Record attempt Bid for world’s longest street hockey game falls short. PAGE 7 Super survives School district’s top staffer reflects on difficult first year. PAGE 19 Artist’s inspiration Noel Brown accomplished in several media. PAGE 3
Pirates race for pennant PAGE B1
INSIDE NANAIMO
REAL ESTATE
REVIEW
Your Bi-Weekly Guide to Real Estate in Nanaimo, Nanoose, Ladysmith and the Surrounding Areas
ONLINE: WWW.NANAIMOBULLETIN.COM ADVERTISING INFORMATION: CALL LESLEY LIVINGSTONE-GRAY AT 250-734-4614
THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2012
FEATURE PROPERTY
1019 Timberwood Drive - $329,900
THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2012
www.nanaimobulletin.com
VOL. 24, NO. 29 Danya Nieman, front, takes a dive to make the save as Mychaela Roelants moves in to keep the ball in play during a practice session at the Bowen Park volleyball courts Wednesday. Nieman, Roelants and their teammates took advantage of sunny weather to practise with coach Jordan Church, in the background, for U17 girls beach volleyball competition in this year’s B.C. Summer Games. After poor weather throughout June, the change to sun Wednesday is expected to last into the weekend. ACHRIS BUSH THE NEWS BULLETIN
Drab June gives way to sun BY TOBY GORMAN THE NEWS BULLETIN
If you feel like the month of June owes you something for the drearier-than-normal weather, you’re not alone. June 2012 – the month sarcastically referred to as Junuary – was cold, damp and dark, Environment Canada meteorologist David Jones says. This time it wasn’t just perception, as it was last year. Last month was 1.1 C lower than the mean temperature of 15.2 C for a typical June, it rained 20 millimetres beyond the normal 45mm, we saw 19 days of rain instead of the normal 12, and we had a week less sunshine than we’d enjoy in an average June.
“To have the temperature a degree lower than the average is significant,” said Jones. “It’s beyond the standard deviation. It was certainly cooler than normal.” Only eight days reached the 20 C mark, instead of the usual 14, and at no time during the month did we reach 25 C – the closest we came was 24.6 C on June 21. “It’s been worse in June and July long weekend didn’t help,” said Jones. “But June tends to be bipolar – either sunny and dry or wet and grim like we just saw.” Summer will arrive soon as temperatures are forecast to approach 30 C this weekend, leaving people with something entirely different to complain about. For campers at Living Forest Oceanside Campground in Nanaimo, they just deal with
Here is a fantastic family home in a quiet area that has an amazing outdoor living space. The main floor is level to the back yard and the seller has created a huge deck space that is covered with custom trellises for privacy, includes a hot tub and overlooks a small pond which adds to the serene setting. Lots of sun due to southern exposure makes this a top spot for summer BBQ’s and entertaining friends. The large kitchen looks out across the street at the clean and tidy neighbourhood park and has plenty of white cabinetry and lots of countertop space that includes an eating peninsula. The main floor has just been redone with dark hand scraped-style laminate flooring and has 3 bedrooms, including a master bedroom with a full ensuite and jetted tub. The downstairs has a large family room and a bedroom and previously had a kitchen with the plumbing remaining. This could be a suite again, but the existing wood stove would have to be removed. Contact The Charlie Parker Team, Re/max of Nanaimo, 250-751HOME (4663) & www.charlieparker.ca See page 24
whatever weather comes at them, said owner Scott Littlejohn. “We don’t get a lot of tenters until the kids get out of school, so it’s not too bad that way,” he said. “And for people in RVs, the rain doesn’t affect them too much. We always make sure we have plenty of indoor suggestions for them, like the museum. But our numbers are right about where they were last year which is good, and the upside is everything at the campground is green.” The east coast of Vancouver Island is rated ‘very low’ for fire hazard according to the B.C. Wildfire Management Branch as of Tuesday. That rating is expected to increase to higher risk as hot temperatures and sunny skies settle over the region beginning today (July 5). reporter2@nanaimobulletin.com
English teacher recognized for PE innovations
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DOVER BAY educator wins national honours for PE excellence. BY JENN McGARRIGLE THE NEWS BULLETIN
L
ynn Brown loves physical activities of all sorts. She belongs to a gym, is part of a dragonboat team and her summer activities include hiking, biking and kayaking. “I like to be outdoors,” said Brown. “It re-energizes me. Physical activity and healthy living is my life, that’s my mantra.” It’s a mantra the Dover Bay Secondary School English teacher has passed on to her students through her innovative teaching practices. Brown recently won a Physical Education Teaching Excellence award from Physical Health and Education Canada, a national professional organization for physical and health educators. The awards are given out annually to one teacher in each province who demonstrates excellence in teaching physical education and an ability to motivate children and youth to participate in physical activity. Brown volunteered for 17 years to coach students in a variety of sports, including basketball, volleyball, cross-country running and track and field. ◆ See ‘TEACHER’S’ /4