family, Gemmell is transferring that love of reading to the next generation. “I think it’s incredibly important. It opens worlds, brings people together – and it’s fun,” she said. jcarmichael@westerlynews.ca
B.I.N.G.O!
As a child, Susan Lee used to stuff a towel under her door so her dad couldn’t tell she was still reading. Lee’s love JACKIE of reading CARMICHAEL adventure books /WESTERLY helped form VOICE her life as a person who gets out there and sails and kayaks – and buys a bookstore because every town should have one. “Books have the ability to change 1-4 pm BOOK SWAP! Bring your books to trade for new ones! our perspectives and influence our 1:30 pm grown-ups read books they loved as kids development as people. Books are 2 PM Learn to Count in Nuu-Chah-Nulth with Gisele Martin so meaningful that tens of years 2:30 pm Storytime with Sgt. Jeff Swann later, adults still remember and 3 pm Family BINGo! Prizes to be won!! cherish the books that moved, inspired and entertained them when they were kids themselves,” she said. “And there are books out there that will do the same for younger readers now - despite all the Celebrates Family Literacy Week overwhelming Saturday Jan. 31, 1:30-2pm at the UCC new technolo“Grownups Read From Books They Loved As Kids” gies and gizmos competing for A West Coast Bookstore Local History | Local Authors | Local Nature their attention.” Gardening/Environmental | Food and Health | Spiritual Lee, who owns Children’s | First Nations | Current, New and Used Fiction Blackberry Cove Marketplace Natural Foods & Organic Produce Grocery Vitamins & Supplements | Local Crafts and Baking and reviews books for the Espresso Bar Westerly, agreed 245 MAIN STREET, UCLUELET | 250.726.7668 to organize a FACEBOOK.COM/ B LACKBERRY C OVE M ARKETPLACE Family Literacy FAMILY BINGO GAME WITH PRIZES!!
FAMILY JAN 31 LITERACY UCC DAY 1-4PM
Blackberry Cove Marketplace
SUSAN LEE
Day event where adults would read from books that impacted them as youths. “I wanted to re-inforce to both adults and kids (of any age) that reading and books are still powerful and important,” she said. For this writer, Jane Eyre was a book a reread many times as a girl and that shaped my determination to triumph over life’s adversities, and I will read from it on Saturday.. Either that or the poems of A.A. Milne. My belief that reading is the basis for all kinds of success has led me, along with friends like Erin McMullan, and Lee at Common Loaf, to start the West Coast Little Free Library, which has five tiny branches and continues to grow. I would love to see West Coast schools embrace DEAR Day where everyone Drops Everything And Reads, and guest readers come to class to share their love of reading - and to hear more about local literacy loving events already in place. Send me a note! jcarmichael@westerlynews.ca