December 19, 2025

LOTS OF HOLIDAY EVENTS LEFT! CALENDAR ON PAGE 17

$1.50

inc.

GST

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2025

VOL. 51 NO. 50

INFANT-TODDLER SPACES AT BCC PAGE 10

BowUndercurrent www.bowenislandundercurrent.com

Multi-Use Path presses pause on cross-island trek INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS PRIORITIZED ALEX KURIAL Editor

FELIZ NAVIDAD Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! It’s our last issue of 2025 but we’ll see you right back here in 2026. Have a wonderful and bright holiday season! / Liz Nankin photo 230 MOONWINKS DRIVE

The next phase of the Multi-Use Path has been cancelled for the time being.

The 800-metre proposed portion along Grafton Road – dubbed Phase 4 and stretching from Forster Lane to just north of Cates Hill Road – was originally approved by council last month. But updated cost estimates led to questions about its financial viability.

The original $2 million price tag was determined three years ago, and a recent re-examination of this number shows it’s no longer applicable. The current cost to complete the project has since jumped to $2.75 million, mostly due to increased construction costs along with environmental, geotechnical and archaeological fees.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

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Friday, December 19, 2025

A2 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Bowen Island Fire Rescue

Bowen Island Recycling Depot Hours CLOSED Thursday December 25 CLOSED Friday December 26 OPEN Saturday December 27 OPEN Sunday December 28 OPEN Monday December 29

Events

CLOSED Thursday January 1 OPEN Friday January 2 OPEN Saturday January 3 OPEN Sunday January 4

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

Questions? Call Bowen Waste Solutions at 604-947-2255

Garbage Collection Schedule

January 12, 2026 1:00 pm Regular Council Meeting

A copy of the 2026 Garbage Collections Schedule can be picked up at BIRD or Municipal Hall. It can also be found on our website at: bowenislandmunicipality.ca/garbage-collection-schedule/

Contact Bowen Island Municipality PAID ADVERTISEMENT December 19, 2025

Phone: 604-947-4255 Bowen Island Municipal Hall Fax: 604-947-0193 580 Bowen Island Trunk Road Email: bim@bimbc.ca Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2 Website: www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca

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

Find us on Facebook Bowen Island Municipality

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Friday, December 19, 2025

Courtesy of Bowen Island Fire Smart: Have clear signage at the end of your driveway and ensure the entire driveway is accessible to emergency vehicles.

You can order a sign like the one Ross Patterson is displaying here by writing to s i gn s b owe n ro t a r y @ gmail.com to express your interest.

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A3

NERP Tip of the Month

The Grohne Family of Bowen Island & Vancouver, and the Moore Family of Hoschton, GA, are now lost without their beautiful, artistic, funny, big-hearted, fun-loving daughter, wife, sister, cousin, and Aunty Dolly.

She was a beautiful, artistic, funny, big-hearted, fun-loving daughter, wife, sister, cousin, and Aunty Dolly. She grew up in Lawrenceville with her sister Deanna, her father Gordon, and her mother Sandra.

Future MUP plans to be revisited CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

It was also revealed an anticipated grant through the provincial Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants (BCAT) pipeline would only cover a portion measuring between 400 and 700-metres, further limiting the scope of Phase 4. Municipal staff raised concerns about the sharp jump in cost for less return, along with the prospect of being left with an unconnected and potentially confusing segment of Multi-Use Path (MUP) at the end of the project.

In light of these new realities, interim director of engineering Sarah Kosari suggested this portion of the MUP be shelved until more planning can take place.

“If we plan this properly there is future potential to continue this program. But as we are standing we need more time,” said Kosari, advising council not to allocate more money towards this phase during a Committee of the Whole (COW) on Monday.

“We need to have better cost estimation and better planning for such a big ask from council. I understand this may be disappointing for council and the mayor, but

Darla Donetta Moore Grohne December 31, 1965 – November 27, 2025

there will be opportunities in the future and we will take those responsibly and plan for them,” she added.

Council members were indeed disappointed, but understanding. “It was a bit of a shock to see that. But with everything we’ve heard today… it makes a lot of sense,” said Coun. Tim Wake, referencing Capital Project discussions which took place earlier during the COW. “To me this is an example of us getting realistic with the hard numbers on the ground. We really want to get that thing (MUP) done and it’s at some critical parts.

But infrastructure that’s failing is more important,” said Wake.

One part of the project which will be addressed is the failing culvert at Cates Hill Road, which was set to be replaced as part of MUP Phase 4. It’s instead been included for funding during 2026 under the Culvert Replacement Program.

Council determined unanimously to cancel the current Phase 4 and reallocate the municipal portion of funding to other infrastructure needs.

Darla attended Central Gwinnett High School, graduating in 1984. She was known for her fashion-forward sense and her Datsun 280Z. Like her father, she loved cars too.

She attended Southern Adventist University for two years. Gifted with a natural eye for design something her mother passed down to her. She later attended Brenau University, graduating with a degree in Interior Design.

From 1991 to 2002, Darla built her career designing private homes. Her designs were showcased in the prestigious Street of Dreams from 1996 to 2001, where she met her soon-to-be Canadian husband, Raef, while he was photographing her interior design creations. After a couple of years of travelling back and forth in pursuit of love, Darla decided to expand her horizons. She sold her home and moved to Vancouver.

On July 26, 2003, she married Raef on Bowen Island. Raef was and forever will be overwhelmed by this incredible act of selfless love, which he tried to return to Darla every day for the past 22 years.

She expanded her design business in Vancouver, bringing her clients a refined Southern-French Flair that contrasted beautifully with the West Coast design style. Beyond Darla's incredible sense for shaping spaces and blending fabrics, textures, and colours, often with a candy-like playfulness - her creativity flowed effortlessly into the kitchen. She loved creating and sharing beautiful culinary treats with others, just like her mother. The kitchen was one of her happiest places, always filled with friends, family, and every style of music drifting in the background.

Darla explored Thailand, Germany, England, and Spain with Raef. They eventually moved from the city to the Grohne Family Home on Bowen Island. Surrounded by quiet forest, rolling meadows, grapevines, apple trees, and a friendly family of deer, all while enjoying the friendships that living on a small island creates.

In 2012, with her parents growing older, Darla felt it was time to be closer to them. Two years later, while exploring a nearby town, she recognized an opportunity to pursue her dream of owning a trendy, chic, modern women's boutique. From that moment, Naked South Boutique in Braselton was born.

Darla was so thankful for her decision to move back to Georgia, because in 2015 her mother passed away.

She continued running her beautiful boutique - which she truly loved and thrived in - while helping her father with his business and enjoying summers on Bowen Island.

For the past year, Darla was quietly battling cancer. She spent months in Vancouver receiving treatment.

She was incredibly strong and brave throughout, hardly complaining and always fighting through every obstacle she faced. She thought she had won.

Returning to Hoschton in July to be Aunty Dolly to her nephews, Colton (7 years), Colson (3 years), Cason (1.5 years), Asa (6 months), and her niece Stevie (1 month). She loved them so much. They were the sun in her life - the source of her energy and joy - illuminating her face with warmth and sparking her biggest smiles and softest kisses. She was in heaven.

Darla was a daughter to Gordon and Sandra (2015); wife to Raef; bonus mum to Raef's son Joshua (Haley & Logan); sister to Deanna (Gerry Davis, Tim, Carrie, Morgan & Olivia); Aunty and second mom to Torie (Daniel Crumbley, Colson & Cason), Taylor (Rachel & Asa), and Zachary (Paula, Colton, Stevie); and a beloved family member to many cousins, uncles, and aunts of the Moore, King, Gaston, and Brendle families.

At home on Thanksgiving Day, November 27th, with family by her side, Darla said good-bye.

Phase 4 of the Multi-Use Path (red), originally estimated to cost $2 million, has been cancelled until further notice following a new estimate of $2.75 million.

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A4 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Friday, December 19, 2025

VIEWPOINTS EDITORIAL

That’s a Wrap!

It’s hard to believe but this paper marks another year in the books! December has a habit of moving very quickly with all the different events, and then suddenly you look up and it’s less than a week until Christmas Day. Hopefully everyone is close to ready for the big day, and if you manage to somehow have any social battery left there’s still some holiday events to check out over the next couple days too - including plays, markets, movies & more!

Following in last year’s footsteps our first paper of 2026 will be a look at the year that was with a Year in Review issue. These are quite fascinating to put together, because despite the past 12 months being relatively recent history there are so many moments which happened in that time span that you rediscover. Bowen had some big moments (Community Centre for one!) and we’ll work to capture them during this mini island history tour.

2025 was the 50th anniversary of the Undercurrent which is quite an incredible run for any business, particularly a print newspaper in this day and age. Sadly each year many towns, often bigger than ours, continue to lose their papers. It is quite a testmant to this community of some 4,200 people that the passion for news, storytelling and community connection exists in such force to maintain the Undercurrent after all this time. There is a long list of staff who deserve credit over the past 50 years, but an even longer list of community contributors who, as you can see each and every week, bring this paper to life. You all deserve credit for this accomplishment and it’s a pleasure to work alongside you.

That said, now it’s time for a break! We’ll return on Monday, January 5 ready and eager to see what the new year holds. Until then, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

- Alex Kurial, Editor

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 PO Box 130, Bowen Island, BC, V0N 1G0 or email editor@bowenislandundercurrent.com All Advertising and news copy content are copyright of the Undercurrent Newspaper. All editorial content submitted to the Undercurrent becomes the property of the publication. The Undercurrent is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, art work and photographs.

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EDITOR Alex Kurial editor@bowenisland undercurrent.com

ADVERTISING Tracey Wait ads@bowenisland undercurrent.com

CARTOONIST Ron Woodall

PUBLISHER Sarah Strother 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.

Friday, December 19, 2025

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A5

VIEWPOINTS

G ifftting made ma easy...

Gifting

A Christmas Tale

MAGGIE DAVIDSON Contributor The big evening had finally arrived. The Christmas concert at our elementary school would be attended by parents, grandparents and siblings. Mrs. White’s Grade 5 class was practiced and ready to perform several carols for the assembly.

My contribution to the concert was a solo rendition of ‘O Holy Night’ for which I had practiced diligently each night at bedtime, in my clear soprano voice, for weeks in advance.

I recall my mother’s dulcet tone from the bottom of the stairs saying ‘Okay now, that’s enough for tonight. Go to sleep now.’ This only after I had hit the high note of ‘O night divine…’ about a dozen times!

On the hallowed night I was decked out in a lacey white blouse, and the prerequisite black skirt all the choir was wearing. After several carol selections, I stepped to the front of the stage to perform my solo, feeling as ready as ever. I locked eyes with my Mom, beaming back at me with pride and reassurance.

The song began beautifully, but somewhere about the middle strains of ‘Fall on your knees…’ I felt something around my ankles. Assuming it was someone’s cast-off

sweater, I deftly kicked out over the edge of the stage, singing merrily when I again caught my Mom’s gaze. Her mouth was agape and her countenance revealed the abject horror she was feeling. I gave myself a hasty once over, up and down, only to discover the item I had kicked off the stage was my neat black skirt whose only button closure had popped!

Luckily the final strains of ‘O night, O night divine’ were the last things I had to sing, and amidst polite, sympathetic applause I hurried behind the choir where someone quickly tied a sweater around my exposed petticoat.

My flustered Mom retrieved my skirt and helped me back into it with the aid of a trusty safety pin. And although we were both mortified by this experience, it hasn’t deterred me to this day from ‘trodding the boards’ several times during my long life.

Luckily neither my older brother or my Dad witnessed this embarrassing fiasco or I probably would not have been able to remember it so fondly. They would have never stopped teasing me about it.

Happy holidays everyone, and here’s to a peaceful and healthy 2026.

- Maggie Davidson (nee Margaret McLean, age 10 at story time)

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A6 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Friday, December 19, 2025

VIEWPOINTS

Remembering Christmas MARY LETSON Contributor Christmas is like a sensory layer cake of memory. Scents, sounds and tastes take me back in a heartbeat to childhood memories.

Like caroling. I remember our entire elementary school gathered in the school gym to sing Christmas carols. Skirts and dresses were mandatory for girls so the discomfort of the cold gritty gym floor was part of the caroling experience.

With lyrics gripped in our hands our collective child’s voice was thunderous. Our music teacher Mrs. Stephan was enthusiastic with her piano accompaniment. Bedecked in a flowered polyester dress, her curled grey hair trembled as her meaty arms banged out the carols on the old upright piano. I loved it.

I remember the miniature hair brush revealed in my Christmas cracker one Christmas Eve dinner. It was the early 70s and sideburns were all the rage. Basking in my father’s attention, I brushed his lamb chop sideburns thinking how handsome he was, all of us held in the festive anticipation for the next day.

I remember spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in our living room that we only lived in during special

occasions. With its perfect blue carpet and the upholstered furniture cool and smooth to the touch, the big bay window looked out to the expanse of Grand Boulevard. The fireplace crackled with the scent of wood smoke and heightened the special occasion. Christmas decorations were hauled out from the attic including my favourite - the brass bells held together with ancient string. Polished and hung, the bells were then jingled until our parents couldn’t stand it anymore.

My Dad had a soft spot for wind-up and battery-operated toys. We had several relics that came out of their boxes every year, batteries replaced and set to wiggle and pop on the coffee table, Dad chuckling at the predictable mechanical moves. I carry this tradition on with my father in mind, and over the years have collected wind-up toys to bring to life at the Christmas table.

I remember the relatives arriving on Christmas day in their Sunday best, Mom bringing out the silverware and the blue glass stemmed goblets the colour of the Mediterranean for the fancy Christmas cocktails. Mom flung her staunch healthy food rules aside for holidays and my siblings, cousins and I slurped Orange Crush, sucked on candy canes, and reveled in Purdy’s chocolates. It was Christmas culinary heaven.

I remember waking in the night to scoot my toes down

to the end of the bed until I could feel the lump of my Christmas stocking (my parents bucked the fireplace mantle tradition). With delayed gratification deliciously unknown to me, I opened my stocking right then and there, bypassing the tissue wrapped mandarin to nibble the chocolate coins wrapped in gold. The taste of chocolate in the middle of the night – sheer childhood joy.

When we were older, Christmases moved from our North Vancouver home to King Edward Bay and different traditions grew around the rustic setting that was our second home. Less formality, more lingering around roaring fires in the old stone fireplace.

The Christmas tree was collected from the surrounding forest with much ado, the entire family tromping out together to select the perfect specimen that was invariably misshapen and too tall putting Dad’s engineering skills to the test. With a machete in hand, Dad chopped the tree down with theatrical flair while we belted out “Oh Christmas Tree”, none of us knowing all the words. It didn’t matter.

The Letson clan were staunch Christmas enthusiasts and although I’m sure there were bad times, I don’t remember any as a child. The years have rolled on and our family lives in a different constellation now. Mom and Dad have passed away and the grandchildren have started their own families and traditions. And so it goes.

I have inherited the Mediterranean blue glasses and the old brass bells. I strive to carry on what my parents held dear: the importance of connection and the possibility of a little Christmas magic.

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Friday, December 19, 2025

Winter’s Sparkle & New Artists at Catching Stars Gallery EMILIE KAPLUN Catching Stars Gallery Holiday shopping at Catching Stars Gallery is meant to feel joyful, inspiring, and personal. We’re here to help you find meaningful art and beautifully crafted gifts that celebrate creativity, community, and the spirit of the season.

Whether you’re searching for a special statement piece or a thoughtful stocking stuffer, our gallery is a warm, welcoming space where you can take your time, ask questions, and feel supported every step of the way. Let us help you make your holiday gifting effortless, heartfelt, and truly memorable while sampling our Tealish teas. Stop in to see our abundance of locally created ornaments, hostess gifts and beautiful art for the ones you love.

We have a few new artists who have recently joined the Gallery. We welcome Blac’Karz, featuring the work of Zeynep Karakas who has always cared deeply about table settings, home décor and the warm atmosphere created through thoughtful details. Her passion for crafting began in Turkey where she learned handmade techniques from her grandmother.

Her partner, Reid Gladman, helped her launch the Blac’Karz brand in Vancouver and each piece reflects careful craftsmanship and the use of natural. Blac’Karz also prioritizes sustainability by choosing eco-friendly, organic yarns to create pieces that are both beautiful and responsible,with most products being washable and designed for long-lasting use. Stop by the Gallery to see their handcrafted placemats, rugs and containers.

Libby Beck is a Vancouver artist with deep roots on Bowen Island, working in both ceramics and visual arts.

Known for her bright, joyful use of colour, her work is inspired by the natural beauty of gardens, skies, and coastal landscapes, translated into intuitive, freeform patterns on canvas and clay.

Libby studied Foundation Art at Richmond Upon Thames College in London, England, and later attended Emily Carr University in Vancouver. While living on Bowen Island, she established a home-based studio and spent over 20 years selling her work at markets across BC. Today, Libby continues to create vibrant pottery and paintings, always guided by colour, intuition, and the joy her art brings to others.

For the month of December, our Feature Artist is Michael Epp with a collection of his amazing paintings of portraits, still lifes and Bowen Scenes. Michael explains, “Whether painters are born or made, I can’t really say. I suspect it’s a bit of both. Talent is all well and good, but you still have to sit down and do the work and deal with the inevitable frustrations and setbacks.”

“Certainly, I’ve always had an art project of some kind going from the time I was a small boy. Just as importantly, I’ve always dreamed big dreams. As an artist, I’d say that I’m at least 50 per cent dreamer. I don’t see that as a bad thing.” Stop in to see the talent of this local Bowen Island artist.

Catching Stars Gallery has an amazing online store. We are excited to offer this for clients to purchase gifts from the comfort of your home. The Gallery ships worldwide and we are happy to send gifts to your friends and family to make

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A7

things simple and easy for you, while supporting a small business. Check out the work of more than 50 amazing artists at: www.catchingstarsgallery.com Happy Holidays to everyone and thank you for a wonderful year of community collaborations with the Copper Spirit Distillery, the Bowen Island Flower Shop, The Bowen Arts Tour, The Bowen Beer and Wine Cellar and Fabulous Finds.

We look forward to more collaborations with local businesses in 2026 and to supporting local and Canadian Artists.

Thank you to our Amazing Artists who help out on the sidelines, Alys Williams and Marie Neys and our Marvelous Members and Associates who greet everyone at the Gallery - Kathy Clarke, Jilly Watson, Katie Mainwaring, Deb Stringfellow, Thiago Ramirez, Shelley Koke, Justine Blicq, Sara Wiens, Kelly Woods and Liz Watson. We are grateful for their help in welcoming everyone at the Gallery.

Wishing everyone a fabulous New Year!

Artists including Libby Beck (below) and the Blac’Karz team (above) of Zeynep Karakas (right) & Reid Gladman (left) feature at Catching Stars Gallery this month. / Submitted photos SIGN UP

A8 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Friday, December 19, 2025

Bringing comfort through song LORRAINE ASHDOWN Bowen Island Threshold Choir On Sunday, December 14, a chilly and rainy night, The Bowen Island Threshold Singers brought some light to the darkness.

With readings from various faith traditions; soothing songs sung by The Threshold Singers; candle lighting and a procession outside with lanterns to hang our ribbons on the tree adorned with blue lights, the night brought some comfort and solace to some of

those who are grieving and holding sorrow at this time of year.

The Bowen Island Threshold Singers would like to thank the good people who provided us with a Neighbourhood Small Grant through the Bowen Island Community Foundation and in partnership with the Vancouver Foundation. Your support was very much appreciated.

In these darker and rainy days, we are encouraged to recall the light that lives within each of us, and to gather together as often as we can, offering each other comfort and peace.

The Threshold Singers at Collins Hall on Sunday. / Hasan Hutchinson photo

Happy Holidays As the year draws to a close, we hope the coming weeks offer time with the people you love and, just as importantly, moments of connection with those you don’t yet know well. May you find space with them for unhurried conversations, simple kindnesses, and small encounters that stay with you longer than you expect.

Friday, December 19, 2025

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A9

The Bowen Island Community Choir, led by Ellen McIntosh, delighted a pair of soldout audiences during their Christmas concerts last Saturday. ‘Fairytale of New York’ was a particular crowd favourite. / Alex Kurial photo

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Merry Christmas Bowen Wishing you all a happy and peaceful holiday season and a brilliant 2026.

Stop by and see this season's s new merch, from hoodies to toques we have it all, and don't forget gift cards make grreat stocking stuffers.

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Dec 24th early closing at noon Dec 25th & 26th closed Dec 27th - 30th - 9 am - 4 pm Dec 31st early closing at noon Jan 1st closed January 2nd regular hours resume

Dec 24th early closing at noon Dec 25th & 26th closed Dec 27th - 30th - 7 am - 4 pm Dec 31st early closing at noon Jan 1st closed January 2nd regular hours resume

TUSCANY Closed from Dec 21st to Dec 28th December 31st regular hours.

A10 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Friday, December 19, 2025

We Did It! More Infant-Toddler spaces at Bowen Children’s Centre ANN SILBERMAN & BOARD EDUCATORS Bowen Children’s Centre Society

AND

Bowen Children’s Centre on Bowen Island is delighted to announce to our community that we have successfully opened 12 new full-time Infant-Toddler spaces in our facility at 650 Carter Road.

It is now a reality for up to 18 more Bowen families. What these spaces mean is that there will be both part-time and full-time spaces to accommodate up to 18 families with infants and toddlers as well as the nine spaces already in operation.

“Finding child care can be especially hard in rural and remote communities,” said Rohini Arora, parliamentary secretary for child care. “These new spaces mean parents on Bowen Island can stay closer to home, get to work on time and know their children are safe each day. It’s one less thing to worry about and that makes a world of difference for families.”

The new spaces were made possible by more than $360,000 from the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund. This

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fund is jointly supported by provincial investments and federal funding under the Canada-British Columbia Canadawide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. British Columbia and the federal government signed an extension to the agreement for 2026-27 until 2030-31.

“Child care spaces like those at Bowen Children’s Centre help families thrive,” said Anna Gainey, Canada’s Secretary of State for Child Care. “They give parents peace of mind and help build stronger, more connected communities where every child has the chance to grow, learn, and succeed.”

Our extended Infant Toddler Program will provide up to 18 new spaces for fulltime and part-time care and education on Bowen Island. Our heartfelt gratitude to the federal government and B.C.’s Ministry of Education and Child Care for making our dream of providing more Infant Toddler child care spaces that are so desperately needed in our community a reality.

For more information, please contact the Office at Bowen Children’s Centre Society by calling 604-947-9626 or email info@bowenchildrenscentre.ca

Bowen Children’s Centre managing director Sarah Winny sets furniture in place in one of the centre’s newly opened Infant-Toddler Spaces. / Marcus Hondro photo

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Friday, December 19, 2025

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A11

New year coming in hot

The Art of the Unexpected Holiday Gift

up the confetti, shake off your hangovers and start the new year with an affirmation of humanity and some health-generating belly laughs. Zowie!

MICHAEL NANKIN Bowen Island Film Society Sixty-six years ago, Billy Wilder sent us a message about the joys of gender fluidity.

Bowen Island Film Society will be showing Wilder’s film Some Like It Hot at the Bowen Theatre on January 2 at 6 pm.

Many consider it the greatest comedy ever made. The story involves two male musicians who, because they are hunted by the mob, disguise themselves as women to join an all-girl band and get out of town.

The film is full of girls-who-are not, guyswho-are-not, millionaires-who-are not, liars, lovers, posers and some bootlegging gangsters who call themselves “Friends of Italian Opera.”

There are no straight lines in Some Like It Hot — other than ones that set up a punchline. Everyone has an angle, a dodge, a mask — all of which have to fall away for the lovers to find each other and reveal the truth. And in the end, there are no boys, no girls, no boundaries — only the binary-free joy of being yourself and coming clean.

So finish off the stale Cheezies, hoover

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A12 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Friday, December 19, 2025

Bowen Island Conservancy’s Caring for Nature Photo of the Month Brave Little Squirrel WILL HUSBY & SHEREE JOHNSON PHOTO BY MARCO MARCANTUONI

you might see a squirrel carry a mushroom into a branch to air-dry for days, then take it to its underground cache. Less often, you may spot one digging through leaf litter and soil to excavate truffles.

Many of the fungi Douglas squirrels eat form underground mycorrhizal connections with tree roots: a spiderweb-like network that exchanges moisture and soil nutrients with trees in return for sugars.

This supports a biologically diverse forest that is resilient to drought and disease. Ecologists have found that spores in mushrooms and truffles pass unharmed through the squirrel’s digestive system and are deposited on the forest floor in droppings — helping redistribute help-

ful fungi that are key to forest health and resilience.

So next time a brave little Douglas squirrel pauses long enough for you to really see it, remember: you’re looking at an important ecological engineer, quietly keeping Bowen’s forest community humming.

The Bowen Island Conservancy is a land trust and registered charity that works to protect and preserve the island’s natural environment — from endangered coastal bluffs to inland lakes, wetlands, and fens. This article is part of a monthly series featuring photographs submitted to the Bowen Island Conservancy’s Bowen Biodiversity Photo Contest. To see the latest submissions and winners please visit our website.

SE S LL O ER L S D AG EN T

“I was pleasantly surprised from the courage of this little hero: it came pretty close to me. Good thing I had my camera in my hand… at the beginning it was hard to follow the squirrel through the leaves, but then it came out and sat on a piece of wood.”

- Marco Marcantuoni Marco, your photo catches the moment a Douglas squirrel steps out of the blur and gives you a clear look — perched, alert, and unbothered.

Douglas squirrels are Pacific Coast specialists, built for life in conifers. Look for an olive-brown back and bright yellow underside, and for quick, confident movement on trunks and branches. On Bowen, they’re our only native tree squirrel. You might spot one flashing across a trail, spiralling up a trunk, or scolding from above.

Each Douglas squirrel keeps a small territory — about one hectare — and stays there for life. They defend it vigorously from other Douglas squirrels with loud scolding, chasing, and the occasional fight. It also means that if you meet one on a walk, you can often return and find that same neighbour again, living its everyday life in the same patch of forest.

Late winter and early spring bring courtship. Males and females in adjacent territories begin to show off — chattering loudly and racing in energetic follow-the-leader

games up trunks and along branches. For a time, mated pairs share a single one-hectare territory. After mating, the males return to their territories, and the females raise the young.

A mother makes a safe den high in a tree, often inside an abandoned woodpecker hole. There she has four to six tiny, hairless babies. You won’t see them until mid-summer, when they emerge fully furred and about three-quarters adult-sized to explore.

You may see mother and juveniles together until December.

By late summer and early fall, Douglas squirrels are busy harvesting. Their small size and light weight give them exclusive access to the choicest conifer cones at branch tips. They snip cones one by one, gather them, and stash them in a secret underground storage tunnel. That central cache helps feed them through winter and spring.

This is where their story becomes part of the forest’s story. Douglas squirrels are messy eaters, and some seeds fall to the ground, later germinating and — over time — becoming mature evergreen trees.

Ecologists have found that through cone gathering and feeding, Douglas squirrels help disperse seeds and maintain longterm tree biodiversity in coastal rainforests like ours.

They also have a strong sense of smell for another favourite food: fungi. Year-round they eat many kinds, from mushrooms on the forest floor and rotting logs to underground truffles. If you’re patient (and lucky),

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Friday, December 19, 2025

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A13

LIGHT UP BOWEN — GRATEFUL WITH THANKS CHRISTMAS ON BOWEN SHINES BRIGHTEST WHEN NEIGHBOURS COME TOGETHER AND THIS YEAR, SO MANY DID. W E E X T E N D O U R H E A R T F E LT T H A N K S T O T H E I N C R E D I B L E T E A M O F “ E L V E S ” W H O S P E N T M A N Y D A Y S I N S T A L L I N G T H E C H R I S T M A S L I G H T S A N D D E C O R A T I O N S T H R O U G H O U T T H E C O V E . W I T H T H E H E L P O F S O M A N Y D E D I C A T E D V O L U N T E E R S , T H E C O V E N O W S P A R K L E S B E A U T I F U L L Y ~ A A R O N G U S T A F S O N ( S I T K A ) , B A I L E Y H A T H AWA Y , B A R B M A C D O N A L D , B L A I R H A Y A S H I , C A R O L Y N M A C D O N A L D , C A T H A R I N E S U L K E R S , E D D I E G U I N A R D , E N D E R T A N R I K U T , J A D E B E R K E N P A S , J E S S O N Q A , J A M E S L O V E , J E W E L S C H N E L L E R - WA Y N E , K A I L E E D E A C O N , K A T H Y WA R D D R I S C O L L , K A T I E L O N G W O R T H , K A T I E M C C L O S K E Y , KELLY POND, KIM STEER, MARGARET GRAY, MARY ANN BUIS, MATTHEW REDEKOPP, SHEILA HUNTER JR, SHEILA HUNTER SR, RICK BURROWS, ROBIN DRISCOLL AND TIM HAUSCH. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE WONDERFUL BAKERS WHO FILLED OUR HOLIDAY PARTY WITH OVER 450 HOMEMADE COOKIES, THANK YOU FOR FILLING THE SEASON WITH SWEETNESS AND GENEROSITY ~ SARAH NIXON, THE DAY OF BAKING MANAGER, DANNA ELLIS, LAURA FITZGERALD, LYNN HULBERT, LIZ NANKIN, VIVIAN PEARCE, MC SEEBOHM AND JADE WEISMILLER.

T H A N K Y O U T O O U R H O L I D A Y P A R T Y C O O R D I N A T O R S , C O U R T N E Y M O R R I S A N D C H E L A D AV I S O N , A N D T O T H E A L L T H E V O L U N T E E R S W H O P R E P A R E D M U L L E D W I N E A N D WA R M A P P L E C I D E R , H E L P E D K I D S VISIT WITH SANTA, KEPT EVERYTHING RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND STAYED TO CLEAN UP ~ ALEX JURGENSEN, JUDITH HEEZEN, KERRY PLATT, MARY ANN BUIS, QUENTIN BECK, REBECCA HURST, SUSAN NELSON, TAMMY BROCKMEYER, TANYA SORRENTINO AND YVETTE GABRIELLE. THANK YOU BOWEN MUNICIPALITY RECREATION ELVES FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY TENT!

O U R S A N T A P A R A D E WA S M A D E E X T R A M A G I C A L T H A N K S T O T O N Y & G I N A , W H O S U R P R I S E D U S A L L W I T H H O L L Y W O O D S N O W , G E N E R O U S L Y P R O V I D E D B Y T H E I R C O M P A N Y , P A C I F I C W E S T S P E C I A L EFFECTS, WITH HELP FROM BRENT BRENNAN, TONY AND LISA BECK. WE THANK CATES HILL CHAPEL FOR PROVIDING CHRISTMAS CAROLS AND CHRISTMAS STORY. WE ARE ALSO GRATEFUL TO THOSE WHO LOANED GOLF CARTS AND TRUCKS FOR THE PARADE, DECORATED THEM, AND DROVE THEM IN THE PARADE ~ BRENDAN ROBERTSON, C O L M K E O G H , K E I T H D AV I D S O N , J A M E S L O V E A N D K A T H Y D R I S C O L L .

THANK YOU TO OUR SANTA PARADE MASCOTS AND TO LIZ NANKIN, OUR TALENTED COSTUME DESIGNER, WHO HELPED BRING SO MUCH CHARACTER AND JOY TO THE EVENING AND LYNN HARTLE (OUR P A R A D E S U P P O R T E R ) ~ I N O R D E R O F A P P E A R A N C E … A N D R E W L E O N A R D , C H E L A D AV I S & W I L D E R , R E B E C C A H U R S T , M A T T H E W R E D I K O P P , S T E WA R T P R O C K T E R , L O R I N D A S T R A N G , S U S A N N E L S O N , S T E P H E N R I C H T E R , K E I T H D AV I D S O N , M A R I A A L E X A N D R A , O L E G U L B R A N D S E N & M I L A , A N N A , A D A M & B E A U S H E R I D A N , C Y N T H I A VA N H O O F , C O R E Y , K A R E N , N A N A L I & C L I O M O U LT O N , S H A H A R & A N N A K A RABI, INGRID RICHTER, KAREN WINDLER, ANDREA COLLINS, SUZAN ROSS, HEATHER KERR, ANGIE BALBON, BLAIR HYADASHI, KATHY DISCROLL, YVETTE GABRIELLE, DEE ROSE, AMANDA LOVE, KAMILLE GRUFT, AMY ROLA, INDIGO GRANT & BABY GRANT, ESTELLA, BEVERLY MACEACHERN, ZOE, KRISTEN HOUSER, MICHAEL RICHARDS, SCAR MACEACHERN, ARCHER FLORENDO, NOAH PRYCE JONES & W E S L E Y , A L Y S S A & S C O T T L O A T E S & A C E & F I N N , W I L L A K E R R & H A I L E Y , M A D I S O N R A L P H , L I L L Y H A M M O N D , C H A R L I E C O L L I N S , W I L L O W S AVA G E AND MOST HONOURED SANTA & MRS CLAUSE

W E ’ R E G R A T E F U L T O T H E B O W E N R C M P A N D B O W E N I S L A N D F I R E D E P A R T M E N T F O R K E E P I N G E V E R Y O N E S A F E , T H E U N I O N S T E A M S H I P M A R I N A F O R U S E O F T H E I R L AW N A N D B O A R D WA L K , AND THE HEARTH & LIBRARY FOR THEIR PATIO AND STAGE. AND FINALLY, OUR DEEPEST THANKS TO ALL THE LOCAL BUSINESSES AND DONORS WHOSE FINANCIAL SUPPORT MADE LIGHT UP BOWEN POSSIBLE - ALDERWOOD FARMS, ALIGN CLIMATE SYSTEMS, A R B U T U S P R O P E R T Y M A N A G E M E N T , A R T A B E L L A S K I N H E A LT H , A R T I S A N E A T S , A R T I S A N S U I T E S , B A N D O N H O L D I N G S L P , B A R C E L O N A T A P A S & W I N E B A R , B O W E N B U I L D I N G C E N T R E , B O W E N C I D E R H O U S E , BOWEN UNDERCURREN, BOWEN EBIKESBOWEN ISLAND FREIGHT, BOWEN ISLAND PROPERTIES, BOWEN ISLAND REAL ESTATE GROUP (REMAX), BOWEN PUB, BOWEN SEA KAYAKING, BRANCH ON BOWEN, B U Y O N B O W E N ( M A R Y M A C H A D O ) , C A T C H I N G S T A R S G A L L E R Y , C A T E S P H A R M A C Y , C L E A R L I N E P L U M P I N G , C O C O A W E S T , C O P P E R S P I R I T D I S T I L L E R Y , C O R M O R A N T M A R I N E , E D WA R D J O N E S - R O S S M C C O R Q U O D A L E , F A B U L O U S F I N D S , F I R S T C R E D I T U N I O N , G R E E N S C A P E E N T E R P R I S E S , H O W E S O U N D A U T O M O T I V E LT D , K E L L Y K O N N O S T U D I O , K E V I N P E R R A , L E I G H A U T O M O T I V E , M A R I E N E Y S F I N E A R T , M A R Y L E I G H , M I K I T A N A K A J E W E L R Y , O R C H A R D R E C O V E R Y C E N T R E , O U T O F T H E B L U E , S A N G R E D E F R U T A , S I T K A , S N U G C A F E , S Q U I R R E L , T E L L Y O U R F R I E N D S , T I M R H O D E S M A C D O N A L D R E A LT Y , TIPPYS COOKHOUSE, TOSH HOME, TUSCANY, VILLAGE SQUARE BY DK HARRIS PROPERTIES AND WESTLAND INSURANCE.

THE LIGHTS MAY TWINKLE IN THE COVE, BUT THE TRUE CHRISTMAS MAGIC COMES FROM OUR GENEROUS VOLUNTEERS AND DONORS. THANK YOU FOR HELPING OUR ISLAND SHINE SO BRIGHTLY.

A14 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Friday, December 19, 2025

IPS students get involved in the community for Masterworks Program JEN HENRICHSEN Island Pacific School Island Pacific School students are once again preparing to showcase the remarkable depth of student learning through the Masterworks Program, a year-long academic investigation that stands as a capstone experience for its Grade 9 students.

For 30 years, the Masterworks Program has highlighted the value of deep inquiry and the remarkable capabilities of young learners when given the opportunity to pursue their passions.

As part of their inquiry, many students can be found working directly in the community, bringing their projects to life in hands-on and authentic ways. Dean Mountain, for example, is launching his own woodworking business and was selling his handmade creations at the BICS Christmas Craft Fair earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Sacha Bromley is exploring the history and culture of skateboarding.

His project includes evaluating skate park design across the city, and he is actively involved with the All Wheels Society, which

meets on the last Sunday of every month at the Colin Ruloff Community Field House behind IPS. The Masterworks Program invites each student to explore a topic of personal significance, engaging in sustained inquiry under the guidance of a faculty advisor as well as professionals from the wider community.

These external mentors — who volunteer their time and expertise — play a vital role in shaping the students’ research journeys.

The school extends its gratitude to these advisors for their ongoing support and commitment to young scholars.

After months of research, interviews, analysis, and revision, each student will complete a 15 to 30 page research paper that reflects both academic rigor and deep intellectual curiosity. With their written work behind them, students then prepare for the next major milestone: the Masterworks presentations.

Students will deliver 20 to 30 minute oral presentations sharing the most compelling findings from their research followed by a question period.

Add it to your calendar - presentations at Cates Hill Chapel will be on June 9 and 10.

Thank you Bowen, for supporting us these past 6 years! Happy 2026!

I&.ITOWING • •

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Vehicles • Construction Equipment Sea-Can Containers • Scrap Car Removal Bowen Island Greater Vancouver

Michael Bingham 604-947-1717 • ianditowhaul@gmail.com

After featuring at several island events this month, Santa Claus turns his sights to Bowen homes as Christmas rapidly approaches. / Chris Wilson photo

Mad about the Holidays

The Cast of Mad Mabel is ready to go!

David Cameron, Annie Arbuckle, Jackie Minns, Andrew Cameron & Kat Stephens star in the Bowen classic playing this weekend at the Community Centre.

Check the calendar for all the showtimes. / Jenny Freeman photo

Friday, December 19, 2025

Blair Hayashi and Angie Balbon dazzled as Snow King and Snow Queen during the Light Up Bowen Festival this month. / Heather Kerr photo

A Space that Brings Us Together The new Community Centre was designed to connect Bowen Islanders. Furnishings and millwork were made possible through grants from the Community Impact Fund, powered by local donors.

The Community Impact Fund supports the Foundation’s major community grants.

This Giving Season, we’re working toward $30,000 in donations to the Community Impact Fund—we’re already halfway there!

Your gift today helps ensure the next great community project becomes reality.

How to Give • Online: canadahelps.org/en/dn/24424 (scan the QR code below) • E-transfer*: admin@bowenfoundation.com • Cheque*: Bowen Island Community Foundation, Box 18, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G0 *Include contact information and indicate the donation is for the Community Impact Fund.

community grows here

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A16 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Sea to Sky MP talks federal MOU with Alberta JENNIFER THUNCHER The Squamish Chief The Canada-Alberta Memorandum of Understanding has come as a shock to some in B.C. and the Sea to Sky since Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith signed it in front of media cameras on Nov. 27.

“At this pivotal global moment, Canada and Alberta, working closely with Indigenous Peoples and industry, must work together cooperatively, and within their respective jurisdictions, to foster the conditions necessary for infrastructure, including pipelines, rail, power generation, a strong and integrated transmission grid, ports and other means that will unlock and grow natural resource production and transportation in Western Canada,” the MOU reads.

“Alberta and Canada will work together to achieve the shared objective of establishing Canada as a global energy superpower, unlocking the growth potential of Western Canada’s oil and gas — including liquefied natural gas (LNG) — renewable energy, critical minerals, and other resources that the world needs.”

Premier David Eby has been outspoken in his disagreement with this deal, particularly the reference to a potential new oil pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast.

“My anxiety about the pipeline proposal that has come from Alberta that is a key part of this agreement is that it runs the very significant risk — that has already partially been realized — of taking our eye off the prize, of distracting the federal government, distracting resources and pulling time away from real projects that can be delivered in the near term,” he said at a press conference the day the deal was announced.

He listed LNG Canada’s Phase 2, in Kitimat, which would double the production of LNG, making it the second largest facility of its kind in the world, as one of the projects the federal government should be focused on.

Some First Nations have also opposed the agreement.

An emergency resolution was unanimously passed at the Assembly of First Nations Special Chiefs Assembly earlier this month, “rejecting the federal-Alberta deal and demanding that the government uphold the large oil tanker ban on the coast of northern B.C. and reaffirm the right of affected First Nations to decide on any pipeline in B.C.” Lodestar Media caught up with Liberal member of Parliament for West Vancouver — Sunshine Coast — Sea to Sky Country, Patrick Weiler, for his perspective on the MOU. What follows is a version of that conversation edited for

length and clarity.

Lodestar Media: I think for a lot of people in B.C. the MOU with Alberta is a bit of a head scratcher. The very basic question is, why do this?

MP Weiler: I’d say that the most important part of this is that it is a detente with Alberta.

I don’t think there’s ever going to be a way of convincing some of the more radical elements in the United Conservative Party of Alberta about the value of being part of the federation. But I think what this MOU does is it sends a strong signal to the vast majority of Albertans, moderate Albertans, that they have a place in the federation — that we are listening to the concerns that people are having and trying to find ways of working together. And I think that’s always important, but particularly with the separatist movement that Premier Danielle Smith is stoking... and particularly with dealing with the threat from south of the border.

We do need to be united as a country. That means trying to find ways of working together. I think the message that this MOU sends to Alberta is that we are willing to work together on things.

Q: Looking closer at the MOU, you have said that some of the headlines are missing the point and that there’s more to it. Can you speak to that?

A: Everybody kind of focuses on the pipeline aspect of it. The viability of a pipeline seems very, very in question.

We’ve made commitments that we are not going to pursue listing a pipeline as a national interest project, unless it has the consent of First Nations and the province of B.C. There is no consent for a pipeline to the northwest coast, much less to remove the tanker ban to enable that. But just the business case really seems very remote to me. But as you mentioned, this is about a lot more than a pipeline.

This is about building interests with B.C. and Alberta.

This is about pursuing a nuclear strategy. This is about enabling the electricity that’s going to be needed for data centres and AI. Recently, we’ve really seen the need to make sure that we’re able to house our data nationally, given the direction the U.S. is going with their national security strategy. So the whole aspect of data sovereignty is so important.

Recently, we’ve seen a major investment of $19 billion from Microsoft into AI infrastructure in Canada.

So that takes a tremendous amount of power and we need to be able to supply that. This agreement touches on some of these very disparate areas.

A detente with Alberta is important, but particularly also for climate action. Pretty much every environmental and

BIYC Learn 2 Sail Program We’re having a BIYC Special General Meeting

which will be held at Doc Morgan’s Downstairs.

Thursday, January 22, 2026 @ 6:30pm (social/food), 7:00pm start We will be discussing the formation of the kids’ Learn 2 Sail (L2S) program as a separate society. All are welcome.

To rsvp and for further info contact membershipbiyc@gmail.com BIYC members may be asked to vote.

With kind regards, Colin Turnbull, Commodore & Megan Harrison, Training Officer (L2S)

Friday, December 19, 2025

climate policy the federal government’s brought in since I got elected has been challenged in court by the government of Alberta and other provinces. Some have survived court challenges. Some have not.

It is really important to have a long-term certainty that there are going to be climate policies in place that are not going to be fought in court or that you wouldn’t have a future government that’s going to try to lift them.

Q: With court challenges, though, couldn’t there be B.C. court challenges because of it?

A: I don’t think so. If you’re talking about a potential pipeline, we’ve been down that road before in B.C. There’s pretty clear jurisdiction for the federal government on projects that are interprovincial. So, I mean, we had this play out with the Trans Mountain Pipeline (TMX) project. (The Supreme Court of Canada upheld the federal government’s approval of the project.)

I would say if you are building a pipeline where you don’t have the consent of First Nations, that is likely where you’re going to see litigation. So it is critical that the prime minister has given that commitment that these projects won’t move ahead without the consent of First Nations.

Q: But doesn’t the MOU say that it promotes pipeline co-ownership with Indigenous governments, but it doesn’t require their consent?

A: There’s what’s in the MOU and then there’s the commitments that have been made on top of that. In the MOU are things the federal government and the Alberta government agree on. And then there’s the things that the federal government will do on top of that.

What the prime minister has said is that these are necessary conditions, but not sufficient conditions. I think the one other part that is critically important here that maybe doesn’t get as much of a focus is that the federal government has committed that it’s not going to finance this project. That points to needing to have a business case and a private sector proponent to bring it forward.

Q: What about the tanker ban you mentioned earlier. Can you speak to the concerns there?

A: I would say the same thing about that as I would about the pipeline to the northwest coast. It’s not possible unless that ban would be lifted or somehow either amended or otherwise.

So, again, that’s something that is foundational for a lot of the work that’s being done with First Nations in the northwest. That would be something that we have committed not to move ahead with unless these conditions are in place, including having consent of First Nations.

let your light lig i ht shine ig Sustainable, luxurious cutting-edge clothing for men m e n & women women designed locally.

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Friday, December 19, 2025

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A17

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Thursday, December 18 (& other dates) Mad Mabel’s Christmas Kingbaby Theatre proudly presents its original holiday theatre classic, a humorous and poignant story about a little girl who learns lessons in compassion and gratitude after encountering an eccentric older woman. Bring the whole family to a show that will fill your heart. Shows Dec. 18 & 19 at 7 pm, Dec. 20 & 21 at 2 and 7 pm. Tickets available at Eventbrite website or thehearthartsonbowen.ca Friday, December 19 Movie at the Fire Hall Bowen Island Fire Rescue Family is excited to invite you to an afternoon of fun, snacks and the magical Christmas movie Klaus. Admission free with unwrapped toy donation for Fill the Firetruck Toy Drive, benefitting families right here on Bowen. At Fire Hall 1 on Miller Road starting at 4:30 pm.

Friday, December 19 Apres at Artisan Join the businesses in Artisan Square for late night shopping from 5 to 7 pm! Artisan Eats will be serving snacks and beverages including mulled wine, beer and wine.

Businesses will be donating a portion of proceeds to the Bowen Christmas Hamper Fund.

Friday, December 19 Live Music at the Pub Wylie-Jane and John Stiver play old favourites, cool new tunes and original songs at the Pub from 6:30 to 9 pm.

Saturday, December 20 Community Hanukkah Celebration All of Bowen is invited to celebrate the 7th night of Hanukkah at the Festival of Trees in the Cove. Join us for

songs and treats. Starts at 5 pm.

Sunday, December 21 A Solstice Story at Cates Hill Chapel An evening of song and story with Tina Overbury and a flurry of Bowen musicians. An Irish Tale for the darkest night of the year. There will be Irish stew. Show begins at 4 pm, tickets at tinaolife.com or available at the door.

Monday, December 22 A Child’s Christmas in Wales Martin Clarke’s annual reading of ‘A Child’s Christmas in Wales’ in the Little Red Church. 7 pm start, free with a donation to the Food Bank.

Wednesday, December 24 Polar Express PJ Party with Bowen Rec Come to the Community Centre on Christmas Eve morning for a special screening of the Polar Express! Wear your coziest pajamas and bring your fuzziest blanket to settle in for a magical experience with friends and family. Hot chocolate included! 10 am start, tickets $5 on Bowen Rec website.

To December 24 Art Market at the Hearth The 6th annual December Art Market at the Hearth Gallery. Handcrafted creations and gift items from local artists. Visit hearth.ca to find out more.

Monday, December 29 (& other dates) Holiday Movie Series with Bowen Rec Come enjoy the last days of the year with daily movies at the Bowen Theatre! Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on Dec. 29, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on Dec. 30 and Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe on Dec. 31. All ages, doors at 10:30 am with movie start time

of 11 for all films. Costumes encouraged! Tickets $10 for each, available on Bowen Rec website or at the door.

Tuesday, December 30 Cozy Family Fort Day at the Library Bring your blankets, sheets, pillow and/or stuffy for a cozy family read-in. We’ll share stories, build fabulous forts and sip warm cocoa together. Register at bowenlibrary.ca Parents must attend with children. From 1 to 2:30 pm.

Wednesday, December 31 SKY Walk Seniors Keeping Young Walk at the Catholic Church on Miller Road, starting at 10:30 am.

To December 31 Michael Epp at Catching Stars Gallery Come check out works from the gallery’s feature artist all month long. More info available on Page 7.

Thursday, January 1 Polar Plunge Start the new year off with a dip into the chilly waters of Bowen Bay Beach! Free event, show up and sign in at the tent to get your official Bowen Bay Polar Bear swim certificate. The plunge takes place at 2 pm sharp!

Friday, January 2 Bowen Film Society Movie ‘Some Like It Hot’ at 6 pm, $10 tickets. More on Page 11.

Saturday, January 3 Men’s Shed Gathering Bowen’s Men’s Shed is gathering 10:30 am to Noon to kick off the new year at our Sea-Can in Island Pacific School’s backyard. Coffee/tea & cookies with fellow Bowen men.

Please bring your own reusable cup.

FLORENCE Wishing you all the very best of the best this holiday season!

And many thanks for supporting Squirrel and our causes throughout another year Closed Dec 25th and 26th.

Re-opening Dec 27th

Meet Florence, our Bowen Vet Clinic Patient of the Week! This fearless Sphynx cat came in after an enthusiastic raccoon-chasing adventure left her with a limp. With the help of a quick and thorough X-ray, we were able to pinpoint the issue and get Florence the precise treatment she needed. We’re happy to report she’s back on her beloved cat running wheel—speedy, spirited, and as sassy as ever!

REGULAR HOURS

Mon-Fri 9-5

CONTACT

Friday Dec 19th 5-7pm drop in for some

late night shopping and Christmas cheer ....

Closed Sat & Sun

reception@bowenvet.com

604.947.9247

A18 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Friday, December 19, 2025

The Holly & the Ivy BOWEN ISLAND GARDEN CLUB “The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown, of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.”

Most of us will recognize this song; probably many of us have sung it, especially around Christmas. Holly becomes ubiquitous at Christmas. You see it used as a decoration everywhere, in both its real and artificial forms. Red and green. Colours of the season.

When Christianity was established, many earlier festivals were appropriated by the church. The feast of Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, was set on the last day of the Saturnalia, and holly continued as a standard element of yuletide decoration.

The hymn, “The holly and the ivy,” works hard to justify its use as a Christian symbol.

The prickly holly leaves evoke the crown of thorns, the scarlet berries the blood, and the white spring blossoms, the purity of the Virgin Mother.

English holly probably arrived in North America in the mid-nineteenth century, brought over as an attractive, worry-free garden ornamental. Unlike Ilex opaca, the indigenous American holly, English holly leaves are glossier, darker green and less prickly than their American cousin. For years, Ilex aquifolium was grown commer-

cially in BC, especially on Vancouver Island.

Nurseries welcomed it as a low maintenance cash crop for winter months.

Holly is dioecious, with male and female plants growing separately. For holly to bear fruit, both sexes must be close enough to allow for pollination to occur. The berries form in the fall and although they are toxic to humans, they provide a food source for birds and mammals such as squirrels and deer who may find that winter brings slim pickings. It is thanks to the birds dropping the berries that holly trees spread throughout the understory, surviving well in both low light levels and in full sun.

Hollies are very thirsty trees, outcompeting our native plants for groundwater.

Although they are slow growing, their roots are deep and spread widely. They also send out new shoots from underground, creating thickets of prickly bushes that will out-shade native shrubs and understorey plants.

Controlling holly requires dedicated attention. Small plants can be pulled by hand, or by using an ‘extractigator,’ making sure that no roots are left in the ground.

Larger plants must be cut at the base.

Invariably, the stump will resprout, so it is important to revisit it every year and continue to cut off all new leaves until eventually, the plant gives up.

English ivy, or Hedera helix the companion plant of yuletide lore, has been labelled “a serious invader” by Metro Vancouver, and with due cause. Its negative impact on the environment could be considered even more dramatic than that of holly. Ivy smothers native vegetation and inhibits understory growth of our native species. It can engulf a large area of forest in a relatively short period of time.

It begins its forest putsch as an attractive groundcover, quite happy in the shade, a seemingly benign carpet of evergreen.

Ivy spreads primarily vegetatively through stems and root fragments, producing rootlets on its stems that allow the plant to attach to both artificial and natural surfaces.

However, when its tendrils begin to snake around the trunks of trees, ivy’s true hostile nature becomes clearly apparent.

That is when juvenile ivy morphs into its aggressive adult stage. The familiar, pointy lobed, leaves with their attractive white veins, change shape. The adult plant has rounded unlobed leaves with less distinctive veins. It is only on these mature stems that ivy flowers appear, late in summer or early fall, growing in clusters at the ends of terminal stems. Heavy with pollen and nectar, these late-blooming flowers are pollinated by a wide variety of insects including honeybees who rely on them for sustenance when most plants are no longer flowering.

The round bluish-black berries that follow the blossoms in the fall are toxic to

many of our indigenous birds but are regularly consumed by European starlings, and English house sparrows. It is thanks to them that new ivy plants can and do appear in virgin forest areas.

The best method of controlling ivy is by pulling it. Small plants can be uprooted by hand, making sure that no fragments remain. Cutting and pulling vines individually using snips or saws is recommended, bundling each vine and collecting the rolls on a tarp. When ivy has spread like a carpet, start at one edge of the infestation and roll it away from you, carefully cutting the ivy vines and loosening the roots with your hands as you roll.

When attacking ivy on trees, cut all around the trunk at about chest height and then pull the severed vines down from below the cut and into the buried roots. Do not pull the severed vines from the trees above the cut to avoid damaging the bark where rootlets may have become embedded. The upper vines will die naturally once their nutrient and water supply have been cut.

In conjunction with Carla Skuce, the Environment and Parks Manager with Bowen Municipality, the Garden Club will be planning some work parties in the new year, and we look forward to the support of volunteers in waging war on the nasty invasives that are threatening our island. And this Christmas, let’s avoid decorating with holly and ivy.

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Friday, December 19, 2025

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A19

Happy Holidays from

BOWEN GOLF! T h a n k yo u f o r yo u r c o n t i n u e d s u p p o r t o f B o we n G o l f, T h e S h e d E a t e r y, & T h e A c r e i n 2 0 2 5 .

We w i s h yo u a l l a wo n d e r f u l h o l i d a y season!

W h i l e t h e we a t h e r m a y b e c o l d o u t s i d e, c o m e v i s i t u s a t t h e T K Ce n t r e.

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A family reunion nearly six decades in the making took place on-island late last month. Julia Eastman, Alice Eastman and Harriet Eastman – grandchildren of Mack and Antonia Eastman, who featured in the Bowen Island Museum & Archives exhibit ‘Mt. Gardner Park: Art, History, Family Ties and the Eastman / McNeill Journey 1916 – 2024’ this summer – gathered at Mount Gardner Park for the first time since 1966. The Eastman trio were visiting their cousin and Bowen resident Charles McNeill (also a grandchild of Mack and Antonia), while also taking some time to compare notes, photographs and other documents relating to both family and island history. “They were thrilled to see the familiar Bowen that they remembered as children and also to experience this modern and vibrant Bowen community now,” reported Charles on his cousins’ takeaways from their visit. / Submitted photos

Island Dental

Comprehensive family dentistry on the island

Please give to those in need in our community.

Cheques payable to: BI Christmas Hamper Fund Mail to: PO Box 19 Bowen Island VON 1GO Federal Tax # 87610-8507-RR0001

tax receipts provided

E-transfer: bowenchristmashamper@gmail.com

We are located in the Health Centre at 1037 Miller Rd, Suite 101

Friday, December 19, 2025

A20 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

SEYMOUR LANDING

rezoning.bowenislandproperties.ca

PROJECT UPDATE

PROCESS TIMELINE

Our last publication posed the question, “Will Council direct Staff… to proceed with a Land Use Bylaw amendment without an OCP amendment?”

MAY 2025 Submitted Land Use Bylaw Amendment application.

Council’s answer on September 15, 2025 to that question was “No”.

BOWEN ISLAND’S “POPULATION CAP” The rationale behind our rezoning application and our previous publications all centered around the number of dwelling units permitted within the Cowan Point development…and the flexibility granted to Council to make amendments where community benefit could be demonstrated.

At the Committee of the Whole meeting on September 15, 2025, a second Policy in the Official Community Plan (OCP) was raised: Policy 129. The provision of multi-dwelling units will be achieved through density re-allocation – there will be no overall increase in the total number of primary dwelling units than was anticipated in the 1996 OCP.* *Note: The total number of units may vary to reflect the creation of secondary suites and detached secondary suites, allowed in all residential areas, and the policies in this Plan regarding development of affordable, rental and special needs housing in Snug Cove Village centre.

As material to that discussion, a July 2025 Municipal Staff Report was also presented whereby the number of primary dwelling units in the 1996 OCP were calculated, concluding: ONLY 46 more units can be created for all rezoning applications outside Snug Cove.

Once rezoning is approved for those additional 46 units (outside of Snug Cove), only an amendment to OCP Policy 129 can allow for any future development outside Snug Cove.

JULY 2025 Council Meeting where staff introduced the application and OCP Policy 147 to Council.

SEPTEMBER 2025 Committee of the Whole Meeting to seek clarity on OCP Policy 147.

Council Direction to require OCP Amendment in addition to Land Use Bylaw Amendment.

NOVEMBER 2025 Submitted OCP Amendment Application FUTURE STEPS Application review process Public Hearing Decision by Council - Yes or No? If yes, then: •

Subdivision

•

Financing

•

Development Permitting

•

Construction

Fourth article in a series about our rezoning application.

Friday, December 19, 2025

SEYMOUR LANDING

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A21

rezoning.bowenislandproperties.ca

OUR VISION REMAINS

FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS

In response to the direction from Municipal Council, in November Bowen Island Properties submitted an application to amend the OCP. This is in addition to our application to amend the Land Use Bylaw (LUB) as previously communicated.

The fundamental issue of housing diversity and affordability that our Island community faces is not a new conversation. Few solutions exist.

We’re left with at least two questions:

Our vision remains—instead of the current option to sell nine large lots for single-family homes and secondary suites, we imagine something better for that area: diverse housing centered around a neighbourhood hub on a 12-acre, development-ready site, designed to fit the existing neighbourhood character of Seymour Landing.

1. With a ”Population Cap” that only allows rezoning for 46 additional dwelling units outside Snug Cove, and given the significant current infrastructure restrictions that restrict further development in Snug Cove until they are resolved, how can Bowen Island realistically meet its need for diverse and affordable housing options?

To enable that future, we seek an additional 151 units of multi-unit housing and additional uses that include: independent seniors’ living, live/work, hospitality and neighbourhood commercial uses.

2. Will the OCP review that is currently underway address this “Population Cap”? If so, how?

On a practical level, we seek to amend Cowan Point-specific policies in the OCP (i.e. Policies 146, 147 & 148), as well as Policy 129 to address the limitations of the “Population Cap.”

We hope our applications can advance reasonably soon—before we say farewell to more long-term empty nesters who don’t want to leave the island…but who have few options to stay, and for whom independent/supportive living units would be very welcome.

Fourth article in a series about our rezoning application.

Friday, December 19, 2025

A22 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

YourCommunity Community Your

MARKETPLACE MARKETPLACE

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

bowenislandundercurrent.com

Places of Worship Welcome You BOWEN ISLAND UNITED CHURCH www.biuc.ca | 1122 Miller Road Christmas Eve Services

5 pm Children’s Service 9 pm Traditional Lessons and Carols Rev. Lorraine Ashdown • 778-688-2061 OFFICE HOURS WEDNESDAY 10-4 OR BY APPOINTMENT

FOOD BANK DROP-OFF

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Christmas Day Mass 10 am Contact Angela Powell 604-947-2515

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Christmas Eve Service 7:00 pm all ages.

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QUEEN OF CAPILANO FERRY SCHEDULE UNTIL MARCH 23 2026

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Schedule changes on statutory holidays. Stay up to date at www.bcferries.com

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To advertise here please call the Undercurrent at 604-947-2442 or email ads@bowenislandundercurrent.com

Friday, December 19, 2025

bowenislandundercurrent.com • A23

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

Friday, December 19, 2025

A24 • bowenislandundercurrent.com

Reserved Ad Giving on Bowen 6 x 10.25

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the exceptional organizations that enrich our community in countless ways.

This holiday season we encourage you to make a donation to help them continue their good works.

BOWEN ISLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION

SWIMBOWEN CANCER CARE FUND

The charitable fundraising arm of the Bowen Library, supporting pilot projects, funding special one-time activities or events, and providing supplemental assistance in unforeseen circumstances. bipl.ca/foundation

Established in 2018, SwimBowen's Cancer Care Fund provides Bowen Island residents in need with financial support during active cancer treatment. SwimBowen has to date gifted 72 Cancer Care Fund gifts to Bowen Island residents in active cancer treatment totalling $154,000 swimbowen.ca

HOW TO GIVE Online by credit card at bipl.ca/donate In person at the Library by cash or cheque to Bowen Island Public Library Foundation

BOWEN DEATH CARE COLLECTIVE We honour the journey of life up until the very end, providing compassionate care and support for individuals, families, and our community navigating end of life. Offering Respite Care, Death Doula, Grief Support, Health Care Advocacy, Coaching, Legacy Project, Memorial and Celebration of Life. bowendeathcare.com

HOW TO GIVE We welcome your donation E transfer to: bowendeathcare@gmail.com Or call Rabia at: 604-790-7506 (cheques and cash welcomed)

BOWEN ISLAND FOOD BANK Supported entirely by the generosity of donations and volunteers, we provide nutritious, filling meals to Bowen families with care, dignity, and anonymity.

HOW TO GIVE e-transfer email: biucfoodbank@gmail.com Drop cheques off at: Little Red Church, 1122 Miller Rd

BOWEN ISLAND HEALTH CENTRE FOUNDATION The Bowen Island Health Centre Foundation is a community-governed nonprofit operating the Bowen Island Community Health Centre. The Health Centre provides accessible, quality healthcare services delivered on-island to meet our unique community needs. The Foundation relies on donor generosity, alongside Ministry of Health funding, to sustain annual Health Centre operations. Gifts over $25.00 receive a charitable tax receipt.

HOW TO GIVE Online at https://bowenhealthfoundation.com/donate/donate-online/ e-Transfer to payments@bowenhealthcentre.com Cheque payable to: Bowen Island Health Centre Foundation. Drop off or mail to 1037 Miller Road

HOW TO GIVE online at: https://swimbowen.com/donate

BOWEN ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION BICF distributes the interest earned on donations through grants, bursaries, and scholarships—meeting the community’s unique needs and responding to priorities set by Bowen Islanders. bowenfoundation.com

HOW TO GIVE e-transfer email: admin@bowenfoundation.com Drop cheques off at: First Credit Union, 996 Dorman Rd.

ISLAND PACIFIC SCHOOL The middle school years when young people first understand who they are, how they think, and what they care about. At Island Pacific School, we take that responsibility seriously. Our Bursary Fund ensures this opportunity is open to all. From now until Jan. 31 ‘26, all gifts are matched 1:1 up to $100,000, doubling your impact for Bowen families. islandpacific.org

HOW TO GIVE E-transfer email: accounting@islandpacific.org To donate online visit: https://islandpacific.org/the-ips-bursary-fundmatch/ Mail to or drop cheques off at: Island Pacific School, 671 Carter Road, Bowen Island, V0N 1G2

KNICK KNACK NOOK Support the Knick Knack Nook’s New Building! For 16 years, your donations and purchases have helped us raise funds that support scholarships, local nonprofits, environmental programs, and community projects. A new, safer, more accessible building will allow us to give even more back.

Please consider supporting our building fund. knickknacknook.com

HOW TO GIVE etransfer payments@knickknacknook.org In person at the Nook Drop cheques off at the First Credit Union, 996 Dorman Road