THURSDAYAPRIL 30, 2015
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QUALICUM BEACH
How many markets? Town debates value of another day for farmers AUREN RUVINSKY writer@pqbnews.com
The Qualicum Beach Farmers’ Market wants to expand to Wednesday night, but town council is concerned it might hurt local business. Market manager Mimi Shewchuck sent a letter to council explaining the need for a “top- up” market mid-week, giving farmers a chance to sell their freshest produce more than once a week. The main farmers market is held Saturday mornings, and while some farmers take part in the Downtown Business Association’s Thursday night street market, Shewchuk said there is a need for a separate, food-only evening market further from the weekend. The farmers market (QBFM) board considered a mid-week market in 2012, but decided to support the DBA’s market instead, Shewchuk wrote. But Shewchuk said that group has since dropped its local ethos, so local farmers are competing with re-sold products and the food is out of place at the artisan- oriented market. “We have deliberately made this top-up market food only so that we do not compete with Thursday’s artisan market,” the letter says. The Wednesday market “would serve our local Qualicum customers and visitors who are camping/self catering.” According to a QBFM survey of 179 customers, 79 per cent do further shopping in town and 60 per cent spend more than $40. Councillor Anne Skipsey said she has sat down with organizers of both markets and is torn. “The DBA has expressed concerned that a Wednesday farmers market will, or could, negatively impact their Thursday night street market,” she said asking staff about costs to the town and traffic issues. See DECISION, page A8
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CIVIC ACTION: Members of the Ballenas Interact Civic Action Club planted an Eddie’s White Wonder Dogwood tree in Nicholls Park on Tuesday to recognize Earth Day. Also there to lend a hand were Parksville councillor Al Grier, BSS principal Rudy Terpstra and Parksville parks department staff. The club has played a major part in the revitalization of Nicholls Park, located on the corner of Pym Street and Newcastle Avenue over the last few years, said teacher Bruce Richman.
NATURAL DISASTER IN NEPAL
Local man survives quake Tyler Roy was at the airport in Kathmandu when the earthquake hit JOHN HARDING editor@pqbnews.com
It’s difficult to imagine a more excruciating 10 hours for any family.
Tammy Roy woke up early Saturday morning at her Columbia Beach home and checked her social media feed. What she learned rocked her to the core. A massive earthquake had just hit Nepal. Roy’s son Tyler, a 22-year-old Kwalikum Secondary School graduate, was in the mountainous country,
playing in a volleyball tournament with a Perth, Australia-based organization called Youth With A Mission. At first, there was no news. Tammy tried not to let her mind go to a horrible place. “I just panicked — it was excruciating,” Tammy told The NEWS this week. See AFTERSHOCKS, page A6
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