Bowen Island Undercurrent, November 09, 2012

FRIDAY NOV. 9, 2012 VOL. 39, NO. 26

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A day of remembrance

Three islanders speak out about how wars have touched their lives

Letters, letters, letters

Islanders write about appreciation, values and worries

Not a swan song yet

Robin Wall’s new show covers 25 years of creating art

Chamber has new manager

Chum are back

Steamship Days organizer takes on manager position

Return of the spawners causes excitement in experts and spectators

SUSANNE MARTIN

SUSANNE MARTIN

EDITOR

EDITOR

aria Steernberg has just been appointed as the new manager of the Bowen Island Chamber of Commerce and she is asking members of the community to share their ideas on what role they envision the chamber to take on. “I’d like to know what they want to see from the chamber,” Steernberg said. “I also have ideas what could be done to help the business community. And I’d like to put us on the map.”

Kevin Manning, one of the chamber’s board members, said, “That’s exciting news and it will breathe new life into the chamber.” He added that the organization, which relies heavily on volunteer efforts and is driven “by islanders’ desire to give back to the community,” is lucky to have Steernberg on board.

Steernberg is known for her pink boat that can be found cruising coastal waters to capture what she calls “those Kodak moments” as part of Sea Snaps Photography Ltd. She has been running her business for 28 years and has built up a strong connection to boating communities. “Sea Snaps is my main business,” she said, adding that it fits well with her new position.

“And I’ll have my sidekick Marina who will be wearing a manager’s t-shirt in no time,” Steernberg says and her Jack Russell, who has tagged along for the interview, looks up as if she wants to venture a comment.

Steernberg says she came to Bowen the first time in 1972 in her sailboat that she tied to log booms.

In the early years with Sea Snaps, she got to know Norma Dallas and Rondy and Dorothy Dikes well.

Since 2010, Bowen Island has been her base of operation. And, as the chamber manager, she says she will do her best to make sure that the community is not missing out. “It seems like Bowen has been missing a lot of boats,” Steernberg says.

ill Newport, Tim Pardee and Jim Bydak of the Bowen Island Fish and Wildlife Club have been looking closely at local creeks. They were joined by many curious islanders who’ve flocked to the lagoon over the last few days to catch a glimpse of the large number of salmon that have been coming back to spawn.

Bydak and Pardee counted four chum in Davies creek, one in the wintering pond and one below the bridge in the stream mouth on Tuesday. Newport reported seeing 17 salmon at the spillway on Sunday and 13 on Monday. “There are chum coming through every day and they look very healthy,” Newport said.

“Part of the reason the salmon look so healthy is because the rain came at the right time and in the right quantity for them to enter local waterways. If the fish have to stay out in the ocean and wait for an window of opportunity, they don’t eat and slowly lose energy until they look horrible.” This is an exciting time for Pardee, the fish and wildlife club’s president, who has been making it a habit to walk along local creeks every week beginning in September to gather data about spawners.

“In the last two years, Jim [Bydak] and I have gone every week to look for salmon spawning,” Pardee says. “Since they tend to go into the shade where they are hard to see, we bring a stick. When we encounter a big rock, a log or an overhang, we’ll poke around to get them to move and then we count them.” He added that this information is compiled into a spawners’ survey and passed along to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), “It gives an estimate on how many salmon are coming back.”

In the last two years, Pardee and Bydak didn’t have much to report. “We didn’t see a single salmon,” Pardee says. “But this year, based on what people are seeing, a lot of spawners are returning.”

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Steernberg welcomes community input continued PAGE 1

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Steernberg explained that she was attending a tourism seminar in Vancouver at the beginning of the year that specifically dealt with B.C.’s marine highway. Bowen Island was included on the map but none of the local marinas and amenities were listed. “They had Sewell’s Marina in Horseshoe Bay, Sunset Marina, Squamish and Gibsons but nothing on Bowen Island.

That really opened my eyes.” Steernberg stood up and asked, “Where is Snug Cove and Bowen Island?” Since then, she’s made it her mission to promote Bowen Island as a visitor destination. Steernberg has worked closely with the chamber board and volunteers when she helped to organize Steamship Days this summer and has gotten to know the local business community through that experience.

About what’s on the new chamber manager’s desk right now, Steernberg says that she will work closely with Lorraine Ashdown, Mercia Sixta and Hedda Duntz on the Light up the Cove event. The chamber will also sponsor the Christmas trees that grace the lawn at the entrance to the boardwalk. One of Steernberg’s goals is to boost chamber memberships and plan a couple of fundraisers. And, of course, prepare for next year’s Steamship Days festivities.

“It has to be a balance of promoting tourism and promoting on-island businesses,” Steernberg says. “Islanders need to be aware of everything that is available locally from stores to home-based businesses to other resources. And it’s important that they support local businesses.”

And networking and communications can be powerful tools, according to

Maria Steernberg with her faithful sidekick Marina.

Susanne Martin photo

Steernberg who will be reaching out to the Bowen Women in Business group as well as the community at large.

“It’s important that the community gives me direc-

tion,” Steernberg said. “I believe that with hard work and creativity, anything is possible.” For more information, please see www.bowenchamber.com.

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Bowen can expect a ‘brood year’ for chum

Kinder Morgan open house on Bowen

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PAULINE Le BEL sPEcIAL to thE UNdErcUrrENt

Based on what he has seen so far, Newport says, “My best guess for this year’s spawning season is that we will have a thousand or more chum. I don’t have a sense of what’s happening with coho because we haven’t seen any yet. It’s been about five years since we had a really good run for chum.”

Rob Bell-Irving, the DFO’s community advisor of the Sea to Sky Corridor and Lower Fraser ecosystem management branch, was happy to report that the numbers of chum returning to spawn are increasing on a regional level. “I just got a call from the West Vancouver streamkeepers to say that there are quite a few chum showing up in Eagle Creek. We are also seeing more in Squamish. So for one species, there seems to be an upswing,” he said.

Bell-Irving welcomes the news. “Over the last 25 years, chum had been the most consistent of all the five species of salmon in terms of decent escapements.

They’ve been relatively dependable compared to other stock,” he explained. “About six years ago, chum seemed to go into a decline. It is not unexpected for a species to have a decline for a year or two but when it continued into a third and fourth year, we became quite concerned.”

Bell-Irving doesn’t know the reason. He said that ocean feeding conditions were good and fishing wasn’t a problem because chum has lower market value per pound compared to sockeye, chinook and coho. And it was a B.C. issue as countries like Alaska, Russia and Japan reported that their chum stocks were excellent.

“It was very surprising. But chum are a very mysterious salmon. They travel further than any other salmon,” Bell-Irving said. “It’s very common for B.C. salmon to mingle freely with salmon from Russia, Japan and Alaska. They travel long ways so we can’t track them as well as other fish.”

“On Bowen, [salmon enhancement] started in the late 1990s. Starting in 2000/2001, we built the chum run up to where we were getting between 500 and 1,500 back every year. That’s when the chum became part of Bowen culture and it was a very joyful thing,” Bell-Irving recalls. “Every year, residents would see at least a few hundred chum coming into the lagoon.

Around six years ago, they became harder to locate.”

Bowen Island started with zero stock because local creeks had lost all their original salmon and BellIrving believes that it was quite an accomplishment to get the escapements back into the hundreds. And with a chum run like this season, he predicts what he calls a “brood year.” It will yield a good return in 2016/2017 when the chum, who live four to five years, are expected to come back. Pardee said that in addition to the chum spawning in Bowen creeks, the hatchery will continue to receive chum eggs from Squamish. “With the chum improving in Squamish, we are going to be able to bring over quite a good number of chum eggs. We can get back to the routine of releasing anywhere between 90,000 and 200,000 chum,” Bell-Irving predicts. “When the situation for them in the ocean has improved and they have a nice healthy habitat to return to for spawning, the chance of maintaining that success is pretty good.”

Newport added, “We are expecting about 200,000 chum eggs in the hatchery, and about 40,000 coho eggs in late December. Next year, there is a possibility of creating a new run of pink salmon on Bowen.

Around this time next year, in addition to the chum

W Glimpses of returning chum are greeted with excitement from islanders gathering regularly at the lagoon.

Bill Newport and Susanne Martin photos

and coho, we may have about 200,000 pink salmon eggs. Bowen creeks will accept that species. That means they don’t compete with each other. It is quite exciting to try a pink run on Bowen.”

To Bell-Irving, there is another aspect to maintaining strong fish runs. “For thousands of years, salmon have come back to spawn in great numbers and then they die. Their carcasses provide literally millions of tonnes of one of the most powerful nutrients along the coast,” he said. “Carcasses decompose and pump the streams full of a powerful nutrient that causes all kinds of aquatic life to grow. And when the millions of young fish come out in the spring, there is lots of food for them to eat. And the rivers carry the nutrients to the ocean.”

Bell-Irving mentioned a study conducted in forested areas in British Columbia that found that the trees are heavily made up of salmon nutrients, even those situated away from waterways. He says it is assumed that predators consume the fish, wander off into the woods and distribute the nutrients through their feces. “[The researchers] examined 300 to 400-year-old trees and found salmon nutrients,” he said.

And the impact of the salmon is obvious. “Once the runs got up into the hundreds on Bowen, you started getting more herons and kingfishers. People reported seeing otters, seals and eagles. Everything came to life,” says Bell-Irving. Similar signs have been witnessed this spawning season. Newport added that he doesn’t mind the harbour seals and eagles getting their share. “As far as I’m concerned, they started out as the Fish and Wildlife Club’s fish but now they are feeding the ocean and birds. That’s alright.”

“The returning spawners reboot the whole eco system,” Bell-Irving said. “The most important thing people need to know about salmon is that they are one of the most important building blocks for watershed nutrients and for ocean growth.

Salmon abundance is critically important for that reason alone.” Bell-Irving added

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regular schedule

In effect Oct. 9, 2012- March 31, 2013

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5:30 am # 6:30 am 7:30 am 8:30 am 9:30 am 10:30 am 11:30 am 12:30 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm † 5:00 pm 6:00 pm 7:00 pm * 8:00 pm 9:00 pm 10:00 pm

VANCOUVER Horseshoe Bay 6:00 am 7:00 am 8:00 am 9:00 am † 10:00 am 11:00 am 12:00 pm 2:25 pm 3:30 pm 4:30 pm 5:30 pm 6:30 pm 7:30 pm * 8:30 pm 9:35 pm

Distance: 3 nautical miles crossing time: 20 minutes

Leave Horseshoe Bay

Leave Snug Cove

BOWEN ISLAND Snug Cove

HIGH FEET

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Daily except sunDays anD statutory holiDays

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the WeDnesDay sailings Will be replaceD

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that the salmon enhancement project “created a lot of joy” and that “salmon make people happy when they come back.”

But the good news doesn’t mean that the work is done. “What acts in Bowen Island’s favour is that there is a good quantity of habitat paired with quality habitat. But people have to be vigilant and protect that because without the habitat, you don’t have the potential,” Bell-Irving said. He explained that the same numbers of coho and chum were released in West Vancouver and on Bowen. “But we don’t have the same quantity and quality of habitat in West Van. We get some fish back there - and they have great value educationally - but we don’t get the same numbers we have on Bowen. We are lucky that one of the most important chum areas is right in a Metro Vancouver park,” he said.

As examples on how to get involved, Bell-Irving listed watershed management planning and monitoring areas where there have been issues in the past, like the Grafton Lake dam. Newport added that he also sees development as a potential problem. “There has been development that has stopped runs altogether. In the past, development has put silt in the water that killed fish in hatchery. The streamkeepers will be putting more effort into monitoring the fish-bearing streams on Bowen. Bowen streams are healthy overall and we strive to keep them that way.”

And what happens upstream can have an impact on salmon habitat. Newport explained that fish don’t jump, they only swim fast. “Chum come into the lagoon and go to the bottom to falls, or up Davies Creek. Coho are stronger and go up the ladder,” he said, adding that the chums’ colours are green and motley beige while coho are red. Bell-Irving did not venture a guess as to coho numbers. “They could show up anytime from the middle of October until the end of January,” he said.

He added that it is important to work closely with Metro Vancouver and the Bowen Island Municipality to make sure that the conditions are good.

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10.8 14.4 11.8 14.4 13.1 14.8 14.1 14.8 14.8 15.1 15.4 15.1 15.7 14.8

LOW FEET 0650 7.5 2033 5.9 0759 8.2 2113 4.6 0902 8.9 2154 3.3 0957 9.5 2236 2.0 1050 9.8 2320 1.0 1104 10.2 0005 0.7 1234 10.5

ere you lucky enough to catch sight of the salmon at the lagoon as they swam back to Bowen to spawn?

Did you know that people have worked hard to make the waters of Howe Sound hospitable to salmon, herring and other marine life by cleaning up the toxic mess from the Britannia Mine? Are you aware that Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline, a Texas oil company, could jeopardize all of this? Please attend the Kinder Morgan open house on Saturday, November 10, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at BICS. The Tsleil-Waututh Nation, which has experienced the results of crude oil handling and refining on Burrard Inlet for a number of decades, is adamantly opposed to Kinder Morgan’s proposed pipeline expansion, and the massive bitumen-loaded super tankers, which would daily navigate our waters. They are calling on Lower Mainland residents to attend the upcoming information sessions and to respectfully voice their concerns. These sessions may be the only opportunity for residents to let the company know what they think of its pipeline proposal.

“Unless the public voices its concerns through this forum, their silence may be deemed as consent,” said Chief Justin George.

The City of Vancouver is also opposed; as is the city of Burnaby. I attended a forum a couple of months ago and heard mayor Derek Corrigan tell Kinder Morgan that his council voted unanimously to say no to the proposal.

“The risk is too great,” he said. The risk of oils spills on the land and in the water. Bitumen is impossible to clean up because the crude oil sinks to the bottom forming a lethal environment for marine life.

Last week, the first open house took place in North Vancouver. Unfortunately, the format was set up in a way to avoid having any real conversation about the pipeline. Poster boards were set up on the walls and company reps answered questions individually as people moved around the room. That way, they avoided having to answer any tough questions in front of a crowd. I encourage you to go to speak out for the protection of our waters on November 10 and to request that Kinder Morgan provide a format that would facilitate public engagement, and encourage open and honest dialogue.

october weather ErIc LAWSON JAsoN roAd

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aximum Temperature 18.9° Minimum Temperature 2.8° Maximum Wind Gust 35 kph Total Rainfall 289.1mm More than twice as much rain as last October but we need it.

Places of Worship Welcome You BOWEN ISLAND UNITED CHURCH Rev. Shelagh MacKinnon

Service and Sunday School: 10:30 a.m.

Collins Hall Bookings: Helen Wallwork Minister of Music: Lynn Williams

FOOD BANK DROP-OFF

BOWEN ISLAND COMMUNITy CHURCH Pastor Clinton Neal 1070 Miller Road 604-947-0384 Service 10:00 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m.

ST. GERARD’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Mass: 10:30 a.m. Priest: Father James Comey

604-988-6304

CATES HILL CHAPEL www.cateshillchapel.com 604-947-4260

(661 Carter Rd.)

10:00 a.m. Worship • Sunday School: Tots to Teens Pastor: Dr. James B. Krohn

4 • FRIDAY NOVEMBER 9 2012

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Privatization of Crownowned shoreline

VIEWPOINT

Two company held to different standards

Dear Editor:

To the Editor:

I

n our last edition of The Bowenian in June, the EcoAlliance expressed serious concern about the applications for water lot licenses at Cape Roger Curtis to allow private docks to be built and the infringement of public rights that would occur if the licenses were granted. We are now told that a decision granting the applications is likely, within the next few weeks.

The size of these private wharves and the associated floating breakwaters far exceeds any private moorage currently on Bowen and, if built, they will: 1. interfere with the public’s ability to access the public beaches (located at the Lighthouse, Pebbly Beach and Arbutus Point) by kayak or boat; 2. create visual, noise and gasoline pollution for those who use the beaches; 3. impair the views from the waterfront trail that the developers were required to build (in exchange for not having to provide 20 metre wide public accesses to the shoreline every 200 metres); and 4. prevent the water birds that over-winter in Collingwood Channel in large numbers from continuing to feed along this formerly wild section of coast.

One might ask what our council has done to protect us from this infringement on public rights. At a closed meeting on June 25, council unanimously passed a resolution asking the province to be sure that the developers reviewed “all options available for moorage for this neighbourhood”, the environmental impacts and the compatibility of the private docks with public access points. What kind of a half-hearted resolution was that?

How about: “We object to the privatization of the public beaches of Bowen Island, particularly at Cape Roger Curtis with its beaches that have been used and enjoyed by islanders, visitors and wildlife for generations”? You don’t need a study to tell you that the privatization of this stunning Crown-owned shoreline is wrong. We call on council to issue such a resolution now, before it is too late and an irreversible decision has been made. A strong message from our council will carry great weight with the province. Indeed, it may be the only way to prevent the applications from being approved.

If you care about this issue, please call on our council to strongly oppose these applications. You can also contact: Minister of Forests, Land and Natural Resource Operations @ FLNR.Minister@gov.bc.ca; Minister of the Environment @ env.minister@gov.bc.ca; Jennifer Karmona, Lands Officer @ Jennifer.karmona@gov. bc.ca; and our MLA, Joan McIntyre @ joan.mcintyre@ gov.bc.ca. The applications cover Lots 6, 11, 13 and 15 of DL 1548, Group 1, New Westminster District Plan 43265, Bowen Island.

Eco-Alliance board of directors

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Noticable increase in litter along Bowen roads Dear Editor:

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ver the past several months, there has been a noticable increase in litter on our roads.

In particular, the stretch along Grafton, Adams and Sunset Roads is frequently peppered with pop cans, coffee cups and, most alarmingly, liquor bottles and beer cans. Apart from the disturbing fact that some of our island residents are drinking alcohol while driving, there seems to be a need to ‘ditch’ the evi-

To the Editor:

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o all who came out to Tir-na-nOg this past Sunday night to see Walk on Dead and Gordie Tentrees, thank you! Live music on Bowen can’t survive without you. It was an intimate evening of great music, great acoustics and great ambiance.

Tir-na-nOg is Bowen’s best kept secret and is a fabulous music venue: theatre-style 75 seats and a terrific lobby and garden terrace with catering that supports the local theatre school. Thanks to Shari for donating her time and gear for sound and to Tir-Na-nOg for hosting the show. Don’t miss the next event!

James Tuer The Undercurrent is published every Friday by Black Press Group Ltd. All Advertising and news copy content are copyright of the Undercurrent Newspaper. All editorial content submitted to the Undercurrent becomes the property of the publication.

The undercurrent is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, art work and photographs. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

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ne Saturday afternoon, I was standing in yet another downpour watching yet another soccer game with a group of parents. We got to talking about how amazing our kid’s coaches are. They stand in the rain for games and practices and they put a huge effort into creating positive experiences for our kids. In fact, so much of what makes our community experiences positive is a result of volunteer efforts: in our schools, our churches, our interest groups. People lend their time, energy and passions into making our world a better place and we have much to be thankful for. There are also businesses and institutions in our community that

#102–495 Bowen Trunk Road, PO Box 130, Bowen Island BC, V0N 1G0 Phone: 604.947.2442 Fax: 604.947.0148

Anne Franc de Ferrière - Chollat

Kaboodle sale vital fundraiser for Montessori school To the Editor:

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Community of volunteers and businesses supports our well-being To the Editor:

Live music on Bowen

dence. With the strain on BIM resources, picking up garbage from thoughtless individuals should not be a further burden on municipal staff. With civic pride, I frequently stop and gather the obvious litter. I might add that I am appreciative to the volunteers at BIRD who have been kind enough not to inquire why I am dropping off ever increasing amounts of Old Milwaukee beer cans!

Let’s keep our island green and clean.

Soren Hammerberg

Re: J&E Backhoe Ltd. rezoning application ouble standards? How could it be otherwise when two applications for industrial rezoning are treated vastly differently? At first, councillor Duntz steps out of the council chambers quoting a conflict of interest. In closing to the third trip to start the industrial rezoning process, the acting mayor plainly tells Ed Weismiller to just go and do his business somewhere else! The purpose of this particular rezoning is to grandfather a property used for about 50 years as an industrial area, which was a convenience to Bowen Island.

This council praises itself for its efficiency and effectiveness and its business sense.

Yes, one application is sped through all the hoops while the second is met by road blocks followed by spike belts. “J&E asked to produce extensive and expensive studies for rezoning application”(Undercurrent October 26), whereas last spring, Twin Islands was granted the permission to only produce the same studies at the very last minute and after it will be assured that the council will give them final approval. What will then be the relevance of those studies?

Would you not call this double standards with the real possibility that J&E Backhoe will close shop? Will it be a good business decision for the health of Bowen Island if 14 people are laid off and leaving only a single company in control of all businesses relating to public works?

support our well being.

In the October 26 Undercurrent, I failed to mention that the event in which my son got to meet and play hockey with Trevor Linden was sponsored by First Insurance in Courtenay, which is an affiliate of Bowen’s First Credit Union. Events like the Credit Union’s Movie Under the Stars that are held each summer give us an opportunity to get together and celebrate our wonderful community.

So, here is to all of the volunteers out there, and the businesses and institutions that support and celebrate community - and may there be many more sunny days on the side lines!

Pam Matthews

he Kid & Kaboodle Sale is a vital fundraiser for Bowen’s not-for-profit Montessori preschool. We rely heavily on member volunteers and the continued generosity of the community to remain accessible to all families. The profits from the sale will be used for operating costs, bursaries funds, and a little something fun for the kids. A warm hearted thank you for the great donations of clothing, toys, the beautiful rocking horse, classic Tonka trucks, educational games and other valuable items that were donated for the sale.

We thank Miksa for the delicious brownies and cookies, Ruddy Potato for pizza donations, Fair-freight for transporting larger items, IPS for the loaned tables and Bayly Freight for removing the left-overs. A big thanks to the dedicated Montessori school families and their contribution of time and effort to host another successful event. The fundraiser involves hard work, but undeniably connects the community and bonds its members.

Bowen Island Montessori School

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A trip home on the small, but speedy, Bowen Queen

Synopsis of events at Seymour Bay Park lands

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On Saturday, November 3, Wolfgang Duntz invited members of the commuity to come and take a look at the work that has been done at Seymour Bay Municipal Park. He was also on hand to answer questions. Submitted photo lished, which has yet to meet.

Because the developers (Wolfgang Duntz and Darren Jennings) were elected to council in 2011, there are also attendant concerns about potential conflicts of interest, due process and independence of council/ staff. Additionally, since the head municipal planner, community planner and Greenways Committee were all removed from office in the first five months of this council’s term, and the previous CAO resigned, the municipality has reduced capacity and limited corpo-

rate memory to now effectively resolve the Seymour Bay Park issues.

Meanwhile, council made no progress in replanting native vegetation, defining and resolving design/as-built flaws, ensuring public safety and returning the park to its original condition as a passive, natural state ocean front public park. Given the situation, I believe that an independent public inquiry conducted by senior governments (Islands Trust or the province) is warranted.

Doug Hooper

Drastic changes to beach without public consultation To the Editor:

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olfgang Duntz says he had to make drastic changes to the romantic beach at Seymour Bay, because the trees were destabilizing the slope. I thought that trees stabilize slopes but I am no expert. I was there lately and I could not believe what happened to that special place, where my son’s wedding took place a few years back. I know one thing: we would not want to hold a wedding at that bleak place today.

But I remembered way back when Duntz was talking about a hotel he wanted to build between the golf course and the beach and his vision of a passenger ferry docking at Seymour Bay, to bring golfers from downtown and connect the south and westside of the island to a shorter commute. For that, the changes would make sense: water view for the hotel and a cleaned-up beach for a dock. We will wait and see what happens next. But why such a drastic change to a public beach could take place without

public consultation is beyond my understanding of all those promises of openness.

I just hope that council did not allow the developers at Roger Curtis to conveniently forget that we have a right to beach access.

That is the minimum we can expect. I was there several times this summer. People use what little access we have so far, even if it is not accessible for seniors.

Council is bound to preserve our interest with developers, in spite of their own interests.

Imke Zimmermann

her 25,000th cup of coffee. That’s an ’ve written columns on the ferry unofficial tabulation, but by our math but always on our beloved Queen accurate. of Capilano; at least I don’t think We’re talking about how I’m pretty I’ve written one on the Bowen Queen. sure the Mayne Queen was on the That seems somehow unfair, though Saltspring run in the late 70’s and I’m aware that given ferries can’t feel early 80’s when I used to go over left out that having a concern for such to Saltspring from Victoria to play a thing is a little immature. in blues bands. Many times played At any rate, here I am on November Saltspring with Uncle Wiggly’s Hot 7, 2012 on the 7:30 crossing to Snug Shoes Blues Band, also in the Rockin’ Cove. I only missed the 6:30 by a Devils (I made up that name), Elmore’s handful of cars, which quite naturally Bar and Grill (that one, too, and that was annoying. This brings us to the band still playing in Victoria) and with main thing that the most of us have the legendary Chicago blues guitarist, against the Bowen Queen, her size. the late Hubert Sumlin.

She’s too petite for the gig.

I recall running around the deck in I looked the numbers up in anticithe wind of the Mayne Queen pation of writing a Lane on with one of our sax players, the ferry today, and our reguslow Dave ‘the Duck’ Rouse, and guilar ferry, built in 1991, is 96 lane tarist West Coast Comerford. m. long and takes on 85 cars, I’ve asked those guys to come while this ferry, built in 1965, over to Bowen and play but is 85 m. long and fits 70 cars. so far it hasn’t happened.

Her distinct lack of size causes Somehow I feel almost as excitoverflow. I only made it on the ed about the prospect of sitting 12:30 today by two cars and yet on the exact same shaped ferry was parked on the top crest of together again, as playing with the hill just a few cars in from them. where they painted that new I can’t do it. I can’t get up to cross-hatched section a few see who else is here. Got no bonhomie years ago. left for the day. Worked then went to Now I don’t like it that the Bowen an audition for a Wisk commercial, Queen has two sections to sit in so as a scientist. Think it’s gonna be a you have to go upstairs and around funny commercial and believe it to be and down again to get from one to the other. This means you might be in one a U.S. national, which are lucrative, but they shoot in Toronto and will see section and super interesting people actors here and there, and maybe in might be in the other section, like Montreal, Calgary, even Winnipeg, so say Vale Henriques and his amusing it’s a long shot, but you never know. brothers, Hudson and Caius, and you By the way, I love Wisk detergent: wouldn’t even know it.

Wisk gives your clothes a deep down On this day, I’m too tired to run clean. about talking to people, frankly. Katey Let that be the theme of this colMcGregor, doing homework sits umn: pandering. There’s no more time nearby. Good for her, making use of for anything else anyhow because the ferry time and not just goofing off texBowen Queen’s most distinctive attriting someone. Mimi Jones is here but beyond that I’m so fatigued that I don’t bute besides her lack of car space, is her speed. She zips along and already even know who I saw coming up. I’m we are there. near the little cafeteria, ably staffed by We’ve all had uneventful ferry rides Lynn Wakelin this shift.

Just asked and Lynn who says we get and now you’ve read about one. our boat back somewhere between the 17th and 20th. She also told me the Bowen Queen has a sister ship, the Mayne Queen, Bruce Wright McArthur which runs around on the “The Eagle” South Gulf Island routes.

April 28, 1946 – November 3, 2012 Lynn, who’s been with Bruce had a brain B.C. Ferries for 18 years, aneurysm and left keeping us fed and enterus November 3rd. tained, recently served

B o w e n I s l a n d M u n I c I pa l I t y

ELLIOTT, Gordon Dugald Evans

Water Main Flushing

May 1, 1930 – November 4, 2012

As part of its regular water system maintenance program, the Municipality will flush water mains in Bowen Bay, Blue Water Park, Cove Bay, Eagle Cliff, Hood Point, King Edward Bay and Tunstall Bay from November 13 – December 7, 2012. This procedure is necessary to remove sediment that gradually deposits in the pipes and will not pose a health hazard. Municipal staff will try to minimize any inconvenience. Flushing will take place 7 days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in most neighbourhoods.

Every effort will be made to ensure that water quality is not affected but some turbidity and higher than normal chlorine concentrations may be present for short periods of time. Running your tap briefly should clear this up. In addition, temporary pressure fluctuations may occur.

For more information call Bob Robinson, Superintendent of Utilities at 604-947-4255.

Reminder It is recommended that water users with compromised immune systems ensure that their drinking water is boiled, filtered or distilled.

Public Works

Gordon Elliott passed away unexpectedly at the age of 82.

Gordon was a longtime resident of Bowen Island. In 1960, the Elliott’s bought their first family home on the island, next door to the Bowmart. The home is now Tuscany’s Restaurant. In 1976, they started building a home in Grafton Bay and moved there permanently in 1992. They began Elliott’s Donkey Farm – a favourite field trip destination for Island school children. Gordon will be missed by his wife Pat, his six children, Mark, Brock, Ross, Guy, Kent, Jan, their spouses, 17 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren and his sister-in-law Jolyne and niece Susan.

A service for Gordon will be held at Mount Seymour Golf Course at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, November 9, 2012.

For InForMatIon call 604-947-4255

Marcus Hondro

Dear Editor:

here is a lot of detailed information emerging about what has happened on the municipality’s Seymour Bay Park lands.

Photographs and video from Seymour Bay Park taken on Saturday, November 3, can be viewed at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t91dyszn8a9gah9/ lm_Q8pPsdQ?m. To help people understand the situation, here’s a brief synopsis: Municipal ocean front park lands on the south side of Bowen Island were clear cut and modified by the developers in August 2011 to install a storm water system for their upland subdivision. Impacts on park use and public safety were noted by the council committee mandated to monitor public parks and trails and reported to staff and council from January to April, 2012.

Despite direct inquiries and even a formal freedom of information request, the committee was not able to establish that proper authorizations to conduct the work were in place. Additionally, the committee review raised questions about whether the municipality properly monitored the works and is acting in a timely manner to mitigate impacts and enforce park remediation.

The committee was dismissed by council in April 2012 and a replacement committee estab-

newsroom@bowenislandunder-

Many people on Bowen Island and in Vancouver will miss this real life character, his ‘eccentricities’ and his quick wit.

Especially missing him are his sisters Dannie and Suzie (Mark), his daughter Alix (Brad), his niece Kate Naphtali, his aunt Barb Wright and his cousins Sandy (Louise), Bill, Laura and Helen (Rick) Wright. Born to Herb and Helen McArthur, Bruce’s escapades growing up, as “the Eagle” in Vancouver, were the stuff of legends. He spent most of his adult life on Bowen Island entertaining his longstanding friends with his unique gift of storytelling and entertaining himself with his interests in writing and painting.

He was an unforgettable character and loved by many. A celebration of his life will be announced at a later date.

6 • FRIDAY November 9 2012

WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM

Where should ferry line go?

Where is the park?

Dear Editor:

W

ith slight trepidation I have been reading recent letters in this paper, first by Sue Ellen Fast followed by a vigorous defense by Wolfgang Duntz. How exciting to realize we have Seymour Municipal Park. Checking on the internet, I saw the April 6, 2012 article in the Undercurrent with an aerial map of the park and on a particularly rainy day, went to see for myself. The map showed green forested area edging to the shoreline. I drove down the country lane with the golf course to the north and deep forest of firs and cedars to the south. But, once past the new clubhouse, there is an entirely different view.

First is a large two-level graveled clearing. I believe this is not for beach or golf visitor parking but rather the site for a future inn, cottages, lawn and play area. Below is a barren stretch of land, bereft of trees and bisected on an angle by a deep stormwater outfall, sweeping down to an exposed beach. It is not what I would describe as a parklike setting, passive or otherwise, that would encourage human activity. It is, sadly, no longer a serene and exquisite setting, a lovely arc of land and sea beyond the old orchard and other trees.

Some of us remember the major public meeting held in the BICS

gym on July 18, 2002, when the full council, the CAO and planner took part in the discussion of the 200-acre Cowan lands. In return for increased housing, marina, inn, store, school, playing fields and all that. Bowen Island Properties requested in lieu of the original fewer but larger properties, a 1-1.5 acre municipal park was required and “Bowen Island Properties be directed by council to set aside lands in the Seymour Bay area for both limited local commercial use and a passenger only ferry—provided it does not detract visually or physically from the Seymour Beach area”. The OCP was then amended to allow this comprehensive rezoning in Bylaw 52, 2002.

In this bylaw, the first order of priority is the park, immediately followed by a requirement for” improved public access to Seymour Bay with linkages to a passive park” and “preservation of natural park and green spaces that may be environmentally sensitive, including wetlands and coastal bluffs”. There is a 2008 poster by Bowen Island Properties advertising all the benefits of living at Cowan Point and showing the view looking over the golf course towards Vancouver. That view remains the same today except it is seen through a bleak foreshore. As taxpayers, we should be allowed to enquire: ”Where is our park?”

Allie Drake

To the Editor:

D

espite my high respect for Richard Goth, I cannot imagine what he means by suggesting that people park “somewhere else” until the ferry lineup moves downhill after a sailing. Where can they park for free that gives them a line of sight to the end of the ferry line? Or are they supposed to guess when the ferry has sailed? God knows its posted schedule is no clue at all.

The only place that comes close to satisfying both requirements is the school parking lot--which has better uses than as a catchpool for commuters and others stranded by BC Ferries’ steadfast refusal to plan ahead. It’s as if Route 1 were shut down for repairs....and the highway department made a two-lane dirt road available as the only substitute. Small wonder there are problems. Blaming the short-sheeted drivers for them is shameful.

Spider Robinson

Humbled by the tribute To the Editor:

I

would like to thank the Bowen Island Arts Council for the amazing honour that was bestowed upon me at its annual general meeting. To be singled out as the recipient of a lifetime membership is truly a highlight of my life. I was totally surprised by the announcement, and humbled by the tribute. So many in our community deserve such recognition. I can hardly believe how the little arts council we started so long ago has grown into the potent force it is today. This required perseverance, passion, and above all, professionalism to take hold and flourish. We survive by persistence and the belief that the creative will always find a way. Here’s to all the arts volunteers who make the difference on this island, who have the vision and energy to take us to new levels, where our critical needs will hopefully be met, and our efforts given the support that is deserved.

Paul Hooson

B.C. Coastal Ferries Consultation and Engagement October 29 to December 21, 2012

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is inviting the public and communities to participate in the B.C. Coastal Ferries Consultation and Engagement.

The province-wide consultation and engagement process will gather input on elements of the government’s vision of connecting coastal communities in an affordable, efficient and sustainable manner, as well as considerations to address the immediate challenges facing the coastal ferry system.

How Input Will Be Used Input received through the consultation and engagement process will be considered, along with technical, financial and policy considerations, as the Ministry determines how to achieve $26 million in savings to 2016 and plans for the long-term sustainability of the coastal transportation network.

Small Group Meeting Schedule To attend a small group meeting in your community, please e-mail coastalferriesengagement@gov.bc.ca or call toll-free at 1 855 387-7882 with your name, contact information and which meeting you would like to attend.

Community

Date

Time

Location

Vancouver

November 26

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

SFU Vancouver - Segal Graduate School of Business

Gibsons

December 1

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The Cedars Inn Hotel and Convention Centre

Public Open House Schedule The first 90 minutes will be a public open house. The second 90 minutes will be a question and answer session with the project team. No RSVP is required for public open houses.

Community

Date

Time

Location

Vancouver

November 26

6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

SFU Vancouver - Segal Graduate School of Business

Bowen Island

November 28

6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Bowen Island Community School

Gibsons

December 1

1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Cedars Inn Hotel and Convention Centre

Schedule subject to change. Please check web site for the full schedule.

To provide feedback, please contact us at: www.coastalferriesengagement.ca Write a submission to: coastalferriesengagement@gov.bc.ca or P.O. Box 2223 Vancouver Main, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 3W2 Call toll-free: 1 855 387-7882

940M Week 3 - BC Ferries Engagement.indd 1

2012-10-31 12:27:41 PM

There’s nothing like a Gunnera leaf to protect a gardener like John Riley from the sun. Andre Chollat photo

Sequence of events Dear Editor,

E

veryone knows the popular saying: ”What comes first, the chicken or the egg?” And I was reminded of it when I read Wolfgang Duntz’s response to Sue Ellen Fast’s recent letter.

When I visited Seymour Bay in the early 1990s, there was minimal erosion of the bank in the area that included the well-established remnants of a large orchard above Seymour Bay and some flat grounds where cultivation was done in the early 1900s, all of it overgrown with alders. Access to the beach by four-wheel-drive vehicles was possible and known to the many islanders. I had been asked by Maggie Cummings to see if the orchard could be restored despite the many years of neglect. At that time, most of the surface water drainage was overflowing to the sea on the south side of Seymour Bay as it can still be seen in places despite the work that took place all around.

I went back 10 years later with John Riley with the intent of preserving the varieties of fruit trees by collecting grafts and cuttings. Of the 30 fruit trees I had seen a decade earlier only a handful remained as everything around had been clear cut to open the sea view of Seymour Bay. All the ground above was being reshaped to accommodate the development of the golf course and the Bowen island Properties development, channeling all storm water to the north side of the bay above the future Seymour Bay park.

In the early stage of development, signs of erosion were already predictable from the drainage changes given the clayey nature of the soil and subsoil becoming Can MoTI Ad waterlogged. #940M Week 3 we have any doubt now about what provoked the destabilization and eroBC Ferries Engagement sion of that area to be dedicated as a municipal park?

Vehicle access to the beach was no longer possible.

Bowen Island Undercurrent The selected solution of dumping large amounts of blasted boulders to stabilize the slope does not indi5 columns x 105 lines cate a well-planned intent of developing a municipal X benefit 7.5” of islanders, but an obvious and park7.31 for ”the cheaper solution for a storm water outfall, whatever the consequences. to be published November 9 Therefore, as a former member of the municipal greenways committee, I cannot agree with Mr Duntz’s comments when he talks about the “sad irony” that Sue Ellen “never took any effort to investigate the ongoing foreshore erosion or attempted remediation.” I am a retired landscape professional of 50 years experience and am well aware of the intricacies of land development and the responsibilities of the developers.

I have a lot of respect for the judgments and standards of Sue Ellen Fast in the position of responsibility she took as a volunteer (chair of the OCP review and chair of the greenways advisory committee) on the island. With regard to Seymour Bay Park, I would expect the developer to remediate the situation of the present soil covered rock dump surrounding a stormwater outfall by providing a landscape plan that can accommodate and benefit both the islanders and the developments. Such a plan should be presented for discussion and approval at a public hearing by the municipality.

André H. Chollat

FRIDAY November 9 2012 • 7

WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM

Wishing for him to be safe After training as a bomb technician, Bonita Lai’s son went for a second tour in Afghanistan DEBRA STRINGFELLOW contRiButing wRitER

B

onita Lai’s family thought she was crazy allowing her only son Eric Lai to join the army.

After three years of training, at the age of 22, Cpl. Lai was sent over to Afghanistan to serve his first tour. “One of the hardest things was watching my son make out his will,” explains his mother. “It’s a reminder that he may not come back.”

Lai describes herself as different from other army moms, who often ask her how she is able to cope with a child overseas. “I tell them, ‘If you love your children, you do this because it is their wish. If you go against them, they go into war alone. But if you support them and love them continuously, they will feel like you are there with them.’ A lot of the time, I felt like I was fighting the war along with him.”

Staying calm was crucial as it allows them to focus 100 per cent on what they do, says Lai. “ I could have been selfish and kept him close but what can I do when he just wants to save lives? He makes me try so hard to be a better person,” she said. And at the end of each phone call with her son, she would tell him, “be safe and come home to me.”

It is with pride and emotion that Lai recounts her son’s story: Cpl. Lai started off as a combat engineer, driving a tank of seven and eight people. When he returned to Edmonton where he was stationed, he was chosen to be one of 17 Canadians across the country to be trained as a bomb technician. Only six graduated, Cpl. Lai among them. He was eager to serve a second tour, hoping to make a difference and save lives - during his first tour, two of his friends had died from roadside bombs.

Cpl. Lai was only one and a half months into his second tour when he was bombed. They had located an explosive in a compound which was too dangerous to defuse, so they planned to blow it up.

Along with four other soldiers, this special unit was mentoring a group of Afghans on how to eliminate hazardous materials and proper procedures relating to bombs. On that particular day, Cpl. Lai was the last man standing. His job was to say the final “go” but only after he was a safe distance from the blast.

Unexpectedly, the bomb detonated early. As Cpl. Lai stood there absorbing the blast, the other four soldiers watched helplessly.

Bonita Lai recounts, “He told me there was a ringing tone in his ears and it felt like a black out. He

Bonita Lai would end her phone conversations with her son with “be safe and come back home to me” and says she had to support his wish to make a difference and save lives. Debra Stringfellow photo remembered feeling a warm liquid around his body. He stood for a moment, then collapsed.”

Cpl. Lai suffered shrapnel wounds to his arms, neck and face. His legs had been sand-blasted and his clothes shredded - his uniform could not be salvaged. He was in critical condition and spent three days in Afghanistan until he was stable enough to be moved to Germany. After six days there, he was transferred back home to Edmonton.

Bonita Lai was having dinner with a friend when she noticed a few missed calls on her phone, “I wasn’t expecting a call so early in his tour,” she said. She found out that army officials wanted to meet her and rushed home on the 5:30 ferry. There, at Miksa, she was told what happened. “They told me he was blown up, in critical condition and had infections in his wounds,” Lai said. She flew to Edmonton to be reunited with her son who refused a wheelchair, insisting on walking to greet his mother so

Bowen Island Conservancy Annual General Meeting Saturday, November 17th 2012 3:30 pm at Collins Hall Agenda: 3:30 pm: Formal business meeting 4:30 pm: “Emeralds at the Edge: a multimedia journey through the Great Bear Rainforest of BC and Haida Gwai”, presented by Dr. Andrew Wright.

Visit fjords, islands, and experience the incredible beauty and natural productivity that reflects the very origins of the planet.

5:30 pm: Pot luck dinner Please join us for a memorable afternoon.

For more information, email info@bowenislandconservancy.org

Please join us; everyone is welcome Refreshments will be served

she wouldn’t worry. “I could see his spirit was still there even though it was clear he had a long way to go with his recovery. He is lucky to be alive,” says Lai. Cpl. Lai is still recovering. He went through microscopic surgery to his ear to remove shrapnel, the membrane in one ear was replaced and the delicate bones that were destroyed are now replaced with titanium implants. He has regained some of his hearing in one ear and has approximately 30 per cent in the other. The injuries have affected his balance, and he suffers from dizzy spells and has fainted a couple of times. He lives with a constant ringing in his ears and still has shards of shrapnel in his neck.

The four soldiers who witnessed Cpl. Lai’s accident suffer from posttraumatic stress.

Cpl. Lai continues to help his fellow soldiers. He is volunteering his time at a recovery place for ■ injured soldiers and their families

called Valour Place, located in Edmonton.

This organization is the first of its kind in Canada and has recently opened a temporary home for soldiers, veterans and RCMP members who require medical treatment.

For more information, see http://valourplace.ca.

“As a mother, you feel the sorrow of these boys but you need to guide them - they may come home but their journey is still not done” says Lai.

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8 • FRIDAY November 9 2012

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How Don Rogelio went to war and SUSANNE MARTIN Editor

R

Soldier then -soldier now is a recurring line in Don Rogelio’s Ballad and to Arndt, it means that his time in Vietnam will stay with him always. Susanne Martin and submitted photo

oger Arndt is proud to have served in Vietnam yet it wasn’t until recently that he decided to share his story. The reason he came into the Undercurrent office the week of this year’s Remembrance Day has to do with a young man, Rich Ochoa, whom he calls Ricardo. It was Ricardo, a member of Arndt’s Mariachi band, who has written a song about him. And Arndt has worked closely with the young man because he “wanted it to be real” and recently added a slide show to the song. The result is a very personal video (http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=7zNg99bWI0w). “I felt so humbled that Ricardo would write a song.

When I watched the video for the first time, it was almost disconcerting,” Arndt said. “It really shows how young everybody was,” Arndt says. “I was 18 when I signed up with a pal.”

Arndt became a combat medic and, later, after getting flight qualification, a gunner. He was in the 11th Combat Aviation Battalion where he worked in the dispensary. “You could either fly once a month to get your pay or fly with a fly gunship team if you got voted in.” Arndt got voted in.

“Who doesn’t want a medic on their team,”

Lest We Forget…

604-947-GOLF (4653) | bowengolf.com

We remember…

Bowen Island Municipality honours the many men and women who have served and continue to serve and protect our freedom.

he says. He started flying on his days off, sometimes picking up wounded people under fire, sometimes manning the gun.

“Half the time, I was a medic - fixing people up. The other time, I was doing sort of the opposite.”

But he also did other things, like delivering supplies to orphanages or administering hearing tests.

He still recalls one occasion when he came in from a day of flying. “One of the doctors grabbed me and said, ‘Can you take bullets out?’”

Arndt says he took his helmet off, scrubbed in and was directed to help two patients: one had fragments in his head and another a bullet in the torso. “It was one of the best nights,” he recalls.

“In Vietnam, I had the reputation that I could go anywhere. And I was accepted as an equal,” Arndt said. “There were times when you just go in and accomplish the mission.” He recalls being on a flight and receiving a radio message that there were two men on the ground who were wounded. “One had a spewing chest wound and I realized that if they don’t get picked up,

Let their legacy be peace

they would be dead,” he shrugs. “So we went in even though we weren’t supposed to go in. And we thought we knew what we were doing.”

Some of the memories are hard to talk about, including the story of Arndt’s friend. “Kevin and I both went to Lord Byng [Secondary School],” Arndt said, adding that they signed up to go to Vietnam together. He knows of one more Lord Byng student who went to Vietnam and says with a sad smile, “Kevin was killed, the other one was wounded and I came back mildly messed up.”

“It’s not sure how many Canadians fought in Vietnam because some enlisted as American. But at the memorial in Washington, there are around 100 names on the wall of Canadians who were got killed there,” Arndt said. One of them was his friend Kevin Low. “That was hard,” Arndt said. “I saw him the day before he died.” Arndt explained that he got sick in basic training. Low moved ahead with helicopter maintenance training, while Arndt did medic training.

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On November 11th please join us at the Bowen Island Cenotaph to remember and honour those who have served us.

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told his story

CamoSweaters at the Legion

ticipate in Remembrance Day until 1994 and weren’t He came across his friend’s name when he sorted allowed to join the Legion.” It wasn’t Canada’s war, through a batch of army glasses. “There was a pair Arndt was told but that hasn’t stopped him from sayof glasses with Kevin’s name on them,” Arndt said. “I ing, “It was this Canadian’s war.” phone around and then I drove over. I took him to It hasn’t stopped him from wearing his badges the dispensary that night and we chatted about Lord and participating in Bowen Island’s Remembrance Byng, his family and about the girls we knew.” That Day ceremony to remember those he fought with in night, the two friends made plans to get together durVietnam. It’s been a while for Arndt to get any kind ing the week before Low was going to go home - his of recognition but when it comes, he accepts it with week off. grace. “I was wearing my Vietnam vet hat in Lynden, “Just before that, we got hit and, all of a sudden, I Washington, when an old woman came up to me and realized that he hadn’t called me.” Arndt made enquisaid, ‘Thank you for your service.’ Then I went into ries and found out that Low had been hit by a rocket a grocery store and the young girl at the cash regisround and was wounded in Lai Kae. Arndt visited ter said the same,” Arndt recalls, then he adds. “I told Low in the hospital. When he returned two days them, ‘You are welcome.’” later, all he found was an empty bed and was told Arndt says that his friend that Ricardo had succumbed had a cousin to a pulmonary that was killed embolism. “I went in the Vietnam crazy for a time,” war. The young Arndt said. “The man listened to hardest thing was Arndt’s first-hand coming back to accounts and see his mom.” finally wrote a What affected song about him. him most was When Arndt the unspoken asked him about thought that if he the reason, he hadn’t enlisted, replied, “It’s his friend might important, Don not have gone to Rogelio.”

Vietnam.

As he found At the end of a community in his one-yearthe comrades stint in Vietnam, in Vietnam, Arndt had lots Arndt has found of offers to stay another source longer including of friendship one from the the in the Mariachi 159th Dust-0ff, a Don Rogelio and Ricardo. Submitted photo community and unit whose batch everyone calls he wears on his him Don Rogelio. jacket. But he left, Arndt and Ricardo played music together and develwith mixed feelings. “There is loyalty and camaradeoped a closeness that Arndt treasures. “How often do rie with your unit, and after a year, you can’t wait to you find someone who is over 60 hanging out with a go home,” he said. They were instructed not to run to young man who us genuinely interested in his experithe plane but couldn’t help it. When the plane took ences and asks the right questions?” Arndt said. off, everyone cheered but then “the plane went dead,” And the process of working on the song together Arndt says. “You waited to go home but you then felt has only brought them closer. like you were leaving home. And you know what your “Here is a Mexican singing about a Canadian who buddies are doing back in Vietnam.”

One of the most difficult things about coming home has a Mexican alter ego,” Arndt laughs but quickly grows serious gain. “When you come back, you realize was the fact that there was no warm welcome waiting that you have given up your youth.” for them. “The troopes that came back were shunned, About the video, Arndt says, “It has become greater no one welcomed them home,” Arndt says. “It’s a than its parts.” weird situation. We came home and we couldn’t par-

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sland artist Susan Hillmann’s CamoSweater piece will be on display at the Legion on Remembrance Day. She said that

Union of Psychiatric Nurses The Union of Psychiatric Nurses of British Columbia upholds and advances Member’s rights. We advocate for and promote the profession of Psychiatric Nursing as integral to healthy communities.

The Union of Psychiatric Nurses would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of the men and women who have served us so well in times of war and peace and, in particular, those who paid for our freedom and way of life with their own lives.

You are greatly appreciated and respected.

211-20644 Eastleigh Crescent, Langley, B.C. V3A 4C4 Phone: 604-530-9253 Fax: 604-530-9653 Toll Free Number: 1-877-931-2471 Web: www.upnbc.org Email: mail@upnbc.org

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10 • FRIDAY November 9 2012

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Fighting for the freedom of people far away SUSANNE MARTIN Editor

E

very year, Brian Park attends the Remembrance Day ceremony with his family. As he observes the proceedings, his thoughts go to the Canadians who have fought in the Korean War. “I want to express my appreciation for what they have done,” Park says. “Because of them, I am here with my family in the most livable country in the world and I am thankful to be given that freedom.”

Park has been living in Canada for 15 years: six of those he has spent on Bowen Island where he is wellknown as the owner of the Snug Cove General Store. Yet he hasn’t forgotten the story of his family in Korea that has been shaped by the separation of North and South Korea. “My parents lived through the war,” he said. “They are from Seoul and, as is quite common for their generation, they had the desire for a unified Korea.”

Park explains that Korea used to be a Japanese colony for 40 years from the beginning of the 1900s. “The Japanese used Korea for natural and human resources,” he said. “When Japan surrendered at the end of the Second World War, Korea was finally independent but it was divided: the Soviet Union controlled the northern part and the United States controlled the southern part. After four years, they both left. The northern part had been influenced by communism and

the southern part by capitalism.” Park said that many Koreans wanted a unified Korea but the two ideologies did not mix. “A lot of tension arose and that’s how the Korean War broke out,” he said.

It started in1950 and, after the United Nations passed a resolution to send troupes, Canadian soldiers were deployed in Korea. “About 26,000 Canadian soldiers came, 566 got killed and 1,500 were wounded,” Park said, referring to printed sources he has brought along to the interview. “In 1953, the war ended. About 10 million people had been killed yet the country is still divided and we still have two different ideologies there,” Park said.

“People often call the Korean War the forgotten war.”

Park’s family has personally felt the effects of living in a divided country.

“My father-in-law was born in North Korea. He came to the south when he was 17 years old,” Park says. His fatherin-law’s family had been well off and educated, the kind of people who were often targeted by the Communist government, and that was the reason he and his brothers were sent to live in the south. “After that, my father-in-law could never go home. He never saw his family again,” Park says. “There was no contact, no letters, no phone calls and he didn’t know whether his family was still alive.”

Park felt the full impact of the situation when he, shortly after getting married, attended one of the family

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On Remembrance Day, Brian Park thinks of Canadian soldiers who fought in Korea. Susanne Martin and Debra Stringfellow photos

gatherings that are traditional for Thanksgiving and New Year’s.

“That’s when families usually get together but when I went to my wife’s house, there were no family members left,” he said, adding that his wife’s mother’s family also originated in the north.

Park noticed that his fatherin-law was deeply affected by the circumstances and reached out to help. “I felt that I needed to do something and contacted a missionary based in China who was going to North Korea,” he said, explaining that foreigners had more freedom than Korean citizens when it came to finding information. Park paid a sum of money and passed on the names, birth dates and last known addresses of his wife’s relatives.

“But we couldn’t find them,” he

Jude and Paul

said.

All this has contributed to Park’s appreciation for the Canadian soldiers who fought in Korea. “They came to fight for the freedom of people they had never met. And those influences are passed on from generation to generation,” he said. He has also come across an inspiring story about two Canadian brothers, Joseph and Archibald Hearsey, he wanted to share. Joseph, the older brother, went to fight in Korea and Archibald enlisted shortly after. Archibald asked to be assigned to the same battalion but never saw his brother in Korea because Joseph was killed there and buried at the United Nation’s graveyard. Archibald returned to Canada but informed his family that he wanted his final resting

place to be near his brother. Last year, Archibald Hearsey’s ashes were shipped to Korea to be close to Joseph’s remains.

Another place that holds special meaning for Park is the Korean War memorial in Burnaby. “It’s in a beautiful park and commemorates soldiers from B.C. who fought in Korea,” he says, adding that it was erected with donations from the Lower Mainland’s Korean community and he has visited it twice with his children.

As for North and South Korea, Park said that the younger generation has a different view on a potential unification. “We realize that North Korean has been very isolated and many people don’t know what is going on in the world outside,” he says. “We are not in a hurry.”

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FRIDAY November 9 2012 • 11

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Arts council looks back at solid performance

You found a new way to shrink ovarian cancer tumours.

O

n Sunday, October 18, music, stories and celebration were the order of the day at the annual general meeting of the Bowen Island Arts Council (BIAC). The seats were filled at the Gallery at Artisan Square which has been open for 15 years. Shari Ulrich treated those gathered to two songs, everyone cheered as Paul Hooson was recognized for his devotion to arts and community and awarded a lifetime membership, and islanders learned about the healthy relationship between the Whistler Arts Council and its local government, thanks to an interesting and informative address by Whistler mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden. Cake was served and four lucky winners of the 2012 art raffle were chosen. Eric Sherlock won the carving by Shane Tweten. Alison Morse won the diptych painted by Sharon Norman, Gillian Eades-Tellford won the painting by Jilly Watson, and Marilyn McKinnes Anderson won the painting by Janet Esseiva.

President of BIAC, Carol Cram, conducted a short business meeting during which members and the public learned about the solid performance of the nonprofit arts organization over the past year. Cram thanked volunteers, members, donors and supporters, including the Bowen Island Municipality, who are critical in ensuring that BIAC thrives. Executive director Jacqueline Massey reported that socially, economically and from health and wellness standpoint, BIAC’s services and programs had a positive impact on Bowen. The arts council reported revenues of $220,000, an increase of 29 per cent over the previous year. Massey noted that all of the money raised was invested directly back into the local economy, with the largest proportion going to artists, performers, creative entrepreneurs and other local businesses. Cram announced that in addition to the ongoing programs like the operation of the gallery, the classical concert series, arts and cultural programming, there will be special events coming up in 2013 as BIAC turns 25.

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At BIAC’s AGM, Paul Hoosen was awarded a lifetime membership for his work in service of the arts community. Submitted photo The entire board of directors from the last year decided to stand for reelection, while three newcomers also agreed to be advocates for arts and culture on Bowen. The new members elected are Andrea Vervey, James Tuer and past founder of the arts council (and a lifetime membership recipient himself) Hans Behm.

Directors who will continue to volunteer their leadership on behalf of BIAC include Carol Cram, as president, Ian Davidson, treasurer, and directors Andrea Little, Maureen Sawasy, Mariana Holbrook, Jewal Maxwell, Marc Baur and Corinne Metcalfe.

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separate business from personal for cyber-safety DWAYNE MATTHEWS M At t h E W s I t c o N s u lt I N g

D

o you know that your online banking agreement requires that you use up to date antivirus, antispyware, and a proper firewall? Apple, Android, or Windows -no computer or smart phone is excluded, and all are vulnerable!

October was Cyber Security Awareness Month and Canada’s banks have teamed up to participate in this

international effort to help consumers protect themselves and their computers from cyber crime (please see http://www.cba.ca/en/consumer-information/42-safeguarding-your-money/65-staying-safe-online).

In my experience, the single best thing you can do is completely separate your business use from personal use. Downloading free things, searching for lyrics, using peer to peer sharing programs, and so on, should not be done on the computer you use for business, online banking, or sensitive personal information.

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B o w e n I s l a n d M u n I c I pa l I t y

Taylor Road Slope Stabilization

— REMINDER — SNow ClEaRINg

Please be advised that slope stabilization work will commence the week of November 12, 2012. Directly affected residents include the following: • Cliff Road • Channelview Drive • Channelview Place • Valhalla Strata • 639 to 679 Taylor Road It is expected that this work will be ongoing for the next two weeks.

Occasional 15 minute delays and alternating traffic is expected.

Please keep this in mind when meeting deadlines such as ferry sailings, appointments, etc.

Please obey all traffic signs, reduce your speed through the construction zones and leave extra time to reach your destination.

A full road closure will be required in the latter stages of the works in order to operate the large equipment required to install the mesh. Once the actual date for this closure has been determined, a notice will be posted on the BIM website.

Please check www.bimbc.ca regularly to familiarize yourself with this timing. As a result, vehicular traffic will be unable to travel past the closure for a period of approximately four and a half (4 ½) hours. The municipality will be coordinating with emergency services to minimize any delays if the need for emergency access arises.

Thank you for your patience and courteousness during this time.

Public Works

During winter road maintenance operations, trucks fitted with ploughs and salt/sand dispensers need to be able to manoeuvre freely throughout the island. Please ensure that vehicles or other items are not parked on or blocking roadways and/or cul-de-sacs.

When shoveling snow, do NOT place it onto the Municipal Highway. When clearing your driveway, please pile snow on the left side of your driveway (facing your property) to improve visibility of approaching traffic and to reduce possibility of snow being pushed across your driveway by plough trucks.

Snow and Ice removal from sidewalks are the responsibility of the abutting property owner and must be cleared by 10 a.m.

Despite the best effort of the crew, conditions can deteriorate and roads can become treacherous.

In such conditions, motorists are advised NOT TO travel or to use public transit. Vehicles operating in winter conditions must have winter tires and should be fitted with chains.

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Request for Expressions of Interest: Library Board Vacancy The Bowen Island Municipality and Bowen Island Public Library are seeking expressions of interest from Bowen Island residents to fill one volunteer position on the Library Board. The Board meets on the third Thursday of every month.

We are seeking applications from residents with diverse skills and interests who are committed to the ideals of open and equitable access to information through public library service.

Interested individuals are asked to submit a one page summary of their background and skills as well as a brief statement of their interests in public library service. For more information please call Tina Nielsen, Chief Librarian, at 604‐947‐9788 or email questions to info@bowenlibrary.ca.

Those interested in sitting on the Library Board are asked to respond in writing, via email to bim@bimbc.ca, fax or regular mail, with the requested information by Friday, November 23, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. to: Lisa Wrinch, Interim Deputy Corporate Officer Bowen Island Municipality 981 Artisan Lane, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2 FAX: 604‐947‐0193 | EMAIL: lwrinch@bimbc.ca | WEBSITE: www.bimbc.ca

For InForMatIon call 604-947-4255

Land Act: Notice of Intention to Apply for a Disposition of Crown Land Take notice that Jonathan Burke of 1990 Quilchena, Vancouver, BC V6M 1E1, intends to make application to the Province of British Columbia, for a Tenure for Private Moorage purposes covering a portion of the water frontage of Strata Lot 8, DL 1545, Group 1, NWD, Strata Plan BCS2585 situated on Provincial Crown land located at the south of King Edward Bay on the west side of Bowen Island.

The Land File Number is 2410810.

Comments on this application may be submitted in two ways: 1) Online via the Applications and Reasons for Decision Database website at: www.arfd.gov.bc.ca/ApplicationPosting/index.jsp where details of this application, including maps can also be found.

2) By mail to the Senior Land Officer at: 200 - 10428 153 Street, Surrey, BC V3R 1E1.

Comments will be received by the Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations until December 9, 2012.

Comments received after this date may not be considered.

Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be provided to the public upon request.

For information, contact the FOI Advisor at the Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations regional office.

Spooky short story contest winner announced

T

he dark and dreary summer of 1831 inspired a supernatural and ghost story writing contest that led to the creation of the novel Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley.

Frankenstein inspired Kenneth Oppel’s Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein books and, in turn, he inspired us to host a Spooky Short Story Contest. Students of the Bowen Island Community School, Island Pacific School and Island Discovery Learning Community in Grade 6 to 9 who attended author Kenneth Oppel’s talk on October 17 were invited to write spooky short stories.

The Kenneth Oppel author talk was made possible thanks to the Bowen Island Library and FOBILS

(Friends of Bowen Island Public Library,) and was hosted by the Bowen Island Community School.

The Spooky Short Story Contest was sponsored by the BICS library to promote creative writing and participants received beautiful story idea books, similar to the one Mr. Oppel uses as part of his creative writing practice.

The judges were thrilled by the quality, variety and creativity of the many stories that were submitted. The Well in the Cave, written by Wilde Marsh, won first prize: the Kenneth Oppel Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein book set! Congratulations Wilde, and thank you to all for participating in the story contest.

Wilde Marsh’s The Well in the Cave

I

t was a dark, rainy afternoon. Isis was playing a video game called “The Runners” It was a horror game, of course. She was that kind of girl.

In the game she had just entered the cave where she would have seen the first runner when the door bell rang. It was Tom and Mimi.

“Hi,” said Isis.

“Hello Isis,” Tom and Mimi said.

“What’s up?” Isis asked.

“Well,” Tom said.

“Well what?” asked Isis.

“A well,” said Mimi.

“Oh,” said Isis. “Where?”

“Old Mr. Lee’s property,” replied Tom. “Cool! Let’s go explore,” said Isis.

“Right on!” chorused Mimi and Tom. Old Mr. Lee’s property was densely forested and, while overgrown, was quite a nice property.

They followed a barely visible path but they all (being adventurous children) had pocket knives and soon cleared the trail.

“I heard about the old well. Maybe if we keep following this path we’ll find it. I brought pennies for each of us just in case,” Tom said with a laugh.

They followed the path for some time until they came to a cave. A sign above it said: BEWARE OF… The rest had been clawed out as if by some large animal.

“Creepy!” said Mimi with a little shiver.

“Let’s go in,” said Isis.

They entered the cave. More signs read: Stay away and Don’t go any further!

Mimi shivered again.

“Cool” Tom said, “There’s the well.”

They all crept forward and peered over the rim. They couldn’t see the bottom. ‘“pooky,” said Tom. “Maybe there are skeletons at the bottom. Here!” and he handed each of them a penny.

“Make a wish,” said Mimi.

They all tossed their pennies in.

“I think I’ll save my wish for later!” said Isis.

They turned and made their way out of the cave, pausing to look at the signs at the entrance.

“I bet those signs are to keep kids away. Pretty dramatic, though,” said Tom. Suddenly there was a loud moan from behind them and the ground shook: ‘ggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA’ “What was that?” said Mimi “I don’t know. Let’s get out of here!” shouted Isis.

They ran as fast as they could.

“Where’s the gate?” panted Tom. “We must have taken a wrong turn,” wailed Mimi.

“This way” Isis grabbed her friend’s hand and led her along an overgrown road.

Before them, they could see a light through the branches. A decrepit old house came into view.

Another groan came from behind. They whipped around to see a floating head coming towards them.

Mimi screamed and they ran towards the house.

They bolted through the door and slammed it shut.

“What was that thing?” gasped Tom. “I don’t know… what do we do now?” panted Isis.

“There’s a light coming from upstairs,” pointed Mimi “maybe someone is here and can help us.”

They climbed the stairs and found a lit lantern and an inviting fire. They moved towards the fire to warm themselves.

“Anyone here?” asked Isis.

The moan came from behind them. They whipped around to see the disembodied head in the doorway.

Mimi screamed and fainted. Tom caught her while Isis shouted: “I wish we all home and this was a dream!”

Isis sat up abruptly. She was at her desk, with an imprint of her keyboard on her face.

“Oh my god! It was only a dream!” she breathed.

She looked at the screen. Game Over was flashing.

The doorbell rang. It was Tom and Mimi.

“Hey,” Tom said, “Want to go find an old well?”

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FRIDAY November 9 2012 • 13

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On the calendar A letter from Tyler T

FRIDAY, NOV. 9

• Youth Centre: 6 to 10:30 p.m.

Free food, free movies. Drop in.

• Book Launch with Costa Ndayisabye: 7 p.m. at Cates Hill Chapel. Admission is by donation.

• New Moon Women’s Sound Circle: Meditation for Peace and Enlightenment. Call 947-2057 or email healingsong@shaw.ca for info.

SATURDAY, NOV. 10

• Nepalese Spinal Cord Injury fundraiser: 7 p.m. Gallery at Artisan Square, tickets at Phoenix on Bowen.

• Auditions for The Tempest: Contact graham_ritchie@ telus.net.

singing and refreshments, 10:45 a.m.

Speaker Paul Fast, David Suzuki film “Force of Nature” part one.

TUESDAY, NOV. 13

• AA Meeting: Open meeting, 7:15 p.m. Collins Hall. 604-434-3933.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 14

• Drop-in knitting: 2 to 5 p.m. at Bowen Court with Pat Durrant. All levels welcome.

• Weight Watchers: Collins Hall.

6:15-7:15 p.m. Call 2880.

• Post Partum Support Group: Meets two evenings/mo. (604) 9472717.

THURSDAY, NOV. 15

SUNDAY, NOV. 11

• Acoustic Eidolon - house concert: Sunday, November 11, 6 p.m. at Julie Vik’s place, call 947-2345 for more info.

• Bowen Island United Church: No service due to Remembrance Day. • ALANON: 7:15 to 8:15 p.m.

Collins Hall.

MONDAY, NOV. 12

• NA Meeting: Open meeting, 7:15 p.m. Cates Hill Chapel.

• Open Mic Night at the Pub: starting at 8:30 p.m.

• Seniors Keeping Young: 9 a.m. line dancing, 9:45 a.m. exercises,

• Duplicate-style bridge: 7 p.m. sharp. Bowen Court lounge. Call Irene at 2955.

• Youth Centre: 4 to 6 p.m.

Practise with your band or listen to music. Free food.

UPCOMING

• IPS Gala and auction: Saturday, November 17, 7 to 11:30 p.m. at the Saloon (a.k.a. Cates Hill Chapel), Adam Woodall Band, tickets at IPS and Phoenix on Bowen.

his is Tyler Matzen. I’m six years old now. I’m raising money for people in Ethiopia, Africa that don’t have clean water. You may have seen me at the farmers market selling sprouts and energy balls. My concert is on Saturday, November 10th I’m hosting a fundraising benefit concert. We’re doing it at Cates Hill Chapel. This concert is kind of like my birthday party except all the money will go to a build a well for a village.

We are now sold out but we would like to donate two pairs of tickets to Undercurrent readers who really likes great music and would like to help support my project. We’re doing it at Cates Hill Chapel.

If you’re interested, please email my dad soon at tom@quantumbusinessgolf.com.

Who is going to perform is me, Mr. Darryl Nixon (organist for St. Andrew’s Wesley Church), Alison Nixon (Celtic player), North Shore Celtic Ensemble, Ms. Shelagh MacKinnon and Lynn Williams (terrific singers) and Shari Ulrich (2 time Juno Award Winner). It will be at Cates Hill Chapel from 3-5:30pm.

All the money will got to the project. A few months ago, I read the Blue Planet Run: The Race to Provide Safe Drinking Water to the world and I’ve learned that 50% of all the people in hospitals around the world are there because of bad water.

Most of these are children and they usually die soon.

I’ve raised $1391.24 at three farmer’s markets where some of you bought sprouts and peanut butter balls (thank you) but want to raise more for the cause.

You can read more about this in this article about me here http://www.bowenislandundercurrent.com/ community/166457496.html?mobile=true.

I really hope you will win the tickets. There is also tax deductible receipts.

Love, Tyler Matzen

TRANS MOUNTAIN EXPANSION PROJECT Public Information Sessions We invite you to find out more and join the conversation about the proposed expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline.

Talk with project staff and give us your feedback.

Attend in person or join the discussion online: BOWEN ISLAND Saturday, November 10, 2012 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm

transmountain.com

Bowen Island Community School

@TransMtn

info@transmountain.com 1.866.514.6700

Tyler Matzen.

Debra Stringfellow photo

e We love letters…K

BEspecially yours. a Y d

102 Cates Hill Corner, P.O. Box 130 Bowen Island, B.C. V0N 1G0

Snug Cove Dolphin Upgrades – Bowen Island Municipal Dock: Closure Bowen Island Municipality will be closing the municipal dock at Snug Cove from November 19, 2012 through February 1, 2013. BC Ferries will be conducting improvements to the marine dolphins at the Snug Cove terminal.

In an effort to minimize the number of nights the Contractor will be onsite, the Municipality has consulted with BC Ferries and the Contractor to develop an alternate construction method. The solution requires that two of the three sections of the floating municipal dock are removed for this limited time. The section by the ramp will remain in place so that the Water Taxi and Emergency Services will not be affected.

Improving these structures will help ensure continued safe and reliable terminal service for years to come. Bowen Island Municipality and BC Ferries appreciate your understanding during this time of potential inconvenience.

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For information, contact: Bowen Island Municipality, Wharfinger at 604-328-5499

14 Friday November 9 2012

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Friday November 9 2012 15

Inspired by his surroundings SUSANNE MARTIN EDITOR

F

rom November 9 to 29, the Gallery at Artisan Square will feature works by Robin Wall. Last Monday, he and his wife Mary dropped by the Undercurrent office to talk about the upcoming show. The couple had a busy day: they’d participated in the Seniors Keeping Young morning program and planned to go to the lagoon to look for chum after our meeting.

“It’s a retrospective and it includes pieces I’ve done in the last 25 years,” Robin says about the show. He has brought along a book titled Robin Wall, Images and Reflections, and points out the different techniques he has applied througout his career. The show reflects that range of work. “It’s divided into three types of work.

It has 12 etchings done from 1980 upwards, 12 oil paintings and 12 oil pastels,” he said. “Some of my paintings in the show are quite big, about 3 by 4 foot.” He adds that there are at least six new pieces included as well. The 84-year-old adds that this may be his “swan song” but his wife contradicts him, saying “knowing you, you’re always up to something.”

In the last 25 years, the Walls have lived on the island of Grand Manan and then in Qualicum Beach, before moving to Bowen.

“In 1990, we came to British Columbia from New Brunswick,” Robin said and Mary added that they’ve moved to Bowen Island six PETS 477

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for a print made of three plates, it sometimes took three weeks to complete the work. “I’ve pulled a lot of proofs,” he laughs. “There is quite bit of skill involved.”

“When you look at my etchings, you see that I’m nuts about boats,” Robin says. “Some of my work in Grand Manan shows working boats, fishing boats and fishing sheds. That imagery always attracted me.”

Mary recalls the many times that people watched Robin go through the process at his studio and, at the end, expressed an interest in purchasing the print they had seen emerge. “I had to pack it up with the ink still wet,” Robin adds. “It almost seemed a ploy to [show the process of] the etching.

I sold lots of prints that way. You have to see it to understand what is involved and I had been at it for over 20 years by then.”

Since selling his etching press, Robin has primarily painted and worked with oil pastels. “I’ve always painted, since I was a kid,” Robin said. “And I find that oils pastels are convenient for working in situ. I believe in working on the spot. That was very much the idea of artists in the early 19th century, to go out and experience nature. When you’re doing artwork out there, you get a more vibrant, more meaningful result.”

Robin professes himself to be critical of photographs as a source for artwork but occasionally he uses a camera as well. Nature holds a special place in his life, and in

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nature have always been a big part of my inspiration.”

Wall explained that the show will be something of a visual diary of his journey as an artist over the last quarter of a century.

An artist’s reception will be held on Saturday, November 10, from 1 to 4:30 p.m.

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his art. “Philosophically, I’m basically a romantic and subscribe to the Wordsworthian notion that man is part of nature, which is very in tune with the environmental philosophy,” Robin says. “That idea appeals to me.

I believe that artists have the opportunity to present this incredible planet we live on. My surroundings and

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Boats are a recurring theme in Robin Wall’s art. He jokingly says he looks so relaxed in this photo because it was taken on the ship going to Alaska.

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years ago.

Robin points at an etching titled Sea Texture II and says, “This one bought me my car. It’s a big one, 18 by 22 inches and it sold extremely well. It was also selected for a Canada Council grant when we were living in New Brunswick.”

“We were in Grand Manan from 1980 to 1990 and I had a big etching press there,” Robin explains. “It was a very profitable venture. But I haven’t done etchings since 1996 because pulling an etching press is strenuous business.” Mary adds that he had started to have trouble with his shoulder and sold his equipment in Qualicum Beach.

“I discovered the Intaglio method when I went to art school at the ripe old age of 39. I was fascinated by all the processes you do to make an etching. The results can be quite spectacular,” says Robin.

He was introduced to etching through a printmaking course at Concordia University in Montreal and says it took him a long time to master the technique. In 1982, he set up a printmaking studio on Grand Manan, a small island in the Bay of Fundy, and was able to pull many etchings.

“I used zinc plates edged with acid,” he explained. “Where it bites away the plate, that’s the part of the plate that will be holding the ink. Then you spread thick buttery ink onto the plate.” He adds that each plate has to be inked, wiped and pulled through while the paper stays active under the roller of the press. Robin says that,

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16 • FRIDAY November 9 2012

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Evolution of a sculpture

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Debra Stringfellow photos

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Saturday November 10th 7 – 10 pm Art Gallery, Artisan Square, Bowen Island Raffle, Crafts, Silent Auction of Textiles, Food, Refreshments, Good Company

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