Bowen Island Undercurrent November 12 2020

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$1.27 MILLION: BIM receives hefty relief grant from province

Thursday, November 12, 2020 • A1

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 WILD WONDER

VOL. 46 NO. 45

BIUndercurrent

BowUndercurrent www.bowenislandundercurrent.com

Emily van Lidth de Jeude shares her passion for explorative learning PAGE 5

Flipping red

LIBERAL JORDAN STURDY HAS A ROARING COMEBACK WITH THE MAIL-IN BALLOTS BEN BENGTSON

North Shore News

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO / BOWEN ISLAND UNDERCURRENT PHOTO

WE REMEMBER: Usually, more than a thousand people gather for the Bowen Island Remembrance Day ceremony.

This year, the Legion pre-taped the ceremony with fewer than 20 people. After the official ceremony was over, piper Derrick Davidson played on, circling the cenotaph covered in wreaths from islanders who couldn’t attend but remember nonetheless.

See more photos and a link to the Legion’s video at bowenislandundercurrent.com.

West Vancouver-Sea to Sky is poised to stay red after the Greens were initially projected to win the riding following the election last month.

Although it looked like Jeremy Valeriote of the B.C. Green Party would take the riding after election day on Oct. 24, it’s apparent that Liberal incumbent Jordan Sturdy has held on to the seat now that 100 per cent of the vote has been accounted for.

Sturdy won the election by a mere 41 ballots, according to results made available by Elections BC on Saturday. With mail-in ballots accounted for, Sturdy has ended up with 9,216 total votes, or 37.52 per cent of the popular vote, against 9,175 total ballots cast for Valeriote.

By the end of election day last month, polls showed that Valeriote was leading with 7,019 votes and he was projected to win the riding against Sturdy’s 6,415 ballots.

However, that didn’t take into account the high number of mail-in ballots that hadn’t been counted yet.

This year, mail-in votes accounted for about 18 per cent of the 42,786 voters registered in West VancouverSea to Sky, a massive increase from the 2017 election where only 114 ballots were mailed in for the riding.

Elections BC began its ballots count for mail-in votes on Friday, with candidates and voters alike left waiting to find out if those ballots would make a difference to the final tally.

With Sturdy looking like he has squeaked in a victory at the 11th hour, he’ll continue years of Liberal dominance in the riding, which has remained red for the last three decades.

GREAT NEWS! You get a second chance at a Christmas miracle! This home is now available for quick possession, you could still have a home for the holidays! There are only 2 houses left under $900,000 on Bowen. This might be your last, best, opportunity to own a house.

1308 OCEANVIEW ROAD $875,000

SHANA RICHMOND

SHANA@SHANARICHMOND.COM 604.338.3072

CONTINUED ON P. 7

Events November 18, 19, 20 2020 Water System Local Advisory Committee Meetings www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/ water-and-sewer

November 23, 2020 6:15 pm Regular Council Meeting All meetings are online via Zoom and

open to the public, unless noted otherwise.

Help slow the spread of COVID-19:

Stay home if you’re sick

Clean your hands frequently 2 m or 6 feet

Keep a safe physical distance

Wear a mask in spaces where you can’t safely distance

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Committees seeking members Committees are established by Council to provide opportunities for public involvement in municipal matters. Committees are advisory in nature and function within the authority set out in their Terms of Reference or by Establishment Bylaw. When citizen representatives are appointed, they serve in a voluntary capacity and bring local knowledge, expertise and experience to specific areas of municipal concern. Committees support Council in other ways as well - through fostering the spirit of volunteerism in the community, extending the capability of Council and staff to take on additional tasks and inviting community input, commitment and support throughout the process.

Phone: Fax: Email:

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

The Operator must be comfortable working outside under varying weather conditions and hold a valid class 5 driver’s license. Related experience will be considered an asset.

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/jobs

Municipal Water Main Flushing

Request for Volunteer Library Board members Bowen Island Municipality and Bowen Island Public Library are seeking applications from Bowen Island residents interested in joining the Bowen Island Public Library Board. We are seeking applications from members of the public with diverse skills and interests who are committed to the ideals of open and equitable access to information through public library service.

Key duties of the Library Board are: • Setting the strategic direction and goals of the library.

• Determining policy and rules for managing the provision of public library services and for regulating the use of the library facilities and programs by the public.

• Appointing and reviewing performance of the Chief Librarian.

• Preparing an annual operating budget to present to Council.

• Reviewing the annual operating budget and monitoring revenue and expenditures through the year.

• The Board meets 10 times per year on the third Thursday of the month.

Interested individuals are asked to submit a one-page summary of their background, skills and expertise relative to the duties and responsibilities of the position. Please to respond in writing, via email, fax or regular mail, with the requested information by 4:00 pm on Friday, November 27, 2020:

Contact Us

This position will primarily be responsible for the operations and maintenance of the Municipality’s Utility Systems (water and sewer). Additional labour tasks may include roads maintenance and assisting other staff within the Municipality.

Submit your resume by 4:00 pm on Friday, November 13, 2020.

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/committees

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/news/releases/ request-for-volunteer-library-board-members

Bowen Island Municipality seeks a Permanent Full-Time Utility Operator to fill an existing position that has just become vacant.

This position is for 35 hours per week, including Saturday and Sundays, (two days off during weekdays to be determined).

These committees have vacancies for new members: Advisory Design Panel, Advisory Planning Commission, Community Economic Development Committee, Environment and Climate Action Advisory Committee, Finance Advisory Committee, Heritage Commission, Housing Advisory Committee, Human Resources Committee, Parks, Trails and Greenways Advisory Committee, Transportation Advisory Committee, and all the municipal water and sewer system local advisory committees.

Hope Dallas-Kerr, Corporate Officer Bowen Island Municipality 981 Artisan Lane, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2 FAX: 604-947-0193 EMAIL: hdallas@bimbc.ca

We’re hiring: Utility Operator

Flushing of municipal water systems will start Saturday, November 14, 2020 for approximately 6 – 8 weeks. Most areas will be flushed Monday to Friday, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, as crews rotate through each neighbourhood. This procedure is necessary to remove sediment that gradually deposits in pipes, and does not pose a health hazard.

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/water-main-flushing

Apply for or renew your Business License Running a business on Bowen? Now is a good time to apply for or renew your 2021 Business Licence.

Businesses operating on Bowen Island need a business licence. This applies to commercial, home-based, non-profit and contractor businesses. This also applies to off-island businesses that are coming into the community to perform work.

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/licences

Residential Guest Accomodations now permitted Virtual Open House Thursday, November 12, 2020 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Residential Guest Accommodations (RGAs), a type of Short Term Rental, are now permitted to operate on Bowen Island. RGA use allows rental of an entire dwelling for periods of less than 30 consecutive days. What does this mean for you? Join us in a Virtual Open House to learn more about new regulations and about how to apply for your RGA business licence.

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/rga

Find us on Facebook Bowen Island Municipal Hall 981 Artisan Lane Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday to Friday Closed statutory holidays November 12, 2020

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

A2 • Thursday, November 12, 2020

Bowen Island Municipality

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Thursday, November 12, 2020 • A3

ISLAND NEWS

Bowen’s Bonanza: BIM receives $1.27 million for COVID relief BIM TAKING IT SLOW ON DECIDING HOW TO SPEND THE GRANT FUNDS; LOOKING INTO ON-ISLAND TESTING

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com

The ideas are already pouring in as to how Bowen could spend the money.

Bowen Island Municipality got word last week that it would receive a $1.27 million federal-provincial grant for COVID-19 restart and recovery. Bowen’s 2020 general operating budget was $8.6 million.

All municipalities in B.C. are receiving the funding based on a per-capita formula. (The smaller the town, the more money per capita it gets, while still receiving less money than the big cities). “This is because small municipalities often lack a diverse tax base and the economies of scale to easily restart their operations,” explained a letter from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs deputy minister Kaye Krishna to BIM. “It’s a really significant contribution,” said BIM’s chief administrative officer Liam Edwards. “It’s more than double what I thought it was going to be.”

“That’s very welcoming news to us,” he said.

From a financial perspective, BIM has been sheltered from the effects of COVID-19 and hasn’t seen the tumbling revenue of larger municipalities that rely on non-taxation revenue (like the City of Vancouver).

So what will BIM spend the money on? The parameters are loosely laid out in the letter from the province and BIM is seeking more clarity, said Edwards.

Eligible costs include: revenue shortfalls, facility reopening and operating, emergency planning

and response, bylaw enforcement and protective services, computer and electronic technology costs, services for vulnerable persons, and other related costs.

Edwards is advising moving slowly with spending the grant.

“There’s no time constraint on the use of it,” he said, noting as well that this is a one-time grant and the future with COVID-19 is uncertain.

At the Nov. 9 council meeting, councillors largely agreed with Edwards’ approach.

“We’re very much in the midst of COVID and we don’t know how long this is going to last, so precipitous spending because we have what appears to be windfall, at this point, is not a good plan,” said Coun. Maureen Nicholson. “Just staying the course and making good choices along the way is what I’m hoping for.”

BIM’s 2021 budget process is under way and the funds will be factored into that, said Edwards. In the short-term, BIM has had some COVID-related expenditures, such as personal protective equipment and plexiglass panes. Air quality improvement, in terms of air purification, is another expenditure they’re looking into now that 95 per cent of staff are back in the office.

Council voted to send a thankyou letter to the ministry.

Looking into an on-island testing facility

All this being said, BIM did take a possible step toward spending some money. As it doesn’t look as

though Vancouver Coastal Health has plans to set up a testing centre on Bowen, council unanimously passed a resolution for staff to work with Dr. Susanne Schloegl to figure out logistics and funding for such a service. Possible funding sources include the B.I. Community Foundation’s Resiliency Fund and the B.I. Health Centre Foundation.

“Dr. Schloegel is very happy to be involved in this but she just can’t take on the responsibilities or working through all of the details,” said Nicholson, who brought forward the motion.

“This is probably the biggest emergency in our lifetime,” said Coun. Rob Wynen.

“So whether it means looking for funding, or us even looking at within our own emergency services funding to see how we can get this money…I think it deserves a lot more financial attention from the municipality,” he said.

“It seems like the kind of thing to do to help our unique island situation, where people would have

to travel off Island,” said Coun.

Sue Ellen Fast. “I like the idea of self-sufficiency.”

Mayor Gary Ander noted that of all the Gulf Islands, only Salt Spring has a testing facility, echoing that it’s unlikely the higher governments will invest in one on Bowen Island.

Open vs. closed

The matter of open vs. closed council meetings arose once again Monday evening. Coun. Rob Wynen voiced concern that council was proceeding into a closed meeting. What discussions can or must take place in a closed meeting are laid out in provincial legislation (the Community Charter).

Wynen said he didn’t know why one major matter was being put to a closed meeting. “These decisions have major impacts…this one in particular, on future council decisions and financial and tax implications,” he told council. “And there’s no reason they should be in

a closed council meeting.”

Wynen has previously said he was uncomfortable with not being able to discuss the closed council proceedings that saw BIM award a $3.6 million fire hall design and build contract last month.

“That’s your personal opinion,” Ander told Wynen. “And in my opinion, it’s quite indicative of the use of that land and that’s why it’s in the closed.”

Other councillors and staff voiced discomfort with that level of detail being discussed in public. Council resolved to move into a closed meeting, though Wynen said he wouldn’t be attending a closed meeting on this matter.

In its meeting highlights Tuesday, council released this information from the closed meeting: “Council received a recommendation from the Fire Hall Facilities Steering Committee that the whole of the Fire Hall site be held entirely for the Fire Hall and other future emergency related uses.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIAM EDWARDS

Councillors Michael Kaile, Alison Morse, Mayor Gary Ander, Councillors David Hocking, Rob Wynen, Maureen Nicholson and Sue Ellen Fast receive their poppies from David Wrinch (fourth from left).

A4 • Thursday, November 12, 2020

bowenislandundercurrent.com

VIEWPOINTS EDITORIAL

Time to stay home

What a week. Saturday came with a slew of news, from the West Vancouver-Sea to Sky riding flipping Liberal by a margin of just 41 votes (what’s a close vote like Bowen?), to media organizations calling the American election in favour of U.S. president-elect Joe Biden, to most significantly for islanders, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry implementing new health orders. We must follow these orders to a T. “If you are in doubt about whether to travel or whether to see somebody, right now, don’t do it,” Henry said at Monday’s press conference. B.C.’s COVID cases are rising quickly with Premier John Horgan warning that we could see a stage one shut down should we not abide by the social gathering regulations. On Bowen Island, like the rest of the Lower Mainland, this means not socializing with anyone outside our households, indoors or outdoors (though Health Minister Adrian Dix noted that a walk is ok so long it doesn’t end in a group socializing situation).

We pulled together in March and April to protect our families, friends and those we’ve never met. Bowen prides itself on community and today we need the community to step up. We need to call one another just to talk, to organize help for those in need as we did earlier this year, and to stay home.

Bronwyn Beairsto, Editor

Delight in Jude Neale’s poetry

DEAR EDITOR: There is a heavy handful of talented poets on Bowen Island.

I’d like to turn the spotlight on one that is well known for her many other talents as well as her writing. Jude Neale has ten published books to her name. So it is no surprise to many of us that her poetry offers a passionate and very personal perspective on the Jude we think we know as a BICS teacher, singer, actress, community member, wife, parent and friend.

Recently, Jude was featured on a Facebook video reciting two stories and twelve of her poems. Choosing humorous selections from her many creations, it isn’t fair to say she “read them.” It is more accurate to say that “she performed them, or that “she shared them.” Better still is to say “she shared herself in the half hour of telling.” Jude holds nothing back in revealing true stories, fresh from her rich life of experiences about childhood, teen angst, parental search for perfection, fear, surrender and above all, love.

Jude’s talent and passion is broadly cast in all of her stories and poems in this video. She turns pink into magic. A day at a Penticton beach will break your heart with both love and sadness. The Dress may draw you back into years past and recall an experience of being “stripped clean by humility.”

Don’t miss seeing this gift from Jude and share this savoury taste of her passion masterfully formed by her unique and skilled crafts(woman)ship of words.

Jude’s work can be found at facebook.com/jude.neale, League of Canadian Poets, Canada Writes (CBC) Jenny West

EDITORIAL ODDS AND ENDS General Store manager Nancy Lee noted on Facebook: “As the numbers have risen we are asking again for people to plan their trip to the store, please refrain from chatting inside the store, stay six feet apart, wear a mask, only bring your children if you can not find someone to care for them. We are still limiting the customers to six.”

On a different note, thank you all for keeping us on our toes with the ferry schedule redesign. Everything should be shipshape now and the 3:30

p.m. sailing from Horseshoe Bay reinstated (we have double, triple, quadruple checked). Thank you for every email – we really, really appreciate readers (kindly) letting us know of inconsistencies or mistakes anywhere in the paper. With just the two of us here, they’re bound to happen!

It’s the 100th anniversary of the Union Steamship’s relationship with Bowen this year. The 2020 phonebook has a wonderful story from Jody Lorenz and there had been community plans

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. Please limit to under 500 words.

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.

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Bowen Island Undercurrent Subscription Rates: Mailed 1 year subscription on Bowen Island: $55, including GST. Within Canada: $85 including GST Newsstand (Single Copy) $1.50 per copy, including GST

ISSN 7819-5040

for an anniversary celebration but COVID interfered. Not to let the year pass without the newspaper doing something, Hans-Christian Behm and I are working on a Union Steamship 100th anniversary edition for the first week of December. For this edition we would love your stories, memories and photos of the era (or your parents’, grandparents’ or great-grandparents’ stories!) Our deadline is Nov. 30. Email editor@bowenislandundercurrent. com.

Bronwyn Beairsto, Editor

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

SPECIAL THANK-YOU Audrey Grescoe

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.

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, November 12, 2020 • A5

Weekly foray into the wild wonders of Bowen EVERY WEEK, EMILY VAN LIDTH DE JEUDE AND HER SON TALIESIN EXPLORE THE INCREDIBLE ECOSYSTEMS AT OUR DOORSTEPS

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com

Emily van Lidth de Jeude and Taliesin van Lidth de Jeude Roemer are uncovering the magic of Bowen Island, one snail, mushroom and stream at a time.

When the pandemic hit, Emily was in the midst of her spring break Wild Art camps and had wild food tours and wilderness workshops planned. COVID-19 put a stop to it all.

“I felt terrible, cancelling things that people really wanted to do,” said Emily, who is also an explorative learning consultant. “Partly just because I felt bad that I had to tell them it was cancelled but partly because I really run the program with a desire of helping people feel at home in our ecosystem.”

So, like many did in those early days, Emily went virtual and launched a YouTube series of 10 to 20 minute videos: Outdoor Exploration with Emily.

“I just had to do something,” she explained. “I couldn’t…just cancel my entire business and do nothing.”

From the critters of mine adits,

to the depths of her woodshed, once a week Emily trains her voracious curiosity and deep knowledge of the island’s environment on some aspect of Bowen’s outdoors.

“So that at least people who couldn’t do programs could have something to look at and hopefully get themselves out in the wilderness by themselves or with their families,” said Emily.

While Emily is the on-camera personality, her son Taliesin , 18, is the other half of the project, doing all of the camera work and all of the editing.

“Taliesin doesn’t really like to be on the camera, he doesn’t even want his voice to be there,” said Emily. “He feels like his job is to be behind the camera, my job is to be on it.”

“I think it’s an interesting challenge for him,” she said. “And he definitely cares that people learn to love and respect our environment.”

“I feel so blessed that my son actually wants to spend time with me…and I think he appreciates it, too.”

While mother and son will argue

PHOTO TALIESIN VAN LIDTH DE JEUDE ROEMER / YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT

PHOTO TALIESIN VAN LIDTH DE JEUDE ROEMER / YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT

Emily van Lidth de Jeude in the remains of a steam donkey in her Sept. 10 video.

about what will or won’t work on camera, they always get through it. “Because you have to make a video. And actually, it’s been wonderful for our relationship.”

Some weeks they just pick a place to explore (like this week’s trip to a creek that found the scars of a century-old forest fire, a rutting buck and a creek that picks its way through fallen alders and gravel banks). Some weeks there are guests (like mushroom hunter Stephanie Carruthers), other times they go looking for something specific (like the week of the white slug video where they couldn’t find a white slug). Some weeks stick to the garden or chicken coop, other weeks involve traipsing through fields of foxgloves. (How poisonous are they really?)

Having grown up on-island, sometimes Emily is surprised by

what’s common knowledge and what’s not. “I’m never actually sure what the hidden gems are,” she laughed. “Sometimes I think I know something nobody else knows and I go there and then there’s someone else there.”

But then there are places like the dump road. Emily thought just a few people might not know that the pristine Crippen Park path beside Killarney Lake had once led to a dump. But, as it turned out, “Hundreds, at least, of people walk by [the old dump] all the time and never knew it was a dump.”

Seven months and nearly 60 videos in, Emily’s more confident in front of the camera and more confident about admitting she doesn’t know something.

“It’s my life’s passion to help people learn by exploring and teaching our kids, our students by

letting them explore instead of by telling people facts,” she said. “But when you get out there, especially doing something like a wild food walk, where people just want all the information, it becomes a burden almost, to feel like you have to know everything.”

Emily would get stressed when she was unable to find the name of a mushroom or a type of beetle but has accepted that she’s not making polished films set to music à la Bob Turner but a different kind of explorative undertaking. “I don’t know,” comes easier now.

“Philosophically, I understood that that was a good thing for educating people before, but now I think I understand it more personally.”

Find Emily and Taliesin’s videos on YouTube by searching Outdoor Exploration with Emily.

A6 • Thursday, November 12, 2020

bowenislandundercurrent.com

From our gardens to your belly (all for charity) B.I. FOODRESILIENCE SOCIETY IS SELLING SOUP FROM ITS FIRST SEASON OF GROWING AT GRAFTON AGRICULTURAL COMMONS. NOV. 14, 2 P.M. TO 4 P.M. Fund and the Community Foundation’s Helping Hand Fund.

The soup recipes include a combination of kabocha, pumpkin, and butternut squash as well as a broth made from organic vegetables including onions and garlic grown at the Commons.

All ingredients are listed on the labels and the soup was made according to Vancouver Coastal Health’s food safety guidelines in the kitchen at the Legion.

In May 2020, BIFS began working with a cadre of volunteer gardeners to grow food during the pandemic.

“We had lots of goals this year, including teaching people about regenerative agriculture while safely supporting social connection. But mostly, we wanted to grow healthy food to meet our community’s needs,” says Jackie Bradley, a member of BIFS. BIFS gives thanks to local growers and purveyors for donating or discounting additional ingredients like apples and onions (Collinsia Farm, Frances Frost, and the Ruddy Potato).

A special thank you goes to our soup makers: Elaine Cameron, Shasta Martinuk, Rabia Wilcox, Erik Miller, Jackie Bradley, Meribeth Deen and Phil Day. Other supporters of the project include

SUSAN SWIFT

Bowen Island FoodResilience Society

It is hard to resist a cup of warm and tasty squash soup on a cold day. Especially when it was made using organic ingredients grown on Bowen. Islanders will have the chance to buy and enjoy two different squash soups while supporting their neighbours at a drive-through soup sale benefit on Saturday, Nov. 14.

A delicious, curried squash soup and hearty roasted squash and potato soup will be sold for $10 per litre from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Grafton Agricultural Commons across from Grafton Lake.

Both soups were made with vegetables grown by Bowen Island FoodResilience Society (BIFS) volunteers at the Commons.

Two and three-pound bags of ‘Bowen Grown’ potatoes will also be sold at the drive-through event, along with some delicata and kabocha squash, pumpkins, beets, and garlic.

Both soups are vegan and will be sold “freshly frozen.”

Payment by cash, cheques and e-transfers will be accepted. A couple of dozen litres will be set aside for the food bank, while proceeds from the sale of soups and produce will be split between the Christmas Hamper

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PHOTO COURTESY OF BIFS

BIFS member Susan Swift peels and chops apples.

BIFS member Meribeth Deen peels roasted squash for soup to sell this weekend. Two types of squash soup will be sold Saturday to benefit the Helping Hand Fund, Christmas Hamper, and the Food Bank.

The United Church, B.I.Legion, Caring Circle, John Reid, Island Pacific School, IDLC, Belterra Cohousing, and the many volunteers who have worked more than 1,000 hours at the garden this season.

BIFS wants to acknowledge BIFS’ volunteer coordinator Jen Zdril and the following garden volunteers for their many hours of service, your efforts are much appreciated: Ross Bragg, Atom Brooke, Wendy Cellik, Martin Clarke, Harrison Cormier,

Carsten Crolow, Claire Dennis, Candy Ho, Michal Holben, Lisa Holland, Brian Hoover, Hasan Hutchinson, Rachel Klingler, Qurban Naismith, Xiomara and Kira O’Brien, Rob Pineau, Caelan and Jeni Redekopp, Skylar Robertson, Hayden Szetot and Tania Webb.

This weekend’s drive-through soup sale is a tangible outcome of the Resiliency Fund Grant awarded to BIFS by Bowen Island Community Foundation with support from Bowen Island Municipality.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BIFS

Supporter of the ARTS Bowen Island Pub

Is currently looking for 4 Cooks Location: 479 Bowen Island, Trunk Road, Bowen Island, BC, V0N 1G0 Terms of Employment: Permanent, Full-Time, Part-Time, Shift, Weekend, Morning, Day, Night & Evening Salary: $15.00/hour + Benefits Start Date: ASAP Experience: 1 year to less than 2 years Education: No degree, certificate or diploma Please contact for job description How to Apply: In Person or mail: At above location

By Email: bowenpub@gmail.com

Annual General Meeting Virtual The Hearth (Bowen Island Arts Council) Sunday November 29th at 3 pm Review our past year of Arts on Bowen Financial Update Plans for our future Pre-registration required Submit any questions/comments and interest to participate in the AGM: executivedirector@thehearth.ca Links to AGM documents & Zoom invite will be sent via email

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, November 12, 2020 • A7

Judicial recount required CONTINUED FROM P. 1

Under the Election Act, a judicial recount must take place because the final vote between the two candidates is so close. The recount, and the timing of the recount, will be conducted and determined by the B.C. Supreme Court, and may include some or all of the ballots, according to Elections BC. When reached by phone after all the votes in the riding were accounted for Saturday, Sturdy called the result a “pleasant surprise” but wasn’t celebrating just yet.

“There’s 41 votes, come on. It’s flipped once,” said Sturdy. “It’s really too early to be declaring anything, I’d say. There’s clearly going to be a judicial recount. Obviously it’s tightened up as I thought it would.”

Noting the diversity of the riding and what a pleasure it has been to serve the people of West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, Sturdy said he would hope to be able to carry on as MLA following a judicial recount.

“We’re going to count it again and we’ll see where we are at the end of the week,” he said.

Had Valeriote been elected, his seat would have been a first in the Lower Mainland for

SQUAMISH CHIEF FILE PHOTO

Pending recount, it appears that Liberal Jordan Sturdy is returning to Victoria.

the Green Party, and his win would have secured official party status for the provincial Greens.

- with files from Jane Seyd (North Shore News), Steven Chua and Jennifer Thuncher (Squamish Chief )

Fire department October incident and training summary We heard that islanders would like to continue to see the fire department statistics that appear monthly in BIM council agendas. The following are the B.I. Fire Rescue October statistics as they appear on the Nov. 9 agenda: • Allergy/envenomations: 1 • Breathing problems: 1 • Brush fire: 1 • Burning complaint: 1 • Commercial alarms: 1 • Heart problems: 1

• Hydro pole fire: 2 • Large animal rescue: 1 • Lift assist: 2 • Mesa-c: 1 • Mesa-d: 2 • Miscellaneous: 2 • Residential alarms: 2 • Wires down: 2 Total incidents 20 Total incident hours 136 Total training hours 200

Queen of Capilano Ferry Schedule October 13 to May 15 2021 DEPART BOWEN ISLAND DEPART HORSESHOE BAY 5:20 am except Sundays 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 except Wednesdays 5:10 pm 6:15 pm 7:25 pm Mon Wed Th Fri 7:26 pm Tue Sun 8:30 pm 9:30 pm 10:30 pm

5:50 am 6:50 am 8:00 am 9:05 am except Wednesdays 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 except Saturdays 9:00 pm 10:00 pm

Note: Schedules subject to change without notice: Please check BCFERRIES.COM Schedule changes on statutory holidays

Patient of the Week COCA & MAIPYEN This is Coca and Maipyen. These adorable sisters came to us recently for their wellness exams.

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A8 • Thursday, November 12, 2020

bowenislandundercurrent.com

HEARTH BEAT Transitions: From There to Here

Editor’s note: these photos are from a few weeks ago, before the new health orders were put into place.

Oct. 24 saw the opening party for Kristina Girke’s Hearth Gallery show ‘Transitions.’

The following exerpt is from the Hearth newsletter: “The title ‘Transitions’ can be understood in three ways, from the macro to the micro view. In transitions new paths are taken. Change is the essential motor of all development. Transition can further represent the change in Kristina Girke’s artistic work: from an abundance of forms and elements in her European paintings to color field painting with color in its most essential form in her recent work. And thirdly, the typical color transitions in Kristina Girke’s paintings are an important form of expression for the artist and it is worthwhile to take a closer look at them.”

The exhibit runs until Nov. 23 at the Hearth Gallery COURTESY OF INES ORTNER

Above: Alex Whiteside (Salon Calypso), Diane Buchanan (Artist Extraordinare), Ines Ortner (The Real Rapunzel) & Karmyn Dahl (Salon Calypso)

KATHLEEN AINSCOUGH

Above: Though masks make it difficult to tell who is who, left appears to be Eleanor Rosenberg and her son speaking with Kristina Girke.

COURTESY OF KATHLEEN AINSCOUGH

Above left: Kathleen Ainscough and DJ Yeshe (Jamie Woodall).

KATHLEEN AINSCOUGH

Above right: Kirstina Girke & her son.

PHIL KEMP

CHERYL ACKERMAN

A witch in Deep Bay makes good use of the cauldron Peter Ryan made.

CHERYL ACKERMAN

Halloween goes on

CAROLINE PARKER

We didn’t have enough space last week to do justice to Halloween. Here are a few more pictures of one of Bowen’s favourite nights of the year! Thank you for all of the photos!

EMILY MCCULLUM

CHERYL ACKERMAN

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, November 12, 2020 • A9

The skunk, the honeybee and the hole in our staircase THE SOMETIMES RUTHLESS CYCLE OF NATURE PLAYS OUT IN JACQUELINE BELL-IRVING’S BACKYARD

JACQUELINE BELL-IRVING

Contributor

One of the pleasures of living on Bowen is enjoying the creatures that visit our garden. Just recently however a tragic incident occurred.

Over the years we have had all sorts of birds and animals stopping by. Some for a very short visit others for years.

There was the time we had a small herd of deer, a large male and his three lady friends lounging on the grass for a few days because there was a large hole in the garden fence.

Another time there were strange fish heads that kept appearing by the water bucket in the back garden. We eventually discovered that an eagle was either washing his salmon dinner or just leaving us the unwanted fish heads. Then there was the time I bumped into a huge otter running around our garden. I’m not sure who was more frightened. His real aim we believe was our nextdoor neighbour’s fish pond, which has been cleaned out more than once. There was the heron that used to sit either in one of our

front garden trees or on the house roof waiting for the opportunity to again fish in our neighbour’s fish pond. It’s been restocked yet again but now has a protective covering.

For years we have had feral cats living in our home and another living only in the garden. One evening a few years ago, we came home to find a skunk sitting on the front steps along with two of the cats munching down on some of the outdoor cat’s dry food.

They all seem quite happy to share and be together; we have never had any spraying by the skunk. He returns every year as he’s found a nice dry space to call his own in our garden. Unfortunately, he is, we believe the culprit that has caused havoc in the front garden. All summer we have enjoyed watching a colony of honeybees. They found a home under some old dilapidated wooden stairs in the front garden. Watching them flit from flower to flower and fly back to their little home was fascinating. They loved the lavender, clematis and roses and worked hard all day long gathering nectar.

Recently, we were having an Autumn clean-up and passed by the old wooden stairs to find a huge hole in place of the

Bowen businesses going virtual With the weekend’s new indoor group exercise restrictions in place, Bowen businesses are adapting. Kelly Konno Studios and the Well have gone online, while Bowen Island Community Recreation has cancelled its indoor and afterschool programming. The Outdoor Meditation Circle cancelled its gatherings while the orders are in place.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACQUELINE BELL-IRVING

Honeybees made their home behind a wooden staircase in Jacqueline Bell-Irving’s yard this year, until a striped marauder nosed his way in.

tiny one that the bees used as their front door. There on the ground were the remnants of the little honeycombs that had been devoured, we are assuming, by the skunk!

We don’t know much about bees except that they love the white flowers on our holly tree in spring and we have often stood underneath it over the years listening to their wonderful cacophony as they buzz

Other Bowen businesses are adapting to what’s sure to be a different Christmas season. Catching Stars Gallery launched its e-commerce site: catchingstarsgallery.com/ shop.

“Just last May when we were in lockdown, we were contacted by a customer on Vancouver Island who wanted to send a gift to her Bowen Island mother and we were thrilled to give her a virtual tour, gift wrap and hand deliver the spe-

from flower to flower for days. We have always had little honeybees in our garden but this year they stayed, made a home and gave us even more pleasure. We are saddened at the destruction but are not sure what we could have done to prevent the outcome. We are just hoping we will have more honeybees returning to our garden next spring.

cially chosen item to her for Mother’s Day,” said store owners in a press release. “The recipient was so touched and this simple pleasure that made her day is what sparked our idea of having an online store during these difficult times.”

The purchase sparked the idea of an online store and with Lower Mainland residents being told to par back their interactions, now was the perfect time to launch. The physical store remains open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Places of Worship Welcome You BOWEN ISLAND UNITED CHURCH Now offering a youtube channel of reflections and hymn/songs with Reverend Lorraine Ashdown and Lynn Williams. youtubewatch?v=tejV7Y6jo

FOOD BANK DROP-OFF

ST. GERARD’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Sunday Mass at 9.30 (limited seating due to Covid 19)

Contact Angela Powell 604-947-2515

CATES HILL CHAPEL

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

now offering worship services via Zoom. a link available on website.

Pastor: Phil adkins

A10 • Thursday, November 12, 2020

bowenislandundercurrent.com

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All advertising published in this newspaper is accepted on the premise that the merchandise and services offered are accurately described and willingly sold to buyers at the advertised prices. Advertisers are aware of these conditions. Advertising that does not conform to these standards or that is deceptive or misleading, is never knowingly accepted. If any reader encounters non-compliance with these standards we ask that you inform the Publisher of this newspaper and The Advertising Standards Council of B.C. OMISSION AND ERROR: The publishers do not guarantee the insertion of a particular advertisement on a specified date, or at all, although every effort will be made to meet the wishes of the advertisers.

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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bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, November 12, 2020 • A11

Community groups plant 500 daffodils in memory of passed friends BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor

In the long, likely sunless, months ahead, islanders can look forward to a ray of 500 daffodils streaming toward the Knick Knack Nook next spring.

The daffodils and a new memorial garden at the nook are in honour of several volunteers dedicated to local reuse-it store who have died in recent years. Islanders like Bowen fashion icon Angie McCulloch, the so-called “queen of the nook,” who died last year.

“We’ve lost so many people,” said nook volunteer and garden organizer Katherine Lawrence. “We felt that we should not forget

them and this was a reminder.”

The nook dug in for about 30 deer-resistant plants and 100 daffodils and the Bowen Island Garden Club and Bowen Island Memorial Garden Society are each contributing about 200 daffodils.

“Many volunteers have helped to shovel dirt, haul stones, dig holes to kick in plants, and spread mulch to overwinter the new plantings. The latter will provide protection against soil erosion and frost damage,” said Lawrence in an email. “Once again a Nook project has become a community project with generous contributions from a lot of people.”

And it’s not just islanders contributing.

When the nook volunteers visited Linnea

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHERINE LAWRENCE

Daffodils like these will be waiting to emerge come spring.

Nurseries to purchase the plants, touched As the days turn dark and cold, islanders by the initiative, the nursery gave them a dis- can imagine the rooting daffodil bulbs waitcount on the commemorative plants. ing to spring alive in a few months’ time.

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A12 • Thursday, November 12, 2020

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Premier warns of return to phase 1 if pandemic scofflaws don’t ‘get with the program’ NELSON BENNETT

Business in Vancouver

B.C. faces the prospect of another lockdown if British Columbians who flout guidelines for social gatherings don’t “get with the program,” Premier John Horgan warned Monday.

The daily case numbers and hospitalizations are approaching alarming levels in B.C. As Tueday, there were 142 people in hospital and 46 in intensive care.

In a Saturday update, provincial health officer Bonnie Henry announced 567 new cases of COVID19 in one day, since Friday.

On Monday, she announced another 998 new cases and five deaths since Saturday.

Tuesday, there were 525 new cases in the past 24 hours and three deaths.

The spike in new cases and hospitalizations has prompted Henry to announce new targeted restrictions, some of which the public has found confusing.

In one week, new restrictions on private gatherings in B.C. have gone from immediate family and a “safe six” to immediate family only.

That means that even wedding and funeral receptions are “not allowed right now.”

She suggested anyone planning to get married in

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the next few weeks should postpone their receptions.

Group fitness classes, like yoga and spin classes, have been ordered closed, though gyms and fitness centres are still allowed to operate.

Henry said that the safety protocols that were in place for group fitness classes have proven inadequate. “We thought we had adequate protocols in place,” Henry said, adding: “This is not a reflection of those businesses. It is a reflection that we are continuing to learn about this virus.”

Outdoor sports are still allowed, but travelling to other communities for games is not.

Henry described some of the new restrictions she has ordered as “a short-term pause on non-essential activities and travel to ensure that our essential activities, like school and work and health care can safely continue.”

She said that where good safety protocols are in place, including schools and restaurants, the transmission remains low. It’s in situations where there are fewer or no

controls in place that are the problem.

“Most businesses can and should continue to stay open,” she said.

She also urged those who can work from home to consider doing so again, for the next couple of weeks.

In a press conference Monday, prior to Henry’s press conference, Horgan said his government wants to keep schools and businesses open, while bending the COVID curve down again.

“We want to do that by keeping the economy open to the greatest extent possible, but it’s going to require people to get with the program,” he said. “And there’s a whole bunch of people that are not abiding by the minimalist rules we have in place.”

He warned that a return to a Stage 1 lockdown may be needed if British Columbians do not abide by restrictions on social gatherings.

“That’s the end result if we don’t start to see these numbers come down,” Horgan said.

See the entire story at biv. com.

CALENDAR

THURSDAY NOV. 12

Residential guest accommodation licensing Zoom 6-7 p.m. Join BIM in a Virtual Open House to learn about Residential Guest Accommodations.

Gabor Gasztonyi, polio survivor and Rotary Polio Ambassador speaks at Rotary meeting Zoom 7:30 pm A dedicated member of Rotary, Gabor is currently the Polio Chair for District 5040 and is keenly interested in Rehabilitation for Polio Victims particularly in Ethiopia.

He is also interested in promoting accessibility for Rotary meeting places.

See bowenrotary.com for meeting link.

SATURDAY NOV. 14

Winter market Little Red Church 10 a.m.noon; “Make the weekends merrier with fresh produce, jams, sweets, baked goods, handcrafted items and more from your favourite local farmers and artisans”

BIFS drive-through Soup Sale 2-4 p.m. Hearty vegan soups and fresh produce (squash and potatoes) for sale. Cash is preferred. hellobifs@gmail.com CAWES 20th anniversary Zoom 1:30-2:30 p.m. “A joint-education session with Bowen Island Municipality, regarding the well-being and population control of feral cats on Bowen Island. Join Zoom Meeting: us02web.zoom. us/j/85009516626”

SATURDAY NOV. 21

Winter market

MONDAY NOV. 23

Regular Council Meeting Zoom 6:15 pm

TUESDAY NOV. 24

Eelgrass: A climate hero Zoom 6:30-8 p.m.

Hosted by Islands Trust.

Aimee McGowan & Victoria Postlethwaite, Blue Carbon Researchers, and Nikki Wright, Eelgrass Conservationist, presenting. More information: bowenisland. civicweb.net/

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