Special Features - Oasis

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PARKSVILLE QUALICUM BEACH LIFE

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Music

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INTRODUCING PARKSVILLE QUALICUM BEACH LIFE

A

n Oasis is defined as a fertile place filled with lush vegetation and brilliant blue waters. It’s also been described as a place of peace, a sanctuary, a refuge from the stresses of life. And that’s where Oasis Magazine comes in.

Milner Gardens and Woodland and then fill you with the sprightly thrill of sailing. Become inspired by the art of a local legend, learn about innovative homes conceived in our back yard, and get a taste of local food grown with passion.

Within this new magazine you’ll find the people and places of our radiant region. Take a break from your life, absorb the art, taste the food, feel the adventure. In this issue we’ll whisk you away to the quiet wonders and charm of

Come and celebrate Parksville Qualicum Beach with us—from the sensitive ecosystems of Nanoose Bay to the wild wonder of Lighthouse Country—four times a year.

And you’ll feel right at home.

- Lissa Alexander

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We love our Fusion! ~ Sabrina Krauchi, Qualicum Beach

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Contents 42

Contributors Linda Matteson-Reynolds Local photo journalist that has travelled the globe from the sea to the desert.

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Summer Edition 2013 TÊTE À TÊTE Question and Answer with ExPremier and Author of “Some Day the Sun Will Shine” and “Have Not Will Be No More.”

38 In Focus

A spotlight feature focusing on local arts and photography.

Brenda Gough Linda Tenney Journalist born, raised and resident of Parksville, Qualicum Beach.

Lighthouse community resident & Eyes ON BC publisher.

Carrie PowellDavidson

Journalist, 2012 citizen of the year recipient.

Lissa Alexander Editor & Journalist.

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Leigh Craig Art Director & Designer.

Publisher Peter McCully publisher@pqbnews.com Editor Lissa Alexander reporter@pqbnews.com Advertising Steve Weldon sales@pqbnews.com

Art Director Leigh Craig

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Just Sayin’

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Stuff 2 Do

An outlook on life with Linda Tenney, the publisher of Eyes ON BC Magazine.

Great local summer events around the community.

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design@pqbnews.com

Design Leigh Craig & Tom Alexander

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Circulation Becky Merrick circulation@pqbnews.com Cover Photo Linda Matteson-Reynolds 4-154 Middleton Ave. Parksville BC, V9K 1X3 PH: 250-248-4341 FX: 250-248-4655

2013

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Oasis magazine is published quarterly by Black Press. The points of views and opinions expressed herein are those of authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of Oasis. The contents of Oasis are protected by copywright, including the designed advertising. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent of the publisher.

FEATURE STORY

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Stuff Do 1.

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Local Markets: Qualicum Beach Farmers’ Market Saturdays www.qbfarmersmarket.com The Errington Farmer’s Market, Saturdays www.erringtonfarmersmarket.ca The Orange Bridge Market Saturdays South side of Parksville.

The Qualicum Beach Artisans Market Fridays, artisansinqualicumbeach. shawwebspace.ca The Summer by the Sea Market, known as the Craig Street Market Tuesdays.

The Uptown Summer Market in Qualicum Beach Thursdays from 6-9pm.

The Quality Foods Canadian Open Sand Sculpting Competition and Exhibition July 13 - August 18, parksvillebeachfest.ca In conjunction with this event: The Quality Food Fireworks August 17 The Children’s Sandcastle competition and Kidfest August 18, www.kidfest.ca The Kite Festival - July 20 & 21 The Oceanside Overdrive car show Aug 4

3.

Beach Day in Qualicum Beach near the Beach Hut on Qualicum Beach - July 21.

4.

St. Mark’s Fair - July 27 From 8:30am3pm. Next door at the Old School House Arts Centre the Grand Prix d’Art will be happening, where artists will be set up around town painting local scenes in a painting race.

5.

The Coombs Bluegrass Festival at the Coombs Rodeo Grounds August 1-4. www.coombsbluegrass.com.

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Bard to Broadway theatre season runs to August 17 at the Village Theatre in Qualicum Beach. www.b2btheatre.com

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Music by the Bay held at VIU’s Deep Bay Marine Field Station. www.viu.ca/ milnergardens

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Art and Photography in the Garden August 10 & 11 at Milner Gardens and Woodland. www.viu.ca/milnergardens

9.

Fairs: Coombs Fair - August 10 & 11, www.coombsfair.com Lighthouse Fall Fair - August 29-31

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Milner Gardens & Woodland

A

preserve, inspire educate

&

Photos & Story by Linda Matteson Reynolds

slow and winding gravel road slopes towards the sea and transcends you into a forgotten time. The 28 hectares (70 acres) of Milner Gardens & Woodland encompasses rare old-growth Douglas firs and western red cedar along with the cultivated gardens surrounding the eighty-five year-old estate.

Previously owned by Ray and Veronica Milner, theirs was a story of passion and love for the natural beauty of the Qualicum seaside. In 1996 the home and surrounding woodland was acquired by Vancouver Island University and the garden was dedicated to their memory as, “The Milner Gardens.”

Today, under the stewardship of Executive Director Geoff Ball and his team of 225 community volunteers, they collectively strive to fulfill the mission statement set before them, to preserve, inspire and educate.

PRESERVATION Throughout these past 17 years there have been many challenges in preserving both the woodland, gardens and heritage buildings.

Over the past winter, many Grand fir trees have been cut down within the Rhododendron grove. The closing upper canopy has challenged the blossoming of the over 400 specimens and depleted them of much needed light, nourishment and water. Professional arborists have been hired to complete this costly undertaking that requires attentiveness and minimal disturbance to the surrounding gardens.

2013

Horticultural students from the Vancouver Island University play an enormous role in the conservancy of the gardens. This “living laboratory” allows the students to hone their skills in plant >>>

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>>> identification, landscape design, plant propagation and other horticultural practices.

The students participate in the day-to-day and season-to-season operational activities of the gardens. An important priority over the last four years has been to research and record the development of the garden during its first half century and to rehabilitate both the garden and the infrastructure supporting it.

The biodiversity of the woodlands is in constant jeopardy and ever-watchful teams of volunteers are on the lookout for invasive species of Holly, English Ivy and deciduous Broom that require seasonal culling.

INSPIRATION “First-time visitors to the grounds are caught off guard,” admits Ball. “There is a magic and restoring energy that flows throughout the site.”

Meander through the winding pathways of the old-growth Douglas fir forest and relive the inspiring dream of one woman, Veronica Milner.

Collecting many of her rare plant species on her journeys abroad with her husband, she used her artistic eye and horticultural expertise to incorporate her garden within the peace and tranquility of the woodland. She alone was the instrument for the creation of the garden’s natural beauty.

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Inspiration is to be found in every nook-andcranny. A plethora of flora is found in nature’s simplest form. The high-pitched crackling of eagles, the majestic hues of light shimmering off the Strait and the sights and sounds of the garden are all pleasing to the eye and calming to the heart. >>>

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>>>

EDUCATION

A variety of programs and special events at Milner Gardens & Woodland are available to the community to educate and develop a deeper understanding of the ongoing preservation of the site.

SHOOTS WITH ROOTS Now in its tenth season, the Shoots with Roots program give local school children a hands-on, multi-sessional and educational program to learn within the microcosm of the woodland. The Children’s Food Garden was created for this purpose and eager young members prepare, tend and harvest within their own designated space.

MASTER GARDENERS

2013

Vancouver Island University’s Master Gardener certificate program combines classroom instruction with 70 hours of community volunteering. Many of the students volunteer at the gardens during their annual Spring and Fall Plant sale answering questions and giving advice to the public.

COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS “Volunteers are the heart and soul of Milner Gardens,” states Ball. Over 14,000 volunteer hours are donated every year.

Various opportunities are available for the community-minded ranging from visitorservices cashier, tearoom helpers, plantsales assistant, trail and woodland steward, and garden ambassador to name but a few.

A description of positions available can be found on Milner Gardens & Woodland’s website www.viu.ca/milnergardens along with an online application form.

PLANNING YOUR VISIT After strolling through the interpretative woodland and gardens, be sure to visit the Milner Heritage home. Historical tours of the home and gardens are given by the house docent who delights in sharing stories of the royal visit(s) by Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

Afternoon tea service is served in the Camellia Tearoom with Milner’s >>>

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>>> legendary scones and homemade preserves. In the Magnolia Room you’ll find a gift shop with collectables from local artisans.

The Pool House Gift Shop is a poolside deck and sitting area for light refreshments and a garden gift shop. A good selection of garden-related ornaments, books, cards and souvenirs are available. Adjacent to the pool is the plant nursery where you can purchase historical plants propagated on-site by volunteers. They offer a great selection of perennials, trees and shrubs, and native plants for you to take home and plant your own piece of history.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS AT MILNER GARDENS & WOODLAND

Music by the Bay July 25, Aug 22, Aug 30. A series of three evening fundraising concerts, partnered with Deep Bay Marine Field Station.

Art & Photography in the Garden August 10 & 11. Come watch artists at work throughout the gardens.

Fall Plant Sale Sept. 28 & 29.

Forest Fantasy Sept. 5-Oct. 14. Artists from the Mid Island Floral Art Club unveil their forest creations.

Milner Christmas Magic Dec. 6-8, 13-15, 18-22.

Thousands of Christmas lights, live music, Santa Claus, a teddy bear cottage, food, refreshments and more.

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Geoff Ball confesses that striking a balance of preservation, education, community outreach and revenue is the most difficult part of his job. Living onsite in this enchanted forest gives him a sense of calm and isolation from the world. He’s appreciative of its uniqueness and dedicated to the Vancouver Island University and Milner Gardens’ vision statement of inspiring people through delight and inspiration.

Previous page left to right: Geoff Ball, Managing Director; Heron statue infront of rhododendron.

Bottom Left to right: Educational tour, Milner Gardens dining room; Megan Rogers, 3rd year summer student of psycology and biology on back steps; Milner Gardens preserves and scones.

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JUST SAYIN’

Story & Photos

by Linda Tenney

Details of a Smile S ummer on Vancouver Island evokes wondrous visions of camping, hiking, and squiggling your toes in warm beach sand. Look around. Mother Nature is very kind to us here and once the rains subside for the season, we enthusiastically take full advantage of all she has to offer.

very young; a sparkling white and green turnof-the-century cottage surrounded by towering Maples and Oaks. My brother landed his first “big one” there; a huge speckled Trout, caught right off the end of the dock. It was dinner that night.

I’ll admit, fishing was fun and so was diving for the coins my Dad tossed into the lake, but I also recall being spooked by the haunting matingcall of a Moose, and the frenzied sprint-for-mylife back to the safety of the cottage. I hid under the bed for an hour and still have occasional nightmares about that passionate bellow echoing from the deep dark woods. The rural outdoors was a foreign and frightening place to me at that time.

Vancouver Island is a detailed landscape of millions of living things, each one inviting us to explore and discover. It’s a place to walk through a quiet forest. A place where you can admire the tiniest of ferns, and stand in awe under the largest of trees. Where your camera can capture common or exotic birds and if you’re really lucky, the wildly elusive Island Marmot.

It’s a place where you can gaze into a single dewdrop fiercely clinging to a leaf and see a reflection of a face. Your face. Glowing with the contented look of someone who has discovered that the details of this wondrous place make you smile. It’s the tiniest and the largest details of Vancouver Island that compell you to take a look around; to discover even more.

This summer, maybe you’ll find, as I have, that the widest of smiles come from enjoying the smallest of details on this beautiful Island.

Just sayin’.

2013

I’ve been thinking about my childhood in the urban jungle of Toronto, Ontario. Both my parents worked and I was one of the many typical “latch-key” city kids who rushed home each afternoon in time to answer the scheduled telephone call from a working mother – checking to see if I had arrived home safely. Most of my free-time was spent reading, writing or watching cartoons; adventuring into rural landscapes was never an option. It just Lighthouse Country, spanning the east side of wasn’t part of our life.

Vancouver Island from Deep Bay to Dashwood Truth be told, my hands never dug into dirt until and up into the recreational areas of Spider I was 20, when I had an opportunity to grow Lake and Horne Lake, is my first rural living my own garden. And grew it I did! Radishes, experience. I love it here. Yet, despite my green peppers, tomatoes, beans, and an acre decade long Island tenure, I still can’t say that of acorn squash that over-grew our yard and I’m completely comfortable traipsing around into the neighbours. I wasn’t too popular! Or ... the primordial forest – there are bears and cougars and things that go bump in the day perhaps I was.

My family did have a rural retreat when I was and night for heaven’s sake. I do enjoy the odd

deer prancing through my yard, and the hike to Little Qualicum River Falls gives me great joy. I must admit, the more I venture into the forest, the more comfortable I become with being there.

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SHINGEBISS THE VIRTUE OF PERSEVERANCE PARLEY WITH SKIPPER,

NEAL BERGER

Story & photos by Linda Matteson Reynolds

“The J36 sails like a dream. She’s fast, responsive and well mannered.” Skippered by Neal Berger, Shingebiss is a regular contender on the Schooner Cove Yacht Club (SCYC) racing circuit.

Her name is taken from a sacred Ojibwe tale about a little merganser duck that is faced with the inability to fish from a frozen Great Lake one winter. Despite the adversity, the duck persevered, refusing to see winter as his enemy. The story shows that those who follow the ways of Shingebiss will always have plenty to eat, no matter the hardship. Neal was captivated and inspired by this story as a young boy and vowed some day to name his boat after this courageous little duck.

Meeting up dockside with Neal at Schooner Cove Marina, it was an invitation to delve into the life of a racer and question him about his strategies for success with Shingebiss.

Q: Where did sailing start for you and did you have a mentor?

A: “I have always been fascinated by boats of any kind.

Making rafts out of anything I could find and ‘setting out’ on the lakes and rivers in the Midwest was a great summer pastime.

The first time I ever sailed was when I was about 14.

One of my teachers took me out on a Snipe Class boat.

Feeling the boat come to life as the wind picked up, pretty much ‘hooked’ me for life. I would look for every opportunity to sail on every imaginable kind of sailboat.”

Q: What got you interested in racing; do you have a natural competitive spirit?

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A: “Since a young age, I’ve competed in all kinds of sports and passionately chased a baseball career for quite some time. I suppose my competitive spirit comes out in sailing too. I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that anytime two sailboats are in sight of each other (even if it requires binoculars) it results in some sort of a race. >>>

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FINISHING TOUCHES

>>> Early on, one of the first boats I raced on was the Sunfish dinghy, then Tasars. A partner and I raced a 505 for a few years on lakes in the Midwest. I think this kind of racing is a terrific way to learn seamanship and how to manage a boat in all kinds of conditions.”

Q: What formalized training have you had in sailboat racing?

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A: “I belonged to the Duluth Keel Club in Minnesota at one time and instructors from the North Sail Loft came out and coached sailing schools and racing seminars on a fairly frequent basis. This sort of formal training was supplemented by armchair sailing, reading, and thousands of hours on the water finding out what works and what doesn’t. Following the examples of ‘those who did well’ or ‘had lots of experience’ was generally, the accepted way of learning. When you start sailing in little boats it seems you find out very quickly what you can and cannot do. We sailed a Flying Dutchman for a while and that boat could get very cranky if the crew didn’t treat her right. The larger boats are often more forgiving and let you get by with things that would have you quickly in the drink if you were on a smaller boat.”

Q: Can you recall your scariest experience or toughest challenge out there?

A: “The most ‘heart stopping’ event that I’ve experienced was having a bowman go overboard, under spinnaker, at night, during a Trans-Superior Race.

[A 338 nautical mile race on Lake Superior from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario to Duluth, Minnesota.] Our crew ended up looking quite brilliant. As he fell off the leeward side of the boat, the wave action picked him up. As he passed our stern, we were able to grab him by the harness and toss him onboard without missing a beat. It was actually pure luck - that water was very cold and the outcome could well have been tragic.”

Q: Shingebiss is notably a front-runner in racing circles. Any strategies for winning that you’d be willing to share?

A: “Shingebiss is a fun boat to race. The J36 has a fast design that generally puts us up in the front of the fleet. It’s still a challenge to win as our local races are scored on a handicap system. I think the favourite pastime of lots of the racers is forming extravagant claims about how the rating system favours all of the other boats.

The things we concentrate on in order to be competitive are crew and boat preparation. Keeping a crew together that will show up race-after-race is the biggest challenge skippers face.

Shingebiss has been blessed with a dedicated group that is on the dock rain or shine – or snow! We go to extra lengths to ensure the boat is ‘optimized’ in terms of preparation, gear and safety.”

Q: Are you always at the helm or do you relinquish the controls from time-totime?

A: I am pretty much exclusively at the helm of Shingebiss – my boat, I get to drive. But seriously, longer races will often see someone else taking a turn at the wheel. Oddly, one of the main reasons I stay at the helm is that I suffer from good old seasickness. I like trimming the sails and tending to other things but I do have to be mindful of the seasickness thing – I don’t do well reading charts either.

Q: What has been your hardest and furthest distance race?

A: Without a doubt, it would be the Trans-Superior Race. A couple of them were unbelievably nasty and really took a toll on the crew and the boat.

As mentioned, the race is 338 nautical miles and Lake Superior has a particular wave pattern that can be just frightful.

It tends to pile up very steep walls of water that can be truly unpleasant and difficult to navigate. The water is very cold and along with the fog >>>

2013

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difficulty. Most of our Swiftsure races result in the crew repeatedly asking ‘why are we doing this again, I thought we learned our lesson last year’. The atmosphere of that race is extraordinary and keeps us going back yearafter-year.”

Q: Any words of advice or encouragement to new sailors wanting to race?

CREW 2013

Photos previous page: Captain Neal Berger sailing the Johnstone Strait.

Top to bottom: David Christopher giving the thumbs up; Shingebiss crew members

L-R; Bruce Petry, Peter Milne, David Christopher, Peter Jacobsen, Neal Berger, Ken Woodward

>>> and traversing freighters, it can make for some great fun out there.

We have had a couple of interesting races at Swiftsure.

[The Swiftsure International Yacht Race runs every May out of Victoria and is made up of six races over four distinct courses.] One year, a crewmember was injured, became hypothermic and got into some potentially serious

A: “I think if someone has an interest in sailboat racing the simplest thing to do is to get on board a boat and go. I remember back in Duluth, Minnesota being terribly intimidated by all those sailors who appeared to know a lot of ‘stuff’ that I didn’t. That was true and often still is, but sailors are generally a very helpful lot and genuinely want to encourage people into the sport.”

Neal’s philosophical approach to sailing has helped him create a new dimension of personal awareness. “Sailing is a bit like a Dickens’ novel – the best of times, and the worst of times”, he states. “Beautiful, bright days with brisk breezes, those whispers of air that barely fill the sails, or the southeasterly storms piling the sea and waves around you, I have sailed thousands of hours and miles on this

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coast and it’s never exactly the same – changing winds, skies, tides, currents, temperature and it’s all seeing life as a mystery to be lived.”

The 2013 racing season has already started for Shingebiss.

Neal is pleased to say that although he has had little time to be onboard, the crew has been on the start line for every race at SCYC. “I get excited about the longer races and I do plan on doing the Southern Straits Race this year in addition to the Thetis, Swiftsure and Round Salt Spring Island races”, states Neal. “Last year, SCYC added a Round Lasqueti race to their annual regatta bringing a fantastic dimension to the already popular weekend event.”

Whatever future endeavours challenge Shingebiss, when pushed to the brink of endurance, her achievements will be attributed to the perseverance and experience of her skipper and crew.

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For those interested in crewing or looking for membership can log onto Schooner Cove Yacht Club’s website www.scyc.ca to get more information or email one of the executive members.

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E

E IS FOR ENERGY

EFFICIENCY

ENVIRONMENTAL

130620_Oasis.indd 25

A

rchitect Carsten Jensen adheres to the principles of passive housing while describing his Qualicum Beach home as “assertively modern.”

He has spent much of his architectural career in London, Ontario designing commercial buildings and custom homes.

But in 2005, he founded Jenesys Buildings Corporation in Qualicum Beach as the launching ground for his prefabricated, green home called the E Cube.

THE PASSIVE HOUSE A passive house is a tried-and-true European construction concept that is energy efficient, comfortable and affordable at the same time. Jensen’s designed E Cube is right in line with this idea. It’s a “super-

insulator” that is airtight and incorporates a high-efficiency heat recovery system.

This environmentally responsible home boasts three thermal south-facing solar panel collectors for domestic hot water needs, four photovoltaic solar collectors for electricity, rain water collection with holding tanks and a green roof, to help cool the house in the summer and keep it warm in the winter. Extra features such as double-glazed windows and bamboo flooring optimize the super insulation and sound-proofing qualities.

The HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system is a small, quiet, airto-air heat pump.

“Because the house is so well insulated the heat pump comes on for only short >>>

2013

ECUBE

Photos & story by Linda Matteson Reynolds

25

13-06-26 9:58 AM

>>> periods of time even in the coldest winter months,” states Jensen.

“I often have to hold my hand over the vent to make sure it’s actually working.”

2013

The numbers are impressive; third party EnerGuide ratings of 80-90, R36+ insulated walls, R30+ for floors, R60+ for roofs, energy savings between 75 and 90 per cent, and an average monthly electrical bill of $58.

ADAPTABLE The E Cube is adaptable to various site locations. The prefab kit or “flatpak” is basically an unfinished shell delivered to the property by flatbed truck and depending on the size of the house, usually in one to three truckloads. Locally sourced materials from Vancouver Island and the mainland, minimizes the on-site construction waste in comparison with >>>

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conventional housing developments. A qualified contractor and builder then assemble the kit on location and finish the home to client specifications.

“We prefabricate the insulated walls and roof panels as well as interior partitions, trusses, and joists that come to the site ready for assembly. All have been carefully chosen to meet the highest environmental standards relative to toxicity and emissions,” states Jensen. >>> >>>

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>>>

TRANQUIL

There is a peaceful serenity upon entering the home that invades the senses. The quietness and evenness of temperature throughout transports the visitor to a place symbolic of the energy conveyed. The air is fresh, the space is clean and there is plenty of good light.

Living environmentally responsible is a conscious effort for Jensen and his partner Donna Millen. “Our lives are uncluttered of possessions and we value restraint. We try not to be major consumers or power hogs,” admits Millen.

Their Qualicum Beach home was the prototype for the prefab E Cube. Built by Jensen himself, he states, “we are constantly finding out things about this house we just didn’t expect at its inception.” The absence of street noise, the heating and cooling exchange efficiency, the insulating factors of the green roof and the overall coziness of the home seems to suit their tranquil lifestyle.

INTO THE LANEWAY Jeneseys Buildings is now introducing three E Cube models to the Laneway Housing Project in Vancouver. With the pressing demand to increase the supply of rental housing options, laneway housing was introduced to Vancouver in 2009. Their goal; to support sustainability by providing more opportunities for people to live in the city, close to their jobs, services and public transit.

Sized at 400 – 800 sq.ft., the E Cube can be customized to be aesthetically pleasing in a diversity of urban developments. Initially it was thought that this style of housing would be appealing in size and affordability to the first-time buyer, but all signs indicate that it’s the boomer generation and older who are most interested. The laneway house provides seniors with the option to downsize and still remain in their familiar surroundings and neighbourhood.

TACTICAL URBANISM

2013

The “new urbanism” design movement came into vogue in the early ‘80’s. It promotes the creation and restoration of diverse, walkable, compact, vibrant, mixed-use communities.

They contain housing, workplaces, shops, entertainment, schools, and parks. All are essential to the daily lives of the residents; all are within easy walking distance of each other. Becoming greener and more sustainable has now entered into the equation and Jensen describes this as the “new, new urban-

=

greener living long-term change Canada and the USA. ism” now coined, “tactical urbanism” or, shortterm action equaling long-term change. Food carts, sidewalk cafes, pop-up retail shops, play streets, are all examples of the “Building a Better Block” project which has reinvigorated old and tired neighbourhoods throughout

Where does the prefab E Cube fit into the greater scheme of tactical urbanism? Like the laneway project in Vancouver, many communities are looking to provide their citizens a better and greener living community and sense of place.

Planning retirement is not an option for >>>

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Photos Left to Right Page 25: Entrance of the ECube; Back veranda of ECube. Page 26-27 topbottom Carsten Jensen in the living room of his Qualicum Beach Ecube; Bathroom; Dining room; Roof top garden and solar panels. Pages 28-29 left to right: Carsten in kitchen of ecube; Ecube technical drawings; Solar panels on roof top garden of ECube.

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>>> Jensen; he is excited for the future of Jenesys Buildings, “we pride ourselves on the demonstrably superior environmental performance of our houses, and we are constantly seeking to further improve that performance.”

For Carsten Jensen, passive housing is the quickest route to a sustainable and comfortable future for us all.

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Call today to make an appointment with one of our 18 dedicated professionals, and put their 287 years of combined real estate experience to work for you.

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LOCO 4 LOCAL Springford Steak Colin Springford advises that contrary to the usual way of cooking steak where we ‘fast fry’ on a super hot heat, Springford Beef is better when cooked, ‘lower and slower’.

1 thick Springford Rib Eye per person Fresh garlic: 2 cloves per steak ½ tsp. Worcestershire Sauce per steak Fresh Cracked Pepper Story by Carrie Powell-Davidson

Directions: Finely chop the garlic and spread onto the steaks.

Sprinkle Worcestershire Sauce all over, top with pepper and let sit at room temperature for about an hour.

Put steak garlic side down on a hot grill for a maximum of 2 minutes to sear both sides.

For those of us who like rare to medium rare, the steak should be done. For those who want it medium to well, turn the heat down (250-275) and cook until desired doneness.

Let steaks sit on a warm plate for about 5 minutes before serving.

Note: This method works equally well with Springford Roasts.

PHOTO: Lance Sullivan of Concept Photography

Island’s best beef

W

hat’s your pleasure? Is it a thick, sizzling rib eye or a plump juicy hamburger with all the trimmings? How about a golden rotisserie chicken or European Franks with caramelized onions? If you’re mouth is watering then grab a towel because we’re about to turn up the fire on those waterworks.

Springford Farm is our local go-to place for all natural beef. Many of us love a great steak but they don’t always love us. The growth hormones and antibiotics found in so much of today’s meat can cause intolerances. The good news is that we can get all natural, grass-fed beef anytime at the Farm Store at Springford Farm on Northwest Bay Road in Nanoose, just call ahead to make sure the farmer is in!

FROM THE FARM

HOLISTIC AND HOME-GROWN

The Springford Farming philosophy is timetested. “We use a holistic approach which involves intensive rotational grazing the way nature intended.” Colin adds that all their cattle have a grass-based diet and that’s it. “Our beef is gluten free,” he said. Colin’s business philosophy is just as natural. “I take every problem and turn it into an opportunity.”

ALL IN THE FAMILY He shares an example of how the ‘Mad Cow Colin and Diane Springford both grew up on Disease’ actually worked in their favor. “BSE hit farms on the south Island, and when they just before we started to expand our herd so got into their own farm, 30 years ago, it was we took the cattle we would normally ship out as a hobby. The Springfords also owned and and started selling our own ground beef.” Colin operated a successful construction company, says they now supply The Pink Bicycle Gourmet but when son Ross and his family (which grew Burger in Victoria with 700-900 pounds a to four as this interview was being conducted) month. came back home and wanted to farm, Colin sold the business in 2005 and the family The Farm Store carries stewing beef, ribs and became full-time farmers. Daughter Clarice roasts, and at certain times of year, chicken and her family live near the farm and help out and turkey. Springford beef also gets turned when needed. So now, three generations of into sausages and franks in Hilliers. farmers keep Springford growing.

2013

Branded ‘The Island’s Best’, Springford Farm is certified with the B.C. Environmental Farm Plan and was the 2010 Runner-up for B.C. Cattleman’s Association Environmental Stewardship Award. Farmer Colin Springford sits on the

Nanaimo Regional District’s Agriculture Advisory Board, is President of the Coombs Farmers Institute and he and his wife, Diane, are 25 year members of the Canadian Hereford Association.

One might think that with all these accolades, this cattle farm was a rather huge operation.

Actually, it was designed and continues to operate pretty much as a one-man show.

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Fantasy & Folk Art of

DON THOMPSON

2013

D

eep in the woods of Whisky Creek on a large, peaceful property, there lives an old wood carver amongst a world of curious creations.

Don Thompson is an internationally

Story by Lissa Alexander Photos by Leigh Craig

renowned folk artist. His place is filled with character shacks he created, like the Man Cave, complete with antique barber chairs and chandeliers made from car tire rims.

And then there’s the Jack Shack, an inviting rustic wooden bar set on a pond adorned

with rows of empty Jack Daniels bottles.

Peppered throughout the property you’ll find his signature wooden critters in all shapes and sizes. There are cheeky birds and squirrels peeking out from bushes, a towering, bright red mountie, keeping watch over Thompson’s home, and a variety of cows and other animals stamped with clever, poignant anecdotes.

And it’s these critters that shot the retired surveyor into fame about twenty years ago.

IT BEGINS WITH A DECOY Thompson moved to West Coast from Ontario in 1949 and moved to Whiskey Creek 28 years ago. He retired from >>>

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A WO R L D O F WO N D E R S some “silly seagulls,” he said. But he was even more surprised when his neighbour took his pieces over to a popular Vancouver folk art shop called The Swinging Chicken, and they became an instant success.

FROM DEVITO TO J.K ROWLING The next thing he knew one of his pieces was featured on the front of The Province newspaper.

“So I ran down to Whiskey Creek store and got six copies,” Thompson chuckled.

His pieces became very popular at that store, as well as others that carried his work, and around 5,000 were purchased and shipped around the world. Celebrities were among

those who took a liking to his work, and pieces were bought by Goldie Hawn, Katharine Hepburn and K.D. Lang. He was also commissioned to make one for J.K Rowling. One of his pieces was bought for Danny DeVito, by the actor’s director when they were working in Vancouver. Thompson had created a Tufted Puffin smoking a cigar, which was perfect for DeVito, who was rumoured to be smoking a cigar every day.

“I just happened to, by luck, put a cigar in it,” said Thompson. “And the title on the bottom was “I’m just a Puffin.’” And of course he smoked cigars and so he just loved it,” Thompson recalled.

One of Thompson’s commissioned pieces >>>

2013

>>> construction and surveying work and began making his “strange and comical” folk art (as he calls it) in 1992. “There was nothing else to do,” he laughed.

It began with some red cedar found around his property, which he carved into some decoy ducks. From there he decided to make a few birds, and to them he added a little more character. After cutting the wood with a chainsaw he would use smaller tools to finish detail work. A neighbour spotted some of the carved seagulls on his property and brought over a guest to have a look. The guest adored the funky wooden pieces and ended up leaving with close to a dozen of them.

Thompson was surprised since it was just

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f rom f ly i ng f ish to b o at s ashore >>> still sits 25-feet high at a Whitehorse hotel:

a tall, proud, wooden RCMP officer.

Thompson has been the subject of many newspaper articles and television news broadcasts over the years, including CBC and CTV. In the beginning, he would have to put quite a lot of effort into one of his pieces, he said.

But after awhile it didn’t feel like work, and he loved doing it, he added.

But the best part about creating the critters was when he was finished one, and he would get to see or hear the reaction from a customer, he recalled.

THE PLACE WITH THE CATS

2013

Thompson’s quirky folk art has been a mainstay at Smithford’s in Qualicum Beach for over 20 years. His distinctive cats sit atop the property’s fence and other pieces like Rabbit Transit—which is a rabbit riding a bicycle—can still be found throughout the store. His artwork has garnered a strong following and has helped to

create the store’s identity, said current owner John Mountain.

“The store’s more known as the place with the cats on the fence as anything else,” he said.

“He’s a big part of the identity of this little place with his art.”

Mountain appreciates the satire in Thompson’s work and the puns he often writes on the pieces. Mountain has come to know Thompson well since he and his wife took over the store about five years ago.

He has shared many visits with Thompson at his eccentric Whiskey Creek property and said he’s an amazing guy who is very knowledgeable about the world around him. He’s an avid reader and enjoys keeping up on politics, Mountain said, he’s warmhearted and he’s got a wild imagination.

One of the things that sets Thompson apart from other artists is his way of catching expressions on his critters faces, Mountain explained.

“They’re definitely alive, thats for sure,” he >>>

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>>> said. Beyond carrying a number of Thompson’s pieces, Smithford’s now has a collection of work from Thompson’s son Gary, which has a strong resemblance to his father’s work.

THE FRUITS OF HIS LABOUR Photos page 32 - 33 left to right: Don Thompson in front of work shop; Squirrel carving on hand built wooden bridge; Mountie carving & A hare brain idea carving.

Page 35 - top to bottom: Don’s renowned cats on the fence at Smithford’s (photo by Lissa Alexander);Flying Fish Carving & One of two boats he’s beached on his property and brought to life, the Freelancer.

Page 35 - 37 left to right: Don by his canoe woman carving; Wally the Walrus & One of his many twostory-tall bird carvings.

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2013

After two decades of carving, Thompson retired a couple of years ago. He’s 85 years old now and his hip is too bad to work with a chainsaw, he said.

Don said he never could have predicted that his carving would have done so well.

“Not in my wildest dreams,” he said.

After all, he just stayed in Whiskey Creek and carved, he mused.

And although he won’t be making any more critters, he can enjoy the fruits of his labour in his whimsical world in Whiskey Creek. He might do the loop walk at his property, past the Trapper Shack to the mini wooden Gas Station, and give a nod to the the funky giraffes, distinctive dogs and resting herons.

Perhaps a stroll onto his refinished large wooden boat might strike his fancy, surrounded by wooden whales and other sea creatures.

Or he could travel past the Touring Cow Band and the Roundhouse and take a break at the Vegetable Stand, where he often works on smaller projects.

And when he’s done, he can relax with a beverage in the Jack Shack overlooking the large pond, and behold the project that started it all—his flock of simple, decoy ducks.

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IN FOCUS

2013

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13-06-26 1:49 PM

TONY MARKLE Tony Markle is retired from Telus and has been living in Oceanside for ten years, presently in Craig Bay. Photography is his hobby and his photos can be seen at: tonymarkle.zenfolio.com

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PARKS V

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TÊTE-À-TÊTE

Story & Photos

by Brenda Gough

BRIAN PECKFORD Ex-Premier and Author

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the national programs to talk about the book.

And my position on how the constitution got patriated and how it is different than the 30year-myth that has been around—no one has challenged me on that. I am surprised at the His famous saying “Some day the sun will shine lack of reaction to the controversial parts and and have not will be no more” is the title of I am still smiling and waiting for someone to his latest book which spent three weeks on the challenge me on some of the things I have said.

Question: Globe & Mail best seller list.

Peckford was premier of Newfoundland No doubt there have been many, but what about 30 years ago during a time when some would you say was your greatest political Newfoundlanders tried to move their province triumph? from a “have-not” to a “have” and, with Answer: the help of Peckford, they succeeded to get I would have to say the Atlantic Accord because Newfoundland its fair share of the revenues without it Newfoundland would be a have-not from the offshore gas and oil. province. A close second that I like to record The repatriation of the Constitution was also in is that I was the one who introduced the process in the late seventies and early 1980’s, Newfoundland flag. A flag is for all time. The and Peckford played a significant part in that flag is an important symbol and I often put the too. His book is a political memoir that aims to flag as number one and the Atlantic Accord as change the story of how the deal that brought number two. Up until the early 1980’s the flag that Newfoundland flew was the Union Jack … about the Constitution actually went down. the British flag. And here we were a province Question: of Canada now, every province has its own flag What sort of feedback have you been receiving and Newfoundland did not. from your latest book Some Day the Sun Will I wanted to show our distinctiveness because Shine and Have Not Will Be No More. we are different than England so I introduced Answer: the flag and it was very controversial at the I have had a lot of reaction to the book and time and most people said I would lose the it has been overwhelmingly positive. Most next election because of the flag. I went out people who are writing me (because I left my and asked for ideas and designs publicly and email address in the book) have been very then I had a select committee of the legislature positive. They love the short stories that are go around to have hearings about the flag and we finally chose Mr. Christopher Pratt who was interwoven in the book. a very famous Newfoundland artist, his design As far as the controversial issues in the book to be the one for the flag. like the Constitution and the Atlantic Accord … it’s amazing. The silence has been deafening. Question: I have sent it out to all the political science What do you enjoy most about living in (the professors in Canada, and I have been on all OASIS of) Parksville Qualicum Beach? ith two books under his belt, Brian Peckford is making a name for himself as a top selling author these days. The former premier of Newfoundland has been calling Qualicum Beach home since 1993.

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Answer: I like the setting. The climate is less harsh than it would be in most parts of Newfoundland. If I am near the ocean and there are trees then I feel like I am home.

When we decided to move my wife said we would never move to another island and here we are on Vancouver Island. I still do speeches and I tell people that I am genetically predisposed to go to an island because my grandfather lived on a little island off the island of Newfoundland, my grandmother came from an island on my fathers side and on my mothers side both of them came from islands. It’s natural for me.

The Peckford trait is to close one door and move on to the next. We don’t look back we always look ahead and that is natural to us. Myself, my brothers and my sister are very much like that.

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Being close to my grandchildren

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