FRIDAY NOV 17, 2017 VOL. 43, NO. 43
$1
including GST
Watch for more online at: WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM
Remembrance Day
Photos from the ceremony and the Legion lunch
An age-friendly Bowen
Soccer inspiration
What students here about daily challenges from Seniors Keeping Young
Bowen girls hit the international pitch
Windy season makes work in Mannion Bay
MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
Are calico cats always female? How would Bowen fare in an earthquake? What are better, fruits are vegetables? These are just a few of the fascinating questions students tried to answer for this year’s Science Fair. Others, like Alex Smith, just wanted to build something really cool. Alex started working on his project right after last year’s Science Fair wrapped up, and after four attempts, he managed to build a robot that can solve a Rubix Cube. The robot is made out of Lego Mindstorms and has programmable brick (Pbrick) that tells the robot what to do. Alex did not write the brick’s program, but he did have to adjust it. After four iterations, Alex’s robot solved a Rubix Cube in 3 minutes and 24 seconds. In the above photo, Alex shows his creation to Science Fair Judge Tom Surtees. Meribeth Deen, photo
Bishops Hill residents angered by inadequate road maintenance MERIBETH DEEN
EDITOR
A new gate is coming to the top of Cowan Road with the intent to stop traffic from coming down the road as a short-cut from the golf course. The road, and its potentially increased maintenance will be added to the Five Year Capital Road Plan to be brought to council in 2018. A number of the people who live on the road came to council this week to express their outrage at the conditions they see on the road every day, and
during the winter months in particular. Members of this group say they left council disappointed with the action taken in response to their complaints. “If they paved that entire road properly, we would be fine with them opening the gate entirely - I think most of my neighbours would agree with that,” says Steve Livaja, who has lived at the top of the road for 18 years. “It feels like the municipality is ignoring this issue, and I don’t understand why. There is a level of frustration with this I have not seen before. Last winter was a real wake-up call and it has really brought the neighbours together.” continued P3
High tides, downpours, and Squamish outflows have arrived in Mannion Bay, putting the Municipality and Cormorant Marine to work dealing with un-moored boats and those that appear at risk of becoming un-moored. In the past week and a half, the municipality has dealt with five of these situations, but Bonny Brokenshire, Manager of Parks and Environment, says it is getting easier to deal with the situation. Brokenshire points to one situation this week which could have been environmentally damaging, but in the end was resolved by the boat owner coming forward and taking responsibility. “This power boat had been tied up at the Government dock, and then was seen tied to a mooring buoy in the bay,” says Brokenshire. “On Tuesday morning it came loose and ended up beached. In that process, the hull was damaged so when the tide came up, it sank.” Brokenshire says the Coast Guard was called to deal with a potential fuel spill, but Cormorant Marine was “on it” and towed the boat into the USSC Marina right away. They pulled the boat out of the water before any fuel leaked. “The owner came forward to claim the boat,” says Brokenshire. “Which means, unfortunately for him, that not only has he lost his new $20,000 boat, he will also be paying at least $5,000 for the boat’s recovery.” She says the Mannion Bay revitalization strategy has helped connect the Municipality with most of the people who keep their boats in the Bay. “We know their names and can contact them,” says Brokenshire. “We are building relationships with boat owners and this makes a big difference. Most people really do want to do the right thing.” Brokenshire adds that the enforcement mechanisms that are part of the Mannion Bay plan will come into effect in January, which means that in theory, the municipality can be assured of the fact that the boats there are insured. So far this season, the Municipality has spent $11,000 on mitigating the environmental impacts of boats in the Bay. Bowen Island Municipality is recommending that vessel owners remove their boats from Mannion Bay for the remainder of the winter season. Brokenshire hopes that some money will become available through the federal Ocean Protection Plan to help cover future costs.