Olympic gold-medallist hammer thrower Ethan Katzberg is swarmed by young fans as he carries the
stadium on Thursday, Sept. 26. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Gold medallist comes home to hero’s welcome
A golden boy from Nanaimo returned to the city where he grew up to celebrate his Olympic triumph.
Ethan Katzberg won Canada’s first gold medal in hammer throw at the
2024 Summer Games in Paris with a throw of 84.12 metres Aug. 4. He was honoured in the Harbour City on Thursday, Sept. 26, first at an assembly at John Barsby Secondary School, his alma mater, and then at a community event at Rotary Bowl stadium.
The Olympian said Barsby helped him build a good foundation for his athletic career and the numerous sports he played all contributed in some way to becoming an Olympian.
“Oh, man, I did everything I could,” Katzberg said. “Basketball, cross-country, track and
field at John Barsby – I did some football too. All the fun lunch-time volleyball tournaments, all that good stuff. I wanted to do it all and eventually, I siphoned everything out and decided to do the hammer throw, and kind of took it from there.”
Continued on A35
Eby promises patient tower if re-elected
B.C. NDP leader makes announcement at Beban Park campaign event Sept. 26
The NDP has made a significant election campaign promise to voters in Nanaimo, committing to a new patient tower at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.
B.C. NDP leader David Eby made the announcement at the start of a town hall Sept. 26, at the Beban Park Social Centre.
“And we’re going to make sure that we’re building the housing and we’re training the health-care workers so that that facility is going to have the staff that it needs to deliver for people,” he said.
“On the physical facility side, we’re building up Nanaimo. We’ve got the cancer centre, we’ve got the ICU, we’ve got the patient tower, we’re going to have the surgical rooms, all of that work to make sure that the space is there so that the people in Nanaimo get the care that they need.”
He acknowledged that there’s additional work to do on improving health care in Nanaimo, mentioning the need for a cardiac catheterization lab, and said his party intends to keep working toward improvements.
Eby didn’t announce an expected cost of a patient tower, but Nanaimo’s Fair Care Alliance advocacy group has estimated the price tag at $1.7 billion. Generally, provincial governments direct 60 per cent of funding for capital projects for health-care facilities and hospital districts raise the other 40 per cent through tax requisition.
“It really matters to have a local community that is prioritizing this project and stepping up to partner with us on it and it’s definitely a factor in making these decisions,” Eby said.
Continued on A6
KARL YU NEWS BULLETIN
GREG SAKAKI AND JESSICA R. DURLING NEWS BULLETIN
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Seniors cheer Tour de Rock riders
Cops for Cancer cyclists stop by Berwick on the Lake as part of 1,200-kilometre fundraiser ride
The Tour de Rock cancer fundraiser ride rolled out of Nanaimo after making community connections and charity collections.
The Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock, a 14-day, 1,200-kilometre journey from Port Hardy to Victoria, arrived in Nanaimo on Sunday, Sept. 29, and on Monday, Sept. 30, the tour stopped by Berwick on the Lake retirement home.
There was a breakfast spread of scones, fruit, trail mix and tropical smoothies set up for the riders to fuel them for the day, and there was time for the riders to meet the seniors, accept donations and receive well wishes.
“The Tour de Rock is about every generation stepping up and helping out,” said Nanaimo RCMP Const. Ian George, the local detachment’s representative on the ride. “Our seniors, they know. In their lives they’ve seen friends come and go through this unfortunate disease.”
More than two-thirds of the way through the tour, the riders were in good spirits in Nanaimo. George said they appreci-
ate having made it out of the rain, as it poured the first four days of the tour on the north Island.
“When you’re a cyclist and you wake up the next day to the sounds of pouring rain coming out of your hotel room, you just say to yourself, ‘really?’”
He was a bit sore the first few days, and joked that even though the riders trained three days a week leading up to the tour, he could have used four days a week.
“We have the best training coaches who helped get us through all of what we need, psychologically, mentally, physically, emotionally, to prepare us for
these 14 days of riding,” he said. “So we’re strong.” It’s been hard not to get emotional along the way, George said. The tour raises money for pediatric cancer research and also supports a summer camp for children going through cancer and their family members.
“No one wants to see a child suffering and whether it’s through Camp Goodtimes or the improvement of pediatric cancer research, we are winning,” George said. For more information or to donate, look for a link in the online version of this article.
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
Chase River school modular addition will create space for 125 more pupils
An elementary in Nanaimo-Ladysmith school district’s south end is expected to see relief from a capacity crunch with construction of a modular multi-classroom addition.
Chase River Elementary School will have a pre-fabricated extension attached in time for the 2025-26 school year, adding five classrooms and space for 125 students, the B.C. government announced in a press release. The school is built for 195 students, more with portables, and the announcement is welcome news, as Mark Walsh, district secretary-treasurer, told the News Bulletin, 202425 enrolment currently totals 242 students.
“This expansion not only removes the need for portables on the site, in the immediate term it puts us in a position to address future growth in the south end,” Walsh said in an e-mail. “Our projections for 2035 show significant growth and this expansion puts us in an excellent position to serve our learners in modern learning spaces.”
Planning is currently underway and the district will endeavour to leave as much play space as possible for students, he said.
The press release stated the project is in line with the B.C. government’s environmental and sustainability goals.
“When people move to Nanaimo and the surrounding area, they should be able to start and grow their families knowing their kids can get quality education in the community,” said Doug Routley, Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA, in the press release. “These five new prefabricated classrooms that will come to Chase River Elementary will mean the school can expand and grow with their students.”
Continued on A12
Nanaimo RCMP Const. Ian George leads his Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock teammates in a cheer just before the fundraising cycle tour left from Berwick on the Lake retirement residence Monday, Sept. 30. (Greg Sakaki/News Bulletin)
GREG SAKAKI NEWS BULLETIN
Berwick on the Lake resident Maria Sedola hugs Tour de Rock rider Warren Kongus of the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP on Monday, Sept. 30. (Greg Sakaki/News Bulletin)
TheRDNisprovidingfreetransitserviceongeneralvotingdayfor the provincialelectiontohelpvotersgettothepollingstationstocasttheir vote.ElectiondayisSaturday,October19,2024,andpollingstationswillbe openfrom8a.m.to8p.m.
Worker dies at construction site close to Nanaimo’s Diver Lake
Nanaimo RCMP and the B.C. Coroners Service were at the scene of a construction site near on Shenton Road last week.
Nanaimo Fire Rescue crews also rushed to the location shortly after 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
A police press release stated that investigators were called to the scene of a “workplace incident,” but did not elaborate further about what happened.
Police officers and a coroner were still at the site at about 3:30 p.m. and, according to the RCMP press release, the investigation is ongoing.
The B.C. Coroners Service has confirmed the incident resulted in a fatality.
“I can confirm the B.C. Coroners Service is investigating a death
at this location on Wednesday, Sept. 25,” said Amber Schinkel, B.C. Coroners Service spokesperson, in an e-mail. “Because it is an open investigation, I’m unable to share any more details about the person who died or the circumstances of their death.”
Woman struck by SUV in Nanaimo crosswalk
Police are looking for additional witnesses and dash cam video after a woman was struck by a vehicle in a north Nanaimo crosswalk last week.
According to Nanaimo RCMP, the victim was taken to hospital with serious injuries after she was hit while she was walking through a designated crosswalk at about 8:30 a.m. Sept. 23, on Hammond Bay Road near Morningstar Road.
The victim was treated at the scene and then transported to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital for further medical treatment. The driver of the Honda sport utility vehicle remained at the scene and co-operated with investigators, RCMP noted in a press release.
Based on witness evidence, the victim was walking through the crosswalk but the approaching vehicle did not stop and struck her. Several people came to the assistance of the victim, including an off-duty physician.
Drugs, alcohol and speed are not considered to be contributing factors and the investigation is continuing.
Any witnesses are asked to contact the RMCP’s non-emergency line at 250-7542345 and reference file No. 2024-31295.
chris.bush@nanaimobulletin.com
R.W. (Bob) Wall Ltd., general contractor for the construction project, issued a written statement.
“As you can imagine, our team is completely devastated by the events of this week,” said Donna Hais, the
company’s general manager, in an e-mail. “We are focusing our time right now on their mental health and well-being. Currently this is an ongoing WorkSafe investigation and I am unable to comment further.” chris.bush@nanaimobulletin.com
‘Severely hypothermic’ boater rescued after capsizing in Nanoose
KEVIN FORSYTH BLACK PRESS MEDIA
A boater is fortunate to be alive after spending approximately three hours in the waters near Nanoose Bay after his vessel capsized last week.
A woman and her daughter heard screaming while kayaking near Wallis Point close to Nanoose Harbour and called 911, according to the Canadian Coast Guard.
The Joint Rescue Centre in Victoria took over co-ordination of the rescue and sent out the CCGS Cape Cockburn and a fast-response craft, as well as marine search-andrescue RCM-SAR 27.
Two vessels, the Empress III and Nanaimo Port Authority Osprey, were close by and responded to a coast guard mayday call.
Robb Wilson was aboard the Empress III water taxi and had nearly reached Winchelsea Island when he received a call from the rescue co-ordination centre in Victoria.
“We immediately turned around and headed back to that area, had a look around,”
Wilson said. “We didn’t see anything out in the open there.”
RCMP investigate a workplace incident that occurred Wednesday, Sept. 25, at a construction site on Shenton Road. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
CHRIS BUSH NEWS BULLETIN
Fair care group wants ‘more details’ following hospital tower promise
Continued from A1
The premier said if the B.C. NDP is re-elected, the party will begin on a business plan for the patient tower “right away” and engage hospital staff, including doctors and nurses, in the design process.
Nanaimo-Lantzville NDP candidate George Anderson, who hosted the town hall, said the funding of a new intensive-care unit, urgent and primary care investments and now the patient tower show that “this government is focused on taking action for people and this is another action.”
Meanwhile, the Fair Care Alliance is asking for more details after the promise.
increased to show the province that the region is willing to pay its share.
phone began “blowing up.”
The coalition of community members – including health care workers, business leaders, elected officials and others – has been advocating for a full-service patient tower and cardiac cath lab since the group was formed earlier this year.
Donna Hais, the alliance’s chairperson, said the promise “gets us very excited.”
Hais said that the tower could take anywhere between eight to 10 years to build. The Fair Care Alliance, she said, is calling for a minimum of 600 beds.
“We’re here to continue that conversation and continue bringing forward the community’s voice on the desperate need for health-care infrastructure in our area.”
“At the highest level the foundation is thrilled that … this election promise has been made that will address the severe structural healthcare deficit north of the Malahat and we really believe our generous donors will be excited about this and will come forward when asked many years down the road when we need to do a campaign to support a hospital tower,” he said.
of the Conservative Party of B.C. and Sonia Furstenau of the B.C. Green Party. Rustad posted on social media on Sept. 27 that no one in Canada should be receiving health care in a hospital hallway, bathroom or storeroom.
“Conservatives will spend more on health care and shift B.C.’s health-care system to a patients-first approach to fix health care,” he said.
“The Fair Care Alliance is very pleased to hear that Mr. Eby and the NDP have clearly heard the voice of our community and … have now clearly seen the deficit in our healthcare infrastructure and they’re prepared to invest here; however, we’re looking for next steps,” Hais said. “We would like more details, we need scope, scale and dates. We want to know the how, when and where this will all be happening.”
Ian Thorpe, chairperson of the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District, previously said the hospital tax levy has
Hais said her group is still wondering about the cath lab, and if it could be included as part of the project.
“We feel waiting that time frame would be too long, so we want the details of the plan. I believe the announcement was not just a random announcement, I believe … our local politicians care about health care here. We need to see the details of that.”
The Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation is also celebrating the campaign promise. Barney Ellis-Perry, the foundation’s CEO, said he was sitting down for supper with friends at a restaurant when his
If the cath lab were to be included as part of the project, Ellis-Perry said the foundation would fundraise for a temporary cath lab or interim measure.
“But we don’t know. There’s just zero details at this point. So the foundation will be seeking to help support Island Health and raise money for whatever it is, whether that be a cath lab sooner or rather than later, we would like to focus on that, but then eventually we’ll raise money to support the patient tower.”
In the short term, Hais said the alliance wants similar commitments from other party leaders, namely John Rustad
Local Conservative and Green candidates have signed a pledge committing to work with other elected officials “in support of fair care for all of Vancouver Island including a cardiac cath lab and patient tower at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.”
“We’re very pleased by that, but obviously we would also be looking for a higher-level commitment from leaders of the other two parties for them to acknowledge, as a whole, that they’re committed to infrastructure spending in Nanaimo, to get us to the standard of care we need,” Hais said. “Now is the time to be fleshing out those details.” www.nanaimobulletin.com
B.C. NDP leader David Eby speaks at a town hall Thursday, Sept. 26, at Nanaimo’s Beban Park Social Centre. (Greg Sakaki/News Bulletin)
Bookish bargain hunters have more than 100,000 titles to pick through at the Rotary Used Book Sale.
The event opened Friday, Sept. 27, at Nanai-
mo North Town Centre and continues during mall hours through Sunday, Oct. 6. There are so many books on hand that tables piled with reading material sorted into dozens of categories now fill the entire
length of the shopping centre’s corridors.
The giant sale of used books, which are donated by the community, supports local Rotary Club programs and literacy initiatives and organizers hope to raise more than
$100,000 from book sale proceeds.
To learn more about the sale and how the Rotary Club supports the community, visit the club’s website at http://portal.clubrunner.ca/387. chris.bush@nanaimobulletin.com
Advertising Feature
Boater was in the water for hours before he was eventually rescued
Continued from A5
The caller who had reported the incident was able to direct the Empress to the capsized boat and boater, a few hundred yards off shore at the entrance to Nanoose Bay.
“He crawled up partially out of the water and was clinging to the boat when we came upon him,” Wilson said. “I had a commissionaire on the boat with me and we were able to toss him a life ring and get him to hang on it.”
The man, whom Wilson estimated to be in his sixties, was conscious and able to hold onto the ring.
“We were struggling to get him up on the swim grid, he was a larger fellow and he wasn’t able to help,” Wilson said. “He was just dead weight in the water.”
Around this time, the French Creek 1 fast response craft arrived. The coast guard was able to pull the man onto their craft using a cargo net ladder. Coast guard then administered immediate first aid.
“The person was wearing a life jacket but had been in the water for approximately three hours and was severely hypothermic,” the coast guard said in an e-mailed statement to Black Press Media.
A member of RCM-SAR 27 assisted the coast guard on the French Creek 1 as the patient was transported to Schooner Cove, where they
were handed over to B.C. Emergency Health Services.
RCM-SAR 27 recovered the overturned skiff and brought it to the dock.
“This rescue was a result of the initial 911 call from the two kayakers and the quick responses from our French Creek lifeboat and fast-response crews, our response partners from RCM-SAR 27, and the two vessels of opportunity Empress III and NPA Osprey,” the Canadian Coast Guard said in its statement.
B.C. EHS said it received a call at 7:20 p.m. and sent an ambulance with primary care paramedics to meet the coast guard vessel in the 3500-block of Dolphin Drive. Paramedics provided emergency medical treatment to the patient who was transported to hospital.
Wilson said he believes if the man had not been found that evening, he would not have survived the night.
“It was fortunate we got to him before dark. I mean, by this time it’s 7:30 or so and it’s dusk and the light is going down. It would have been much more difficult to find him after dark,” Wilson said.
He added it’s a good thing the man was wearing a life jacket, but said there was a “big swell” on the water that day and the man’s boat was too small for those conditions.
kevin.forsyth@pqbnews.com
Are you ready to save a life? Learn how to think FAST!
You’ve heard about stroke, but do you know what it is and what to do if you experience or witness one? A stroke happens when blood stops flowing to a part of the brain or bleeding occurs in the brain, leading to death of brain cells. In fact, 1.9 million brain cells die every minute after stroke symptoms begin. With stroke, time is brain, and we all know how important the brain is. The quicker care is provided, the better the chance for a good outcome.
Ron and Patricia Smith of Nanoose Bay know first-hand how devastating a stroke can be. In November 2012 Ron felt a bit weak so he decided to have a nap. Two hours later he returned to his computer, but his right hand was crawling over the keys; it was sluggish and required all his concentration to move each finger. He looked up “stroke symptoms” online, but “inability to
type” did not appear on the list.
“A symptom was present, but one I was more than happy to ignore or rationalize away as anything but a stroke,” said Ron. When his wife Patricia got home, she eventually convinced him to go to the hospital, where the emergency doctor diagnosed a possible stroke. Twenty minutes later while still in emergency, he suffered a massive, life-changing stroke.
In 2014, Heart & Stroke launched the FAST signs of stroke campaign to help more people in Canada recognize the most common signs of stroke and know to call 9-1-1 right away – this can make the difference between life and death, or between a better recovery and a lasting disability. Other possible signs of stroke include vision changes (blurred or double vision), sudden severe headache (usually accompanied by other signs), numbness (usually on one side of the body), and problems with balance.
Lifesaving treatments are available, but they must be administered as quickly as possible within a few hours of stroke onset. And that’s why it’s so critical to call 9-1-1: paramedics can assess symptoms and know the closest hospital that can provide urgent stroke care.
As for Ron Smith, he’s worked hard on rehabilitation and his recovery, including writing a book, The Defiant Mind: Living Inside a Stroke. In hindsight, his advice to anyone experiencing or witnessing signs of stroke is to the point: “Call 9-1-1. Had I used common sense I could have prevented a lot of unnecessary grief.”
Thank you to the Estate of Eldred Emery Classen for raising awareness of stroke in our community.
You can learn more at heartandstroke.ca/FAST.
STAFF WRITER NEWS BULLETIN
Avid readers avail themselves of the selection of 100,000 books set out for sale on opening day of the Rotary Used Book Sale at Nanaimo North Town Centre on Friday, Sept. 27. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Council declines to support request from forestry industry lobbyists
Industry reps say forestry in province facing uncertainty
JESSICA R. DURLING
BULLETIN
A second attempt at a letter of support for a forestry industry lobby campaign against cutting regulations was quashed by Nanaimo city council in a split vote. Earlier this year, the province passed changes to the Forest Act, the Forest and Range Practices Act. Among these changes, there became increased discretion by the government in issuing cutting permits and road permits, as well as new enforcement measures allowing the province to refuse a replacement timber tenure or to not issue one if the company failed to pay penalties or were non-compliant.
On Sept. 9, lumber industry representatives presented to Nanaimo council, on behalf of the Forestry Works for B.C. campaign, requesting a letter of sup-
port against the current regulations. The campaign is a collective effort that represents several forest-based organizations and companies, including Coastland Wood Industries, Nanaimo Forest Products, Jones Marine Group and the Truck Loggers Association.
Paul Sadler, CEO of Nanaimo Forest Products, told councillors that the industry’s future in B.C. is uncertain.
“[With] the current rate of harvest decline the sector will lose the critical mass to sustain itself and the impacts will be felt not just by local businesses but by every British Columbian,” he said. “Today the sustainable annual cut, determined by the chief forester, is onethird of one per cent of the province’s forested lands but rapid change to rules and regulations are making it so that B.C. forestry companies cannot get access to the [annual allowable cut].”
The cities of Campbell River and Terrace have previously issued letters of support.
Nanaimo council rejected the initial request in a split vote.
“The reason why harvest rates are low is in response to all the controversy around old-growth and unsustainable practices,” said Coun. Ben Geselbracht, who voted against the lobbyists’ request. “There’s a new permitting process that was put in place to enhance forest stewardship and enhance public participation.”
Geselbracht expressed that he was uncomfortable with not having the potential letter in front of him to examine, as well as the vagueness in the request.
“It’s unclear what’s being asked for, eliminate the new permitting process? Because I’m definitely not in favour of that. Is it asking the government to improve the permitting process? I’m in favour of asking to increase efficiency, but depending on how it’s framed, and from Forestry Works, sometimes some of the stuff has quite a strong spin on what’s being suggested.”
Continued on A27
NEWS
Vaping creeping up as a health risk for youths
A B.C. adolescent health report released this summer found that smoking and vaping rates among mid-Island youths are higher than the provincial average. And quite a bit higher at that.
It wasn’t all bad news. Smoking rates for youths on the whole have dropped from what they were in 2018, and now sit at 20 per cent compared to 26 per cent. But the provincial average is only 15 per cent.
And vaping rates are even higher than traditional tobacco smoking. A whopping 32
per cent of local youths have tried vaping, while the provincial average is 26 per cent.
We should care, as Island Health warns that health risks can be significant for young people whose body and brains are still developing.
In our rush to pat ourselves on the back as we eliminated smoking sections in restaurants and bars and airplanes, vaping crept up on us to target a new generation.
A 2021 federal Canadian tobacco and nicotine survey suggested that many teens
vaped to reduce stress. Certainly something that needs to be addressed.
Why are the rates higher on the mid Island? We don’t know, but clearly education is key. And that means education for youth and adults. Nobody under the age of 19 is legally allowed to buy vaping products. But they’re getting them from someone, somewhere. In some cases it may even be parents, older siblings or family friends who see them as relatively harmless, an attitude that we should work to dispel.
Also, it’s worth reflecting on how successful traditional anti-smoking campaigns have been in reducing the number of people who consume cigarettes to a minority when once it was commonplace, expected even.
The bottom line is that we don’t want a quarter of our young people to be addicted to something before they even graduate from high school. Those who’ve managed to kick such a habit will tell you that it’s far easier not to start in the first place.
www.todayinbc.com/opinion
Small souvenir can’t possibly replace the real thing
I haven’t lived there since the early 1990s. I have been in my current house (in a different city) longer than any other in my life.
But if push came to shove, the overwhelming whiff of childhood nostalgia will always have me feel like Duncan is ‘home.’
No matter where you might be, there’s still often a sense of ownership – or a least a continued curiosity – about the goings-on back home.
BETWEEN THE LINES
The last time I actively thought of the old community fixture was a while back, when apparently a city near Chicago was planning to build a 250-foot stick (besting Cowichan’s by 45 feet) outside an arena project there. I remember thinking, ‘if it’s not going to be the world’s largest, is there really much point in keeping the old twig?’
So, earlier this summer, I was surprised to see a story on the Cowichan Valley Citizen website, penned by esteemed colleague Robert Barron. ‘World’s biggest hockey stick at the Cowichan Community Centre to be taken down’ shouted the headline.
OK, it didn’t actually make noise from my phone but it might as well have shrieked at me.
Really? The big stick? Why?
How to reach us:
But then I quickly corrected myself, knowing that it would simply be wrong to not be able to drive by the community centre and see the stick. No spectacular reasoning, just my own gut feeling. Surely that would hold some sway. Guess not.
Previously, the Cowichan Valley Regional District had suggested several options for consideration for the future of the giant stick. A public engagement survey revealed the majority indicated it’s not important to maintain the
world record for the largest hockey stick and puck, and that the hockey stick doesn’t provide significant importance to the region and it shouldn’t be replaced.
Ouch. How can folks be so callous? I guess if you see it every day, it’s not as interesting. I remember when some community-minded types managed to get the thing over to the Island after its brief stint at Expo 86. My first question was similar to my reaction to hearing of its de-
mise. Why?
Then it arrived, and it was somewhat fascinating. I spent a few years pondering a new question. How can my buddies and I get up there to slide down the thing?
Since then, it’s just always been there. I get that it would cost a ton of money to maintain, and governments of all stripes already tend to have little trouble going overboard with taxpayer cash. But, I mean – it was just always there for me. A piece of home.
The Citizen also noted Shawnigan Lake’s Genuine Collectibles Inc. would be taking possession of the stick (and giant puck), with plans to recycle the usable material into unique, authenticated collectibles. A portion of the sales from the collectibles will be donated to local sporting organizations and charities. Change is inevitable and that’s an admirable initiative. And in the end, especially if it’s the will of the people, it’s probably the right thing to do. I, however, just can’t help feeling it isn’t right. Every single time I drive down Island to Victoria, I loudly complain about them taking out the old go-kart track just outside of Mill Bay. Decades ago. Now, I’ll be adding a mournful soliloquy about the loss of a landmark I’ll seemingly miss more than most.
Philip Wolf is the editor of the Parksville Qualicum Beach News and the Vancouver Island Free Daily. philip.wolf@blackpress.ca
There’s a lot of people who just don’t realize they’re in a high-risk area until they actually see a bear on their doorstep.
– WildSafe B.C. Nanaimo coordinator Kiera Brown on the organization’s bintagging program, page A29.
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The world’s largest hockey stick outside the Cowichan Community Centre. (Black Press Media file photo)
PHILIP WOLF
Public works project and process intolerable to tax-paying citizens
To the editor, City council is now off to Round No. 3 of the AAP for a public works yard upgrade. So, several issues come to my mind. Firstly is the cost assessment; secondly is the financing proposal; and lastly is the AAP process itself.
The costing from the city website indicates a desire to borrow $90 million for the project. However, buried in those costs is $18 million for contingency, or 20 per cent of the project cost. Now, contingency usually means a failure to oversee the project and the project cost overruns. The next item of interest is $10 million for inflation between now and 2028. Now, one must admit that inflation exists, but 11 per cent in less than four years?
Not even the Bank of Canada is that pessimistic. So $90 million is a wildly exaggerated number that offers no credence and a lack of project oversight and control.
Then, the project’s cost is spread out over 20 years. I guess that paying for the project over such a long period makes the cost to our taxes seem less but
takes almost no regard for the interest to be paid on such a rather large sum of money.
And, lastly, we come to the AAP process. Is it a legal process? Well, yes. Is it a valid process? Heck no. It relies on the fact that government has made the totally false presumption that if less than 10 per cent of the people disagree then the other
Letters policy: Letters should be no longer than 250 words and will be edited. Include your address (it won’t be published) and a first name or two initials, and a surname. Unsigned letters will not be published.
E-mail: editor@ nanaimobulletin. com
90 per cent must agree. That’s just false.
In conclusion, I cannot come to terms with the cost assessments in many areas; I cannot tolerate the view that we’ll spread things out over 20 years; and I cannot conceive that the AAP is even remotely close to our democratic values.
J.R. Reid Nanaimo
Make decisions for those making wrong decisions
To the editor, There is way, way too much violence on our streets, and most of it is coming from those who are repeat violent offenders, and many are mentally ill drug abusers who turn to crime because they cannot cope and no longer know right from wrong.
Just look at the latest violent incidents in B.C. This is giving a bad name to those born with or who have succumbed legitimately to mental health issues. The provincial government must be pressured to release the numbers of those on our streets who at any point have been given housing and on-street care and how much it is costing British Columbians. Any of those on our streets who have refused need to be put immediately into care or institutionalized.
We are wasting way, way too much tax money on those who do not want help but are repeatedly offered everything, stay on the street and cause problems for themselves and the rest of us.
As a parent, I am responsible for bringing my children into the world and teaching them to be upstanding citizens. Where are the parents of those on the streets? If they have tried and cannot get their children on the straight and narrow, quit forcing it on the rest of society.
The parents are responsible and if they cannot handle their own children, then the province is the only other choice to step in with compulsory care. The ongoing talk and more talk of what to do is insanity.
Ben Vries Nanaimo
The City of Nanaimo is holding an alternative-approval process to try to gain permission to borrow $90 million to upgrade its public works yard. (News Bulletin file photo)
Community members share their experiences for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
At the Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre, elders and other knowledge keepers shared their experience about the importance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The statutory holiday, also known as Orange Shirt Day, serves to honour the children who died in residential schools as well as survivors, families and communities.
The residential school system served the function of assimilating Indigenous youths into Euro-Canadian and Christian ways of living, and existed from the 1830s to the 1990s across Canada.
“This is a special day to recognize people who didn’t come home from residential school,” said Florence James, Thiyaus, speaking with the Nanaimo News Bulletin. “They didn’t even have education. They say ‘school’ but nobody ever got a class, they just took spirituality and hurt them with it.”
James is a Coast Salish Pune’luxutth’ elder, who said she avoided going to residential schools thanks to her mother.
“My mom said, ‘No, no, my kids will go to school but they’re not going there’ because she was in there and stuck for seven years … She just got mad at the Indian agent and said, ‘No, no, my daughters won’t go there.’ She was mad. I’m saying it nicely.”
Today, James is a local language educator who
James said she wants people’s thoughts, love and compassion to go to those who have experienced the institutions.
“If you traumatize a child, it’s going to stay there most of their life unless [they’re] able to take it on. A lot can’t, though, because that’s what they know, is their pain.”
One survivor, J.C. Lucas, a member of Hesquiaht First Nation, spoke about his six years in the Christie Roman Catholic school. Following the traumatic experience, in 1980 he went to a treatment centre and began the process of recovery.
“I got into a lot of hot water, because Brother Osborn his name was, he used to beat me like I was a man – I was a skinny kid…” Lucas told the Bulletin. “There was some really kind people as well, to semi-balance.”
He said the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation being recognized is “a great step.”
“Being unnoticed and disregarded all these years, it’s going to take time to be noticed and it’s just a process that we need to get used to it.”
He believes there is more healing today in the community.
Additions help accommodate growth, says school district
Continued from A3
Chase River was among 89 schools in 10 districts getting new classrooms, the press release stated, with a commitment of close to $134 million from the B.C. Ministry of Education and Child Care.
The elementary school addition is similar to one announced for Wellington Secondary last month, which will add six classrooms and 150 seats in time for winter 2026.
The school district said it does not have a formal cost estimate for the project at this time. As a comparison, the Wellington project has a $9 million budget.
earlier this year received an honorary doctor of letters from Vancouver Island University, where she works as an elder-in-residence and teacher.
“I think the community has to understand what the pain is, so if you can understand what the pain is, they can recognize that person is living in trauma. To have more understanding.”
“At first you don’t really notice it, then you look around. I used to have a hard time just being me, being kind and loving, and now it’s more and more and more over the years. Being kind, loving and appreciating people.”
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation observations at Tillicum Lelum also included a meal and games and activities for families. jessica.durling@nanaimobulletin.com
Walsh said the district still anticipates both modular and “stick built” school expansions going forward.
“For minor expansions, modulars are an excellent and relatively fast way to address growth in our community,” he said.
karl.yu@nanaimobulletin.com
JESSICA R. DURLING NEWS BULLETIN
Elder Florence James participates in a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation event Friday, Sept. 27, at Tillicum Lelum centre. (Jessica Durling/ News Bulletin)
Pro-Palestine protesters disrupt bookstore business
Protesters ask shoppers to choose other stores instead
Pro-Palestine protesters attempted to disrupt business at the Chapters at Nanaimo’s Woodgrove Centre last week, rallying inside and outside the bookstore as part of a national protest campaign.
Protesters handed out flyers outside the store Sept. 25, then briefly entered the store with signs to chant condemnations of the company.
“It’s educational,” said Chantey Dayal, who came out to protest the business.
“The public needs to know what these large corporations are doing. We’re also trying to encourage people to shop locally, small local-owned businesses, and we’re also here to say, no more killing of children. There have been 20,000 children killed in Gaza up until today and one child is too many.” The boycott comes in response to a foundation established by the company’s CEO Heather Reisman with her
Gerald Schwartz. The HESEG Foundation, formed in 2005, provides scholarships for single discharged ‘lone soldiers’ from the Israeli Defence Force. ‘Lone soldiers’ include fighters with no family in Israel, such as immigrant, a foreign national or an orphan.
The protesters argue that the program effectively gives financial incentives for foreign nationals to fight for Israel.
“We are here to deliver a message to customers, trying to educate them about Indigo’s complicity of the genocide in Gaza, and the links to that have to do
with Heather Reisman, the owner of Indigo,” Dayal said. Palestinian student Sara Kishawi was also present at the rally.
“You have one person that shows up, one person that you let know, then that to us is enough,”
Kishawi said. “We don’t need to count how many people we turned away or how many people stopped to listen to us, as long as you’re planting that seed in people’s heads that ‘hey, there’s something going on to this, maybe I’m going to research it more.’
That’s enough.”
The effort is a part of a larger campaign
THANK YOU FOR
called Boycott Indigo Books, involving protests in more than 50 Canadian communities including Vancouver, Ottawa and Calgary.
“This is a cause that should matter to everybody. It’s something that speaks to our humanity and us living here and being complicit, without even being aware that we’re complicit,” Kishawi said. “That’s just something that should go against everyone’s humanity and ability to live on.”
Indigo was contacted for comment but did not respond by time of publication.
www.nanaimobulletin.com
Man sentenced to six years for violent sex assault in Nanaimo’s Bowen Park
Warning: The following contains details of a sexual assault and might not be suitable for all readers.
A man experiencing homelessness who sexually assaulted a woman and prevented her from getting away from him has been sentenced to six years in jail.
A jury found Carl Michael Francis, 36, guilty of sexual assault causing bodily harm, assault causing bodily harm and unlawful confinement
from an incident three years ago at Bowen Park. On Sept. 13 at B.C. Supreme Court in Nanaimo, justice Carla Forth sentenced him to jail.
Francis had met a 19-yearold woman, whose identity is protected under a publication ban, on the streets, according to Forth’s ruling. She was experiencing numerous mental health issues, but “was not a regular user of illicit drugs.” Subsequent to their meeting, he gave her methamphetamines daily.
On June 14, 2021, the
woman was assaulted by Francis who “took her by the shirt, slammed her to the ground, tossed her … and slapped her,” and choked her “until she almost passed out.” When she tried to get away later in the day, “he tackled her,” prevented her from moving and sexually assaulted her, according to the ruling. The victim feared for her life, and was thwarted on a number of other escape attempts before she convinced him to call 911.
flashbacks, nightmares, and jaw pain” and areas of the city triggering negative emotions.
The judge said the aggravating factors included the violent nature of the offences, which were a violation of the victim’s “sexual, emotional and phys-
ical well-being.” The woman was vulnerable and young and Francis took advantage of her, causing her significant injury.
Mitigating factors include the fact that Francis had no other record of violent crimes and he suffered a diffi-
cult childhood, which included abuse.
He has been living in a tent in Bowen Park for four years, and according to the court, “spends his days wandering the streets, socializing with others and, in his words, just ‘chillin.’”
The judge found that the accused had “a high degree of moral responsibility.”
He has been in custody since July 24 and combined with a previous jail time, was credited with 81 days served out of the sixyear sentence.
karl.yu@nanaimobulletin.com
“He took a very vulnerable young woman, supplied her with drugs, isolated her … The forcible sexual intercourse was for his own sexual gratification,” the judge said. “He did not care what pain or distress he inflicted.”
With summer in the books, regional district looks to bolster future heat wave response
RDN will consider options to improve community outreach
various rural community centres and the RDN Transit office, according to the report. However, some directors, including Cedar-South Wellington’s Jessica Stanley, hoped for more.
With no more hot spells in the forecast for this year, the Regional District of Nanaimo is looking at ways to watch out for rural residents during heat waves in future summers.
At a meeting July 23, the regional district looked at its current heat response protocol, described by a staff report as a blueprint to deal with “both heat warnings and extreme heat emergencies,” and meant as a guiding document for RDN rural areas.
During an Environment Canada-issued heat warning in early July, the region’s response included social media posts informing residents on how to stay cool, and free bottled water at
“My concern is what we saw [during the 2021 heat dome], and we know that heat illnesses and deaths are high among people who are housed, but frail, and I feel like those are the people we need to be checking on rather than providing water,” said Stanley.
She favoured a co-ordinated effort with community groups, where areas could “enlist community volunteers that would … check in on seniors to ensure that they are in safe conditions during a significant weather event that puts them at significant risk, even of death.”
Subsequently, an amended motion was approved, allowing for a bolstered heat response with efforts to engage community groups in August, September and October.
The Regional District of Nanaimo is looking into coordinating with community groups during heat waves. (Black Press Media file
ticipated a report ahead of this fall’s 2025 budget deliberations. Environment and Climate Change Canada is responsible for issuing heat warnings and does so for the central and southern Vancouver Island when there are back-to-back days with temperatures of 29 C or higher during the day and 16 C or warmer at night.
Lisa Grant, RDN general manager of development and emergency services, told directors the request would increase RDN response with emergency management and “moving into community outreach.” She an-
A Level 1 heat warning will be triggered by the RDN if Environment Canada issues a heat warning or weather statement. In that instance, the RDN would take part in “regional coordination calls with the B.C. Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness on behalf of public health,” according to heat guide protocol. In the event of Level 2, when Environment Canada elevates the warning to a heat emergency, the RDN would consider activating dedicated cooling sites and adding a banner on its website that would lead to an extreme weather page. It would send out notifications through its Voyent Alert system.
Prime Rib Oven Roast Canada, AAA Black Angus, 37.46/kg
Sirloin Tip Roast Canada, AAA Black Angus, 19.82/kg
We are proud of our managers and staff for their exceptional service and deep community involvement.
Their dedication to understanding local needs, and supporting neighbourhood initiatives helps make our stores integral parts of the community.
Thank you for making a difference.
Managers who make us proud.
Fisher – Royal Bay Store Manager
Jason Fisher is the Store Manager of Quality Foods Royal Bay, the newest Quality Foods location in Colwood. Jason is thrilled to be part of the Quality Foods team and to have had the opportunity to open another new grocery store in Victoria.
Originally from Victoria, Jason has spent 35 years in the grocery industry, moving around the province and working with some incredible people along the way. He considers himself fortunate to now be leading the team at Royal Bay, a group that delivers a wide variety of meal options and maintains the high quality that customers expect from Quality Foods.
Jason values work-life balance and encourages his team to do the same. As a car enthusiast and collector, he spends his time off in the garage, attending local car events, working in the yard, or enjoying time with his supportive family. He extends special thanks to his team and the Royal Bay community for their ongoing support.
Fuel Good Day raises $43,000 for NRGH high-acuity unit
Approximately $43,000 was raised for a 12-bed high acuity unit at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital as part of this year’s Mid Island Co-op Fuel Good Day.
Fuel Good Day, on Sept. 17, is an annual fundraiser at which co-ops across the country donate at least five cents a litre to a local community organization.
At the Mid Island Co-op, which operates 16 gas bars throughout the central Vancouver Island region, the Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation was selected to receive 10 cents on every litre throughout the day.
Chosen for the third year, NDHF CEO Barney Ellis-Perry said all the money raised during
this year’s Fuel Good Day will be put into NRGH to finalize the foundation’s high-acuity unit campaign.
“The critical care unit at NRGH is made up of the intensive-care unit and the high-acuity unit and together they form a complete intensive-care unit,” said Tony Harris, NDHF chairperson.
He added that the Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation has raised $5 million for the intensive-care unit, and now another $5 million for the high-acuity unit.
Ellis-Perry described the high acuity unit as a “step-down unit” from the ICU.
“As they stabilize and get better they come down to the high-acuity unit where there is two patients to one nurse and have their own
bathroom or shower, etc.,” he said.
Currently the NRGH’s high-acuity unit is eight temporary beds in the back section of hospital’s emergency department. Once the new 12-bed permanent high-acuity unit is completed next summer, it will open up space in the hospital that Ellis-Perry said may be converted into an emergency section for seniors.
“It would allow seniors to have their own more controlled space,” he said. “Research on dementia being triggered by seniors coming into an emergency or into a hospital is really quite scary. It’s about a five per cent decline a day because of the bright lights, the noises, the lack of sleep and all that.”
Mid Island Co-op CEO Ian Anderson, left, stands with Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation chairperson Tony Harris and the foundation’s CEO Barney Ellis-Perry at the pumps in Nanaimo as part of Fuel Good Day. (Jessica R. Durling/News Bulletin)
JESSICA R. DURLING NEWS BULLETIN
Foundation always thinking about hospital’s next project
Continued from A23
Bulletinboard
Butterfly Run Vancouver Island, a walk/run for bereaved parents and to raise awareness about infertility, pregnancy loss and infant loss, happens Oct. 5, 8 a.m.noon at Westwood Lake Park. Visist www.butterflyrun. ca.
Nanaimo Horticultural Society meets Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Hungarian Cultural Society Hall. Speaker for the evening is Jim Gilchrist, who has served on the executive of the Nanaimo Gladiolus and Dahlia Society for a number of years.
“So if we have a separate seniors’ emerg where they can present there, be accessed there and have more specialists around geriatric care, and lights would be lower and controlled at night – things like that.”
Ellis-Perry said he believes the boost is from additional activities associated with the Fuel Good Day helped boost the total, including the purchase of ‘Fuel Good Squares’ notes for donors to write positive messages.
“We’ve partnered with [NRGH] because they are the tertiary care facility for all of Vancouver Island north of the Malahat so when people are really sick, this is where they end up,” said Mid Island Co-op CEO Ian Anderson. “It’s really important, because it does serve all the different locations that we do business in from Lake Cowichan and Salt Spring Island all the way to Port Hardy.”
jessica.durling@nanaimobulletin.com
Mid-Island Woodworkers’ Guild meets Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. at the VIU Trades Discovery Centre, Building 108 at Vancouver Island University’s Nanaimo campus. Guests are welcome with no obligation. The meeting will also be broadcast via Zoom. For information, e-mail membership@miwg.ca or visit http://miwg.ca.
Nanaimo Rhododendron Society meets Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Beban Park social centre. Tamara Dinter from Dinter Nursery will talk about soils. Everyone is welcome, no charge.
Nanaimo Historical Society meets Oct. 10 at 7 pm. at the Bowen Park activity centre. Guest speaker Katherine Rollwagen from the VIU history department will discuss the Spanish flu epidemic in Nanaimo between 1918-1920. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and light refreshments will be served after the meeting.
Volunteer Nanaimo Monthly Market will be held Oct. 12 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Local handmade unique gifts for all occasions, birthday, holiday, or just because. Win prizes.
To submit non-profit events and activity listings to the Bulletin Board, e-mail editor@nanaimobulletin.com.
Business bolstered at expo
The Vancouver Island Conference Centre was abuzz with business Friday, Sept. 27, when more than 60 businesses from across the Island turned out for Bigger Mid-Island Business Expo. The event, organized by the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce, connected businesses, showcased innovations and created networking opportunities for attendees looking for new products, services and partnerships. Live demos and onstage presentations livened up the day’s activities and there were chances to win prizes . chris.bush@nanaimobulletin.com
Clinton Nellist, producer of Van Isle Chats, left, interviews Allan Balladares, RBC investment retirement planner, at the Bigger Mid-Island Business Expo on Friday, Sept. 27, at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
STAFF WRITER NEWS BULLETIN
Karen Hlady with V.I. Gaming Support shares information about the organization’s services that includes outreach and counselling, plus workshops and presentations for people who struggle with gambling. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Summer Yoon, left, Bethany Uvanile and Alyth Fries of Elite Image print group can print most anything from signs to drink cozies. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Run for the Cure will bring breast cancer awareness to new waterfront route
People participating in the CIBC Run for the Cure in Nanaimo this weekend can run a race or take a more leisurely pace as they do their part for a good cause.
Truth, brought to you by the people behind your local press. Celebrate the power of words with the new “Champions” font inspired by the essential service newspapers provide. Download it for free at nationalnewspaperweek.ca
The fundraising walk, raising money for the Canadian Cancer Society and breast cancer research, takes place Sunday, Oct. 6, at Maffeo Sutton Park. Kate Skoropad, spokesperson for the Nanaimo volunteer committee, said there are numerous ways to tread the waterfront walkway course.
“This was a huge achievement for this year, that the city granted us access to the downtown park,”
NOTICEOFFIRSTREADING
said Skoropad. “So the route itself, it’s actually optional for participants. You can run or walk one kilometre or five kilometres, so it’s really accessible for everyone … I guess the biggest thing for participants is to be there and to generate awareness to the public about the event.”
women is expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.
Local organizers are hoping to raise $75,000 at this year’s event to go to research and community supports, wigs and breast prostheses.
The event goes from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and is open
to people of all ages. There will be a Zumba warm-up and after the run there will be a ‘hope lounge’ with refreshments. There will also be some entertainers.
To sign up, or for more information, look for a link in the online version of this article.
The CIBC Run for the Cure will take place Sunday, Oct. 6, at a new location, now at Maffeo Sutton Park. (Submitted photo)
Council decides industry campaign doesn’t reflect community’s values
Other council members who voted against included Coun. Hilary Eastmure, Paul Manly, Janice Perrino and Erin Hemmens.
During a subsequent council meeting on Sept. 23, Mayor Leonard Krog brought the request back for reconsideration. Along with the request, he added a sample of a letter they could use, that he had written for consideration.
The request failed, with those against including Coun. Tyler Brown, Manly, Geselbracht, Eastmure and Hemmens.
Coun. Sheryl Armstrong spoke in favour, saying she believed it was “very important to do this” after sitting in on natural resources meetings at the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities convention.
“I went and talked to Indigenous First Nations leaders for forestry, etc., and they’re very, very supportive over this,” she said. “They want to see a joint management plan come together with all the stakeholders and I think that’s what this does. It’s not about asking to change dollars, it’s asking the province to work with all stakeholders to come to an agreeable plan.”
She added that by not giving allowances for local logging, it forces
Geselbracht, who remained against the letter, said that by signing their names to it he felt they would “be lending their voice to a particular campaign that doesn’t quite reflect the values of our community and what we’ve been advocating for.”
construction companies to get their wood from elsewhere.
“I think it’s something we need to look at to try to also support our local businesses which support local people and bring our tax dollars here.”
Thorpe also spoke in favour, saying that he viewed the letter as “supporting local business and our local economy.”
“We had representatives from Harmac and Coastland Wood here,” he said. “These are major employers in our city and they are major taxpayers and I think we have a duty to listen to when they make a reasonable request for a general letter of support for their industry.”
“It’s veiled that basically the changes that were brought in around a policy shift to more ecosystem-based management, conservation and the permitting process incorporating First Nation values and interest, to look at changing that,” he said. “I think it was a lot of work that went into getting this on the table in terms of the provincial government to go ahead with it. This includes oldgrowth deferrals.”
Coun. Paul Manly said he’s “very supportive of the local forestry industry,” but he also spoke against city council signing the letter.
“The city of Grand Forks has been flooded multiple times because there’s no forest to hold back the water when we get this excessive rain,” Manly pointed out. “I think that the provincial government is making some positive steps towards more conservation-based ecosystem and science-based forestry, and also more involvement with First Nations.”
jessica.durling@nanaimobulletin.com
A truck arrives with a load of logs at a central Island mill. (Black Press file photo)
The Nanaimo News Bulletin’s annual celebration of community and local business hit doorsteps last week, and all the results are preserved and archived online. Best of the City magazine was published Sept. 25 and the winners and runners-up in more than 150 categories can be found online at www.nanaimobulletin.com/e-editions, and also on one searchable web page at www.nanaimobulletin.com/local-business. The News Bulletin thanks all readers, survey voters and advertisers for their support. editor@nanaimobulletin.com
Nanaimo News Bulletin multimedia consultant Shirley Deakin flips through Best of the City 2024. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Bin-tagging program underway in Nanaimo to discourage residents from attracting bears
Stickers meant to remind about consequences
of putting out bins too early
JESSICA R. DURLING
WildSafe B.C. is taking a proactive approach to City of Nanaimo residents leaving their garbage cans out too early by tagging the bins with an educational sticker with the date and time it was spotted out.
According to Nanaimo’s long-standing municipal solid waste collection bylaw, garbage bins can be left out no earlier than 5 a.m. on collection day. Failure to adhere to this can result in a ticket with a fine in the hundreds of dollars, courtesy of conservation officers.
Kiera Brown, WildSafe B.C.’s Nanaimo coordi-
nator, said many people seem to not be aware of the importance of the bylaw.
“WildSafe B.C. is always focused on mitigating human-wildlife conflict,” Brown said. “We do a lot of door-to-door education in high-risk areas or in areas we see reports of bear encounters … This isn’t an enforcement or a method for delivering fines by any means, it’s just an educational tool to help people feel more responsible for their impact and educate them on the dangers of placing those attractants out the night before collection.”
Placing garbage out early can attract wildlife, including black bears, which will then wander into neighbourhoods smelling it as food. Through continuous unintentional feedings, the bear becomes habituated, and will then be less afraid of people. The black bear’s fear of peo-
ple is the primary way of preventing bear attacks.
“It can put people at risk and can cause property damage as traditional hazing techniques become less effective as bears become no longer fearful of people,” Brown said, adding that hazing includes banging pots and pans together to scare the animal away, or setting off a car alarm. “This is both dangerous for the communities themselves and the safety of them, but that also then puts the bears at risk because they often have to be destroyed … being a safety concern.”
According to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, conservation officers killed just one black bear in Nanaimo in 2023 after a record high of 10 the year before.
Currently, Brown said bear reports have been coming in on a predictable weekly basis, which she attributes to the ani-
mals learning the garbage collection schedule.
“When people put these bins out early on the curbside this is usually when animals will get the first positive reward for coming into a neighbourhood.”
For the bin tagging program, WildSafe B.C. is currently focusing on south Nanaimo. Brown said she would like the Regional District of Nanaimo to begin funding the program, so they can expand to other “hotspots” such as Cedar and Lantzville.
“We’re definitely trying to push for people to no longer store their bins outside, because I know that’s something that’s quite common in Nanaimo specifically and we’re really trying to make Nanaimo a more wild safe place to help keep wildlife wild.”
In 2019, conservation officers first started issuing fines for Nanaimo
residents setting bins out early, claiming that warnings were “not helping.”
Brown said that while they have had to make repeat visits to some of the same properties, she estimates it to only be about 10 per cent of the homes.
In those instances, WildSafe B.C. knocks on the person’s door and speaks to the resident directly. The other 90 per cent, she said, adjusted how they put out their garbage when WildSafe B.C. went back to check.
“I think there’s a lot of people who just don’t realize they’re in a high-risk area until they actually see a bear on their doorstep,” she said.
WildSafe B.C.’s bin tagging program began in late August and is expected to run until the end of November, then start back up in late winter or spring. For more information, visit http://facebook. com/wildsafebcnanaimo. jessica.durling@nanaimobulletin.com
AllanDyer,bornonJune9,1932,inLondon, England,passedawaypeacefullyonAugust 31, 2024, in Nanaimo, BC at the age of 92. He was a beloved father, grandfather, brother,uncleanddearfriendtomany.
Allan was predeceased by his grandson Robert, brother Terry, and parents Louisa and Albert. He is survived by his son Micheal (Tami), son Tony and daughter Christine (Gary), his family in England, brother Doug (Susan), sister-in-law Nan (Terry) and numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, along with nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the staff at Nanaimo Regional Hospital and their palliative care unit for their dedicated care and support in the days following up to Allan’s passing.
A Celebration of Life for Allan will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at 1 pm at the Chemainus Legion Hall.
Remembering Loved Ones
In loving Memory of Don Barker
OCTOBER 5, 1996 &
Sandra Harper
OCTOBER 6, 2002
'Cherished Memories Never Fade'
Ray & Marielle
Place your condolences online. (Visit your local newspaper website, obituary page)
In loving memory of Catherine Mary (Campbell) Gervais
It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we announce the passingofourbelovedCatherine Mary (Campbell) Gervais on September 13th, 2024, after a courageous five-year journey with metastatic breast cancer.Shewas67yearsold.
She is survived by her husbandof49years,Ted;her son, Kristoffer; her daughter, Rachelle (Sean); and her cherished grandchildren, John and Teddy. She also leaves behind many extended family membersanddearfriendswhoheld her close to their hearts. Her strong connections with her loved ones brought happinessandstrengthtoall.
A loving wife, caring mother, and devoted grandmother, Cathy was also a compassionate obstetrics nurse who touched countless lives through her work. Her strength, kindness, and unwavering love for family and friends will be deeply missed by all. Beautiful inside and out, Cathy had a creative mind, and her artistic endeavors—whether quilting, knitting, watercoloring, cooking, or gardening—were alwaysimbuedwithheruniquesenseofbeauty. Shehadawanderlustspiritandfoundimmense joy in traveling near & far with her great love, Ted.
There will be no formal ceremony to mark her passing,aswehadtheopportunitytocelebrate her life with family & close friends during
her final days. In her memory, she would want us to honor her by walking in nature with a loved one, appreciating the colours & light in the sky at sunset, seeking new adventures through travel, creating amazing meals for those we care about, tending to our growing gardens, and, most of all, hugging our children close & telling them how deeplytheyareloved.
Inlieuofflowers,donationsmay be made in her memory to the BC Cancer Foundation to support the new BC Cancer Centre in Nanaimo, which will serve the communities to which she dedicated her nursing career—Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and West Coast GeneralHospital.
Wearedeeplygratefulfortheloveandsupport shown by family & friends. Special thanks to Dr. Daryl Lund & Dr. Anienne Marsay for their unwaveringcareofCathy.
Now we move peacefully with grief. Grief came to us because our love for her came first. Love camefirst.
“My mind still talks to you My heart still looks for you
But my soul knows you’re at peace. I miss you every single day.”
- Unknown
In loving memory of Robertus Kooi
In memory of Robertus Kooi who passed away September 5th 2024. A celebration of Robert’s life will be held on October 6, 2024, at the 256 Legion - 1630 East Wellington Rd, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, where family and friends are invited to gather in remembrance and love. For further information and to share condolences please see the obituary link for Telford’s website at www.telfordtoneffboyd.ca
In loving memory of Harry MacIntosh Mowatt
Itiswithgreatsadnessweannouncethepassing of our father & husband Harry MacIntosh Mowatt at the age of 98 years.. Born in Brechin Angus Scotland Harry passed peacefully in Ladysmith on September 2nd, 2024.
Harry was the youngest son of William and Elizabeth Mowatt. Harry started working after Grade8tohelpthefamilyaftertheearlypassing of his mother.
He left Scotland with a school chum at 19, travelling to Canada by steamship. His first landing was in Montreal where he worked as a Heavy-Duty Mechanic. He worked his way acrossCanada,doingastintabovetheDewLine in NWT. Dad eventually moved to Nanaimo to take a position at MacMillan Bloedel HARMAC where he worked for almost 35 years.
Harry married the love of his life Gudrun Phyllis McMurtrie at Nanaimo’s Brechin United Church. They had five children in four years - Rebecca (Becky), Bruce & Brian (twins), and Beth & Barb (twins). The family spent many summer’s camping and enjoying trips to Scotland to visit family.
Harry and Gudi loved to host gatherings for their Nanaimo and Cedar-by-the-Sea friends. Harry’skind,cheerfulspiritandsenseofhumour endeared him to everyone he met. He loved to tease and was quick to share a punchline.
Harry never hesitated to swing a hammer or wrench for someone in need. He rescued many a friend stuck on the roadside in the middle of the night. He always had the tool you needed. He built kites that would never fly but were guaranteed to last being towed by five kids till they came home exhausted. Everything that was “Harry Mowatt built” was expected to last forever.
He agreed to temporarily host a friend’s radio program on CHUB Radio. And so, began a 19year hobby of the Harry Mowatt Scottish Music
Hour. He eventually added a second hour to spotlight global music and guests. For many years, he helped to coordinate the annual Nanaimo Highland Games, eventually being asked to be Chieftain of the Games. He played a ruthless game of crib right up to his 98th birthday.
Harry was a kind Gentleman who saw the best in everyone. His humour and calm wisdom will be dearly missed by his wife Gudi and family including eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren. His memory will forever provide a smile and a chuckle to all who knew him.
Harry Mowatt (aka The Phantom), we will miss you.
A celebration of his life will be scheduled for a later date.
Place your condolences online. (Visit your local newspaper website, obituary page)
In loving memory of Russel Cooper
May 21, 1962 – September 2, 2024
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Russel. Russ was born in Victoria, BC to his parents Frank & Stephanie Cooper. Russ was predeceased by his mom on June 5, 2022. He is survived by his two sons Ian Cooper & Anthony Cooper as well as his dad Frank Cooper, brother Vern (Laurie), sister Tricia (Rob), his 4 grandchildren and other family members.
Forever loved – forever missed. Rest in Peace.
The family will be holding a Celebration of Life on October 19, 2024.
In
loving memory of INNES
Gordon McKay Innes
August 31, 1931March 19, 2024
Gordon McKay Innes passed away at the age of 92 years in Nanaimo B.C. He was survived by his loving wife Myrtle and stepdaughters Linda, Glenna (Tom), Jackie (Wally), nine grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his stepson Ken, daughter-in-law Shelley. McKay is also survived by his stepchildren, Michelle, and John, from his first marriage. He was predeceased by his first wife Pat and stepsons Carl and Steven.
Myrtle Dixon Innes (Werner, nee Dorscheid) passed away July 31, 2024, at the age of 93 years in Nanaimo B.C.
She is survived by her loving daughters, Linda, Glenna (Tom) and Jackie (Wally), eight grandchildren and ten greatgrandchildren.
She was predeceased by her husband McKay, her sons Terry and Ken, daughter in law Shelley, granddaughter Christy and her first husband Julius.
In loving memory of Donald (Donny) Walter Pridham
With heavy hearts we announce the sudden passing of Donald (Donny) Walter Pridham on September 10th, 2024.
Don was born in Newmarket, Ontario on October 30th, 1956, known for his wonderful sense of humour, quotes and quick wit.
Predeceased by his parents John (1996) and Elizabeth (Bette) in 2004 and his oldest son, Jason (2005). Left to mourn are his sons Gregory (AZ) and Cole (BC) as well as his siblings in Ontario (Douglas, Deborah and Diane and their families). Don will also be missed by his caring friend, Penny.
In Don’s younger years, he enjoyed playing hockey for Maple, ON and continued to play when he was stationed in Germany. Don saw service in Germany, Cyprus and Yugoslavia while in the Armed Forces. After leaving the Armed Forces, he settled down in his beloved Nanaimo, BC where he enjoyed fishing and hunting and met many close and loving friends. He definitely loved BC and no amount of talking could convince him to move back to Ontario!
There will be no service held at this time. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a memorial donation be made to a charity closest to your heart. To share your memories, please visit First Memorial – Nanaimo’s website: Donald Pridham Obituary - Nanaimo, BC (dignitymemorial.com)
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.
WhenI’mGone
When I come to the end of my journey And I travel my last weary mile, Just forget if you can, that I ever frowned And remember only the smile. Forget unkind words I have spoken; Remember some good I have done, Forget that I ever had a heartache And remember I’ve had loads of fun. Forget that I’ve stumbled and blundered And sometimes fell by the way.
Remember I have fought some hard battles And won, ere the close of the day, Then forget to grieve for my going, I would not have you sad for a day, But in summer just gather some flowers And remember the place where I lay And come in the evening
When the sun paints the sky in the west, Stand for a few moments beside me And remember only my best.
The Rose
Beyond The Wall
A rose once grew where all could see, sheltered beside a garden wall, And as the days passed swiftly by, it spread its branches, straight and tall...
Just wish me to be near you, And I'll be there with you.
by Vicky Brown
One day, a beam of light shone through a crevice that had opened wide
The rose bent gently toward its warmth then passed beyond to the other side
Now, you who deeply feel its loss, be comfortedthe rose blooms thereits beauty even greater now, nurtured by God’s own loving care.
It
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sports Clippers win their first of the fall
BCHL junior A team has three points in three games
GREG SAKAKI NEWS BULLETIN
The Nanaimo Clippers earned their first win of the season and know that they can play the type of hockey that will lead to plenty more wins.
The Clippers defeated the Powell River Kings by a 7-3 score on Saturday, Sept. 28, in B.C. Hockey League action at Frank Crane Arena. It was a bounce-back game for the Clips, who had dropped their home opener the previous night 4-1 to the Chilliwack Chiefs.
“It was time to refocus and I think the veteran guys really led the way early, set the standard for how we were going to play and I thought we were in control for most of the game,” said Colin Birkas, Clippers coach.
Nanaimo was up 2-1 after one period and extended their margin to 4-1 early in the second. The power play was effective on the night, with the Clips capitalizing on three of five power plays.
“We needed to come out and redeem ourselves a little bit,” said Cole Lonsdale, Clippers forward. “We came out with a chip on our shoulder and came out flying and we got the win which is what we needed.”
Lonsdale said the power play’s success came from communication and quick puck movement which allowed players to get open. He said generally, if the Clippers aren’t “cheating the game,” then they’ll get opportunities on which
to capitalize.
“We know what we’ve got to do out there, we’ve got to play fast, play hard. [The home opener] we sort of got away from that and focused too much on what Chilliwack was trying to do and got away from our identity, but tonight we came out, played Clippers hockey and it worked.”
Birkas said the Clippers have consistently been working hard on the ice, but still need to learn to respond the right way when they make mistakes or when they’re stressed.
“[This is] a great opportunity to
teach after a win,” he said. “We can show clips of what went good, let’s keep doing that, and clips of what put us in trouble, let’s stop doing that.”
In the loss, Patrick Fortune scored Nanaimo’s only goal and Chazz Nixon made 28 saves. The next night, Lonsdale led the way with two goals and an assist, Dylan Kinch scored twice, Joel Plante had a goal and three assists and Connor DeTurris and Andrew Brown were the other scorers.
Kyan Labbé stopped 37 of 40 shots for the win.
The Clippers are now 1-1-0-1 for
three points in three games. “We’ve got a great group of guys, all positive and all wanting to work hard, all wanting to get better,” Lonsdale said. “Each and every day we’re going to come to the rink and we’re going to grow as a team.”
GAME ON … The Clippers played the Langley Rivermen on the road Tuesday, Oct. 1, after press time. They face the Surrey Eagles on the road Wednesday, Oct. 2, then the Victoria Grizzlies on Friday, Oct. 4, in a 7 p.m. faceoff at Frank Crane Arena. editor@nanaimobulletin.com
Amenity named ‘Katzberg cage’
Continued from A1
At the Olympics, Katzberg wasn’t really contested after his first throw of the finals in the hammer throw competition, but he said he was able to keep a level head.
“You never want to assume that you’ve done enough on the first throw, he said. “There’s so much competition left to have so I tried staying focused … I put into my head there was no point in throwing less than 84 metres now, I might as well just go for it, so I was going for it, and I was trying my best, but 84 was enough, and then I started celebrating.”
At the Rotary Bowl ceremony, Mayor Leonard Krog declared it Ethan Katzberg Day and christened the hammer throw amenity as the Katzberg Hammer Cage. Katzberg used to be a member of Nanaimo Track and Field Club, and admitted he never imagined back then the idea of reaching the top of an Olympic podium.
“I approached it slowly, and I built on each day of training, and that was kind of my focus … I went from there and just really fell in love with it and realized that I could make an Olympic team,” he said. “And I thought just making the team was cool, and coming out on top of the world was a nice little cherry on top.”
Following some rest and relaxation, he will prepare for the 2025 World Athletic Championships in Tokyo, where he is also defending champ.
“I have to get my training in line for that, but I just want to keep improving, keep developing the sport in Canada and growing it,” Katzberg said. -files
Powell River Kings goalie Elliot Pratt makes a save as Nanaimo Clippers forward Connor DeTurris looks for a rebound during a game Saturday, Sept. 28, at Frank Crane Arena. (Greg Sakaki/News Bulletin)
Final frames have been bowled at Brechin Lanes
Five-pin facility closes after 46 years on E. Wellington Rd.
The pins have been knocked down at Nanaimo’s Brechin Lanes, and this time, they’re not being set back up.
The five-pin bowling centre’s final day of business was Sunday, Sept. 29, and the doors are now closed for good at the facility that had operated at the East Wellington Road location since the 1970s.
Owner Ray Brittain said Brechin Lanes didn’t have a farewell bash on its last day partly because a lot of staff members had already moved on. The centre did host tournaments on each of its last two weekends that attracted bowlers from all over Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, and a lot of familiar faces stopped by in recent weeks to say goodbye and get in one last game. Brittain encountered former league bowlers who hadn’t visited in some time, and former youth bowlers who are all grown up now with families of their own.
“It’s clear that there are a lot of people that are going to miss the
place and unfortunately they all realize it’s a sign of the times, there are getting to be fewer and fewer bowling centres,” he said. “We’re just kind of another statistic.”
As costs of doing business escalated, it eventually became clear to Brittain that he needed to sell. He
was initially hopeful of selling to someone who would continue to run the facility as a bowling centre, but that interest fell through, and now the building is slated to become a sporting goods store.
“There’s sadly an activity that Nanaimo’s losing that’s not being
replaced by anything. Hopefully somebody can figure out somewhere to put a bowling centre because I would love to sell some equipment to somebody else in Nanaimo … even if it’s only eight lanes or six lanes, so that people have an activity,” he said. “Because
there’s literally hundreds of people, special needs, seniors, people that need social interaction that have been getting it from here that won’t be getting it from somewhere else.”
The lanes will now be dismantled over the next few weeks. Six of the 16 lanes – the synthetic overlays – are going to Port Hardy, the computer scoring system will go to Winnipeg, and parts from two of the pin-setting machines have been sold to several bowling centres as far away as Chase, B.C.
After those tasks are taken care of, Brittain is not sure exactly what’s next. Running the business has been stressful on the family, he said, and he and his wife Tianna look forward to travelling without worrying if everything is OK at the bowling centre.
When Ray spoke with the News Bulletin on the last day of business, he said his family hadn’t decided on their plans to bowl a final game, but expected they would end things with a strike, one way or another.
“It’s been very emotional. I’m not sure I have any tears left,” he said. “It’s humbling to know how many people have been through here and have enjoyed their time here and have been welcomed by us and felt like it’s a safe space. It’s been really neat to see.”
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
James Plested bowls two hours before closing time on Sunday, Sept. 29, which was the last day of business at Brechin Lanes five-pin centre on East Wellington Rd. The building will become a sporting goods store. (Greg Sakaki/News Bulletin)
Curling club meets challenges, begins season
The ice is in and another season of local curling is underway. But it almost didn’t happen.
The Nanaimo Curling Centre on Wall Street has had some tough times recently. The physical plant is old, repairs are needed and club membership took a hit during the time of COVID. Then this past summer it was discovered that the expensive chiller needed to make ice was no longer operational. The season was in jeopardy. Until members rallied to support their club, purchasing nearly $79,000 in debentures to help with the cost of a replacement chiller. That, combined with a City of Nanaimo grant of nearly $68,000 allowed the replacement machinery to be bought and installed last month. Ice could be made and the season was saved.
on the board are vice-president Ron Thompson, secretary Cate Barratt, treasurer Liz Christopher and past-president Mary Ellen Konyer. Warren Paugh is now director of marketing, Bob Palynchuk is director of facilities and director of bonspiels and volunteers is Moira Ryan. Janice Ainsworth is director of fundraising, which will be an important focus this year.
Now, despite the challenges faced by the club, there is a spirit of optimism in the curling community and there is certainly enthusiasm about the season ahead. Much credit for that goes to the board of directors who are providing strong leadership, led by the positive energy of returning club president Tom Weinreich. Joining Weinreich
There have been a couple of key staff changes. The board has hired a new facilities manager, Spencer Barnes, while Matt Boll has signed on as head ice technician. Continuing her work coordinating the coffee shop is Linnia Etmannski. So things are up and running and leagues are getting underway for all ages and abilities.
The club offers a junior curling program of instruction on Monday and Thursdays after school. At various times of the week there are leagues for doubles, triples, novice and experienced curlers at recreational and competitive levels. Men’s, ladies’, mixed and open leagues, leagues for senior men and women and a new variation of the sport called sturling. Something for everyone.
And of course the opportunity for bonspiel competition at several times during the season. The first of those will be the NCC Halloween Bonspiel scheduled for Oct. 25-28
This coming Friday, Oct. 4, a free workshop for those wishing to learn basic stick delivery will be held from 7-9 p.m. The following day, Saturday, October 5, will be a free adult introduction to curling workshop from 1:30-4:30 p.m. for beginners to get basic instruction in sliding, sweeping and throwing. Following up on that, the club will offer a 10week adult novice curling league beginning Monday, Oct. 7. Both on and off-ice coaching will be provided for newcomers wanting an introduction to the sport. A very special fundraising
event will take place at the club on Oct. 19-20. Legendary Canadian curler Kevin Martin will be in town to host an adult curling academy. Martin is a former Olympic, world and four-time Canadian champion and a member of the World Curling Hall of Fame. He is regarded by many as the greatest curler of all time. Several event packages are available, including an on-ice and off-ice strategy and tactics session with Martin geared for novice curlers. A more advanced package for experienced curlers is also being offered with instruction on and off-ice. Martin will also be playing an exhibition game with and against members of the Nanaimo Curling Centre. Then on the Saturday evening there will be a beer-and-burger night upstairs at the club featuring an after-dinner talk by Martin. It promises to be a fantastic weekend.
For information on any of the events or leagues mentioned above, check out the club website at www.nanaimocurlingclub.ca, or phone the club at 250-7533474.
Whatever your sport, a reminder in closing to play your hardest, play fair, and show good sportsmanship. www.nanaimobulletin.com
Nanaimo Theatre Group presents Perfect Arrangement from Oct. 6-26 at the Bailey Theatre
Nanaimo Theatre Group’s upcoming play will joke around, take on important topics, and set the tone for the group’s 65th season.
The theatre company will be staging Perfect Arrangement starting Sunday, Oct. 6, and running until Oct. 26 at the Bailey Studio.
The play, written by Topher Payne, is inspired by the early days of the gay rights movement in the United States in the 1950s.
“This is going to be one of the best shows I’ve ever been involved in,” said Michael Armstrong, the director. “Every director says that, but I have a spectacular cast, they really are the cream of the crop … [and] the script itself is just a gift.”
He said the play is set against a backdrop of McCarthyism and follows two closeted U.S. State Department employees, a man and a woman, who have married each other’s same-sex partner to fit in, at a time when their department’s mandate is expanding from targeting communists to also going after ‘sexual deviants.’
“So they’re basically put in charge of outing themselves, and the rest of the show is them coming to terms with the consequences of their predicament,” Armstrong said.
He said the play starts as a sort of sitcom reminiscent of an I Love Lucy episode, and gets more serious from there, while never losing touch with the comedy of the situations.
He praised his cast’s comic
timing, which he said is “hugely important, because the comedy is really the vehicle through which the message is delivered.”
Armstrong said the play’s message is a timely one considering some of discrimination LGBTQ people are facing, particularly in the United States, and said that directing the play has expanded his understanding of the strength and struggles of gay and lesbian friends and acquaintances over the years.
“I’ve been an ally of the LGBTQ movements for 50 years and this is a story that somehow feels like it’s something I’ve wanted to tell for much of that time,” he said.
The show stars Dean Chadwick, Jocelyn Dickson, Jim Maher and Carolyn Kuhn, along with Amanda Wagner, Bobbie Williams and Armstrong.
The director said last week at rehearsals, there was a readthrough of the holiday panto
going on in another part of the building, making for a busy atmosphere at the Bailey.
“There is a sense of excitement as a season’s getting underway … a real buzz in the air,” he said.
WHAT’S ON … Perfect Arrangement runs Oct. 6-26 with 7:30 p.m. showtime and three 2 p.m. matinees. For tickets and more information, visit http:// nanaimotheatregroup.ca or call 250-758-7224. editor@nanaimobulletin.com
Art
gallery exhibit explores ‘weight and texture’ behind old photographs
The Nanaimo Art Gallery’s next exhibition brings new life to old photos.
The Other Side, featuring the work of Cree and Métis artist Michelle Sound and Snuneymuxw artist Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun, will show at the downtown gallery from Saturday, Oct. 5, until Jan. 12.
The title of this exhibition “suggests both geographical proximity (the other side of the river) and spiritual proximity (the afterlife),” according to a press release. “Works in the exhibition consider relations with land, family, and ancestors through interventions in the medium of photography.”
The exhibit will ask audiences to consider the “weight and texture” behind photos and think about the subjects of the photos, the photographers, and the relationships and stories they represent.
“Sound and White-Hill begin with this understanding, and employ sculpture and installation to bring new life to photographic images,” the release added. “Through cyanotypes printed on elk hide drums, torn prints that have been repaired and adorned, drawings of spirits layered on top of archival images, and spindle whorl patterns cut out from historical landscape photographs, the artists work to enact care for their families, and communities, here and on the other side.”
The Other Side is the third exhibition that considers the Nanaimo Art Gallery’s current thematic question, how can we work together?
Continued on B3
GREG SAKAKI NEWS BULLETIN
Dean Chadwick and Amanda Wagner rehearse a scene for Perfect Arrangement at the Nanaimo Theatre Group’s Bailey Studio recently. The play will run Oct. 6-26. (Francesca Reside photo)
STAFF WRITER NEWS BULLETIN
Artists consider identity and culture
Continued from B1
Sound, a member of Wapsewsipi Swan River
First Nation in northern Alberta, is a multi-disciplinary artist who works with photos, textiles, paint and other traditional and contemporary materials and techniques to explores her Cree and Métis identity in her artwork.
White-Hill is another interdisciplinary artist interested in “honouring the stories and teachings that have been passed down by his family, community, and culture,” noted the release.
The exhibit’s opening reception happens Friday, Oct. 4, from 7-9 p.m., and there will also be an artist talk on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 2-4 p.m.
The art galley puts on a variety of fall programming for youths and adults such as art immersion programs, Indigenous crafting circles and painting and card-making workshops. For more information, visit http:// nanaimoartgallery.ca or call 250-754-1750.
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
Squpastul (Gathering), detail of a digitally altered historical photograph, above, by Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun, and Mother Tongue, detail of an archival photo with beadwork, textiles and porcupine quills, by Michelle Sound. (Images submitted)
New film society planning opening-night gala
The newly formed Nanaimo International Film Screening Society is looking forward to making its premiere in the city.
The society is putting on an opening gala on Sunday, Oct. 6, at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre, to present the award-winning film Riceboy Sleeps
The movie, written and directed by Anthony Shim, follows a Korean single mother raising her son in suburban Canada in the 1990s and was shot in Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge as well as in Gangwon-do, South Korea. “Critics around the world from Bangkok, Thailand, to Athens, Greece, rave about
the film Riceboy Sleeps,” noted an event press release. There will be two screening of the film, one at 3 p.m. and one at 7 p.m. From 5:30-7 p.m., there will be live music, appetizers, a cash bar and a silent auction. Tickets are $15 and available at http:// nifss.ca.
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
Writtenby:TopherPayne
ByPermissionof:ConcordTheatricals
October06-26,2024
‘The Piano Teacher’ strikes a chord at Chemainus Theatre
Award-winning play being staged Sept. 27- Oct. 20
Theatre lovers will learn important life lessons from the acclaimed play The Piano Teacher at the Chemainus Theatre.
The Governor General’s Award-winning play promises to strike a chord while delving into loss, love, friendship, and the healing power of music.
Vancouver Island playwright Dorothy Dittrich brings arts enthusiasts a script that critics have called a beautiful meditation on grief, loss, and the healing power of music.
“The subject of grief struck me as one that isn’t often given centre stage,” said Dittrich. “I wanted to bring grief forward to be seen and shared, accepted and ultimately healed and I wanted to talk about music, friendship and connection as ways to move forward.”
Rebecca De Boer makes her Chemainus Theatre
debut as classical pianist Erin who, after experiencing a devastating family tragedy, finds herself unable to play music, or even touch a piano. Navigating through the traumatic loss of the life she once knew, she meets unconventional piano teacher Elaine, who gives her new hope for the future.
Rounding out the story is a contractor, Tom, played by Victor Hunter, who is happy to return to the Chemainus Theatre for this touching story as his character brings a new perspective and love of music into the equation.
Director Sarah Rodgers said she is thrilled to be returning to Chemainus Theatre to direct The Piano Teacher following last year’s production of Gaslight
“It feels like coming home to my happy place,” said Rodgers. “I just love this theatre company and this sweet town. Gaslight was a gift, and this feels like another beautiful gift.”
Erin Ormond, who was also part of Gaslight, plays the unconventional piano teacher Elaine.
“Erin is one of my favourite actors to direct,” said Rodgers. “It is always special for a director and actor to collaborate when you come back. We’ve grown not only a friendship but also a beautiful relationship between an actor and director.”
The writer and director collaboration for this play is absolutely kismet; not only did Rodgers direct the original workshop production of The Piano Teacher as a staged reading for its first
public performance, Dittrich is also her daughter’s piano teacher.
“It’s been a gift to collaborate with Dorothy Dittrich,” said Rodgers. “Dorothy and I go way back, I had the
great honour to be an actor in, as well as workshop some of her earlier plays … Now, here I am able to direct a full production of it and bring it from the page to the stage. This really is a full-circle moment for me.”
The play is recommended for audiences aged 13 and over as there will be some mature language and scenes that discuss death.
“The story is about a woman moving through something incredibly difficult with the help of a couple of friends, music, laughter and courage, but there are also other forms of grief being told through each character,” said Dittrich. “I hope people will see something of themselves in the characters onstage and I would like people to leave the theatre feeling hopeful –perhaps clearer that there is great healing power in music and friendship.”
The Piano Teacher is on stage at the Chemainus Theatre until Oct. 20. Tickets start at $22 and are available at http://chemainustheatre.ca or by calling the box office at 250-246-9820.
chadd.cawson@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
Erin Ormond plays unconventional piano teacher Elaine in Dorothy Dittrich’s award-winning play The Piano Teacher. (Chadd Cawson/Black Press Media)
CHADD CAWSON BLACK PRESS MEDIA
What’s On
MUSIC
Moondance: The Van Morrison Songbook will be perfomed Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. at St. Andrew’s United Church. All seats $48. For tickets, call 250-754-8550.
Void DJs spin trashy pop, garage rock, goth, post punk and more on Oct. 5 starting at 9 p.m. at the Vault Café. $10 or pay what you can.
TnT, an AC/DC tribute band, plays the Queen’s Hotel on Oct. 5 starting at 10 p.m. Tickets $20 in advance at www.showpass. com/tntnanaimo.
Abra Cadabra: A Tribute to the Music and Magic of Abba, presented by Moon Coin Productions Inc., will play the Port Theatre on Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $69-74 available by calling 250-754-8550 or visiting http://porttheatre.com.
Ethan WL, Friends of the Road and Bereaved play as part of a night of guitar soli and melancholic folk drifts on Oct. 6 at 9 p.m. at the Vault Café. Cover $15.
Andrew Janussen Trio also featuring Ethan Olynyk and Brock Meades plays as part of jazz night at the Vault Café on Oct. 7 at 8:30 p.m. Cover $15.
Dawn Clement and guests, presented by the Friends of the Nanaimo Jazz Society, play
St. Andrew’s United Church on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. Tickets $38.50 or $28.50 for students, available at www.porttheatre.com or by calling 250-754-8550.
A-Skillz performs with DJ Carson and D-Set on Oct. 12 starting at 9:30 p.m. at the Queen’s Hotel. Presented by Lushrooms Events, sound by Renegade Sound Collective. Tickets at www.mylushrooms.com or www.showpass.com.
THEATRE
Perfect Arrangement presented by Nanaimo Theatre Group runs Oct. 6-26 at the Bailey Studio. 7:30 p.m. showtimes with three 2 p.m. matinees. Visit http://nanaimotheatregroup.ca or call 250-758-7224.
The Trollsons, part of TheatreOne’s Just for Kids series, comes to the Malaspina Theatre Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. Tickets $12 each or $10 each for family groups of four or more. Visit http://theatreone.ca or call 250-7547587. Tickets may also be available at the door.
ART
Threadbare, an exhibit by Connie Michele Morey, runs until Nov. 1 at Vancouver Island University’s View Gallery. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Other Side, an exhibition of photo-based and sculptural artwork by Michelle Sound and Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun, shows Oct. 5-Jan. 12 at the Nanaimo Art Gallery. Opening reception Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.
Thanksgiving Studio Tour presented by the Gabriola Arts Council happens Oct. 12-14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at more than 45 studios. Tour central is Nova Boutique and Gallery. For more information, visit http:://theartsongabriola.ca.
MAGIC
Laugha-Cadabra magic and comedy show presented by Sin City Illusions happens Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. at the Port Theatre. Featuring Murray Hatfield, Syd Bosel, Mary Wisforden and Ken Pham. Tickets $25-45. Call 250-754-8550.
FILM
Nanaimo International Film Screening Society presents Riceboy Sleeps on Oct. 6, at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre’s Shaw Auditorium. Screenings at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. with a reception at 5:30 p.m. Tickets $15 available at www.nifss.ca.
EVENTS
Creating Hope Art Gala, hosted by Island Crisis Care Society, features musical entertainment by From the Earth and the New Groovement, as well as dancing, live painting and other artwork, cocktails and appetizers and more. Oct. 5, 7-11 p.m. Fundraiser for David’s Place recovery program. Tickets $90 via http://www.islandcrisiscaresociety.ca.
Submit What’s On listings to editor@nanaimobulletin.com. editor@nanaimobulletin.com
Arts council looking for emerging artists
The Nanaimo Arts Council is looking for youths’ interpretations of ‘Life on the Waterfront’ as part of an emerging artist showcase.
The arts council is accepting submission until Oct. 11 from artists aged 18-29 for its first annual ‘emerging talent exhibition’ this fall, with a $350 cash prize to be won. All selected pieces will be exhibited online and in a 12-week exhibition at a local venue, and the exhibition will also include a reception and award ceremony.
For more information, visit http://nanaimoartscouncil.ca/programs/life-on-thewaterfront.
BOUQUET I was stung by an insect near Country Club Centre. I did not have my purse with me to buy antihistamine cream but a kind lady paid for it. My thanks to this generous unknown lady.
BEEF To the unsportsmanlike referee at the rec league game. Your penalty unfairness completely ruined it for one of the teams and their fans and families watching.
BOUQUET To Fair Care Alliance Nanaimo for the public meeting. As a heart patient who had to be transported to Victoria twice, I am most fortunate to be under the care of one of the two cardiologists in Nanaimo. I have been to emergency in Nanaimo a number of times and am very fortunate that the two caring cardiologists are providing ongoing care to some of the heart patients in this region.
BEEF To whoever is in charge of controlling traffic along Nanoose Flats. Huge amounts of cars are parked along the shoulder in a 90-kilometre-per-hour zone. People slow down to find parking. An accident waiting to happen.
BOUQUET As I was going through the Costco lineup, I realized that I had more in my basket than I wanted to pay for. As such I returned three or four items, one of which was a Tom Clancy novel. Upon paying my bill, the teller told me that the lady ahead of me had bought the book for me and had told her not to let me know until after she had left. I can’t say how much I am enjoying reading this gift. I wish I could give her a big hug and a kiss.
BEEF Loud motorcycle pipes are more about attention-seeking and trying to look cool than safety and saving lives. Loud pipes cause nervousness and startle drivers into unsafe driving more than they help save lives. As a continuous owner
and rider of street bikes for more than 35 years, I suggest good riding skills and your head on a swivel will save your life a good sight more than noisy pipes.
BOUQUET Progressive cities have bike lanes. Bike lanes reduce vehicle traffic and create communities with good healthy habits. Get on board or be left behind.
BEEF To the City of Nanaimo for the new traffic calming on Extension Road. You’ve actually made the road more dangerous.
BOUQUET To Will and Sarena, landscapers at Island Eco-Scapes, who provided amazing emergency first aid to my senior mother who had a car accident and broke her arm. They just happened to be passing at the time of the accident and were fantastically comforting and professional in delivering first aid. We cannot say how grateful we are for their kindness and support.
BEEF To the premier’s carbon tax flip-flop. Now that you’ve established taxation does not influence consumer behaviour, could you push the prime minister to ditch tobacco taxes too? I quit smoking several years ago because it got too expensive, but I would like to start again to help cope with my climate change anxiety.
BOUQUET Another wonderful trip on Hullo ferries. Your staff is so pleasant and welcoming and the entire travel process could not be smoother. So happy that you are here and hugely successful.
BEEF I would like to remind people to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks. My wife and I habitually endure drivers who drive through crosswalks instead of stopping for us. With the darkness coming earlier and more children on the streets it would be good to remind everyone to watch out for pedestrians.
BOUQUET To Wayne, shopping at Home Depot, for noticing I was buying a wrench and giving me the exact same one that he had in his car. You saved me money on something I’d only use once. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness.
BEEF To the writer who believes in the myth that loud pipes save lives, please do your research.
BOUQUET I cannot believe it has taken me so long to discover Sushi Ryu. Absolutely the best sushi in Nanaimo and we love their bento boxes. Super fantastic and excellent value.
BEEF Nanaimo’s property taxes have made it impossible for the bowling alley to continue doing business. Owner said his taxes went up 55 per cent to over $50,000. Very sorry and sad situation. Everyone has been talking about our high taxes for years now and city council has done nothing but turn a blind eye to this situation.
BOUQUET To NRGH. From the experience in emergency to my stay and treatment on the third floor until my discharge, I can only praise all of the staff for their professionalism, matched by their compassion and humour. It made a bad situation doable. The only downside was being moved from my room to a bed in the
hallway, but that is certainly a structural issue and can only be resolved by greater funding and capital expenditure to enlarge capacity, as advocated by the Fair Care Alliance.
BEEF To people who bully their neighbours. Look in the mirror. See your true self and get help. Sharing planet earth means just that: sharing. Did we miss your inauguration as King Bully Boy?
BOUQUET To Chris of Adair Tree Services for his overwhelming kindness and generosity. His crew always provides expert and reliable services along with good cheer and smiles – goes a long way, thank you.
BEEF To organizers of the charity event, for everything including confusing course layouts, PA system and not even a drink of water available.
BOUQUET To the person who found my credit card at Quality Foods Harewood. They turned it in to the office where I picked it up the next day. I really appreciated what you did.
BEEF To the store for blocking off all disability spots to re-paint, leaving nowhere for disabled clients to park. They could have just done a couple rows at a time or marked off a temporary area for disabled folks to park.
Submit your own Beef or Bouquet
Beefs & Bouquets is a free forum to give thanks or express views. The News Bulletin reserves the right to edit or refuse submissions. Length may be limited to 40 words. A winner will be selected from the bouquet submissions to receive a floral bouquet from Turley’s Florist. Mail or deliver to 777 Poplar St., Nanaimo, V9S 2H7 or e-mail to editor@nanaimobulletin.com. Fax to 250-753-0788.
Name Phone Address
week’s winner:
Best wins a bouquet from Turley’s Florist
BOUQUET To the team at Archer and Arrow clothing store. I called down there to ask if they had jeans and blazers in my size and explained that my time was limited. When I went in later that day, the sales lady had pre-pulled an entire rack of clothing in the styles and sizes I asked for. On top of that, she set my four-year-old up with colouring supplies so she was happy and occupied while I shopped. It was the best customer services I have ever received.
BEEF To the seniors who sign up for a class at Bowen Park activity centre then don’t show up for the class. Fourteen people signed up, only nine showed up today, but 10 people on a wait list who can’t attend because class is full. This goes on week after week.
BOUQUET Thanks to every single person in the palliative care unit at Nanaimo hospital. The special care my dad received in his final days was tremendous. So much love, respect and tenderness shown by all. It is so appreciated from this grieving family.
BEEF The dentist drilled holes in my incisor teeth without any explanation. The fillings fell out because incisor teeth bend. He also recommended a crown for a tooth that he claimed was cracked. I experienced tremendous pain after the procedure. He never told me that another molar was in greater need of replacing.
BOUQUET To Wyatt the tow truck driver who rescued me and my old Honda. You were kind and friendly and went absolutely out of your way to get my car to the garage and me home. Thank you.
BEEF Our taxes were $4,000 a year when we purchased our home five years ago, they are now $6,000. Our sidewalks don’t get cleared in the winter and are a mix of weeds, moss and grass the rest of the year. I will be filling out the form to oppose the borrowing of $90 million. Perhaps council should have prioritized this project before spending monies on other less-crucial ventures, for example bike lanes.
BOUQUET To Rotary Club of Nanaimo for their generous donation towards new resource materials for the Little Library By The Sea. Your support helps inspire curiosity and a deeper connection to our coastal ecosystems. Thank you.
BEEF To the City of Nanaimo concerning this loan of $90 million. I am against this loan because the city knew these buildings would eventually need to be replaced and should have been putting monies into a fund to cover the cost or most of the cost of replacing them.
BOUQUET To Michelle M. for not only being an incredibly generous, fun and loving friend, but the best Aunty Michelle to my children and to all of her other friend’s children. The relationships you’re fostering with these kids will last a lifetime. Aunties are the best. We love you.
BEEF To all the politicians crawling from underneath the rocks they have been hiding under for the last four years. Clearly your ‘golden goose’ has always been top-ofmind. Term limits should be mandatory, then real jobs would have to be sought. editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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