Bowen Island Undercurrent April 15 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

COVID19 UPDATES: what we know about Bowen vaccinations PAGE 9

$1.50

Thursday, April 15, 2021 • A1 inc.

GST

THURSDAY, APRIL 15 , 2021

BURNING SERENITY

VOL. 47 NO. 15

BIUndercurrent

Pyrography in a pandemic PAGE 8

BowUndercurrent www.bowenislandundercurrent.com

Deer shot in Tunstall Bay

DISCHARGING FIREARMS NOT ALLOWED ANYWHERE ON BOWEN

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com

UNDERCURRENT PHOTO

WEEKEND FUN: Ela (left) and Hadley (right) have spent their spare time in recent weeks cleaning up the cans

along Bowen roadsides. The girls have collected more than 1,200 cans so far. See more on p. 8

Conservation officers are seeking any information the Bowen public may have about a deer that died from a shotgun wound on Bowen Island a couple of weeks ago.

The deer was found in a Tunstall Bay area March 30. It had apparently been shot nearby and then crawled into someone’s garden where it died, said conservation officer Erich Harbich. The investigation so far has turned up little evidence as to who might’ve shot the deer or why.

Hunting is heavily restricted on Bowen – there’s no firearm hunting allowed and bow hunting is allowed only in certain places at certain times under certain conditions.

“It’s obviously pretty concerning if there are firearms being discharged,” said Harbich. The deer also would’ve been shot within 100 metres of at least three or four homes, said Harbich. Discharging a firearm within 100 metres of a building is illegal.

The investigation confirmed that the otherwise healthy male deer – though it possibly appeared female as it had shed its antlers – died from the slug to the chest area.

“Kind of in the same fashion as a hunter would take a lawfully taken animal,” said Harbich.

“At this point, the motivation behind killing the deer is unknown,” said Harbich.

The conservation officers are asking the public for any information they may have about any recent gunshots, in the last two to three weeks or so, or any information relating to the deer’s killing.

Harbich reminds folks to check the hunting regulations before operating a firearm.

CONTINUED AT THE BOTTOM OF P. 3

Captivating views across the Queen Charlotte Channel to the city and mountains and just 5 minutes from the ferry.

Lovingly maintained 3-storey home with 4 bedrooms, 3-1/2 baths, 2-car garage, and detached artist’s studio.

Suite potential. $2,213,000.

Timothy Rhodes REALTOR®

604-341-9488 rhodesonbowen.com tim@rhodesonbowen.com

A2 • Thursday, April 15, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Seeking Public Comment

Events

Council will be considereing the following two Development Variance Permit (DVP) applications at: 6:15 pm on Monday, April 26, 2021 at the Regular Council Meeting via Zoom.

April 26, 2021 6:15 pm Regular Council Meeting

DVP-2021-0009 1195 Fairweather Road

All meetings are online via Zoom and

Increase allowable lot coverage and reduce required setbacks

open to the public, unless noted otherwise.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: A DVP application has been submitted for 1195 Fairweather Road (shown on map) to increase the allowable lot coverage and reduce the required side lot line setback. The proposed house is to replace a previous house destroyed in a fire. The applicant wishes to utilize the existing foundation to the greatest extent possible. Changes in the allowable lot coverage require a variance to rebuild with a similar footprint.

Help slow the spread of COVID-19:

Water Main Flushing begins April 11 Flushing of municipal water systems will start Sunday, April 11 for approximately 6 – 8 weeks. This procedure is necessary to remove sediment that gradually deposits in pipes, and does not pose a health hazard.

Most water systems will be flushed between Monday and Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, as crews rotate through each neighbourhood, with the exception of those listed below.

Snug Cove, Cates Hill, and Village Square, including BICS, BCC, and IPS will be flushed early in the morning of Sunday, April 11. Artisan Square will be flushed early in the morning of April 12-13, 2021.

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/alerts

We’re hiring: Summer Jobs - Public Works/Parks Bowen Island Municipality has two temporary full-time positions available this summer for Parks and Public Works Maintenance Crewpersons (Summer). The positions typically have the following hours but may change slightly based on operational need:

DVP-2021-0016 1291 Fairweather Road

Stay home if you’re sick

Increase allowable lot coverage and reduce required setbacks

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: A DVP application has been submitted for 1291 Fairweather Road (shown on map) to increase the allowable lot coverage and reduce the required front lot line setback. 1291 Fairweather Road wishes to extend an existing carport to increase outdoor storage. The existing house exceeds the allowable lot coverage, so the proposed addition would further increase the nonconformity.

Clean your hands frequently

35 hours per week, 8:00 am – 3:30 pm Monday – Friday Approx. May to September, 2021 Parks and Public Works Maintenance Crewpersons (Summer) will work as part of the team who are responsible for maintaining parks, trails, public beaches, the role will also be assisting with the maintenance of the Municipality’s road system.

The applicants will be comfortable working outside under varying weather conditions, work under supervision on a task-oriented basis, and hold a valid driver’s license. The positions also require that the crewpersons interact in a courteous manner with the public.

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/jobs

2 m or 6 feet

Open burn season ends April 15 Keep a safe physical distance

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

Wear a mask in indoor public spaces

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME:Written submissions may be delivered to Municipal Hall:In person, by mail, by fax or by email to bim@bimbc.ca.Submissions may also be made to Mayor and Council at the meeting. For instructions on how to submit comment, go to:

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/council-meetings

Register for a vaccine when it’s your turn

Questions? Contact Daniel Martin, Manager of Plannning and Development, at dmartin@bimbc.ca or 604-947-4255 x 230

Contact Bowen Island Municipality PAID ADVERTISEMENT April 15, 2021

Phone: Fax: Email: Website:

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

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

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday to Friday Closed statutory holidays

Open burning is not permitted between April 15 and October 15.

What is open burning? Using fire to dispose of piled materials.

Campfires for warmth or cooking are allowed as long as the fire danger rating permits.

What is a campfire? A fire 0.5 metres by 0.5 metres using dry seasoned firewood. No wet or green leaves or wood are permitted. Burn barrels are permitted with the same restrictions.

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/fire Find us on Facebook Bowen Island Municipality

Subscribe to our mailing list bowenislandmunicipality.ca/subscribe

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, April 15, 2021 • A3

MUNI MORSELS

Compromise proposed for Ecclestone Beach SEWER AND WATER SYSTEM EXPANSION POLICY TO CHANGE; LOCKBLOCK WALL GETTING A MAKEOVER & MORE MUNI MORSELS

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor

The following are news items from the April 12 regular council meeting.

A longstanding controversy over public access to a Miller’s Landing pocket beach and a dock application reappeared at council Monday.

There’s a small beach just off Ecclestone Road surrounded by private land except for a road right-of-way on one side. However, the right-of-way ends in a cliff face. The foot trail to the beach instead passes over private property. The matter is further complicated by private structures in the right-of-way and on the foreshore and a history of neighbourhood tension between the owners of the abutting properties and those who want to use the beach.

Tim Klauke and Rosemary Toye are the relatively new owners of the Ecclestone Road property the footpath crosses and have applied for a development variance permit to reduce sea and property line setback for a new dock.

Under the DVP, should the dock application be successful (the DVP is only one step – the owners have to also receive private moorage authorization from the province) Klauke and Toye would grant a statutory right-of-way across their property to the beach.

The DVP also stipulates that the applicants include in their dock proposal to the province: having sufficiently transparent dock materials so as to allow light to reach the water below; installing piles using pile driving; minimizing the use of styrofoam and locating piles, anchors and other dock parts so as to avoid kelp, eelgrass, clams and mussels as much as possible.

The responsibility and cost for maintaining the right of way over the Klauke-Toye property would be borne by the municipality.

Councillors were generally amenable to the proposal.

“I’m happy to see this actually,” said Coun. Sue Ellen Fast, mentioning that this issue has come up at various advisory committees over the years. “I’ve been concerned about this beach access for years.”

“For me, all of these uncomfortable and questionable things have happened over

the years through many, many owners and provincial governments and whatever, that’s not my issue. My…priority is to secure permanent public access to the beach.”

Coun. Rob Wynen suggested that having a private dock next to the beach would affect use of the beach and suggested it may be difficult to garner community support for the proposal.

CAO Liam Edwards stressed that the only way to the beach over land is through the private property. “I just want to be abundantly clear that without the easement, there is no public access to that beach from the land,” he said. “So you’re trespassing to get to that beach, whether it’s high tide, low tide, mid tide.”

Council unanimously voted to give notice that the DVP will be considered at the May 10 regular council meeting.

Rights of way

In 2019 or earlier, the owner of an Eagle Cliff property built a retaining wall and twocar parking area in a municipal right-of-way without any kind of muni authorisation.

Now, the matter is before council as the owner is requesting an easement to make the parking area legal. While surveying the property for the easement application process, the applicant discovered that part of Highland Trail passes over their property, said a BIM staff report. The deal before council is that the property owner would get the easement and the municipality would get a road dedication for the stretch of municipal roadway on private property.

Council was split on how to deal with the matter. Some councillors wanted to turn down the application so as to make a statement about process, some were concerned about the precedent of allowing such an encroachment, many wanted a way to recoup the costs of staff time spent on the matter.

On the other hand, some councillors voiced concern that the property owner could block off the portion of road on private land; others recognized that the lot is challenging to build on.

Council voted to defer the matter to the May 10 meeting and staff was directed to look at cost recovery or possible fines.

Councillors Maureen Nicholson, Sue Ellen Fast and Rob Wynen voted against the motion.

Costs of expansion

BIM charges a connection fee for properties that want to connect to its water or sewage systems. Currently, the fee is calculated based on formulae that use the number of properties in the service area and expansion.

BIM is looking at changing this fee calcu-

Anyone with information about shot deer asked to call C.O.s CONTINUED FROM P. 1

“It’s a very tight-knit community, obviously, socially and geographically, and we want to be making sure that our community is safe and safely operating firearms.

“Which is at no time on Bowen Island.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the conservation officer reporting line 1-877-9527277 or to report it to local RCMP.

lation to be population based rather than property based. To charge based on how many people would be added to the system in an expansion rather than number of connections requested. The thinking is that usage of the system differs based on the type of building – a multifamily home will see more usage than a single family home; a home will see different usage from a pub – and this is a means of making it more equitable.

Other proposed changes to the Local Service Area Expansion Policy include: having the policy cover subdivisions or rezonings that increase development potential (so one could build more homes into the system). And, adding a clause that says should council opt to waive fees, BIM then has to contribute the waived amount to the service area’s reserve fund (spreading that infrastructure cost across the tax base instead of just the system’s users).

Then there’s the issue of empty lots that are in a service area and are already zoned for multi-family buildings. They wouldn’t trigger the expansion policy but would add extra burden to the system (and in the Snug Cove Sewer System’s case would require system upgrades) so BIM is looking at creating a Development Cost Charge bylaw.

This bylaw would allow the muni to collect money from developers to offset some infrastructure costs. Coun. Alison Morse had some concerns about how that mechanism

would work in the case of infrastructure built through grant funding.

Council discussed the policy and the potential for a new bylaw in a committee of the whole and it’s going back to staff for them to work on.

Bowen’s most famous statement art piece that isn’t

The lock block wall across from the Snug Cove Ferry Terminal will see a makeover.

Council has directed staff to clean and paint the wall in anticipation of a public art project.

Such a project, now in the hands of thePublic Art Advisory Committee, has been stalled over the years by lack of policy (now in place), lack of funding (now in place), lack of process (now in place), and now abundance of dirt. “It has been at least seven years that I’ve been talking about a project on that wall and it’s been at least seven years since the wall had a good wash and a good paint,” said Coun. Maureen Nicholson.

Councillors were amenable to the initiative but agreed Coun. Michael Kaile should not pick the colour of the wall as he is colour-blind. “Let’s see if we can really make something of this because it sure could do some help right now,” said Kaile. “And if we can do that, bring a bit of light into people’s lives and cheer the place up a little bit, then we’ve achieved something totally worthwhile this evening.”

Bowen Island Municipality Permanent Full-Time Employment Opportunity Financial Accountant The Bowen Island Municipality Finance & Administration department has an immediate opening for a full-time Financial Accountant. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer the position will be responsible for: • Assisting with maintenance and improvement to the financial accounting system • Analyzing and interpreting financial and budget information • Oversight and support for the payroll and benefits system • Analysis and reconciliation of various accounts • Statutory remittances, and government reporting including quarterly GST Rebate Claims • Providing accounting support and recommendations to various municipal departments • Ensuring timely processing of accounts payable, cash receipts, bank reconciliations investment reporting and journal entries • Preparation of year end working papers and assisting with preparation of financial statements.

• Liaison to external auditors • Oversight of property taxation function The preferred candidate will possess considerable knowledge of Public Sector Accounting Standards, of the basic principles and standards of municipal accounting, and rules and regulations which govern departmental activities. The successful candidate has completed or is near completion of a professional accounting designation with related work experience or an equivalent combination of training and experience preferably in a municipal setting. Strong Microsoft office and Enterprise Resource Management skills would be considered an asset.

This posting does not list all the duties of the position, nor does it fully detail the required skills, knowledge and abilities, licenses and certificates required by candidates. For more information www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/jobs Please submit your cover letter and resume via email by 4:00 PM on April 26th, 2021 to: Raj Hayre, Chief Financial Officer/Deputy CAO/HR Coordinator, Email: hr@bimbc.ca We thank all applicants, but only those being considered for interviews will be contacted.

A4 • Thursday, April 15, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

VIEWPOINTS LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Thank you for the years of rec fun

DEAR EDITOR: Thank you Bowen Island!

After 11 years of interesting and rewarding service as a public servant for our municipal government organization, I’ve decided to leave my position with the Bowen Island Municipality in the B.I. Community Recreation office (at BICS) as community recreation programmer, in pursuit of new and exciting adventures.

My time spent up at the BIM hall and in the BICR office has given me the amazing opportunity to get to know many community members and their families personally and for this I am extremely grateful.

Over the years I’ve watched four councils aim to make positive impacts on our island, worked under five chief administrative officers, returned from two maternity leaves and learned from countless incredibly talented and conscientious staff colleagues.

As a BIM employee (and simultaneous taxpayer) I’ve worked hard to be accountable, efficient and effective in how I devote myself as a public employee to the programs and projects I have taken on.

By far, the most rewarding time was spent in the rec office over the past few years, getting to know Bowen’s youngest (and let’s face it most influential) citizens!

Thank you to all the volunteers who have helped out at various community events (Canada Day celebrations, school dances, Halloween events, egg hunts, you name it, we’ve done it – together).

Thank you to colleagues and summer staff whom I have worked alongside, facilitators who run enriching programs for our community, all the BICR partner organizations who contribute to making our community more robust and the parents and participants who have joined programs I’ve been part of.

Onwards and upwards as we all continue to keep Bowen a safe, healthy and happy community, full of amazing people.

Many thanks, Sheana Stevenson

We regularly update our Facebook page (as well as our website) with Bowen-related COVID information. Follow us @BIUndercurrent.

EDITORIAL There is so much COVID-19 information to keep track of these days and not all of it is clear.

For example, eligibility to register for a vaccination doesn’t apparently mean eligibility to book an appointment (something that caused a lot of confusion last Thursday when the province announced over 60s were now eligible to register to book an appointment. Registration eligibility has since dropped to 50).

On the local front, where and when vaccines are available for Bowen Islanders has been unclear. We have no scheduled

clinics on the VCH website and when we did, islanders reported appointment bookers not being able to find Bowen on the menu. (Bowen Islanders are instead travelling to the mainland to get vaccinated.)

In a funny turn, on Tuesday, the Undercurrent received a phone call from someone who’d been directed to call our number to book a vaccine appointment.

Obviously we’re not giving out vaccines.

Cates Pharmacy, however, continues to have AstraZeneca availability for those 55 to 65. That is booked through the pharma-

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.

#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 advertising Monday, 4 p.m. DEADLINE for editorial Tuesday 5 p.m.

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

cy, not Vancouver Coastal Health.

All this to say, I received a few confused phone calls this week, as islanders parsed through the confusing and sometimes contradictory guidance on health authority and provincial websites. Please do call, email, comment on Facebook or otherwise contact me if there are questions you have about services for Bowen Islanders (604-314-3004 or editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com). We’ll do what we can to get answers.

Bronwyn Beairsto, editor

National NewsMedia Council.

EDITOR Bronwyn Beairsto 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, April 15, 2021 • A5

The Peka Project: raising funds for Beautiful Gate orphanage in Lesotho

‘PEKA IS A CHANCE TO GIVE SOME OF THE CHILDREN OF LESOTHO A SAFE AND LOVING ENVIRONMENT TO GROW UP’ MATTHEW HARRISON

Contributor

The tiny African nation of Lesotho is deeply implanted in my heart.

It is the country of my second son and is in my thoughts often.

Now, the future of Lesotho has become my passion.

Adoption had been our plan for years. Our family was matched with a little boy just before Christmas, 2019. The paperwork was completed – and he was officially our adopted son – three days after Southern Africa closed their borders to travel because of COVID-19.

We waited anxiously for seven months.

Finally, Lesotho and South Africa briefly dropped their travel restrictions. One day later, I flew into Johannesburg, crossed the border into Lesotho, and the next day met my boy.

The plan had always been for our entire family to go meet our new son, spend quality time together as a united family, travel together and bond. COVID-19 changed all that.

There were so many unknowns about travel. We felt it safer and more realistic that I would go alone and bring our boy home. My new son and I lived together for a month both in Lesotho and then in Johannesburg, waiting on visas and travel documents before we finally flew home.

In our time together in Lesotho, my boy and I had a spectacular time – getting to know each other and getting to know his country.

We were absolutely spoiled: with the travel restrictions, there were absolutely no foreigners in the country at all and we got to meet so many of the locals and really discover the country.

Here are some of the things that affected me the most: • The tiny nation of Lesotho is a survivor.

• It has maintained its independence through colonialism and stayed separate from South Africa, particularly through the Aparthaeid era.

• The people are generous, open-hearted and absolutely welcoming

•

And the country is very, very poor.

Lesotho is a deeply suffering country, afflicted by overwhelming poverty (two in five people live on less than $1 a day) and extreme disease (more than one in four people are HIV positive).

Statistics like these can often be overwhelming. So I try to impress only one statistic on people: in a nation of 1.9 million people (less than the population of the Greater Vancouver area) there are an estimated 300,000 orphaned children.

That is an outstandingly difficult statistic to avoid. To put it in perspective, Canada has a population of 38 million with only 45,000 orphans.

Here’s something else that affected me deeply: Beautiful Gate Orphanage is doing the absolute best that they can. They successfully give many children in Lesotho the opportunity to be more than just one of these statistics. They strive to give them the opportunity to be children…and give them a chance at life, ultimately hoping to find them adopting “forever families” in Lesotho and abroad.

My son is healthy, lively, happy and simply a wonderful charming young boy because of the great work Beautiful Gate does.

However, the orphanage is at

capacity and only mandated to take care of children up to the age of six. After that age, the children are forced into the foster system, a system that is broken and unmanageable. It is failing these kids, who very often end up victims of human trafficking or child labour. Despite being one of the smallest nations by population in the world, it sadly stands as second in the world for child human trafficking.

And this is what affected me most. These kids aren’t even getting the chance at a good life.

Then, when meeting with the owners of Beautiful Gate, I found out there was an answer to this horrific system, just waiting to happen: the Peka Project. Through generous donations, Beautiful Gate was able to purchase land in Northern Lesotho. Peka is a rural property to accommodate a new childcare centre and will be a working farm, school, and home to cater to children six years old to adulthood.

They also plan on creating a more focused care and development program for children with special needs.

Peka is a chance to give some of the children of Lesotho a safe and loving environment to grow up, learn, and develop the skills

Rivendell Retreat Part time Administrator position BOWEN ISLAND SPECIALISTS! QUALITY SERVICE GUARANTEED! Short on Space? Call our Place!

THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT US! Need help Moving?

■ Call us for your Moving Estimate ■ Full Packing Services ■ We sell or rent you boxes ■ Move in PODS ■ Professional Movers ■ Licensed, Insured, Bonded ■ Check us out at the BBB

Need help with Storage?

■ Clean Dry & Secure ■ Many different sizes to suit ■ Open 7 days a week ■ Storage for your Household or Commercial goods ■ POD storage. Minimum handling. Maximum savings

Keep Healthy and Calm.

Call Econo

604.980.3333

991 West First Street, North Vancouver, BC • www.economovingstorage.com

to become productive and flourishing young adults. Peka is a way to give the un-adopted children of Lesotho a chance at a successful, healthy and happy life and a way for them to help re-invest and build their country.

My friends Park and Charmaine have generously come on board to help Peka. They are donating a hundred per cent of their proceeds from their annual Memphis Blues meat drive to support the project.

Bowen Islanders can help raise funds and enjoy Memphis Blues BBQ meat. The Rotary Club of Bowen has been a huge supporter of the Peka Project and have offered their online shop as a means to order and pay. To place your order for Memphis Blues BBQ, please go to shop.bowenrotary.com/peka-project-memphisblues/ There is even a button to add a further contribution if you feel inclined to donate and are vegetarian. The cut off for ordering is Sunday, April 18 at midnight.

If anyone is interested more in getting involved with the Peka Project, whether through private donation, or volunteering skills in some way, I am always available to talk at matthew@actorsfoundry. com.

Thank you all for your support.

Rivendell Retreat is seeking to hire an administrator to coordinate practical details of the five retreat sites and support the Rivendell volunteer community. We are seeking someone with good organizational and communication skills who has some familiarity with spiritual retreats. Flexible hours, approx. 20 hours per week. For a more detailed job description, please contact rivendell@telus.net Deadline for applications May 14, 2021.

Sandy Spring High School

JAMES DENNIS WILSON June 25, 1945 – March 24, 2021

Condolences, memories and pictures may be posted through Squamish Funeral Chapel and Crematorium. squamishfuneralchapel.com Dennis’ obituary appeared in the April 8 2021 edition of the Undercurrent. We regret the omission of directions to share your condolences and memories at Squamish Funeral Chapel.

A6 • Thursday, April 15, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Every picture tells a story: Thiago Ramirez at Catching Stars KATHLEEN AINSCOUGH

Catching Stars Gallery

Thiago Ramirez is a photographer and filmmaker and has been a co-owner at Catching Stars Gallery for almost two years.

He is the featured artist this month at Catching Stars Gallery and showcases his landscape photography and is exploring the macro world with his botanical themed pieces.

Arriving in Canada in 2016 from Brazil, Thi attended film and photography school. He was raised in a small town in Brazil and after finishing university and beginning his business career in the big centre of São Paulo, he longed for the lifestyle of a small community reminiscent of where he was born. When he set foot on Bowen Island it was love at first sight and Thi soon bought some land, a tiny house, and put down roots. One of those roots extends to Catching Stars Gallery where he joined first as an associate member of the

cooperative gallery and became a co-owner in 2019 and he has not looked back.

His experience in business administration has been a welcome addition to the gallery team along with his sense of humour, balanced with curiosity and enthusiasm and an innate wisdom. He continues to push his creative vision with his photography and says being surrounded by the other amazing artists in the gallery has helped him push his photography to another level and he continues to discover new ways to capture his visions.

Setting up the shots is an adventure in itself as he finds himself researching and scouting remote locations, planning compositions, watching the light and shadows for the mood of the shot, long before releasing the shutter. Travels to other parts of the world have inspired the landscapes that capture the drama and light of the landscape – freezing a moment that most of us would never get to

PHOTO COURTESY OF CATTCHING STARS / THIAGO RAMIREZ

Thiago Ramirez is the featured artist at Catching Stars. He’s been a co-owner of the gallery for nearly two years. experience in person. He is pushing the scale of these works larger and they invite you into the experience be it of awe or calm.

One of the featured photographs “Hour Peak”, taken in the back country near Whistler, was a particular challenge in the planning; first researching the terrain, scouting the location for composition and the time of day to capture the shot. With his

Take the survey to tell us how you’re doing and help B.C. recover. www.bccdc.ca/covid19survey

film and photography work, Thi is no stranger to hauling equipment into remote locations with challenging weather, terrain, long hours and complex logistics. His current favourite shot was set up with a time release to capture himself skiing down the slope. It took over 700 shots to capture the one he was happy with.

Storytelling is Thiago’s way to bring you into his world and experience your own adventure through his photography. He is now venturing into the world of creating documentary films, another way to express his calling to storytelling. You can see his

Time to sign up for BIM’s emergency notification system SOPHIE IDSINGA

Your Story

Our Future TAKE THE

COVID-19 SPEAK Survey

featured works at Catching Stars Gallery and catch him in person at the gallery on Thursday, April 15, Friday, April 16 and again on Monday, April 26. There will be a draw to win one of his gorgeous botanical prints so drop by the gallery and enter to win.

We also offer virtual tours, on-island and curbside pick-up for your comfort and safety. Our online store has new items added regularly. Shop online from the comfort of your home and we’ll take care of the shipping for you. We also deliver on-island. Open daily 11 to 5 p.m. Find out more at www. catchingstarsgallery.com.

Bowen Island Municipality

BowENS is Bowen Island Municipality’s emergency notification service and is now powered by Alertable, a system developed

by Canadian company Peasi. BowENS informs subscribers of emergencies or advisories on Bowen Island that may impact residents. Signing up for BowENS is easy and can be done from a mobile phone, tablet, or computer. There is no fee to sign up.

Please note that Bowen Island Municipality is now using Alertable to send emergency notifications. If you are already subscribed to the current BowENS system, you don’t have to resubscribe – your contact information will be moved to the new system and you will get a welcome message from Alertable. You you can then set your notification preferences.

Bowen Island Municipality decided to move BowENS to the Alertable platform in 2021. Alertable is easier to sign up for, and notifications are fast, reliable and easy to see and hear on a wide variety of devices,

including an app for Android and Apple smartphones.

BowENS provides you with important emergency information, such as imminent threats (e.g. wildfire) and also local incidents that affect specific areas of Bowen Island (e.g. road closure). BowENS has the ability to send emergency notifications island-wide or to targeted areas, which can be helpful for neighbourhood-specific emergency directions such as an evacuation. You can also customize notifications by type and severity.

You can sign up to receive emergency notifications by text message, email, or phone call, however, we encourage all residents to download the Alertable app for iOS and Android smartphones.

Instructions: • To register for BowENS, please go to www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/ ens • If you need technical support, the library’s tech tutor can help.

• Or contact us for assistance at 604947-4255

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, April 15, 2021 • A7

Kathryn joins Cathy at the museum MEET BOWEN ISLAND MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES’ NEW CURATOR

BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com

Could there be a warmer welcome?

For the past few weeks Bowen Island Museum’s new curator Kathryn Gaitens has been wrapped up (figuratively) in Bowen Blankets, the new exhibit opening April 15 at the museum.

The exhibit is the final one from outgoing curator Monica Notaro, who has returned to Ontario, and features the Bowen textiles and their histories.

Gaitens has been finalizing the exhibit since Notaro’s departure.

“I love the exhibit, just the idea of the textiles and the quilted pieces,” says Gaitens, fondly pointing out two blankets in particular – from the Foxglove Fibre Arts Guild and from a Bowen Island Community Church fundraiser. “They both show the shared bond that ties the community together,” says Gaitens. “And in this case, represents I think, their ethic of gen-

erosity.

“It’s beautiful on so many levels,” says Gaitens. “Women, or whoever, coming together and doing a shared art piece and …[creating] a usable piece – that blanket.”

The exhibit is in partnership with the Bowen Island Public Library where the Foxglove Fibre Arts quilt, on loan from a community member, will be on display.

New curator

Gaitens moved to Bowen a couple of years ago with her two daughters, returning to her West Coast roots after living in Toronto and Costa Rica.

“I grew up on the North Shore and it was always something in my mind, to come back to the West Coast,” says Gaitens. “I had been living in a smaller community, like Bowen, in Costa Rica so it was an easy shift to go from a smaller community to a smaller community.”

Gaitens’ background is in photography, art history and photo

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHRYN GAITENS

Archivist Cathy Bayly and new curator Kathryn Gaitens are stewards of Bowen’s cultural history at B.I. Museum and Archves. editing. In fact, her interest in museums was sparked when photographing for the cover of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian’s magazine.

But being a curator of a museum is something new.

Patient of the Week JASPER This is Jasper! Being an older fella, Jasper was having some trouble with his hind end getting a little wobbly. His dad brought him to for a checkup and Jasper was diagnosed with arthritic old man knees and being slightly overweight but otherwise healthy. Happy retirement Jasper!

REGULAR HOURS Tuesday to Friday 9- 5 Saturday 9- 1 Closed Sunday and Monday

To schedule appointments, please call

604.947.9247

or email reception@bowenvet.com

“It is really a new adventure,” says Gaitens. “I’ve always been attracted to museums.

“When travelling, it’s a place that I would always hit up and spend a lot of time.”

“I think there are similarities –

[the] stories that we’re able to tell through photos exist with objects and artifacts, I think.”

“It’s [an] honour to have the task of safeguarding Bowen heritage and being able to share Bowen stories,” says Gaitens.

A8 • Thursday, April 15, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

UNDERCURRENT PHOTO UNDERCURRENT PHOTOS

Left: Ela spots an Old Milwaukee beer can down in a ditch. Right: Hadley snags another beer can in Tunstall Bay. Ninety per cent of the cans the girls find are alcohol cans.

Youngsters spend weekends cleaning roadsides are Budweiser and Nutrls, Hadley BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor

Most weekends for the past couple of months, Bowen Island grade seven students and best friends Ela and Hadley have scoured Bowen Island roadsides, picking up all of the cans they can find.

“We were just bored one day, did a little bit and it was really fun,” says Hadley.

“We just really enjoy cleaning up the environment,” says Ela, “just doing good things for the island.”

“You have to go really deep down into the ditch,” says Hadley.

“It’s just fun to go around and pick up cans,” says Ela. Of the 1,234 cans so far collected, probably 90 per cent are alcohol cans. The most common cans

guesses.

Other items found along roadsides include pliers, a sawblade, yogurt containers, an old burn barrel, a chair and a mug.

At first the girls were picking up cans with their gloved hands but then one of Hadley’s father’s friends gave them garbage picking tools.

“Some people drive by [and] give us a thumbs up and say good job,” says Ela. The worst stretch of road so far was between the bottom of Sunset Drive to Harding Road where the girls collected at least 300 cans in an afternoon.

But they’re not done yet; watch for Hadley and Ela next weekend in Bluewater, Scarborough and along Miller Road.

Thomas Newman spent 242 hours creating his pandemic pyrography piece – Serenity – bound for a hospital’s mental health ward.

Burning for Serenity: a pyrographer’s pandemic project BRONWYN BEAIRSTO

Editor

For much of the first year of the pandemic, Thomas Newman could be found in his Tunstall Bay workshop, painstakingly burning wood.

Over a four foot by eight foot sheet of wood Newman created a streamside scene of a bear watching pink salmon pass by. However, keen eyes may notice some familiarity – Grafton Lake provided some scenic inspiration.

The piece of pyrography was commissioned for a mainland hospital’s mental health division right at the beginning of the pandemic and wound up doing wonders for Newman’s own mental health.

“It was amazing to come in here and kind of forget about the world and just burn,” he said.

Newman decided to fit as much detailing as he could into the piece. “Because what else am I going to do? I have the time and this is going to be my first public art and I want it to be properly representative of what I do.”

Depicting nature also attracted Newman. “Nature can be so perfectly symmetrical or just wild,” he

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

Masses are live streamed everyday.

Times posted at holyrosarycathedral.org Contact Angela Powell 604-947-2515

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

Now offering worship services via Zoom.

A link available on website.

Pastor: Phil Adkins

Queen of Capilano Ferry Schedule October 13 to May 15 2021 DEPART BOWEN ISLAND DEPART HORSESHOE BAY

ST. GERARD’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

CATES HILL CHAPEL

says. “Like no two trees should be the same.”

Pyrography sparked Newman’s interest just a couple of years ago but he has an artistic background, ranging from woodworking to painting to film directing to oil painting.

“For me, pyrography…you just zone out; I can’t even explain,” he says. “Once you start doing it, it’s like, where does time go?”

“I hope it has that effect for people who are in distress [at the hospital].”

“That’s the thing I find about pyrography is you do get lost in it. It’s an art that draws you to want to touch,” says Newman. “Everybody always asks, ‘Can I touch it?’ And you really actually can because the wood is burnt. It’s carbonized. It’s not going away.”

After 242 hours of work, Newman finished the piece in late February. The piece is titled Serenity.

As a parting piece of advice, “If anybody’s thinking about doing pyrography I think the most important thing is have the ventilation figured out,” said Newman. “Because it is a carcinogen at the end of the day.”

Watch a timelapse of the piece’s creation here: youtu.be/ojAktX7uX9o.

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

Vaccination information for Lions Gate Bowen Islanders Hospital faces AstraZeneca at the pharmacy pressure as COVID hospitalizations mount

More AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine appointments are available for Bowen Islanders between the ages of 55 and 65 at Cates Medicine Centre.

The pharmacy is receiving another 100 doses next week and as of publication time, has slots available.

Islanders can book appointments online at b.telehippo.com/o/catesmed and watch for updates on the Cates Medicine Centre Facebook page (facebook.com/CatesMedicineCentre).

B.C. has paused use of the AstraZeneca vaccine on those younger than 55 due to concerns of rare blood clots.

The AstraZeneca vaccination stream is entirely separate from the Vancouver Coastal Health administered Pfizer and Moderna vaccination stream. The VCH vaccinations are based on descending age cohorts. In the past week the province has opened registration for vaccinations to younger people, though registering doesn’t necessarily mean getting an appointment right away. After one registers, they are later contacted to book an appointment.

Those 50 and over are now asked to register. Those 45 and over are asked to register as of April 16. Those 40 and over are asked to register as of April 19.

One can register for the vaccine online at getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca/s/ or by calling 1-833-838-2323 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Not clear if there will be another Bowen clinic

There are no more clinics listed for Bowen Island on the Vancouver Coastal Health website (vch.ca/ covid-19/covid-19-vaccine). So far there have been three on-island clinic days with the last one taking place April 10. VCH said in an emailed statement Wednesday that: “VCH regularly monitors and adjusts clinic dates and hours of operation based on appointments, vaccine availability and the age demographics of different communities. As VCH works through vaccinating residents based on the age cohort system, we may open additional clinic dates on Bowen Island. This will be based on community needs, and clinical and operational feasibility.” It also said that Bowen residents are welcome at clinics across the VCH region.

Bowen Islanders report being directed to the mainland for their vaccination appointments.

JANE SEYD

North Shore News

Doctors and staff who take care of COVID patients at Lions Gate Hospital are under increasing pressure as hospitalizations spike with the pandemic’s “third wave.”

The surge in numbers means more hospital beds at LGH are now being dedicated to COVID patients. According to a memo sent to staff this week, there are now two units at the hospital dedicated to COVID patients and a third unit being used for patients suspected of having COVID whose test results have not yet been confirmed.

No official numbers have been released by the health authority, but unofficial reports put the number of COVID patients at LGH on a recent day at over 30.

People admitted to the LGH’s COVID ward include not only residents of the North Shore, but also more seriously ill patients from surrounding communities including Whistler, which has recently had a dramatic increase in cases.

From Jan. 1 to Apr. 5, 2021, there were 1,505 confirmed COVID-19 cases recorded in Whistler, giving the area the highest rate of COVID-19 infection in the province, according to Vancouver Coastal Health.

Dr. Kevin McLeod, an internal medicine specialist working on LGH’s COVID ward, first raised the alarm about increasing numbers of patients with a series of social media posts over the Easter long weekend, pointing to both the increasing number of patients and the fact that patients in younger age groups have been coming to the hospital sicker.

“Significant increase in COVID cases especially in younger people who are

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, April 15, 2021 • A9

coming in around day 10 from initial dis- 410 cases reported for the week ending ease onset,” he wrote. “Presenting really April 3. A number of infections in that sick. Needing 100 per cent oxygen to stay community have included cases of the alive teetering on intubation sick.”

P.1 variant, first identified in Brazil, which On Monday, hospitalizations in VCH – has tended to hit younger age groups, which includes several designated COVID including people in their 20s. hospitals like Lions Gate – reached 117, Dr. Mark Lysyshyn, deputy mediwith 38 people in critical care – the high- cal health officer for Vancouver Coastal est since January.

Health, said infections on the North Shore Across B.C., the number of hospital- are primarily being spread among houseizations was 368 with 121 in critical care hold members, and also by social inter– setting a record for those in ICU. Health actions.

Minister Adrian Dix acknowledged Of the recent cases, “Some of those peoMonday that those numbers are worrying. ple did go to Whistler. People went other Dix said while hospitals can still man- places, too, and also stayed home and had age, “There is concern with occupancy social interaction,” he said – which could of close to 100 per cent in a number range from two couples having a dinner of our key hospitals and especially in party to kids from different households Metro Vancouver in Vancouver General watching TV together. Workplace clusters Hospital, Lions Gate Hospital and Surrey tend to make up a very small proportion Memorial Hospital.” of cases on the North Shore, he said.

For the first time since May, numbers Across B.C. as a whole, variant strains of COVID patients in hospital are also of COVID-19 now make up approximately having an impact on surgeries, with some 50 per cent of all cases, said the province’s elective surgeries cancelled in both Fraser medical health officer, on Monday.

Health, as well as Vancouver Coastal –Report is from April 13 Health this week.

According to a memo sent to staff in Vancouver Coastal Health, non-urgent surgeries requiring a hosBook your complimentary meet & greet and pital stay may be postfirst walk or drop in. Rates are $25 for poned or done as day group hikes and start at $15 for drop-ins. surgeries if required.

The situation is taking a toll on hospital staff, Dix said on Monday.

“The idea of people in critical care who are severely ill from COVID19 has a profound effect on them.”

The pressures on the hospital come at a time when the North Shore has reported its highest ever number of weekly COVID cases: 316 cases for the week ending April 3, according to B.C.’s Centre for Disease Control.

Cases in Whistler have also soared, with

Dog Walking Group Hikes Individual Walks Socialization

778 898 5950 |

Cat Care

Home Visits Litter Maintenance Playtime

www.barkpetcare.ca

“Home Grown” Greenhouse Gardening on Bowen!

Zoom Monday, April 19th, 7:00 pm Have you ever thought about having your own greenhouse to extend your gardening season, start your own seeds in spring, or perhaps even grow tropical plants? Doug Elliott, our Garden Club Member has pulled together a group of 5 Bowen Gardeners and their Greenhouses. We will explore several greenhouse designs and their uses.

Garden Club members Cathy Buchanan, Marcel Bally, Rafal and Diana Izdebski, David and Aubin van Berckel as well as Doug Elliott showcase their greenhouses, talk about design, how they use them and why they were built the way they are.

After each video segment there will be a brief period where you can ask the owners questions and get ideas. All of this from the comfort of your own home via the magic of ZOOM! Open to members of the Bowen Island Garden Club.

Membership info: bowenislandgardenclub.ca.

See you on Zoom Monday April 19th 7:00 pm.

A mature bald eagle comes in to land on a tree top in Fairweather a couple of weekends ago.

HAIG FARRIS PHOTO

Greenhouse Gardening on Bowen Zoom at 7 pm Monday April 19

A10 • Thursday, April 15, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Your Community

MARKETPLACE bowenislandundercurrent.com

Call or email to place your ad, Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm

604-444-3000 • 604-653-7851 classifieds@van.net

PRACTICAL NURSING

SPROTTSHAW.COM

COLLINS, Roy Herbert

BC WIDE CLASSIFIEDS DAYCARE CENTERS

Lo.k&2g fo/ *0 &ns!ir(2g, ,n-isl*n' %are1/ ,!po/$un&ty?

Lov1 ",-ki2g w(t+ ch&ld/e0?

SUDOKU

Bowen Children’s Centre is looking for creative, energetic and nurturing individuals to join our dynamic team of early childhood educators.

Contact info@bowenchildrenscentre.ca to find out more about starting a career in early childhood education A NSWERS

MOVING

2 Guys With A Truck Moving & Storage 604-628-7136 @BowUndercurrent

WANTED TO RENT

Bow12 #+ild-en’s C10tr)

is looking to find a rental suite/room for a reliable individual (single, n/s, n/p) who is relocating to become part of our team and community. Email Executive Director at info@bowenchildrenscentre.ca with any leads.

Community News

Roy died peacefully after a brief battle with cancer on April 5, 2021, in Abbotsford, BC. Roy was born to James and Irene (Smith) Collins, August 29, 1926, on Bowen Island, BC. Roy was predeceased by his first wife, Mary (Gowe), in 1999, their son Daniel in 1976, and his siblings Margaret, Bertha, Jim, Ione (Betty) and Jean. He is survived by his wife Joy (Gonzales), children Jim (Carel), Lani, Andy, Elizabeth (Wolf) Alex, and John; grandchildren Sarah (Charles) Baidoo and Dan; great-grandchildren, Roy Kwesi, Koby, and Kofi. He will also be missed by his sister Marion, and many other relatives, friends, and neighbours.

Raised on the family farm on Bowen, Roy served in the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers and the Canadian Army in WWII. Roy’s post-war career was largely in the forestry sector (which along with his Island upbringing, instilled Roy’s love of nature in his children and grandchildren) until his retirement as Manager of the Lost Lake Seed Orchard in Saanich. After their marriage in 1952, he and Mary moved to Victoria in 1963 and raised their six children. For many years, Roy and Mary actively supported the Layritz baseball program, volunteered with the Dixieland Jazz Festival and journeyed throughout Canada and the US, trailer in tow.

Roy and Joy began a new phase in their lives in 2001. Both their families were happy that they found each other and had a wonderful 18 years of marriage. During this time, they watched their grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow, shared their love of reading, and enjoyed the peace of Bowen at Roy’s home on Bowen.

A special memory for all Roy’s children, grandchildren, Joy, Carel and Wolf was joining him in Scotland to fulfill his commitment to hike up Ben Nevis (again) on his 80th birthday.

A celebration of life will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Salvation Army (Dad had fond memories of the “Sally Ann” from when he was a young soldier) or another charity of your choice. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mccallgardens.com.

HEALTH & WELLNESS Tha2k y.u!

ONLINE

www.bowenislandundercurrent.com

FLU SHOTS FOR OUR PATIENTS

To advertise please call 604-947-2442 or email ads@bowenislandundercurrent.com

CALENDAR ONGOING APRIL 1  30

April 30x30 Outside Challenge 2021 ” We’re challenging you to get outside for a minimum

of 30 minutes every day in April. You can run, walk, hike, bike, golf, paddle, swim heck you can rollerskate or chop firewood if you want.” Sign up by emailing: bowenislandtrailsociety@ gmail.com

APRIL 15MAY 15

Bowen Blankets Bowen Island Museum & Bowen Island Public Library

THURSDAY APRIL 16

Drive-through Legion Dinner Legion Starts at 4:30 pm Ribs, scalloped potatoes and coleslaw.

bowenislandundercurrent.com Thursday, April 15, 2021 • A11 Outdoor Meditation Circle on Bowen Island: Garden SUNDAY APRIL 18 Artist Talk: Can You Name five Canadian women artists?

Zoom 3-4 pm Join Marlene Lowden for an artist talk Sign up (to receive the Zoom invite) by emailing hello@ thehearthartsonbowen.ca

Meet at undercover area at entrance to Crippen park in the Cove 11 am. Please wear a mask.No cost. More information: lisa.shatzky@ gmail.com

MONDAY APRIL 19

Greenhouse gardening

Club talk Zoom 7 pm More info or to join the club: bowenislandgardenclub.ca/

WEDNESDAY APRIL 21

Island Pacific School virtual open house 7-8 pm For parents & students islandpacific.org/attend-anevent

BOWEN HOME SERVICES love the life you live Landscape Lighting Irrigation

Seascape Bruce Culver

Office: 604-947-9686

Cell: 604-329-3045 NEW CONSTRUCTION RENOVATIONS RESTORATION ADDITIONS SECONDARY STRUCTURES UNIQUE OUTDOOR SPACES

BOWEN ISLAND SPECIALISTS! QUALITY SERVICE GUARANTEED! Keep Calm and Call Econo

604.980.3333

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

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

Window Blinds On Bowen 778-995-1902

Licensed Electrical Contractor 778.266.6465 www.bowenislandelectrical.com

I&I TOWING HAULING LTD

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

Vehicles • Construction Equipment Sea-Can Containers • Tiny Homes Bowen Island • Greater Vancouver Vancouver Island • Sunshine Coast

Michael Bingham • 604 947 1717 ianditowhaul@gmail.com

A12 • Thursday, April 15, 2021

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Get to know your neighbour NEXT UP IN OUR WEEKLY Q&A SERIES: JEREMY HOWE

What would you like to know about your neighbours?

Send suggestions for our Q&A series to editor@bowenisland-

undercurrent.com. This week’s neighbour: Jeremy Howe When did you come to Bowen?

1982 What brought you to Bowen Island I had a work mate, and a friend, and another friend who had moved to Bowen beforehand. So I got a feel for the differences. I work in mineral exploration and a lot of people who live on Bowen work in the same field. Because a lot of people get into mineral exploration because they like the outdoors and Vancouver’s a big exploration center. So Bowen actually turned out to be viable. At one point, five people that I worked with, lived on Bowen. It was quite

weird.

So it wasn’t quite an escape from work.

Well, no, but it was an escape from the city. I’ve just never been a big urban person. And it was the perfect mix. The minute I moved here, I knew it was the right decision. At the weekend in town, you want to get out of town and everybody else has got the same idea. But here, when I moved here, I was where I wanted to be. And at that time, not a lot of tourists came to the island.

Where on Bowen do you live?

Up in what they call old Cates Hill now. They were the first seven lots subdivided here – on Cates Lane.

Fill the ferry line up gap or don’t fill the gap?

It’s not something I really think of? I mean, well, queue jumping has just never been on. But I mean, if it’s clear that there’s not going to be an overload when you come down and there’s a space down below, there’s no impropriety in going down there and filling a spot because you’re not going to displace anybody. That’s the key thing. You don’t want to displace anybody.

What’s your favourite Bowen fact or story?

I love the fact that we have so much Crown land here.

Over 40 per cent of the island is Crown land, although the real fear of that, and this has cropped up a couple of years ago, is it’s still in the B.C. forestry cut inventory. There’s no reason to suppose that it’s not going to be cut in future, which of course would be an absolute unmitigated disaster.

But that’s what makes it neat and why people come here is because there are these vast tracts of forest to explore.

And boy, have people ever been exploring it since the pandemic.

I’ve wandered through and bushwhacked through huge tracts – most of the island, actually – and there were trails that almost nobody knew about. Now they’re trampled.

Everybody’s found them. And those would be locals, probably.

What’s something Bowen Islanders have in common?

I mean, everybody talks about the community. And that’s true. I think it’s just being on an island, your sense of community is unique. I always think of it as orbits of familiarity.

In town, there’s your good friends and then everybody else.

But on Bowen there are your good friends, then there are the people that you occasionally see who you’re not quite so good friends with, and then it sort of goes out from there to the people you ricochet off when you go the Cove. In the very outer perimeter of familiarity are the people you don’t know their name, you recognize their faces as islanders, and if you see them in town, you will say hello.

But you don’t get that unless you have that kind of tight communality. I think being an island makes that a very defined thing.

What’s your favourite COVID-19 Balm or activity?

It would be somewhere between hiking and gardening when the season allows it, and kayaking, of course.