Bowen Island Undercurrent January 2 2020

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

$1.50

Good tidings to all for 2020

inc.

GST

THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2020

VOL. 46, NO. 01

BIUndercurrent

GROWING GOOD FOOD: Book review and call to action PAGE 5

BowUndercurrent www.bowenislandundercurrent.com

Lalonde resigns

As this paper was going to press the Undercurrent got news that Bowen Island Municipality Chief Administrative Officer Kathy Lalonde has resigned effective Dec. 31. A BIM press release Thursday morning said that Lalonde resigned “after many years of dedicated service, and following changes in her personal circumstances.” The release says that interim CAO Dennis Back will continue until the position is filled.

Read more at bowenislandundercurrent.com.

Bowen Queen returns

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO / UNDERCURRENT PHOTO

SWING INTO 2020: Youth play on Bowen Bay Beach after the annual Polar Bear Swim Jan. 1. More than a hundred

people dove into the frigid waters for their first swim of the new year. See more photos on page 7.

OPEN HOUSE AT

If leaving the car at home numbers among islanders’ New Year’s resolutions, Monday is a good time to start.

While the Queen of Capilano gets some TLC, the Bowen Queen will service the Snug Cove-Horseshoe Bay ferry route between Jan. 6 and Feb. 20. The smaller and older Bowen Queen comes with reduced car capacity, no elevator to the lounges above and no open cafeteria.

The BC Ferries website says that the refit “includes engine overhauls, upgrades to electrical systems, safety and maintenance inspections and painting.”

As there is no overhead walkway access on the Bowen Queen, passengers will board and disembark on the vehicle deck. As stairs are the only way to access upper levels, those with different mobility needs may be restricted to the car deck. As an accessibility measure, BC Ferries is placing a porta-potty on that deck.

As the Bowen Queen can carry 61 cars to the Capilano’s 100, BC Ferries is promoting temporary measures to help prevent overloads. This includes a reduced surface parking lot rate in Horseshoe Bay for residents ($100 per month plus tax for January and February or $10 per day from Jan. 2 to Feb. 24), for which islanders can register through BC Ferries customer service.

There is also assured loading for vehicles with four or more passengers on the 4:35 p.m., 5:45 p.m. and 6:50 p.m. weekday Horseshoe Bay sailings (up to 10 vehicles and they must arrive 20 min. before departure). BC Ferries is also promoting Bowen Transportation Society’s express bus between Horseshoe Bay and downtown Vancouver and back. Some islanders are looking to carpooling as an overload mitigator. Municipal councillor Maureen Nicholson started the Bowen Island Ferry Refit Rideshare Facebook group for interested commuters.

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2 • THURSDAY JANUARY 2. 2020

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Event Calendar January 05, 2020 7:00 pm Environment and Climate Action Advisory Committee Meeting

January 08, 2020 9:30 am Housing Advisory Committee

DVP-15-2019 (1118 Miller Rd) A Development Variance Permit application has been submitted for 1118 Miller Road (shown on map) to permit a number of variances to allow for the development of a 22-unit supportive housing development by the Snug Cove House Society.

These variances would:

January 10, 2020 3:30 pm

•

Mayor’s Standing Committee on

•

Community Lands Meeting

In 2020, we will update the guidelines for new development in Snug Cove.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

• •

Meeting

Update to Snug Cove Design Guidelines

Seeking Public Comment

Who does this impact? The Snug Cove Design Guidelines document applies to the Development Permit Areas shown in pink in the map below. Any new development within these areas may potentially need to demonstrate compliance with the proposed Guidelines and obtain a development permit.

What will be in the Guidelines? The updated Guidelines will affirm the Arts & Crafts nature of the Snug Cove area, but topics to be covered are yet to be determined.

Increase the permitted lot coverage from 55% to 64%; How can I take part? A public session will be held this month to gather Reduce the required setbacks to extend roof overhangs and input. Find out details by contacting Jennifer Rae Pierce, Planner 1, at architectural features into the required setbacks; jpierce@bimbc.ca or 604-947-4255 Reduce the required setback for an underground parkade on the north side of the building; and Remove the requirement for the building height to be a maximum of 3 stories (maximum building height of 14 metres would remain unchanged).

January 13, 2020 6:15 pm Regular Council Meeting All meetings are held in Council Chambers unless otherwise noted.

Council and Committee meetings are open to the public. We encourage you to attend in person or watch online.

Smaller Ferry Survival The Queen of Capilano is undergoing regular maintenance between January 6 and February 20, 2020. During this time, BC Ferries will service Bowen Island with the smaller Bowen Queen.

If you regularly drive onto the ferry, you can expect increased delays and regular overloads. The commuter runs in the mornings and afternoons will be most affected.

MORE INFORMATION AT MUNICIPAL HALL:

The application may be viewed at Municipal Hall between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday (excluding statutory holidays) or on the municipal website at www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/planning.

Bowen Island Recycling Depot (BIRD) will once again provide a bin for free disposal of Christmas trees. Please ensure all decorations are removed prior to dropping your tree in the bin. No artificial trees or regular garden waste can be accepted.

When: January 2 – January 12, 2020 Where: Parking lot outside BIRD on Mt Gardner Rd

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME:

Written submissions may be delivered to Municipal Hall (contact information below): • In person • By mail • By fax • By email to bim@bimbc.ca

• •

Submissions may also be made to Mayor and Council at the meeting:

Park on Bowen: There is free commuter parking in the lot next to the General Store, and in the larger lots accessed from Miller Road and Seniors Lane. Metro Vancouver is also allowing temporary commuter parking at the Bowfest Field lot (entrance on Dorman Road) during the refit. Be sure to check the signs on site to make sure you are parking in the right area. You can also try the Park & Ride lot at the Satellite Fire Hall.

Park on the mainland: During the refit, BC Ferries is offering reduced-fee parking in Horseshoe Bay. It costs $10 for 24 hours in the surface lot, or $100 for a month in the parkade.See bcferries. com/projects for more info.

Find three friends and skip the line: During the refit, BC Ferries offers assured loading in Horseshoe Bay for vehicles with four or more people on some afternoon sailings. Check out bcferries. com/projects for more info.

Find more smaller ferry survival tips on our website:

6:15 PM on MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 2020 in Council Chambers, Municipal Hall

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/ferry-guide

To ensure a fair process, submissions cannot be accepted after the meeting has begun.

Questions? Please contact Daniel Martin, Manager of Planning and Development, at 604-947-4255 or dmartin@bimbc.ca

General Enquiries

Contact Us

Phone: Fax: Email:

Bowen Island Municipal Hall 981 Artisan Lane Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2

604-947-4255 604-947-0193 bim@bimbc.ca

•

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

Christmas tree disposal

There are a few extra options available during the refit:

Find us on Facebook Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday, excluding statutory holidays January 02, 2020

Bowen Island Municipality

Subscribe to our mailing list bowenislandmunicipality.ca/subscribe

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THURSDAY JANUARY 2, 2020 • 3

ISLAND NEWS Author Q & A: Marcus Hondro

DAVID MCCULLUM PHOTO

Jessica Slater with a couple of young ones at Bowen Children’s Centre’s Ordinary Moments Dec. 19 event.

THE COLUMNIST PUBLISHED HIS FIRST NOVEL, LEAVING STILL WATERS, IN OCTOBER 2019

Back in October, island actor, author and Undercurrent staple Marcus Hondro published his first novel, Leaving Still Waters, self-publishing on Amazon Kindle.

Though the book is set in a fictional town islanders will find a familiar vibe throughout the novel in style, names and a certain local newspaper.

And what’s Leaving Still Waters about?

It’s about a young woman who tries to rescue a young man’s family and is met with a good deal of reluctance, mostly because the young man is hesitant to act and because she is, well, rather bossy. Ultimately it’s about family.

You’re a long-time columnist, reporter, interim editor for the Undercurrent, and there’s a very important similarity with the novel there.

The column and novel do have a similarity, I should think, in that they’re both somewhat irreverent with a whole lot of characters and tend to be a little immature. Certainly in The Slow Lane Chronicles, there was a good deal of immaturity in that. They’re both about warmth and community.

Also, in the novel the family runs the local newspaper: The first time I encountered this was in a book by Dorthea Brande, the notion that you’re not making things up when you’re writing fiction, you’re letting things out.

Letting that happen lead me in various directions. I mean I didn’t put much thought into it when I was coming up with what the family did in this small town called Still Waters. It seemed natural that they ran the local newspaper.

And it’s a family business: It’s a family business. So yeah, that mirrors in a sense with Tracey [Marcus’s wife] and I having both worked at the Undercurrent and her continuing to do so. And for a while we worked on it together. Which went well and no, she wasn’t bossy like Casey is in the novel.

Or not very.

So you have some pretty wacky stories in the novel. How many of those are true stories you’ve written? Like there’s a giant pumpkin…: Yes, it’s a big pumpkin. There’s certain stories you’re going to write when working at a newspa-

Decades of moments per. But I also got elements of the novel from having been a performer at Vancouver Theatresports for years in that recapitulation, that kind of thing, is really important in improv and I used it in the novel a lot. That learning about recapitulation lead me to having themes and helped provide arcs for some of the characters. For example, Riley has a running theme of being annoyed by clichés. The pumpkin grew from that and so did later references to it and all of that helped me find that particular character.

And Bowen Islanders will recognize some details: I may have taken names and stories, even an event or two that took place on Bowen. I know when I read Edye Hanen’s Nine Birds Singing there was a lot of Bowen, some of her novel specifically takes place here, also in Nick Faragher’s novel, there were Bowen references. So if I needed a street name, throw in Windjammer, why not? I mean it’s a pretty cool name.

And there’s a lot of mystery involved: There’s an element of mystery and I hope an element of romance and humour. And it’s really a, I don’t know if you’d use the word, potpourri. There’s a lot of different moving parts so I think it’s hard for me to categorize it. I keep coming back to it being, in the end, about family. I love family and I think that’s part of why I love Bowen, it’s like having an extra family. Getting on the ferry can be like gathering with cousins and their amusing kids. And that mood, whatever, is a part of Leaving Still Waters. Family is something we strive to attain and stay a part of and

that’s what my characters are doing.

How long were you working on this book? I really started back when I lived in Toronto ––I went out to Toronto for six years and I was having plays produced. I’d written a screenplay that had a lot of the elements of Leaving Still Waters and then I didn’t do anything with the screenplay. I’ve had short films made of my material but that screenplay went nowhere. And then I thought it might help to use elements of it for my first novel.

So I had something to work with and some characters I liked to work with.

It really did make writing this easier. I won the Vancouver Courier short story writing contest twice so had an idea about writing prose but a novel was an entirely different beast. I mean it’s 70,000 words and it takes a lot to stickto-it-ness but I managed it. I also had great notes from my readers, Mary Ann Zakreski and Ann Ramsay. As for time, let’s just say it took months. And months.

What was the writing process like?

The process of writing is, for anybody that’s interested in doing it, as I know we have a lot of writers on Bowen, it’s really enjoyable if you have that allotted time every day. It’s kind of easy once you get into a rhythm, away you go. I can write news stories with a few spare minutes here and there but with a novel, no, you need blocks of time on a regular basis. Or I do. And here’s this: I became a real believer in not knowing where you’re going, just sit down every day and head somewhere. Eventually you get there. Kinda like in life.

EMILY ERICKSON MCCULLUM

Contributor

I had a very moving experience at Bowen Children’s Centre on Dec. 19. For the Ordinary Moments art show and celebration, the infant toddler wing, preschool, and daycare transformed into galleries showcasing artwork and anecdotes by each of the children. Art coupled with observations about children’s experiences during an ordinary day reflected the personality of each child.

Ordinary moments were revealed to be integral to the extraordinary miracles of growth and development.

Looking at the artwork and reading these accounts was moving enough but seeing children enthusiastically guiding their parents and grandparents and siblings and friends to see their creations and talk about them took it to another level.

Of course, the entire building was packed with everyone meeting the artists, enjoying the wonderful treats, making shadow figures in the light of the overhead projector, and singing along with the all-star BCC band featuring Martina Iring, Cole Winny, and Zeyah Smola.

Watching the excitement in faces young and old, I remembered being on the board of what was then called The Bowen Island Preschool and Daycare Society in the late ’90s when it moved from Collins’ Hall to the amazing new building on Carter Road that was so full of energy and creativity this December. As one of many volunteers, I helped nail down the floorboards in a new building that echoed with promise, supporting a vision that began with the small group of women who started the preschool in a basement in 1971. In the early days at the new location, we worried about having enough enrollment to keep the programs running and now there are waiting lists. BCC has become all that we envisioned and more, embracing a philosophy of play that encourages optimal development and truly offering a centre for early childhood education and community support. In that bustling building on this December evening, I was overwhelmed to recognize what can be accomplished by committed people using their ordinary moments to work for the common good.

Every time a reader clicks on one of our stories, an advertiser gets their wings.

Find out how your business can soar with our Bowen coverage online.

Call Tracey at 604 947 2442 or email ads@bowenislandundercurrent.com

4 • THURSDAY JANUARY 2. 2020

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VIEWPOINT

EDITORIAL

NewYear walking Back in the Yukon I don’t know how folks get by without a car. The distances are vast, the commutes on bike or foot frigid and transit is limited.

When I moved here, I decided that as I have no children and my only major responsibility is the paper, I wouldn’t get a car. (I’m both cheap and concerned about my carbon footprint.)

Though frequently friends take pity on me and cart me home or kind strangers stop and give me a lift.

But Wednesday, with a new year afoot, independence on my mind, and the Polar Bear Swim at 2 p.m., I decided I would walk to Bowen Bay for the event (leaving from near Snug Cove). As walking along Grafton Rd. can be sketchy, I thought I’d try walking through the woods. From Google Maps it looked like there was a trail behind Grafton Lake skirting the base of Mt. Gardner that would get me most of the way to Bowen Bay. So off I set in the mild morning breeze.

My first clue this wasn’t going to go well should have been that I stopped for a snack 15 minutes in.

Once I got behind Grafton Lake there were at least two streams that I couldn’t distinguish from trails (there had been heavy rains in previous days) and at least one 500 m dead-end. Then there was the bushwacking through the forest (also very different in the Yukon where you can actually see the ground) and winding up in someone’s back yard on Harding Rd. Feet soaked, pants mucky and a Polar Bear swim yet to get to, I followed Harding Rd. down to Grafton Rd and followed it to the West side, experiment mostly over only 40 minutes after it began. The 280 bus I’d decided not to take as it would get me to Bowen Bay two hours early passed in the opposite direction mocking my sorry state (and any illusions I ever had about being competent outdoors).

Now at this point I should’ve started hitchhiking or posted on Facebook asking for a ride or done any of a dozen sensible things but I decided to keep walking. The growing blisters on my feet (my socks were soaked), time ticking by (Google estimated I would get to the bay five minutes before the plunge) and my trepidation rounding every blind corner prevented a meditative experience but it was far from a melancholic trudge. I contemplated the necessary societal shift from “I don’t know how folks get by without a car” to “how can we go without cars.”

But all this to say, I’m starting the new year with blisters and a resolution to learn more Bowen trails.

Bronwyn Beairsto, editor

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Bowen Queen doesn’t meet mobility needs

DEAR EDITOR: I’m writing in response to the BC Ferries announcement regarding the annual refit for the Queen of Capilano, scheduled to extend for six and half weeks from Jan 6, 2020.

The planned replacement vessel is the Bowen Queen, which for many years now has proven to have inadequate automobile capacity for the route. The approximately 40 per cent reduction in vehicle capacity makes commuting a very difficult proposition for those of us who have no viable transit options, but we always seem to adjust our schedules and expectations.

The people who cannot adjust to the

limitations of this replacement vessel are the mobility challenged. Because it does not provide an alternative to climbing stairs, the Bowen Queen forces people reliant upon walkers or wheelchairs to remain on the car deck for the entire crossing. These paying customers are literally left out in the cold.

The deck layout on the Bowen Queen often makes walking awkward and difficult and leads to my additional concern: in the event of a vessel collision or fire, the greatly restricted access between and around the vehicles will result in passengers with restricted mobility being unable to reach safety.

In addition to the human cost, this exposes

CORRECTION: There was a short letter to the editor “OCP lacking legitimacy” on p. 5 of our Dec. 19 edition. I mistakenly cut off Bud Long’s signature while laying out the paper. Sorry Bud and anyone confused by the unsigned letter. ––Bronwyn Beairsto, Editor THE WRITE STUFF. The Undercurrent encourages reader participation in your community newspaper. You must include your full name and a daytime phone number (for verification only). The editor reserves the right to edit for clarity, legality, brevity and taste.

HERE’S HOW: To submit a letter to the editor, fax 604-947-0148 or mail it to #102, 495 Government Rd., PO Box 130, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G0 or email editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com.

All Advertising and news copy content are copyright of the Undercurrent Newspaper. All editorial content submitted to the Undercurrent becomes the property of the publication.

The Undercurrent is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, art work and photographs.

#102–495 Bowen Trunk Road, PO Box 130, Bowen Island BC, V0N 1G0 Phone: 604.947.2442 Fax: 604.947.0148 bowenislandundercurrent.com DEADLINE for all advertising and editorial: Monday, 4:00 p.m.

Bowen Island Undercurrent Subscription Rates: Mailed 1 year subscription on Bowen Island: $45, including GST. Within Canada: $65 including GST Newsstand (Single Copy) $1 per copy, including GST ISSN 7819-5040

BC Ferries to significant risk and responsibility.

I have offered and will continue to offer car space to the mobility challenged, but it is far beyond time for BC Ferries to take some responsibility for providing all of their paying customers with access to shelter from winter storms and a path to safety in the event of disaster.

I look forward to the positive resolution of these problems, and long for the day when access for all is a sufficiently high priority for BC Ferries.

David McCullum Bowen Island

National NewsMedia Council.

EDITOR BronwynBeairsto editor@bowenisland undercurrent.com

ADVERTISING Tracey Wait ads@bowenisland undercurrent.com

CARTOONIST Ron Woodall

PUBLISHER Peter Kvarnstrom publisher@bowenisland undercurrent.com

2011 CCNA

CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2011

The Undercurrent is a member of the National NewsMedia Council of Canada, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please email editor@bowenislandundercurrent. com or call 604-947-2442.

If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the website at mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information.

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THURSDAY JANUARY 2, 2020 • 5

Energy efficiency: getting the most for your money

VAUNE KOLBER

Contributor

Many residents on Bowen rely upon their fireplace and stoves for heat during the winter months.

Both Richard Chase, a Level 1 WETT (Wood Energy Technology Transfer) inspector, and Julian Tristan from Tristan Chimney, have extensive experience, working on Bowen. They also have recommendations as to how get the most out of your heating dollars and to reduce your hydro bills.

Along with only burning “seasoned” wood, Chase says there are simple things that you can do to maximize efficiency. An open fireplace will typically be less efficient than a wood stove or a wood burning insert.

“Whether your primary air vents are on the front of your stove, underneath, or from the sides, always keep them clear of firewood and other blockages so that the air can circulate.” Chase recommends “keeping your hot wood and coals to the front and your new, cold, wood to the back so that’s a primary air vent can blow across the hot coals and into your cold wood.”

What can I do if I have an older model stove or fireplace?

If you have an older, less efficient or open fireplace, Tristan doesn’t believe there’s much that can be done to increase efficiency other than add an insert of gas or wood.

An insert is a metal box that goes inside the firebox of an open traditional fireplace. It has a metal pipe that goes all the way to the top inside the chimney. The pipe is separate and not in contact with the preexisting structure.

Tristan says the first consideration is the dimension – making sure the insert fits within the fireplace properly.

“You don’t get one too oversized or it’s impossible to install.

You want to get one of properly sized for the firebox and then basically it just comes down to design and usage.”

Inserts can have fans installed at the bottom that blow the heat from around the box so then you get more heat out

of it.

If you are looking for an insert, Tristan recommends shopping locally at Vaglio Fireplace Centre, Fireplace by Maxell, or Fireplaces Unlimited on Main Street. His favorite brand of insert is Regency “just because of how the installation is thought out. It’s flawless and easy to install.” Added bonus is that Regency is locally produced in Delta. Another of Tristan recommendations is the Belgium producer, Stüv.

What if I want a new fireplace or wood stove?

If you’re looking to buy a new fireplace or wood stove, both Tristan and Chase suggest also shopping locally: “Regency is in Delta. Pacific Energy is in Duncan on Vancouver Island. Quality products and they’re both accessible in terms of parts so if you need anything they’re easier to get.”

Reliability is a definite consideration and for that reason he doesn’t recommend shopping at places such as Costco as the products are typically not going to last as long.

If you’re looking for something more high-end Chase would suggest Jotul and Tristan looks to Stüv. “They’re more on the ultramodern side. It’s kind of like buying a Lexus or a high-end Mercedes style of stoves.”

New fireplace or wood stove – what do I need to consider?

Other than price point, what are some considerations when looking for a new fireplace or wood stove?

“You want to get one that’s properly sized for the room you want to heat up. You don’t want to get a big one just because you think the big one is going to heat up the place.

They can definitely get too hot.”

Most manufacturers will describe their products in terms of “BTUs” or British Thermal Unit, a traditional unit of heat.

Manufacturers “do a lot of testing so they’ll let you know for your square footage size which one’s going to be the most efficient for that room size.”

Catalytic wood stoves are ideal for those wanting to supplant their heating needs with their wood stove. Catalytic stoves give you a cleaner and longer burn. Other consid-

Review and call to action: Growing Good Food MERIBETH DEEN

Bowen Island Food Resilience Society

“Gardening can teach us something of what we must know to survive. We have believed that what is good for us is good for the world and we have been wrong. We haven’t thought deeply enough. We must change our thinking. We must acknowledge that much of the way of the world is a mystery. In growing something good to eat, we become participants in that mystery.”

If you ask me, participating in the mystery of the world is a pretty solid reason for getting your hands dirty. But if a philosophical reason like in the above quote from Mary Berry, daughter of poet, activist and farmer Wendell Berry, doesn’t cut it for you, there’s always fresher, healthier and better tasting food and the opportunity to turn your yard into giant carbon sink.

Growing Good Food: A Citizen’s Guide to Backyard Carbon Farming by Acadia Tucker, is the perfect guidebook to help you get started on that task (and it also happens to be the source of the quote above.)

“For me,” writes Tucker, “learning more about the soil’s ability to heal the earth was life-changing. By the time I finished graduate school I’d decided to grow food in a way that promotes the build-up of organic matter…”

We all know the problem but have we actually wrapped our heads around this particularly important solution? We hear a lot about trees and their ability to suck carbon, but not so much about soil. Currently, the earth’s soils hold three times more carbon than the atmosphere, but standard, industrial agricultural practices turn it into a source of emissions.

As Tucker neatly summarizes: regenerative farming, if adopted broadly, could help slow the rate of global warming. With better management, global croplands could store an additional 1.85 gigatons of carbon each year, or as much as the entire transportation sector emits.

Regenerative agriculture, as Tucker defines it, makes growing food a planet-healing activity. She calls for a new Victory Garden movement, whereby every citizen can engage in the fight against climate change by growing good food.

In roughly 150 pages, she lays out the basics of how to cultivate healthy soil, how to plan your carbon farm regardless of its size, and how to keep it going. This book is clear and straightforward enough to inspire novice gardeners, but also, packed with all kinds of information that might

erations would be style (modern or traditional), durability, and weight. Manufacturers are using different alloys, which affect durability, heat transfer, and weight. Older stoves often weigh a ton.

When choosing a stove one needs to think about the amount of weight you want to put on your floor and that there’s proper support underneath the hearth. Also, if you were to move do you want to take the wood stove with you?

You want to match your stove choice, whether it be more traditional or modern, with your overall interior design. “ Maybe you have an older looking home then you don’t necessarily want something modern in there with more of a boxy style and clean lines.” Or vice versa.

For more information on chimney and fireplace safety visit The Chimney Safety Institute of America or Home Advisor.

SUITE FOR RENT One bedroom garden suite, main floor, private entrance, in-suite laundry, large covered deck.

$950 per month Utilities inc. 10 min to ferry

Please call 604-833-3922

Hous! for Rent Long term. 3 beds, 2 1/2 baths $2200 Elec heat + gas fireplace.

Available now Contact 604-657-1864

DEPARTS SUN to THURS FRI & SAT SNUG COVE 11:15PM 12:15AM HORSESHOE BAY 11:30PM 12:30AM

Scheduled Afternoon Commuter Runs Mon - Fri Horseshoe Bay - Snug Cove

Proudly Celebrating Over 40 Years of Trusted Transport for Bowen Island & Howe Sound Telephone: 604-947-2243 Cellular: 604-250-2630 PHOTO COURTESY OF MERIBETH DEEN

surprise (and be helpful to) veterans.

If you’re interested in a copy, please contact me. I will be making a bulk order of this book on behalf of BIFS (Bowen Island FoodResilience Society, formerly Bowen Island Food Sovereignty), as it is our mission to help Bowen Island grow more good food. Contact meribeth.deen@gmail.comBIFS. The price for Growing Good Food: $27.

Tug & Barge services Special Event Cruises

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6 • THURSDAY JANUARY 2. 2020

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Inspired by SwimBowen: ocean swimming DAVID ADAMS SwimBowen

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHERINE WOLTERS

Neil Dawe and Katherine Wolters, swim training partners, in spring 2019 after their regular Eagle Cliff swim. porting Bowen Island residents in active cancer treatment. To-date, they’ve gifted over $16,500.

Instead of volunteering, Wolters decided to swim in the event. In preparation, she committed to getting in the water three days a week. “We started training right

away. It was April and so cold. We didn’t do the full distance. Maybe 300 meters. And that was good.”

By summer Wolters and her training partners were swimming a couple kilometers once a week.

Wolters’ biggest obstacles were the motivation to get down to

Places of Worship Welcome You BOWEN ISLAND UNITED CHURCH

FOOD BANK DROP-OFF

ST. GERARD’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Sunday Mass: 9:30 a.m.

Administration Office: 604-682-6774

CATES HILL CHAPEL

www.cateshillchapel.com 604-947-4260 (661 Carter Rd.)

10:00 a.m. Worship Sunday School: Tots to Teens

Pastor: Phil Adkins

On December 25, & January 1 service will begin with the 8:35 am sailing from Bowen Island and the 8:00 am sailing from Horseshoe Bay.

▼

BOWEN ISLAND Snug Cove

5:20 am^ 6:20 am< 7:30 am< 8:35 am 9:40 am 10:50 am 12:00 pm 1:10 pm 2:55 pm 4:00 pm† 5:10 pm 6:15 pm 7:25 pm* 8:30 pm 9:30 pm 10:30 pm

VANCOUVER Horseshoe Bay 5:50 am< 6:50 am< 8:00 am 9:05 am† 10:15 am 11:25 am 12:35 pm 2:20 pm 3:30 pm 4:35 pm 5:45 pm 6:50 pm 8:00 pm* 9:00 pm 10:00 pm

Distance: 3 NAUTICAL MILES Crossing Time: 20 MINUTES

Leave Horseshoe Bay

Reverend Lorraine Ashdown and Tina Overbury Service and Sunday School 10:30 am Collins Hall Bookings: Helen Wallwork Minister of Music: Lynn Williams

the water, the cold and weather, and the occasional crashing tides.

Push comes to shove, what got her in the water? It was the camaraderie and support of training partner. “Doing it as a partnership… we both got each other in.”

“I’ve had friends that have

Schedule in Effect: October 15, 2019 to March 31, 2020

Leave Snug Cove

In the midst of the cold and clouds, why would anyone choose to swim in the frigidity of our local ocean –let alone in the morning, when the light’s barely risen to reveal the icicles stuck to your eyelids? Okay, maybe not icicles.

But the water’s chilly at the best of times. Surely, there must be better ways to commune with Mother Nature and this island we call home than to plunge into the Pacific and that practice of penance known as post-summer ocean swimming. Why do it?!

We asked Katherine Wolters, Bowen Island resident and now regular––and loving it––ocean swimmer.

“Neil, my training partner and I decided to swim to Boyer Island from Cate’s Bay. We went at six in the mornings or maybe even earlier because we saw the sun rising.

It wasn’t calm; it was quite rough.

I remember thinking, ‘okay, this is going to be a long time so I might as well start enjoying it.’ We knew we were in for a while––it took an hour and 20 minutes––and so we just enjoyed being right there in the moment. And noticing this spectacular beauty of being right in the middle of Howe Sound. You can look up to the mountain peaks and actually see the sun and the peaks all the way down to wave height. You’re actually seeing the details of the waves and it’s the light and the sun glinting off the water. It’s the whole panorama of Howe Sound opening up and seeing that from the waves.”

For as long as she can remember, Wolters has loved swimming. Early in 2019, Mary Letson, the founder and an organizer of SwimBowen, invited Wolters to volunteer. Held every July, SwimBowen is a 500 and 1000 metre open water swimming event with proceeds sup-

passed away to cancer, so I thought of their courage in the face of it and decided that I could swim in this cold water. It’s not a big deal. It’s always the anticipation that’s the worst.”

Wolters found the SwimBowen event to be supremely organized and open to all. “They thought of everything to make for a really pleasant day…there’s huge community support and people who care. And, people see how the funds directly benefit their friends and neighbors.

“The swim itself is done by all levels. There are people who breaststroke it out and do the distance at their leisure. They don’t worry about making it in a certain amount of time.”

Wolters credits the SwimBowen event for providing the impetus to dive into ocean-swimming year-round and Wolters is open to training with others. “It’s always good. I swam with four other people and we weren’t all at the same level…And we don’t always swim the bigger distances. We’ll swim along the shore.”

The one particular thing that is most exciting for Wolters over this whole journey is being able to get now in the cold water and swim regularly. “Before it was once and awhile. Now it’s a regular thing.

Somehow, the ocean has become more accessible. It’s doable. I’ll go down to the beach and swim and it’s November. It’s a way to enjoy our beautiful environment one other way. It feels like a much more worthwhile day.”

If you want to give ocean swimming a go, are looking for a swimming partner, or would like to talk to Katherine Wolters more about the SwimBowen event and/or training, she can be reached at kmwolters@shaw.ca.

The next SwimBowen is Saturday, July 18. Registration opens April 1.

* DAILY EXCEPT SATURDAYS

< EXCEPT DEC 25 & JAN 1 ^ EXCEPT SUN AND NOV 11, DEC 25, JAN 1 & FEB 17 † DC WEDNESDAY SAILINGS WILL BE REPLACED BY DANGEROUS CARGO SAILINGS. NO OTHER PASSENGERS PERMITTED.

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THURSDAY JANUARY 2, 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ 7

POLAR BEAT New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plunge Hundreds of islanders donned their finest swimming gear and plunged into the new year (or rather the chilly waters of Bowen Bay) Wednesday afternoon. Despite heavy rains in the days leading up to the new year, Jan. 1, 2020 had blue sky and a warm sun, much to the relief of those brave enough to partake in the longstanding tradition.

Before (Photo: Jen Lundin Ritchie)

During The Willis family enjoys the sun in the minutes before the plunge.

After

Bob, Anais, Alex and Gaelle with minutes to go before the plunge.

Sebastien, Daniela, Naomi and Amy pose for a quick pic.

Colin and Jen Ritchie (Photo: Murray Atherton)

8 • THURSDAY JANUARY 2. 2020

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2019 REVIEW BEAT

Looking back at 2019

Picking a favourite photo from the past year would be difficult–– while my title might be editor, I’ve never been good at culling my photographic archives (I have well over 10,000 photos from the last year alone). But here are some special and fun moments from what wasn’t always an easy year but was certainly an interesting one.

PHOTOS BY BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Jennifer Henrichsen receives the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence certificate of achievement at a ceremony at Island Pacific School last June.

Kids at the Opus Art Supplies summer camp at the Van Berckels’ garden property last July. While the camp’s theme was officially birds and bees, the week coincided with the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, so many paintings were space-inspired.

Mayor Gary Ander greets students who marched to Municipal Hall to demand climate action back in March.

Garden Club volunteer Holly Cleator digs into a creative grass planter last April. As part of National Volunteer Week Garden Club members donated their time to beautify the library’s lawn.

Elle Burke and Hamish at Applefest in October.

Irksa and Karen of the Ruddy Potato step behind the General Store till in an April Fools joke.

Bowen Island Fish and Wildlife Club (with Department of Fisheries and Oceans support) and some young helpers released approximately 20,000 chum salmon fry into the lagoon last May.

Marching for women’s rights in a Trumpian era, the Bowen iteration of the third annual world-wide demonstration had a dedicated crew of islanders last January.

on Bowen Island

The annual ball tournaments in August and September are always a source of great excitement in Snug Cove.

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THURSDAY JANUARY 2, 2020 • 9

A look back: the news of January ‘80, ‘95 and ‘10 CATHERINE BAYLY

Bowen Island Museum and Archives

It is always interesting to look back to see how things have changed – or not! The Bowen Island Archives have the complete run of the Undercurrents from 1975 to present. To read past Undercurrents or follow up on information please contact us at bihistorians@telus.net or 604.947.2655

40 YEARS AGO: UNDERCURRENT 1980 The Undercurrent reveals important items for the new Regional Director to accomplish in 1980: 1. Install lights “at every road or junction on Bowen Island.”

2. Establish a park 3. Create senior citizens housing 4. Get dogs under control. “They are just about as numerous and as potentially vicious as ever.”

5. Provide more police protection. “There is a growing number of break-ins which is shameful and not necessary.”

6. Better maintenance of roads and elimination of danger spots.

7. “Goad the Urban Transit Authority to get a Fastbus to connect with our ferry and carry us to the Seabus with a stop at Park Royal – and back again.”

7. “Have words with Beastly Tel to have Bowen Island included in the Extended Area Dialing.”

8. “How’s about a late ferry run?”

9. “A detailed report of the Regional Director’s aims and

accomplishments at least once a month for Undercurrent readers. (Undercurrent is bought by but perhaps two families on Bowen Island – and perhaps they read smuggled copies in the privacy of their biffies.)”

1994 – The presence of arsenic levels in well water of Queen Charlotte Heights was the big news. The Memorial Garden Society completed their archway and were looking ahead to opening later in the spring.

25 YEARS AGO: UNDERCURRENT 1995 Ferry fare hike raising hackles: “Bowen commuters paid more to get to the mainland this week, and BC Ferries says it’s all part of a five-year plan to deal with fare inequities in their system.” Single ticket adult fare increased from $4.00 to $4.25 and a book of 10 tickets increased from $107.50 to $115.20.

The Island Neighbors column written by Lois MeyersCarter highlights past January Bowen events.

1991 – Tribute was paid to Rosa Helenius for her outstanding service at the Post Office, the Hydro crew, librarian Christine Miller and volunteers – all who kept services going during the snowstorms.

1992 – The captain of the Howe Sound Queen was suspended for 10 days without pay for the ferry “hard landing” at Horseshoe Bay. A number of Islanders were injured in that incident. Business opportunities available that month included the Bowen island Pub and the Whirling Dervish Coffee House. Johanna’s Restaurant announced its new non-smoking policy.

1993 – Local groups were trying to sort out property boundaries for the Cenotaph. In response to the needs of emergency planners Bowen’s house numbering project was underway.

10 YEARS AGO: JANUARY 2010 “If you could wave a magic wand….” wishes for 2010 Lorraine Ashdown – “1. A transportation service for getting kids/adults home safely after 10 o’clock at night. 2. A last ferry departure from the mainland at 11 p.m. 3. Better, much better, more visible, more concerned, more connected, more community-minded local government! 4. A community hall/arts and culture building.”

Paul Hooson – “If I had just one wish, it would be that peace, understanding, love good health and generosity flourish. I would prefer to have three wishes, though, if that was allowed.

My first wish would be that the major fundraising for a new community hall and arts centre be substantially completed, with the planned facility being one that the whole community, no matter what your cultural or recreational preference, could enthusiastically embrace.

My second would have to be for a National Park on Bowen to become a reality, and encompass a substantial portion of the foreshore and sensitive ecological portion of Cape Roger Curtis.

My third wish is that real progress be made on the affordable housing front, and that walls and roofs will soon appear for those who need them most.”

Younger Canadians more likely to believe in astrology, survey finds MARIO CANSECO

Glacier Media

Astrology has been a fixture of newspapers since the days when reporters and editors could smoke inside their newsrooms.

In some countries, radio and television newscasts featured hosts who would provide a daily horoscope to listeners and viewers. Some of them eventually became beloved celebrities.

In this century, as many things have changed in the print media landscape, astrology has endured. Setting aside any discussions about whether horoscopes belong in pages and programs devoted to the delivery of news stories, there are Canadians who believe there is a way to study the movements and relative positions of celestial objects to make observations about human affairs and terrestrial events.

Research Co. recently sought to find out how many and who they are.

But while astrology may be erroneously regarded as a fixture of the past, the level of interest in this concept is decidedly higher among the country’s youngest adults. Only 27% of Canadians aged 55 and over profess a belief in astrology, along with 37% of those aged 35 to 54. Among Canadians aged 18 to 34, the proportion of believers in astrology jumps to 49%. This makes millennials the only demographic in the country that is more likely to look at astrology as real than illusory. There are some marked regional differences as well. Ontario has the highest proportion of believers in the concept of astrology (42%), followed by Atlantic Canada (37%) and Quebec (36%). Western Canadians are not as enthusiastic, with British Columbia at 31%, Manitoba and Saskatchewan at 28% and Alberta at 27%.

When compared with three other concepts related to what is usually described as “paranormal” activity, astrology fares marginally better. A third of Canadians (33%) believe in haunted houses, or buildings being inhabited by spirits of dead people.

Just over three in 10 Canadians (31%) think mediumship, or mediating communication between living human beings and spirits of dead people, is real. The same proportion (31%) believe in clairvoyance, or gaining information about an object, person, location, or physical event through

extrasensory perception.

When asked about their own behaviour, one in five Canadians (20%) say they pay attention to astrology. As expected, the proportion is highest among those aged 18 to 34 (30%) and drops among those aged 35 to 54 (20%) and those aged 55 and over (14%).

Once again, avid followers of the horoscope are more likely to reside in the country’s eastern provinces (Ontario and Atlantic Canada each at 25%, Quebec at 20%) than the western ones (British Columbia at 18%, Alberta at 11%, Manitoba and Saskatchewan at 8%). On a political note, half of Liberal Party voters in 2019 (50%) claim to have never paid attention to astrology, along with 52% of those who supported the New Democratic Party (NDP) and 56% of those who cast ballots for the Conservative Party candidate in their riding (56%). Liberals, however, are slightly more likely to be current horoscope readers (24%) than NDP supporters or Conservatives (19% and 18% respectively).

For decades, astrology has had its share of controversies. Beloved astronomer Carl Sagan was one of its fiercest critics, pointing out that the information provided by horoscopes was “consciously designed to be so vague” as to “apply to anybody.” Most Canadians may be interested in glancing at a horoscope at a coffee shop, but unwilling to put key decisions in their lives through an astrology litmus test.

In any case, astrology seems to be in a fascinating position from a sociological perspective. The youngest generation of Canadians is the one that is more likely to regard it as believable, as most members of generation X and baby boomers would seem to perceive horoscopes as a fad whose relevance has expired. For all those screaming headlines about what millennials are killing (napkins, cereal and fabric softener, for example), astrology might be one that they are currently keeping alive.

Mario Canseco is president of Research Co. Results are based on an online study conducted from December 2–6, 2019, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error, which measures sample variability, is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Not quite a Bowen scene: it’s easy to enjoy 10 days in a Yukon winter with sunsets like these. I snapped this pic near Whitehorse during my holiday visit. ––Bronwyn Beairsto, editor

Patient of the Week MEET FLIPPERS Flippers decided that motherhood was not in the cards for her so she came in to Bowen Vet to get spayed.

Female bunnies have a higher risk of developing uterine cancer if they go un-spayed. So if you have a choice, it’s more important to spay the female than neuter the male.

HOURS: Tuesday through Friday from 9:00am – 5:00pm Saturdays from 9:00am – 1:00pm.

Dr. Midge Ritchie and veterinary assistants are also available 24/7 for urgent care.

Call the regular line at 604.947.9247 and press “1” to be forwarded to a staff member.

To schedule appointments, please call

604.947.9247

or email reception@bowenvet.com

10 • THURSDAY JANUARY 2. 2020

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Bowen Island Community

MARKETPLACE Call to place your ad at

604-630-3300

or 604-444-3000 Email: classifieds@van.net

CRIMINAL RECORD? Why suffer Employment/Licensing loss?

Travel/Business opportunities? Be embarrassed? Think: Criminal Pardon. US Entry Waiver. Record Purge. File Destruction. Free Consultation 1-800-3472540. accesslegalmjf.com

ATTENTION

INVENTORS! Ideas wanted!

Call Davison today!

1.800.218.2909 or visit us at inventing.davison.com/BC

RENOS & HOME IMPROVEMENT

LEGAL SERVICES

CM Homes & Renovations Experienced General Contractor Quality Sub Trades Clean Honest Reliable. www.cmhomes.ca

SPROTTSHAW.COM

SUDOKU

BC WIDE CLASSIFIEDS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

HEALTH CARE ASSISTANT

Phone Hours: Mon to Fri 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Office Hours: 9 am to 5 pm

@bowenislandundercurrent.com

Contact Charles 778-999-8072 Charlesmc@shaw.ca West Vancouver BC

INDUSTRIAL/ COMMERCIAL

Free inventor’s guide!

Join the conversation at

www.facebook.com/BIUndercurrent

INTEGRITY POST FRAME BUILDINGS since 2008. Built with concrete posts. Barns, shops, riding arenas, machine sheds and more.

Adam.s@integritybuilt.com.

1-250-351-5374.

ANSWERS

@BowUndercurrent

HEALTH & WELLNESS Dr. Susanne Schloegl M.D.

Appointments Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri, 9am - 5pm ECG and HOLTER monitoring Artisan Square

604-947-9986

Bowen Island Chiropractic

Dr. Tracy Leach, D.C. Certified provider of Active Release Techniques Artisan Square Tues. & Fri.

778-828-5681

www.drtracyleach.ca

Dr. Dana Barton

Naturopathic Physician 596 B. Artisan Square

604-730-1174 Natural Family Medicine

Dr. Gloria Chao HOLISTIC COUNSELLING Brooke Evans, MSW, RSW 604-781-3987

brooke@becounselling.ca becounselling.ca

SHIATSU Shiatsu massage therapy follows traditional Chinese medicine to restore your body’s health with flow and relaxation.

Vicky Frederiksen

Certified Shiatsu Practitioner.

778-881-9012 call or text email: v.gathe@gmail.com

Located in Artisan Square

604-947-9755 EXT #1

Online Booking: www.birchwellness.com

@ Artisan Square

MARY MCDONAGH RMT HARMONY SHIRE RMT ALICIA HOPPENRATH RMT KIM HOWDEN RMT

Celebrating 29 years Community Healthcare

INHABIT

Artisan Square 604-947-0734

604-281-3691

Alternate Fridays 10am - 4:30pm

Massage Therapy Matthew van der Giessen

FREE

RMT

Horseshoe Bay 604-921-8522 www.bowenislanddental.com

On Bowen Island @ Caring Circle West Vancouver

Dr. Alea Bell, ND Naturopathic Doctor

778-891-0370

Courtney Morris, R.Ac Registered Acupuncturist, Homeopath, Doula

604-338-5001

Mary Coleman, MSW, RSW Compassion minded counselling

778-233-4425

SOMATIC CENTRE

(778) 952-3757 566 Artisan Square www.inhabitcentre.ca

Breathe Move Touch

CATHERINE SHAW Dr. Traditional Chinese Medicine/Acupuncturist

❦

MARY MCDONAGH RMT, DCH Registered Massage Therapist

❦

SANDY LOGAN Registered Physiotherapist

❦

HEIDI MATHER

Julie Hughes, RPC

Registered Acupuncturist Registered Nutritionist

778-858-2669

Book online bowenislandwellnesscentre.ca

Counselling

NexGen Hearing

Hearing Testing

At entrance to Artisan Square Suite #597

BOWEN ISLAND

MASSAGE THERAPY

Family Dentist

Call us at

BOWEN ISLAND WELLNESS CENTRE 604-947-9755

Diana Romer, RCC Youth, Adults and Couples Counselling www.clearhorizon.ca | 604 290 6407 dromer.therapy@gmail.com 569B Artisan Lane on Bowen Is.

Psychologist

Lifelabs

Dr. Carolyn Nesbitt PhD, R.Psych #1484

Dr. Zandy’s former office

604-376-9801 www.CarolynNesbitt.com

Tues - 6:45 - 8:45 a.m.

Thurs. - 6:45 - 8:45 a.m.

For routine lab tests.

Specialized tests & children may be referred to the mainland.

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THURSDAY JANUARY 2, 2020 • 11

Need some help with a New Year’s running resolution?

AMANDA OCKELOEN

Sun Run clinic coordinator

Are you looking for a New Year’s resolution to get excited about? Come and join a fantastic group of devoted people every Saturday morning for 13 weeks.

Whether you’re a runner or a walker of any level, the internationally regarded SportMed BC 10k InTraining Program will help you reach your health and fitness goals in a safe and supportive environment.

Choose from Nordic pole walking, learn to run, walk/run and run stronger. We will gradually develop your strength and stamina so that you can train injury-free in preparation for a 10k distance. If a run-

ning race isn’t what you are after, just come along for the training, weight room access is included with the program.

Training starts January 18 and those interested can register through Bowen Island Community Recreation and can contact me at lifesaverswithamanda@gmail.com any questions.

How about this motivational quote: “Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired.” -George S Patton The Sun Run wrap-up lunch in 2019.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMANDA OCKELOEN

BOWEN HOME SERVICES love the life you live TOP PRODUCING REALTOR on Bowen Island since 2009 President’s Club 2015, 2017 & 2018 for Top 1% of Realtors in the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver

11 years

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bowenhomes.ca

Landscape Lighting Irrigation BOWEN ISLAND SPECIALISTS! QUALITY SERVICE GUARANTEED!

Seascape

Keep Calm and Call Econo

604.980.3333

Bruce Culver

Office: 604-947-9686

Cell: 604-329-3045

GUTTERS & SNOWBARS

Window Blinds On Bowen

(604) 947-2025 A T

778-995-1902

AQUA TERRA EAVESTROUGHS A BOWEN ISLAND FAMILY COMPANY

Accounting Bookkeeping Taxation Virtual CPA

Leila Swann, CPA, CA 604-318-5414 leila@greenbooks.ca www.greenbooks.ca

991 West First Street, North Vancouver, BC www.economovingandstorage.com

CUSTOM WOOD SIGNS

NEW CONSTRUCTION RENOVATIONS

Wood & metal work designs rendered with a CNC Router to produce commercial quality work. From custom signs to furniture.

RESTORATION ADDITIONS SECONDARY STRUCTURES UNIQUE OUTDOOR SPACES SUB CONTRACT WORK

BUILT GREEN BC BUILDER CONTACT US FOR A FREE QUOTATION located on Bowen Island

Craig 604-366-2229 • 778-722-0269 • craig@seatoskycnc.com

WWW.WHITEHART.CA ADDRESS 302-566 ARTISAN LANE BOWEN ISLAND, BC PHONE 1 (778) 999-3434

live the life you love To reserve a spot on this page, contact us at 604-947-2442 or ads@bowenislandundercurrent.com

12 • THURSDAY JANUARY 2. 2020

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR Broad comedy coming BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor

THURSDAY JAN. 2

Duplicate Bridge Bowen Court 6:45 - 10 pm Info call Pat at 778-288-7090

SATURDAY JAN. 4

Bowen Bird Count 120th Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count Details and for more information on how to participate on Bowen, please call Micaele Florendo 604-838-2321.

SUNDAY JAN. 5

First meat bingo of 2020 Legion Hall doors open at 1:30 p.m.

Outdoor Meditation Circle Meet at the picnic tables at the entrance to Crippen Park 11 am. No cost. More info at lisa.shatzky@gmail. com

TUESDAY JAN. 7

Bowen Island AA Collins Hall 7:15 pm

THURSDAY JAN. 9 Duplicate Bridge Bowen Court 6:45 - 10 pm Info call Pat at 778-288-7090 Rotary presentation: “Bowen in Transition and the Transition Movement: Helping to Build Community Resilience from the Bottom Up Collins Hall 7:30 pm Dave

Pollard presenting

SUNDAY JAN.12

Bowen French Meetup Barcelona 11:30 am Hosted

by Robyn Fenton.

Outdoor Meditation Circle Meet at the picnic tables at the entrance to Crippen Park 11 am. No cost. More info at lisa.shatzky@gmail. com

MONDAY JAN. 13

Seniors Keeping Young For 55+ at 1070 Senior Road will have exercise at 9 am, coffee at 9:45 am, and Reading & Book Signing with local author, Chantal Eustace. Yoga at 11:15.

Yearly membership $20.

Drop in fee $3 or $2 for members.

Regular Council Meeting Municipal Hall 6:15 pm

TUESDAY JAN. 14

Community Lunch Legion Hall 11:30 - 1 pm Join your friends for delicious homemade soups (m +v), artisan breads, and dessert. Coffee and tea included. (Ages 18+) Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. All for only $5!”

Bowen Island AA Collins Hall 7:15 pm

WEDNESDAY JAN. 15

Classical House Concert: Jonathan Stuchbery More event information at livingroomlive.ca

THURSDAY JAN.16

Duplicate Bridge Bowen Court 6:45 - 10 pm Info call Pat at 778-288-7090

SATURDAY JAN. 18

Jon & Roy Bowen Island Pub 8:30 pm Jon and Roy with special guests, The Ivan Hartle Band. Advance tix $20 at pub or eventbrite.ca Quarteto Nuevo Concert Cove Commons Doors 7 pm Concert 7:30 pm “Quarteto Nuevo merges western classics, eastern European folk, Latin and jazz with an organic feel that packs a wallop!” Advance tickets $38 adults; $35 seniors & students; $33 Hearth members Tickets online: https://kaymeek.com/ events and Gallery at Cove Commons Chanting Vibrations of Love The Well 7 - 8:30 pm Facilitated by musicians Jack & Soorya Ray Resels and friends, this will be a time of playful celebration to lift hearts, minds, and spirit through singing simple

chants for all to sing. No experience required.

The Ark: Spirituality for a Complex World #1- 589 Artisan Lane 10:45 -12:30 pm A bi-weekly gathering hosted by Dr. Shahar Rabi.

SUNDAY JAN. 19

Outdoor Meditation Circle Meet at the picnic tables at the entrance to Crippen Park 11 am. No cost. More info at lisa.shatzky@gmail. com

TUESDAY JAN. 21

Bowen Island AA Collins Hall 7:15 pm

Duplicate Bridge Bowen Court 6:45 - 10 pm

SUNDAY JAN. 26

Outdoor Meditation Circle Meet at the picnic tables at the entrance to Crippen Park 11 am. No cost. More info at lisa.shatzky@gmail. com

TUESDAY JAN. 28

Community Lunch Legion Hall 11:30 - 1 pm Join your friends for delicious homemade soups (m +v), artisan breads, and dessert. Coffee and tea included. (Ages 18+) Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. All for only $5!

Expect to hear chuckles, giggles and guffaws emanating from Tir-na-nOg Feb. 8, courtesy of one funny lady.

Comedian, actress, author and CBC Debaters regular Deborah Kimmett is bringing her comedy show Downward Facing Broad to Bowen Island.

The Toronto-based comedian started touring the 80-to90 minute comedy, storytelling, musical event in 2018 and in May 2019 recorded it as a live CBC comedy special––the ensuing CD “Howl and Roar” Itunes Playlist listed among the top 5 Canadian Comedy Albums of 2019.

“It’s about turning 60 and how people tend to say 60 is the new 40,” says Kimmett. “[But] you’re like only to 60 year olds, 40-year olds are like, ‘it’s actually not.’”

“So it’s about just not wanting to be put out to pasture.”

Kimmett laughs that she found folks in her generation particularly thought that they were the ‘cool parents’: they treated their children as friends, ‘enriched’ their kids so thought they wouldn’t have a generation gap. “And then, you know, to find out at 60, that you actually are dated.”

While the show isn’t for families, it could be of interest to younger people.

“I had a very young director in his early 30s [Second City’s Christian Smith]because I wanted to make sure that it didn’t sound like ‘Ah you know, in my day,’ says Kimmett. “And what we really talked about is the show is about…staying relevant, even when you’re young.”

“I think a lot of people that are there 30 are trying to find their way,” she says. “It’s been harder for [Millennials] to find what their careers are going to be because work keeps changing in our society.”

While the two shows will be Kimmett’s first on Bowen, it won’t be her first time on-island. Last year, after filming a Debaters episode in Victoria, Kimmett decided to visit Bowen and her hosts were former Undercurrent editor Meribeth Deen and her husband Ross (who had also been working sound at the Debaters event the previous night). The island way of life also appeals to Kimmett as she lived for more than a decade on Amherst Island near Kingston.

And it appears that Kimmett’s comedy appeals to islanders as the 7:30 p.m. show is sold out. However, Kimmett added a matinee, for which a few tickets remain.

Downward Facing Broad Feb. 8 – 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Tirna-nOg. Tickets at brownpapertickets.com/event/4439167.

HAPPY 2020 BOWEN

BOOK A TOUR

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MATTERS

ISLAND PACIFIC SCHOOL

CELEBRATING YEARS

We're excited to jump into the Undercurrent's 5th decade with you!

islandpacific.org