A (BRIEF) TASTE OF WINTER While it didn’t last very long, there is proof that Bowen did receive some snowfall this year. Wednesday of last week offered a quick burst of flurries for the island, concentrating much heavier in some areas than others It wasn’t long before the customary rain returned though, leaving us with potentially our lightest snow season of the past few years. / Davina Haisell photo
ALEX KURIAL Editor
The municipality and Islands Trust will explore the possibility of a revised formula to calculate Bowen Island’s tax levy to the organization.
The two groups engaged in robust discussion during Monday’s council meeting over the math used to arrive at Bowen’s annual financial obligation to the Trust. A delegation from the Trust was originally requested following a forecast that this year’s municipal share would be increasing by 32 per cent over last year, for a total of a little more than $600,000.
Momentum for further investigation gained steam in the past week when mayor Andrew Leonard released a self-written report which included calculations for formulas which he says more fairly reflect the services Bowen is receiving from the Trust.
ON PAGE 15
AllCouncilmeetingsareopen tothepublictoattendin personorelectronically,unless notedotherwise
February 26, 2026 6:00 pm BudgetOpenHouse
March 9, 2026 1:00 pm RegularCouncilMeeting
AudiovisualimprovementsforCouncilMeetings
BowenIslandMunicipalityisupgradingtheCouncilChambers audiovisualsystemwithsupplementalfundingfromtheSPARCBC LocalCommunityAccessibilityGrant.Theprojectwillimprovesound, visual,andpresentationtechnologytobettersupportpeoplewith hearing,visual,andmobilitychallenges,aswellasenhanceaccessible livestreaming,captioning,andremoteparticipation.Newmicrophones, screens,andAurocastcompatibleaudio,includingreceivers,willbe installedtoimprovesoundqualityandmakepresentationsandcaptions easiertosee.Theprojectiscurrentlyunderway,withinstallation expectedinMarch.TheseupgradeswillimproveaccesstoCouncil andCommitteemeetingsandsupportbroaderpublicuseofCouncil Chambers.
Thecurrentaudiovisualequipmentwillberepurposedinthesmaller MeetingRoomasanadditionalbenefitforusebythepublicfor meetings,workshops,andevents.
Inaddition,theMunicipalityhasorderedremovablerailingsdesigned fortheretractableseatinginthenewCommunityTheatretoaddress safetyconcernsrelatedtothesteepsteps.Therailingshavebeen confirmedasshippedandareexpectedtoarriveineasternCanada withinfourtosixweeks,afterwhichtheywillbetransportedtoBowen Island.Installationisanticipatedbythissummer
Thursday,February26,2026 6:00pmviaZoom
JoinKristenWatson,ChiefFinancialOfficer,foranOpenHouse presentationofthe2026BudgetviaZoomorwatchlateronYouTube.
Questions/Comments?ContactourFinanceDepartmentbyemailat finance@bimbc.caorbycalling604-947-4255ext8.
www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/2026-budget-open-house
ALEX KURIAL Editor
Council is moving forward with the implementation of a Municipal Regional District Tax.
A proposal to implement the MRDT passed first reading unanimously on Monday and was sent out for referrals. The MRDT is a unique tax applied to short-term rental accommodations, up to a maximum of three per cent. MRDT funds can then be used towards either tourism activities or affordable housing projects.
Prior council direction was to split tourism and affordable housing allocations in half. In Bowen’s case the municipality would partner with Tourism Bowen Island on the former and Bowen Island Resilient Community Housing (BIRCH) on the latter.
Planning manager Daniel Martin explained how the draft budget could break down. Assuming new MRDT revenue of about $110,000 in the first year, a 50-50 split would see $47,000 go to affordable housing and $47,000 to tourism, split among destination management, sustainability and stew-
ardship, and visitor services. The remaining $16,000 would go toward administering the program.
Approval by several groups is required for MRDT adoption. In addition to council, Islands Trust and Metro Vancouver must sign off on the plan, along with provincial group Destination BC. Referrals were sent to all three groups as part of first reading.
Adoption of the tax also requires a majority of local large accommodation providers (classified as four or more guest units) to approve the plan. Six of these businesses exist on Bowen, meaning four would need to sign on for success.
Discussions between the municipality and these providers are ongoing in an attempt to resolve certain sticking points, including the percentage of revenue going toward affordable housing and what islandwide projects MRDT money would be used on.
The island tourism industry as a whole must also voice approval for the plan. Some of their desires include more washrooms and garbage cans in Snug Cove, increased transit availability, more signage, and longer hours at the Visitor Centre.
On February 4, 2026, Bob died peacefully,surrounded by family,and attended by Vancouver General Hospital’scompassionate palliative careteam. He is survived by his three children, Michael, Alison, and Georgia, sons-in-lawNathan and Jeremy,and much loved grandchildren, Ellis, Noah, and Amelia. He will also bemissed by his sister Janice, and his former wife, Fiona.
Bob graduated from Trent University with an honours degree in English Literature. After morethan 15 years as an investment broker,Bob took his knowledge of financial systems and became arespected freelancewriter,known for infusing his work with irreverence and humour
Aresident of Bowen Island for morethan 20 years, Bob could often be seen picking up supplies for anew home project at the Building Centre, or walking around Killarney Lake with the dogs he loved so much.
Donations in Bob’s memory can be made to the Bowen Island Food Bank (biucfoodbank@gmail.com) and/or the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.
July 23rd, 1946 January24th, 2026
John Adam Duncan Holbrook wasborninSolihull,nearBirmingham, England. He leaves behindhis belovedwifeof58years,Mariana Holbrook; threechildren, Miranda, Rosamund,and Colburn; six grandchildren Maev, Isla,Margot, andOscar,Leo,and Nicki. He also leaves behindhis sister Jane
He immigratedtoCanadawithhis mother,Frances Mary Holbrook,in 1947 to join hisfather, George WilliamHolbrook, whoworkedatthe Royal Military CollegeinKingston, Ontario. Adam’s siblings Peterand Jane were born whilethe family livedinKingston. Adam startedschoolinKingstonand transferredonascholarship to Trinity CollegeSchoolinPortHope, Ontarioon ascholarship.Thefamilymoved to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1960. He received aB.Sc. with honoursinphysics from Dalhousie University,anM.Sc. in physics from theUniversityof WesternOntario,and completed aB.A.Sc. with honours in Electrical Engineeringfromthe University of Ottawa.
Earlyinhis career,heworkedatTelesat Canada on theAnikA1 geosynchronoustelecommunications satellite. Later, he worked forthe Federal Government of Canada in theTreasuryBoard Secretariatand with Industry Canada.Finally, during hisretirementinBritish Columbia,hewas an Associate Directorfor theCentrefor PolicyResearchonScience andTechnologyat SimonFraserUniversity. He wasactiveinthe community on BowenIsland whereherekindledhis love of sailing. When he andhis wife,Mariana,moved to NorthVancouver he volunteeredhis time with St.Agnes Church
Hediedinthe NorthVancouver Hospice on January24th, 2026 dueto complications from afall.Hewas agood manwho wasloved deeply by his friends,family, andcolleagues. He will be sorely missed by them all.
Thanks everyone for the great range of content in this week’s Island Wide! These issues offer a great chance to show off our artistic talents, learn about upcoming community engagements, and sometimes simply just hear from our neighbours while learning a bit more about what they do and what interests them We have so many talented Islanders all with a story to share! Sadly neither of our hockey teams came away with Gold in the Olympics after a pair of heartbreaking overtime losses to the Americans. But we can hold our heads high with the Silvers as both the men’s and women’s teams played outstanding hockey and were each just one shot away from the win. There was lots of Gold to go around overall though as Canada took home 5 of the top medals along with 7 Silvers and 9 Bronze. Congrats to all our athletes on great showings all month long in Italy!
- Alex Kurial, Editor
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CATHY BAYLY Contributor
The Knick Knack Nook exists because Bowen Islanders are generous. Every week, donations arrive with good intentions, bags of clothing, boxes of household items, and the hope that something useful will find a new home.
What many people don’t see is what happens next.
A significant portion of what we receive is not sellable: clothing that is ripped or stained, items missing parts, broken appliances, damp goods, or things we simply don’t have the capacity to handle. These items still need to be sorted, stored, and ultimately removed, and that work is done entirely by volunteers.
When something can’t be sold or reused locally, it doesn’t disappear. It has to be taken off-island, in volun-
teers’ personal vehicles, to appropriate depots or disposal sites. That takes time, fuel, coordination, and energy, all donated.
At busy times of year, this can overwhelm our storage areas and put real strain on a small group of people who already give generously of their time. In simple terms, when unsuitable items are donated, someone else has to deal with them. At the Nook, that someone is always a volunteer.
To keep the Nook running well, we’re asking for a little extra care from donors. Please check posted guidelines and donate only items that are clean, complete, and in good working order. Our needs and capacity change, and we may not always be able to accept every item.
Reuse works best when generosity is paired with thoughtfulness. Thank you for helping us keep the Nook a place of community, not cleanup.
MARCUS HONDRO Contributor
In the past 38 years many hundreds of island children have taken classes at, performed at, made the costumes and sets they would be performing in, at Bowen’s Tir-nanOg Theatre. Collectively those children have produced dozens of plays for parents and island theatre-goers to marvel at.
Now, after all that time and all that playful activity, the venerable island institution is going through a transition, as theatres do, and as it has before. Only this time it’s a big one. This transition is being guided by Tirna-nOg’s founders and directors, Jack and Julie Headley, with the same kind of warmth and effort that has been a hallmark of their work since they created the theatre in the late 1980s
Due to health issues, Jack and Julie are no longer able to operate Tir-na-nOg but they intend to leave it in a healthy place for others to carry on their legacy. A Go-Fund-
Me page has been set up by the theatre’s Board of Directors and there you can learn more of the changes afoot and how you might help.
Here though, over two parts, this week and next, we will focus upon the history and accomplishments of a theatre designed for “the young and young at heart” by two Islanders who were then young and who remain young at heart. You are not likely to find a theatre such as the one they created, certainly not in any other small community in our country. Nor will you find a story quite like that of Jack and Julie Headley.
The journey to creating Tir-na-nOg Theatre began for the two when each came to Canada. Jack found his way from New Jersey, with a brief foray into Los Angeles, Julie arrived from England. Jack left the U.S. because he did not want to risk having to take a life in a war that he could not countenance, while Julie left England because of a wanderlust that turned into a love for the country she had wandered to.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
STEWART PROCKTER
Letter Writer
“Kids,families and relationships arethe stuff of dreams,and nightmares!” Idon’t knowwho said this,perhaps Ijustmade it up,but it maybetrue.
Everynow and then Ireachout,just becauseIamherein the community. I work at BowenChildren’sCentre, at the After School Club and with individual children on BowenIsland. Isupport children, youngadults and families with figuring outthe community, “obstacles”and supports around them and within them.And Isupportfamilies andthe communitywith understanding their children!
Forthosewho don’tknowme, my work is mainlywith children who need additional support. Autism is amajorreason formyinvolvement, butoften it is unclear whyachildisstruggling, overwhelmed, anxious or scared,and whytheyare
Mandy,our beloved staff pet, stopped by the office for aquick visit to check on asmall lump, and naturally won over everyone in the process. Sporting her bright red bandana and her signature happy grin, she bravely made the rounds for cuddles and reassurance before her appointment. True to form, Mandy handled it all like achamp— tail wagging, tongue out, and soaking up every bit of attention from her biggest fans
behavinginunexpectedways. Iamhappy toexploreall of this with you and your incredible children.
Iamreachingout this time becauseI ranintoaneighbour recentlyand they said,“When areyou comingtohelpwith my kids?” Itwas acasual remark,perhaps, butIfollowedupand letthem knowthatthe answeris“anytime.” I extended that genuine invitationtothem and Iamextendingittoall of you.I can’t offer much to my community, butIcan offer this
It doesn’t matterifyou know me.It doesn’t matter if Iknowyou or your kid(s).Ifyou would likesomeonetohave achatwith,pleasereach out. Imay not haveevenone goodanswer, butIwill listento your questions,oryourranting or venting and you will knowthat you are not alone
To my Bowenfriends and neighbours.
-StewartProckter
Jack and JulieHeadleythefounders of TirnanOg TheatreSchoolhaverecently been dealt serious health diagnoses. They could use our help.
To supportJulie and Jack, andhonourtheir38+ years of theatrework onthe island, pleaseuse this link- https://gofund.me/09698b756or search “SupportJack&Julie &Tir-na-nOg” at gofundme.com
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
By the age of 15, Jack was hanging around New Jersey street corners smoking with other wayward teens when a friend’s sister offered him a part in a theatre production. He accepted and liked it and for three years he stayed off street corners and stayed inside theatre spaces, even directing a Clifford Odets play at 16 and a Tennessee Williams play the following year. He moved to L.A. and, after two largely fruitless years there, came north where, with the help of The Committee to Aid American War Resisters, his life in Canada began.
That was late in 1969. His arrival on Bowen Island came in 1972, when he and his young family moved here so Jack could work in carpentry, initially for Hans-Christian Behm. He’s been part of the building of many homes on-island, most in the Bowen Bay area, including Hilary and Robin Bulter’s home and the home of former councillor Peter Frinton and his wife, Carol Robb.
During these years Julie was training in movement and drama at the Bath Academy of Fine Arts, then at London University and finally at the Laban Movement Center. Her post-degree trip to the west coast of Canada became permanent She started a family and lived in North Vancouver. By the mid-70s she, too, had made the move to Bowen. With others she had a travelling theatre company, Pageant Theatre.
At that time Jack had done but one play on-island, with Theatre on the Isle in 1979, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other TOTI plays Jack did later include directing Bertolt Brecht’s epic parable, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, in 1982 That play included Maggie Davidson doing make-up, Tracey Hearst doing costumes and playing a role, along with actors Martin Clarke and the then-Julie Nosek.
It was around that time Julie began teaching drama courses for the Rec Commission at Bowen Island Community School (BICS). Before long Jack became her assistant. Theatre brought them together as other things in their lives were changing and in 1985 Jack and Julie became a couple. Each brought a bevy of children to their union, 7 kids in total, 10 grand-children since. They each also brought a conviction that theatre teaches children the joys of cooperation and that it is a wonderful conveyance to self-discovery and a creative life
Soon they were using Julie’s travelling theatre experience and contacts to take productions to schools, parks and community centers on the mainland and other parts of B.C., creating theatre for young people, and adults They called it The Tir-na-nOg Travelling Theatre.
That name came from an Irish myth centered around an island, Tir-na-nOg, known as the Land of Youth While Jack tells the myth’s story, one that involves a white horse, Julie provides horse-hoof clucking noises The sounds of that amusing chicanery cannot be shared in this medium but the Tir-na-nOg myth can be learned through ‘The Wanderings of Osin,’ by W.B Yeats. It’s a favourite poem of the Headleys.
The Tir-na-nOg Travelling Theatre did shows for, among others, the North Vancouver Recreation Commission, which paid $100 per show. They once did a show, the play was Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince, on a day it was pouring with rain In a wet park in Deep Cove, Julie played the Prince while daughter Amy and Jack each played multiple characters. There was one problem, however – there was no audience.
“We were doing the show for nobody,” Jack says. “But
about half-way through a couple of fishermen came walking up and sat down. I don’t even know if they could understand what was going on in the play. But they stayed.”
“And they loved it,” Julie adds.
That show was an anomaly they laugh about now. In reality their travelling shows had audiences, kids and parents, teachers and organizers. Buoyed by the experiences, they wanted to do theatre for children on the growing island they called home and in 1988 they did just that.
The very first play they did on Bowen was: ‘Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must be More to Life.’ It was from children’s author Maurice Sendak, a play Sendak called a “requiem” to his dog Jennie, and it was a perfectly fun play for children. It would not be the last time the theatre did the play.
They did ‘Higglety Pigglety’ in the BICS gym and it featured the following actors (then-Bowen children, now adults scattered here and scattered there around B.C.):
Andrea Budzinski, Kevin McCaig, Margaret Miller, Megan Nosek, Heather Payne, Kindy Riley and Emily Van Lidth de Jeude.
So how did that first production feel?
“It was great fun for the kids and fun to work on and produce,” Jack says. “But at that point I don’t think we anticipated it turning into a lifelong project for us. But what happened was there were more kids the next year who wanted to do a play and then the next year even more.”
“It was that progression that led us to realize this was something kids wanted to do and we named it Tir-na-nOg Theatre and incorporated it with the province.”
Come back next week to find out where it all led to and the role Wolfgang Duntz played You will also learn many of the names of the hundreds of kids who’ve tread the boards on Bowen Island with Tir-na-nOg. Some are your neighbour, others your builder, perhaps another your teacher, your nurse, your friend. One may even be you
Part II in the March 6 edition of the Undercurrent.
Tir-na-nOg Theatre did Love’s Labour’s Lost in 2003, with the costumes by Shirley Wrinch, who has designed scores of plays for island theatre productions. (L-R) Robin Hooper, Bethany Dobson & Katherine Churcher.
Charming Lo
Escapetoyourown s on JosephineLake. Th of rustic charmand co
Simple cozy spaces m island life.
un-soaked 2.5-acre haven is sweet 2-bedroom log cabin is full zy character
Step outsidetoyour soak up thepeacefuls i
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ake it easy to relax, unwind, and enjoythe slower pace of privatelot,baskin thesun,wanderthe trails,orsimply urroundings. Your BowenIsland retreatiswaiting!
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AngieKirk| Dexter Realty angie@angiekirkrealtor.ca
Sunsets are nearing 6 pm as we begin to come out of winter and the days get longer Sunlight fans will get a big boost next weekend when we spring forward an hour for Daylight Savings on March 8. / Lisa Brougham photo
This gorgeous Bowen cottage sits just oneback from waterfront, right behind the Mt Gardner government dock and neighbouring beaches of Galbraith Bay. Nearly 11-and-a-half acres of gorgeous forest, with flat spaces and stunning ocean views. Detached studiofor man-cave or she-shed includes fireplace and bathroom. Please ask about available mooring buoytobeincluded.
WILLIAMS ROAD
$1,995,000
This 2022-built waterfront Bowen Home is perched with perfection upon the bluffs of Eaglecliff. Facing east/south east, with stunning views of Howe Sound to the North Shore Mountains/Sea To Sky Corridor Level entry, with the main portion of the home featuring 2-3 bedrooms, high ceilings, and an open plan LR/DR/Kitchen. Downstairs is a one-bedroom legal suite with separate entry, laundry and covered patio with its own superb view. 241 SHORE LANE
This low-bank waterfront building lot looks south across the entrance of Seymour Bay, andisjust aquick walk up to the pro shop and first tee at the Bowen Island Golf Course. Featuring a beautiful coastal peninsula, a cozy cove, and thatfamous south side all day sunshine. Sewer andutilities to the lot line, and an easy build. This property also comes with garage stall and storage already built, and amooring buoy off the shore.
One of the largest privately-owned land opportunities left on Bowen. Nearly 75 acres spread over two properties (to be sold together). Subdivision potential, and multiple build sites accessed by adriveway from Grafton Rd to the top of the properties. Two build sites have ocean views facing west towards the Salish Sea, and others have views of Bowen’sown Mount Gardner
Watersupplyisa clear andlong-standing concernon BowenIsland. In achanging climate, with increasingly drysummers andexistingIslandservicing constraints, it is reasonable—indeedresponsible—toask:how does theproposeddevelopment service and sustainitself? ForBowen Island Properties (BIP),potablewater – qualityand quantity– hasbeentreatedasa foundational consideration forplanning: the Seymour LandingOCP andLandUse Bylaw amendmentapplications arebuilt upon conservative standards andmeasureddata.
Cowan PointUtilitydraws its source waterfromJosephine Lake and– as aresult–is notconnected to (and thereforeindependent from)municipal watersystems that serve Snug Cove or otherparts of theIsland. Accordingly: constraintstoexistingmunicipal systems do notreflect theoperational capacityofCowan PointUtility.The amount of water theUtilitymay withdraw from thelakeisgoverned by itswater license issued by theprovince. In addition, rainfall is theonlyapparentsourceofwater forJosephine Lake, meaningthatthe lake is notfed by awatershed larger than thecatchment area,and that useofwater from thelakedoesnot impactnearbypropertiesthatare served by wells
CowanPoint Utilityisregulated by the provincial Comptroller of WaterRights. The Utilitycannotserve anyproperties(includingany newsubdivisionsbyBIP)without authorization by theComptroller.Thatauthorization requires review andsignoff by the Comptroller’sengineer,which includes areviewofwater supplycapacityincluding enough forfire fightingflow forany additional properties,reviewofthe drawings forthe proposed extensiontothe system,and review of theUtility’sfinances includingbuildingupreserves forcapitalreplacement.
As amatterofcriticalassetmanagementand corporateresponsibility, watersupplyat CowanPoint has been the subject of professional reviewsince 1977 (almost50 years).Mostrecently, BIPcommissioned aJosephine Lake WaterCapacityAnalysisby WaterStreetEngineering(2025),buildingonthe baselinesystemanalysis(completed by Kerr Wood Leidal in 2010 afterthe dam wasconstructed)that reflected:48years of historiclakelevel data; considerations forclimatevariability; full accounting fordownstream licensedwater usersand maintenanceofminimum environmentalbaseflows.
Theupdated analysis concluded: The Utility’slicensed withdrawal from Josephine Lakeissufficienttosupportfull build-out of theproposed infill atSeymour Landing. In practicalterms,thismeans that even underconservative assumptions—includingdry-yearscenarios andexistinglicensedwithdrawals—the future demand (associated with full build-out of theproposedlanduses) remainswithin thelake’ssustainableyield andoperational capacity. Perhaps most importantly, this conclusiondoesnot rely on speculativesupplyormajor infrastructure expansion other than an additional steel waterreservoir;its confidenceisbased on theexistingsystemas it operates today.
BowenIslandProperties(BIP) hassubmitted an applicationtoamend theOfficial Community Plan (OCP)and Land UseBylaw (LUB)toincreasethe residentialdensity andpermitdiverse attached dwellings within asmall portionofthe already designated developmentareaatSeymour Landing. In addition,the applicationincludesaddedopen spaceand commercialareas to support athriving community
Thisassuranceabout quantity is nottheoretical.Itissupported by autility framework that includes:
• Waterconservation covenants in favour of theMunicipality, which havebeen registered on titletoall properties developedbyBIP since2007. These covenantsestablishclear expectations around no outdoor useand water-efficient plumbing fixturesasrecommended by the2010analysisby KerrWoodLeidal.
• Meteredwater rates whichinclude escalating chargesfor amountsof waterabove thebaseamounteachquarter.
• Ongoing oversight by theComptrollerofWater Rights as describedon thepreviouspage.
• Municipal requirement of adequatewater supplyfor each subdivision. Thecurrent covenant in favour of theMunicipalityfor theCowan Point lands permitsthe Municipalitytorequire confirmationthatthe assumptions in thewater studycontinuetobetrue—everytimea series of subdivision planscreates 50 or more residentiallots. We proposethe same be required forthisrezoningproposal.
• Active monitoring for, and repairsof, leaks/unaccounted-for water. (For example, in late 2024and in 2025 theUtilityfound and repairedleaks so theunaccounted-for-waterin2025 endedup45% less than in 2024.)
With source andsystemcapacityprovenagain throughtechnicalexpertise and evidence, we trustthat Municipal Council andthe public will agree withusthat theUtility’scurrently unallocatedcapacity at Josephine Lakewould be better allocated to diverseand affordable housing and island-scalehospitalityand commercial uses, rather than to nine single-family homes.
In simplestterms, our discussion can proceed withconfidence from: “canwe…?” to “howshould we…” think about community building?
As abusinessand as residentsofBowen Island,BIP recognizesthe importance of transparency andaccountabilitywhenitcomes to ourpreciouswater resources. Beyond sharingthe technicalreports citedabove,weremainavailabletoanswer questions, shareunderstanding,and engage in respectful dialogue with Council, staff,and thecommunity as ourapplicationprogresses.
rezoning.bowenislandproperties.ca
MAY2025
SubmittedLand Use BylawAmendment application.
JULY2025
Council Meeting wherestaff introduced the applicationand OCPPolicy147 to Council.
SEPTEMBER 2025
Committeeofthe Whole Meetingtoseek clarityonOCP Policy147
Council Direction to requireOCP Amendment in addition to Land UseBylaw Amendment.
NOVEMBER 2025
SubmittedOCP Amendment Application
JANUARY2026
Application reviewprocess
FUTURE STEPS
Public Hearing
Decision by Council -Yes or No?
If yes, then:
•Subdivision
•Financing
•Development Permitting
•Construction
Fifth article in aseries about ourrezoning application.
PAULINE LE BEL
Contributor
“If you want to travel fast, go alone,” said a wise person. “If you want to travel far, go together.”
Bringing a Welcome Figure to the island would involve the participation of many I ask my friend, Chris Corrigan, to travel with me. He’s been involved with reconciliation for years. He graciously says yes, or perhaps something more clever because he is good with language.
We sit at my little dining room table and start stirring the pot. One of many stirrings with Chris and others. First ingredient needed: a great big log for the Squamish Nation carver to carve. Approximately four feet in diameter and about 20 feet tall. I hold to the romantic notion that we will find such a log or tree right here on Bowen Island.
We put out the word. I talk to arborist, Shane Tweten; he’ll keep his eyes open. I phone log salvager, Paul Whitecotton;
he has some logs tied up in Squamish. I email Adam Taylor; he has installed Welcome Figures and will be on the lookout. My friend, Jesse Fizzell, tells me he has logs. They regrettably had to cut down a big cedar two years ago to build their home. They kept the logs on their driveway and are hoping to donate them for some noble purpose. He sends photos. Looks good.
Then Kevin Manning says he has a big cedar on his property that needs to come down because it is interfering with the septic. He sends a photo of this big beauty. I contact Xwalacktun, Squamish Nation master carver, and ask him if he could take the ferry, come by for lunch and have a look. I have a two-for-one at Tippy’s so I can treat him. Thanks Tippy’s!
He arrives in his big white truck with dramatic Coast Salish designs. What happens next is a beginner’s class in forestry. There is a big difference between second growth and old growth.
Old growth cedars of which there were many on
SHARI
ULRICH Contributor
On Friday, February 27 at 7:30 pm the “Trust Me” series is presenting two exceptionally gifted musiciansDaniel Lapp on fiddle, and Quin Bachand on guitar at Tir-na-nOg Theatre.
It’s unlikely you could live in BC and not be aware of both of these musicians And it seems wrong to write about them without listing their formidable accomplishments but it’s impossible to do so without creating far too long of an article! I will try to be brief!
As fellow fiddle player, I’ve been aware of and in awe of Daniel for decades. In short, he is a powerhouse fiddler, composer, educator, and one of the great champions of traditional music in Canada.
In 1994 he formed the BC Fiddle Orchestra which has fostered a community of thousands of youth and adults over the decades. Twelve years ago he became the Artistic Director
of the Victoria Conservatory of Music’s Contemporary Music component and continues to direct the B.C. Fiddle Orchestra, the “Joy of Life” Choir, and “Folkestra”.
Daniel has received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee “Service” Award; the Canadian Folk Music Association “Innovator” Award; and the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Assocation Lifetime Achievement award On top of everything else he has had a 25 year commitment to collecting Indigenous British Columbia fiddle tunes, which includes over 1,000 compositions by over 100 British Columbia composers.
Quin Bachand grew up in Victoria, the son of musicians who introduced him to the violin when he was four and the guitar at age 10. A Berklee School of Music Grad with honours, he too has a list of awards, nominations and accomplishments. Even when he was a teenager his skills far excelled anyone I had ever heard.
At this point, I think I should just say - it is rare to have the opportunity to experience this level of virtuosity in such an intimate setting, and I encourage you to take advantage of it.
the island before settlers came to build houses and plant apple trees grow very slowly. Those little sprouts are shaded by other trees. Only when they get quite tall do they get enough sunlight to put out branches and reach for the sky. That means their grain is dense, perfect for carving. And since there are no branches until around 30 feet up, there will be few knots, also perfect for carving.
We check out Kevin’s cedar. Like all second growth trees, it has grown quickly, produced many low branches and therefore many knots. Xwalacktun also points out the bark is corrugated at the bottom and not a good carving prospect. Off to see Jesse’s logs. I’m hopeful. But these second growth logs also turn out to be disappointing in the knot department.
Michael Yahgulahnaas tells me: “You’re going to need a Haida log.”
Time to pivot.
Next article: Xwalacktun: Squamish Nation Master Carver
Daniel Lapp & Quin Bachand
Trust me, you will be glad you did!
Tickets are $30 on line at www.trustme.tickit.ca and as usual, at Phoenix Books (with cash). Thanks for supporting live performances on Bowen Island!
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BEATRICE ANDERSON
Chair / Bowen Island Public Library Board
On behalf of the Library Board, I write to tell you that our beloved Chief Librarian, Tina Nielsen, has decided to retire on June 1, 2026.
Words cannot adequately convey the extraordinary dedication she has shown to the Bowen Library for 32 years. She started as the Children’s Librarian in 1994 and a year later took over the Chief Librarian position. When I moved to Bowen, the library was sequestered under the Pharmacy –small, dark and subject to floods!
Under Tina’s leadership, the Library has grown from a small 1,000 square foot den with two staff to what is it now
a 4,000 square foot community epicentre with innovative and expanded programs, and excellent customer service from the staff of seven. There have been many milestones for the Library under her tenure – addition of the Med Shed, a whirlwind of new technologies, increased hours, major facility expansion and upgrades, grant funded initiatives and community partnerships. All of which have enhanced and enriched life on this island.
Tina’s contributions to and impact on the evolution of the Library will reverberate for years. We and prior Boards are profoundly grateful for the dedication, leadership and unceasing care she has shown to her staff, the community at large and what is now clearly so crucial in these trying times, the mission of public library service. She has also made it easy to serve on the Library Board by being so organized and so much the “keeper of the details”.
Sad as we are to see her go (and we are that and more), we wish her joy and boundless energy for whatever comes next. Go well Tina with our heartfelt thanks for all you have done for the Library and the Bowen community at large
The Board has begun the recruitment process to find the Library’s next Chief Librarian someone ready to continue the strong legacy Tina has built and lead the Library into its next era of growth and innovation Visit our job opportunities page at bipl.ca/jobs for more information
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Join us for a Sneak Preview on Tuesday, March 3 from 5 to 6 pm - with a talk with donor Gillian Darling and educator Wendy Matsibuchi at 5:15 - to discover how this collection came to Nexwlélexwm (Bowen Island) and why it’s relevant
Crafted in 1890 in Kyoto, this extraordinary set of handmade wooden boxes contains 12 ceremonial Hina Ningyo dolls and an array of finely detailed accessories. At its center are two figures known as the Dairi Bina, the Emperor (obina) and Empress (mebina)
Labels date the work to 1890, and a National Award Certificate from 1895 accompanies three of the dolls. Doll making at this level represents one of Japan’s most sophisticated traditional arts, led by precise aesthetic principles that ensure harmony of form and spirit.
Hina Ningyo dolls are created specifically for Hina Matsuri, or Girls Day and is celebrated on March 3, the third day of the third month. The tradition dates in some form to the fifth century and began as a religious cleansing ritual.
About a month before the festival, a daughter traditionally cleans and displays the dolls on a tiered stand covered in red cloth. This arrangement, known as dankazai, unfolds step by step. The act of handling the dolls is understood as a purifying practice, balancing energies and symbolically transferring illness and misfortune away from the child. After the festival, the dolls are carefully packed away until the following year
Though not all families observe the spiritual origins today, Hina Matsuri remains one of Japan’s five major seasonal festivals and an important occasion for gathering with family and friends.
This set later belonged to a samurai family in Sasebo. Donors Gillian Darling and Rudi Kovanic wanted to place the collection in its entirety in a West Coast community museum, honoring early Japanese settlers and acknowledging their unjust incarceration during World War II. This exhibit leads up to a larger Japanese Canadian legacy initiative that will be unveiled on September 26, 2026 at Sandy Beach Park.
Limited viewing of the Hina Ningyo Collection takes place March 3-5 and March 8 to 12, from 11 am to 3 pm.
A box containing Hina Ningyo Dolls (above). A label inside of the box (left) reads “Kyoto MARUYA (store) made by Oki Heizo, Hina doll maker These are “Michiomi no Mei’dolls made by Maruhei Oki Doll Store. These dolls are made of first-rate materials by first rate craftsmen.” / Michiko Sakata translation
While the report (available in the council agenda for the Feb. 23 meeting) dives into great detail, in general terms it explores what functions of the Trust are designated as planning expenses - Bowen is exempt from these due to the presence of their own municipal planning department
Early in the delegation Trust chief administrative officer Rueben Bronee revealed that Bowen’s tax levy for this year had been updated and undergone a significant drop, down to a 12.6 per cent raise over last year. This kept in line with the past several years where the number in the initial rounds of the Trust budget process comes down sharply in the final version, something Bronee says occurs frequently as part of the group’s standard budget practices. The development took place prior to release of the mayor’s report, added Bronee, though after council request for further explanation of the prior 32 per cent number.
Leonard’s 46-page report examined, in-part, the Administrative Allocation Rate (AAR), which breaks down which administrative Trust operations fall under the umbrella of governance (Trust council) and conservation (Islands Trust Conservancy) compared to planning. Bowen pays fully into the former two categories, is exempt from planning costs, and pays administrative fees based on a determination of how much admin work is dedicated to Trust council and the Conservancy. Currently this number is around 35 per cent.
The report suggested that Bowen may be paying as much as twice the amount necessary on certain budget items due to potential overlap in admin costs. Leonard pointed out the capacity to break down AAR costs into extreme detail is seen in other financial calculations by the organization, and now needs to be applied to operations Trust-wide “The goal isn’t to have Bowen residents pay less. It’s to ensure they’re not
charged twice,” read a presentation slide.
The mayor and councillors indicated they value the Trust’s work and are not seeking to leave the organization. They also made clear there was no belief the Trust was trying to extract more payment than necessary. Rather, the determination was that the current method for calculating municipal payments - agreed to between the two sides long ago - was in serious need of reexamination. Leonard also referenced the community poll taken in the 2022 municipal election which showed nearly 80 per cent of voters supported revisiting the formula.
“The Trust characterized some of the existing exclusions as products of past negotiations between our two organizations. I’d frame it a bit differently those exclusions exist because someone looked at the numbers and said, this cost doesn’t reflect a service Bowen actually receives. That’s not a negotiation, that’s the methodology working as intended We’re asking for it to work consistently,” said Leonard following the meeting.
Councillors agreed unanimously to “pursue resolution of the requisition methodology issues identified in the mayor’s report and the findings heard today”. Bronee and other Trust executives present for the meeting said they are open to a review of the current formula. A timeline for discussions is yet to be determined. The Islands Trust budget is finalized in March, meaning it would be a tight fit to enact substantive changes before this year’s number is finalized. The review could also take place ahead of next year’s budget.
“The ball is with Trust staff and Trust Council now. They have their quarterly meeting in March, and we’ll be watching for whether the questions we raised are reflected in any changes to the methodology or the budget. I’m not asking anyone to take my word for it the analysis is on the table, and I’m confident it holds up,” says Leonard.
WILL HUSBY & SHEREE JOHNSON Bowen Island Conservancy
PHOTO BY DAVID DE HAAS
In Tide Pool Reflection, photographer David de Haas captures a moment most of us would miss unless we slow down: a school of juvenile northern anchovy each no longer than five centimetres slipping through the shallows, their bodies flashing against sea lettuce and kelp
One of the simplest ways to “spot” juvenile anchovies in summer is to watch for children wading at the beach, calling to each other as they dip buckets and cups into the water, hoping to capture one of these quicksilver fingerlings.
Anchovies may be small, but they live by the power of numbers. They form schools of many thousands, moving as a coordinated body. The young anchovies in this photo are at the beginning of a fast, high-stakes life. In only two years, many will grow to 25 centimetres about the length of your foot. In all their life stages, this one is one of the most important links in our coastal food web.
Biologists have discovered that almost every marine creature with feathers, fins, or fur relishes a meal of anchovies. More than 50 species of marine life rely on them as one of their most important foods seabirds, salmon, tuna, whales, and sea lions among them. Their abundance is part of the story behind the return of sea lions and humpback whales to Átl’ka7tsem/ Howe Sound.
If you are lucky, you may see the anchovy food chain in action. It often begins with sound: gulls and other seabirds calling loudly as they converge toward one small patch of ocean. Then comes the action. Birds plunge from the air, or land and dive from the surface, most surfacing with a silver fish
in its beak. Below them, a school of anchovy has been forced into a tight ball near the surface by predators such as salmon, seals, or sea lions
If you’re watching from a boat, distance becomes part of good stewardship. Wildlife needs uninterrupted time to feed, and a boat pressing too close can scatter prey or the predators at exactly the wrong moment. Distance is also safety. If you’re lucky, you may see the spectacular lunge feeding of a humpback whale as it surges to the surface, mouth fully agape, capturing multiple anchovies in a single gulp. Humpbacks are huge and can accidentally bash into a kayak or boat when intent on feeding.
With so many mouths relying on them, it’s no surprise that each year an estimated 45 to 55 per cent of the total northern anchovy population is consumed. Anchovies persist by reproducing at extraordinary scale. Each female produces over 14,000 eggs, releasing them in batches of several hundred every seven to 10 days over the summer. The eggs float near the surface and hatch into tiny fish larvae within four days. Even at these early stages, anchovy are part of the food chain, eaten by small predatory zooplankton.
Anchovies are also elegant feeders. At all ages, they hunt together in schools as they seek out swarms of plankton. If you’re ocean swimming and a school of anchovies passes by, you may catch bright silver flashes as sunlight glints off their gill covers when they open wide to scoop up plankton-rich water. The plankton is trapped in a fine mesh of filaments associated with the anchovy’s gills. When enough accumulates, the fish closes its mouth and swallows. As anchovies grow, they eat larger and larger types of plankton; by adulthood they can also eat baby fish, shrimp, and crab larvae.
Around Bowen Island now, northern anchovy play a crucial role as a bridge
between plankton at the base of the food web and the larger predators we notice most. But they also face mounting pressures. Climate change is making it possible for northern anchovy to thrive here, yet ocean warming, acidification, and altered currents may change the composition and timing of plankton blooms the foundation on which anchovies rely.
Microplastics add another risk: plankton can ingest them, anchovies can then consume that plankton, and toxins can bioaccumulate in anchovy tissues. That can affect their health, reproduction, and survival, disrupting the marine food web.
The hopeful part of this story is that Bowen Island Municipality and our neighbours across the Átl’ka7tsem/Howe Sound Biosphere Region continue working togeth-
er to reduce pollution and strengthen the natural systems that support northern anchovy and the biodiversity of the Salish Sea. David’s photograph is a reminder that recovery can look like something small and bright moving through a tide pool until you realize how many lives depend on that shimmer.
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, visit the Conservancy’s website.
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AUBIN VAN BERCKEL Bowen Island Garden Club
When we started our garden, the first area that we developed after the initial terracing of the slope was a natural hollow underneath a small cedar tree that cried out to become a pond. We deepened and expanded the hole, lined and filled it, arranged some boulders around the perimeter, created a path, and planted a couple of rhododendrons, azaleas, two pine trees, an edgeworthia, and some blue iris.
Living in town, we came only on weekends, but one Saturday, to my delight, I discovered a couple of ducks visiting our newly created water feature. With their presence, the pond felt truly established.
The following year, some yellow flag iris sprang up among the blue iris we had planted. They seemed such a serendipitous addition to what at the time was the only area that we could justifiably call a garden, and naively I celebrated the aesthetics of Mother Nature.
Unfortunately, in my ignorance, we actually welcomed a noxious invasive into our garden. Over the years, these pretty yellow, Iris pseudacorus, have spread dramatically. The blue Japanese iris that we planted have disappeared completely in our upper pond and yellow flags now fringe our larger lower pond as well.
Yellow flag iris plants are notoriously difficult to eliminate once established, spreading both through seed dispersal and rhizomes. It is likely that the ducks that I welcomed to our first landlocked pond carried
in the seeds on their feathers. Every iris flower creates as many as six pods which can remain buoyant for as long as seven months. Each pod contains between 100 and 120 seeds which, when released, will happily float for up to two months thanks to an air pocket between the seed and the outer shell. The plants also reproduce through rhizomes, quickly creating thick mats of pink fleshy roots that can float on the surface of the water and imbed in the mud of ponds and ditches.
It is best to tackle yellow flag iris when they are in flower and easily identified. Cut the plants close to the ground. Expose the rhizomes and cut them in 10-15 cm strips using a sharp tool such as a mattock. Prise up each strip with the mattock or a crowbar making sure that you go the full length and depth of the plant.
Because all parts of the plant are poisonous and can cause skin irritation and nausea if ingested, always wear gloves. The best way to dispose of them is to bag everything, label it as an invasive weed, and put them in the garbage. Invariably, new plants will crop up the following year, so it is important to revisit every site until you are confident that they have all been eliminated.
JULIE VIK Contributor
Karolina McMurray has been practicing healing arts on Bowen Island since 2005. She began her journey back as a child in former Czechoslovakia, walking in woods with her two grandmothers, learning to pick special herbs and mushrooms and subsequently use them in medicine and ointments. Arriving in Canada in 1990, she went on to become an aesthetician while continuously taking a wide range of courses to expand her knowledge of herbs and healing treatments. Being a naturally curious
person and dedicated to wellness, Karolina expanded her studies to massage, which in turn has blossomed into her business, Inner Essence Healing, launched in 2002. She explains that her aim as a counsellor is to provide clients with a wide range of healing modalities and tools, which can be customized to address their unique needs such as releasing blockages, whether they be muscular, creative or interpersonal With all her experience and knowledge, she is helping her clients to find their true path by guiding them on their journey through their past, ultimately lead-
ing to restarting a clearer future with purpose.
Karolina explains: “I see us as puzzle pieces that therapists take apart to release traumas and then re-integrating the puzzle pieces to become closer knowing the real you.”
Karolina McMurray is at home in nature. / Cindy May photo
Salish Sea:
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Sunday Worship 10:30 am Rev.Lorraine Ashdown
OFFICEHOURSWEDNESDAY10-4 OR BY APPOINTMENT
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SHIRATHAYAM (Song of theSea) BOWEN’SJEWISH COMMUNITY Shabbat Gatherings~ Holidays
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DEPART HORSESHOEBAY 5:45 am except 6:50 am except 8:05 am 9:20 am -exceptWednesdays 10:35 am 11:55 am 1:10 pm 2:35 pm 3:55 pm 5:20 pm 6:35 pm 7:50 pm 8:55 pm -exceptSaturdays 10:00pm 11:00pm
Where’sthe ferry rightnow?- live updatesatwww.bowenferry.ca Schedule changesonstatutory holidays. Stay up to date at www.bcferries.com
Thursday, February 26
Writers Feedback Group at the Library
All ages and types of writer are welcome to share and give constructive feedback on each other’s writing in this positive and supportive environment. Free, from 5 to 6:30 pm. Registration required – register at bipl.ca/write
Friday, February 27
‘Pain Hurts’ Talk
Three speakers will discuss pain reduction, restoring function and alleviating social isolation. Free event, from 11 am to 1 pm at the Bowen Library Annex
Saturday, February 28
Skate Day with Bowen Rec
Free skate event at Fire Hall #2! From 10 am to Noon, find full details on the Bowen Recreation website.
Saturday, February 28
Film Afternoon at the Library
Register to join us for an afternoon documentary film during Freedom to Read Week: Banned Together The Fight Against Censorship (2025). Film starts at 1 pm Register and learn more at: bipl.ca/ban
Saturday, February 28
Nature Club Moss Meander
Explore the fascinating world of moss at Grafton Lake Led by naturalist Claudia Schaefer. From 1 to 3 pm Email bowennatureclub@gmail.com to register.
Saturday, February 28
Magic in the Wood at Bowen Theatre
Bowen magician Eli Zysman brings an afternoon of mystical performance to the Community Centre for a larger, immersive community experience featuring live magic,
music and visual arts The all-ages show begins at 3 pm, tickets available at Phoenix Books and on Eventbrite.
Wednesday, March 4 & Friday, March 6
SKY Walks
Seniors Keeping Young meets at Catholic Church on Miller Road Mar. 4 & Grafton Lake Mar. 6 Both 10:30 am
Saturday, March 7
French Connections at the Library
Drop in and join us to practice your conversational French, and get to know other French language learners on Bowen Island! Free, 10:30 to 11:30 am. bipl.ca/French
Saturday, March 7
Men’s Shed Meeting
Bowen Island Men’s Shed gathering at Island Pacific School at 671 Carter Rd between 10:30 am and Noon. All ages of men welcome for coffee/tea and great company!
Saturday, March 7
Author Talk at the Library
Join us for the launch of The Choir, the fifth book by Bowen Island historical novelist, Carol Cram Drop in, free event at 1 pm. Carol Cram will read from her book, answer questions, and sign copies Books will be available to purchase from the author. Learn more at bipl.ca/author
Saturday, March 7
Judi Gedye Open House
Come talk about island issues with municipal councillor Judi Gedye. From 3 to 4 pm at Collins Hall, all welcome Sunday, March 8
Book Donation Morning at the Library
Friends of the Library welcome your donations of clean, good condition used books. They’re especially seeking nov-
els and kids books. From 10 am until bins full (Noon latest).
Monday, March 9
Rotary Speaker Series
Come learn about efforts to regenerate the Amazon Rainforest with speakers Alice Fortes, Wade Davis, Cameron Dubes & Charles McNeill. At Artisan Eats at 7:30 pm
Friday, March 13
Stories-on-the-Go at Baby Connections
Library staff are guest speakers at Baby Connections! Drop in to Bowen Island Family Place for a short baby storytime and Q&A during Baby Connections Chat with a librarian and learn some fun stories & songs! From 11 am to Noon. For expecting & new parents, and their babies 0-12 months.
TUESDAYS
Bowen Celtic Music Group
All instruments and levels welcome – we start slow, call out the songs in advance, and can send out a digital songbook as a PDF if you’d prefer sheet music, chords, or guitar tabs. Takes place at Bowen Court on Seniors Road from 7 to 9 pm. Suggested donation of $5 per session.
WEDNESDAYS
Family Storytime at the Library
A free 30-minute drop-in program of stories, rhymes, and songs for children age 0-6 and their caregivers! From 10:30 to 11 am, families are welcome to stay after until 11:30 and socialize in the cozy Annex, read books, and hang out!
THURSDAYS
Thursday Art Group
Join the Thursday Art Group (TAG) at Collins Hall from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm to paint and create together. $30 per month or $10 drop-in. Info at shannonrondeau@shaw.ca
