Kimberly Daradics is a ‘vital link’
NEWS Alberni Valley
Alberni students dedicate orange crosswalk
Susie Quinn
A new project by Anne Ostwald’s Social Justice class at Alberni District Secondary School is taking a visible stand in favour of truth and reconciliation.
On June 11, students led a ceremony to officially open a new orange crosswalk on Roger Street in front of the Port Alberni high school. Several guests of honour—all residential school survivors—were the first to symbolically open the crosswalk, which had been painted earlier.
The orange sidewalk idea started with students in one of Anne Ostwald’s Social Justice classes last year. They worked with AIRS survivors, City of Port Alberni staff, School District 70 representatives and ADSS art classes. They weren’t able to complete the project so the current class took it on. Student speakers Blake Sayers, Raelene Brown, Aaliyah Dube, Zahara Oosthuyzen and Sophie Burrows-Weber led the event, which was opened by Ahousaht elder Tim Sutherland Sr. and closed with drumming from ADSS students.
Wahmeesh Ken Watts, elected chief councillor for Tseshaht First Nation, was one of several people invited to speak at the event. He praised the students, saying the crosswalk goes much deeper than just paint.
“It’s here to teach,” he said, “not only of the past but for the future as well.” Truth and reconciliation is about standing up to racism, he added, presenting a drum as thanks to the students for stepping up with their project.
Residential school survivors were invited to walk across the crosswalk after a ceremonial brushing with cedar. A plaque was unveiled on the side opposite the school, a survivors’ flag was flying and Indigenous-designed banners were flying too.
Students from Alberni District Secondary School accompany residential school survivors across the new orange crosswalk in front of the high school on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. The crosswalk, banners and posts are part of a Truth and Reconciliation project from the Social Justice classes of 2024-25. (SUSIE QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Alberni woman saves husband with CPR
Susie Quinn
Kimberly Daradics woke up with a start in the early morning hours of March 28, 2025. At the same time she registered that her husband Tony wasn’t in bed, she heard a strange noise coming from the living room.
She rushed into the room and found Tony unresponsive. She called 911 and with the guidance of B.C. EHS emergency medical call taker Sophie Gill—a rookie who had just finished her training—Kimberly began cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). So began a series of coincidences that read like a television medical drama.
A month earlier Tony had gone to hospital feeling unwell and was scheduled for a stress test. Kimberly had asked her son Buck, a primary care paramedic, how to perform CPR because she had never taken a class.
Buck and his partner Paula Mercer were the first ambulance to hear the call at 5:30 am. and they both recognized the address.
“It was very emotional,” said Buck, who was driving that shift.
“I remember saying to him all the way out there ‘remember, we have to get there safely,’ and ‘you know what you’re doing, we’ve got this,’” Mercer said. The Daradics’ house was tricky to find, but Buck knew where he was going, and knew exactly where in the house his mother and father would be. When they arrived, Kimberly was still performing CPR with the calm reassurance from call-taker Gill on the phone.
When Buck’s colleagues realized
he was responding to a family emergency, a second ambulance was called—and that crew had arrived early for their shift that morning, so they responded immediately.
Kimberly didn’t realize at first that it was Buck who came to the house, she was so focused on pumping Tony’s chest. Buck took over CPR while Mercer used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to shock Tony’s heart; after two shocks they had a pulse. With the assistance of first responders from Beaver Creek Volunteer Fire Department they transported Tony to West Coast General
Hospital where an air ambulance transported him to Victoria.
Buck Daradics went home, ate a quick breakfast and drove to Victoria to join his parents. By the time he arrived Tony had received a stent in his heart and he was sitting up in bed.
On Tuesday, June 10, in a room full of first responders and family members, Kimberly was presented with a Vital Links award.
These awards are presented by B.C. EHS to honour the skilful actions of one or more bystanders at a cardiac arrest emergency. Among the people presenting the award was Buck’s
mother-in-law, Deb Roberts, who is usually the paramedic working with Mercer. Roberts had been working as the lead for Youth Pathways and the High School EMR Program for BC EHS.
“You have every single first responder (involved) in this group,”said Lyndsay Esson, Oceanside operations manager for B.C. EHS. “We are a very data-driven, scientific group of people and everyone’s saying that this whole event was a miracle.”
More than 60,000 Canadians suffer out-of-hospital cardiac events each year and CPR or use of an AED increases the chance of survival by 50 percent, Roberts said.
“Kim gave Tony a chance at survival because she acted quickly and courageously. As paramedics and dispatchers these opportunities to celebrate a miraculous recovery like this and an outcome as successful as this don’t happen as often as we would like,” Roberts said.
People who perform bystander CPR “are our vital link to keeping this patient alive until we can get there.”
Tony remembers a bit of the helicopter ride and that’s it. It wasn’t until after his surgery when he was still experiencing chest pain that an x-ray revealed he had 10 of 12 broken ribs from his wife’s CPR.
Kimberly smiled. “He (son Buck) always said if you’re not breaking ribs you’re not doing it right. I heard breaking ribs and I knew I was doing it right.”
Project took two years to complete
Continued from A1
Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns walked quietly across the crosswalk following the AIRS survivors and watched as some of them painted the final piece of orange on one of the crosswalk posts.
“This is a reminder every time we walk across the crosswalk that there is still work that needs to be done,” he said.
Ann George Barker and Alice George from Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation near Tofino, both in their 70s, walked the crosswalk and took their turns painting the post. Barker attend-
ed AIRS while George spent some time at the Opitsaht Day School on Meares Island.
“It’s amazing,” Barker said of the ceremony. She was especially touched at the Nuu-chah-nulth language spoken during the event.
“Trying to learn the language at the older age is harder. We were taught really young,” she said. “Hearing them even saying some was really amazing.”
George said the crosswalk and the students’ efforts “means the world to me. A lot of the time I speak out; I’m trying to
Nahmint wildfire southwest of Sproat Lake shrinks, still‘held’
Susie Quinn
A wildfire burning at the base of Nahmint Mountain southwest of Sproat Lake has shrunk to 19 hectares and is still being held by B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) personnel. The fire was initially estimated to be 10 hectares after it was discovered Sunday, June 8, 2025 and reported by a pilot with Vancouver Island Soaring Centre. The fire is listed on the B.C. Wildfire map as being on Beverly Main and grew to 23.5 hectares before it was held between two natural drainages on the northeast and southwest flanks.
As of June 15, 10 firefighters, two fallers and one piece of heavy equipment were responding to the fire, strengthening containment lines.
A BCWS update notes that “due to the size and steep terrain of this fire, work will be ongoing for sometime.”
The fire was considered to be caused by humans. Any information related to the fire can be reported to the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline at 1-877-952-7277 or by submitting a Natural Resource Violation online form.
Another wildfire discovered June 10 at Labour Day Lake southeast of Port Alberni is six hectares in size and considered under control. That means it is not expected to spread beyond its current perimeter.
There were 95 active fires in B.C. as of late Sunday, June 15.
Lyndsay Esson, right, BC EHS Oceanside operations manager, presents a Vital Links award to Kimberly Daradics of Port Alberni after she performed CPR to save her husband Tony, centre. (SUSIE QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Residential school survivors finish painting a light post on one side of an orange crosswalk in front of Alberni District Secondary School on June 11, 2025. The painting was a symbolic completion of a Truth and Reconciliation project undertaken by two years of Social Justice classes at the high school. (SUSIE QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
The Alberni Valley Hospice Society's 14th annual
Black Ty Gala was a huge success!
Together we raised much needed funds to support operations at Ty Watson House. Thank you to everyone who made this fundraiser such a success - from staff and volunteers, to donors and guests!
Thank you to all who attended, and the following donors & supporters:
Aines & Tyler
Alberni Brewing Co.
Alberni Co-Op
Alberni Fitness Centre
Alberni Golf Club
Alberni Industrial Marine Supply
Alberni Massage Therapy
Alberni Toyota
Allure Beauty Spa
Alport Insurance
Antidote Distilling Co.
B.M.K. Woodworks
Belle's Haircare
Best Western Barclay Hotel
Blasted Effects
Blue Marlin Inn
Boundless Beauty
BPC Excavating
Bronze and Blush
Canadian Tire
Cindy Solda
Circle Dairy Ltd.
Clarkstone & Dearin Noraty Corporation
Cloud City Apparel
Clydesdale Automotive
Coastal Group of Companies
Cokely Wire Rope
Colyn's Nursery & Garden Centre
Coombs Country Candy
Craig & Lisa Duncan
Cypress Restaurant
Dave Pley Photography & Maria Pley
Dawn Morrow
Dolan's Gas Fitting & Heating
Earth Land & Sea Compost Corp.
Ellen Moes
Enex Fuels
Erika Sawyer
Finishing Touches
Flandangles Kitchen & Gifts
Flooring Depot
Gayle's Fashions
Genesis Fire Protection Ltd.
Gerry's Treasure Boxes
Gone Fishin'
Home Hardware
Houle Printing
INEO Employment Services
Ivan Blais
J & L Drive-In
Jan Cole
Jane Fox
Joanne & Arnie Ferster
John Kuch
Jowsey's Furniture & Mattresses
JW Berry Trucking
Kathy Krznaric
Ken & Suzanne
Lady Rose Marine
LB Woodchoppers
Leave Her Wild
Margaret Bowen
Maureen MacKenzie Personal
Real Estate Corporation
Mike Johnson
Mollon Tyler-Mollon Chartered
Professional Accountants
Naesgaard's Farm Market
Nanaimo Golf Club
Nicklin Waste Disposal
Orestes Kouzina
Peony Collective Gifts
Port Boat House
Port Posh Wash
Robert Thomas
Roc-Star Enterprises Ltd.
Royal LePage Port Alberni-Pacific Rim Realty
Santosha Wellness & Beauty
Sharon Fletcher
Shoppers Drug Mart
Smitty's Family Restaurant
Spice 7 Indian Restaurant & Bar
Spice Hut Indian Cuisine
Sproat Lake Landscaping
Starboard Grill
Steampunk Café
Steve Kendall
Suzanne's
Tanya Tardif
Terry Neyedli
The Brick
The Broken Bow
The Clam Bucket
The Funk Trunk
The Peak 93.3
The Wickaninnish Inn
Toban Brooks
Todd Nicklin
Twin Travel & Cruises
Unilo Food
United Floors
Val's Garden Gals
Walk the Coast
West Coast Peelers
And special thanks to anyone we may have missed!
Fire razes mobile home on outskirts of Port Alberni
Susie Quinn
A Beaver Creek couple is reeling after their mobile home went up in flames Saturday morning.
Beaver Creek Volunteer Fire Dept. personnel responded to a call about a fire in the 6300block of Smith Road around 8:30 a.m. Firefighters from Port Alberni, Cherry Creek and Sproat Lake departments as well as BC Emergency Health Services (ambulance crew) all responded to assist. Crews were able to keep the fire away from trees behind the home, according to witnesses.
Phyllis and Roy Massop lived in the mobile home with
their grandson. All of them escaped the fire, according to Port Alberni Fire Department.
“Everything they worked for is lost. Their home is gone,” says longtime family friend Nicci Jensen. “I’ve called these wonderful people mom and dad for most of my life. To see them in this state is devastating.”
Jensen has started a fundraiser through GoFundMe and hopes to raise $16,000 so the family can start over. The fundraiser can be found online at https://www.gofundme.com/f/5jz98-please-shareor-donate-if-you-can.
Canada Day celebration planned
Alberni Valley News Staff
Get ready for a day packed with fun, music, heritage, and community spirit as Celebrate PA! takes over Harbour Quay on Canada Day – Tuesday, July 1, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Celebrate PA! is a free, family-friendly event. Powered by local organizations, artists, performers, and volunteers, this unique celebration reflects the heart of Port Alberni—diverse, welcoming, and full of pride.
“This event is all about community,” says Mayor Sharie Minions. “Celebrate
PA! is powered by the incredible efforts of local groups and volunteers who care deeply about bringing people together and celebrating what makes Port Alberni such a special place.”
The day will begin with a land acknowledgment and opening ceremony by Aaron Watts of Tseshaht First Nation and Brandy Lauder of Hupacasath First Nation, recognizing the unceded traditional territory of the Tseshaht and Hupacasath peoples. From there, Harbour Quay will transform into a lively hub of activity
featuring:
• Live performances by XiXi and The Bandit, Old Time Fiddlers, and more
• Hands-on kids’fun: puppet theatre, face painting, chalk art contests
• Art in action with the Grove Gallery and Community Arts Council
• Heritage experiences from the Alberni Valley Museum, Port Alberni Maritime Heritage Society, and Western Vancouver Island Industrial Heritage Society
• Vintage vehicles, RCMP photo ops, a “Best Dressed Canuck”contest, and a selfie
station
• Alberni Pacific Railway rides (tickets available at albernipacificrailway.ca)
The Alberni Valley Rock and Gem Society will have an outdoor rock show happening all day at Harbour Quay.
This vibrant day will be brought to life by an amazing team of community partners.
Admission is free Whether you’re a longtime resident or first-time visitor, come Celebrate Port Alberni—and Canada—in a way that’s all our own.
A mobile home in Beaver Creek is engulfed in flames early Saturday morning, June 14, 2025. A couple who lived there is safe but has lost everything, according to family friends. (PAFD SCREENSHOT)
Alberni Valley’s visitor centre reopens
Susie Quinn
The Alberni Valley Visitor Centre has reopened after a three-month closure due to lack of funding.
The visitor centre was forced to close in March after the City of Port Alberni cut funding to the centre, which is operated by the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce. It reopened June 2 and has already welcomed more than 250 visitors.
The number of visitors highlights “just how important this service is to our community, economy and local businesses,” the chamber noted in its monthly update to chamber members.
The centre has received funding from Destination BC, Canada Summer Jobs, Nuu-chahnulth Employment and Training Program, Huu-ay-aht First Nations, Alberni Valley Tour-
ism and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District through its grant-in-aid program.
The centre also received funding for three summer students.
That means the centre will be open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until the end of September.
The Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce operates the visitor centre located at the northeast entrance to Port Alberni. (SUSIE QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Why libraries matter: National survey invites input
Morgan Brayton
The Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) is asking the public to take part in a nationwide survey to help measure the real-world impact of public libraries.
The survey is open from June 2 to 30, the short survey is part of the Canadian Urban Libraries Council’s (CULC) National Impact Study. It takes five to 10 minutes to complete and is open to everyone, regardless of how often they use the library.
“This study will help us understand how urban libraries like ours make a difference in your community—beyond the usual
foot traffic and event stats,” states VIRL in an announcement. “Whether you’re a regular visitor or haven’t been in a while, we want YOUR perspective.”
In addition to gathering basic demographic information, the survey invites participants to share how libraries have influenced their lives. It focuses on broader social impacts such as inclusion, education and community connection. Respondents are asked to rate statements like: “Public libraries play a crucial role in supporting members of our local community who feel vulnerable” and “It is good for children to have a relationship with their public
library growing up.”
The results will help build a clearer picture of how libraries serve Canadian communities. The findings will also inform both local planning and national advocacy efforts. VIRL says the information collected will help ensure that the lived experiences of library users are part of ongoing conversations about public services.
The survey is available online and ore information is available on the VIRL website at virl.bc.ca/culc-survey-2025.
If you need help accessing the survey or would like a paper copy, contact your local VIRL branch.
No talking in Vancouver Island libraries–staff fear cuts to jobs, programs
Evan Lindsay
Overdue books are the least of concerns for many Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) employees, as staff face impending rescheduling that threatens their livelihoods.
“I don’t think there’s a single person here who feels valued, or like their input matters,” said one anonymous VIRL employee.
While the details of the changes have not been confirmed or made public by VIRL, rumour and anxiety have run rampant in the community,
and among a library staff who’ve been told to keep quiet.
Laurence Amy, vice-president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 401 explained that negotiations between CUPE, BCGEU and VIRL had broken down and stated that the change would need to follow their collective agreement.
Natasha Bartlett, VIRL divisional manager of communications, confirmed that changes are in the works.
“We are implementing system-wide
changes, including adjustments to hours and staffing, as part of a sustainable, equitable service model,” said Bartlett.
“These changes will maximize fulltime employment, improve equity across communities, align staffing with branch hours, and maintain cost-effective operations.”
Bartlet assured that the changes “will provide more consistent, high-quality services” across VIRL libraries.
Despite the stated benefits of the
coming changes, library employees are worried. VIRL scheduling documents provided to the Sooke News Mirror show cuts in staffing and hours among library assistants, who would be primarily impacted.
“It’s the library assistants, basically the ones that run the place, that do the checking in and out of books, that fill holds, that answer questions, that do the phones that are on the desk all the time, it’s those staff that we’re losing,” said the anonymous worker.
“It’s just not possible for us finan-
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LittleBavariaRestaurant
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cially,” said the employee.
The VIRL employee says library workers feel their hands are tied and VIRL sees them as positions, not people. “It’s all about saving money, ‘Where can we cut costs and then make it look like it’s in your best interests?’”
The Sooke News Mirror has contacted the Vancouver Island Regional Library for comment.
This article has been updated to reflect the current state of negotiations confirmed by a CUPE representative.
Children’s librarian Kaitlin Parker prepares a button-making station during a family-friendly event at the Port Alberni VIRL branch on June 6, 2025. (SONJA DRINKWATER/ Alberni Valley News)
PUBLISHER Rachel Theus
EDITOR Susan Quinn
GROUP PUBLISHER Teresa Bird
Valuing people in June and beyond
There are some important days on the calendar in June.
June 21 is National Indigenous People’s Day, in recognition of the 1.8 million First Nations, Inuit and Metis people who live in this country.
June 24 is Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, which is also the National Day of Quebec. This is a celebration of the country’s Francophone population, language and traditions.
June 27 is Canadian Multiculturalism Day, a time to recognize the many diverse cultural and ethnic groups within Canada, and to promote an ongoing commitment to equality, inclusion and mutual respect. Multiculturalism is one of Canada’s values and there are many cultures, ethnic origins and traditions in this country.
June is also Pride Month in Canada, a time to recognize the 2SLGBTQI+ community and their ongoing quest to be treated equally and accepted. Around 1.3 million Canadians 15 and older identify as 2SLGBTQI+, according to federal government statistics.
These are not the only times set aside to recognize certain segments of our society.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, on Sept. 30, is a time to acknowledge the effects of the institutions known as residential schools in Canada. The last of these institutions closed in 1996, fewer than 30 years ago.
Remembrance Day, on Nov. 11, is a day set aside to honour the sacrifices of those who served and who continue to serve Canada during times of war, conflict and peace.
There are also some days throughout the year with more of a global significance.
Holocaust Remembrance Day, on Jan. 27, is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, near the end of the Second World War. It is a time to remember Holocaust victims and to learn from this terrible period in history.
January 29 is set aside as a national day of remembrance of the Quebec City mosque attack, which took place Jan. 29, 2017. Related to this, March 15 is the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
March 21 is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
This is by no means a complete list of days, months and observances.
In Canada, where inclusion is seen as a national value, it is worthwhile to take time to recognize the people who live in this country, no matter who they are. And it is important to show respect to those who have faced or are continuing to face challenges because of who they are. The days, months and seasons in June and throughout the year serve as reminders that people matter.
— Black Press
Phone (250) 723-6399
Classifieds 1-866-865-4460
Commitment to accuracy
To report corrections and clarifications, contact editor Susan Quinn: 778-421-8061 editor@albernivalleynews.com or drop by our office 4918 Napier St.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
“This
The front of the Alberni Arena and Curling Club is pictured in this 1964 photo. The building at Ninth Avenue and Dunbar Street still houses the curling club, however the arena has long since been decommissioned and is home to the Industrial Heritage Centre. To view more than 24,000 historical Port Alberni photos, visit the Alberni Valley Museum’s online photo archives at portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN00368
COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)
INBOX Feedback on news items
To the Editor,
Re: Pickleballers appeal to city for more courts, June 4, 2025.
Tennis players object to plans for more pickleball courts West Coast General Hospital staff are the best
My tennis friends and I have spoken with other regular tennis players and we wish to retain more than the proposed two out of five tennis courts at Gyro Park’s tennis court.
At least three courts would be more palatable for us.
We consider the middle court as a pickleball court already as it has been marked with blue lines, rendering it useless for tennis players.
The AV News article states that at Gyro Park, pickleball is limited to four courts.
«YOUR VOICE
I beg to differ, as I see one separate dedicated court across from the Gyro Youth building and several courts in the lacrosse box that can house four pickleball games each for 20 separate games.
We know that pickleball is a popular sport with different groups already using Glenwood Centre, the Alberni Athletic Hall, Gyro lacrosse box, etc.
Perhaps they could look at resurfacing unused and existing courts at E.J.Dunn Elementary and at Jericho Road (former Klitsa School)?
We will be submitting a letter to city hall which includes the
names and phone numbers of other tennis players who all feel that our sport is being pushed out.
Pickleball players can enjoy their sport but not at a cost to other sports and people. However, we appreciate the PA Picklers’ efforts to have the courts resurfaced.
We understand that there is a booking process through Echo Centre but we need adequate tennis courts to play on and not courts that have been marked for pickleball use.
To the Editor, I would like to share my recent experience at West Coast General Hospital
. The nurses work 12 hours a day and they look after the patients very well. Since I spent a week there, every time they looked after me I thanked them and smiled; they thanked me and smiled back. This went on every day, even with the doctors.
West Coast General Hospital is the best hospital on Vancouver Island. God bless the staff.
Doing dumb stuff with nickels, to coin a phrase
Let’s start this thing off with stupid stuff I’ve done with nickels.
I used to have this baby blue ’77 Chevy Nova my friends called the “Chick Magnet.” The car had a huge V8 in it and was mucho fun to drive despite that model not selling too well in Latin America because No Va, in Spanish, means No Go.
Anyway, the nickels.
I was at an intersection waiting for the light to change, fiddling with a nickel on the steering wheel when somehow I lodged it into a crack and engaged the horn, which bellowed like King Kong with a thorn in his foot. Embarrassing enough in any case, but this was panic-inducing.
There were I’d say 15 refrigerator-sized Hells Angels in front of me, also waiting for the light to change. Harleys rumbling, the bikers took an agonizingly slow look back at me,
expressionless, as my horn kept honking away. Expressing enough for all concerned, I raised both hands in the air and put on my best “Please don’t hurt me, I’m not honking at you, I’m just an idiot” face. Their heads swiveled back to the red light, thank the Good Lord’s divine intervention, seemingly satisfied that I wasn’t honking at them but rather was just a goof who probably did something stupid, maybe with a nickel, to cause his horn to malfunction.
Live and let live.
So yup, that’s me and nickels.
Given my history with five-cent coins, even I would ban me from being anywhere remotely near the Big Nickel in Ontario. You know, that nine metres (30 foot tall) replica of a 12-sided 1951 Canadian nickel?
I’d probably lean against it or something, knock it off its supports and destroy Sudbury in the process.
No more Saturday nights there. Indeed, doing dumb things with money runs in the family.
and that was a tidy sum back then, especially for a child.
She scooped up the bill, walked up to the nearest “adult” she could find, and asked her “Excuse me ma’am, is this yours?”
The woman’s eyes, like raisins pressed into cookie dough, darted left and right, scanning the immediate area before she snatched the bill from my sister’s hand, snapped it shut in her handbag and took off before anyone with a conscience could intervene.
Well, my sister was a lot younger when this cruel world deprived her of her $20 find than I was when I did my dumb things with these two nickels.
Many years later, I was again fiddling with a nickel at work when I accidentally dropped it into a fax machine, pretty much destroying it. The fax machine, that is.
I don’t want to embarrass anyone in particular – I’ll just say it was my sister Shirley – who once found a crisp $20 bill on the floor of an aisle in K-Mart. This was in the 1970s,
With a nod to sibling rivalry, and $20 being 400 nickels, I guess I have 398 stupid things left to do with these five-cents coins before I catch up with my sister.
And that’s money in the bank.
TOM ZYTARUK YUP
Marlene Mortensen, Port Alberni
Catharina Zoet, Port Alberni
Donna Michaud returns a serve during a pickle ball tournament Dec. 14, 2021 at the Alberni Athletic Hall. Michaud was one of two dozen players from the PA Picklers Association taking part in the fun holiday event. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
WHAT’S
THU. JUNE 19
• ALEX MACKENZIE ‘HAPPY CAMPER’ COMEDY TOUR at the Rainbow Room (3752 Fourth Ave.), a fundraiser for SD70 Mental Health Bursary. Doors open 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. Tix: $35 available at Rainbow Lanes (downstairs) or at the door if available.
FRI. JUNE 20
• NEAL VIRGIL BROWN, Canadian singer-songwriter and fingerstyle guitarist, comes home to Port Alberni for an encore performance at Char’s Landing (4815 Argyle St.). Doors open 6:30 p.m., music starts at 7:30 p.m. Tix: $20 advance, $25 at the door. charslanding.com or call 250-7301636.
• SUMMER KICK-OFF Celebrate the start of the summer season with the City of Port Alberni’s Parks and Recreation staff and this free family-friendly event. 4-7 p.m. at Bob Dailey Stadium and Glenwood Centre. Live music, crafts, sports, vendors, food. A Duck hunt starts at 6 p.m.
• INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY Port Alberni Friendship Center, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• SOLSTICE CRAFTY CRUISE Join the Grove Art Gallery from 6–9 p.m. aboard the historic MV Frances Barkley for an evening of 19+ music with DJ Spin Daddy, coastal-inspired crafts, games, food by V9Y Catering and beverages from Dog Mountain Brewing. Tix: $75 per person (includes all supplies, drink and food tickets) available online at
alberniarts.com/crafty-cruise.
SAT. JUNE 21
• BUTTERFLY EFFECT Release a butterfly for fun or in memory of a loved one, 11:30 a.m. at Alberni Hospice, 2579 10th Ave. Free kids’ activities, faceprinting, barbecue by donation and more. Everyone welcome. Butterflies cost $25 each or reserve a no-cost sponsored butterfly. Call 250-7234478 or albernihospice.ca.
• ADSS GRAD CAR PARADE starts at 5:30 p.m. on Burde Street and Anderson Avenue, travels down 10th Avenue to Roger Street and the Alberni Athletic Hall, where Prom will be held. The public is invited to watch the car parade and cheer on the 2025 grads.
• LEGION BR. 293 PRESENTS THE REAL DEAL Dance to the sounds of Fleetwood Mac, the Doobie Brothers, Tom Petty, George Strait, John Fogerty and Susan Tedeschi at the Legion (4680 Victoria Quay). Tix: $25. Doors open 7:30 p.m., music starts 8 p.m.
• BACK COUNTRY HORSEMEN OF BC GYMKHANA at Evergreen Park, Fayette Road. Register by Friday, June 20 by e-mailing avchapterbchbc@gmail.com.
MON. JUNE 23
• SKYSONG COMMUNITY CHOIR open house and social, 6–8 p.m. at Trinity Church (4677 Angus St.). Includes singalong, local musicians, snacks, beverages. FMI: E-mail Kim at bluetuxedo@telus.net or see choir’s Facebook page.
THU. JUNE 26
• RAGE’S FARM MARKETS First pop-up market of the season runs from 5-8 p.m. at 7685 McKenzie Road, Beaver Creek. burgers, hotdogs, ice cream treats and producers: meat, plants, honey, canning, jewelry, crafts and more. FMI: 250-918-9585. Markets will also run July 13 (with a car show) noon to 4 p.m., July 31, Aug. 14 and Aug. 28 (all 5-8 p.m.).
SAT. JUNE 28
• SPECIAL OLYMPICS AWARDS BANQUET for Port Alberni athletes, noon at Echo Centre (4255 Wallace St.). Tix: $25 per person (volunteers admitted for free but must still book a ticket). FMI: call Linda at 250-723-2672 or e-mail portalberni.registration@specialolympics.bc.ca.
JUNE 28-30
• PORT ALBERNI FUNTASTIC SPORTS SOCIETY hosts the 35th annual Okee Dokee Slo-Pitch Tournament and Funtastic Music Festival. Eighty teams take over Port Alberni’s softball diamonds at Echo Fields. June 28-29 six bands play over two nights at Bob Dailey Stadium: Completely Creedence headlines Country Night Saturday, June 28. Who Made Who (AC/DC Tribute) headlines Rock Night Sunday, June 29. Tix: wristbands available at Cloverdale Paints for $40 (for both nights). FMI: www.funtasticalberni.com.
TUE. JULY 1
• CANADA DAY CELEBRATIONS are happening at Harbour Quay from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free, family-friendly event put on by Celebrate PA! Music, kids’ hands-on activities, train rides (book tickets in advance with Alberni Pacific Railway), heritage experiences and more.
• ALBERNI VALLEY ROCK & GEM CLUB hosts a rock show 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Spirit Square, Harbour Quay. Vendors, lapidary demos, club rock table and more.
SAT. JULY 5
• CAMERON WHITCOMB: HUNDRED MILE HIGH TOUR has moved outdoors at The KCC (Kinsmen Community Centre,
4102 Hollywood St.). With special guests The Shindigs and Quadra Sound. Tix: five acre.tickit.ca.
FRI. JULY 11
• DANIEL WESLEY plays Alberni Brewing Company (4630 Adelaide St.), 7:30 p.m. Tix: $35 each.
JULY 12–13
• SPROAT LAKE REGATTA 2025 returns to Sproat Lake Provincial Park on Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13. Free for spectators to watch ‘Lightning on the Lake.’ Featuring a West Coast F1 showdown. Pits open to the public on Friday, July 11. Admission is free for the weekend.
SAT. JULY 19
• ROTARY COLOUR FEST returns for second year at Blair Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Register online at www.rotarycolourfest.com. $20 individuals, $45 families. The route is 2.5 kms around the Kitsuksis Dyke. Vendors, food trucks, swag for registrants and post-route, family-friendly fun. FMI: www.rotarycolourfest.com.
SUN. JULY 20
• SUNSET CINEMA returns to Bob Dailey Stadium, 9 p.m. Kids’ activities and concession before the movie begins.
AUG. 8-10
• THUNDER IN THE VALLEY at the Somass Lands. Car show Friday, Aug. 8 at Tyee Landing (3300 Harbour Road). Racing Saturday, Aug. 9 and Sunday, Aug. 10. Spectators’ seating also at Tyee Landing. No public access to Somass property.
SAT. AUG. 9
• BELLE MINERS come to Char’s Landing. Doors open 6:30 p.m., music starts at 7:30 p.m. Tix: $20 advance, $25 at the door. Order online at https://charslanding. com/.
TUE. AUG. 26
• THE CABIN AT SHANNON FARMS hosts a summer market from 5–8 p.m. (8865 Beaver Creek Rd.). FMI: call Tanya at 250-720-5867 or e-mail thecabin@shannonfarms.ca.
Clutesi Haven Marina redevelopment earns provincial kudos
Susie Quinn
The City of Port Alberni, Hupacasath First Nation and Tseshaht First Nation have won two 2025 B.C. Economic Development Awards for their collaboration with Clutesi Haven Marina Uplands improvements.
The winning project includes redevelopment of a portion of land behind the food truck pod at the marina; the land was levelled and several seacans have been installed for seasonal vendors.
There will be space for cultural events and live music as well. Clutesi Haven Marina is located on the route tourists take as they head to Sproat Lake and the West Coast. The marina is a busy place for sportfishing as well.
The Clutesi Haven Marina Uplands partnership was funded in part by the First Nation-Municipal Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI).
The BCEDA Economic Reconciliation
Award included submissions for partnerships, agreements and activities that advance shared economic reconciliation work. The local partnership won the community 10,000 to 25,000 population category. The Clutesi Haven project was also named the People’s Choice award out of all the projects that received awards.
“We are incredibly proud to celebrate the exceptional achievements of local and Indigenous leaders and B.C. economic developers,” said Dale Wheeldon, president and CEO of BCEDA.
The award was presented at the BCEDA’s annual awards presentation at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre during the B.C. Economic Summit in May 2025.
The BCEDA has presented awards for more than 30 years to its members for outstanding work in supporting their local economies and making a meaningful difference in their communities.
Port Alberni City Councillor Todd Patola, second from left, Hupacasath First Nation Elected Chief Councillor Brandy Lauder, Tseshaht First Nation Elected Chief Councillor Wahmeesh (Ken Watts) and Port Alberni City Councillor Cindy Solda
Economic Summit in Penticton earlier in May
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Film industry puts Alberni Valley on the map
Gord Kurbis
Port Alberni landmarks will soon be coming to a theatre near you thanks to a robust motion picture industry.
The Alberni Valley and in particular the McLean Mill National Historic Site will play feature roles in film productions that were recently shot in the area. “One Mile,” “One More Mile” and “The Stolen Child” were all filmed here in the past year and will bring more notoriety and economic impact to the region.
“The return is multi-million dollars over the last year and a half into the Alberni Valley,” said Vancouver Island North Film (INFILM) commissioner Joan Miller.
Miller said the area, like much of the mid-Island, is reaping the rewards of being diversified. “We continue to attract things like reality shows and reality challenge shows that have been filming. They’ve shot in Port Alberni as well as a West Coast area and up in the Comox Valley.”
The productions, along with some large crews and major budgets are coming after the commission has invested 27 years of promotion of not only the region, but also in the training of future crew members.
“Going back to about 2015 when we started really putting our training
programs together, we’ve covered every cent of the training, for everyone that’s taken it. So that’s a huge investment in labour,” she said.
That has helped to build a roster of more than 700 crew members on Vancouver Island that Miller says can be hired by visiting productions, helping them to fill their crew rosters without having to bring workers from elsewhere.
One of those local hires is Jane Victoria King, who often works as a set designer but also served as a location scout on the “One Mile” and “One More Mile” films as well as a location manager for “The Stolen Child.”
“Location scouting on Vancouver Island is ideal. We have majestic mountain ranges, trails, old growth forests, we have vintage beautiful homes. We have a lot of barns and farmland, we have ocean, we have rivers, we have it all on Vancouver Island,” Victoria King said.
Among the locations Victoria King helped secure for productions was the McLean Mill site. “I spent four and a half hours shooting McLean Mill and uploaded thousands of files. It was really, really an eye-opening experience to see what had gone on in that land for so many years that is now a historic site,” she said.
The site is owned by the City of
Port Alberni but has been managed by the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce since 2020 through a special fee-for-service agreement. The chamber’s director of operations Elliot Drew says it is an ideal location for producers.
“It’s a very unique, very interesting site that offers a lot more than just the history of the site. (There’s) opportunities with some old buildings and some great landscapes, but we also offer a lot of really interesting
nature and we have the facilities and the space to support productions as well,” Drew said.
He added that producers were attracted to the facility for one particular sequence but then greatly expanded their usage of the site once they discovered all that it offered.
“The opportunities that our almost 13-acre site can provide with its different locales, its great nature, its opportunities with almost 100-yearold infrastructure made them say ‘if
we can be here for two weeks that would be great.’”
The mill has partnered with INFILM to get the word out on what the site has to offer. “The opportunities here are immense and the great thing about it for the most part is that it’s relatively undiscovered, and that means right now that there are deals to be had,” Drew said.
He also predicts an upshot in more visitors to the facility once the films make it into the theatres and television.
“Anybody that sees this film is going to know McLean Mill. We know that nothing makes people more passionate than film, so if they get passionate about a movie, you know they’re going to take time out to come and visit us,” Drew said.
Miller said future film projects for the Alberni Valley and all of the Island are looking good for the foreseeable future, even despite talk of Canadian productions getting caught up in American tariff issues.
“Right now we’re starting to see the fruits of 27 years of work coming together as we are in back-to-backto-back productions throughout our region. These are Canadian domestic productions not affected by anything that’s going on within the tariff war between the United States and the world,” she said.
for the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce and manager at McLean Mill, says the national historic site is attracting attention as a movie location. (GORD KURBIS/ Alberni Valley News)
The heritage buildings and surrounding forest at McLean Mill National Historic Site are attracting film producers looking for a certain look. (SUSIE QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Matthews West begins vision for Somass Lands
Gord Kurbis
Looking over the 40-acre waterfront Somass property, Port Alberni’s Chief Administrative Officer Mike Fox sees an area that is key to shaping the city’s future.
“I believe this project will be one of those defining moments where people will look back years from now and comment on how the community rallied and how we enabled the development of this key waterfront area,” he says.
The land that once housed Western Forest Products Somass Division was purchased from the timber giant after the mill was shuttered in 2017 and the land sat vacant for more than a decade.
An agreement was signed in February of 2025 between the City of Port Alberni and Squamish-based developer Matthews West Developments Ltd., one of 16 companies to express interest in developing the property when the Request for Expressions of Interest was first issued by Port Alberni in September of 2022. The company is looking to build a large, multi-use development on the property which will incorporate park space, retail, office spaces, housing and light industrial uses.
”We can’t say what it’s going to
look like until we do the full analysis, but it will be similar to other developments that have developed on ocean-fronts with the same envi-
ronmental risks,” Fox says.
It’s believed Matthews West will begin engaging with consultants and the public as soon as June and
July to ensure the company captures the public’s vision of what should be placed on the land. Fox says the local First Nations will be among
I believe this project will be one of those defining moments...
– Mike Fox, city CAO
the first to be consulted.
“We look forward to the upcoming work on the site, engaging with the community and working hand-inhand with the city, Tseshaht and Hupacasath First Nations on this exceptional development opportunity,” says Matthews West president John Matthews.
Fox says there has been a lot of public interest in the development and invites citizens to follow progress updates on the city’s https:// www.letsconnectpa.ca/somass-lands website.
“We have a lot of interest in what’s happening, I get a lot of people saying ‘hey, put me on the list for a condo if there’s one down there,’ but I think the biggest interest is light industry,” Fox says.
Continued on A23
Scott Smith, deputy CAO with the City of Port Alberni, says the waterfront pathway is a preview for the public as the Somass Lands undergo development planning. (GORD KURBIS/ Alberni Valley News)
Uchucklesaht Tribe takes ‘long lens’ look at economic development
Gord Kurbis
Two key individuals with the Uchucklesaht Tribe Government (UTG) say there is “lots of blue sky and sunshine on the horizon.”
This comes as the tribe juggles several economic projects currently in the works, one highest profile being the purchase of ‘Pete’s Mountain Meats’ which took effect March 31.
“Pete Kurucz and his wife Anita had it up for sale for a number of years and I think we were concerned that it just may end up closing,” says Dave McCormick, Economic Development Manager for the UTG.
The popular butcher’s shop was founded in 1962 and is located in a former post office building on Johnston Road which McCormick says makes it a marquee business at a marquee location.
“The long standing established relationship that Pete’s has in the community, made so much sense for us to make that investment, to be able to continue to the community and be a stable source of revenue,”
McCormick says.
Deputy CAO and Director of Lands and Resources Ryan Anaka agrees, saying the business fills a niche within the local food market.
”We saw it as an opportunity to make a positive investment, create an economy within our nation and provide the opportunity to give our citizens employment,” Anaka says.
Although it will be largely ‘business as usual’ at the market there will be a few changes, including the hiring of a new meat cutter who will be trained under Pete in order to continue his legacy. ”We do plan on investing into
We saw it as an opportunity to make a positive investment, create an economy within our nation...
– Ryan Anaka
the business from an infrastructure perspective, doing some upgrades on the building but maintaining the historic facade,” Anaka says. Uchucklesaht acknowledges the efforts of the existing staff and will be keeping the roughly 15 employees,
encouraging them to also provide their input and ideas. ”They’re the ones face-to-face literally with the customers every day who are asking for different products” Anaka says.
The deli will continue with the line of goods customers have come to love but one product that will be added to the store will be Uchucklesaht’s own Thunderbird Spirit Water.
AWARD-WINNING SPIRIT WATER CONTINUES TO EXPAND
McCormick says these are exciting times for the water brand, which is processed in a facility on Port Alberni’s industrial waterfront. ”We just recently introduced a 10 litre bag-in-box of Spirit Water, we have that up and operating so and that’s been widely recognized.”
That recognition includes winning a ‘World Water Award’ for the best tasting fresh-water product.
The company is in the process of installing a new canning line to allow Thunderbird to offer both flat and carbonated water in big cans. The product has expanded to be available in a number of hotels, resorts and retailers on Vancouver Island as well as national and international distribution.
“Thunderbird Spirit Water was also just featured at the Fine Water Summit held in Atlanta, Georgia at the end of April,” McCormick says. So far the company hasn’t experienced any impacts by the tariff problems created south of the border. ”It is a premium product. People are willing to pay a premium price for
In March 2025, Pete and Anita Kurucz sold their butcher shop, Pete’s Mountain Meats and Sausage Factory. They had operated it for more than 30 years, and say they are pleased to pass it on to Uchucklesaht Capital Assets Inc. The new owners say they will maintain ‘business as usual’ at the business. (UCHUCKLESAHT TRIBE GOV’T/ Alberni Valley News)
Tribe diversifies economy while creating jobs
Continued from A17
that product and I guess it is somewhat of a counter-balance to whatever the tariffs may end up being… is a relatively low Canadian dollar.”
FROM WATER TO FORESTS, TRIBE CONTINUES TO INVEST IN ECONOMY
Just before Christmas 2024, a deal was closed for the purchase of a 10year forestry license from Interfor which allows Uchucklesaht to harvest 29.5 cubic metres annually. “It was really exciting to bring that annual allowable cut into our portfolio so that we can be more directly involved in the sustainable management of that harvest,” McCormick says.
It’s hoped that the deal will bring more certainty for local mills and harvesters.
“We’ve got great relationships with our harvesting partner that will maintain and hopefully bring back some jobs for the fallers as well as supply to the local mills too,”McCormick says.
HOUSING PROJECT PART OF UCHUCKLESAHT’S DEVELOPING FUTURE
The Uchucklesaht future also includes an ambitious expansion
of housing with the planned development of their award-winning Nucii Building on Fifth Avenue and Redford Street.
”It’s general housing for working class families within Port Alberni,”
explains deputy CAO Anaka.
The plan is for a percentage of the 74 one- and two-bedroom apartment units to be slightly subsidized rentals in addition to 38 one-, two- and three-bedroom townhouses.
”The market rentals will provide an important revenue stream for us, but in turn it also provides necessary housing for the community. Attainable housing and suitable
housing has been identified as one of the biggest challenges to attract employees,” McCormick says. If all goes well, construction of the building could begin in the fall of 2026 or spring of 2027.
An artist’s conception depicts the greenspace incorporated into the design of a proposed housing development behind the Uchucklesaht First Nation’s Nucii Building in Port Alberni. (Screenshot)
Small business reaches new heights at airport
Susie Quinn
When Warwick Patterson visited the Alberni Valley from his home in Squamish, he liked the potential. And when the seasoned pilot saw the Alberni Valley Regional Airport and what it has to offer, he knew he was home.
Patterson now owns and operates the Vancouver Island Soaring Centre, having purchased it in 2024 from Andrzej Roznowski, who started the business 17 years ago. Roznowski still instructs at the Soaring Centre.
The purchase is the culmination of a personal goal Patterson set for himself while he was still living in Squamish. “Ten years ago I had a 10-year goal of opening a flying school somewhere,” he said. He learned that operating a power flight school is expensive. Then he discovered the VI Soaring Centre.
Patterson has been flying small single-engine aircraft for the past 10 years, and is no stranger to the aviation community. “I flew a lot when I was younger with my Dad. I always had a passion for it,” he said. He got
winter travelled to New Zealand for more glider training.
“In fact, (Port Alberni) is only one of three locations in B.C. where you
can try flying gliders,” he added. In 2024 he revamped the website and online presence, added an online booking system and said he’s already getting requests from out of country for people wanting to take flights. “The result is 2024 was the business’s best year to date. It was great to see so many Port Alberni people come fly with us, and the word spreading through town about the airport and the gliding opportunities.”
He has added a single-seat glider to his fleet to accommodate licenced glider pilots who can fly solo. He also has a tow plane and two-seat glider, and the Alberni Valley Soaring Association is an active club with another glider available to rent.
Learning to fly in gliders is the most cost-effective way to learn to fly, says Patterson. It’s economical enough that people who get their glider pilot’s licence will be able to afford to keep flying. Several new glider pilot licences were awarded in 2024, he said, including to a 16-year-old and a 79-year-old.
The Soaring Centre will start a winter ground school class in 2025, and there are scholarships and bursa ries available. For more information, e-mail info@gogliding.ca or visit the website at www.gogliding.ca.
Alberni
Warwick Patterson soars high above the Alberni Valley in a two-seater glider with the Vancouver Island Soaring Centre. Patterson purchased the business in 2024 after relocating to Port Alberni from Squamish. (TAYLOR BURK PHOTO)
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IHS connects city’s past with its present
Elena Rardon
On the first weekend of June, Port Alberni residents were greeted by a familiar sound: the horn of the No. 11, a 1942 diesel-electric locomotive pulling passengers by train across the town’s waterfront.
The train will once again be taking regular trips across the Port Alberni waterfront this summer, thanks in part to the work of volunteers from the Western Vancouver Island Industrial Heritage Society (IHS).
The IHS was formed in 1983, made up of a group of model railroaders who wanted to restore the run-down Two-Spot to working order. Since then, the group has worked to restore, maintain and operate hundreds of vintage vehicles, trains and equipment. The IHS operates the Alberni Pacific Railway, and also maintains the city-owned Industrial Heritage Centre in the city’s former hockey arena.
The society’s current president, Ron Corbeil, first got involved with the IHS when he was on city council (between 2018 and 2022).
“While I was sitting on council, I got to learn more about the IHS,” he said. “These are salt-of-the-earth people, good volunteers who just want to restore things and show them to
the community. But they get bogged down on the political side of things. I don’t mind trying to wade through the politics.”
When Corbeil first became president of the society, his main goal was to get the train running again. In 2024, the City of Port Alberni agreed to enter into a one-year agreement with the IHS
to operate a short-track passenger train service along the waterfront. It was the first time since 2018 that the train had been on the tracks.
Now, Corbeil says the society is “very close”to signing a five-year agreement with the city.
“We had a really successful first year last year,” said Corbeil.
Ticket sales for this year’s rides have been going “very well,” said Corbeil. The train will be pulled by the No. 11 on Saturdays and Sundays in June, with hourly departures starting at 11 a.m. Train rides will take place Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting July 4, and a few steam train excursions have also been planned for Canada Day weekend as well as three other weekends.
The train has been running along a shortened track, but Corbeil says the ultimate goal is to get the train running back out to McLean Mill. The society is currently working on a feasibility study for this plan.
“That is our goal,” said Corbeil. “We’re going to have to do it bit by bit. The first step is going out to the Barclay (hotel).”
Corbeil says the society is also working closely with the Island Corridor Foundation, with the goal of seeing the train one day travel all the way out to Parksville.
“With a road like ours, you never know if something is going to happen,” said Corbeil. “It would be nice to have the railway as another option. We want to slowly expand our way to McLean Mill and beyond. It could be an amazing tourist attraction.”
But the train is only one part of the IHS’s responsibilities. The Industrial Heritage Centre displays an impressive collection of antique and historic trucks, machinery and equipment. Corbeil says he wants to see this building open with regular hours and expand its displays.
“There’s so much heritage in the Alberni Valley — from the forest industry, but from other industries, as well,” said Corbeil. “We recently hosted the retired loggers social [at the Industrial Heritage Centre], and so many people said they’d never been there before,”he added with a laugh. “Which is so funny to me, because this is their history. That was one of the biggest meetings we’ve hosted in a long time.”
The Industrial Heritage Centre has also offered tours to school classes, senior care homes and the Port Alberni Association for Community Living (PAACL). The IHS has a busy summer planned, with fire department anniversaries, Canada Day celebrations, an antique truck and machinery show over August long weekend and the Fall Fair parade.
Because the society is made up entirely of volunteers, the IHS’s biggest challenge has always been their budget.
Continued on A23
Volunteer Jill Corbeil helps a visitor at the Industrial Heritage Centre ring the bell of a 114-year-old “Shay” logging locomotive. This photo was taken during a March 2025 visit from Fir Park and Echo Village Care Homes. (FACEBOOK PHOTO)
Canadian Maritime Engineering on cusp of expansion
New technology and more employees are in the compass headings of Canadian Maritime Engineering (CME) as the company steers itself towards a brighter and busier future along Port Alberni’s waterfront.
The maritime company, which offers a range of services including marine and industrial manufacturing and vessel refits, is poised to greatly expand its business in the coming months.
Key to this expansion is a new 450-tonne marine travel lift which is currently being constructed in the United States and is expected to be up and running in Port Alberni in late August or early September, according to CME’s Operations Manager Brandon Larochelle.
”What the travel lift does is it goes out on a dock system, it lowers slings into the water, it raises the boat completely out of the water and travels it onto land and then
we put it on blocks,” Larochelle says. Currently the company pulls vessels out using a marine railway system with the vessel having to stay on the railway until the repair work is completed.
This new system will allow company employees to work on multiple vessels at the same time since they will have been transferred to land.
”We can now fill up our entire property with boats and have up to 15 or however many boats we can sit on our property at one time as opposed to one on the go,” he says.
The upgrade will mean a lot more business and recognition for CME.
”We’re a company on the map, it’s going to create a lot of positions in town here and huge revenue streams and just an overall benefit to Port Alberni.”
The upgrade raises the weight limit of vessels from the current 300 tonnes to 450 tonnes which is expected to attract customers from
further distances.
At present, Canadian Maritime Engineering services primarily local vessels, including those used for commercial or recreational fishing, whale watching, work boats or landing crafts.
“It (the lift) will be the largest of its kind between San Diego and Alaska so the target audience now grows from local to continent-wide,” Larochelle says. He reports that calls have already been coming in from other parts of Canada from mariners wondering when the expanded yard will be up and running.
American vessel owners are expected to now be more interested in having work done here, in large part because of the advantageous exchange rate but also because there will be a closer repair depot.
Canadian Maritime Engineering hopes to have all of the pile driving and pre-cast work done on the jetty system before the lift arrives and
It (the lift) will be the largest of its kind between San Diego and Alaska...
– Brandon Larochelle, CME ops manager
has set a target date of the end of August for the new equipment to be up and running.
The purchase and installation of the new $4.5 million system comes after six years of planning, engineering and environmental surveys conducted by CME. Larochelle says the search is also currently on for the 40-60 new positions that will need to be filled to meet the
anticipated demand.
”It’s a bit of a scramble. I haven’t had to staff up for something of this nature yet. I’ve had to staff up for different phases of different construction projects, this is a whole other animal,” Larochelle says.
There are not a lot of facilities on the west coast that will be doing what CME has planned but using the ‘if you build it they will come’ philosophy Larochelle expects to have no problem filling those positions.
”It’s not that hard to convince people when you’re offering a good opportunity. We have over-andabove wages in town and we are a union shop which guarantees those rates across the board. I do believe we will get where we need to be in short order.”
He says the upgrade will make an exciting addition not only for Port Alberni but also the entire marine industry along the west coast.
Canadian Maritime Engineering operations manager Brandon Larochelle is expecting business will skyrocket after an expansion on its waterfront lot on the former Alberni Plywood lands. (GORD KURBIS/ Alberni Valley News)
Gord Kurbis
Public consults coming: Matthews West
from A16
Members of the public are already getting a preview of the project thanks to a four-kilometre walkway that stretches from Harbour Quay to Victoria Quay, says Deputy CAO and Director of Development Services Scott Smith.
“There will be a permanent public waterfront park but now why not open it up in the interim, so it allows the public to get out to the waterfront that they haven’t done in 90 years,” Smith says.
The temporary walkway was opened last July and now includes several sitting areas and trees that will all be movable as the development proceeds.
While there was early discussion about trying to incorporate some of the structures used in the operation of the mill, Fox says geotechnical and structural analysis work is being done to see if any meet building standards. One of the buildings included in initial discussions burned down last summer.
The ultimate goal, Fox says, is to have a region that will draw visitors and make the city proud.
Matthews West indicates the work they do along the Port Alberni waterfront will be similar to the success in their Oceanfront Squamish (oceanfrontsquamish.com) project.
”There’s lots of other types of developments that are happening in Canada and in the States and around the world that have a mixed-use and usually when that happens it changes the demographic that is using the city and creates new opportunities for that blue circular economy,” Fox says.
He is confident city council took a calculated risk that is paying off and hopes the development will come to fruition within the next few years.
”I think the Squamish one took over 15 years to get going, we’re well ahead of where they were at but there should be more information in September or October when we’ve had time to verify what they’re doing,” he says.
IHS poised to sign multiyear contract with city
Continued from A21
Taking care of antique machinery can be expensive, and a recent facility condition assessment from the City of Port Alberni shows that the Industrial Heritage Centre’s roof will need to be replaced by 2035.
“It’s something we have to start planning for,” Corbeil acknowledged.
More volunteers are also needed. Although the IHS has approximately 100 members, many of them are retirement age. Getting younger people involved is “always a concern”said Corbeil, but that’s not unique to the IHS.
“That’s a problem with all volunteer societies right now,” said Corbeil. “People’s lives are so busy.”
Fortunately, the IHS was successful in applying
for a grant that will allow them to hire four summer students. These students will be working at the Industrial Heritage Centre and the railway, which will help to establish routine hours.
Overall, Corbeil sees a bright future ahead for the IHS.
“This is a dedicated bunch of volunteers,”said Corbeil. “They do a tremendous job. There are things that go on behind the scenes that people don’t see, whether it’s giving tours to seniors from retirement homes or train trips for elementary school students. Hopefully we come out of this with a good future. I, personally, think we’ve got a good future.”
To learn more about the IHS, visit www.ihsportalberni.ca. To purchase tickets for train rides this summer, visit www.albernipacificrailway.ca.
Ted Mollet from the IHS (and also Alberni Pacific Railway) shows visiting students the oldest truck on display at the Industrial Heritage Centre, a 1918 White Model truck. (FACEBOOK PHOTO)
Continued
PROGRESS REPORT
MathewsWest–ReclaimingOurWaterfront, Re-envisioningCommunityConnections
InApril2025,theCityofPortAlbernitooka transformationalstepforwardbysigningthreeSomass Landsagreements(availableatletsconnectpa.ca/ somass-lands)withMatthewsWestDevelopments Ltd.,aSquamishbasedfirmselectedtoleadthe ambitiousrevitalizationofthe43acreformersawmill site.Thismilestoneunlocksthenextphaseof communityinformedplanning.
QuaytoQuayPathway:ADailyDestination
TheQuaytoQuayPathwayisasignificantstepforward inreconnectingPortAlberniwithitswaterfront.With anaverageof260dailytripstrackedonthepathway, it’s notjustaprojectanymore—it’spartofthecommunity fabric,linkingpeopleandplaces,supportingactive lifestylesandboostingwaterfrontvibrancy.
ClutesiHavenMarina:AWaterfrontReimagined TheCity,inpartnershipwithTseshaht[cišaaʔatḥ]and HupačasathFirstNation,isrevitalizingClutesiHaven MarinaintoavibrantIndigenous-themedvendorvillage thatcelebratescultureandcommerce.Theprojectwill seeincreasedvendorspacesusingretrofittedSeacans, bothforfoodandretail,increasedvisitorparking,a gazeboandsmallcourtyardforpatronstositandenjoy riverfrontviewsandastagetoallowforsmallconcerts andliveperformances.
TheStationTapHouse:CheerstoWhat’sNext
TheCity’sleaseagreementwithTwinCityBrewing bringsnewlifetotheiconicTrainStation.Soontobe hometo TheStationTapHouse,thisprojectblends heritagewithinnovationandsupportsourgoalof creatingavibrant,year-roundwaterfronteconomy— servinglocalsandvisitorsalike.
RedefiningService:ASmarterApproachtoBudgeting In2025,theCityshiftedhowitapproachesbudgeting byaligninginvestmentswithclearlydefinedservice levels.Thischangegivesresidentsgreaterclarityon wheretheirtaxdollarsgoandensureswe’redelivering therightservicesattherightlevels—coretoour commitmenttoserviceexcellence,transparencyand continuousimprovement.
www.portalberni.ca
SCENEHEARD &
The IHS mystery artifact is revealed
sonjadrink@shaw.ca
The Western Vancouver Island Industrial Heritage Society had a fun mystery at its booth during the Newcomers Event last month at Echo Centre.
Volunteers with the IHS, including David Hooper and Leslie Walerius, had a curious metal object on the table and were asking people if they could identify the mystery artifact. Anyone with old-time logging experience were able to identify the object: it was the handle off of a two-man chainsaw.
Several people had the correct answer, and their names were put into a draw
for a gift basket. Mike Bowen’s name was drawn randomly and he received the gift basket.
If random vintage tools from the forestry industry excite you, you’ll find more at the Industrial Heritage Centre. It’s is open for visitors at 3250A Ninth Avenue at Dunbar Street.
For hours and more information visit the website at https://ihsportalberni.ca.
The raffle winners for the Mid-Island Kidney Association raffle were drawn by dialysis patient Bev Brooks. First place winner of a $125 gift card for Quality Foods and a $125 gift card for No Frills was Jill Herrington.
The second-place winner of a $100 gift card for the CO-OP was Janice Konkin and third place of a blood pressure monitor and heated throw was Gord Lidstone.
Sonja Drinkwater has her eye on the Alberni Valley’s social scene. Let her know of any celebrations you’d like to share with our community.
circulation@albernivalleynews.com
coverforvacations,illnesses, andopenroutestemporarily. Nocommitmentnecessary! Ifyou’dliketogiveapaperroute atry,contact circulation@ albernivalleynews.com orcall 250-723-6399
at Echo Centre in early May? David Hooper from the
item. Mike Bowen had the correct answer and his name was drawn for a gift basket.
chainsaw. (SONJA DRINKWATER/ Alberni Valley News)
‘Fluid Motion’ exhibit opens at The Grove
“Fluid Motion,” a solo exhibition by Julia Tahnee Oscarson, opens this week at the Grove Art Gallery. This oceanic exhibition features a variety of mixed media artwork, from literal to abstraction; this show has a beautiful variety, with something for everyone.
Meet the artist at the opening reception Thursday, June 19, from 6-8 p.m., or come by on Saturday for the artist meet and greet on Saturday, June 21, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oscarson will be hosting a live painting demonstration on Saturday. See her unique art work come to life, live in the gallery
“Fluid Motion’ is an exploration of flow—within nature, creativity, and ourselves,” says Oscarson. Last chance to join us on the Crafty Cruise!
Don’t miss your chance for the ultimate solstice celebration of the season. What a perfect way to cap off the end of a long work week with a gorgeous summery cruise in the Alberni Inlet. This is the last possible week to get these tickets!
Wondering what a “Crafty Cruise”
is? It’s an art-sea fundraiser for the Community Arts Council of the Alberni Valley, aboard the historic MV Frances Barkley passenger and cargo vessel. The event is a three-hour trip down the Alberni Inlet, enjoying stunning views of the late sunset, on the Summer Solstice.
Tickets include a meal, drink and craft ticket. This year’s cruise will be extra ‘crafty’ with craft beer and drinks from Dog Mountain Brewing, handcrafted artisanal eats and a special mocktail from V9Y Catering, plus a wooden coastal bear craft by a local artist.
As well, DJ Spindaddy will be pumping up the jam with fun summer tunes, as well as a roaming photo booth and Pictionary games.
Arts council members will be on board sharing information about our programming and selling tickets for our spring raffle basket.
We set sail this Friday, June 20 at 6 p.m. sharp, so be sure to get there at the Lady Rose Marine Services dock by 5:30 p.m. for ticketing and ID check. Make sure to come to the after party at Dog Mountain on their
beautiful rooftop patio.
Purchase tickets online at alberniarts.com or give us a call at 250-7243412. Ticket sales will be available at the door, but we highly encourage you to purchase them early. Come celebrate the solstice, while also
supporting your local community arts council.
Live model drawing a hit thanks to local artist
Join local artist, Randy Doid, for Monday night life drawing classes.
These are a great way for a beginner,
intermediate, or for those returning to art, to improve their skills and understanding of anatomy.
These two-and-a-half-hour sessions are located in the boardroom of the Grove Art Gallery at Harbour Quay.
While there are only 12 spots for each class, they are always accepting new artists into their group. Each person that signs up is then added to a group chat, where artists can support and compliment each other’s works, as well as offer advice!
The next dates for classes are June 16, 30 and July 7 and 14.
These sessions are from 6:30-8:30 p.m. (please come no earlier than 6 p.m). If you’re interested in modelling (nude or partially clothed), or attending, please contact Randy from Podium Creative Company at podiumautodetailing@gmail.com
You can also connect with Randy on Instagram @podium_creative_ company and on Facebook @Randy Randoid S.
Angela Skaley is the arts administrator for the Community Arts Council of the Alberni Valley at the Grove Art Gallery (7-5440 Argyle St. at Harbour Quay). Call 250-724-3412. E-mail: admincac@shawcable.net
Fibre arts workshops continue at Alberni Valley Museum
Sonja Drinkwater, Susie Quinn
Lydia Weaver was one of a few people who visited the Alberni Valley Museum on Saturday, June 7 for a free workshop on spool knitting.
Cathy Bagley from the Alberni Valley Fibre Guild was on hand with paper tubes, popsicle sticks and yarn to show people how to ‘spool
knit,’ also known as French knitting or corking.
Weaver said she appreciates the workshop series being put on by the Alberni Valley Fibre Guild and the museum because the sessions give her an opportunity to try different fibre art techniques for free.
The next session in the series will be Visible
Mending, which is trending right now. Gone are the days when people tried to hide their mending stitches—now, with techniques such as Japanese sashiko embroidery, mending stitches are highlighted rather than concealed.
Visible mending is a way to give previously-loved items a second chance.
Visible Mending takes place at the Alberni Valley Museum on Saturday, July 5 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The public is invited to bring any clothing items in need of repair, and learn basic stitches and techniques from two members of the fibre guild. This session is free to the public. Continued on A27
Participants in the 2024 Solstice Crafty Cruise enjoy a beverage and a three-hour tour aboard the MV Frances Barkley in the Alberni Inlet. (SCOTT MINNIS/ Alberni Valley News)
Guild gets grant for wardrobe project
No pre-registration necessary.
The Alberni Valley Fibre Guild recently received a $4,000 grant from the Alberni Valley Community Foundation for its 100-kilometre Wardrobe Challenge, a two-year project designed to raise awareness of the local textile economy.
They will share the grant equally with the Centre for Retrofitting and Failure Techniques
(CRAFT), a non-profit organization run by
A fibre guild spokesperson explained that the grant will help build a relationship between the two non-profits as well as ground the 100-km Wardrobe Challenge in the history of First Nations textiles.
To learn more about the guild and their projects, go online to albernivalleyfibre.ca.
Klehwetua Rodney Sayers and based on the Ahswinnis Reserve in Port Alberni.
Continued from A26
Lydia Weaver learns to spool knit using a paper tube and popsicle sticks during a free workshop at the Alberni Valley Museum on Saturday, June 7, 2025. The workshop is one of a series offered by the Alberni Valley Fibre Guild this summer. (SONJA DRINKWATER/ Alberni Valley News)
Drag storytime popular
Miss Frida was a big hit in the library for drag storytime on Friday, June 6 during Pride Week in the Al-
berni Valley. Miss Frida read aloud the book ‘Neither’ by Airlie Anderson, a children’s story about diversity. One observer said Miss Frida’s animated reading and way
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of getting the kids to take part in the story were a big hit.
The storytime event also featured crafts such as buttons, hats and more, all part of Pride Week.
Sonja Drinkwater
Jessica Hall, the acting chair of Alberni Valley Pride, joins Miss Frida at the Port Alberni branch of Vancouver Island Regional Library on Friday, June 6, 2025 for drag storytime. The event was one of several put on during Pride Week in Port Alberni. (SONJA DRINKWATER/ Alberni Valley News)
Hupacasath First Nation completes purchase of former school
It’s official: the Hupacasath First Nation is the official owner of the former Gill School and surrounding lands.
The deal became final in April. The band council has not publicly revealed what their plans are for the building and surrounding land.
“We are deeply grateful to Chief Brandy Lauder and council for their unwavering leadership,” a Hupacasath spokesperson posted on the nation’s social media.
“This is a dream come true for the Nation, and it comes with many exciting opportunities for us to grow—together, as a community.”
The school is built on the site of the ancient Hupacasath First Nation village of Ahahswinis. Gill School has been closed since 2015 when the Pacific Rim School District (SD70) reconfigured its grades and the elementary school was deemed extraneous.
The deal between the Hupacasath First Nation and school district took four years to complete.
People were at the school in early April clearing out items that had been left inside the building. The Hupacasath have not said what they intend to do with the school, calling it a “work in progress.”
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PUBLICNOTICE
TheMinistryofForestsisplanningtopermanentlydeactivate SouthTaylorMainForestServiceRoadfrom11.1kmto12.5km duetoSafetyandEnvironmentalconcerns.Deactivationis scheduledfromMid-JulytoMid-September2025.Forfurther inquiriese-mail:Forests.SouthIslandDistrictOffice@gov.bc.ca
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- June 25, 10 am - ACRD Board Room/Zoom
Board of Directors - June 25, 1:30 pm - ACRD Board Room/Zoom
Board meetings are typically held in the ACRD boardroom and virtually. Join by: 1.Attend in person at the ACRD boardroom
2.Apply to appear as a delegate
3.Register to participate in a Board or Committee meeting via Zoom Webinar
4.Submit questions or comments on an agenda to responses@acrd.bc.ca
5.Visit the Regional District website at www.acrd.bc.ca for further details on public participation in meetings
Alberni Valley News Staff
After four years of negotiations, the Hupacasath First Nation on March 31, 2025 officially purchased the former Gill School and surrounding land from the Pacific Rim School District (SD70). (SUSIE QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
NOTICEOFDEVELOPMENT
TheAlberni-ClayoquotRegionalDistrict (ACRD)BoardofDirectorswillconsiderfirst readingof BylawP1525,RegionalDistrictof Alberni-Clayoquot ZoningAtlasAmendment Bylaw attheirregularmeetingas scheduledbelow:
Ifyouwouldliketoprovideyourinputonthis bylaw,pleasesubmityourcommentstothe ACRDby:
•HardcopydeliveredtotheACRDofficein personorbymail
• Email senttoplanning@acrd.bc.ca
MEETINGDETAILS
When: Wednesday,June25,2025at1:30PM
Where: ACRDofficeat3008FifthAvenue, PortAlberni,BC.Electronic,call-in,or in-personattendanceoptionsareavailable.
WHAT’STHISABOUT?
PropertyOwner/Applicant: MichaelBeecroft &ChristaBeecroft
Subject Property: 6317WalkerRoad
LegalDescription: LOT2,DISTRICTLOT24, ALBERNIDISTRICT,PLAN14949
BylawP1525 willrezonethe1.93hectare (4.76acre)propertyfromSmallHoldings District(A1)toAcreageResidentialDistrict (RA2)tofacilitateathree-lotsubdivisionwith a0.4hectare(1acre)minimumlotsize.
HOWCANILEARNMORE?
CopiesofBylawP1525andallrelated correspondenceareavailableat theACRDofficeandlinkedassupplementary informationontheACRDwebsiteat: www.acrd.bc.ca/events/25-6-2025/. Planningstaffcananswerquestionsinperson, throughemail,orbyphoneduringregular officehours8:00amto4:30pm,Monday throughFriday,excludingstatutoryholidays.
PROVIDE YOURINPUT! Providinganopportunityforpublicinputisa toppriorityfortheACRD.
ApublichearingisnotheldforBylawP1525 astherezoningisconsistentwiththeBeaver CreekOfficialCommunityPlan.
Emailsubmissionswillonlybeconsidered receivedifreceiptconfirmationisprovidedby ACRDstaff.
Writtensubmissionsmustbereceivedby 4:30pmonTuesday,June24,2025
Submissionsprovidedafterthistimewill notbeconsideredbytheBoardbeforefirst readingofthebylaw.
ASKUS!
Ifyouhavequestionsorexperiencetechnical difficultieswithwebsiteaccess,Planningstaff areavailabletoprovideassistanceduring regularofficehours8:00amto4:30pm, MondaythroughFriday,excludingstatutory holidays.Wecanbereachedat:
Alberni-ClayoquotRegionalDistrict PlanningDepartment 3008FifthAve,PortAlberni,BCV9Y2E3 Phone:250-720-2700 Email:planning@acrd.bc.ca
TheAlberni-ClayoquotRegionalDistrict’sBoard ofDirectorswillconsiderissuinga TemporaryUse Permitattheirnextmeeting.
MEETINGDETAILS
When: Wednesday,June25,2025at1:30pm Where: Alberni-ClayoquotRegionalDistrict (ACRD)officelocatedat3008FifthAvenue, PortAlberni,BC.Electronic,call-in,orin-person attendanceoptionsareavailable.
WHAT’STHISABOUT?
File#: TUP25005
PropertyOwners/Applicants: RobinRedman(Agent:AlexisLee)
Thesubjectproperty islocatedat4585Compton RoadandislegallydescribedasLOTBBLOCK 10DISTRICTLOT100ALBERNIDISTRICTPLAN EPP99974.
Theproperty ownerhasapplied foratemporary usepermit(TUP) to allow them to operatea shortterm vacation rental (STR)inthesingle-family dwellingwithup to sixguests ata time.
HOWCANILEARNMORE?
Allrelatedinformation,includingbackground documents,reportandpermit,isavailableat theACRDofficeandlinkedassupplementary informationontheACRDwebsiteat www.acrd.bc.ca/events/25-06-2025/. Planningstaffcananswerquestionsinperson, throughemail,orbyphoneduringregularoffice hours8:00amto4:30pm,Mondaythrough Friday,excludingstatutoryholidays.
IfyouwouldliketoattendtheBoardofDirectors Meeting,youcandosoinpersonattheACRD office,orelectronicallyonourwebsiteat www.acrd.bc.ca/events/25-06-2025/.
PROVIDEINPUT!
Providinganopportunityforpublicinputisatop priorityfortheACRD.Writtencorrespondence canbesubmittedby:
•HardcopydeliveredtotheACRDofficein personorbymail
•Emailsenttoplanning@acrd.bc.ca
Emailsubmissionswillonlybeconsidered receivedifreceiptconfirmationisprovidedby ACRDstaff.
Writtensubmissionsmustbereceivedby 4:30pmonJune24,2025.
Alternatively,ifyouwishtoappearasadelegation topresentyourviewstotheBoardinperson, pleasefillouttheDelegationRequestFormon theACRDwebsiteatwww.acrd.bc.ca/delegation andsubmitthecompletedformby 12:00pmon Thursday,June19,2025. Forfurtherinformation orassistancewiththeDelegationRequestForm contactusat250-720-2700.
ASKUS!
Ifyouhavequestionsorexperiencetechnical difficultieswithwebsiteaccess,Planningstaff areavailabletoprovideassistanceduringregular officehours8:00amto4:30pm,Mondaythrough Friday,excludingstatutoryholidays.Wecanbe reachedat:
Alberni-ClayoquotRegionalDistrict PlanningDepartment
3008FifthAve,PortAlberni,BCV9Y2E3 Phone:250-720-2700
Email:planning@acrd.bc.ca
In loving memory of Albert (Ernie) Nash
February12,1933–May30,2025
Remembering Loved Ones
Albert (Ernie) Ernest Nash passed away peacefully on May 30, 2025 in Port Alberni surrounded by so much love, chatter and laughter. He is now reunited with his beautiful wife,LoisNash.
Ernie is lovingly remembered by his 4 daughters, Marie Marx, Barb Mercer (Jack), Carol Veenkamp (Ben), Lorrie Nash, 6 granddaughters, Chelsea Dufficy(Chris),DenayeMelenius (David), Tasia Veenkamp (Geoff), Brittany Lothrop (Marc), Lanie Jones (Steven), Courtney Del Gallego (Carlos) and a host of great grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held at The Italian Hall on July 6, 2025 from 1pm to 4pm. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to be made at the Heart & Stroke Foundation,FirstOpen-HeartSocietyorTyWatsonHouse.
Thank you all for your love, support and comfort during this difficult time.
Don’t weep at my grave, for I am not there, I’ve a date with a butterfly to dance in the air. I’ll be singing in the sunshine, wild and free playing tag with the wind while I am waiting for thee.
Our joys will be greater, Our love will be deeper, Our lives will be fuller Because we shared your moment
It is with great sadness that we announcethesuddenpassingofour mother Denise Therese Charron (nee:Savard).
BorninVictorie,Saskatchewan March 22, 1935. Mom followed her older sister Carmen to Port Alberni in 1955, where she started working at the original Barclay Hotel as a cook’s helper. She met and married ourfatherin1957andstarted her family shortly after. With all her kids in school, Mom went back to work in the early seventies at theTyeeVillage Motel as a chambermaid, where she stayed forthenext40years.
Mom’s second marriage was to a man who was a bit of a nomad, having moved to Creston,
Parksville, Port Alberni, Errington, and French Creek. After the passing of her husband Mom moved back to Port in 2018. Mom enjoyed her finalyearswithfriendsand family,andwalksontheDike where she met a whole new group of friends that she cherished.
Mom was predeceased by her parents Thomas & Blanche Savard, sisters Jacqueline Desjardins Bernadette Durette & Carmene Tardif. Husbands Albert Denis & Andy Charron. She leaves her siblings Helene Patenaude, Aurore Jean, Angeline Jean&TomSavard.HerchildrenRichard (Leah),Gerard,Lena(Rob),Roger(Rodney),Neal (Karen)also9grandkidsand5greatgrandkids.
Look for me in Rainbows
Time for me to go now, I won’t say goodbye; Look for me in rainbows, way up in the sky.
In the morning sunrise when all the world is new, Just look for me and love me, as you know I loved you. Time for me to leave you, I won’t say goodbye;
Look for me in rainbows, high up in the sky. In the evening sunset, when all the world is through, Just look for me and love me, and I’ll be close to you. It won’t be forever, the day will come and then My loving arms will hold you, when we meet again.
Time for us to part now, we won’t say goodbye; Look for me in rainbows, shining in the sky. Every waking moment, and all your whole life through Just look for me and love me, as you know I loved you.
Just wish me to be near you, And I’ll be there with you.
by
Vicky Brown
memory of Denise Therese Charron (nee: Savard)
2024 Audited Financial Statements
The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District will be presenting their 2024 Statement of Financial Information, including the Audited Financial Statements, at their Regular Board of Directors Meeting on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 at 1:30 pm. The meeting will be held using a hybrid format:
• In person at 3008 5th Avenue, Port Alberni, BC or
• Via Zoom. Please see the ACRD website at the following link for ways to participate and to register for the Zoom Webinar: www.acrd.bc.ca/ public-participation.
The Financial Statements are available for public inspection at the Regional District Office during regular office hours, as well as on the ACRD website at www.acrd.bc.ca
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SPORTS U15B Blazers take home bronze at home tourney
Elena Rardon
Port Alberni’s U15B Blazers softball team picked up a bronze medal at their home tournament earlier this month.
The team hosted the inaugural Swing for the Summit fastpitch tournament over the weekend of June 6-8. In the finals, Lakehill won the gold medal, while Langford finished with silver.
The home team won bronze in a come-frombehind win against the Sooke Hustlers.
“We were down 5-1 at one point, and the final score was 9-8,” explained Blazers coach James Brook.
“It was a huge battle, and a huge win for the girls.”
Seven teams from across Vancouver Island participated in the tournament, at times playing through 30-plus degree weather.
Before the weekend, Brook says his team talked about playing consistent ball throughout the weekend. They went into the tournament shorthanded, with a couple of injured players and a few more unavailable for the first two days.
“We only had nine players through the first half of the round robin, but we had a few more return on Sunday,” said Brook.
“And of course, they were battling through the heat. Keeping the energy up throughout the weekend was important.”
Blazers Presley Towe, Sophie Kennedy and Natalie Dick each received game MVP awards over the weekend.
From a hosting perspective, the tournament went “really well,” said Brook. This is the first time the U15B team has host-
ed the Swing for the Summit tournament—previously, they shared their fastpitch tournament with the U17 team over Mother’s Day weekend.
“We got a lot of comments on how well it was run,” said Brook.
“And the support from the community was amazing. We appreciate Port Alberni coming out and supporting the team.”
Players will now be taking some time to rest and relax between practices. Next up, they have the district playdowns on June 21, followed by provincials in Nanaimo in mid-July. The U15s host Oceanside on Saturday, June 14 for a best-of-three playdown.
Former FIFA player joins Alberni World Cup host bid
Alberni Valley News Staff
Port Alberni’s FIFA World Cup hosting committee has some legit footie firepower backing their bid to host a team prior to the 2026 soccer tournament.
Jamie Lowery, who grew up in Port Alberni, is a former Canadian national soccer team player who competed in the 1986 FIFA World Cup with Team Canada. Late in May Lowery joined the Port Alberni team vying to become a Venue Specific Training Site (VSTS) for the World Cup event in June 2026.
Lowery confirmed his support during a phone conversation with Abu Jahangir, secretary and co-lead of the FIFA 2026 Organizing Committee in Alberni Valley. “His decision to volunteer with the Committee brings both legacy and credibility to the bid, adding a unique alumni voice to the team’s efforts,” said Jahangir.
“We are honoured to have Jamie on board. His presence adds immense value—not
only as a FIFA veteran, but also as someone who deeply understands what Port Alberni represents.”
This announcement comes as the Committee continues its active dialogue with the Stadium and Venue Management Canada team of FIFA World Cup 2026. A preliminary virtual meeting was held on May 22, 2025, attended by committee chair Terry Deakin, Jahangir and City of Port Alberni officials
including Willa Thorpe and Rob Dickinson from Parks and Rec.
A site visit from the FIFA Canada team is anticipated in June or in the near future, marking a critical next step in Port Alberni’s pursuit to become a designated training base for a participating national team.
The organizing committee is currently finalizing an engagement roadmap and legacy strategy. Further updates, including meeting schedules and public notices, will be shared with the community as planning progresses.
A batter with the Alberni Valley Blazers hits a foul ball during a game against the View Royal Vipers on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Elena Rardon)
Jamie Lowery
Pitcher Brooke Jonasson attempts to strike out a player with the View Royal Vipers during softball action on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Elena Rardon)
MEN’S GOLF: Savard, Wutke top
latest ‘best’ competition at AGC
Under extreme heat we had a good turnout on Sunday, June 8 for the men’s club best gross and best net competition. Many thanks go out to Clarkstone Dearin Notary Corporation for their continued support.
Flight A gross winner was Mike Savard coming in with 79, followed by Chad Wutke carding an 80. Flight A net winner was Murry Hawkeness with 71, Wayne Cheveldave 76 and Joe Henri 77.
Flight B Gross winners were Bryce Dabb 79 and James weening 84. Flight
B net winners were Jim Proteau with 68, Lucas Clark 73 and Reece Bowne 74. In Flight C gross were Bob Matlock 84, and Trevor Holloway 87. Flight C net winners were Bill Bjornson 67, Robert Moffett 67 and Fred Fredrickson 69. All ties were settled by retrogression.
Closest to the pins were recorded by Lucas Clark on No. 2, Jack Sparks on No. 4, James Weening on No. 13 and Bob Matlock on No. 17. The Charity
Closest to the pin on No. 7 goes to Chris Owen, who collects $55.50. In the gross skins competition it was Chad Wutke on No. 7, Bryce Dabb on No. 14, Mike Savard on No. 15 and Colton Buffie on No. 16. Prizes may be picked up from the pro shop anytime after noon on Tuesday.
COMING UP: This Sunday, June 22 is the Ladies West Coast Amateur, therefore the next men’s club event will be on Sunday, June 29. More about that later!
Gerry Fagan compiles the Sunday Men’s Golf column for the Alberni Golf Club.
Youth soccer camps open to Port Alberni players
Arrowsmith Baptist Church in Port Alberni is partnering with Athletes in Action to host a soccer camp July 28-Aug. 1. The camp will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Williamson Park for ages five to 12. This is the first camp Athletes in Action has offered on Vancouver Island.
Athletes in Action (AiA) Soccer Camp invites young athletes to develop fundamental skills and engage in healthy com-
petition while learning from university, college and club soccer players and coaches who are all AiA certified. Each day includes fundamental skill and concept development, competitions, fun fitness, physical literacy, and tournaments. The cost is $130. Register at aia.sh/arrowsmith. Contact the church’s student ministries coordinator, Melissa Neufeld, for more information at studentministries@arrowsmithchurch.com. (BLACK PRESS FILE PHOTO)
GERRY FAGAN Alberni Golf
Alberni Valley News Staff
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