Bowen Island Undercurrent April 7 2022

RESPONSE TIME: New earthquake early warning system is a go PAGE 7

$1.50

inc.

GST

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2022

A PYSANKY STORY

VOL. 48 NO. 12

BIUndercurrent

BowUndercurrent www.bowenislandundercurrent.com

Ukrainian Easter Eggs PAGE 9

Broken parts and disagreements delaying Cove Bay Water Plant

PLANT WAS SCHEDULED TO COME ONLINE NEARLY A YEAR AGO

ALEX KURIAL Editor

HEY THERE GRAND FRIEND!:

Grade 3 students at BICS have made cards which can be picked up by any ‘grand friends’ in the community. To learn more about the program, in parternship with the Bowen Island Public Library, check out Page 6. / Sarah Haxby submitted photo

A series of mechanical and design failures, along with prolonged “finger-pointing” has been responsible for the Cove Bay Water Treatment Plant continuing to remain offline. It was originally going to be operational May 17, 2021.

“It’s unfortunate for everybody, obviously,” said director of engineering Patrick Graham at a meeting of the Cove Bay Water System Local Advisory Committee (CBWS) last week. “Essentially we’ve had some repeated equipment failures since last May when we were getting pretty close to having the plant up and running.”

One issue is one of the two filter modules is damaged.

While the plant can run at reduced capacity with one – and did briefly last year – this option was lost when the plant’s immersion heater also failed.

Fixing the filter module will require about three days of on-site work, while Graham says a new immersion heater has become available to order and should arrive soon.

But further complicating the problem is the necessity of a ‘break head’ tank and pump retrofit, which allows the filters to discharge to an atmospheric pressure line instead of directly to the reservoir.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

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A2 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, April 7, 2022

Cove Bay Water Treatment Plant

Events All Council meetings are open to the public to attend inperson or electronically, unless noted otherwise.

April 11, 2022 4:00 pm Committee of the Whole re: 2022 Budget Attend in person or on Zoom April 11, 2022 6:15 pm Regular Council Meeting Attend in person or on Zoom

Unfortunately, the Cove Bay Water Treatment is not yet in operation due to repeated failures of key equipment from the supplier (ceramic filter tubes and immersion heater). A new heater was ordered from a different supplier in January and should be available soon. In the process of dealing with these ongoing problems, an issue with the process design was discovered and staff together with the engineering consultants are working hard on resolving this as fast as possible. This is now the critical item to getting the plant up and running.

We understand how frustrating this situation is for the Cove Bay Water Users and will provide an updated timeline as soon as we have more detailed information. In the meantime, thank you for your patience.

In-person Council meetings resume April 11, 2022 As of April 11, 2022, Council will be returning to in-person meetings. All open Council meetings will be held in Council Chambers at Municipal Hall, 981 Artisan Lane, and broadcasted live via Zoom and YouTube for electronic participation.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we get used to using new technology that allows for a hybrid meeting format.

There are three options to watch or participate at a Council meeting: • • •

Watch the livestream on our YouTube Channel Join the Zoom meeting (instructions are on the agenda) At Municipal Hall, 981 Artisan Lane www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/council-meetings

Municipal Water Main Flushing The spring water main flushing program in all municipal water systems is beginning Saturday, April 9th and will take 6-8 weeks.

Ferry Marshal reporting for duty Look for the official Bowen Island Ferry Marshal starting on Monday, April 18 (Easter Monday)!

There are certain days of the year when the volume of ferry traffic leaving the island is much higher than usual. This can lead to stress and confusion in the lineup for commuters and visitors. To reduce these issues, we hire a Ferry Marshal to help keep traffic in the ferry line under control and running smoothly.

Read this year’s Ferry Marshal schedule on our website: www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/ferry-guide

Snug Cove, Cates Hill, and Village Square, including BICS, BCC, and IPS, will be flushed early in the morning of Saturday, April 9th. Some properties on Seven Hills may be affected.

Artisan Square will be flushed on Monday, April 11th & possibly continue to Tuesday, April 12th.

This procedure is necessary to remove sediments that gradually build up in the pipes. It will not pose a health hazard.

During the flushing process you may experience: • •

periods of low water pressure and temporary water interruptions some turbidity and higher than normal chlorine concentrations. Running your tap briefly should clear this up.

Questions?

Please contact Public Works by phone 604-947-4255 ext. 4 or by email publicworks@bimbc.ca www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/alerts

Contact Bowen Island Municipality PAID ADVERTISEMENT April 7, 2022

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

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

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Thursday, April 7, 2022

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A3

ISLAND NEWS

Sewage bylaw amendment marches forward ALEX KURIAL Editor A bylaw amendment allowing council more leeway in funding costs associated with the Snug Cove Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) continues on the way toward adoption.

The establishment bylaw currently reads: “The method of cost recovery for the service shall be by user fees, and parcel taxes as defined by bylaw, to be recovered solely from the properties included in the area…”

But in January this year, council approved $1.6 million in municipal general funds to pay for Phase 1 upgrades at the WWTP. Chief financial officer Kristen Watson pointed out last week this decision didn’t match up with the ‘solely’ part of the bylaw.

“To remedy the situation I’m recommending the deletion

of the word solely, and the addition of a clause that will permit council to collect from property owners that reside outside of the Snug Cove sewer district,” said Watson at the March 28 council meeting.

The wording change would line up with the current funding plan, which places the bulk of upgrade costs on people living outside the Snug Cove local service area. They’ll be responsible for $921,323, about 56 per cent, of the total.

Prior to last week the entire total was being split islandwide, but after a re-examination Snug Cove property owners are now responsible for $718,677 through a combination of parcel taxes and user fees.

Watson says in addition to deleting the word ‘solely’, she’d like council to pass a resolution that any future use of general funds for a local service area project be declared “of islandwide significance” before approval, allowing for expanded committee consultation and public input.

The potential changes were sent to the Snug Cove Sewer System Local Advisory Committee (SCSS) and Finance Advisory Committee (FAC) for input. The former met March 31, where Watson said the amendments – particularly around the use of general funds for local projects – would “create that message to the community that this project is of extreme importance that needs to be funded from monies outside of the Snug Cove sewer district. I’m looking for that clause to… increase the level of transparency for any transfers between funds.”

The suggestions were supported by SCSS chair Glenn Cormier.

“I do believe for the most part, the Snug Cove local area should be treated as a local area, and it should be a user pay system. But I do believe there are circumstances such as this that need to be considered,” said Cormier.

“That would be my rationale behind having at least an option for council to make a different choice. I think Snug Cove should be recognized, to a certain degree, as an area that the island as a whole benefits from,” he continued.

Committee member David Bellringer agreed, approving the recommendations in a 2-1 vote with Coun. Alison Morse in dissent.

Morse says “We’ve got financial policies, and we discussed them very clearly that the utilities would pay their own way.

And I quite agree with that.”

The bylaw amendments will next be discussed at the FAC meeting April 7, before returning to a future council meeting.

Cove BayWaterTreatment Plant hoping to be operational this year CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The timeframe on this particular is unknown. “We still don’t have design solutions that everyone’s on the same page with. As soon as we have that then we know what the scope of the work is and what we’re needing to order,” says Graham.

This holdup stems back to the tender process, when the municipality enquired if an existing break head tank and pump they had would work. Graham says they were told this was a “good idea” by operator Purifics, and that the equipment could handle the water pressure. This later turned out to be incorrect.

“That’s one of the many sources of finger-pointing that

Decals will be available for sale at the Snug Cove General Store from April 7th to April 15th ONLY.

we’ve had,” said Graham.

WSP, the engineering firm in charge of the project, is seeing if there’s a workaround which could keep costs down. But Purifics hasn’t been on board with the idea so far.

“The person we’ve been dealing with at Purifics tends to be very inflexible,” says Graham, noting they’re of the mindset of, ‘That’s not the ideal solution, here’s what you need to do.’

“That’s going to cost three times as much,” says Graham.

“Is there a way we can avoid reworking all of that?” But he did add he expected the sides to come to a resolution this week.

Aside from the failed parts and negotiation holdup,

SPRING CLEAN-UP 2O22 Fees Small Load: $25

Drop off of materials will be inside the BIRD yard from Monday, April 25th to Saturday, April 30th ONLY. Note: 1 decal per household only. ABSOLUTELY NO Paint, Hazardous Waste or Drywall

Paints and stains Approximately 5 garbage bags

Medium Load: $50

Flammable Liquids Or container says Keep Away From Open Flame or Spark

Approximately 10 garbage bags

• •

Large LEVEL Load: $100

Liquids only Paint thinners, other solvents, camp fuels or liquid adhesives with the flammable symbol Max container size: Kerosene 9L Other liquids 10L

Domestic Pesticides Only/no commercial The contents of a level pick-up truck load

Mattress or Appliance: $35

•

Consumer pesticides with the poisonous (skull & crossbones) symbol AND “Pest Control Product” registration number (REG #12345 PCP ACT) Max container size: 10L

Gasoline

www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca

Wastte Solluttions www.bowenwastesolutions.com

NOT Accepted:

April 30, 2022 • 9:30 am - 3:00 pm @Bowen Island Recycling Depot No fees to drop off hazardous waste or paint.

Limit for all products is 10 containers per visit.

The final day for booking appointments will be Friday, April 22 at 3:00 PM. A limited number of appointments will be made available.

Hazardous Waste

Hazardous Waste and Paint Recycling

Spring Clean-up Days

Drop off will be done by appointment ONLY. Once you have picked up your decal, you can call Bowen Waste Solutions @ 604-947-2255 to book an appointment.

Graham says things are going well. “Other than these aspects, we’re confident in the rest of the process. We’re not far away once these issues are resolved, the remaining commissioning should not be a long process,” he says.

There still isn’t an exact date the plant is expected to be running, but Graham says he hopes the number is in months rather than years.

“If we can have this resolved before people get their property tax bills and see a parcel tax for a service they don’t have yet – we’re doing everything we can to avoid that scenario,” he says.

Per mattress or appliance

• In approved ULC original containers only Max container size: 25L

PLEASE NOTE: • 1 Decal per household only • Non-complying loads are subject to refusal

•

Products that cannot be identified

•

Products that are leaking or improperly sealed

•

Empty containers

•

Commercial, industrial, or agricultural products

•

Cosmetics, health and beauty aids

•

Insect repellants, disinfectants, and pet products

•

Diesel, propane, and butane fuels

•

Caulking tubes

•

Fertilizer

For items not found on this list, please call BC Recycling Hotline 604-732-9253 Burnaby Ecco Center 4855 Still Creek Drive 604-294-7972

Questions?

Please call Bowen Waste Solutions

604-947-2255

A4 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, April 7, 2022

VIEWPOINTS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Still chuckling

Dear Editor, In my 51 years on Bowen there are few encounters that still make me chuckle.

Several years ago Brian gave the key note speech at the Celebration of Life for Mic Strubin, a tree faller, down to earth guy and great community man.

After the crowd fell silent and eyes were riveted on Brian, he said: “Mic was born in 1948 and soon after that…... he retired!”

As part of the Arts Council’s classical concert series in 1994 the 3 Shih Sisters were invited to perform. The concert was to take place at the Benson Residence on Miller Road and was recorded. The three young ladies came with their parents and stayed overnight. To offer the family an idea of the natural beauty surrounding Bowen Island I had chartered Cormorant Marine to take them around Bowen with me as the guide. When Brian gave me a price, I hesitated and looked at him saying whether he could do a little better. With that “pulling your leg smile” he said: “I already gave you a Hans Behm price, but if you can make the island smaller in time, I will do something about the price.”

Twice Brian was part of that caring life support line that got me to Horseshoe Bay and then Lions Bay Hospital in the wee hours of the night with blinding kidney stone pain.

So long, Brian, so long!

- Hans-Christian Behm

Going Local

Have to offer two congratulations on this past week’s Undercurrent. The first is not really the Undercurrent except for the fact that you did distribute that amazing booklet GO LOCAL! Knowing how understaffed Tourism Bowen is, to produce this publication in the off-season when there is no municipal funding at all for the operation of the Info Centre, is a huge feat! What a great overview of Bowen that I hope all Islanders will digest! When you think of it, a municipality of 4,200 having such a huge variety of offerings is simply amazing!

The second congratulation is to the very talented photographer, Aryu Kidding, who was able to take a photo of the smouldering Mt. Gardner on the Tuesday proceeding last Friday’s date!

- Murray Atherton

Knows nothing about sewers but just in case.....

Chief to Chief

Brian Biddlecombe committed 44 years of dedicated service to the Bowen Island Fire Department, 11 years as fire chief. When he retired as chief, his vision for its future had not yet been realized.

In 2001, after a seismic study determined that the fire hall on Grafton Road would “likely fail during a low to moderate earthquake,” Brian began researching the idea of a new hall.

He was part of the FHFSC (Fire Hall Facilities Steering Committee) and for the next 20 years, he continued to fight for the much-needed new facility, even travelling through the province in search of design ideas. He also understood the

necessity of a second fire hall on the west side of the island and oversaw the construction of this facility which is a training site and houses the large water tender, one of three trucks he acquired for the department, along with a rescue truck and a new engine.

A dedicated fire chief and leader in every sense of the word, Brian was also a mentor. Fourteen years ago, I was surprised when Brian showed up at my construction site to offer me a promotion to captain. As a younger and less experienced firefighter, I hesitated, uncertain as to whether or not I was right for the position. I told Brian that I wasn’t sure I was ready. Always encouraging and

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

- Aaron Hanen, Bowen Island Fire Chief

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.

committed to what he believed was best for the fire department, he said, “Of course you are.”

It’s been 20 long years of planning, but Brian’s vision is finally becoming a reality.

Without a doubt, it is his foresight and vision that has gotten our fire department to where it is today. His legacy is the new fire hall on Miller Road that he fought so long and hard for.

To commemorate Brian’s many years of dedication and vision, a tree will be planted at the new fire hall and a plaque erected in his honour.

National NewsMedia Council.

EDITOR Alex Kurial editor@bowenisland undercurrent.com

ADVERTISING Tracey Wait ads@bowenisland undercurrent.com

CARTOONIST Ron Woodall

PUBLISHER Peter Kvarnstrom publisher@bowenisland undercurrent.com 2011 CCNA

CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2011

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

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

Thursday, April 7, 2022

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A5

VIEWPOINTS

On Inflow, Infiltration, and more...

Former Mayor Murray Skeel’s letter in last week’s Undercurrent was spot on. The Municipality’s proposed $1.64M Snug Cove Sewer Treatment Plant Phase 1 costs are being poorly spent fixing the wrong problem, at the wrong time.

It is always less expensive to fix a problem’s root cause rather than paying to accommodate the symptom, especially when the tools and procedures to do so are well established. And, as Mr. Skeels stated, the current regulations require that sewer system Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) be fixed, and not accommodated by constructing storage.

The engineering reports for Phase 1 assume that about 90 per cent of the plant capacity is currently used during peak storm events, and that “Future flow/weather patterns mimic historical data events”. However, it is evident from the flow data that the repairs made have already realized peak flow reductions. If reasonable efforts are made to address the remaining I&I, the plant should be operating at about 60 per cent capacity.

The cost for the Phase 1 project could be deferred or eliminated and issuing of building permits could resume.

The Municipality has completed some I&I reduction tasks, including replacing a pump station and a few manholes recently, but it appears little else. Had action started in 2020 (or earlier), the repairs could have been completed by now. Instead, the most expensive option was selected without much effort to find cost-effective solutions, using tried and true methods.

A successful infiltration reduction program would include CCTV camera inspection of older parts of the piping system to locate issues and make repairs. This might include private sewer connections. Existing pump stations data should be used to calculate flows (including middle of the night flows to indicate where problems are occurring and the magnitude of the issue). It seems neither of these critical tasks have been completed nor has a critical sewage plant inflow flowmeter been installed.

The Muni should also have checked recent system changes that might cause current issues. For example, both sewage pump stations were installed or upgraded in recent years. The pumps were sized for ultimate development flows, and interlocks preventing simultaneous pumping were not used. This could be the main cause of the few minor sewage spills at the plant. These are obvious issues that stand out like red flags but have never been acted upon.

Now the Municipality plans to complete these tasks AFTER it spends $1.64M to accommodate the problem. Why not before? Given how much general revenue has disappeared into the Snug Cove Local Service Area in the past decade and never seen again, our elected officials owe it to the taxpayers to spend our money more wisely and ensure that due diligence is done before embarking on the highest cost option.

- Brad Hawthorn

This Can ofWorms is about to blow As layer after layer is peeled back from the murky Snug Cove sewer issue, we begin to realize how big a can of worms this really is. This one has been festering for years and has created a complicated situation in which doing something to correct a problem leads to many more problems.

This one can’t be fixed with some swift bylaw changes and classifying it an asset of island wide significance, after the fact. It can’t be fixed with an expensive engineering patch, paid for by everyone on the island. It can’t be fixed by pointing at the Strategic Plan and spinning a contrived and convoluted narrative scripted to “connect” a privately owned rental business with public funds.

It certainly can’t be fixed by a hastily conceived PR campaign with Mayor Ander and his corner. By the way, that half page ad in a recent issue of the Undercurrent cost $295, (with tax, according to the municipality.) Any guesses who paid for it? Just take a look in the mirror. I bet that $295 could have bought a seal or two to replace the leaky ones on the sewer pipes.

But the municipality needs a solution now, needs to be seen as acting with true leadership and knowing what’s best for the island. However, when scrutinized, the hasty approach presented as a solution is little more than an attempt to manipulate public opinion and drag all islanders into a mess they did not create. There’s an unsavoury flavour of socializing the losses and privatizing the gains in this recipe.

Here’s some sound advice: Before trying to create a solution, spend some time to rigorously define the problems that need fixing and articulating the reasons why these are more important than others, in an open, honest and transparent way. This will take time, but it will be time well spent.

It is also important to recognize that this problem may be too big for the team at hand to get a handle on. After all, there’s conflict in committees, there’s a long history and timeline of neglect, there are unexplained waived hook-up fees, there’s a lack of documentation, there are opaque fund transfers and a lack of clarity where all the money came from and where it went. Maybe this is a good time to call in an independent audit, fully cooperate and show some courage to get to the bottom of this mess and clean it up for good.

And in the meantime, how about some good old accountability? Somewhere, someone, somehow dropped the ball. The people of Bowen Island, who are now being dragged into this murky puddle and expected to pay for the ride, deserve to know.

Admitting a screwup is actually a true sign of leadership. And if someone steps forward to offer his or her resignation I for one would not object. In my view, this would be a sign of true accountability.

But maybe I am aiming high.

- Richard Wiefelspuett

When The Heart - by Bernice Ann Lever When the heart is too tired to trust.

When the eyes are too dry to cry.

When the pale lips sag unable to smile.

Having an event?

Listings are always free in our weekly community calendar.

Please email your listing to Alex by Tuesday 5 p.m. for that week's edition. editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com Thank you!

Silence fills the gloom with no room for laughter as PEACE fades away.

A6 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, April 7, 2022

Grandfriends Spring Cards SARAH HAXBY Bowen Island Community School The Grandfriends Program is an intergenerational program that builds community connections between BICS students and people in the community age 55+ who are invited to participate in the program and become ‘grand friends’. The program’s activities at Bowen Island Community School have varied in the over thirty years it has run: from games and teatime, art activities and exchanging letters.

This year a grade three class of students created handmade spring happiness pop-up cards to celebrate spring and to let the older members of the community know that the younger members of the community are thinking of them and are hoping that everyone has a lovely spring. The cards are a gift that can be picked up from the Bowen Island Public library during open hours by any grandfriend wanting a spring smile. The cards were made before spring break and are part of an ongoing BICS-Bowen Island Public Library partnership program. https://bowenlibrary.ca/ If the cards run out, BICS students say that they will make more!

Woodfibre LNG planning council presentation ALEX KURIAL Editor The municipality will hear a delegation from Woodfibre LNG next month to discuss the liquefied natural gas facility being constructed outside Squamish.

The company requested a presentation at an upcoming council meeting to talk about the project, located at the site of the former Woodfibre pulp and paper mill southwest of the town. In a letter to Bowen Island Municipality the company says they’re “committed to contributing to a net-zero future, driven by innovation; ensuring meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous people; and socioeconomic beneproviding positive fits for Squamish and neighbouring communities, including Bowen Island.”

The multi-billion dollar facility being built on Howe Sound will employ about 100 workers and produce millions of tonnes of LNG a year once fully operational. Final cleanup is expected this year, with construction beginning in 2023 and an anticipated completion date of 2027.

“2022 will be a milestone year for the company and we would appreciate the opportunity to provide a comprehensive update on our project to Bowen Island Mayor and Council,” wrote Julia Diamond, Woodfibre’s senior manager of government relations.

But not everybody was eager to roll out the welcome mat.

“My first reaction to this letter was quite negative,” said Coun.

Maureen Nicholson during the March 28 meeting. “The last time the LNG roadshow came to Bowen Island was – from my perspective – a particularly unpleasant visit.”

But Nicholson said after speaking with community members, “the response was basically, ‘bring it on.’”

“People are interested in hearing what was happened in the 6.5-7 years since Woodfibre spoke with us. For the delegation, I hope there actually will be an opportunity for the public to put forward their questions,” said Nicholson.

The strongest opposition to the visit came from Coun.

Sue Ellen Fast. “We need to spend our limited time at council meetings on significant business for our community, and not going over business that we’ve already made decisions about,” she said.

“Since February 2015 council has been passing motions of non-support of that Woodfibre LNG proposal,” said

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Queen of Capilano Ferry Schedule to April 9 2022

BOWEN ISLAND UNITED CHURCH www.biuc.ca | 1122 Miller Road

FOOD BANK

Sunday Worship 10:30 am Rev. Lorraine Ashdown

DROP-OFF

P t Cl t N l ST. GERARD’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Sunday Mass at 9.30

Contact Angela Powell 604-947-2515

604 988

CATES HILL CHAPEL

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

Sunday Worship 10:00 Services offered in-person or online via Zoom.

Link available on website.

Rev. Phil Adkins

SHIRAT HAYAM (Song of the Sea) BOWEN’S JEWISH COMMUNITY Shabbat Gatherings ~ Holidays Contact aryana.rayne@gmail.com

Fast, pointing out as recently as two years ago council voted to “direct staff to communicate to the Provincial Environmental Assessment Office that Bowen Island Municipality continues to not support the Woodfibre LNG project.” (Councillors Michael Kaile and Alison Morse opposed this directive, according to the minutes for the May 25, 2020 meeting.)

“So I think we should just receive the letter, but tell them we’ve done lots of work on it. They don’t need to take up our time at a council meeting about it,” continued Fast. “If they want to come and hold an open house or put an article in the Undercurrent, there’s lots of other venues.”

But consensus seemed to be hearing from the company was for the best.

“I get Coun. Fast’s comments. On the flipside I think it’s important that we are in the loop and know what’s going on,” said Coun. Rob Wynen. “Even if we don’t support this project, I don’t see any reason why us knowing what is happening there is a hindrance.”

“I know some people have had questions about that operation, and it would be a chance for us to ask those questions and clarify anything we want to clarify… I think we should be open minded,” added Morse.

Council voted to have staff schedule a presentation date, with Fast the lone councillor in opposition.

)

OWEN IS SLAND DEPART BO

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 7:40pm - except Saturdays 8:55 pm ....... on Sat. 8:30 pm 10:00 pm ...... on Sat. 9:30 pm 11:00pm ...... on Sat.10:30 pm

5:50 0 am 6:50 0 am 8:00 0 am 9:05 5 am except Wednesdays 10:1 15 am 11:2 25 am 12:3 35 pm 2:20 0 pm 3:3 30 pm 4:35 pm 5:45 pm 6:50 pm 8:20 pm - except Saturdays 9:30pm ....... on Sat. 9:00 pm 10:30pm ......on Sat. 10:00 pm

Cancelled on Saturday March 19 and April 2, 9, 2022: 8:30 pm departing Snug Cove 9:00 pm departing Horseshoe Bay Note: Schedules subject to change without notice

Please check BCFERRIES.COM Schedule changes on statutory holidays

Thursday, April 7, 2022

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A7

National earthquake early warning system launches in Horseshoe Bay BRENT RICHTER North Shore News If you had 10 seconds’ warning before a major earthquake struck, how would you spend them?

It’s a question Canadians may soon have to ponder, with the nation’s first ever earthquake early warning system getting its launch in West Vancouver.

Natural Resources Canada deployed its first sensor, in what will eventually be a network of 400 sensors in seismically active areas, within BC Ferries’ Horseshoe Bay terminal, March 28.

The system is designed to detect the first wave of energy radiating from an earthquake’s epicentre and then provide “seconds to tens of seconds” of warning before the real shaking begins.

“Indigenous oral history tells us that every couple centuries, we experienced devastating earthquakes in British Columbia, which today can damage infrastructure, destroy buildings, trigger power outages and displace communities. They can cause injury and even death and they almost always come without warning,” said Patrick Weiler, West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, announcing the program on behalf of the federal government. “When an earthquake hits, every second counts.”

Inside the sensor bolted to the floor of the ferry terminal are accelerometers that detect any movement of the ground. When enough movement on enough sensors is picked up,

it can trigger the warning. The government expects to have the system fully operational by 2024.

If and when it is triggered, it will use the national public alerting system to deliver instant warnings to smartphones, TVs and radios, similar to how Amber Alerts work today.

“With this system, we will take the guesswork out of the initial response and be able to prepare efficiently for what’s coming our way. By giving this heads-up, people will have a few extra moments to drop, cover and hold on,” said Jennifer Rice, B.C. parliamentary secretary for emergency preparedness.

It will also benefit the operators of critical infrastructure who will need a head start mitigating the risk the public and the environment face. With a bit of advanced notice, planes could be diverted from landing and trains could be halted, workers handling hazardous tools or materials could put them down, surgeries could be paused, gates to block the entrances to bridges or tunnels could be deployed, and businesses could start emergency server back-ups.

Similar warning systems are already up and running in Japan, Mexico, Taiwan and U.S. states on the West Coast, where one was triggered by the 2019 Ridgecrest quakes in Los Angeles.

“That was a really good testbed, and it worked really well,” said Alison Bird, earthquake seismologist with Natural Resources Canada. “We have seen this work elsewhere, which is why I’m so thrilled, as a seismologist, to get this in Canada. This is going to

West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country MP Patrick Weiler, BC Parliamentary Secretary Jennifer Rice, and BC Ferries CEO Mark Collins activate the first sensor in Canada’s earthquake early warning system atWestVancouver’s Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal, March 28. / Mike Wakefield, North Shore News make a big difference for us.”

Canada’s new system even uses the same software as U.S. to allow for instant sharing of data, Bird said.

Mark Collins, president and CEO for BC Ferries said the corporation was happy to host the first sensor in their terminal building.

“This was very close to our hearts because, living on the West Coast of Canada, and operating a transportation service, you can’t

help but be concerned about seismic activity, so we’re absolutely thrilled to be part of this initiative,” he said.

B.C. is the most seismically active place in Canada. In 1946, a 7.3-magnitude quake struck Vancouver Island, the largest ever record on land in the country. There have been more than 100 of magnitude five or greater since then, and almost every day, seismographs pick up lesser tremors along the Juan De Fuca Plate.

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A8 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, April 7, 2022

A pair of signs Spring is here: the return of the Flickers (above), and an amorous Bald Eagle couple become one by joining their cloaca. / Haig Farris photos

PUBLIC NOTICE W.C.D. Developments Ltd. will be undertaking sidewalk improvements on a section of sidewalk on Bowen Island Trunk Road between the Bowen Island Pub and the General Store. These improvements are scheduled to take place approximately April 25 – May 9. This portion of the sidewalk will be closed and an alternate route will be provided. Please call at 604-947-0099 and press 0 with any questions or concerns.

B.C. dropping ‘vaccine passport’program April 8 LINDSAY WILLIAM-ROSS Vancouver Is Awesome As of 12:01 a.m. on Friday, April 8, 2022, the BC Vaccine Card, the provincial “vaccine passport” needed to access events and businesses like restaurants will no longer be mandatory.

Also in effect at the same time: post-secondary school residencies will no longer require proof of vaccination, while businesses will transition from COVID-19 safety plans to communicable disease plans.

The BC Vaccine Card Program has been in place since Sept. 13, 2021, but the province allowed a grace period until Sept. 23. The program verifies that B.C. residents have received a minimum of two doses of an approved COVID19 vaccine.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry confirmed April 5 the plans that were previewed March 10, when she announced that face masks would no longer be mandated in B.C. While the BC Vaccine Card will no longer be mandated under a public health order, Henry indicated that does not mean it will disappear from use entirely in the province.

Some events, venues, and businesses will be able to make the call on whether they want to require proof of vaccination, likely in the form of the BC Vaccine Card and its scannable QR code, in order to grant access to patrons.

Henry said that some businesses that find they might get too crowded, for example, may opt to put a proof of vaccine policy in place for access. Those businesses, like “community restaurants” or small theatres or museums, must have a plan in place for accommodating patrons who are not

vaccinated, for example, a restaurant would need to offer take-out as an alternative to dining-in.

“Each business has to do its own due diligence,” pointed out Henry, when it comes to deciding to put in a proof-ofvaccine requirement for entry.

Henry previously stated that the timeline for removing health measuresdepended on the current epidemiological situation in B.C. and that the province would take a slow and measured approach.

Although B.C. is seeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases, particularly of the Omicron variant and its subvariant BA.2, in recent weeks, Henry indicated Tuesday that the province is also seeing a decreased risk of serious illness and/or hospitalization with infection, as well as high levels of antibodies both from vaccination and prior infection, in residents.

COVID-19 modelling for B.C. does show that health officials anticipate a further increase in cases provincewide through April and into May as a result of increased contacts and the removal of some protections like mandatory face masks; however, the same modelling projects that case counts will then likely drop in May and into the summer.

B.C.’s indoor mask requirements were removed on March 11. The overnight camp and youth order and capacity limits on faith gatherings was lifted at that time, too.

Long-term care visitation was restored but visitors must be fully vaccinated and will be required to take a test.

Health-care workers in British Columbia will remain mandated to be fully vaccinated, however, Henry confirmed Tuesday.

- With files from Elana Shepert

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bowenislandundercurrent.com • A9

My Pysanky story LYNN KRUKOWSKI Contributor This time of year, most Ukrainian Mom’s are quietly making their loved ones Pysanky, (Ukrainian Easter Eggs), writing symbols wishing love, joy, happiness, strength, protection, good health, long lives, bountiful harvests, wealth and prosperity. Every symbol, every colour, every line, every design has a meaning, most wishing a good wish or a prayer. This year, filled with the sadness and horror of war, I can’t imagine how they are doing so. I have written Pysanky for many years and I could not lift my spirits enough to even start these past few weeks. Makers of Ukrainian Easter eggs would start with saying a prayer for help in writing their designs. I was never taught this ritual so my start would be a week of searching and reading through my many books on Pysanky for new ancient designs to recreate, or noting down elements I liked in various pysanka to combine them into a ‘meaning’ full gift for the members of my family. The work pysanka (one egg) comes from the Ukrainian verb pysaty, meaning ‘to write’. Hopefully each year you can write many pysanky.

I first learned of Ukrainian Easter Eggs in April 1972 from an article written in National Geographic. When my younger brothers and I were oohing and awing over the beautiful eggs my Dad (who always told us we had an Austrian background) glanced at the article and said, ‘My Mom used to make those when I was a little boy’ (so are we Ukrainian?). To our utter amazement, he went out to his shed and made us pens (kitska) for writing with beeswax on the eggs. We happily copied the symbols on the pysanky in the magazine onto our hard boiled eggs. Nowadays I write my designs on fresh raw eggs washed in warm water with a bit of vinegar because the dye takes better on the uncooked shell.

The designs can take hours to days to complete as each colour layer gets covered in a protective layer of wax. The first layer of colour is the actual shell which can be white, brown, green, or blue (if you are lucky to find). Your next dye would be yellow and you progress from there from lighter to darker coloured dyes protecting what you want of each colour before you dye over it.

This year, looking for inspiration to start writing I started following pysankari (multiple-writers) on social media. It became apparent that they were all feeling as worried as I was about Ukraine and their eggs were done in the colours of the Ukrainian flag - blue (sky) yellow (grain, sunflowers).

They were also using the trident or tryzub symbol from the Ukrainian flag incorporated as a design element. The pysanky were very beautiful but it was really hard for me to adjust to seeing them on a pysanka. One group, Pysanky for Ukraine, with members from all over the world, had a Pysanky for Ukraine Day on April 1 via Zoom. All members spent the day sharing their designs, techniques, thoughts and events that they planned for fundraising for Ukraine, all while writing pysanky to honour Ukraine. A lot of the design colours were blue and yellow with the tryzub or sunflowers somewhere on the egg. It was the most inspiring, comforting day I have ever spent. A poignant poem was shared that basically said ‘don’t worry my sister if you can’t make an egg this year - I/we will do it for you’. We all cried because we all shared the concern of if they could make the eggs for their families. Members of the group who live in Ukraine joined for a few minutes and told their stories from wherever they were hiding (tired, exhausted and worn to the bone). They all expressed their gratitude at the support given to them by the world and were honoured by the many eggs dedicated to Ukraine. I decided I needed to learn how to put sunflowers (symbols of love, charity and good will as well as representing the warm rays of the sun) on my first egg this year. Something I had never done before but I will do again, gladly.

If you would like to learn more about the history and meaning of Ukrainian Easter Eggs and how to make them please join our next Rotary meeting on April 11 at 7:30pm via Zoom, where I will share more of my story and demonstrate writing pysanka. You can find the link on the Bowen Rotary Club’s website: www.bowenrotary.com. You can also help Bowen Rotary raise funds to support Ukraine by donating to ShelterBox on the Easter weekend in front of the Snug (weather permitting). Pysanka will be on display with an in-person demonstration. I will share with you what I learned from a grandmother I never knew. After all there is an old Ukrainian legend that tells the story to explain the belief of ‘the more pysanky created each year - the less evil there is in the world’.

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Proudly Celebrating 44 Years of Trusted Transport for Bowen Island & Howe Sound “The single egg that is green, yellow and black is the egg for Spring. I love this ancient pattern and probably make a new one each year.” (Top right, above); “The single egg with white netting (symbolizing a sieve separating good from evil or netting to catch your wishes), and red and orange sunflowers (symbolizing the warm sun’s rays, and love), is to honour Ukraine.” (Top right, below) Lynn adds the other eggs have been made for family throughout the years, and the butter dish containing them was passed down from her Grandmother she never knew. / Lynn Krukowski photos

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A10 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, April 7, 2022

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Thursday, April 7, 2022

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A11

COMMUNITY CALENDAR ALL APRIL

Bowen Trail Society 30X30 We are challenging you to get outside for a minimum of 30 min every day in April. You can hike, run, bike, golf, garden, swim, paddle, ride a horse, or even walk your goats.... as long as you do it outside! Learn more at www.bowenislandtrailsociety.ca Spring Session is now open at Bowen Island Gymnastics Parkour for boys, Mini - Ninja Parkour, Tiny Tumblers and Girls Gym Stars. Please email bowengymnastics@gmail. com to register, website: www.bowenislandgymnastics.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 8

Legion Dinner This week - roast pork, roast potatoes & veg with ice cream and fresh berries for dessert. Doors open at 5 PM. Dinner is served at 6 PM. Upcoming dinners Apr. 22, Apr. 29, May 13.

MONDAY, APRIL 11

Bowen Island Municipal Council - 6:15 PM Council will be returning to in-person meetings. All open Council meetings will be held in Council Chambers at Municipal Hall, 981 Artisan Lane, and broadcasted live via Zoom for electronic participation.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we get used to using new technology that allows for a hybrid meeting format.

Pysanky (Ukrainian Easter Eggs) Demonstration Join the members of the Rotary Club of Bowen Island to watch Lynn Krukowski demonstrating the family tradition of writing beautiful Ukrainian Easter Eggs.

Check bowenrotary.com on April 11 for the Zoom link.

Program begins at 7:30 PM.

TUESDAY, APRIL 12

Growing Food, Biodiversity, & Managing Mammal Pests:

A ZOOM FORUM FOR BOWEN ISLANDERS, 7-8:30 PM How do we restore balance with nature and harvest more food? Please bring your questions and best ideas. Hosted by Bowen Island Food Resilience and Bowen Agricultural Alliance.

The Forum will include remarks by Bonny Brokenshire, Manager, Bylaw Services, Bowen Island Municipality; Jennifer Rae Pierce, Political Ecologist, Urban Planner and PhD student; Kim Sinclair, Executive Director Coast Animal Welfare & Education Society (C.A.W.E.S.) To register and get a link write to us: bowenfoodresilience@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20

Fabric At Play Join the Fibre Arts Guild in making a quilt block that will be pieced into a quilt of comfort for a residential school surviver. No sewing skills required. All materials provided and mentors available. Two sessions: 2 to 4 PM or 7 to 9 PM. Register @ 604-947-2454 or hello@thehearthartsonbowen.ca.

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A12 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Thursday, April 7, 2022

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Easter Family Favouites ARRIVING THIS WEEK: JD Farms turkeys, leg of lamb roasts, Easter hams, turkey breast roasts, & grass-fed rib eye roasts

FRESH PRODUCE FOR EASTER: Broccolini, brussels & cabbage sprouts, BC nugget potatoes, fiddleheads, organic salad greens & more!

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WIN A GIANT CHOCOLATE BUNNY! Pick up your FREE egg to decorate, in store now!

Rogers & Denman Island Easter Chocolates are here! Plus Vegan Easter candies from Squish!

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The Ruddy is proud to support BowenGrowers&BCFarmers