FRIDAY JAN 20, 2017 VOL. 42, NO. 03
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Passive House on Bowen
Super efficient home keeps family toasty warm, with little effort
Women’s March
Resolutions
Local organizer Susanna Braund on her motivation to march
Community celebrates Cove Commons ground-breaking
Relationship experts reflect on high hopes for the new year
Bowen businesses in the running for Small Business BC awards MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
Top left: Jacqueline Massey, Executive Director of the Bowen Island Arts Council and Chief Librarian Tina Nielsen Top right: Murray Atherton, MLA Jordan Sturdy and Erin Cassels from the Bowen Island Lodge Bottom: Carol Cram, Cynthia Nicolson, Mayor Murray Skeels, MP Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, Mumtaz and Navroz Bendali MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
A large crowd of Bowen Islanders as well as MP Pamela Goldsmith-Jones and MLA Jordan Sturdy met at the library this Wednesday to celebrate the successful fundraising efforts of the Bowen Island Library and Arts Council. With
$950,000 in the bank to cover the cost of construction, the building of the addition to the library, known as the Cove Commons, will start as soon as possible. “Early February,” says Chief Librarian Tina Nielsen. “The $295,000 grant from the Federal Government needs to be spent right away.”
Nielsen adds that it has been amazing to be a part of this fundraising effort, that has raised so much money in such a short time. “This started as a joint project in 2015,” she says. “We are so thankful to the community for all their generosity and their efforts.”
Sea Hiker Swimming Inc. and Bowen Island Massage Therapy are both in the top 10 of their category of the 2016 Small Business BC Awards. Sea Hiker, owned and operated by Bowen Islander Peter Scott, helps adults of all levels feel at home in the water. The company was the first of its kind to offer open water courses off Jericho Beach in Vancouver, and they have expanded their open water offerings to Tunstall Bay. “As we are up for a Community Impact Award, we had to answer questions about how we measure ourselves in that regard,” says Scott. “This, and some of the other questions forced us to look at our business in a new way. We’re not running a shelter, we’re a sports organization, but I think that we help people grow an appreciation for being outside and in the water. With that there’s an increased awareness of what’s around us based on where we live.” Scott adds that one aspect of Sea Hiker’s work is to help people who are anxious in the water overcome their fears. “That aspect of the job is really gratifying,” he says. Mary McDonagh, with Bowen Island Massage Therapy, says that being in the running for a Premier’s Peoples Choice Award is incredibly meaningful to her. “When I started my clinic back in 89’, Alicia, who is now my colleague, was just a baby in my arms. There were maybe 1,200 people on Bowen, and there was no healthcare whatsoever,” says McDonagh. “I am still working full-time and loving what I do. I’ve worked on an intimate level with hundreds of people, and to hear people come together collectively to show their appreciation is incredibly rewarding.” McDonagh says the People’s Choice Award is recognition for going above and beyond in the community. “I think all of us at the clinic have an immense appreciation for the hardships, challenges and joys of every single person that walks through our doors,” says McDonagh. “I stand in awe of my community and the people I’ve had the honour of working with.” If either business goes through to the final stage of this competition, they will make a pitch to a panel of business experts about their business in February.
A chapter closes for Bowen’s Economic Development Committee MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
Gordon Ganong offers two simple words to describe Bowen Island’s economic landscape: small business. Four and a half years ago, Ganong offered his services to the newly formed Economic Development Committee (EDC) and was nominated as chair. Looking back, he says the economic landscape on the island has experienced a major shift in that time. “I think people’s attitudes, whether we are talking about entrepreneurs or members of council, have changed dramatically,” he says. “People are just more focused on the local economy now. And if you look at the main strip here in Snug Cove - with the library expansion, plans for the distillery, the Pub, the renovations at Village Square, and also the plans for a medical centre on Dorman Road, it all speaks to that shift.” Ganong says the previous council, led by the late mayor Jack Adelaar, wanted to do something for the economy but didn’t know what. So under that council, the EDC focused on education, and sorting out what could be done to help. “We learned that people don’t make the decision to invest in Bowen Island, they come here and fall in love with the place and then sort out a way to stay here,” says Ganong. “We worked on shifting the circumstances to make that easier for people.” He points to a number of concrete improvements including getting a sign on the highway approaching Horseshoe Bay
letting people know how to get to Bowen; getting a representative from the provincial ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training to attend all EDC meetings and act as a provincial representative; and branding. “We need to be working with the other levels of government if we want to sustain and grow the local economy,” says Ganong, in reference to the first two improvements noted above. “Our only tax-base is residential, we just don’t have the dollars on our own to be putting into the economy. If you’re looking at the Cove Commons project or work on cleaning up Mannion Bay, all of these things need inter-governmental co-operation in the same way.” The branding initiative, he says, highlights who we are and makes the environment the economic driver for the community. Ganong adds that the maintenance of this and other initiatives will be up to new EDC chair and members, who will set their agenda at this week’s meeting. In addition to Ganong, Murray Atherton, Edward Wachtman, Sheree Johnston and Heidi Kurt are all stepping down from the EDC. “The hard work of all of these members, and others, have helped me work effectively as chair,” says Ganong. “We have all been driven by the desire to see this island community flourish.” New to the EDC are Barry Pynn, Dan McBurney, Michelle Nelson and Rod Marsh.
Gordon Ganong.
Meribeth Deen, photo