KEEP UP WITH COMMUNITY: the Undercurrent’s tri-annual island-wide mailout
$1.50
inc. GST
THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2020
YOUTH INITIATIVE:
VOL. 46, NO. 05
BIUndercurrent
Islander Will McKnight’s electric project PAGE 17
BowUndercurrent www.bowenislandundercurrent.com
Mt. Gardner summit is staying ATVfree for now
A PROPOSED TWO-TRACK MOTORIZED VEHICLE TRAIL UP THE MOUNTAIN RECENTLY CREATED A COMMUNITY KERFUFFLE
BRONWYN BEAIRSTO
Editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com
sheet and hand it in to the library before Sunday, Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. Grab a sheet at the library or find one on our website to print at home. You can even drop it through our book drop slot when you’re finished. We’ll have a draw the following week—players have a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to Phoenix on Bowen. You can also drop in and be a kids’ section detective to learn about the library, the types of books in our children’s collection and how they are organized, through exploring, reading, and games.
A proposed two-track motorized vehicle trail up Mt. Gardner isn’t going ahead for now. The provincial officer who oversees the Bowen Crown lands says that he’s asked the Bowen Island Trails Coalition remove the proposed project from its 2020 operations plan. “That trail has caused enough of a disturbance that we need to do more consultation if that plan is even going to move forward,” said Tom Blackbird, district recreation officer for the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) Tuesday evening. The three member groups of the trails coalition (Bowen Trail Riders Association, Bowen Island Trail Society and Bowen Island Horse Owners and Riders Association) signed a two-year partnership agreement with the province in 2018. The agreement allows the groups to do trail improvements, maintenance and construction on the Mt. Gardner Crown lands with provincial guidance. The agreement is due for renewal in May. The Mt. Gardner proposal from the Trail Riders Association came to public attention in late 2019 when surveys circulated asking for public input for the idea of a two-track motorized vehicle route up the north ridge of the mountain. While public reaction was mixed, there was a loud outcry against creating a route that could invite increased motorized usage of the mountain.
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CONTINUED ON P. 20
UNDERCURRENT PHOTO
BURNS SUPPER: Martin Clarke re-enacts his rendition of Address to a Haggis (for the camera) at the Legion’s Burns
Supper Jan. 24 as Clarke’s tablemate and frequent thespian collaborator Graham Ritchie (on the right) teases his longtime friend. For more photos of the annual celebration of Scottish poet Robbie Burns see p. 19.
Family Literacy Week fun continues PLAY BINGO, PLAY DETECTIVE AND MAKE MUSIC AS PART OF FAMILY LITERACY WEEK AT THE LIBRARY MARYSIA MCGILVRAY
Bowen Island Library
January is all about creating new habits and this year’s Family Literacy Week encourages families to get into the habit of reading and hopefully catch the reading bug! “Let’s Read Together” is the theme this year for this annual Canada-wide event. At the Bowen Library from Jan. 28 to Feb. 2, we’ve got activities to
help you and your family engage with words and sounds together. Book Bingo is a great way to get reading together. Individual readers or families can fill in a row by completing reading tasks like “read three poems,” “read aloud to a stuffed toy or pet,” or “draw a picture about a book you read.” With reading tasks geared to all ages of readers, including pre-readers and their families, participants fill in a line of reading tasks on the Bingo
Enthusiastic. Responsive. Personable. Knowledgeable. The Bowen Island real estate market appears to be shifting out of a Buyer's Market and headed towards favouring the Seller. If you have been sitting on the fence and thinking about putting your house on the market, now might be a good time for us to have a chat. It's a big decision to sell the family home, so take the time to get a second opinion on what your house is worth. A market analysis doesn't cost you a thing.