Lake Cowichan Gazette, May 02, 2012

The Lake Cowichan

Gazette Town Council: Town council and Chamber of Commerce agree to work together

Community: Suiting up with the Mesachie Lake firefighters

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2012

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STAR C a raving success

Tamu Miles Photo

Some of the garden boxes available to rent at the community garden site at LCSS. Tamu Miles Gazette

Michele Taylor, a teacher at Lake Cowichan Secondary School, is proud of what her and her Grade 8 students have accomplished with the S.T.A.R.4C. Raving Mad for the Environment exploratory program. STAR4C stands for Students Taking Action by Recycling, Reusing, Reducing, Refusing, and Composting.

Since September 2011, Taylor and her students have reduced the amount of waste sent by the school each day to the landfill from 45 bags to approximately 10 or 15. Breaking this number down, Taylor says that most of that is garbage from the bathrooms, which the students do not sort, plus approximately three

quarters of one bag.

This means that if one assumes that the amount of garbage sent to the landfill in the 2010/2011 school year is typical, this year the students have reduced the amount of garbage, in weight, by two thirds.

Taylor says that at first the kids had to learn to deal with what she calls “the ick factor” but they are adapting. Taylor is passionate about the program and feels that it is important for the kids to be aware of, and responsible for, the waste they produce.

The class collects recyclables, garbage, and compost each day at around 1:15 p.m. They spend about 45 minutes sorting and washing each recyclable item and taking all compostable materials to the compost bins that are now set up

at the back of the school. Everything is weighed in its separate category (recycle, compost, and garbage to the landfill) and this weight is recorded. These recorded statistics show that in Sept. 2011 they sent 72 kg to the landfill, and in March of 2012 they sent only 38 kg. “It’s amazing,” says Taylor. “It’s actually startling. I didn’t realize we would have that much effect. I thought it would be good, but I had no idea just how much of an impact our school would have.”

The other aspects to this program has been the construction of a greenhouse, a caged-in compost area, and approximately nine raised garden beds.

The idea for the garden beds began when Bob Day approached the school with a proposal to apply for a grant. “Lake Cowichan would work with the school district in creating a community garden.

From there we had three distinct areas of concentration.” These three areas are the greenhouse, the garden beds, and an environmental aspect to the school.

From that funding the school purchased graffiti free siding, Cowichan Valley Concrete donated cement, and Lake Cowichan Furniture and Appliance donated the cedar for the greenhouse.

The Grade 9 and 10 students refurbished the greenhouse, which is currently being cleared of weeds and Taylor hopes there will soon be tables set up inside so that those who use the garden can also start seedlings.

The lumber for the raised beds was donated by Dogwood Lumber and Mountain Man. The school district built the compost cage and put up the fencing that surrounds the garden area. They also leveled and graveled the garden pathways.

Taylor says a shed has been built for the garden area, “it just hasn’t been put out there yet.” IRLY donated stain, cement blocks, and treated posts for the shed, and Cowichan Lake Timber donated all the siding and the roofing shingles. “So it’s really been a community effort.” The town donated funds to help with getting the greenhouse going and Parent Advisory Council funding allowed for the

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Drunk teen arrested after his shoeprints found on vandalized car An 18-year-old Lake Cowichan man faces mischief charges after his shoeprints were found on a crime scene.

Saanich police were called to SilverCity Victoria at Tillicum Centre late Saturday night by a 17-year-old who came out of a movie and found his Honda Civic extensively damaged.

A large piece of cinderblock was used to smash the rear windshield and the side mirrors were bent and broken.

There were also running shoe imprints on one of the windows as if someone had unsuccessfully tried to kick out the glass.

An intoxicated teenager was found passed out on the hood of a nearby vehicle before he apparently made his way to the backseat of the car and again fell into a slumber.

When police arrived they attempted to wake the teen, but couldn’t rouse him.

As there was a concern for his wellbeing, an officer smashed a window to get to the teen while awaiting the arrival of an ambulance.

The shoes the intoxicated teen was wearing matched the print left on the car window, police said.

The Lake Cowichan man faces one charge of mischief under $5,000 and is scheduled to appear in court in June.

— kslavin@saanichnews.com

purchase of a chipper to break down compost materials.

It is not yet clear who will manage the garden space. However, Pat Foster, from Communities in Bloom, says there will be a meeting called in the near future, and all those who are interested are welcome to attend.

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

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Town needs new vision to revitalize local business Tamu Miles Gazette editor On April 24, Anne and Gabriel Munier packed up the sculptures from their store front shop, The Art of Creation, on South Shore Road and relocated to Ladysmith.

The couple had been selling their sculptures on consignment but after renting a house in Lake Cowichan decided that it Gazette Photo would be a nice Gabriel and Anne Munier pack some of place to settle down their concrete sculptures into a moving and open a store front of their own. truck last week.

However, Munier says that for the past few months they have struggled with the process to obtain a business licence from the town of Lake Cowichan. After months of no response from the town as to the status of their application they decided to go to Duncan and apply for an inter-municipal licence.

Munier says that the Duncan office was polite, answered her questions and issued her a licence within a few days.

“Despite so much time waiting for word from the Lake Cowichan office about obtaining a business licence, it took just one day after I communicated with them about our inter-municipal licence for them to inform me that I could not sell from our store with our inter-municipal licence.

A few days later I applied for a regular business licence for the store front, and have received, once again, no response,” says Munier.

Munier says she can only guess that the lack of response stems from complaints from neighbouring businesses about the smell of resin from freshly delivered fiberglass moulds. Munier is not alone in her difficulties and confusion over business licence requirements.

Lorna Vomaka, owner of Lake Cowichan Furniture

and Appliances, says that for the past six years she has operated a U-Haul business out of her store and that suddenly she was told she would need to purchase a separate business licence for the U-Haul service. Vomaka says she agreed to pull the U-Haul service, but that doing so did take time. During that time, she was told by the then bylaw enforcement officer, Deb Juch, that if she did not have the U-Haul aspect of her business shut down by May 1, she would be charged $100 per day.

Vomaka says that it is not the cost of the $100 business licence that upsets her, but does feel that it is a money-grab when she is already paying approximately $1,500 a year in taxes to the town. She claims she was not making any money through the U-Haul service and provided it more as a service to the community. When she spoke with the U-Haul area manager in Duncan about the need for the separate business licence, she says he laughed and told her that he has never heard of a dealer needing a separate licence in order to operate a U-Haul service out of an existing business.

Rita Dustow, president of the local chamber of commerce, says that one of the main concerns local businesses have centres around this confusion over business licences. She is not sure why it is possible to use a store front licence to sell at a local market, but it is not possible to use a mobile licence to sell merchandise from a store front location. But she also sees this as part of a larger problem within Lake Cowichan. There is also the issue of the run-down and derelict buildings along South Shore Road. This issue was brought forward by the chamber to council at the meeting on April 24.

Dustow says that at this time the local bylaws are being looked over by the Advisory Planning Commission (APC) to assess which ones are working, and which ones need revising. Once the APC has come up with some recommendations, those recommendations will be sent back to council for approval. She says that the town and the chamber have worked for years to put together an official community plan, and that the bylaws need to be revised in order to appropriately reflect this plan.

Dustow says that in order to resolve these issues and move forward with business in Lake Cowichan, “we need to put the past behind us.” She is concerned that with development plans in Youbou, the town of Lake Cowichan could find itself left behind if it does not take advantage of

the opportunities it currently has to attract new businesses to the area. “One or two businesses is great, but 10 is better. We have to find ways to draw businesses here; all of us.”

Dustow feels that the town needs a new vision when it comes to business, and whatever that vision is, the entire town needs to sit down and figure it out. Dustow does believe that the library and new town square planned for Lake Cowichan are a step in the right direction.

Joseph Fernandez, the chief administrative officer for Lake Cowichan, says that council agrees that the town needs a new vision, but when it comes to the bylaw revisions being done by the APC, he was not aware of that process. He also says there is no lack of transparency when it comes to Lake Cowichan bylaws, but if there is, the town is more than happy to sit down and talk with those who are concerned. “If they are not clear enough then we need to make them clearer. Obviously that is something that needs to be done; has to be done,” says Fernandez. He also says that Lake Cowichan bylaws are the same as those in the rest of the Cowichan Valley area. “They are no different in their legislation than Duncan, North Cowichan, or Ladysmith.” The fees and penalties are the same because there is an inter-municiapal agreement.

When it comes to the issue of run down buildings along South Shore Road, Fernandez says the solution the town is looking at is a split taxation process where the land would be assessed at a higher rate than the building assessment.

“Because at some point they would say, the improvements are not costing us, it’s in not improving it that is where the cost is.” Fernandez says that this particular process was taken and proposed to the Union of Municipalities and was endorsed by that body, but the province refused to follow through with it.

As for the business licence issues, Fernandez says that if an established business begins to operate a new business under the same roof, business owners are required to obtain a second licence. He says that the chamber lifted a section of a bylaw and ignored a concluding section which states, “When a business entity undertakes new activities, a new business licence may be required.”

The town is currently looking over the package of the concerns presented to council by the chamber at the meeting on April 24. “Obviously we want to make sure those issues are resolved.”

Unchecked water threatens local properties Tamu Miles Gazette editor At the council meeting that took place on April 24, a local resident approached council about an issue she and her neighbours are having with a flooding and malfunctioning water easement on the back of their properties. This woman, let’s call her Jane for the sake of the article, has asked that her name be withheld so as not to reduce the chances of her house selling once it is listed. Jane told council that her property, and those of her neighbours, have been flooding with water from an overflowing and malfunctioning easement.

Jane begged the council to look into this matter with a sense of urgency. She says it will be disastrous if nothing is done as there are several trees on the property above her that have been undercut at their roots and she fears that at some point they will fall and injure someone. She told me later that up until sometime last week, she has not had a response from council about this matter since the summer of 2010.

Jane’s property sits on the side of a fairly steep bank overlooking the bottom end of Cowichan Lake. She took me on a trek around her property, and those of her neighbours, to illustrate the problem she has been facing. Above her there is a large piece of land, which also sits on the slope, and which the owner has been steadily clearing

since July of 2010. It is this clearing that Jane says has caused the flooding of her property to become unmanageable. Before the man started to clear, she was dealing with flooding, but it was “never this bad.”

At the time of the meeting, Mayor Ross Forrest told her that there are legalities involved with the issue of this landowner and the clearing he has done, and that any discussions council has have to be conducted in-camera. He also said he is legally bound not to speak about the issue at this time.

Jane says that this property owner has not applied for, or been approved for any permits for the clearing that he has done to his property. When she approached him about the problem he was unreceptive and did not seem to think that he needed a permit, geotechnical report, or hydro engineering report in order to prepare the land and eventually build a house at the bottom of his property.

The property owner has been ordered by the town to stop any clearing activities, but Jane says she still hears him working with a chainsaw and has seen him clearing and dumping debris. Although she continues to report his activities to the town, her efforts do not seem to have any affect on his actions. She says he also cleared a portion of his neighbours property, without permission, and that the town subsequently forced this

other, uninvolved property owner to obtain permits for work he had not done.

The clearing and its resulting water runoff has been compounded by the fact that the water easement that runs along the back of Jane’s property is clogged. She says it is in desperate need of clearing in order to properly channel the water away from her house and those of her neighbours. Along her section of the easement, Jane has built an emergency barrier. Both Jane and one next door neighbour have spent time and money digging trenches and putting in drainage pipes and gravel in an attempt to deal with the excess water because “this so called easement for storm water conveyance is leaking, malfunctioning piece of you know what, which is logical because it’s never been understood that it was here, probably from its inception.”

Jane says that she is not sure how the houses, which were built as part of a 199091 development project, could have been properly inspected. She says that if they had been the building inspector would have noticed the easement and recognized that it would need to be properly maintained. She has looked at the development plans, which do show the water easement, but says there is no record of it after those initial plans were drawn up. She can only speculate that the any records of the easement having been put in were destroyed in a fire or by some

other means.

At the council meeting, Jane says all she wanted to know was whether or not the town is planning to do anything about the problem, both in terms of the easement and in terms of enforcing town bylaws when it comes to the neighbour who is clearing his land. Because the easement passes through private property, “we can’t really go after him [the neighbour] because there is the town trench in between. I have been told the town has the option to do nothing, nonfeasance, and then they are out in the clear, but then if something happens all of us are going to sue the town because it’s the town’s job to do the job of bylaw enforcement.

They could also force this man above to do remedial work and if he doesn’t do it they can get it done and send him a bill. That is totally legal, as I understand it. In the meantime, the problem wouldn’t be half as bad if, regardless of what the man has done, this trench would have worked properly.”

She says that she is asking council to “make the storm water conveyance system in the easement function properly.” Jane and the other property owners have told council that crews can gain access to the easement through their properties in order to do the work of clearing and maintaining the easement.

WATER continued on page 12

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

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Town council and Chamber of Commerce agree to work together to find solutions Making Lake Cowichan more business friendly and cleaning-up derelict buildings Lady of the Lake candidates introduce themselves to council The council meeting that took place on Tuesday April 24, started off with the candidates for Lady of the Lake introducing themselves and getting a chance to meet Mayor Ross Forrest. Mayor Forrest welcomed the candidates and encouraged them not to be nervous. “This is always an exciting time of year when the Lady of the Lake delegates come and visit us for the first time,” began Forrest. “It’s always nice for us to have the opportunity to listen to you and see how you’ve grown from now until the crowning in June.”

After an introduction by Miriam Coghlan, this year’s Lady of the Lake pageant coordinator, each candidate stood, introduced themselves, and gave a little bit of information regarding their interests and their sponsors.

They then were invited to shake Mayor Forrest’s hand and were given a pen and a Lake Cowichan pin.

There are nine candidates in all this year, and Coghlan says they have been working hard to prepare. “You’ll be quite impressed with them tonight,” said Coghlan. “They will be delivering their sponsor speeches on Saturday at the Spring Fling.”

Chamber questions council’s decision not to increase visitor centre and chamber funding Rita Dustow, Chamber of Commerce president, along with a delegation of chamber members, said they attended the meeting in order to introduce the new board of directors and to make council aware of two major concerns.

The first had to do with council’s decision not to include a funding increase to the chamber and visitor centre in the town’s 2012 budget. “We are here to request a revision of our annual fees and services for the town. Since 2010 we have applied for an increase but have not been given one,” said Dustow. Since that time the chamber has increased the wages of its summer student employees and their visitor centre coordinator, Kathryn Worsley. The chamber recognizes that it shares the burden of these costs with the town but needs the town’s help to pay their employees a fair wage and keep up with the increase in minimum wage.

The Chamber of Commerce recognizes that on top of the money it receives from the town, the town also pays for the upkeep of the outside of the chamber building and pays for its hydro. However Dustow pointed out that the chamber has requested new down-spouts for the Visitor Centre for the last two years and has not received them.

They have also built and maintained the information kiosks at Saywell Park and Mesachie Lake to promote the Cowichan Lake area. There are approximately 160 businesses in Lake Cowichan, which the chamber represents, and the town takes in approximately $16,000 in licence fees from these businesses. Dustow believes that these funds cover the costs incurred by the chamber.

“We are asking that the town match the increase we are getting from areas F and I to help us pay the staff a better wage.”

The chamber then asked the council to address the

concerns they have received from local businesses over confusion about business licenses, (what are perceived to be) excessive late fees, why some business owners must pay for a parking space when spots are not designated with the business owner’s name, and the areas relatively high business property taxes (when compared to some other Vancouver Island municipalities). Dustow presented nine letters of concern, but started off by saying, “There is a lot we as the chamber, and the town, can do together to make our community a better place to live and do business here.”

The confusion the chamber says local business are experiencing when it comes to business licences stem from the difference between a store front business licence, and a mobile business licence. “If you buy [a licence] for a store front, you can use at the market in other areas of the Cowichan Valley,” stated Dustow, “but if you have a mobile one, you can’t use it to set up a store front in our areas. They all cost $100 a year so if a business decides to settle here and has an inter-municipal license, why not allow them to use it for the rest of the year and inform them that next year they must buy one here. We have just lost a business due to that.”

The other confusion the chamber expressed businesses owners having, was over the requirement to have two separate business licences when operating two businesses under one roof. She quoted bylaw 777-2003.4, which states, “When more than one business activity is carried out by a single business entity at a single location, only one business licence will be required.”

Dustow also addressed the many derelict buildings in town. She had copies of White Rock bylaws for council to look over, which she felt might help to provide solutions to the state of some Lake Cowichan business buildings.

Mayor Forrest responded by pointing out that Duncan, Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Pt. Hardy, Pt. Alberni, among others, pay higher business property taxes than Lake Cowichan. It was also pointed out that Lake Cowichan business property taxes have been decreasing since 2005.

Coun. McGonigle then spoke saying that the budget for 2012 has already been approved and that an increase to the chamber’s funding from the town “could not be done without a further increase in tax rates. I know we are all struggling with the decisions that we do make. We have a pot of money that we do take in with taxation which is our only source of revenue and the needs and wants of the community are far outweighed by those taxes.”

McGonigle pointed infrastructure projects the town will be struggling to finance, such as the water filtration system mandated by VIHA to be installed by 2015, at a cost of $4 million to the town.

When the discussion again turned to the state of some of the business buildings in town, Forrest suggested that if the town requests the building/business owners fix up their buildings, the town and council will be seen as the “bad guys.” He suggested that what needs to happen is an ironing out “of what everyone is responsible for.” He pointed to the new businesses that are coming to town and says he and council are passionate about what they are doing for the town.

One chamber member spoke about how he and the chamber have been hearing that the town is unfriendly

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to businesses and that nobody seems to know why. He suggested that the town and the chamber work together to find out why this is and where the actual problem lies. The chamber wants businesses who are coming to town to be successful and feel welcome.

Forrest responded to this by saying “The perception out there, and I hear it all the time, is that we’re antibusiness. But I can tell you that there are a couple of new businesses coming to town and I’ve seen emails from the proprietors of those new businesses thanking the town for the great service they are giving and for making it happen for them.” Forrest said he feels that it is local business owners who are spreading rumours about the town being unfriendly towards businesses and that at one point he had to go to a business owner in town and confront them.

“It bothers me that the business owners, and the chamber, who are supposed to be trying to entice people to come to this nice community, are the ones that are sending the negative vibes out there that are chasing the people away.”

He pointed to the plans for a new town square and other decisions that have been made in terms of capital projects have been to try and bring more businesses into Lake Cowichan.

Lorna Vomacka, owner of Lake Cowichan Furniture and Appliances stood and reiterated that businesses and the chamber are not expecting the town to solve all the issues for them, but would like to work together with the town to find some solutions. She pointed out that the businesses in Lake Cowichan are shouldering the tax burden and said that if businesses close in the area, this decreases the revenue for the town.

While the discussion was heated at times, both council and the chamber agreed that they would meet to try and create solutions to the issues brought forward by the chamber. Coun. Bob Day suggested that the discussion should be an ongoing one. He stated that Lake Cowichan is a depressed area, but he feels that the town is finally starting to turn a corner.

Other miscellaneous items of discussion - Council members looked at a change in funding request from the Salmon and Mushroom Festival which could not be approved because the 2012 budget has already been passed.

- Council noted that resolutions made to the report regarding 2011 General School Elections do not effect Lake Cowichan.

- Coun. McGonigal pointed to the logging that is currently taking place in the Community Forest Coop, contracted to Timberstone Contracting. Currently three lots are being harvested with approximately 13,000 cubic metres of timber being removed with more to be removed by the end of May. After May there will be subsequent plans put forward for consideration for further harvest.

- Fisher Road Recycling is currently appealing to the Board of Regional Services to increase its license to include recycling. The appeal is still being debated and Fisher Road has made its presentation, and staff have made their recommendations.

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

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Got a news tip? Email us at: editor@lakecowichangazette.com

TO COMMENT We welcome your original comments on editorials, columns, on topics in the Lake Cowichan Gazette or any subjects important to you. Only letters that include name, address and day and evening phone numbers and that are verified by the Lake Cowichan Gazette can be considered for publication. Letters to the editor and articles submitted to the Lake Cowichan Gazette may be published or distributed in print, electronic or other forms.

Learning to hear the other These are interesting times for Lake Cowichan, and interesting for me to watch as a new, almost, resident of the area. After attending the council meeting that took place on April 24, and having a chance to talk to some of the business owners in town, I find myself wondering about the direction and vision of Lake Cowichan.

This town has a unique opportunity to take advantage of its proximity to Cowichan Lake and the fact that it is, as Rita Dustow said to me in an interview, a tourist destination by default. Local business and town administrators could certainly capitalize off of this advantage. The problem lies, as I see it, in coordinating efforts in order to create a coherent and well thought out plan that engages the town, residents, and the businesses into a common goal.

I have heard some of both sides of the story, and admittedly I have much more to learn about the town, its history, and the issues that concern local residents.

But from the personal stories and perspectives that I have heard, there seems to be a lack of communication between the town, the chamber, and business owners specifically when it comes to bylaws. There also seems to be this feeling, from some business owners, that town council is unfriendly towards the smaller businesses in town.

There is no doubt in my mind that Mayor Forrest and town council want to see the town prosper—their passion is evident—and being long-time members of the community, I don’t see how they could not care about the future of Lake Cowichan.

What made me really start to think about this though, was listening to Ideas on the CBC. Producer David Caley spoke with Nils Christie, a criminal psychologist in Norway about the massacre that took place there in

OPINION

June of 2011. Christie talked about how language can be used to distance ourselves from the other and that this distancing causes us to see the other as foreign, wrong, and not one of “us.” Christie believes that using simple language creates inclusiveness instead of exclusivity.

I found this philosophy interesting after having sat in on the council meeting on Tuesday and familiarizing myself with the procedure, language, and format of

the meeting, as well as watching the ways in which the chamber presented its concerns and was responded to by the mayor and council. It is apparent that both parties care a great deal about the town and its future, and yet it is also apparent that there is a gap between them, a gap that only serves to keep them distanced from each other and which in the end means that no-one is really heard.

BC Bureau

B.C. pushes school calendar change VICTORIA – School districts will be able to determine their own calendar and offer online classes to students in any grade under amendments to the School Act presented Thursday.

Education Minister George

By Tom Fletcher Abbott said the changes are designed to increase flexibility for schools and students. The ministry will continue to require a minimum number of instructional hours, but school boards will be able to design their own calendars.

Abbott said the standard school calendar is a relic of an agrarian society where children did farm work in summer. A two-month summer break can result in setbacks for student learning, especially those who are struggling to keep up, he said.

Abbott cited Kanaka Creek elementary school in Maple Ridge, which uses a modified calendar with shorter breaks through the year instead of the standard

September-to-June model. That has been popular with students, parents and teachers, and academic results have been encouraging, Abbott said.

“What we now have is a pretty strong case that children learn better when they don’t have a long summer break, that a shorter period when they’re away from school is better,” Abbott said.

Online courses are currently only allowed for grades nine and up. The amendments allow the option for any course in elementary or middle school.

Abbott said that change is not designed to encourage home schooling, but rather to offer options to students that aren’t available in smaller schools. Online learning has taken off in B.C., from 5,000 students using it five years ago to about 30,000 today, he said.

School districts will have to holds consultations with the public and staff before changing the school calendar, and the ministry has to approve changes before they can take effect.

BLACK PRESS PHOTO

Education Minister George Abbott

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THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

5

Local resident hopes to see fish ladder installed in Beadnell Creek Tamu Miles Gazette editor

Barry Budden says that for years he has been trying to get the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to install a proper fish ladder in the culvert section of Beadnell creek that runs under South Shore Road. The baffles (structures that obstruct water flow) that are in place were installed approximately 30 years ago, and Budden says they are not working.

When the fish come upstream to spawn, Budden says they make several attempts to pass through the long section of culvert running under Shore Shore Road and beyond towards the Esso station before they tire out and are instead are swept back by current to spawn in the small section of the creek that drains into the Cowichan River.

Budden says that when DFO installed the existing baffles, “they drilled a hole, stuck a ready-rod in it and poured a bag of concrete on top.” The concrete became water logged and after about two years it washed away.

This means that the fish no longer have anywhere to rest and escape the steady current of water as they make their

way through the culvert in an attempt to get further upstream.

As far as Budden is concerned, a proper fish ladder baffle would consist of ready-rod and concrete structures placed at intervals on either side of the stream along the entire length of the culvert.

He says that right now, the coho are starting Tamu Miles photo to hatch and because Sign at Beadnell Creek across they do not have from the Esso Station. the advantage of the protection that hatching further upstream would have given them, their chances for survival are lessened. So to help them out, he feeds them. He purchases food from the federal fisheries office in Duncan and feeds them from his property, which sits

right next to the bottom part of the creek. “I hope to give them a better chance at avoiding predators,” he says.

Erica Blake, a community advisor for southern Vancouver Island with the DFO, says that a recent reconnaissance has shown that the existing baffles are still in place. “There might just have to be a little maintenance,” she says. She also acknowledged that past the culvert, further up the creek-bed is 80 per cent full of gravel.

Blake says that there is nothing imminently planned for the culvert or the creek, but that she is aware that the Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society, and the Cowichan Lake Salmonid Enhancement Society, are both interested in helping with projects such as this.

She says the window for doing this kind of work exists between June 15 and Sept. 15 and that any upgrades or maintenance may or may not happen during that time. She is hoping there will be a meeting in the near future to consult with the Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society, the Cowichan Lake Salmonid Enhancement Society and First Nations representatives to discuss how much work has to be done.

Budget talks a trying time for council Budget talks are a very trying time for council. There is no tougher decision to make than those that affect all of our citizens. The town’s staff has done a good job in providing the estimated costs for this year and projected costs for future years for water, sewer and capital projects we would like to see going forward.

We are aware of the fact that the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) has mandated secondary water treatment for the near future, plus our sewer treatment plant requires funding for necessary upgrades. These, along with ongoing improvements to our basic infrastructure, all come with a cost. We recognize improvements are required to make this a desirable place to live and we feel strongly that our downtown revitalization projects will assist in making this possible. We are aware of a few new buildings being built, plus improvements to commercial and

MAYOR’S REPORT

tion to Mini Rugb c u d o r y Int (Non Contact)

For Boys and Girls

through many different avenues, including our bulletin board, social media and public meetings. However, the most effective method still remains to be objective reporting from our community newspaper. Our editor plays a role in assuring the public receives information in a honest and accurate manner. Good luck to Tamu and hope she embraces this new challenge of her Ross Forrest career.

Great story recently in the Lake Cowichan Gazette

by Gilbert Lewis regarding 15-yearold Lauren Frost. Lauren wrote a 300 word essay and won $25,000 for Lake Cowichan Secondary School in the Staples Canada Essay Contest. Due to Lauren’s convictions, she wrote about how her school is helping the environment and her

residential structures and it is encouraging to see some properties being cleaned up.

We hope this is contagious and others will follow suit, making Lake Cowichan a town we can be proud of. We all agree that we want to provide services that are best for our community, but sometimes we differ on the methods required to accomplish our goals. Council has engaged in informative, respectful debate to understand how our decisions will affect the community as a whole. We will be implementing a 4.5 per cent tax increase for this year as we attempt to satisfy the town’s needs.

Welcome Tamu Miles as the new editor of the Lake Cowichan Gazette and we look forward in working together. We attempt to get our messages out to the public

Ages: 5-10 years (2001-2007)

Fitness

TRACK Get on Track, Stay on Track; Join the Track!

Shannon Lee Owner/Instructor

Monday Nights Q 6:00 – 7:0 7:00 00 p pm m Starting May 14 to June nee 118 8 RAIN OR SHINE INCLUDING THE HOLIDAY R AIN O R SH EH OLIDAY F eee $ 75 ffor 6 sessions (includes des T-Shirt) Fee $75 MOU MOUTH GUARDS MANDATORY Registration Dates: Monday May 7, @ 6-7pm At The… Cowichan Rugby Club 1860 Herd Road, Duncan BC

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Classes • Ellipticals • Treadmills Bike • Freeweights • Multi-Gym Located at Link & Co. (Evenings use Track door)

87 South Shore Road 250 749 6710

pride and passion came through to succeed and win this national-wide contest. Current and future LCSS students can thank Lauren as these funds are earmarked for their computer lab. We are very proud of Lauren’s achievement —well done!

In the recent LCSS newsletter, there are statistics from STAR4C Raving Mad for the Environment that I would like to share. STAR4C stands for Students Taking Action by Reducing, Reusing, Recycling, Refusing, and Composting. The school is striving to reduce its impact on the environment. The students to date, as of March 12, have collected the following: 1619 kg total weight: 876 kg (54 per cent) composted - 270 kg (17 per cent) recycled and 473 kg (29 per cent) to landfill.

It is a great achievement that only 29 per cent of their waste is ending up at the landfill. All the students who participate in this programme are setting an example for all of us to follow.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

www.lakecowichangazette.com

MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE! The Scott’s and the Andersons CROWN PRINCESS – 12 DAYS I EGYPT & AEGEAN

SAIL ROME TO VENICE DEPART MAY 12, 2012 CRUISE ONLY

999

$

PP INSIDE

CALL TODAY FOR MORE INFO ON AIR ADD ONS & CRUISE TOURS Sherri Brubaker

60 STATION ST. • 250-748–8128 • 1–800–434–0566

B.C. REG 1506

NOTICE OF OPEN BOARD MEETING The Open Board Meeting of the Board of Education will take place on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at Quamichan Middle School, in the Multi-Purpose Room, at 6:30 pm.

Photos and information Bob and June Scott

Above: Eugenie and Roy Scott on left and Andy and Gerda Anderson raised their families in Lake Cowichan, where (for the most part) the two couples remained for the remainder of their lives. The Scott’s son Bob and the Anderson’s daughter June married then raised their children at the Lake. They now have grandchildren and great-grandchildren, many of which also live in the area.

Left: A young Bob Scott and his older brother pose beside their calf and cart, in their yard at the old Oliver log house on Gordon Road. The Scott boys used the cart for gathering wood and making deliveries throughout Lake Cowichan.

First and Second Reading of the 2012-2013 Annual Budget will be considered at this meeting.

Parade ENTRY FORM

Parade Date: Saturday June 09, 2012 Return to: Cowichan Lake Lion’s Club c/o Brenda Cadieux, Box 774, Lake Cowichan, BC V0R 2G0 Ph: 250-749-3345 | Fax: 250-932-0014 | email: sam_bell_glady@shaw.ca

Participant _______________________________________________ Rep _____________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________ City __________________________Province______ Postal Code______________ Phone _________________________ Fax _____________________ Email __________________________ Type of entry ____ Commercial Float

_____ Non commercial float

_____ Antique Vehicle

_____ Commercial Vehicle

_____ Non Commercial Vehicle

_____ Equestrian Entry

_____ Animal Entry

_____ Drill Dance entry

_____ Commercial _____ Walking Group

_____ Non Commercial _____ Walking Group

_____ Marching Band

_____ Youth Entry

_____ Lady of Lake Candidate

_____ Other

In every way the Scott’s and Anderson’s were the quintessential citizens. They came to the small community of Cowichan Lake —

By Rolli Gunderson the Anderson’s in the 1920s and the Scott’s in the1930s — when times were very tough. As so many others have done, they came for one reason: to make a better life for themselves and their families.

These early residents, for the most part, worked their hands to the bone to keep a roof over their heads and to provide food for their families. Hard work, little play, and lots of determination was required and given. Most gave much more than they realized. These people helped to establish a strong community base that continues on today. It is often assumed that the real pioneers are those who came centuries before, but that is hardly the case. Each individual, each family, played an important part in building and maintaining the community in which they and their descendants live today. The Scott’s and the Anderson’s were just two of those families.

Roy Scott arrived in Lake Cowichan in 1936 and moved into Rundquists Boarding House, located at bottom of the hill below the present day Catholic Church. He found employment just a few steps away at the Rounds and Hunter Logging Company which was situated on land that is now a part of the Point Ideal residential area. His wife Eugenie and three young sons, Fred, Jim, and Bob followed a year later. When the village was incorporated in 1944 Scott was one of the three local men elected to the town’s first council.

The Scott’s first home was the old Keast place on what is now Greendale Road. Later they moved to the Oliver log house situated behind the present day RCMP station. Like many other early residents, the family raised cows,

Do you wish this entry to be judged? _________ Do you have music? _______________________ Total Length of entry _______________________ Including tow vehicle _______________________ (very important) Number of persons in entry ___

Please complete and return form by June 4, 2012

Pages of History

LAKE DAYS 2012

✁

6

chickens, vegetables, and fruit. It was the job of the Scott’s sons Fred, Jim and Bob — who still reside in town — to deliver the eggs and sell the milk for ten cents a quart.

One of Bob’s early memories is of his calf and cart. The little calf was trained to pull the cart, which was then used to haul wood and other items. The calf and cart (manned by Bob) was a regular sight around town. The calf was a lot more useful than the family horse recalls Bob. A decade before Scott came to the lake, a tough Swede named Andy Anderson arrived.

Anderson found work as a faller at many local logging camps and lived at Rundquists Boarding House when not in camp. It was at the boardinghouse that he met Gerda Teir who soon after became his wife. A Swedish-Finnish girl, she had arrived at the lake with friend Elna Goranson, the two having recently immigrated to Canada. After they married, the Anderson’s moved into a float house at Camp 6 then later to a float house on Mesachie Lake. During those years, Anderson augmented the family income by hunting and fishing. They raised their seven children (several descendants live in the area) in the family home they built on King George Street situated between the present day United Church and Island Savings Credit Union. (There is an Anderson Family memorial bench placed along the sidewalk just steps from the old Anderson home.)

The two couples spent most of their married lives here at the lake with many of their descendants remaining in the area. Two of their children, Bob Scott and June Anderson, married for many years now, remain in Lake Cowichan, as do some of their children and grandchildren. Bob is still remembered by many old timers as the little boy who owned the little calf and cart and later as a long time employee of the Department of Highways. Both Bob and June agree, “Lake Cowichan was and still is, a wonderful place to raise a family”.

www.lakecowichangazette.com

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

7

250-749-6660

www.lkc.ca

TOLL FREE PAGE 1-800-729-3246 145 South Shore Rd., Lake Cowichan cowichanvalleyrealtor@shaw.ca

keith@lkc.ca

Keith Nelson

Sharon Kelly Sha

WHEN YOU WANT IT LISTED - WHEN YOU NEED IT SOLD 2 bed, 2 bath top floor suite located in 55+ building. New paint, appliances, light fixtures, kitchen cabinets & countertops plus new window coverings.

Crown moulding has been added & 2 decks to grow your beautiful plants. This unit won’t last long – call to view

INVESTOR ALERT!

NEW LISTING

$205,000

#308 – 138 South Shore Road

D

$529,900

413 Winter Drive COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IN HONEYMOON BAY

Flat .81 acre property with large 2,900+ sqft building. Two separate titles to be sold together. Located on main road close to store, fire hall & restaurant. Bring your ideas!

NEW LISTING

$192,000

10054 South Shore Road ED

PRICED TO SELL!!

SOLD

$175,900

PRIVATE, PEACEFUL & PERFECT Long & narrow 55.66 level acres surrounded by forestry property.

Steel construction shop, green house and the home is over 1500 sq ft with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms & a loft. Make this your permanent home or great for weekend living. Too many extras to list – you have to view to appreciate it!

8975 Youbou Rd.

$375,000

268 Castley Heights $79,000 BUILD UP HIGH! • lake views from lot • geo tech report on file

271 South Shore $269,000 COMMERCIAL LOT – corner lot on almost an acre on main road in Town

Lot 2 - Wilson Road $120,000 FLAT LOT – for your new home or commercial venture & close to town core. Owner will have a home built to suit your needs.

NEW LISTING

MARBLE BAY LOTS

Lot 38 Kestrel Drive

Awesome lake views from this .44 of an acre lot.

$125,000

This .58 acre property provides several options, including building a duplex or renovating the existing home. Due to road location, rezoning to commercial may be a possibility. Vendor financing may also be available.

QUIET SUBDIVISION

NEW LISTING

D

$115,900 Lot 48 Widgeon Way Privacy guaranteed when you build on this lot.

$89,900

ADULT LIVING AT IT’S FINEST Level entry townhome located in neat & tidy 55+ complex. Home includes propane fireplace, 2 full 4 piece bathrooms & 2 bedrooms.

Meticulously maintained patio home with low strata fees. Located in quiet area within walking distance to town.

Townhouse close to all town amenities.

Nice layout – great patio & nice sized storage locker .

This is a 55+ community.

#13 - 300 Grossleg Way

$184,900

#2 - 300 Grosskleg Way

6658 B Bear Lake Road

Located in Cobble Hill near the end of the Burnham Mobile Home Park. This 55+ park is geared to full time living or the snowbirds.

Spacious 2 bedrooms with huge master with soaker tub in ensuite. Big covered deck & large attached carport. Priced to sell quickl

SOLD #63-1751 1751 Northgate Rd.

$39,900

$194,500

QUARTER ACRE LOT

Lovely 2 bedroom home on flat lot, tastefully designed with custom moldings & attached sunroom. Five bay windows to let in the light & wood stove to take away the spring chill.

This home offers you privacy – it isn’t a drive by!

NEW LISTING

NEAT & TIDY TID MOBILE REDUCE

Lot 34 Kestrel Drive Panoramic lake views make this lot special.

$239,000

250 South Shore Road

MESACHIE LAKE ACREAGE

Owner very motivated – good basic home, featuring spacious living, 3 levels, 6 bedrooms & large kitchen. Covered deck with fully fenced yard all on large lot.

Get your money’s worth!

92 Boundary ry Rd

$479,900+ HST

267 Castley Hts. $99,900

CHECK & COMPARE! – Lake view lot centrally located in town minutes from Duck Pond, foot bridge & boat launch. Gently sloping, easy access & no HST! Build your dream home.

INVESTOR ALERT!

Over 3,100 sqft, this 4 bedroom & 3 bath home is located in “The Slopes”.

There are too many beautiful features to list – a must see! Owner open to trades – will consider all offers. Bring us your ideas!

REDUCE

REDUC

Fabulous custom built home. From the slate walls to the Ecosmart ethanol fireplace, it will be difficult to choose which beautiful feature to look at next. Relax & enjoy the lake views – this home creates a unique landscape for your own personal style.

1321 Kingsview Rd. DUNCAN

D

REDUCE

WELCOME TO THE PROPERTIES

NEW LISTING

CUSTOM DESIGNED

Over 18 acres of secluded property, lightly treed with terraced land. Magnificent views - a weekend getaway or build your dream home!

$230,000

159 River Road

$139,900

Lot A, South Shore Rd. $225,000 + HST

Sitting high on the hill overlooking the Town. Three bedrooms, 1.5 baths with a 3rd roughed in. Would be a great family home close to the river, park, footbridge & the center of town. Quick possession possible.

INVESTOR ALERT!

This house has good bones, but needs TLC. Hardwood floors in living room & a bedroom plus an open & bright kitchen. Big deck at rear, big double lot – priced to sell.

D REDUCE

PANORAMIC VIEWS

NEW LISTING

21 North Shore Road

LOTS

READY TO MOVE INTO

L isting d e r u t a Fe

$340,000

Quarter acre lot – huge home with loads of potential. There’s a woodstove & fireplace to keep you warm. Room to park your RV or boat or build a new shop.

Located in a quiet area, minutes from shopping & recreation.

MOBILE AT COBBLE HILL Great location in the quiet, well maintained Burnum Mobile Home Park. This big 2 bedroom mobile has large rooms, spacious covered deck with a carport & shop. Backs onto green space for privacy.

35-1751 Northgate Nort Rd.

$240,000

239 Grants Lake Road

$55,000

PRICED RIGHT D REDUCE

3 Bedroom home in quiet “100 Houses” neighbourhood, features Houses woodstove, original Douglas fir floors, antique bathroom & more!

Garage, woodshed, storage shed & big tiered deck all accessed from back alley. Great views of mountains & if you enjoy kayaking, fishing or swimming, minutes from the heritage, Cowichan River.

SOLD 35 Hemlock mlock Street

$195,999

8

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

www.lakecowichangazette.com

Spring Fling fun for all

The Spring Fling, hosted by the Cowichan Lake Chamber of Commerce, went off without a hitch on Saturday. Approximately 120 guests enjoyed food, listened to the Lady of the Lake candidates give their speeches, and even got to hear the chamber’s Visitor Centre coordinator, and organizer of the event, Kathryn Worsley sing.

Top, left to right: Nikki Gibson, The Track Fitness; Sydney Allen, Cow Cafe; Katiera Brown, Lions; Hannah Skramstad, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 210; Darien Robertson, Country Grocer; Crystal Charles, Remedy Salon; Ashley Pastor, BPO Elks; Alicia Fall, Island Pharmacy; Chanterelle Arbic, Island Savings Credit Union Tamu Miles Photos

Right: Pat Weaver poses with her very full basket donated by Country Grocer for the live auction.

Left: The Robertsons, Cory, Bill, and Bryson, serving up drinks and keeping the guests happy.

Left: Cliff Gibson holding up his concrete bear statue. There was quite the bidding war over this item.

Left: Jeff Abbott manning the mic and auctioning off the many fabulous donated items.

Mesachie Lake Firefighters are looking for recruits

Tamu Miles

Mesachie Lake firefighters hooking up a 5 inch hard suction hose to their new truck.

Tamu Miles Gazette editor

Two years ago the Mesachie Lake fire department was able to purchase a new fire truck, from a fire department in Kentucky, USA. “We allotted $80,000 to buy it, and we managed to get it for $60,000,” says Fire Chief Gary Eve. Eve recently invited me out to see the truck and take part in the department’s weekly practice, an invitation I simply could not pass up. Volunteer Bill Bergen showed me around the fire station and the dispatch office, where he spends most of his time, and then I was suited up with pants and boots and

taken outside to watch the crew learn how to use the 5 inch intake hose the new truck is equipped with.

Currently the department has 14 members, but Eve says this number fluctuates between 11 and 22. On hand that day were, Eve, Bergen, Eve’s son Ryan, the department’s secretary Liz Smith, the department’s captain Kirk Kleinke, retired fire chief Nick Sohye, Deputy Chief Dave Middlemost, training officer Casey VanDalen, Dave Berry, Brad Smith, and Owen Robertson.

I watched and took photos as the guys hauled both sections of the heavy “hard suction” hose down from the truck and

hooked it up to a special intake built into the bumper. It took two to three guys to lift the hose down and properly hook it up. Eve explained to me that that “if we go through the valve on the other side (of the truck), we are limited by our water supply for the town.

There is a finite amount of water that the hydrants can deliver to us. If we go with this hose and drop it in the lake, we can let the truck actually suck water instead of having water just fed to it. Being as this is a 1,500 gallon per minute pump we can increase our water heading out.”

The crew put together the hose, which is in two sections, twice while at the same time problem solving in terms of how the hose would be dropped in the lake, whether it would need a line attached to the end so that it could be hooked up to a dock, and which side of the truck made the most sense to hook up the primer hose. The primer hose feeds water from the truck to the hard suction hose to prime the pump so there is no air in the system.

When all was said and done, they figured that it took them a total of three minutes to have the system completely hooked up and ready to go.

When this part of the practice was finished, and while the guys were putting the hoses away, Eve had me don a jacket, air tank, mask, and helmet to give me an idea of the weight a fire fighter has to carry and how the positive pressure mask feels . At first the weight of the tank did not bother me that much, but after about five minutes I began to notice, and have empathy for, how difficult it would be to climb stairs and haul equipment with an extra 50 lb.

Eve explained that the positive pressure

masks have to fit perfectly. They go through regular checks to ensure that each fire fighter’s mask does so. While I was there, each member was subjected to this test, a process by which their mask is hooked up to a computer while they are wearing it. The fire fighter is then taken through a series of exercises which help to determine whether the mask is faulty or not. The seal on the mask, if broken, allows smoke and/ or bacteria to make its way through to the wearer. Eve said that it was fairly recently that the department was able to purchase a mask for each fire fighter.

The mask was not as uncomfortable as I expected, though Eve and a few others kept a close eye on my reaction. I definitely could see how claustrophobia could set in, especially if I was having to crawl on a floor in a dark space surrounded by thick smoke.

I think that my biggest issue, in all honesty, would be the intense heat of a fire though, not the equipment itself.

As with any fire department, the people who volunteer put in a great deal of time and energy. The Mesachie Lake Fire department is one that Eve and all of the others I met that day are proud to be a part of, and I could tell that they have formed close and trusting relationships over the years. “Everyone realizes the level they have to work and train to,” he says. “I trust every one of the people here.”

Eve says they are always on the look-out for new members and that includes women.

“Honestly, all you need to do is show up,” says Eve.” We will do the rest.” Practices are every Monday at 6:30, or you can phone the department and talk to anyone there at 250749-6722.

www.lakecowichangazette.com

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

9

National Day of Mourning - tough lesson in job safety Tamu Miles Gazette editor

On Saturday April 28, Cowichan Lake residents gathered at the Forest Workers’ Memorial Park to remember those who have lost their lives, or who were injured in work place environments.

There were approximately 70 people who attended the event.

Speeches were given by WCB representative, Bob Smits, Lisa Arlint who lost a family member due to a work place accident, and Cowichan Valley M.L.A. Bill Routley.

Routley says that Lake Cowichan was an important place to acknowledge and respect those who have lost their lives or been injured on the job because it is the industrial heart of the area. He says that this year it is especially important to make companies and employees aware of safety issues especially in light of the recent tragedies in Burns Lake and Prince George.

Routley pointed out that it is up to management and employees to be aware of dangers within a workplace environment, and that the blame cannot fall on the equipment itself. “Workers need to be more careful,” he said. “They are not robots, and they need to help prevent workplace accidents.”

He also says that the official opposition in B.C. is frustrated that the provincial government did not immediately order a stop work, especially since the Prince George accident was a “double boom” incident. “The mills have been shut down now, but it had to happen twice before any action was taken.”

Routley says it is important to remember the people that have been injured or who have lost their lives and not get caught up in the statistics. However, he did point out that last year there were 143 work place accidents.

Right: Bill Routley and Ellen Oxman pay their respects at Lake Cowichan’s Forest Workers’ Memorial Park.

Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2012-212 The Commission has received the following application: Deadline for submission of interventions/ comments/answers: 10 May 2012.

For further information, please consult Notice of Consultation CRTC 2012-212, on the CRTC website at www.crtc.gc.ca under “Public Proceedings” or call our toll free number 1-877-249-CRTC.

Kaatza Lakeside Players appreciates volunteers Mike Patrick Photo

Lindsay Anderson and Bailey Callihoo rehearse a scene at a dress rehearsal for Mending Fences.

Tamu Miles Gazette editor

Glenda Burg, the vice president for Kaatza Lakeside Players, says that everyone involved in the upcoming play Mending Fences, which opens on May 3, pulls double duty to help ensure a quality show. Besides those who are directly involved, or who sit on the Kaatza Lakeside Players board, there are many volunteers who come and help with the many shows the society presents to the community. “For instance, front of house, I bet there is a couple dozen volunteers at least,” says Burg.

These people help with setting up tables, chairs, decorations, bar, concession, and the ticket booth.

They help during the show to greet the public, take tickets and run the concession and the bar, and they help with clean-up when the evening is over. Burg says there are some volunteers who are regulars, and these people come and help out year after year, but some are new as well. “Some come one year and you might not see them the next.”

“For a set of volunteers to produce the standard of presentations that we have, I think, is amazing.”

Burg remembers when she was first asked to sit on the board, going to her first rehearsal. “I thought, ‘Oh my god, this is going to be a disaster, what did I get myself into?’ But every week it got better and better and there was no comparison to the level of acting that was presented as opposed to what I first saw about three months earlier.” Burg contributes this quality to the hard work of people like Dena McPhee, the artistic director for the show. “She is the one who prompts the performers to bring each character to life; the one who enables us to see the individual characters in the play; the one who brings Mending Fences into each of our lives.”

Bailey Callihoo, who plays young Harry and young Drew in Mending Fences, agrees. He says he has spent countless hours, both in rehearsal

and at home, going over the details of every line to match the vision McPhee has for his characters in the show. “It’s definitely amazing to see it all come together,” says Callihoo, “and to see it all develop from her idea. To go from sitting in chairs reading from a script to going up on a stage with a huge set built on it and all the lines memorized and everything is just amazing.”

Family members and, in the case of Callihoo, teachers have to be understanding and supportive as well. Callihoo says that his parents have been very supportive, with his mom selling tickets out of her business, Curves, and his dad driving him to and from rehearsal.

Kaatza Lakeside Players has approximately 60 members, and Burg says that a good portion of them come to help out with productions. In particular she would like to mention Lauren Frost, who is McPhee’s assistant and who is involved with almost every play, Mike Frost who is the society’s tech support and who “has been doing it all along, Alex Werk, and Eric Olson who plays Harry and who has been with the society for approximately 20 years.

All those involved, whether actor, director, or volunteer, hopes they see the community out to enjoy the show starting May 3, at the Lake Cowichan Centennial Hall on South Shore Road.

Subsequent shows run from May 4 to May 11.

Shows begin at 8 p.m. with the exception of a matinee on the May 5. The show that day will start at 2 p.m. May 12 is a dinner theatre show, catered by the Cow Cafe and Cookhouse. Dinner is at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults, students, and seniors, member’s tickets are available for $12.50.

Dinner Theatre tickets are $30. All tickets are available at the Footwear Centre and Curves in Lake Cowichan, and Portals at Island Savings Centre in Duncan.

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10

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

www.lakecowichangazette.com

Oster 12 Cup Coffee Maker & 2 Slice Toaster Contest Runs: April 22 - May 5 Draw Date: May 6 One winner per store

C Beach Street O Strawberries U N 2/$600 T R Haden Y Mangoes V $797 A L French U Bread E CALIFORNIA

OLYMEL

Sliced Regular Bacon

$ 00

2/ 5

PUFF N SOFT

Bathroom Tissue

2 Lb Clamshell

Limit 4

$ 00

2/ 7

MEXICAN

12 Count Case

$ 97

4

Limit 2

FLYER EVERY FRIDAY in the Cowichan News Leader Pictorial

1.5 L

Limit 2 Total

OCEAN SPRAY

Cranberry Cocktail

$ 77

3

3.78 L Limit 2

SEAWAVE

Pink Salmon

¢

454 g

Limit 4

Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise

White or Whole Wheat

97

12 Double Roll

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Watch for our

500 g

Limit 6 Total

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97

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Proud to be Cowichan Valley’s leading grocery store since 1986.

Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Deposits and/or environmental fees extra where applicable. We reserve the right to limit quantities.

Specials in effect Wednesday May 2nd - Saturday May 5th, 2012

Valley View Centre 1400 Cowichan Bay Rd, Cobble Hill • 83 Cowichan Rd, Lake Cowichan Open Daily 8am - 9pm

Offers valid at Lake Cowichan and Cobble Hill Country Grocer locations only.

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

11

You’ll feel like family!

Locally Owned & Operated since 1984

HEINZ

Saturday May 5, 11am - 3pm

BBQ Sauce

99

All proceeds to Lake Cowichan Food Bank

¢

DONELLI

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375ml

$

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Beef Ravioli

456-498g

BOYLANS

Sodas

425g

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Congratulations Sandi Weagant Winner of Odyssey Childrens Bike

Photos for illustrative purposes only. We reserve the right to limit quantities.

Specials in effect Wednesday, May 2/12 to Saturday, May 5/12

ALL ITEMS WHILE STOCK LAST!

www.countrygrocer.com

E X T R A V A L U E

These specials available at Country Grocer Lake Cowichan ONLY.

12

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

AUTO GLASS & UPHOLSTERY

s ’ d o R

Antiques, collectables, art work, and more!

Tamu Miles Gazette editor

250--748 250 748--4466 #2 - 2986 Boys Road, Duncan

Remedy is pleased to offer

REIKI TREATMENTS to book your Saturday appointment please contact Sue Potter at:

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Financial security planning products • • • • •

Segregated fund policies, RRSPs & TFSAs Payout annuities, RRIFs and LIFs Individual disability insurance Individual critical illness insurance Individual health and dental insurance

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Freedom 55 Financial and design are trademarks of London Life Insurance Company

A division of London Life Insurance Company

On Saturday, May 5, the folks out at Youbou Community Church are holding an auction to raise funds for repairs and upgrades to the church, as well as community projects such as the soup kitchen and emergency food hampers. The auctioning will start at 10 a.m., but those who are keen to bid are welcome to show up as early as 8:30 a.m., get a bidding number and start browsing.

Pastor Vikki Marrs says that there is plenty to choose from. Community members have donated collectables, antiques, original artwork, furniture, exercise equipment, and a local architect has even donated his time to draw up the plans for the top bidder’s dream home. “This has really been a community event,” says Marrs. “The response has been phenomenal.”

Jeff Abbott will be the auctioneer and emcee for the event.

Marrs says he is very humourous and will do a fantastic job of keeping the crowd bidding and entertained at the same time.

There are approximately 105 lots to bid on, and there is no minimum starting bid for any of the items with the exception of the home design. There will be a concession with refreshments, hamburgers, and hot dogs. The concession will be run by volunteers and all proceeds will go back into the church and towards the community projects listed above.

Marrs says she has had people ask her what will be done with the items that do not sell. “Even items that do not sell will be going toward a worthy cause.” For example, they

FAITH DIRECTORY Baptist

Pentecostal

Cowichan Lake Baptist Church

Lake Cowichan Christian Fellowship

8259 Beaver Road Lake Cowichan

57 King George St. South Lake Cowichan

Sunday Service 10:30 am Sunday School 10:30 am

Sunday Service 10:30am

Pastor Dale Winters

Pastor Terry Hale

250-749-3211

United Lake Cowichan United Church

250-749-6492

Roman Catholic Congregational St. Louis de Montfort

‘New Hope’ Community Church

60 Fern Road Lake Cowichan

10648 Youbou Rd, Youbou

Sunday Service 10:30 am

• Rosary at Noon • Mass Sunday at 12:30pm

Breakfast at 10:00 am Sunday Service 11:00 am

Rev. Greg Darjes

Fr. Alfredo Monacelli

Rev. Vikki Marrs

10 King George Street Lake Cowichan

250-749-3771

www.lakecowichangazette.com

250-749-4103

250-745-3406

Youbou Community Church Photo

might be donated to Bibles for Missions in Duncan.

For those who don’t know the history of the Youbou Community Church, Marrs says the building was erected in 1938 with lumber donated by the Cowichan Lumber Mill. Community members came together to build the church and since then the space has been used not only for Sunday services, but also as a meeting place to host special community lunches at Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter.

The church also hosts a free lunch on Mondays from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. where they serve soup and sandwiches and sometimes dessert.

Marrs hopes that the community comes out to support the church and enjoy a Saturday out in Youbou.

Unchecked water threatens local properties WATER continued from page 2 I spoke with Joseph Fernandez, the chief administrative officer for the town, at the town office to see what he had to say about Jane’s problem. He told me that council and the town are taking her and her neighbours concerns seriously and that they have approached the two property owners above her. “In terms of the easement, that’s not really an issue that’s been addressed in this process,” says Fernandez. When it comes to clearing out the debris that is clogging the easement on Jane’s property, Fernandez says “There’s not a lot we can do because there is private property all across below it. Property owners have approached us and said, you know, you can access it through our lands, but it’s a humongous issue if we start to deal with it. Right now the town has not seen a need to undertake that.We were under the impression that the issue was resolved and now we are dealing with an entirely new set of circumstances, at least so we

thought.”

In terms of the property owners above Jane, Fernandez says he has written them letters and given them some issues that they have to address.

“My understanding is that the work they undertook is the cause of all this kafuffle.”

When it comes Jane’s claim that council has had a delayed response to her concerns, Fernandez says “Not true. She’s been in contact with the previous bylaw officer, and the responses have gone back and forth and her claim that we have not responded to her is not correct.”

I asked Fernandez what Jane can do about the dangerous trees. “That would be a civil matter. If it’s between neighbours, we cannot get involved.

But if it’s work that they’ve done and it effects the development permit issue, then that’s where we get involved.”

In the meantime, Jane and her neighbours can only maintain and prevent as best they can and wait to see if the bylaws are properly enforced when it comes the property owner above her. As it is, water can be heard running down the slope to the road under the blackberry bushes and has started to flood down onto North Shore Road below.

See the new May Calendar for all the great promotions: Giveaways, food specials, and fun. We will see you soon!

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Download the coupon at www.chancescowichan.ca or on our facebook page.

Electronic Bingo • Paper Bingo • Slot Machines • Great Food Open 10 am to 1 am Daily • More information 250.746.6300 www.chancescowichan.ca

|

4 3 6 C o w i c h a n Wa y, D u n c a n , B C

www.lakecowichangazette.com

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Pat Duringer

Sandy Stinson

RE/MAX of LAKE COWICHAN 81 Cowichan Lake Road, Lake Cowichan | www.remaxlakecowichan.com

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Spectacular lake views, stunning home.

514 Johel Crescent

$429,000

8690 North Shore Rd.

A must view. High on quality, complete privacy and lake views. This 3 bedroom and den home has lots of rock work, shop, pool and hot tub. Must be viewed to fully appreciate.

10594 Youbou Rd.

$1,549,000

$215,000 Landscaped and garden area.

Big Lot ,View, Duplex

93 South Shore Rd. REDUCED

MOTIVATED

187 Tern Road

$434,700 • 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms • 30’ waterfront on river • BONUS 1 bedroom daylight suite • Commercial residential zoning

$319,000

$800,000

BRAND NEW ROOF

SOLD Lot 22 Kestrel Dr.

Lakeview lot w/ boat slip & beach access.

$97,500 8150 Sa-Seen-Os Rd. REDUCED

• Waterview • Low maintenance yard • recreation nearby 360 Carnell Drive

This going concern could be a gold mine!

House, pumps, carwash, convience store and take out counter

$2,200,000

$269,000 $ , THE HE SLOPES

$175,000 $175

10484 Youbou Road

$265,000 109 Southshore Rd.

SOLD PENNY NNY LANE -1 BDRM

$105,000

18 King George.

2 bedroom apartment!

REDUCED

Will consider buying your home to make a deal come together.

103 South Shore Rd. .............

Waterfront Investment

$569,000

$399,900

$299,000

COMMERCIAL

$399,000 • Riverfront +/ residential+/ +business too!

• Location, location,location • Established since 1960 • 1960 sq’ building • 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom • 62x104 riverfront lot

200 Cowichan Ave. East

$350.000

$339,900 RENTALS

10561 Cypress Rd.

$350,000

Amazing views, Swimming Pool

10176 Youbou Rd.

$829,000

2 bd and garage and seperate room.

127 North Shore 1 year lease only $850 per month.

3 bd house in Honeymoon bay. long term. fenced, woodstove, $1000 per month 1 bd and den condo, downtown, $775 per month.

NEW

• house + guest cottage + casita • A must experience!

2 Homes

$269,000

• Great home • Private • Excellent condition • Huge yard with lake view 9646 Creekside

$150,000

$510,000 • complete to lock up • two full stories and two half stories

colors, olors, amazing view, park like lot

$299,000 $695,000

9590 Creekside Road Waterfront Dock

Dermod & Dudley’s • WATERF WATERFRONT Restaurant • Pub & R MOTIVAT MOTIVATED!

$23 $239,000

$675,000 10172 Youbou Rd.

$179,900 Wow! Amazing lakeview on the lakeside of the road.

LAKEVIEW

$215,000

67 South Shore Rd.

2. Acres of waterfront 2.5 “t “the perfect campsite” 1/ share. off the grid 1/10

• I BDRM + DEN $249,000 CAN BE RENTED

Excellent canvas, big lot water access.

REDUCED

Seller Financing Available on all three, with down payment 3 years at 4.5%

RIVERFRONT

• Water development • Ideal for retirees or snowbirds

C7 Commercial Waterfront.

Perfect for resort or cabins. Offered at $1,350,000, recent appraised value.

$369,000

105 South Shore Rd. Riverfront with basement.

26,000 Sq. Ft. of Gardening Paradise Huge Shop

10408 Arbutus Street

OLD S New home, pick your own

96 Johel Rd.

$269,000

100 Elk Road

• newer windows • roof & electrial • fully fenced • 3 bedrooms

$190,000 The ESSO

SOLD

$299,000 $29

Big family home, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, could support a home based business or in-law suite.

REDUCED

264 Castley Castle Heights

$700,000 27 Stevens Crescent

$2,800,000

10524 Youbou Rd. This first class Bar & Grill & restaurant with a liquor store below was just a bit ahead if its time. Youbou is just on the brink of exploding into its own. This building is world class, the cedar and art work are tremendous, the stair case alone coming up the back has been done by a true artisan. The kitchen is well laid out and the sports bar feel keeps it packed on those special days. The liquor store downstairs is well used.

• Updated character home chara corner lot on cor across the street from TTrans Canada Trail Canad

g endin P waterfront home.

lake view from the kitchen landscaped .52 of an acre

10549 Coon Creek Rd.

$189,900

497 Mou Mountain View, yo colors, Pick your exce exceptional lot,

Priced to sell.

$339,000 $550,000

Beside the Creek in Youbou Big Lot

$169,000

9 King George N Street

Clean, well built, private yet in the heart of town.

In-law suite.

Youbou Mini Mart

$389,350

Extensively renovated home

Mixed R2 & C3 zoning on some of the best waterfront on Lake Cowichan. Close to downtown. The home has enjoyed some recent renovations. Little cabin on the water, is cute, private and has great water access. There is also a gazebo that could be turned into something, also right on the water.

• Waterfront + 2 Homes • All fenced • Boat ramp A great place to call home!

276 South Shore Rd.

7350 Neva Road

REDUCED

175 South Shore Road

.47 acre commercial lot.

Sewer and water

$179,000 266 Hillside Road

three bedroom A-Frame with separate shop

$279,000

SLOPES Beautiful upscale development has attracted a lovely mixture of mostly retired professionals.

481 Mountain View Rd.

$649,000

ATTENTION DEVELOPERS and Investors – here is a great opportunity to purchase a multi-family site within city limits with full community servicing. “The Slopes”, a new Lake Cowichan subdivision showcasing a variety of beautiful new homes. Close to town & minutes to the Lake with easy hwy. access.

470 Mountain View 489 Mountain View The SLOPES

New Dev New Dev BIG Lots

$114,000 $114,900 $ 99,000

$269,000 LOTS

$449,000

408 Point Ideal Road

13

7330 Cowichan Lake Road Room to stretch out on this small acreage. Rental in place paying $1200 per month

389 Point Ideal Waterfront $339,000 Lot 30 Cypress Private $69,000 470 Point Ideal Prime Loc WOW $89,900 466 Point Ideal Prime Loc $137,700 Lot 22 Kestral Dr. $134,500 #4 Meades Creek $374,900 Underground services and mountain vista

Lot 1 Somenos Rd. Duncan

$279,000 • 3.15 Acres

Waterfront LOTS Stin-Qua LOT #1 . ... $399,000 LOT #3 . ... $349,900 LOT #4 . ... $309,900 LOT #6 . ... $329,000 LOT #15. Almost waterfront! $159,900

Wednesday, May 2, 2012 THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

Food bank to hold month-long fundraiser and food drive The Cowichan Lake Food Bank is holding a fundraiser that will last through the month of May. Every Saturday, Cindy Vaast, along with other volunteers, will be in the Country Grocer parking lot selling hotdogs and taking donations of canned and other non-perishable goods. Any money that is donated will go directly to the food bank.

Food bank volunteers will also be selling raffle tickets for Lake Days. All the proceeds from these sales will also go towards the food bank. During Lake Days, the food bank

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will have kids collecting donations in buggies at the Lake Days entrance.

In conjunction with Hunger Awareness Week, May 7-11, the Saturday fundraiser will be a special one. On May 5, food bank volunteers will be generating awareness of the many people who go hungry in B.C. every day. They will have special T-shirts on, have stickers for the kids, and will have posters and information packages for the adults.

Fresh produce is hard to come by, and volunteers must, for the most part, fundraise to purchase fruit and vegetables for its customers. Local residents have helped out by offering apples or garden vegetables they have in excess during the summer months and at harvest. Vaast says

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Manufacturer Rebates can be used in conjunction with most retail consumer offers made available by Ford of Canada at either the time of factory order or delivery, but not both. Manufacturer Rebates are not combinable with any fleet consumer incentives. ±Lease a new 2012 F-150 XLT Super Cab 4X4 3.7L/F-150 XLT Super Crew 4X4 5.0L and get 4.99% lease annual percentage rate (LAPR) financing for up to 36 months on approved credit (OAC) from Ford Credit. Not all buyers will qualify for the lowest LAPR payment. Lease a vehicle with a value of $38,999/$41,899 at 4.99% LAPR for up to 36 months with $3,425 down or equivalent trade in, monthly payment is $352/$378, total lease obligation is $16,907/$17,033 and optional buyout is $15,990/$18,017. Offer includes Manufacturer Rebate of $7,500/$8,000. Taxes payable on full amount of lease financing price after Manufacturer Rebate is deducted. Offers include freight and air tax of $1,600, but exclude variable charges of license, fuel fill charge, insurance, registration, PPSA, administration fees and charges, any environmental charges or fees, and all applicable taxes. Additional payments required for PPSA, registration, security deposit, NSF fees (where applicable), excess wear and tear, and late fees. Some conditions and mileage restrictions of 60,000 km over 36 months apply. A charge of 16 cents per km over mileage restrictions applies, plus applicable taxes. Manufacturer Rebates can be used in conjunction with most retail consumer offers made available by Ford of Canada at either the time of factory order or delivery, but not both. Manufacturer Rebates are not combinable with any fleet consumer incentives. All prices are based on Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. ^ Until July 3, 2012, Security Deposit payment is waived on a lease (Red Carpet leases, on approved credit from Ford Credit) of a new 2012 or 2013 model (excluding Shelby GT 500, Boss 302, Boss 302 Laguna Seca, E-Series, Transit Connect Electric, F-150 Raptor, F-Series Chassis Cabs, Medium trucks). 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14 www.lakecowichangazette.com

there is never enough, but she appreciates whatever local residents can spare.

The food bank operates out of the Lake Cowichan United Church basement. Food is packaged on Tuesdays and handed out on Wednesdays.

Vaast says that most of the food they receive comes from donations made at Country Grocer, the Mustard Seed in Victoria—which receives its donations in shipments from Toronto—and from the Food Bank of B.C. She is grateful to the many local residents who donate funds every year.

For more information, contact Vaast by calling 250-7496239.

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www.lakecowichangazette.com

Art in support of Lake and River Stewardship Society During Heritage Days (Friday, May 18, Saturday, May 19, and Sunday May 20) the Kaazta Art Group will be selling members’ art at the Upper Centennial Hall in Lake Cowichan.

There is no entry fee, and everyone who attends will receive a monographed bookmark — while supplies last.

Loretta Puckerin, who has been a member of the group since 2008, says there are just under 20 local artists and artisans who will have their work for sale. There will be many different mediums to choose from including oil paintings, water colour, and acrylics, as well as pastel works, collage or mixed media, and encaustic— created by melting and layering beeswax mixed with pigment onto a canvas. At the sale artists will be donating 20 per cent of their proceeds from feature board items to the Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society.

Each year the art group picks a different non-profit society to donate to. The non-profit is selected in the fall and art group members then have about six months to create pieces that somehow speak about, or to, the cause. Hence, this year all works are nature related, and the Stewardship Society will decorate the upper Centennial Hall with plants, flowers, and other greenery. Puckerin says that the artists have had

a lot of fun with this theme and have drawn a lot of inspiration from it.

Kaatza Art Group is working hard to become more incorporated into the Cowichan Lake communities. Each month they offer workshops by group members, and sometimes paid professionals when they have the money, to anyone who would like to attend (as long as they don’t need a parent or any supervision).

For example, Puckerin has done a workshop on encaustic, and Carol Ray, who has lived in Lake Cowichan for the past three years, held a print making seminar. These workshops are held at Dave and Pauline Thompson’s Studio by Us on Grants Lake Road.

Becoming a member costs only $25 per year, and this allows those who are interested to sell their art at events such as the Kaatza Art Show and Sale.

Puckerin says that for members, having this group is all about “getting support from the artistic community, and sharing knowledge. You don’t have to have a university degree, and you don’t have to have a fine arts education.”

If you’re interested in creating, in whatever medium, you will find like-minded people in the art group.

— Tamu Miles

Summer Nights to kick-off July 7

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

7405 Neva Road $199,000 Gardener’s delight! Solid older 2 bedroom home with full partly ¿nished basement. Sits on 0.45 acre of very fertile soil. Includes 5 appliances, garage workshop and above ground swimming pool. Many renovations upgrades.

RE/MAX of LAKE COWICHAN 81 Cowichan Lake Road, Lake Cowichan | www.remaxlakecowichan.com

Your Trusted Authority ~ Going the extra mile for you!

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Photo submitted

Good Times Band plays at the Seniors’ Centre in Lake Cowichan.

Tamu Miles Gazette editor Summer Nights is preparing to launch into its first year in July. Lauretta Puckerin say that the idea began with local radio station CIVC 98.7 FM exploring ways in which they could record local entertainers in order to increase their Canadian, and more specifically, their local content. “So they started thinking, ‘well we can have music every Saturday night’, and it got to a point where they realized they couldn’t handle it by themselves. So they put out a call to all the not-for-profits and said if you are willing to put in your time and effort and help us create this, then we’ll make sure you get a share of the money collected.”

Since then local no-for-profit groups, including CIVC Radio, Cowichan Lake Food Bank, Honeymoon Bay Retreat, Kaatza Lakeside Players, Kaatza Art Group, Chamber of Commerce, Cowichan Valley Arts Council, and the Cowichan Lake Seniors Centre, have been working hard to put together a summer long weekend program for residents to enjoy on Saturday evenings. There is no budget for this event, so organizers and volunteers have been finding innovative and cost-free ways to hold the event and provide fun attractions for all ages.

Summer nights will be held at Central Park in downtown Lake Cowichan from July 7 to Sept.

1 every Saturday night from 6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m. Each evening will begin with an open mic, followed by two or three featured bands. All the musicians are volunteering their time, and there are still spots to be filled if you would like

to take part. Simply email Puckerin at loretta@ second-impressions.com, let her know who you are, and what kind of music you play and she will help you go from there. Some of the bands, musicians, and entertainers who are already confirmed include Judy Hogg’s Celtic Rhythm Dancers, the Good Times Band, Magician Darren Pilkinghorn, First Nations Music by Cheryl Bear and Randy Barneston, Mike Simkins Brass Bank, and Vinnies Last Ride — a rock and roll 50s band.

Each evening a different not-for-profit involved in the event will have a chance to get up on stage and let people know about what they do in the community and how the community can help out with their cause. Puckerin says that those interested in being involved have until the end of May to sign up.

As for those who just want to come and enjoy the show, Puckerin says bring a blanket or collapsable lawn chairs and enjoy the food, entertainment, kids art table (sponsored by the Kaatza Art Group), and the company of friends and neighbours.

Puckerin says that organizers of this event have three objectives: they want a family friendly venue where local entertainers can show off their talent, they want something to be happening downtown during the summer months for local residents to enjoy, and which might help to draw visitors from outside the Cowichan Lake area, and they want to raise money for local no-for-profits. Businesses are encouraged to sponsor this event. Sponsorships start at $50, and those who attend the event are asked to pay by donation.

Co Cow han La kke Cowi owwicich iccha han an L Lake ake

Visitor Guide 2011

The 2012 Visitor Guide will be available May 2012. If you would like to advertise your business in the Visitor Guide, please call Dennis at the Lake Cowichan Gazette

250-749-4383

15

16

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

www.lakecowichangazette.com

Progress made with Rhododendron LCSS Lakers show their spirit Memorial Park expansion Tamu Miles Gazette editor Pat Foster, the chair of Communities in Bloom, along with other volunteers, was out laying down new pathways and clearing blackberries and organic debris at the Rhododendron Memorial Park on Friday, April 20.

The expansion lies across the stream to the right of the already established pathways and the about-to-bloom rhododendrons that the organization has cared for over the last five years. Last year, volunteers cleared away the majority of the organic debris and this year they plan to finish the pathways and plant more rhododendrons along with wildflowers and possibly fall foliage such as Japanese maples.

“The ferns are staying, but the blackberries are not,” says Edith Strocen, who has been a member of Communities in Bloom since about 2005. Along with Linda Hempworth, Strocen explained that nothing is written in stone, but the group has many ideas for what they could plant. From beauty and burning bush to Gogi berry and other edible berries there are many perennials the group can choose from.

Strocen says it has never been a groomed park and will remain slightly wild. They will leave the stumps and the ferns to add to the more natural look of the park. Strocen talked

Bicycle Rodeo Saturday, May 26 Learn bike safety & maintenance Call: 250-749-6742

as she continued to rake out and flatten the gravel mixed with concrete that will harden over time and become easy to access pathways for wheelchairs, scooters, and strollers. The women joked as they worked, happy they were not hauling the gravel from a pile with wheelbarrows. Instead it was shot out of a sling truck and only had to be raked and packed into place.

Foster says that the funds for the park, including the printing of a new sign to be placed at the entrance located on W. Cowichan Ave., have come in part from a grant from the American Rhododendron Society and in part from funds raised by Communities in Bloom. At the time they were waiting for the approval of the town’s budget to receive funding that will go towards things like installing the new sign.

Eventually the group would like to place a bridge over the creek to connect the two sections of the park, but they are waiting to see if a donation of one comes along. “We are always looking for donations,” says Foster. And the group is always looking for volunteers. If you are interesting in becoming a member of Communities in Bloom, you can email Foster at pjfos@telus.net or give her a call 250-749-3730.

Rhododendron Memorial Park is open to anyone, and all are welcome to check out the newly expanded area as well.

Gilbert Lewis

LAKERS CORNER Last week, April 23-27, was spirit week at LCSS. This meant Tamu Miles Photo that every day of the LCSS students dressed up for formal day as part of week had it’s own spirit week. From Left: Shannon Charles, Rhianon Morrison Michelle Dubois, Rebecca Oliver, Gianna theme.

Egilson.

Monday was a day for the kids to dress part in spirit week were judged by up with school spirit clothing— Jennifer Thompson, Kristina Scottblue and yellow. On Tuesday, the Oliver, and Robin Johel. Spirit kids dressed up with wacky/crazy week was part of a leadership hair. Wednesday was rainbow day, project for students in LCSS’s so kids wore bright rainbow colors. leadership program and was Thursday was a day to dress up in organized by Grade 12 student, attire from their favorite decade.

Robin Joel.

Friday was a day to look fancy, “It was really cool to see how and go formal and participate in the other students came up with an event called, LCSS’s Next Top their creative ways of dressing up.”

Model. said Grade 12 student, Jennifer Every day the Lakers who took Thompson.

Got a sports story? Email us at: editor@lakecowichangazette.com

SPORTS

Retreads hike to Skidder Mountain

David Kidd Photo

View of Mesachie Mountain and Bald Mountain from Skidder Mountain as seen by the Retreads on their recent hike.

Ten enthusiastic retreaders set off from the end of Point Ideal to hike across the valley and up to Skidder Mountain. We hiked up Lakeview Road across the busy South Shore highway, along Fairservice Main for about a kilometre and then branched onto the logging road that took us across the valley and up some distance to the point where the remains of a cabin are located.

Upon receiving an email about the

Skidder hike, Colleen Johel wrote, “I hope you enjoyed the hike up Skidder Hill which I knew as a child. There are still some remnants of an old wood stove and shakes from a cabin at the end of the trail built about 40-years ago by my father, my three brothers and myself. It was a beautiful trail in before it was logged but the view is still as good as it was years ago! I still take my kids up their every year or two.”

A scramble up the bluff above the cabin provided us with a great view of the valley, looking across to Neiser’s place and the satelite tracking station. We could see Mesachie Mountain another popular hike.

The volcanic shaped hill looked pretty insignificant from that distance. Further over we could see Bald Mountain which we often hike and it looked quite formidable. In the foreground we could see a large area of recently harvested and not yet planted land and some evidence that firewood had been harvested from leftover logs.

We had one check on safety issues. One hiker (who shall remain nameless) followed a deer track when coming down off the bluff. While we were calling his name, directing our voices up the hill, someone looked down and there, about 50 metres below us, was that hiker. He looked a bit puzzled and asked, “How did this happen?”

This experience had us discussing how we should carry and learn to use whistles to signal and how to keep the group together.

When we crossed onto Fair Service Main we noted that the gate had recently been moved right out to the highway. We surmise that this was to prevent people from driving onto the road and dumping garbage.

There was evidence that a significant amount of garbage had been collected from that area before the gate was moved. That observation left us a bit disappointed.

All told we hiked between 11 and 12 kilometres counting the return. We thank the authors, John and Georgie Clark and Rick Nott, of Our Favourite Hikes in the Lake Cowichan Area, for guiding us on this hike.

Ball Hockey: Starts Monday, May 28 6:30-7:30 p.m. at CLSA Arena Call: 250-749-6742 to register

LCSS senior girls’ soccer On Monday, April 23, the LCSS girl’s soccer team faced ls off against the girls from Duncan Christian School at the Cowichan Sportsplex near le Quamichan Middle rfield School on Chesterfi eld St. in Duncan.

With only 9 girls playing that day, it was hard for the LCSS team to make any headway, and unfortunately they lost with a score of 6-3.

Kathy Biro, the LCSS coach, says that due to a lack of team members, the girls will not be playing in any more games this season. “We have decided to keep the practices going Tuesdays and Thursdays and treat them like a drop-in soccer clinic. It will be open to all ages and gender. I am hoping that I will be able to teach and instill the basic soccer skills to give them a jump on next year.”

Principal Peter Jory says it’s unfortunate that the girls will not be able to play this year, but he also acknowledges that many of them have work obligations, or are needing to focus on their studies. He also says that the Lady of the Lake activities consume much of the student’s time.

www.lakecowichangazette.com

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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

COMING EVENTS

CARDS OF THANKS A BIG THANK YOU TO COVAL PLUMBING SERVICES! Your donation of materials & your labour to install our new hot water tank were greatly appreciated.

Warm regards, Cowichan Lake & District Seniors’ Assc.

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FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS CARDS OF THANKS

Call 310-3535

FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS CARDS OF THANKS

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

EDUCATION/TRADE SCHOOLS

AIRLINES ARE Hiring- Train for high paying Aviation Maintenance Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualiďŹ ed- Housing available.

CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance (877)818-0783.

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INFORMATION

want to thank everyone who assisted in the recovery effort.

TRADES, TECHNICAL AUTOMOTIVE Technician Required for North Vancouver Island GM Dealer. Full time. Wage BeneďŹ ts pkg. Competitive wage with bonus plan. Great small town to bring up a family. email resume to admin@klassengm.com

CONCRETE Pump Operator required in Salmon Arm area.

Must have experience Call Pete (1-250)833-5722

THE ONE and only Harley Davidson Technician Training Program in Canada. GPRC Fairview Campus. 15 week program. Current H-D motorcycle training aids. Affordable residences.

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HELP WANTED Holbrook Dyson Logging Ltd Has vacancies in the following job: Heavy Duty Mechanic.

Details can be seen at http://hdlogging.com/ Fax resume to 250-287-9259

INFORMATION

It will be her privilege to give you free gifts from local businesses and civic organizations.

To make an appointment call:

Ladine at 250-932-4664 www.welcomewagon.ca

DEATHS

VEITCH, Bob November 23, 1929 - April 23, 2012

Robert (Bob) Veitch passed away peacefully at his Lake Cowichan home on April 23rd.

He is survived by his wife Barbara, his children Gary (Kathy) Veitch and Karen (Harold) Neuffer; grandchildren Kristin (Rob), Ryan (Natasha) Dana (Tyler) and Rob (Ashleigh); greatgrandchildren Logan, Kenley, Tysen and Mylan.

Born in Viscount, Saskatchewan on November 23, 1929, Bob moved to the West Coast in 1947 in search of employment. He tried long-shoring and logging before settling on sawmilling, working for the Hillcrest Lumber Company at its Mesachie Lake mill.

Bob and Barb married in 1954. They made Lake Cowichan their home, raising their family on Park Road, near the “Duck Pond�.

Bob’s early days revolved around playing hockey (yes, there was a “Youbou Bruins� hockey team that played in Nanaimo long before there was an arena in Lake Cowichan).

As time went on, Bob became more involved in the community, coaching baseball and hockey, grounds keeping for baseball and volunteering at the Lake Cowichan museum since its inception.

In his later years Bob preferred to stay at home and garden, follow sports and politics and enjoy family visits as well as a glass of Âżne ale.

The family would like to express sincere gratitude for the compassionate care given by all those who made it possible for Bob to spend his Âżnal days comfortably at home.

A memorial gathering was held at the Lake Cowichan Curling Club at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 29th.

In lieu of Àowers it would be appreciated if donations were made to the Kaatza Historical Society, Box 135, Lake Cowichan, BC V0R2G0

HELP WANTED

DAVE LANDON FORD requires a licensed auto tech or skilled 2-4 yr apprentice to join our team. Industry wages and beneďŹ ts package available. Please send resume to dlsales@telus.net.

JOURNEYMAN TECHNICIAN required immediately for Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealership in Salmon Arm, BC. Proven producer, good attitude, quality workmanship a must.

Excellent wage and beneďŹ t package. Contact Pat - phone 250-832-8053, fax 250-8324545, email: pat@brabymotors.com.

Newcastle Timber Ltd Has vacancies in the following job: experienced Grapple Yarder Operator. Details can be seen at http://hdlogging.com/ Fax resume to 250-287-9259

IF YOU ARE ... • New in Town • Expecting a Baby Call your Welcome Wagon hostess!

Your thoughts and prayers are also deeply appreciated.

DEATHS

A17

CONCRETE FINISHERS and Form Setters.

Edmonton based company seeks experienced concrete ďŹ nishers and form setters for work in Edmonton and northern Alberta.

Subsistence and accommodations provided for out of town work; Cell 780-660-8130. Fax 780-444-7103. john@raidersconcrete.com.

EDUCATION/TRADE SCHOOLS

The family and friends of

Bill Shearer

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

EMPLOYMENT/EDUCATION

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WANTED: Servers, bartenders, barrista’s & cooks @ Telegraph Cove Resorts Ltd. Send resume to Box 1, Telegraph Cove, BC V0N 3J0. Fax: 250-928-3105 or email: tcrltd@island.net.

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XI GAMMA KAPPA on May 12, 2012, 10am-12noon across from Home Hardware.

WHERE BUYERS AND SELLERS MEET www.bcclassiďŹ ed.com

A18

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

www.lakecowichangazette.com

PERSONAL SERVICES

MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

RENTALS

TRANSPORTATION

FINANCIAL SERVICES

FUEL/FIREWOOD

APARTMENT/CONDO

AUTO FINANCING

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SEASONED FIREWOOD Vancouver Island’s largest firewood producer offers firewood legally obtained during forest restoration, large cords. Help restore your forest, Burndrywood.com 1-877-902-WOOD.

LAKE COWICHAN- 2 bdrm suite, large yard, prkg, on bus route, pets ok, laundry. $560.

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HALLS LIONS’ CLUB HALL for rent $75. Deposit required. Call Eileen 250-749-3345.

Auto Financing 1.800.910.6402

SUITES, LOWER

CARS

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RENTALS

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LAKE COW. 3 bdrm, 2 bath.

New paint, water heater and updates. 5 appls, hot tub. Full bsmt, (70% finished). Walk to amens, park, river & lake. RV prkg, very nice large corner lot. Immediate possession, $318,000. Call (250)749-3628.

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FOR SALE BY OWNER

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RECREATIONAL VEHICLES FOR SALE

Moving Jobs Welcome

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

HOMES WANTED

145 South Shore Road | Lake Cowichan |

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

WE BUY HOUSES

HOME RENOVATIONS. Hardwood, Laminate and Tile Floors. In floor heating, kitchen & baths, interior finishing.

Ref’s.Call Greg (250)749-3404

PLUMBING A SERVICE PLUMBER. Licence, Insured. Drains, HWT, Reno’s, Repairs. Senior Discounts. After Hour Service.

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To View Call:

250-749-6660

Got a story idea or a

TIP?

Call or email Tamu at

250.749.4383 editor@lakecowichangazette.com

What’s black and white and READ all over? www.lakecowichangazette.com

NEWS

Annual subscriptions only: $38 Locally $54 BC $107 Canada 250.749.4383

Name: Terri-Lynne Warren Occupation: Owner/Operator of Fit For A Princess I was born in: Nanaimo Hometown: Lower Sahtlam I have always wanted to go: heli-skiing Most people don’t know that: I love to knit Favourite food: anything gluten free Favourite activity: gardening I define down time as: watching TV I wish I was better at: following instructions If I was stuck on a desert island I would definitely need: a phone Favourite moment of day is: the morning I’m currently reading: The Hunger Games My guiltiest pleasure is: lying on my big comfy couch My go-to wardrobe staple: my pajamas In my car I listen to: local radio stations If I had a $1,000,000: I’d go shopping

www.lakecowichangazette.com

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Inside Back: A little of this and that is a giant take-out basket.

☞ Local businesses

Hans' Butcher Shop & Deli makes, in-store, glutenfree sausages. Call 250-749-3115 for more information on this and other specialty items — like chicken breast with scallops, shrimp and cream cheese.

Honeymoon Bay Lodge and Retreat has a spa day coming up on May 24 that includes a massage, refreshments, hot tub, sauna and buffet dinner. A great mother's day gift. If you would like more information call 250-749-4252.

☞ Cowichan Lake Recreation Mother's Day Spring Bizarre

Cowichan Lake Recereation will hosting a bizarre on Mothers' Day, Saturday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Youbou Hall. Admission is free.

Table rentals are available on a first come first served basis.

If you need more information call 250-745-3712 or 250-749-6742.

☞ Lake Days rafÀe tickets

Lake Days rafÀe tickets are already on-sale at several locations around town. Tickets are $2 each or three for $5. First prize is an iPad2, second prize is a garden bench and arbour from Mountain Man and third prize

☞ Talent Night at Cowichan lake Senior Centre

There will be an evening of local entertainment at the Cowichan lake Senior Centre, 55 Coronation Street on May 5 at 7 p.m. Admission is by donation.

☞ Lake Cowichan's Move for Health Day

Move for Health is coming to Lake Cowichan on Wednesday, May 9. This community walk will start off from Saywell Park and walkers will choose between ¿ve and 10-loop treks of the Trans Canada Trail.

Since 2002, the World Health Organization has promoted a Move for Health Day as a global day of physical activity. The event is designed to bring communities together in the spirit of fun, inclusivity, and support of healthy, active living. The B.C. Recreation and Parks Association, with support from Healthy Families B.C., leads the province in promoting this global event and the bene¿ts of healthy, active living.

The Lake Cowichan Move for Health walk starts at 9:30 a.m. and will ¿nish at 1 p.m. The event is free to attend and everyone is welcome.

Call Cowichan Lake Recreation for more information

☞Film & Entertainment Co-operative Looking For Directors

Board directors are needed for an ambitious new cooperative proposed for the Cowichan Valley. The proposed VI Film and Entertainment Cooperative aims to help its members acquire the knowledge, skills and resources they need to produce ¿lm/video and other entertainment works. The cooperative is an endeavor that would provide a learning experience for those interested in the ¿lm and entertainment industry and an opportunity for others to share their knowledge with up and coming talent. However, before things can move forward, a founding board of directors is needed to be able to continue with the next stages of development. No experience is necessary, just a keen interest in making ¿lms and producing entertainment events.

Please send your inquires to ifecoop@gmail.com For further information about the proposed VI Film and Entertainment Co-operative ¿nd them on Facebook or check out their website http://island¿lmandentertainmentcoop.weebly.com/ To ¿nd out more about the advantages of cooperatives, visit the BC Co-operative Association at http://bcca.coop/

Cowichan Lake Service Directory

FOR ALL YOUR HEATING and COOLING NEEDS

ACCOMMODATION • Oil, Gas & Electric Furnaces • Heat Pumps • Refrigeration • Duct Cleaning

at 250-749-6742. Visit bcrpa.bc.ca/mfhd for speci¿c information on Move for Health Day.

Need space for relatives?

accurate air

BOUTIQUE WATERFRONT LODGE Come enjoy...

Waterfront Patio Suites King-sized Bed | Jacuzzi Wharf | Campfire Pit | BBQs Single off -season rates start at $59/night – $295/week www.lakecowichan.org

SERVICE, REPAIR AND INSTALL

– ONE CALL COVERS IT ALL – For your free in home heating estimate

250.746.1666 Visit www.accurate-air.ca for internet specials!

1-877-222-8876 250-749-0105

CARPENTRY

INDEPENDENT CRAFTSMAN Finishing carpenter with over 23 years experience.

Quality comes first.

• Renovations • Installations • Framing • All Finishing Carpentry • Custom Kitchens • Laminate Flooring • Decks • Fences • Sheds • Additions • Windows & Doors

JOHN PORTELANCE

73 South Shore, Lake Cowichan

250-749-3174

ELECTRICIAN

EXCAVATING

CONTRACTOR

For ALL your renovation needs:

Decks | Doors & Windows | Kitchens Bathrooms | Basement Suites Foundations | Drywall | Plumbing Trained Architectural Technologist

20 years in the Valley Free estimates, Plans

250-746-9956 Leave a message www.davidgaleconstruction.ca

FITTNESS Lake Cowichan

Residential & Commercial

250-701-1755

Shane Baker

250.710.8411

Serving Lake Cowichan for over 20 yrs

MINI EXCAVATOR & BOBCAT SERVICES

Licenced ̰ Bonded ̰ Insured

bomanmasonry@gmail.com

Reg #12129

Landscaping | Septic Services

For ALL your stone work needs

YOUBOU, BRITISH COLUMBIA

COVAL PLUMBING

After hour service | Seniors’ discounts Renovations | New construction | Repairs Hot water tanks | Drain cleaning Septic Design & Installation Water services 20+ years experience

250-749-4997 250-709-5103

HANDYMAN

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• Hot water heaters • Fiberglass tubs • Acrylic jetted tubs • Pumps • Fish ponds • Faucets • Sprinklers • Repair parts from A - Z

GRIFFITHS HOME PLUMBING CENTRE

251 Government St. ,Duncan

250-746-4534

DUMP TRUCK: 1-6 YARDS HOME INSPECTOR

Spring Specials On Now!

www.bunahhomeinspections.com

Edward Desrochers Licenced Inspector | C.P.B.C. #57177 Thinking about buying or selling your home? Vancouver Island’s most trusted source for comprehensive, objective and professional home inspections and reports

1.888.237.0953 SERVICE STATION

THRIFT SHOP

Towing and Repairs

United Church

Open 7 Days a Week

THRIFT SHOP

Cowichan Motors

OPEN

(1958) Ltd.

Convenience Store • Gas Bar Store: 250-749–3355 Garage: 250-749–3213

Thursdays 10am - 1pm

Gibson’s Driving School

Kevin Gibson 250-709-1771 Door to Door Service Serving: Lake Cowichan Youbou Honeymoon Bay and Duncan Email: kjjgibson@gmail.com

GAS BAR

TIPTONS GAS BAR Gas • Diesel Boat Gas Confections • Bait • Ice

250-749-6133 OPEN: Mon.-Sat: 5a.m.-10p.m.

Sun: 7a.m. - 8p.m.

250-749-7763

14 North Shore Rd. Lake Cowichan

lakecurves@shaw.ca

PETS & SUPPLIES

Cowichan Pet Emporium (1996)

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All your plumbing needs under one roof!

~ New Owner ~

250-732-4570

CALL Ian Balding TODAY

STONEMASON

GDS

DAVID GALE

CONSTRUCTION

PACIFIC-WEST ELECTRIC Scott Thomas

DRIVING SCHOOL

Fish • Pet food/supplies • Otter Co-op Livestock Feed • Wood Pellets • Grooming •

MONTHLY VET CLINIC

PHYSIOTHERAPIST

Lake Cowichan Therapy Open: Mon., Wed., Thurs. #103 - 205 South Shore Rd.

250.749.3621

250-749–4454

Judith Quinlan Registered Physiotherapist

TIRES

TRUCKING

En-TIRE-ly at your Service 250-749-6614

TOP SOIL • BARK MULCH COMPOST • SAND • GRAVEL

170A Cowichan Lake Rd.

Specializing in delivering 1 - 5 yard loads.

Lorne: Cell:

250-749-6601 250-701-5153

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

THE LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE

www.lakecowichangazette.com

Trade in, trade up.

Convert any used working device into credit with the TELUS Trade-In Program.

Your credit can be applied to any new phone or accessory A $3 Donation goes toward the planting of a tree through Tree Canada†

BONUS Trade in today and receive an additional $50* toward any new phone.

*Offer valid until May 21, 2012. Limit of one trade-in per customer. Devices will be valuated by eRecyclingCorps at its sole discretion. In-store trade-in credits have no cash value, are non-transferable and can only be used in the TELUS store where the devices were traded in at the time of the trade-in. Products purchased using in-store trade-in credits cannot be returned for full cash value. All trade-ins are final. The trade-in transfers all rights in the device to eRecyclingCorps and waives any claim against TELUS or eRecyclingCorps with respect to the device or the trade-in program. The eRecycling trade-in program is available in Canada only and may be cancelled at any time without notice. †$3 donation is for $0 value recycled devices only. TELUS and the TELUS logo are trademarks of TELUS Corporation, used under license. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2012 TELUS.

Check out the latest offers & arrivals at www.cowichansound.com 951A Canada Ave 250-748-4847 Cowichan Commons 250-715-1599 B1- 845 Deloume Road, Mill Bay 250-733-2626

We SERVICE what we sell!