THURSDAY DEC 7 2017
VOL. 43, NO. XX
$1
including GST
Watch for more online at: WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM
Interview
Santa gives a rundown of his raucous weekend on Bowen
Recognition
The faces of Bowen
Islander ventures to Washington to receive volunteer award
Enjoying another Light Up the Cove
BICS Outside 45 program cancelled MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
If the long nights are bringing you down, head over to the Little Red Church to soak in the colour of Yvonne McSkimming’s 50,000 Christmas lights. McSkimming hired Noah Pryce-Jones and Home Farm Garden to get the lights up this year, and even more will be going up this week. While you are there, pop a donation into the birdhouse beside the steps going into the church. All donations go directly to the food bank. Meribeth Deen, photo
BC Ferries preparing for $250 refit to Horseshoe Bay terminal
MERIBETH DEEN EDITOR
Although they have yet to make the formal announcement, BC Ferries Manager of Public Affairs, Darin Guenette, has confirmed that the engagement process for a $250 million overhaul of the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal will launch in January. “For the past year an a half we’ve been analyzing each of our 47 terminals,” he says. “We want to know what’s working, and what’s not.” He says that service on all three Horseshoe Bay ferry routes is growing, yet the geography of the terminal itself is restrictive. “It is inefficient,” says Guenette. “Yet in the summer it can be even busier than Tsawwassen.” Guenette says that whatever changes are made need to OPEN HOUSE 1 - 3 • SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10TH., 2017
remain effective and viable for at least 25 years. “How people travel is likely to change and we need to take that into consideration,” he says. “Changes to public transportation could mean we are seeing more pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Technology, such as autonomous vehicles, is likely to have an impact, car sharing services, things like Uber and Lift, all of these things will make affect on our future needs and how we plan for them.” Guenette says that BC Ferries is also looking at new technologies to incorporate into their ferry fleet in the future, such as hybrid and electric ferries. “Basically, when it comes to engagement, whatever ideas our stakeholders have is fair game,” he says. Although Guenette has no projected dates for construction, he says the work is likely to be done within the next 3 to 5 years. OPEN HOUSE 1 - 3 • SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10TH., 2017
Parents and students reacted almost instantly last week following a letter sent out by Bowen Island Community School (BICS) principal Scott Slater stating that this year would be the last for the Outside 45 program offered to grades six and seven students. In his letter, Slater stated that the program has enriched the school over the past five years “but has also been challenging and a new direction is needed.” The program aimed to provide experiential learning, with students spending time in the classroom and on field trips, often with an outdoor and environmental focus. It was created in part by Slater as a part of his masters in ecological education, but other teachers, including former principal Jennifer Pardee and current vice principal Laura Magrath, participated in its creation. During it’s first year (2012/13) 24 students participated in the program, but the second year it expanded to two classes of 28 students to satisfy demand. “Our goal has always been to ensure that the program catered to a diverse group of students, and students who would benefit from a change in their programming,” says Slater. Kieran Maryk participated in the program during its first two years and says he was stunned to hear that the program would be cancelled. “I just couldn’t imagine why they would do that. Everyone who participated just totally loved it. There were so many things we did that we would have never been able to do in a regular classroom,” says Maryk. “For me, the hike up Garibaldi really stood out. That, and the way we bonded with our teachers and the closeness of the whole group were really amazing.” Maryk says his brother Jeremiah is in the program now, but he is disappointed for his youngest brother who won’t get that opportunity. While many parents of grade five students expressed a similar kind of disappointment, others expressed relief. One mother on Facebook mentioned that now that the program is cancelled, she wouldn’t have to tell her child the family did not have enough money to participate. Dionne Finch says that even though her oldest son participated in Outside 45 and had an amazing two years in the program, and even though her second son also wants to participate, she’s okay with the decision to end it.
continued P3
Peter and Carmen Dives 604-802-8559 / 604-802-8267 Peter: divespeter@gmail.com Carmen: carmendives@gmail.com www.bowenislandproperties.com
Beautiful Character home at an unbelievable price
340 Creek Road
This completely renovated home could be yours this Christmas
$1,095,000 1557 Whitesails
$1,250,000