Bowen Island Undercurrent February 20 2020

BAT HEALTH: on the lookout for deadly (for bats) white-nose syndrome

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$1.50

inc.

GST

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020

HERITAGE WEEK

VOL. 46, NO. 08

BIUndercurrent

Bringing stories of our past into the future

BowUndercurrent www.bowenislandundercurrent.com

STARTS PAGE 6

Budget season BOWEN ISLAND MUNICIPALITY IS PROPOSING A 7.6 PER CENT PROPERTY TAX INCREASE

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com

UNDERCURRENT PHOTO

FELLOWS OF INFINITE JEST: Hamlet (Calder Stewart) and the gravedigger (Adrian van Lidth de Jeude) play

out the skull scene of Shakespeare’s 1599 smash hit Hamlet. The actors were on a break from transforming Cates Hill Chapel into Bowen’s answer to the Globe Theatre in anticipation of this weekend’s opening of the seventh annual Bard on the Rock production.

Director Graham Ritchie watches from above. The play is running Feb. 21, 22, 28 and 29 at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $25 at the pharmacy.

Bidding bye bye to Bowen Queen BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com

The Queen of Capilano returns Friday but one islander wants to make sure BC Ferries knows exactly what Boweners have endured over the past month.

The Bowen Queen’s 40 per cent reduction in car capacity from the Queen of Cap has meant severe overloads, even outside of commuter runs,

and tense exchanges in the ferry lineup. Valentine’s Day evening, the ferry was overloaded from at least late afternoon, through to the final sailing. The Bowen Queen also has no elevator to upper floors for those unable to take the stairs and no enclosed shelter from mid-winter winds.

Maureen Nicholson launched the (unofficial) 2020 Bowen Island Ferry Refit Community Impact survey last weekend. “I wanted to gather commu-

nity feedback to help ensure we never have the Bowen Queen as a refit vessel again. It’s called advocacy,” wrote Nicholson in an email. “The survey’s been open for less than a day, and more than 150 people have responded. The stories they’re telling of the impact are detailed, compelling, and just plain not fair.”

The survey is at surveymonkey. com/r/2020FerryRefit. It closes at noon March 1.

Should nothing change, Bowen Island’s looking at a 7.6 per cent property tax increase this year. Last year’s increase was 6.7 per cent.

While Bowen Island Municipality’s 2020 draft budget isn’t yet available, islanders can see highlights on the BIM website.

Among the reasons listed on highlights page for the increases are: replacing and repairing infrastructure (including the Miller Road culvert, Honeymoon Creek culvert, several sections of road, the artificial turf and the salt and sand loader), funding for council strategic initiatives and general operating costs (“due to rising costs in insurance, professional fees for services, contractor services, wages, benefits and other factors.”)

The garbage parcel tax will also go up, from $421 to $600 a year, reflecting the new seven-year contract between BIM and Bowen Waste Solutions and Bowen’s unique garbage needs (it needs to be shipped off-island).

BIM also anticipates spending $6.3 million in general capital fund projects in 2020––the new fire hall, new community centre and multi-use path.

For the average house on Bowen, which is assessed at $1.09 million, property taxes will go up $247 for an annual tax of $3,508.

The entire draft budget should be available online in coming days, at which point a more in-depth examination will be possible. This budget hasn’t yet been approved by council.

You’ll no longer need to ask Facebook

Did you know there are 37 non-resident businesses with business licences on Bowen? There are also 39 construction industry business licences. Three developers.

Five cafes. One newspaper.

Bowen businesses are now readily searchable through the municipality’s new online tool: Business Search.

Bowen Island Municipality adopted business licences in January 2019 and since then it’s been developing this tool, which was one of the incentives for the business licence program in the first place Try it out: business.bowenislandmunicipality.ca.

2 • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20. 2020

Event Calendar February 20, 2020 7:00 pm Environment and Climate Action Advisory Committee Meeting

February 24, 2020 6:15 pm Regular Council Meeting All meetings are held in Council Chambers unless otherwise noted.

WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM

Committees seeking members

Seeking Public Comment

These committees of Council are seeking members: •

TUP-02-2020 & DVP-03-2020 464 Melmore Road

•

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Council is considering two permit applications to allow the Island Discovery Learning Community (IDLC) to operate out of a property at 464 Melmore Road (shown on map). These applications are for: • A Temporary Use Permit application to permit the school use as a principal use and assembly use as an accessory use; and • A Development Variance Permit application to reduce the required onsite parking from 32 to 6 spaces, subject to a traffic management plan.

•

Finance Advisory Committee: meets approximately four times a year in the late afternoon Parks, Trails and Greenways Advisory Committee: meets monthly on Tuesday evenings and involves walkabouts Environment and Climate Action Advisory Committee: Meets monthly on Thursday evenings

For more information, and to apply, please go to:

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/committees Please apply by 4 pm, March 3, 2020.

Municipal & Regional District Tax

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

INFO SESSION

Municipal Hall Wednesday, February 26th, 2020 3:00 - 6:00 PM

The Municipality is applying to be part of the Municipal & Regional District Tax (MRDT) program. The MRDT will be applied to sales of short term accommodations on Bowen.

MRDT revenue will go directly to fund tourism and affordable housing initiatives.

Come to the information session to learn more!

Provide your feedback in Bowen’s Housing Need Assessment

With this free RentSmart workshop you will: •

Learn about your rights as a tenant as well as your responsibilities

•

Improve your changes for getting housing and being a successful tenant

•

•

Identify what landlords look for in choosing tenants Learn techniques for communicating with your landlord

Saturday, March 7th, 2020 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Municipal Hall

Space is limited! Book here: bowenrentsmart4.eventbrite.ca/

TIMELINE:

PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING

The applicant is hosting a public meeting at Evergreen Hall, 464 Melmore Road on Saturday February 22nd from 2:00-4:00pm. You are invited to attend to hear from the applicant and provide feedback on the proposal. Municipal staff will be present at the meeting to bring any feedback to Council.

MORE INFORMATION AT MUNICIPAL HALL:

The applications 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.

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME:

Written submissions on these applications 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:

Take the survey: www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/housing

New Business Licence Directory Bowen Island Municipality has developed an online directory tool called Business Search for all licensed businesses on Bowen.

With Business Search, you can search for businesses by: • Business name • Owner’s name • Business type (e.g. plumber, massage therapist, notary public, etc) • Or get a list of all businesses Try Business Search now!

business.bowenislandmunicipality.ca

6:15 PM on Monday, March 9, 2020 in Council Chambers, Municipal Hall To ensure a fair process, submissions cannot be accepted once the meeting has ended.

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

We have employed consulting firm Urbanics to complete a Housing Need Assessment for our island. As part of that report we want to hear from you about current and emerging housing needs of the island.

The Housing Needs Survey is available online, and takes only 15 minutes to complete. Responses are collected anonymously, and will help inform this report.

If you don’t have a computer, or if you wish to complete the survey in an alternative format, you can get help from staff at Municipal Hall.

Please complete the survey by 4pm, on Wednesday, March 18th, 2020.

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

RentSmart workshop for tenants

Find us on Facebook Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday, excluding statutory holidays February 20, 2020

Bowen Island Municipality

Subscribe to our mailing list bowenislandmunicipality.ca/subscribe

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THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2020 • 3

ISLAND NEWS

Rotary reflectors help locals stay safe BowenVet raises thousands for Aus. animals HILARY BUTLER

KARIS CLAYTON

Rotary Club

Bowen Veterinary Services

Winter may well be coming to an end in the next while but the mornings and evenings are still dark, foggy and misty. And in summer, many of us are on the roads after dark, returning home from the pub, the beach or friends’ homes.

We are all slavish followers of fashion and our outer gear is generally black, dark green or blue, whether we are children, teens or adults of any age.

How many times have we, the drivers on Bowen, narrowly avoided a dark shape that morphs into a pedestrian almost as we come upon them?

We have no sidewalks on Bowen and in some areas, the narrow path at the side of our main roads is pretty much non-existent. We have very few street lights and we are happy that we live in an environment where we don’t really need them. However, it will take just one serious accident to bring us to our senses.

All of us walk on our roads at some moment of the day, even if it is just to the mail box at the end of the street. We should all have some sort of reflector gear to protect us from an unsuspecting motorist, not just on our jacket zippers but also somewhere on our backs.

For the past year or so, the Rotary Club of Bowen Island and Snug Cove House have been spearheading a project entitled Be Bright at Night on Bowen, thanks to a

Dr. Midge Ritchie, Karis Clayton and the Bowen Vet Services team were heartbroken thinking about how the wildfires in Australia were affecting animals including wildlife, livestock and pets left behind by desperate owners.

Different ideas were discussed but we agreed that a fundraiser that would include the community would be best.

Bowen is so generous in so many ways, and we wanted to give the community a tangible way to help with relief in Australia. This is how the idea of a silent auction came about. Businesses and individuals alike got the opportunity to contribute in their own ways. More than 30 local businesses and entrepreneurs donated goods and services, and the silent auction held over 50 items for people to bid on. The items were posted on Bowen Veterinary Services’ Facebook page for bidding a few days ahead of the live silent auction.

This gave the online community a chance to bid on the items, as well as those who

PHOTO COURTESY OF HILARY BUTLER

The Redekopp children model the reflectors. grant from Knick Knack Nook. After some negotiation, we have received a bundle of reflectors (with our logos printed on them) that we are distributing to the local schools, to pedestrians on the ferries, to residents of Bowen Court, to bus travellers and in fact to anyone else who would like one.

We are asking people to put them on to their jackets or backpacks as soon as they receive one as otherwise they may end up in the garbage.

In this photo of the Redekopp family, you can see that the reflectors can easily be attached to the back collar of a jacket as well as a backpack. Backs are as important as fronts!

There will be a jar of reflectors available in the Undercurrent office for the next few weeks. Come and pick one up.

Keep an eye out for odd bat activity BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor

Islanders out on their ever better lit evening strolls are being asked to keep an eye out for bats. Dead bats.

The BC Community Bat Program sent out a press release last week asking for public help monitoring local bat populations for the fatal fungal bat disease, white-nose syndrome (WNS). Millions of bats in Eastern North America have died and the disease is spreading West. WNS doesn’t affect humans.

While B.C. doesn’t have any cases, WNS has been confirmed in Washington State.

“To monitor the spread of the disease, we need more eyes on the ground. Outdoor enthusiasts and homeowners with roosts on their property may be the first to find evidence of trouble,” said Mandy Kellner, provincial coordinator of the program in the press release.

Disease signs include unusual winter bat activity and dead bats. Though bats are usually in hibernation this time of year, winter bat sightings don’t necessarily mean WNS. Bats do wake up to drink or eat on warm winter days or evenings. The press release says to let the program know when and where you see winter bat activity. Bowen has many bat roosts and sightings. Bats hibernating in a woodpile or basement entryway (as they do) should be left alone and a photo snapped for the BC Community Bat Program.

From now until May 31, if you spot a dead bat, report it to the BC Community Bat Program (www.bcbats.ca, vancouver@ bcbats.ca, or 1-855-922-2287 ext 11) as soon as possible for further information.

Never touch a dead bat with your bare hands and if you or your pet do touch a dead bat, look for more information about rabies risk, says the press release.

Bowen Island Conservancy

physically came to the event held on Saturday, February 1.

BVS was also collecting cash donations if people chose to contribute directly to the cause without bidding on items.

Through the cash donations and silent auction, Bowen raised over $6,000 for the Brad Pattison Animal Rescue.

Brad and his team of British Columbians have been in Australia since January 19.

“The animals will be very grateful. I will admit that some days have been emotionally crushing. And other days have moments filled with unspeakable gratitude,” said Brad Pattison. “Please extend a very big thank you to all who have donated.” On the day of the silent auction, Brad and his team reunited a mom koala with her cub.

Upon physical examination, the veterinarian found that the mom is pregnant. Please visit the Brad Pattison Facebook page for more details on their work.

The team at Bowen Veterinary Services is extremely grateful that our community came behind us in such a big way, and that we have been able to make a difference to so many animals. Thank you Bowen Island!

Here are Bowen Island’s February RCMP statistics CPL. ADAM KOEHLE

Bowen Island RCMP

The Bowen Island RCMP responded to 46 calls for service in January of 2020 • 1 of those files was a roadblock • 4 of those files were roadside driving prohibitions • 4 of those files were minor collisions with no injuries • 3 of those files were fraud reports • 4 of those files were incomplete or pocket dial 911 calls There have been several reports of phone or online scams, predominantly targeting older residents. Police would like to remind people that the Canada Revenue Agency, the Canada Border Services Agency, Service

Canada, or any other Government organization, would not contact them by phone and demand payment in any form. None of those organizations would advise a person by phone of a warrant for their arrest or suspicious activity associated to their social insurance number. Please do not send money to anyone in the form of a bank draft, bit coin, gift cards or iTunes cards, unless you are certain of whom you are sending it to and what service you are paying for. Any suspicious or scam phone calls can be reported to the Canadian AntiFraud Centre at 1-800-495-8501. If you’re ever uncertain about a call or email that you received please don`t hesitate to contact the police before you continue to communicate with the caller or sender.

Do you know someone eligible for the Adult Day Program?

The Bowen Island Adult Day Program, a program for eligible seniors and adults with disabilities that offers a range of health, social stimulation and therapeutic recreational programs in a supportive group setting, is now looking for participants.

The program will start in mid-April.

Services also include nursing supervision, assistance with personal care if needed, and respite for caregivers and families. Clients

will be charged $10 a day for supplies, a meal and snacks.

If you know someone who would benefit from this program, they will need to be referred to Vancouver Coastal Health Longterm Care.

To do this, call intake at 604-983-6740. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Mary Ellen De Grace at medegrace@shaw.ca

MEMBERSHIP 2020

BOWEN ISLAND GOLF MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN

February 22nd: The ongoing need for land and marine protection Bowen Island Community School, Room 2 Our 2020 speaker series will continue on February 22nd with a talk by Vicky Husband on “The ongoing necessity of land and marine protection”.

Vicky is a life-long resident of Vancouver Island. Born in Victoria, she is a recipient of the Order of Canada and Order of BC and an honorary doctorate from the University of Victoria for her volunteer conservation work in BC over the last 40 years. She is an internationally renowned forest and marine conservation advocate, acknowledged by the 1988 United Nations Global 500 Award. Vicky is a passionate defender of BC’s natural heritage, in support of parks and proper regional planning and land use.

ADMISSION IS BY DONATION. WE WELCOME EVERYBODY; YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE CONSERVANCY TO JOIN US.

NEW this year COUPLE PACKAGE Free JUNIOR GOLF (under 18) For more info scan here with your phone camera

For more information please contact les@monaghangolf.com

4 • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20. 2020

WWW.BOWENISLANDUNDERCURRENT.COM

VIEWPOINT EDITORIAL

Historical fictions I’m headed to Whitehorse this weekend for the winter festival Rendezvous. The annual party synthesizes Northern stereotypes like only a community festival can.

Think flour packing, chainsaw chuck, snowshoe dancing and beard growing contests. It’s always interesting how much of a local identity rests on romanticised images of a “simpler” era and collective experiences of hardship.

But for me, I find it important in reflecting on these festivals, in reading editions such as this one, as we bring the stories we tell ourselves of our pasts into our futures that we remember history is not apolitical. The stories we tell ourselves affect how we interact with the stories of others. They affect what we feel entitled to.

Read everything critically (which I know Bowen Islanders already do with aplomb.)

On another note, if you’re at an event this weekend, please take pictures (if you so wish) and send them in as I’ll not be around. Email: editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com.

––Bronwyn Beairsto, editor

CORRECTION Last week’s page 1 story “Cape lots stir philanthropic interest” article stated that of the lots Cape on Bowen CEO Candy Ho is looking at conserving, none are waterfront lots. However, half of the 140 acres she’s looking at are waterfont (and the other half backs onto Fairy Fen) but none are the three lots the donor has expressed interest in buying.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

A Bowen waterfront park is more than a dream DEAR EDITOR: Ask almost every islander what they cherish most about living on Bowen and the answer will be the connection to nature. We leave the city behind when the ferry docks and breathe in the fresh air, notice the way our roads are sheltered by the green canopy of trees everywhere. Everyone loves to walk the forest trails, connecting with lakes and streams along the way.

In the summer we search for those designated signs to lead us to the beaches that are scattered around the coastline. But where, on this island in the middle of the Salish Sea, can we walk in a parkland alongside the ocean?

All the other gulf islands have waterfront parks. Saltspring Island has two provincial and several regional and community parks; Gabriola, of similar size to Bowen has four

Happy 97th Birthday Jim Moore.

We love you.

––Sonia , Annie and Sandra

provincial and four regional parks; Galiano three provincial parks. Mayne, Pender and Saturna have protected parks. Even smaller islands of Hornby and Denman each have three provincial parks with oceanfront access for the public.

Well, there is now exciting news to share.

Bowen has an opportunity to have its own 30 acre waterfront park. Three of the remaining unsold waterfront properties at Cape Roger Curtis have been proposed to be set aside as a public park for all to enjoy. An anonymous donor has expressed in interest in buying Lots 20, 21 and 22, for fair market value, and donating them for conservation, protected in perpetuity and available for everybody’s enjoyment. Though the Cape developers say that the lots are not for sale, we hope that involved parties can come to an arrangement

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

that protects this precious piece of paradise. These waterfront lands contain sensitive coastal bluff ecosystems and coastline forests, and they give the community access to the southern outer shore of Bowen Island.

Such a conservation asset would greatly benefit all Bowen Islanders, but also benefit nearby property owners.

Picture yourself wandering down a path through open forest of fir, cedar, arbutus, salal and fern, and coming upon an awesome viewpoint. Great swathes of deepest green moss and groundcover above high bank with ocean surging onto the rocks below. The coastline is incredibly dramatic with panoramic views over to Vancouver and to other gulf islands. It is truly breathtaking, a perfect spot to explore, picnic and watch the sunset.

––Allie Drake

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 FEBRUARY 20, 2020 • 5

OPINION

Romans’divide and conquer tactic is alive and well in corporate colonialism SILVAINE ZIMMERMAN BREAKS DOWN THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HEREDITARY CHIEF AND BAND COUNCILLOR

What is a hereditary chief? Many Canadians see these words and mentally substitute “not democratically elected” for “hereditary” and “dictator” for chief, and then conclude that the traditional governance systems of the surviving First Nations are antiquated and lacking in legitimacy. What few people understand, is that our majority rule form of representation is not necessarily the most democratic type of governance, and it would certainly never occur to most of us, that a hereditary system could be more democratic than an elected band council.

Let’s try a mind game. Substitute the words “funds administrator elected for a two-year term” for band councillor. If a band council signs an agreement with a corporation (such as Canada) and it eventually backfires politically, they lose their seats, and you think: “there’s your checks and balances, that’s democracy in action.” But consider this: whatever corporate contracts were signed during that twoyear term stand, no matter who is elected to replace them for the next term.

Now replace “traditionally educated steward” for “hereditary chief.” Yes, unfortunately, the words hereditary chief do more than confuse this complicated concept; it turns it on its head. While hereditary chiefs may inherit their functions, that is not enough to give them legitimacy. They need to be traditionally trained, that training starts in childhood and ends with the culmination of the equivalent of a university education in how to be responsible for the ecological sustainability and long-term well-being of a community. It is a vocation, a calling, and not a privilege.

If the hereditary chief (or, as I prefer to translate the term, the traditionally trained steward) fell prey to corruption or showed some other form of incompetence (as recently happened with a group of Haida hereditary chiefs who held secret meetings and signed documents with the certain

corporate interests), they will be stripped of their rank, forever. Furthermore, while a traditionally trained steward is fulfilling their functions, the decisions they make are made in consultation with their clan members, and where traditional boundaries overlap, with other clan leaders, as they debate and strategize in trying to reach a community consensus. Reaching a consensus is inherently laborious, and may seem to take longer than a simple majority vote...but it can only happen when everyone has truly been heard. The effect is that whatever decisions are made in the consensus seeking process also last a lot longer than the see-saw pattern inherent in our governance systems, because once a consensus has been reached, everyone has bought into the final decision. This type of decision making used to happen on a daily basis, over dinner; or as often as necessary, when First Nations clans people naturally gathered: while eating their daily meals together in the feast houses. In the olden times, First Nations communities were communal in every way; people ate all their meals together in the long/ big houses of the clans. Because a clan stewards’ role, their responsibility, basically boiled down to this: to fairly and with foresight manage the harvests from their ecosystems.

Clan territories on the West Coast follow natural watershed boundaries, they had to divvy up the birds of the air, the animals of the forest, the fish living in their fresh waters or migrating back from the oceans, in order to ensure there was enough food on the table for everyone in their ‘big house’, not only for today, but in perpetuity.

To hold this responsibility today, to ensure there is food, fresh air and clean water for everyone in perpetuity, means protecting the land, the waters, and even the air from the side effects of big time resource extraction pressures. It means dealing with fracking (toxic gas leaks, poisoned groundwater, earthquakes), pipelines (explosions, fossil fuel leaks) construction crews (man-camps; drugs and alcohol, disrespect for Indigenous cultural values, missing and murdered women), roads (accessibility and overhunting, deforestation), and finally, to beware of the lure of threats and promises made when your people are poverty stricken. Your people, who were schooled to acquiesce in

the most brutal ways imaginable over the past three generations, and who still live with the daily threat of state and random violence (enacted especially against those who stand in the way of the powers that be whenever the more powerful want something you have), are constantly squeezed between a rock and a hard place, and you have to lead them in the wisest way possible; for the long term.

This is what the traditionally trained stewards are facing off against, and these traditional stewardship values are what other First Nations members and their ‘settler’ supporters are standing up to defend. Life itself.

It was the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs who battled the Canadian government in its own courts for decades, finally winning in the Supreme Court with the Delgamuukw Decision, which basically recognizes the roles of traditional peoples on their un-ceded territories while acknowledging that the jurisdiction of the Indian Act (band councils) only applies to the postage stamp reserves dotting the Canadian landscape.

Sadly, nothing is as effective a winning strategy as the tool of divide and conquer; pitching the “elected” band councils against the stewards of traditional values; setting our imposed colonial governance system versus long term stewardship models.

I, for one, stand in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en stewards, not only because it is just and right, but also, because it is in everyone’s long term interest to protect our earths ecosystems. We are all a part of “the environment,” it is not an ephemeral artificial construct, like money in the bank, or an impossible concept, like pushing for perpetual economic growth on our finite planet.

—Silvaine Zimmermann, M.sc.

Silvaine is the creator of documentary films, books and radio programs, university trained in ecology and oceanography, who has dedicated her life to learning about how First Nations achieved sustainability though their governance systems. Her latest work was serving as editor for Dawn Smoke’s “Seeds are for Sharing”, Thoughts of an Ojibway Woman.

Putting my money where my mouth is: rent payments for living on unceded lands I will start paying $200 per year in land tion caused on those same lands.

Such compensation would not only be the right thing rent retroactively to the Squamish, TsleilKeep in mind, that resources taken from to do, it is also the fastest and most effective way to put Waututh, Musqueam and Te’mexw Nations “Resources taken Indigenous unceded territories, and treaty lands Indigenous Nations and their citizens on solid footing. It on whose lands I have resided from the without their consent, has and continues to cre- would provide the most needed funding to establish serfrom Indigenous ate a lot of wealth for people, and businesses in vices and opportunities while protecting Indigenous Rights moment I moved here in 1999.

Why? Canada and multinational corporations. and Title, cultures and traditions independently of colonial Politicians and resource development unceded territories, Since the act of taking without consent is fun- overseers and interference.

This decision should not be left to the Canadian courts. proponents have long tried to sell us the and treaty lands damentally stealing, it is about time that the idea that oil, gas, forestry and mining Canadian state starts adequately compensating This is a choice we must all embrace.

To send that signal, I will put my money where my operations, and lately, projects like the for pain and suffering caused, resources stowithout their TransMountain Pipeline, Coastal gas Link len, and loss of traditional food sources through mouth is. Two hundred dollars a year might not seem like consent, has and destruction of natural areas. Just as this was done a lot, more symbolic, but if we all do this it can be a very and LNG Canada, will help Indigenous peoples. We hear much less about the sysfor Jewish people. Jews as a group were never powerful signal. One that can show Indigenous Nations, continues to create told temic dispossession of Indigenous peoples to move on, yet in Canada, up to this day, and Canadian political leaders that we want Indigenous from their land that has crippled them. a lot of wealth...” Indigenous Nations and their citizens are often Rights and Title recognized and confirmed and Indigenous Nations to prosper.

Under the Indian Act, so-called “Status told just that. This is unacceptable.

The next step for me is to contact the Squamish, TsleilIndians,” became and remain wards of the –Anton van Walraven The Canadian Government can start eradicatstate. And while Canada consistently ranks ing poverty in Indigenous communities tomor- Waututh, Musqueam and Te’mexw Nations, and ask for rin the upper echelons of the UN Human row through paying compensation and giving advice how to do this. I will communicate that to you in an upcoming column soon.

—Anton van Walraven tDevelopment Index, Indigenous people living within its back land––tomorrow! borders do not: they can expect a shorter lifespan than enon-Indigenous Canadians, poor housing, medical care and education.

The systems that created this situation persist today. Can we really trust calls for the “alleviation of poverty” through more resource development? Many of us have come to believe that this is the only way forward.

A recent experience led me to a new way of seeing this problem, and giving legs to a suggestion Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas had made during his lecture ‘WRECKCONciliation: Now what?’ given April 2019 on Bowen.

The idea for land-rent came back to me, when I was asked to help a friend who is applying for Holocaust compensation payments from one of the many compensaLauren Lorraine Andria Kathleen Debra Bowman Chris tion funds set up by the German government for crimes February 23 Kirkey Corrigan Ashdown Irwin Barber committed in the Second World War. I knew little about March 22 & 29 February 16 March 1 March 8 March 15 April 5, May 3 such programs, but was pleased to see that the German Apr 12, 26 May31 Apr 19, May 10 Government continues to pay compensation to the victims May 24 of the Nazi regime up this day. One might compare this program to recent apologies and compensation given to Residential School and Sixties Scoop survivors. However, compensation and what amount would appropriate and 1022 Miller Road, Bowen Island United Church fair, is lacking when it comes to losses suffered due to from February 16th to May 31st — Each Service Begins at 10:30 am resource extraction on Indigenous lands as well as destruc-

SIX VOICES

A FESTIVAL OF HOPE

6 • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20. 2020

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BRINGING THE PAST INTO THE

As an island on the edge of a metropolis, Bowen exists in a constant reckoning between our past and the region’s future. When will the connections to the outside become stronger than our tethers to one another? Has it already happened? And how does familiarity with the island’s history play into these relationships?

More than Friday night dinners: why there’s a Legion on Bowen In 1936, there was no car ferry, no electricity, no home telephones and 31 students were enrolled in the Bowen school.

That year, 16 First World War veterans living on Bowen decided that the island deserved its own Royal Canadian Legion and formed Brach #150. The following year, the Canadian Legion of British Empire Service League awarded a charter to the Ladies Auxiliary.

The Legion’s purpose was to provide a strong voice for First World War and later, the Second World War, veterans. Over the years it expanded to offer more dedicated support to veterans, as well as those serving abroad.

The Ladies Auxiliary raised money for scholarships, the legion building and annex; visited veterans’ hospitals and nursing homes; canvased for the Red Cross and B.C. Cancer Associations. They began the Christmas Hamper and the Family Assistance Fund for families in need. The first lending library on Bowen was established by the Ladies Auxiliary and named for Annie Laurie Wood.

Before the hall was built, Legion meetings were held in a variety of places: often in the homes of members or Union Steamship cottages. The Ladies Aux met in member’s homes, Collin’s Hall and the Annie Laurie Wood Library.

Thirty-two years after the Bowen Island Legion formed, they built Legion Hall on Scarborough Rd. The property was purchased in 1961. Bonds were sold to members to be paid on due date September 1, 1971. Labour was

PHOTO #1770 BOWEN ISLAND MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES

People dancing at the New Year’s Eve Party, 1975 at the Royal Canadian Legion.

supplied by members with a core team of Charlie MacNeill, Munro Davies, Gordie Rowlands and Norrie Simpson who mixed the cement. When financial restrictions arose some members personally donated money for the purchase of lumber. The completion of the hall took years of volunteer labour. The main beam for the roof construction was milled on Bowen and donated by Walter Weismiller. Leslie Wallwork was appointed branch 150’s Chaplin and in February 1968, the hall opened. The Legion, as with most organisations in the early years, was run by volunteers.

By 1972 they needed to expand the Legion Hall. The expansion, costing $2,885. It was completed in six months and named the “Rouche Room” in honour Comrade J.F. Rouche.

Before the Legion Hall opened, social events were held at Evergreen Hall, the hotel, the Lower Dance Hall, or performing with members’ homes.

Brazil’s Farofa The new hall provided a place to Sunday, February 23, 2020 hold regular social events. Many of Doors: 7 pm; Concert: 7:30 pm the oral histories Cove Commons at the archives tell how the commuTickets: $38 adults; nity’s social life $35 seniors & students; was connected to $33 Hearth members the Legion. $45 Door In a 2005 oral history, Peter Schmidt recalled “Peter and Tickets Available online: Eilieen” hauling all https://kaymeek.com/events/ the music equipcaro-pierotto-the-hearth ment needed for the Saturday night dances over to a cabin before the “Vocalist Caro Pierotto hall was built. smoulders with smoking “Every weekend they came hot rhythms and sensuous over on a Sannie melodies from the musical boat lugging heritage of her homeland...” records, groceries and children,” said Schmidt. “For about 18 years, CO-PRESENTED BY beginning in 1965, Peter acted KAY MEEK ARTS CENTRE AND THE HEARTH as disk jockey for www.thehearth.ca dances on Bowen

It’s BC History Week so we partnered with B.I. Museum and Archives to address this year’s theme: bringing the past into the future.

CARO PIEROTTO

PHOTO #5002 BOWEN ISLAND MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES

The Royal Candian Legion Branch 150 with members of Bowen Island Seniors Branch 133 presenting a cheque for $600 to Legion chairman, Buster Roueche for renovation of the Legion kitchen in 1989.

Island, both at the Legion and at Evergreen Hall, and Eileen was his helper.”

Rene Bird remembered the Ladies Auxiliary. “The ladies spent the whole year knitting and sewing for the Spring and Christmas bazaars. They used to make about $500 at the Christmas Bazaar and a bit less at the spring event.”

“Charlie and Dolores were very active in the Bowen Island Legion,” recalled Delores Wallace. “Charlie had been in the Air Force in 1944. They used to barbecue hamburgers or steaks, sometimes outside so the children could attend. Charlie got the steaks from Windsor Meats in town and ‘did them up’ on Saturday nights, sometimes before a dance.

“Dolores was always busy in the kitchen for the Legion dinners. Somebody had to peel those 25 pounds of potatoes and turnips for Robbie Burns nights!”

Today, the Legion continues to improve the lives of veterans, including serving Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP, and their families.

“As one of Bowen’s oldest

institutions, the Legion acts as a community hub for local residents to meet, gather, and celebrate,” says current Bowen Island Legion president Yvonne McSkimming. “Whether it is to celebrate a wedding or raise money for the many non-profit charitable organizations on the island, the Legion acts as the community connector allowing residents to meet a number of diverse needs.”

She says that the organization receives little to no financial support from regional or national bodies so islanders can support the legion by joining the membership or becoming a board member.

“As we move forward, the legion has been broadening its reach to include more young people and families to help increase awareness and ignite interest in joining,” she says.

“The board has also been exploring options such as housing for elder residents etc., to remain feasible.

“We want the Legion to remain as it has for the past 90 years the pillar of community connection on Bowen Island.”

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THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2020 • 7

FUTURE: HERITAGE WEEK 2020 What makes a heritage site?

JUDI GEDYE

Bowen Island Municipal Heritage Commission

Have you noticed the heritage plaque near the door of the Old General Store (now Bowen’s library)? The plaque acknowledges that the building has stories that go back to when it was first built in 1924 and that it’s an important island landmark. Similarly, a sign on the Higgins Cottage relates the importance of logging in Bowen’s early days, and signs in Davies Heritage Orchard tell the story of the Union Steamships Company.

The Bowen Island Municipal Heritage Commission (BIMHC), volunteers appointed by our municipal government, are proposing a heritage register to identify, support, and celebrate our island heritage. Since its inception in 2015, BIMHC has been compiling an inventory of buildings, structures and landmarks, landscapes and places, trees and other natural features, First Nations and archeological sites, places associated with events, people, or community values, or other items that might have importance to the community. With residents’ input, BIMHC wants to build a comprehensive list of important sites and places across the island.

Not all places in an inventory become part of a formal register adopted by council. For a register, the community needs to carefully choose and agree that some places deserve special heritage recognition. Inclusion on a register enables a range of tools and supports for heritage: programme funding, help from other heritage organizations, possible financial incentives for maintenance and restoration and potential relaxations of municipal zoning, planning and other bylaws.

BIMHC is currently proposing a short list of 10 popular public places for inclusion in the Island’s first Heritage Register: 1) the Old General Store (library), 2) the Boulevard Cottage (tourist information centre), 3) the Lagoon Causeway, 4) Seaside Cottage #1 (Metro Parks office), 5) Davies Heritage Orchard and Cottages, 6) Crippen Park Meadow ruins, 7) Lieben/Nielsen House site, 8) the Cenotaph, 9) Higgins Cottage (at Museum and Archives) and 10) Bridal Veil Falls and associated structures (ruins). The draft register, which includes detailed descriptions and statements of historical significance, is online bowenislandmunicipality.ca/heritage. The commission is currently working on the technical descriptions of each site and welcomes your comments and support as this recommendation comes before council.

As part of this year’s Heritage Week, BIMHC reached out to islanders to find out what aspects of our heritage are important to us and to explain the heritage register process. Some of the suggestions or ideas from the public could well be considered for future additions to the register, subject to owner consultation. Places not included in the register can still be inventoried to better understand our community’s history, can be commemorated by signage or guides or possibly included in tours such as People, Plants and Places.

BIM has built an interactive public engagement website with heritage information and a platform to submit suggestions and ideas: bowenislandmunicipality.ca/heritage. The platform is open Feb. 13 to 23. After that, please send suggestions to jpierce@bimbc.ca.

Heritage legislation in B.C. gives municipalities authority to formally designate (protect) heritage sites but our municipal council has no plans to enact bylaws to prevent property owners from demolishing or altering heritage property. Rather, council wishes to identify places that have strong heritage value and to provide information and supports to preserve, adapt and maintain them.

Happy Heritage Week Bowen, from your local heritage commission. We encourage everyone to get out and about and celebrate our rich local history.

PHOTO #1224 BOWEN ISLAND MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES

BIVFD firemen on the La France fire engine in 1963.

PHOTO #1228 BOWEN ISLAND MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES

Left to right –– Mike Buchanan, Bert Davies, Munro Davies, and Mike Weaver in the 1960s or 70s.

The evolving firefighting service Today it’s a hardy team of nearly 30 PHOTO #7688 BOWEN ISLAND MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES islanders, mostly volunteers, who respond Bowen Festival 1979.

BIVFD and ambulance attendant. Left to right to any threatening flames and many medical calls on-island. But what did firefight- Ernie Gaudet (Vancouver Ambulance attendant), Ray Simms (Bowen Island / Vancouver Ambulance), Lloyd Harding (Bowen Fire department ing on Bowen look like in years gone by?

Well, in early days, firefighters were far / Ambulance) Sandy Ross (Assistant Fire Chief/ ambulance), Lawrie Lock and few between on-island. The Vancouver (Bowen ambulance/fire department) and Scott (Fire department).

Sun reported in 1944 that 25 soldiers travthe Legion library. Keys were at the gas station, store elled to Bowen Island to douse a bush fire.

“In the absence of fire fighters and equipment and cafe. But that year, the Davies family donated on Bowen, fire fighters and soldiers were sent from land for a two-bay fire hall. As of 1995, the two dollar Vancouver, usually not arriving until the following bills Monroe and Dorothy Davies charged for the land hung in the upstairs meeting room. The department day,” read the story.

But the island did develop a firefighting culture. The also got a new pumper in 1969.

In 1977, the fire hall got two more bays and a secearly volunteer firefighters on Bowen responded to ond storey. emergency calls in their own vehicles.

In the 1970s, the emergency number for fire and In the early 1950’s, a portable pump pulled by a pickup truck owned by the Union Steamship Company ambulance was 947–9555. This was a 24-hour monitored phone line that connected to five phones that Resort was the island’s source of fire protection.

In 1957, the same year the island’s school burned that rang simultaneously.

By 1995, the 24-person Bowen Island Volunteer Fire down, the City of Vancouver donated a 1928 LaFrance fire engine. The truck was too big to navigate the tight Department was an entrenched part of the island. “It’s turns on narrow lanes so islanders cut a chunk out of important but the community support these firemen the middle of the truck and rejoined the ends. With a in the island businesses” fire chief Alan Still was quotfresh lick of paint, the firetruck was ready for service. ed in the Almanac, “because these men are able to It was affectionately known as “Little Red.” Bowen work on island and they are constantly accessible for Island’s first Fire Hall was the unused wood shed for the many department related necessities. And those duties range a gamut far wider than many know.” the school (now the site of Bowen Court).

Firefighters today can be called to everything from Through a referendum, islanders decided to form the Bowen Island Fire Protection District in 1968-69. a heart attack, to a fallen senior citizen to a house fire.

In 2011 a satellite hall was built on Adams Rd. and in It was to provide a coordinated method of fire damage protection for all of the island and general assistance 2017, the community overwhelmingly voted to fund a new fire hall. Municipal records show that the Grafton in care of accidents.

Before the fire hall was built in 1969, the first aid kit, Rd. legacy hall can no longer handle the island’s needs basket stretcher and wheelchair were always ready at and plans are in place for a new hall on Miller Rd.

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO DISPOSE OF LAND The Municipal Council of Bowen Island Municipality hereby gives notice pursuant to Section 26 of the Community Charter of its intention to dispose of lands that are not being made available to the public for acquisition.

THE LAND “Bowen Island Gas Station” BLOCK 1 DISTRICT LOT 491 GROUP 1 NEW WESTMINSTER DISTRICT PLAN 12372 EXCEPT PLAN BCP 39511 PID 008-899-363 The Municipality intends to lease the land to Bowen Fuels Inc. for an annual lease rate as follows: • Years 1 – 5 $5,000/year • Years 6 – 10 $7,000/year • Two options to renew for a 5-year term, rates to be mutually agreed upon.

A copy of the agreement to dispose (lease) of this land may be inspected at Municipal Hall, 981 Artisan Lane, Bowen Island. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, closed on statutory holidays.

Questions? Please contact Hope Dallas, Corporate Officer at 604-947-4255 or hdallas@bimbc.ca .

8 • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20. 2020

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HERITAGE WEEK 2020 PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH HAXBY

Shadow puppets reanimate Bowen Island’s past

Bowen Island Community School students learning about what’s involved in being an archivist or a curator. Monica Notaro, in yellow, is the museum’s curator.

ELIZABETH NANKIN

Bowen Fables

A uniquely Bowen experience and collection of shadow puppet short films have landed at the museum and archives.

In a series of workshops over the past six months, residents and students have honed the craft of shadow puppetry under the tutelage of visual artists, filmmakers and creators, Liz Nankin and Daniella Sorrentino.

The result is a series of short films that dives into historical events and everyday stories––everything from the wonderful to the eerie.

A curated selection of photos provided by Cathy Bayly from the museum and archives collection give new life to archival photos as they are visual backgrounds to hand-made shadow puppets telling tales of Bowen fables and lore by participants eight to 100 years old.

Bowen and the world can access online and through the Museum and Archives, the story of “Cowboy Jack and the Wild Horse Round Up” incorporating the actual historic Dorman merry-go-round with the Wild Mustangs of Bowen; “The Amazing Adventures of the Bowen

Ignighting youthful interest in island history SARAH HAXBY

Community School Coordinator

How can you invigorate youth interest in local history? How can you stoke student excitement for learning more about where they live?

Take them to the museum and archives, show them some artifacts and let them start asking questions.

The youth archivist and curator program for Bowen Island Community School students was created over a decade to help youth feel connected to the island’s history.

Youth curators and archivists learn about BC Heritage Week (this year’s theme is bringing the past into the future) and choose topics to investigate that interest them personally. Following an inquiry-based model, students develop research skills through experiential learning

that includes going on field trips as well as looking at historic places, photos and artifacts.

Working with the museum and archive staff and volunteers, the youth curators research and create a by-youth, for-youth exhibit in the BICS upper foyer that explores, shares and celebrates our local heritage during BC Heritage Week, Feb 17 to 23, 2020.

Some of the questions that the youth curators have been researching are: Bowen in the ’20s, the volunteer fire department, ghost stories of Bowen Island, an old penny collection, Bowfest money, the geology of Bowen and more.

The youth curators display in the BICS upper foyer will be open to the public starting Feb. 20.

Special thank you to the Bowen Museum and Archives and the Bowen Heritage Preservation Association for their ongoing support of this program connecting youth to local history.

Island Post Mistresses”, the story of the two women from 1890 to the 1970s who dedicated their lives to exceptional postal service and keeping Bowen residents connected; “The Mostly True Story of the Bowen Island Fire Truck,” sharing the tradition of Bowen courage and skills in the act of rescue; “BlackOut: A Bowen Ghost Story,” a story exploring the unexplained call from a being beyond…; “The Mermaid of Onion Island,” a quirky tale that takes place during a Bowen fishing derby; plus a series of originally written stories created by Island Pacific School students themselves.

Come and celebrate these fabulous celebrations of island culture at the first public showing––a free community screening on March 7 at 7 p.m. at the library annex.

This project owes thanks to the dedication and fruits of the imaginations of Bowen residents, Island Pacific School students; the partnership Bowen Fables and the Bowen Island Museum and Archives; funding through a Bowen Island Municipal Arts Grant; and, generous art supply donation by Opus Arts Supplies and community members at large.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

What Bowen fable is this scene retelling?

Find out March 7 at the library annex.

Youth archivists and curators introduceTotally Bowen!

A new archive and museum program has sprung. Coming this spring, the exhibits of the BICS student archivists and curators will be on display at the Museum, thus launching ‘Totally Bowen!’

Totally Bowen! is a new program inviting the Bowen community to collaborate with the archivist and curator in creating mini exhibits within the museum. Do you have a collection or a fantastic item that you want to share with

Bowen? For example, a BICS student came up a with a great idea to display the long lost Canadian Penny, (has anyone seen one lately?!?) We have already a small collection from a pilot consisting of miniature bottles of alcohol from around the world getting ready to meet our own vintage Bowen bottle collection!

So do you have photographs? Postcards?

Posters? Art collection? Tchotchkes?

Let’s makes this Totally Bowen!

Connect with the archivist, Cathy Bayly at bihistorians@gmail.com and curator, Monica Notaro at bicurator@gmail.com.

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 Service and Sunday School 10:30 am Collins Hall Bookings: Helen Wallwork Minister of Music: Lynn Williams

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

Leave Snug Cove

MONICA NOTARO

B.I. Museum curator

* 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 FEBRUARY 20, 2020 • 9

BOWEN BEAT

Night at the movies Scenes from the Bowen Island Film Festival on Feb. 14 at the Bowen Island Community School gym: The evening featured films from local youth filmmakers and from filmmakers youthful at heart. Topics ranged from coral conservation efforts to mountain biking to diving to carving to reducing plastic consumption.

Filmmakers included Molly Cole, Duncan Glave, Hannah Florendo & Joley Durrand, Emmett Sparling, Tristan Deggan, Bob Turner and Stanislava Oben.

PHOTOS BY BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Leo and Ambrosia Chan

Eat Drink Paint at the Gallery @ Cove Commons a couple of weekends ago saw islanders painting Emily Carr’s The Red Cedar under the expert tutelage of Kathleen Ainscough.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KATHLEEN AINSCOUGH

Hannah Florendo’s shadow puppet film “Queen of the Southern Seas” premiered. She’s pictured here with her mother Micaele.

Ellie with Nicole Thomas Zyczynski

Louise Richardson

your community

on Bowen Island

10 • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20. 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

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Further, the publishers do not accept liability for any loss of damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of an advertisement beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by the portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred. Any corrections of changes will be made in the next available issue. The Bowen Island Undercurrent will be responsible for only one incorrect insertion with liability limited to that portion of the advertisement affected by the error. Request for adjustments or corrections on charges must be made within 30 days of the ad’s expiration.

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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 Family Dentist

HOLISTIC COUNSELLING Brooke Evans, MSW, RSW 604-781-3987

brooke@becounselling.ca becounselling.ca

SPROTTSHAW.COM

SUDOKU

BC WIDE CLASSIFIEDS FOR SALE - MISC

PRACTICAL NURSING

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

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

NexGen Hearing

BOWEN ISLAND WELLNESS CENTRE 604-947-9755

778-891-0370

Naturopathic Doctor

Courtney Morris, R.Ac

MARY MCDONAGH

604-338-5001

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Registered Acupuncturist, Homeopath, Doula

RMT, DCH Registered Massage Therapist

Mary Coleman, MSW, RSW

SANDY LOGAN

Julie Hughes, RPC

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Registered Physiotherapist

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HEIDI MATHER

Registered Acupuncturist Registered Nutritionist Book online bowenislandwellnesscentre.ca

INHABIT SOMATIC CENTRE

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RMT

www.bowenislanddental.com

Online Booking: www.birchwellness.com

Dr. Traditional Chinese Medicine/Acupuncturist

Alternate Fridays 10am - 4:30pm

On Bowen Island @ Caring Circle West Vancouver

Located in Artisan Square

CATHERINE SHAW

Massage Therapy Matthew van der Giessen

Horseshoe Bay 604-921-8522

@ Artisan Square

Dr. Alea Bell, ND

604-281-3691

Hearing Testing

604-947-9755 EXT #1

At entrance to Artisan Square Suite #597

Artisan Square 604-947-0734

Call us at

BOWEN ISLAND

MASSAGE THERAPY

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

Breathe Move Touch

Compassion minded counselling

778-233-4425 Counselling

778-858-2669

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

Celebrating 29 years Community Healthcare

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 Dr. Carolyn Nesbitt PhD, R.Psych #1484

604-376-9801 www.CarolynNesbitt.com

Lifelabs

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.

located at Bowen Island Integrated Health #101-495 Bowen Island Trunk Road

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C A L E N D A R

THURSDAY FEB 20

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

FRIDAY FEB 21

Storytime Storytime at the Library!

10:30 am on Fridays, join this free program for 2- to 4-year-olds and caregivers.

Hamlet Cates Hill Chapel 7:15 pm Tix. $25 at the Pharmacy

SATURDAY FEB. 22

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

Bowen Island Pub Advance tix $20 at eventbrite.ca Knowing Our Place Book Club Bowen Island Library 11 am - 12:30 pm Join us on February 22 and March 14 when we discuss Memory Serves, by Lee Maracle.

Always open to new members.

Bowen Children’s Centre Open House Children’s Centre 10 - noon Tour the centre, meet the educators, and register

for 2020-21 For more information email info@ bowenchildrenscentre.ca or visit bowenchildrenscentre. ca

BICS Rm. 2 1 pm Vicky Husband, “an internationally renowned forest and marine conservation advocate gives a talk. Hosted by By donation. Everyone welcome.

Hamlet Cates Hill Chapel 7:15 pm Bard on the Rock presents the story of everyone’s favourite prince of Denmark. Tix. $25 at the Pharmacy

SUNDAY FEB 23

Caro Pierotto: Brazilian Vocalist Cove Commons 7:30 pm “Vocalist Caro Pierotto smoulders with smoking hot rhythms and sensuous melodies Tickets at kaymeek.com/events/caro-

B.I. Conservancy talk: “The ongoing necessity of land and marine protection”

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2020 • 11 pierotto-the-hearth Men on the Rock House Concert “Men On the Rock winter house concert. A special evening of diverse works from Tom Waits to Robbie Burns. 7:30pm.

Limited seating, reserve early. Tix $20 at Cate’s Pharmacy or phone Nicole at 778 926-4286.

MONDAY FEB. 24

Garden Club: Waterwise with Amanda Jarrett Legion Hall 1 pm Garden Club members free. Guests

$3. A membership is only $15 until end of Feb.

TUESDAY FEB. 25

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

BOWEN HOME SERVICES love the life you live NEW CONSTRUCTION

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SUB CONTRACT WORK

BUILT GREEN BC BUILDER CONTACT US FOR A FREE QUOTATION WWW.WHITEHART.CA ADDRESS 302-566 ARTISAN LANE BOWEN ISLAND, BC PHONE 1 (778) 999-3434

Accounting Bookkeeping Taxation Virtual CPA

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

BOWEN ISLAND SPECIALISTS! QUALITY SERVICE GUARANTEED!

AQUA TERRA EAVESTROUGHS A BOWEN ISLAND FAMILY COMPANY

Landscape Lighting Irrigation

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A ‘perfect book for writers’: Jude Neale publishes her eighth book of poetry BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor

Each poem in Jude Neale’s latest book—her eighth—was written in a matter of hours.

Impromptu came out of an International Poetry Month challenge to respond to a daily writing prompt.

Every morning last April, Jude would get up at 5 a.m., eager to rise to that day’s challenge.

“It was like unwrapping a Christmas present. I never knew it was going to be.”

One day it could be surrealism, the next an elegy, or a Shakespearian sonnet. By the end of April, Jude had 30 poems.

But she liked the challenge so much that she asked for 17 more prompts.

“And I sent them off to my publisher and he said ‘what a great book!’” Explained Jude.

One of Jude’s favourite prompts was to use two lines of a Shakespearean sonnet and create a whole new poem.

“That thou among the wastes of time must go,/Then of thy beauty do I question make, you ask me once again” (that’s the Shakespeare part) becomes Jude’s own reckoning with aging. “I am but a thorny rose,/whose blossoms fair and sweet/doth bloom, in the deepest days of this long winter.”

Joni Mitchell’s 1970 classic “Big Yellow Taxi” also makes an appearance in the varied but always per-

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO / UNDERCURRENT PHOTO

Jude Neale writes all her poetry on the phone in her hand, including every word of Improptu. sonal series of poems alongside Psalm 23.

“What makes these poems dif-

ferent is that within a strict structure I was always telling my own story,” Jude wrote in an email after

our conversation. “What condensed for me was love.”“These poems are of light and love,

betrayal and sadness, journey and quest.

“I received a gift each morning with which to explore my own world.”

Jude said that this is her favourite yet book. “It was the most challenging, the most difficult, the most rewarding and I’m very goal-oriented when I write...and I met every goal.

“Everything is autobiographical, almost,” Jude told me. “[It’s] like reading a story of my life.”

Prompt six, “Using “if” write about changing negative to positive,” became “Changes.”

“If I let go of worry I would be filled with the sacred reflection of/ possibilities opening like a flower.”

“I’m pretty devastated about what’s going on with the world right now and feel pretty impotent,” said Jude. “This poem was the perfect way to change that.”

As the book is also essentially a series of writing exercises, Jude describes Impromptu as “a perfect book for writers.”

“Because so often writers say ‘I don’t know what to write about,” said Jude. “And here it is, all provided for you.” She’s even used the book in teaching students at Island Pacific School about poetry.

Impromptu is published by Ekstasis Editions and Jude is holding a book launch 4 p.m. March 8 at Collins Hall.

Come June, Jude will be at Joy Kogawa House for her next project.

Sherpa October 27, 2004 – Feb 4, 2020 Sherpa passed gently and peacefully outside with the snow falling on him, just as his Husky spirit loved.

At almost 15 and a half, he had much to celebrate and be proud of.

Thank you for embracing life with us, for always giving us your whole heart, and for teaching your brother Guinness how to be a good boy. We will miss you more than we can say.

Special thanks to Bowen Vet for caring for our sweet boy.

With much love, Jen, Pete and Guinness

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