Lake Cowichan Gazette, June 26, 2019

Lake water level sign? Page 2

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FLASHBACK: SERVICE TO COMMUNITY COLUMN | PAGE 9

Lake Cowichan

Gazette

LakeCowichanGazette.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2019

CVRD PULLS TUBING PHOTO FROM AD

CORONER RELEASES KILMER REPORT

NEWS | PAGE 3

NEWS | PAGE 3

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GRADUATION EXHILARATION Page 8

The Lake Cowichan Secondary grad class of 2019 toss their hats into the air in celebration. (MALCOLM CHALMERS PHOTO)

Japanese knotweed invading Cowichan Lake

BY LEXI BAINAS

Ken Traynor, spokesperson for the Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society, told Lake Cowichan council June 18 that the invasive plant, Japanese knotweed, could soon become a concern in Cowichan Lake.

“We’ve been looking at the chal-

lenge of Japanese knotweed in the watershed. We’ve been working on developing a program; TimberWest, and now Mosaic has been working on it at Caycuse. They’ve accomplished a lot up there on Nixon Creek and the idea is to bring that work down the watershed over a number of years,” Traynor said.

He noted that there’s a big patch of Japanese knotweed at Lake Cowichan’s own Lakeview Park in the maintenance yard behind a pile of cedar mulch. He wondered if council has a policy about removing such invasives on their property. ”I know the CVRD works with the Coastal Invasive Species Committee.

They do a lot of work up in Nanaimo.

And if there wasn’t [a policy], we’d be willing to work with you.”

Coun. Carolyne Austin interjected, “Is that the stuff that looks like bamboo? We have a patch near us.”

Traynor said the patch he’s seen is up near Lakeview Park because he likes to hike up there.

“The CVRD now has a program where they will accept the worst species. You have to bag it specially with a gooseneck but they will accept invasive species for incineration.”

“Like broom and that?” asked Austin.

Traynor replied that he didn’t know if broom was on the list of five that Continued on A6

A2 Wednesday, June 26, 2019

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‘Count-down’ sign to help preserve water?

BY LEXI BAINAS

Would it be a good idea to place a sign near the entrance of Lake Cowichan to show folks just how little water is left in Cowichan Lake?

That’s what Ken Traynor of the Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society proposed to Lake Cowichan town council on Tuesday, June 18.

He was appearing as a delegate for the group.

“We’re looking at developing educational materials,” he told councillors.

“This will all be going to the watershed board. We’ve got a website called weirready.ca ready to run this summer and we’ll have things to be distributed at major events.

“One idea that’s come up is we want to make sure people are aware how low the lake levels are. We live here all the time, of course we’re aware of it, but visitors don’t know.

“Maybe we could put a countdown sign to highlight how soon we would reach zero storage, which currently would be 51 days on the lake unless we get some rain.

“The idea is that [a countdown sign] would really put it up front for people. They’d know the situation is serious and they’d go to weirready.ca and they’d find lake level information there, a description of how the weir works…The idea is that there would

Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society’s Ken Traynor would like to see a sign notifying people how much water is left in the lake. (LEXI BAINAS/GAZETTE) be somewhere that people, who are concerned about it could go. We’d feel better if we had some way, somewhere to direct them to that information.”

He proposed for such a sign to go at the Y-intersection as people enter Lake Cowichan.

Traynor also reported that the Stewardship group has been very active over the last six years. They’ve worked with more than 40 shoreline property owners, he said, to re-establish native vegetation along the shoreline. That program is now winding down.

“Some of those sites have been within the confines of the town of Lake Cowichan, and we also want to thank Coun. Sandhu and Coun. Austin for participating in the recent tour that we did to get a good idea of what we’ve been up to.

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The group is also working to rescue salmon fry from tributaries to Cowichan Lake that are drying up early.

“Just to let you know the scale, last year that combined team of Cowichan Tribes, CLRSS, and Cowichan Salmonid Enhancement Society moved over 100,000 fry back into the lake from the tributaries. There probably won’t be as many this year because we had that really dry spell in February and March that really hammered some of the spawning beds so there aren’t as many fry coming up. But there are still lots of them to be chased down right now.

“We figure the lake is at about 21 per cent full today [June 18] and pumping over the weir is definitely on the horizon. I understand Brian Houle [of Catalyst] is chasing pumps across the country.”

The group is also planning a river clean-up for Aug. 18, partnering with the Lake Cowichan 75th Anniversary Committee for Watershed Day. “It could, of course, be a challenging day if we’re out in the river while they’re pumping over the weir.

It could be an interesting weekend around that.”

The Lake and River Stewardship group has been 10 years active “so we’re planning a revisiting exercise with community members for Sept.

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since our foundation so it’s a good time to check in with the community on what’s been accomplished and also what still needs doing. We’d welcome any contributions the council and town would make towards that exercise,” Traynor said.

“We still get comments from riverfront folks raising concern about tubing impacts, as it’s been increasing.

We meet each year with the tubing companies at the beginning of the season to discuss the issues with them.

This year we are also working with the BC Conservation Foundation to begin a water sampling program.

This would indentify whether there are sunscreen residues in the lake. It’s a growing concern. If you’ve been to Mexico or Hawaii you may have encountered the problems with sunscreen affecting corals reefs and so on.

We have the same degree of concern but there isn’t much real hard science yet on residues on fresh water systems like ours. We’ll be working on that and we’ll keep you informed of anything that we find,” he said.

The official opening of the Gerald Thom Memorial Indigenous Plants Garden is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 17 from 12 to 12:30 p.m., Traynor noted.

“We really appreciate that your crews have been watering the plants. We’ve got a whole set of signs to identify the

plants that will be going in. We also hoped that some directional signage could be put in to help people find the park,” Traynor told councillors.

The group has also been busy sampling water from the lake and upper river, in collaboration with the watershed board and the Ministry of Environment, in both summer and fall.

“What we found was that there were slightly elevated e-coli levels in the upper river in the summer and using drinking-water standards. You wouldn’t be concerned swimming there but if you were taking water out of it, you would be. In the winter sampling, at the weir, you got major high levels of e-coli where the water comes over the weir.

“The speculation is that you’re re-mobilizing settlements when you get all that turbulence happening coming over the weir and Dr. David Preikshot from the Somenos Marsh Society who oversaw the science side of the water sampling we’re doing, he feels it’s definitely something that we’d want to check on with Catalyst when they start up their pumps. In November, we’re not too worried about too many swimmers in the Duck Pond but in the middle of August it might be a different question.

“That’s just something to put on your radar: that you are all aware of that,” he said.

Lake Cowichan Gazette

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Wednesday, June 26, 2019 A3

CVRD changes ad campaign after complaint

BY ROBERT BARRON

A picture used in an ad campaign by the Cowichan Valley Regional District will be nixed after concerns were raised by a local company.

The picture of an unsmiling young girl with a tube around her waist standing in a dry section of the Cowichan River was being used in an ad campaign called “Living the New Normal”.

It was intended to convey the reality of local drought conditions, but gave many the impression that the river is too dry to tube on.

The owner of Lake Cowichan’s The Tube Shack says there’s plenty of water in the Cowichan River for tubing, and there will be all summer.

Aaron Frisby said he was concerned the picture could hurt his business this season.

“My biggest issue with this is, it simply isn’t true,” Frisby said.

This picture that was being used in an ad campaign by the CVRD about drought and water restrictions was nixed after a tubing company in Lake Cowichan said there is plenty of water in the river for tubing and the picture was bad for business. (SUBMITTED PHOTO) “Tubing on the Cowichan River flows. Even if the water does get too is still viable even at minimal river low, the weir on Cowichan Lake is

opened to allow more water flow in the river so we always have enough for our business even as droughts become more frequent. We just had our first weekend of the season and it was busy.”

Frisby said tubing brings tens of thousands of people to Lake Cowichan every summer, but he’s already receiving calls from people wondering if there is any tubing this year after they saw the ad and picture.

Sonja Nagel, executive director of the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce, said in the a letter to the CVRD that The Tube Shack is a long-time chamber member, and the Cowichan Regional Visitor Centre sends a lot of visitors to experience tubing from the upper section of the river.

She said there are currently two businesses operating tubing companies from Lake Cowichan, including The Tube Shack.

“I agree with Aaron in that this is very misleading and could significantly impact two tourism operators who draw many visitors to the region each summer,” Nagel said in the letter.

“The Tube Shack opened this past weekend, and this advertising will certainly impact their business. We are advocating for our member business and would ask that the CVRD change the images on this campaign.”

Kris Schumacher, the CVRD’s manager of communications and engagement, said he spoke with Frisby about his concerns on June 18 and the district has decided it won’t be using the picture in any future ads or social media posts about water restrictions. “(Frisby) understands we had not intended to dissuade people from tubing or to imply tubing wasn’t possible, and we didn’t consider that people may interpret it in that way,” he said.

Coroner’s report confirms Kilmer died by suicide

BY WARREN GOULDING

Ben Kilmer, the Cobble Hill father of two whose body was found near the Chemainus River last October, died by suicide, the BC Coroners Service has confirmed.

Kilmer’s disappearance in May of 2018 sparked a massive search. His van had been found on the side of Old Lake Cowichan Road west of Duncan.

In the days and weeks that followed, dozens of volunteers conducted a ground search in the immediate area but there was no sign of the 41-year-old electrician. It wasn’t until Oct. 17 that a hiker discovered Kilmer’s body in a remote area near the Chemainus River.

Late last week, Tonya Kilmer asked the Chief Coroner, Lisa Lapointe, not to release graphic details of the cause of death for fear the information would be damaging to her two young children.

The Chief Coroner refused the request and on Monday afternoon the full report was sent to at least five parties that requested the document.

Kilmer had asked media outlets not to include the means or cause of death and it appears her request will be honoured.

“We have never published the details of a suicide before, and there is no public interest

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Ben Kilmer’s disappearance in May 2018 sparked a massive search. His body was found in October. The BC Coroners Service has confirmed that he died by suicide.

(CITIZEN FILE)

reason to start now,” Cowichan Valley Citizen editor Andrea Rondeau explained.

“While I think the public is entitled to information in this case, as the search for Ben Kilmer was highly public, it is enough to know that Ben Kilmer took his own life.

“While talking about suicide can be an important discussion for the community to have, knowing how someone killed themselves doesn’t really add to that discussion,” Rondeau said.

Scott Fee, news director at CHEK News in Victoria agreed the graphic details are no one’s business.

“We’re not going to dive into that, we’re not reporting that,” Fee confirmed on Monday.

CHEK posted a report early Monday afternoon and added a section relating to mental health issues and where resources to deal with mental illness can be accessed.

CBC’s reporting also refrained from reporting specific details.

After news of the imminent release of the report and Tonya Kilmer’s plea to the Chief Coroner was made public on Friday, the Citizen website and Facebook page was active with more than 130 people expressing their sup-

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FAITH DIRECTORY ANGLICAN PENTECOSTAL ROMAN CATHOLIC St. Christopher Lake Cowichan St. Louis and St. Aidan Christian Fellowship de Montfort

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Sunday Services at 10:30 a.m.

Rev. Eric Stephanson

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port for Kilmer.

Province-wide, hundreds of Black Press Media readers joined in the demand that the Chief Coroner only make a redacted report available.

If you feel like you are in crisis or are considering suicide, please call the Crisis Centre BC suicide hotline at 1-800-784-2433.

Other resources include: Canada Suicide Prevention Service toll-free at 1-833-456-4566.

You can also text 45645 or visit the online chat service at crisisservicescanada.ca.

Some warning signs include suicidal thoughts, anger, recklessness, mood changes, anxiety, lack of purpose, helplessness and substance abuse.

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OPINION

A4 Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Lake Cowichan Gazette

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OUR VIEW

Time for action on national pharmacare I

t’s time for action. Actually it’s past time.

For years politicians have batted around the idea of a national pharmacare plan to replace the patchwork of uneven coverage Canadians have now. Coverage is different in every province, with drugs covered or not covered depending on where you live.

This can be a big problem for people with a variety of conditions should they want to, or need to, move from one province to another. And with every jurisdiction negotiating prices individually, we all pay a lot more, too, though in their last budget the

federal Liberals pledged to create an agency to buy drugs in bulk to help cut medication costs.

A new report called “A Prescription for Canada: Achieving Pharmacare for All” recommends the move to a universal, single-payer, public system.

The expert panel behind the report estimates a universal system will save approximately $5 billion, or about $350 per person per year.

The report also calls for a basic plan for essential medications by 2022, and a comprehensive list by 2027.

And here’s where it gets sticky.

Three years until we see even a basic

plan? And eight years until a full plan? Sounds like we’re just putting off doing anything so we can find some way to talk ourselves out of it, yet again. And that’s only if the government accepts the findings of the panel, and moves to implement them. Whenever we hear about governments kicking anything this far down the road, we get skeptical that it will ever come to pass. All too often governments are short-sighted (as in, they can’t see past the next election), and their ability to stick with a longterm project, even if the same political party remains in power, is dicey. It’s

one of the biggest things wrong with how our governments tend to work: short-term results win over big picture.

So while it’s good to have this new report (even if it does tell us what we already knew), we’ll believe it when we see action.

And while a national pharmacare plan would be a big step in the right direction, there are other dire health needs that continue to go unaddressed in this country. One is dental care.

The health of your teeth and mouth are key to your overall health, with repercussions on everything from your heart to your gut, and yet, unless you

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are on certain kinds of social assistance, everyone must pay out of their pocket. The result, of course, is that a lot of people can’t afford to pay, and must simply suffer. Tooth extractions and dentures should not be seen as optional. Then there’s vision care. This effects everything from your ability to drive to the ability to read. Once again. Not an extra. » We want to hear from you.

Send comments on this editorial to editor@lakecowichangazette.com.

Letters must include daytime phone number and hometown.

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The Lake Cowichan Gazette is a division of Black Press Limited, located at 251 Jubilee St. Duncan, B.C. Phone: 250-748-2666 Fax: 250-748-1552

Letters to the editor are welcome, but writers are requested to keep their submissions to 350 words or less. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for clarity, grammar, length — attack the issue, not the individual.

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YOUR LETTERS Dismay about stopping services to animals

Complaint resolution The Lake Cowichan Gazette is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, contact: editor@lakecowichangazette.com or 250-748-2666. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the mediacouncil. ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information.

Regarding: Emergency veterinary services It was with dismay that I read that emergency services for all the animals in the Cowichan Valley will soon cease. These are the same caring people we have turned to in crisis and to think that animals must now be taken to another town, some distance away, while suffering, and that some may not even make it, is simply beyond comprehension.

The people of the Valley have supported the offices of their vet-

erinarians for many years and have received in return compassionate, professional and in some cases, heroic care but now this unfortunate situation is occurring. Could a collective solution by these same offices not be found?

Perhaps rotation of one weekend each per month as the “acting emergency centre” with shared staff or something else that would meet the needs of the injured and suffering while simultaneously meeting the realities of the businesses?

I hope that the concern over this sad decision has been made known and that in response, a collective

solution can and will be found. Pets, livestock and wildlife are depending on us all — they who cannot speak for themselves are counting on us to find a way — please find a way.

Katherine Barwick Cobble Hill

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Street Beat

Wednesday, June 26, 2019 A5

With Malcolm Chalmers

The Gazette asked: Do you look forward to tourist season?

Bev Litster “Yes because this is my first tourist season here. I think it’s great that we get to share our beautiful surroundings that other people may not have.”

Dean Josephson “Yes I am, I think it is so enchanting the way the river fills up with people on tubes and stuff, it’s magical.”

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send your items to: editor@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

Time is now to demand more beds for new hospital This letter is in support of Bryan Senft’s letter, titled “Questions abound about new hospital, water, old hospital and forests”, in regards to the question about Cowichan’s new hospital’s proposed number of beds.

I live in the Comox Valley and our almost-two-year-old hospital is currently the most overcrowded hospital in all of Vancouver Island.

From the period of April 1, 2018 to March 7, 2019, the Cowichan District Hospital is the fourth most-overcrowded hospital on Vancouver Island at an average capacity rate of 108 per cent, according to information I received through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

I don’t need an FOI request to access StatsCan to figure out the bed per 1,000 population ratio for Cowichan and Comox, the ratio being a benchmark for hospital performance.

The Cowichan district has 84,000 people, and at 150 beds, you will start out the gate at 1.76 beds/1,000. This is lower than Comox, and the rest of Canada; this is not good. For comparison, Columbia has 1.7 beds/1,000, Mexico has 1.5, Canada has 2.5, U.S. has 2.8, Australia has 3.8, and Japan tops the charts at 13.1.

Comox has 2.2/1,000, but averaging 33 per cent Alternate Level of Care (ALC), the hospital is essentially functioning at 1.36 available acute care beds/1,000 at this very moment. There are patients on stretchers in the hallways during peak occupancy days; this is referred to as “hallway medicine”.

It’s the lowest standard of care you can get, and it is rampant in all hospitals in Canada. According to an editorial appearing in the Medical Journal of Australia,

by Peter A Cameron, professor at Monash University, “An overcrowded hospital should now be regarded as an unsafe hospital”.

I wholeheartedly agree with that statement.

If you consider Cowichan’s growth rate was 4.5 per cent from 2011-2016, I calculated, regardless of the proportion of ALC patients, (which I would need an FOI request to find out), your hospital is projected to be at one bed/1,000 in roughly 13 years. Interestingly, Comox will also be at one bed/1,000 in 14 years regardless of the number of ALC patients. Our hospitals will have something in common with India, Philippines, Bolivia, and Honduras. After the stats come in from the 2020 census, this number may change.

I hope these stats help in your efforts for more acute care beds.

Now’s the time to dialogue not only with Island Health, but also with the Cowichan Valley Regional Hospital District, your MLA, Sonia Furstenau, BC Green Party, and the Honourable Health Minister Adrian Dix, about your concerns, that is for sure!

Hopefully, Cowichan won’t suffer the same fate as the North Island hospitals, where the citizens are stuck with new hospitals, although beautiful, have far too few available acute care beds for the population they are supposed to serve.

Liza Schmalcel Union Bay

Val Pawlik “Yes, it doesn’t bother me because we live on the lake in Mesachie Lake.”

Vicki Miller

Victoria Hann

“Sure, I have lived here all my life and find it can be stressful and chaotic but it brings business into the community which is good for everyone here.”

“No, I like it quiet and green.”

OPINION

Local waterfront properties may pay a price for location

O

ne of the most appealing attractions for me when I first moved to Vancouver Island was the close proximity many homeowners have to water; whether it be ocean, lake or rivers.

With B.C. known for its incredible natural beauty, having a home close to water was a goal of many.

I fell so in love with the lifestyle that I lived in a small seaside apartment that was just a few feet from the ocean for almost seven years before I finally bought a house and had to settle for a more urban existence.

But it now appears that anyone who lives near rivers and other water bodies in the province, including the Cowichan Valley, could soon pay a steep price for their choice of location.

It may seem irrelevant right now as we watch the local rivers and lakes dry up again as we enter another drought season. But increased flooding in these days of climate change is expected across the country, including here, in the future.

It’s gotten so serious that the federal government is planning to release new flood maps for all areas of the country next year that will indicate which regions are now more

at risk of flooding in this new era of global warming.

The new flood maps will be closely studied by the nation’s insurance companies when they are released, and some are already speculating that as many as five per cent of those newly at-risk properties will be simply uninsurable.

A lot of reports I’ve read recently from various agencies dealing with future development in the Valley consistently state that we’ll likely get drier summers than usual in the future, and winters that will see more periodic episodes of heavy rain.

One has to look just 10 years ago in 2009 to know what can happen here when heavy winter rain hits.

In late November of that year, a series of frontal systems hit coastal B.C., and flood warnings were issued across Vancouver Island as several rivers experienced very high flows.

Following more than a week of steady rain, the Cowichan and Koksilah rivers and several creeks overflowed their banks, flooding more than 50 homes in the area,

with dozens experiencing water right up to their doorknobs.

Residents were evacuated, roads and schools were flooded and closed, and property damage was extensive.

Charles Brindamour, CEO of Intact Insurance, one of Canada’s biggest insurance companies, calls climate change an “existential” threat.

He warns that if you’re living in a zone that gets flooded repeatedly, or where the odds of being flooded has increased meaningfully, it’ll soon be hard to find insurance from private capital.

A report, produced by a national working group co-chaired by the Insurance Bureau of Canada and Public Safety Canada, released earlier this week estimates about one-fifth of homes in Canada are currently at risk of flooding, while insurance payouts have surged to about $1 billion per year in the country over the past six years alone.

The report concluded by expressing the importance of creating more public awareness and encouraging homeowners to take steps to limit their risk, or to take even more drastic steps, like moving.

I’d suggest all local property owners take a close look at those new flood maps when they are released next year.

Robert Barron is a reporter with the Cowichan Valley Citizen. He can be reached at Robert.Barron@ cowichanvalleycitizen.com

A6 Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Lake Cowichan Gazette

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COLUMN

Time for humanure?

Mary Lowther

Dig In Japanese knotweed plants are pretty, like broom, but are just as relentlessly invasive. (SUBMITED)

Knotweed arrived as a decorative garden plant Continued from A1 they have.

“But they’d be happy to cooperate around that. I know Don Hoare is head of the invasive species committee and he’d be interested.”

Horticultural literature is not kind to this plant, describing it as “ferocious” and “an indestructible scourge”.

According to the Invasive Species Council of BC, there’s quite a bit of knotweed about because it’s been used as a decorative plant in gardens.

Here’s the scoop from their website on these invasives: “Knotweeds (Polygonum spp.) are invasive perennials, with four species found in British Columbia: Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica); Bohemian knotweed (Fallopia x bohemica); Giant knotweed (Fallopia sachalenensis); and Himalayan knotweed (Polygonum polystachyum).

“Knotweeds thrive in roadside ditches, low-lying areas, irrigation canals, and other water drainage systems. They are also found in riparian areas, along stream banks, and in other areas with high soil moisture. Knotweeds occur in the southwest coastal region,

as well as elsewhere in the province.

“Knotweeds have small white-green flowers that grow in showy, plume-like, branched clusters along the stem and leaf joints. Hollow stems stand upright and are bamboo-like with reddish-brown speckles and thin, papery sheaths. Leaves are heart or triangular-shaped and stems grow one to five metres in height at maturity, with leaves eight to 10 centimetres wide and 15 centimetres in length. Giant knotweed leaves are generally twice the size of the other three species.

“A distinguishing feature of Japanese knotweed is the zigzag pattern in which leaves are arranged along the plant’s arching stems.

“Knotweeds spread rapidly through root systems that may extend from a parent plant up to 20 metres laterally and up to a depth of three metres. They thrive on freshly disturbed soil in moist locations. Knotweeds are dispersed by human activities or by water to downstream areas, and are of particular concern in riparian areas and areas prone to seasonal high water or flooding. Plants emerge in early spring and produce large leaves that can shade out other plant species. Infestations can dominate stream banks and reduce sight lines along roads, fences, and rights-of-way.”

LIFE FACE OF CANCER IN THE

G

ardening is not for the squeamish.

Never mind the sow bugs, wireworms and slugs, the entire process involves developing an obsession with dirt. Regular readers of this column will understand that nutrient rich soil is critical to raising a good crop, and how important horses, cows and chickens can be to the production of good compost. There are a growing number of agriculturalists who believe that we should not be relying simply on animals to do all the work for us. If we want something done right we should do it ourselves.

In The Humanure Handbook, author Joe Jenkins poses an awkward question: “Why do we defecate into clean drinking water?” Jenkins points out that ever since Thomas Crapper invented the flush toilet, we have considered human manure a waste to get rid of instead of the resource it once was. If we look beyond the “yuck” factor to acknowledge the presence of minerals and enzymes we excrete, we realize that we are flushing away these assets. That is why Mr. Jenkins designed a composting toilet that he’s been using to fertilize his family’s vegetable garden for decades.

We know our soils lose valuable minerals when we grow crops, and once we have extracted the nutrition by simple digestion there is an inescapable logic to the argument that it makes good economic and environmental sense to recycle the remaining minerals rather than simply flushing them away with our precious drinking water. Jenkins argues that we need to overcome our squeamishness and make use of a currently wasted resource.

Some societies already understand the value of humanure in the food cycle. Sir Albert Howard, who developed the present day method of composting, reported that in Pakistan the Hunza people have been doing it for centuries.

“The very greatest care is taken to return to the soil all human, animal and vegetable (refuse) after first being composted together.” He reports that the Hunzakuts enjoy better health than their more wasteful neighbours.

The secret to creating a useful product from

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Downtown Duncan • 250 748-7709

An example of Jenkins’ composting toilet. (MARY LOWTHER PHOTO)

our humanure, Jenkins concludes, is to compost it first, beginning with the toilet and continuing the process in the compost heap outside. When the mixture is added to carbon rich vegetation and made into a pile, aerobic organisms break it down to produce pathogen free compost.

Jenkins provides his own garden as proof. He has tested his compost heap and found that it exceeded both the temperature and length of time required to kill off all pathogens. Indeed, in the 30-plus years he’s been composting his family and various visitors’ manure, no one has ever contracted any disease or worms from their produce.

Plans abound for making composting toilets, but I like Jenkins’s model for its simplicity, elegance and adaptability. He uses two plastic buckets, one for immediate use and the other on standby. He pours in about four inches of any dry shredded material that will absorb well, like coir, sawdust, peat or shredded leaves.

Jenkins built a frame to house both buckets and a receptacle for additional coir. A regular toilet seat sits on the frame above one of the buckets, and after each use Jenkins scoops out some coir from the receptacle and pours it on his creation. When it’s full, Jenkins carries the bucket out to a compost heap, pours it onto the middle and covers that with straw that he keeps under cover outside. He also puts all vegetable scraps onto the same heap.

Given our continued decrease in fresh water supplies, perhaps we should start looking at ways to treat our effluent other than defecating into it. Already southern Californians are drinking water that has been used and reprocessed 150 times before it leaves the Colorado River and heads for Los Angeles.

Perhaps our expensive new sewer systems wouldn’t be necessary if we were using composting toilets instead of just pulling the handle. Now I shall close with one of those historical anecdotes David is so fond of.

In ancient Rome the public urinals used to recycle their fluids by providing them free of charge to the tanneries, until the Emperor Marcus Aurelius decided to charge a fee for the service. When his son Commodus complained about the source of this new income his father held up a coin and asked if it smelled any different.

Waste not, want not.

Please contact mary_lowther@yahoo.ca with questions and suggestions since I need all the help I can get.

Lake Cowichan Gazette

www.lakecowichangazette.com

Wednesday, June 26, 2019 A7

Celebrate Canada Day Celebration Guide

Events around Cowichan Lake

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Town of Lake Cowichan Canada Day Celebration

11am Monday Monday, July 1st, 2019

Ts’uubaa-asatx Town Square - Beside the Library Alistair.MacGregor@parl.gc.ca

• • • • •

11am - OPENING REMARKS BY MAYOR AND COUNCIL ARtIStS VENUES IN SqUARES UNtIL 3:00P.M. 1PM CUttING Of CAKE MUSIC AND GAMES fOR KIDS HOtDOG AND BEVERAGE SALES

EVERYONE WELCOME!

Royal Canadian Legion Lake Cowichan Branch #210

250-749-6041

www.southshorecabinetry.com

Happy Canada Day!

Where you will have the enjoyment of music, dancing, arts, crafts, kids games, concession, and birthday cake.

Youbou - 11am - 3pm at the church Lake Cowichan - 11am - 2pm Ts’uubaa-asatx Town Square Honeymoon Bay - 11 a.m. at the community hall Mesachie Lake - 6pm - 8pm - at the Mesachie Lake Skydome Park Wishing everyone a Happy Canada Day CowiChan Lake DistriCt Chamber of CommerCe

Auto Service Lake Cowichan 728 Neva • 250-749-6614

Happy Birthday Canada!

250-749-3244

125C south shore rd.

Have a Safe and Happy Canada Day Dr.Ken Welch (Dentist) & Staff 74 Renfrew St. 250-749-6111

Happy Canada Day! 170A Cowichan Lake Rd. (Next to Irly Bird) 250-749-4454

www.islandmotorsportcircuit.com

LAKE DENTAL T HEALTH L CENTRE

46 South Shore Road Lake Cowichan, BC Mon to Thurs – 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM (250) 749-3233 Email: ldhc@shaw.ca

s ’ d o R

AUTO GLASS and UPHOLSTERY

2986 Boys Rd. DUNCAN (250)

748-4466

Contact us today to book your stay!

Fishing Excursions Luxury Riverside B&B

Wilderness Retreats Outdoor Adventures

7461 Hudgrove Road, Lake Cowichan, BC t: 778-902-8147 | info@thecowichanriverlodge.com www.thecowichanriverlodge.com

Happy Canada Day! Gas Diesel Boat Gas Confections Ice

TIPTONS GAS BAR 250-749-6133

14 North Shore Rd. Lake Cowichan

Happy Canada Day Lake CowiChan home Centre 130 neva road, Lake Cowichan 250-749-6618

A8 Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Lake Cowichan Gazette

www.lakecowichangazette.com

D iv i n e Denture

Centre

Charity Warwaruk, DD

EDUCATION

Lake Cowichan School class of 2019 graduates in fine style on June 22

Lower Suction & Implant Dentures

Valleyview Centre - Cobble Hill

Phone: 250-743-3311 w w w . d i v i n e d e n t u re s . c a

Photos by Malcolm Chalmers

Maddy Williams, Brody Mahaney and Olivia Skinner during the candle walk.

The 2019 Lake Cowichan Secondary graduating class.

Ella McCoy escorted by Cole Chalmers to her LCS grad 2019 Saturday, June 22.

Amber Eddy is escorted on the red carpet leaving the 2019 Lake Cowichan Secondary grad ceremony, Saturday, June 22.

Thank yous and presentations from the grad committee are given by Maddy Williams, Amber Eddy and Allan Alves.

Divinity Genovese Arbic gets a big hug before going in to her Lake Cowichan Secondary graduation ceremony on Saturday, June 22.

Meaghan McKechnie arrives on the back of her Kawasaki Ninja motorbike, in her grad dress and heels.

Jenn Pollner with her niece and nephew, Maddy Williams and Brody Mahaney, just before the grad ceremony starts.

The Address to the Staff is given by Olivia Skinner, Meaghan Mckechnie and Kendall Bergstrom at the 2019 Lake Cowichan Secondary grad.

Tejay Shabaiash arrives to grad with Aislinn Ferris and her mom’s 1966 ford Mustang.

Lake Cowichan Gazette

www.lakecowichangazette.com

Wednesday, June 26, 2019 A9

LAKE FLASHBACK

From left, Mesachie Lake fire chief Nick Sohye, his son Adam, daughter Paula, and wife Sherry come together to toss the first pitch of the 30th annual Mesachie Lake Muscular Dystrophy Ball Tournament and Auction in June 2009.

(LAKE COWICHAN GAZETTE FILE PHOTO)

Outstanding service to the community Lexi Bainas

Reporting Welcome to Lake Flashback. Reporter Lexi Bainas has been combing through old newspapers with the assistance of the Kaatza Station Museum and Archives so we can jog your memory, give you that nostalgic feeling, or just a chuckle, as we take a look at what was making headlines this week around Cowichan Lake in years gone by.

T

his week around the Cowichan Lake area…

10 years ago:

Sohye, whose son Adam has muscular dystrophy.

In its 30th year, the Mesachie Lake MD Ball Tournament and Auction got a big boost from one person in particular.

Eight-year-old Kalliana King, who had her pink-coloured hair shaved off for the fundraiser, helped to bring in $13,000 for the cause.

King, from Cowichan Bay, said she had no idea she would shatter her original goal of $500.

A trademark feature of the fundraiser is the auction, which was held on June 20. This year, one of the top items up for bid was a handcrafted birdhouse that sold for $5,800.

Nick Sohye said the other fire departments chipped in so Mesachie Lake could buy the piece.

This year’s total is up from the $48,000 raised in 2008.

Also as part of the events, firefighters from several participating departments set out on a 30-kilometre walk that started in Mill Bay and finished at Mesachie Lake. Along the way they passed around a boot to collect even more donations.

Fundraising efforts reached new heights this year among local fire departments, according to The Lake Cowichan Gazette of June 24, 2009.

More than $60,000 was raised for Muscular Dystrophy Canada through the annual ball tournament and auction held on the weekend of 25 years ago: June 20-21.

Mesachie Lake fire Chief Nick We’ve got two smaller items this Sohye expressed deep gratitude for week from the June 29, 1994 edition of The Lake News. the show of support from donors.

“Again it’s just unbelievable. It’s just “They’ve time for Tina” says “The really hard to put it into words,” said Cowichan Valley Volunteer Fire-

fighters have presented a fine burled clock to Tina Newton of the Village Answering Service, for her years of service to them.”

Newton was available at all times to take fire calls, relay messages, and help firemen find a fire for 13 years until her service was superseded June 12 by the costly 9-1-1 service. The presentation was made at the Firefighters Annual Dinner at Mesachie Lake.

“It was an evening I will always remember,” said Newton.

She had a few words for the firemen: “I will miss the extra paging out for special meetings, some legit, some not quite (stag parties). Keep up your fantastic response times. You are second to none. You must go to bed with your boots on.”

She conceded that “every time I hear a page or a siren, a prayer will still go up for your safe return to the barn.” *** The other note followed on a kerfuffle that had happened elsewhere in the province.

“Branch 210 Royal Canadian Legion in Lake Cowichan has recently confirmed that Sikhs are welcome wearing turbans, reports Ray Bennett.”

Bennett, a long-time Legion member, said Branch 210 has always welcomed Sikhs wearing turbans. The branch merely reconfirmed its stand.

Bennet said he served in the Second World War alongside Sikhs in North Africa and “they were great”.

He was with the British First Army under Gen. Aukinlech, who preceded Gen. (later Field Marshall) Bernard L. Montgomery and his 8th Army.

A row arose over Sikhs wearing turbans at Legion halls after the Legion at Langley decided not to allow them.

40 years ago: Financial woes hit the activity centre in Lake Cowichan, according to The Lake News of June 27, 1979.

“Douglas Denton-Howes, the activity centre administrator who went into his new job in March with high hopes, has resigned, disillusioned with the Human Resources Ministry and disheartened by massive cuts in funding.”

His resignation takes effect July 30, a month after emergency funds for the Community Resources and Activity Centre were to be used up at the end of June. As of Tuesday, only three out of eight staff were working: Denton-Howes, a youth worker, and a bookkeeper.

Denton-Howes did not express bitterness when he said, in an interview, that he had quit, but he acknowledged that one of the main reasons for his action was because of the evident inability of the activity centre to proceed in the direction he had

expected when he took over the job vacated by Dalton Smith this spring.

Denton-Howes also indicated that as far as he could see no funds would be available for the usual September start-up for the activity centre following the usual two-month closing during summer.

“It won’t be opening,” he said. “It is defunct until we find some more funding. The prospects of opening as we were are very dim.”

He said the activity centre board is preparing a budgetary proposal to a provincial government interministerial committee which he said might make more funds available. At least $32,000 would be needed to keep the programs going for 10 months, he added.

However, Denton-Howes expressed skepticism of the proposal being received well by the government committee. “The only way it could happen is if there is a great change of heart and philosophy at the ministerial levels.” *** In other news from the June 27, 1979 Lake News, we see that a forest fire was being fought.

“Three water bombers were battling an 18-acre blaze on the west coast Tuesday…the fire, contained in logging slash, started Tuesday morning on MacMillan Bloedel leases three miles west of Renfrew Camp. The air tankers were called in at noon.”

A10 Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Lake Cowichan Gazette

A10 www.lakecowichangazette.com

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Community Announcements

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Happy Retirement We are proud to announce the retirement of our mom, Janice Tuba, after a long career as an Education Assistant for Cowichan Valley School District. Through her unwavering commitment to her profession, our mom taught us the importance of hard work and leading by example.

Congratulation on this accomplishment, Mom. Love Alaina & Caitlin

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Merchandise for Sale Employment

Misc. Wanted Artist requires Moose Antlers For carving, good prices paid. 250-743-3014

Insulators wanted By serious collector of glass telephone insulators. Looking to buy a large collection of unique glass insulators.

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Black Press Media is the leading North American local news champion with operations across British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon, Washington State, California, Alaska and Hawaii.

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The Victoria News is looking for a permanent full time Circulation Coordinator for its Circulation Department. The right candidate must have excellent communication and organizational skills. Your attention to detail, problem solving skills and ability to work with minimum supervision set you apart from other applicants.

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Happy Thoughts

SOCIAL MEDIA SQUAD (NORTH ISLAND)

MULTI-MEDIA JOURNALIST (PORT HARDY, GOLDSTREM)

The right candidate will have outstanding and diverse writing abilities, specifically suited for both online and print with the ability to work well under deadline pressure. This position will be a key contributor to our websites and social media engagement. Advanced video and photography skills will be key attributes, along with an extensive knowledge of social media best practices and a strong understanding of how to tailor online content accordingly. You will have a diploma/degree in journalism, including training in broadcast media and be comfortable working in a variety of environments.

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Black Press Media has an exciting opportunity for a Community Multi-Media Sales Consultant that will be focused on providing digital and print solutions for our local clients. This individual will be a high energy, enthusiastic go-getter to take our leading print and digital advertising solutions to market. You will put your multitasking skills to good use as you balance dayto-day advertising requirements for existing customers with growing business through discipline and dedication to acquiring new customers.

APPLY today WITH YOUR RESUME AND COVER LETTER TO CAREERS@BLACKPRESS.CA , BE SURE TO REFERENCE THE JOB AND LOCATION YOU’RE APPLYING FOR. PLEASE NOTE ONLY SHORTLISTED APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED. For more information on these vacancies and other regions throughout BC visit: www.blackpress.ca/careers

Lake Cowichan Gazette

www.lakecowichangazette.com

COWICHAN LAKE

— With Malcolm Chalmers

SMILE FILE

Name: Terry Miller Occupation: Retired psychiatric nurse Hometown: Lake Cowichan I’ve always wanted to: Nothing, I am a pretty content individual Most people don’t know that: I lived in a single parent family after my father was killed Favourite food: I can’t pick a favourite Best thing about living here: it’s quiet and has a slow pace Favourite activity: Read and smoke dope I define down time as: I’m retired; every day is Saturday I wish I was better at: Playing guitar with arthritic hands I’m currently reading: The Dragonriders of Pern series of books by Anne and Todd McCaffrey My guiltiest pleasure is: I am diabetic so everything is a guilty pleasure.

My go-to wardrobe staple: Shorts and a T-shirt In my car I listen to: KISM radio playing classic rock

Wednesday, June 26, 2019 A11

TRANSPORTATION

Free bus passes being given to Class of 2019

BY SARAH SIMPSON

Completing high school is hard enough. Then you’re thrown head first into real life into the adult world. BC Transit is hoping to help make that leap a little easier by offering the Class of 2019 two days of free travel by bus during the month of June thanks to its GradPASS program.

“Grad season can be a busy and exciting time for high school graduates — and GradPASS provides them with access to a free and safe transportation option,” said Claire Trevena, minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “Thank you to BC Transit for another year of GradPASS, and to the more than 70 local governments in B.C. and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission for their support of this increasingly popular program.”

It’s not a new initiative; it was first introduced in Vancouver way back

in 1988 as part of the Counterattack program.

Victoria Regional Transit followed suit two years later and over the years more and more communities have gotten on board.

Now, 70 communities take part.

“BC Transit is pleased to congratulate the graduating class of 2019 for reaching an important milestone in their lives,” said Erinn Pinkerton, BC Transit president and CEO. “Graduating high school is a great accomplishment for all students. BC Transit would like to remind graduates of the importance of choosing transit as a safe and reliable transportation option when celebrating their achievement.”

GradPASS is easy to use: students simply scratch off their two chosen travel days (they don’t have to be consecutive days) and show the card to their bus driver. GradPASS is not transferable and can only be used on participating local systems.

Visit https://bctransit.com/cowichan-valley/home for more information on BC Transit routes and schedules.

GradPASS cards were distributed to local schools in late May.

Cowichan Lake

Service Directory INDEPENDENT CRAFTSMAN GRAVEL | SAND | CRUSH ROCK | DRAINROCK | TRUCKING

For all your gravel supplies

We are just a short 20 minutes away from Lake Cowichan.

3881 Finwood Place, Duncan 250-715-3003 Looking for a

registered massage

therapist?

I believe that everyone should experience the health benefits that massage therapy can give, my passion for massage shows up in every treatment and I strive to give my patients 100% of my mental and physical focus.

Body fix massage therapy 250-709-7130 darienrmt@gmail.com darien robertson

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250-749-4454

TIPTONS GAS BAR • Gas • Diesel • Boat Gas • Confections • Boat • Ice 250-749-6133

OPEN: Mon.-Sat: 5am to 10pm Sun: 7am - 8pm 14 North Shore Rd. Lake Cowichan

LAKE DENTAL HEALTH CENTRE gentLe, caring team • General & Cosmetic Dentistry • Digital X-rays • Laser Gum Surgery • Wisdom Teeth Extraction New patients always welcome!

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Call Lauri for Details

250-748-2666 Lauri.meanley@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

A12 Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Lake Cowichan Gazette

www.lakecowichangazette.com

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