Oceanside Star February 19, 2015 by Oceanside Star

Dining Guide Page 2

| Wild & Free Page 14

| Events Pages 27-28

| Coffee Break Page 31

Firefighters battle ammo, hydro wire

Warning: Stitching may change your brain waves

Preparing your garden for climate change

A roaring fire at an isolated home in Errington Sunday presented some special challenges for firefighters, who kept the blaze from spreading to nearby trees NEWS, Page 3

A small piece like this might take Arrowsmith Needle Arts Guild member Bunny Goodman nine weeks to complete: ‘It changes brain waves into zen waves’ NEWS, Page 22

‘Our whole style of gardening has to change,’ says horticulturist Connie Kuramoto, and she had tips to offer to the Qualicum Beach Garden Club NEWS, Page 19

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Thursday, February 19, 2015

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‘A true community leader’ Tom Pope receives Chamber Lifetime Achievement award

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om Pope, owner of the Mulberry Bush Book Stores, was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award by the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce Wednesday. The award was presented during the Chamber’s annual Community Awards gala at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre. “It’s an honour,” Pope said of the award. “It’s very meaningful.” Following a career as a funeral director, Tom and wife Barbara opened the Qualicum Beach Mulberry Bush Book Store in 1989 and the Parksville store in 1993. Both stores are successes in spite of tumultuous times in the book business. Mulberry Bush won Business of the Year in 1995 and the Customer Service award in 2004. In presenting the Lifetime Achievement award to Tom, the Chamber said his management skills and experience “have brought him close to the true essence of what outstanding cus-

Tom Pope in the Mulberry Bush Book Store in Qualicum Beach. The Chamber says ‘warmth and friendship have always been a natural part of who Tom is.’ [BRIAN WILFORD/OCEANSIDE STAR] tomer service is all about. “That said, warmth and friendship have always been a natural part of who Tom is. His friendliness, thoughtfulness and kindness are innate qualities that he shows constantly as he continually goes out of his way to serve others.”

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A Chamber member for 26 years, Tom was also a founder of the Downtown Merchants Association and so was involved in events such as Maylight Madness, Moonlight Madness, Family Day, summer sidewalk sales and the Uptown Summer Market.

He has also been involved in the Brant Festival, Fire & Ice and Art in Action and the book stores have handled ticket sales for thousands of cultural events. As was noted in the Chamber presentation, Tom is “a true community leader.”

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X-walk upgrade sought Members of the Qualicum Woods Residents Association are calling for the installation of pedestrian-controlled traffic lights at Village Way and Qualicum Road. Traffic is increasing in the area and there have been numerous fender-benders, Carol Dowe told town council Monday. “It’s a tragedy waiting to happen.” Residents understand that a roundabout is unlikely, with mil-

lions being spent on a new fire hall, but the equipment for a pedestrian-controlled crossing can be had for about $30,000, she said. When the town has the money to upgrade the intersection, she said, the equipment can be moved to another intersection.

Retail added to Wembley A multi-unit commercial retail building will be built next to the new B.C. Liquor Store at Wembley Mall.

Council approved a development permit for the project Monday. The new building is 1,644 square metres (17,700 square feet) and will have a number of tenants.

Clinic getting new facade The former Parksville X-ray clinic building is getting a facade upgrade to accommodate new tenants Ballard Homes Construction, a real estate office and two

other businesses. A building permit has already been issued for extensive interior upgrades.

Festival theme chosen ‘Heroes and Villains’ will be the theme of the 2015 Quality Foods Canadian Open Sand Sculpting Competition and Exhibition. Almost 800 voters chose the theme from among three offered by the Parksville Beach Festival Society.

‘Heroes and Villains’ garnered 48 per cent; ‘Carnival’ 29 per cent; ‘At the Movies’ 23 per cent. The competition’s professional sculptors also voted for ‘Heroes and Villains’, said event manager Trish Smith. Beachfest president Cheryl Dill said the theme will also be built into other festival events, such as entertainment. This year’s competition and exhibition runs July 10 to Aug. 16. For more, see www.parksvillebeachfest.ca.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

|| OCEANSIDE STAR || 3

Fireﬁghters battle ammo, downed wire JULIE BERTRAND OCEANSIDE STAR

ire destroyed an Errington home Sunday evening. The home is too far gone to determine how the fire was started, Errington Fire Chief Troy Bater said Tuesday. He and the RCMP closed their investigations Monday. The volunteer department received a call about a house being on fire on Middlegate Road at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Bater said. By the time firefighters arrived, the home was fully engulfed. Errington firefighters called in help from volunteer departments in Parksville, Coombs and Dashwood. The home was uninhabited because it was being renovated. “There were live ammunition rounds going off because the property owner stored ammunition inside the house,” Bater said. As well, a live B.C. Hydro wire was down and firefighters had to wait for the utility company to shut it off. It took firefighters an hour to extinguish the flames. The house was on large rural lot far from its neighbours. There were trees were close to the house, Bater said, but recent wet weather helped stop the fire from spreading. The home is a complete loss, he said. He’s asking Errington residents to make sure their house address is visible from the road so that emergency personnel can find it quickly.

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NEWS

4 || OCEANSIDE STAR || THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

People were warned about Epcor BRIAN WILFORD OCEANSIDE STAR

pcor’s application for a water-rate hike of 46 per cent doesn’t surprise June Ross of the Vancouver Island Water Watch Coalition. The coalition was formed in 2005 in part to lobby against privately held water systems. That was also the year that Epcor North Island Water Inc. formally applied to take over Breakwater Enterprises Ltd., a private water system in French Creek that then had some 1,600 connections serving roughly 4,000 people. When the legally required notice of Epcor’s application to buy the Breakwater utility appeared in the newspaper, Ross said, “all hell broke loose.” There were lots of public meetings, several of them organized by Epcor.

The meetings were packed, Ross said. “People were angry.” The Coalition, CUPE Local 401 and the French Creek Residents’ Association all opposed the application, both at the meetings and in formal letters to the provincial comptroller of water. “We warned people that rate increases were coming,” Ross said. “You welcome these people (private utilities) and this is what you get.” The Town of Qualicum Beach and Regional District of Nanaimo “did nothing,” she said. However, documents from an October 2005 RDN board meeting show that the RDN sought control of the Breakwater system and then tried to negotiate a deal in which it would own the system but Epcor would operate it for 21 years. Qualicum Beach Mayor Teunis Westbroek was among those involved in the negotiations and board discussions. However, “Breakwater

June Ross: When the ad for the Epcor takeover appeared in the paper, ‘all hell broke loose.’

Michael Jessen: The owners walked away from talks with the RDN and ‘into the arms of Epcor.’

walked away from its handshake deal with the RDN into the arms of Epcor,” said Michael Jessen, a member of both the Coalition and the FCRA. Because it was a totally private deal, he said, it was monitored only by the comptroller. The comptroller, he said, could only determine whether Epcor

was sufficiently qualified and financed to purchase and operate the system. “Private water purveyors,” said Jessen, “often serve a useful purpose in turning around poorly operated utilities but it is usually done at a cost and often that cost ends up becoming unreasonable. Epcor may be falling into that

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category.” There was no requirement for a referendum, he said. Said Ross: “It would never have passed a referendum.” In the end, the comptroller approved the sale. Ross said the Coalition remains vigilant. “I don’t want them (private utilities) expanding anywhere else on this Island,” she said. “We cannot lose control.” She’s concerned that municipalities, facing downloaded infrastructure costs, are under pressure to sell their water systems. “Then a privatized company can do whatever they like with it,” she said. “Once you lose it, it’s gone.” The Coalition is also concerned, Ross said, that much of the Island’s watershed, essentially the E&N land grant, is owned by forest companies. “I get so frustrated with it all,” she said. “We’re trying to draw dots together for people. “If there is no environment, then there is no economy, no jobs. I want something here for my grandbabies.”

he French Creek Residents’ Association is asking the provincial comptroller of water rights to hold a public hearing on proposed rate increases by Epcor. The private water company, which has more than 2,000 connections in French Creek, is proposing staged rate hikes totalling 46 per cent in 2015-17, as well as a 202 per cent increase to a non-consumption-based billing surcharge called a rate rider. The company says it needs the increases in part to cover some $5 million in upgrades triggered by a health authority order on treating surface water. The FCRA and the area’s regional director, Joe Stanhope, are opposing the application and encouraging residents to write to the provincial comptroller, Rick

Couroux. FCRA vice-president Rob Williams told members last week that Couroux has indicated he will decide on a hearing after he and his staff have had time to review the submissions. Customer submissions must be made by Feb. 23. The process ends Mar. 27 with a ‘reply submission’ from Epcor. Williams is asking that when residents write to Couroux, they also ask for a public hearing. “A meeting would also allow any customer to question Epcor and expect answers or clarification,” he said. Submissions may be emailed to Rick.Couroux@gov.bc.ca.; faxed to 250-953-5124; or snail-mailed to Rick Couroux, Secretary to the Deputy Comptroller of Water Rights, PO Box 9340 Stn Provincial Government, Victoria, BC, V8W 9M1.

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NEWS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

|| OCEANSIDE STAR || 5

Curling club asking for tax exemption JULIE BERTRAND OCEANSIDE STAR

espite an 80 per cent drop in assessment value and property taxes, the Parksville Curling Club is asking council to give it a 100 per cent tax exemption this year. Club president Ron Boag told council Monday that enforcement of the city’s policy for permissive tax exemptions isn’t fair. “We ask for the policy to be revised and for [our evaluation category] be amended to 100 per cent,” he said.

Council revised the city tax exemption policy in 2013 and decreased tax exemptions from 100 to 50 per cent for sports groups. Starting last year, the groups had to pay property taxes. Boag said the curling club’s building, which is owned by the Regional District of Nanaimo and located on leased city land, has a tax assessment that is incorrect and too high. “With 100 per cent tax exemption for our first nine years, there was no need to question the tax

assessment,” he said. The club received a $32,000 property tax bill in 2014, or $16,000 with the 50 per cent tax exemption. They appealed it and B.C. Assessment lowered it to $12,000, or $6,000 with the exemption. It sought a complete exemption but was denied it. Thenmayor Chris Burger suggested increasing membership fees. This year, the club expects a tax bill of $6,000, or $3,000 with the tax exemption. It tried to get its lease revised but was turned down by the RDN.

Island Health could order city to build treatment plant, Manson says JULIE BERTRAND OCEANSIDE STAR

If Parksville residents reject funding the proposed $37-million water treatment plant and aquifer storage and recovery, the city could face two outcomes, chief administrative officer Fred Manson told council Monday. In the first instance, “we would get Coun. Leanne an order to Salter proceed anyway in order to provide potable water from Island Health,” he said. In the other instance, should Island Health not issue an order, the city could be forced to issue boil-water advisories during high-turbidity events and in the

summer. However, if residents vote in favour of the project and the city gets funding for it, he said, “council would be in a position to reduce water rates.” Manson’s remark were made during discussion about a proposed two-per-cent increase on water utility and parcel rates for 2015. Finance director Lucky Butterworth told council it would be appropriate to increase the water rates this year due to funding uncertainty about the watertreatment plant and because last year’s water revenues were lower than expected by $23,000. Increasing the water rates by two per cent would generate an additional $63,000. Butterworth estimated the increase would cost the average water user $7 per year. Council voted in favour of

increasing the water rates by two per cent and the sewer rates by five per cent. Coun. Leanne Salter found fault with the sewer rate increase. “We encouraged people to decrease usage and they did,” she said. “Now we have to increase the sewer rates.” Manson said that’s incorrect. The city’s reserves for future capital work on the sewer system have dropped because council voted in past years not to increase them due the city having an accumulated surplus, he said. “Our reserves have now dropped down to unacceptable levels,” Salter said she finds it difficult to support rate increases. “We live in a community that’s predominantly senior,” she said. “Every increase impacts our seniors who are on fixed incomes.”

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He noted that the Parksville Lawn Bowling Club will get a 100 per cent tax exemption in this year, up from 50 per cent last year. “If the city treats any nonprofit organization, previously entitled to a tax exemption, any differently, they are administering the policy on an inequitable and unfair basis,” he said. At Coun. Al Greir’s suggestions, council referred the matter to its budget deliberations. “We can then come up with a better answer,” Greir said.

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) invites detailed proposals from consultants to provide design, tendering and construction administration services to develop the Meadowood Community Hall in RDN Electoral Area “F’ near Qualicum Bay, BC using surplus portables to be moved from Parksville Elementary School.

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“The imposition of any tax bill,” Boag said, “becomes an additional financial burden that takes funds away from the operation and maintenance of the arena.” Boag said the club aimed to keep its fees at the same level as clubs in Qualicum Beach and Nanaimo. He included in his documents to council an RDN memorandum stating that capital work in $350,000 - $500,000 range will be required on the curling rink over the next five years.

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NEWS

6 || OCEANSIDE STAR || THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015 PARKSVILLE

City takes action against bylaw violators JULIE BERTRAND OCEANSIDE STAR

arksville council is continuing its campaign against bylaw-breaking properties by putting notices on the titles of two properties and taking action on an unsightly property. A building permit was issued in October 2013 to alter the front entrance at 171 Ford Ave. The permit has expired and the work

hasn’t been completed. The owners say they’ll apply for a new permit when they can. Coun. Leanne Salter questioned putting a notice on a property title just because the front entrance isn’t finished. She doesn’t believe it’s a health or a safety issue. “It should be buyer beware,” she said. “People buy houses all the time without

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doing a building inspection.” Administrative service director Debbie Comis said the chief building inspector decides whether to issue a notice. “In our world, when somebody buys a property with deficiencies the city is aware of, it is a liability,” she said. “[The title notice] protects our taxpayers from the legal cost of the municipality being found negligent.” Coun. Teresa Patterson asked what the financial implications are for the property owner. Comis said it costs $100 to remove the notice once the work is completed. Construction was done on a home at 446 Harnish Ave. without a building permit. A hole was dug in the backyard, a staircase was removed and the home was divided into two suites. A carport was enclosed and a garage, accessory building, rear deck, stairs and a roof were built without a permit. City staff issued a stop work order. Property owner Lori Molchan told council she bought the house as a foreclosure and did not have it inspected. She said city building inspector Kevin Peters threatened to rip off her garage and that city staff denied her request for a building permit to address the situation. “If other seniors had to face what I had to face. This was way out of line,” she said. “I would like to apply for a building permit, [not get a title notice or a stop work order] sent out. It’s harassment.” Molchan said the garage, accessory building, rear deck, stairs, roof and enclosed carport were there when she bought the property but the city has lost earlier inspection reports. A neighbour told her the garage had been there for at least 25 years, she said. She only wanted to replace doors, she said, but a contractor compromised the interior stairs, which had to be removed.

Administrative services director Debbie Comis reminded council the city is liable when bylaw-breaking properties are sold. Coun. Sue Powell asked that Molchan be told what to do next. Community planning director Blaine Russell told council Peters has already sent a letter to Molchan explaining how to fix the situation. Council also voted to take action on a property overrun with grass and weeds at 813 Island Hwy.W. Comis told council this is the seventh year in a row there have been complaints about the property. The property owner will have 30 days to clean it up, she said. If action isn’t taken, the city will clear the property and bill the owner for the work along with a $500 processing fee. “There might be extra motivation for the owner,” Comis said. “We cleaned the owner’s other property at 505 Belson St. and the final bill was close to $6,000.” Powell later said the increased number of title notices is the result of staff having more time to respond to complaints from the public. “It’s not a crackdown,” she said.

NEWS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

|| OCEANSIDE STAR || 7

VIU pulls funding for adult tutoring Career Centre, tutors looking for new partners BRIAN WILFORD OCEANSIDE STAR

ancouver Island University is cutting funding to The Tutoring Program, an Oceanside-area literacy program for adults. The program, which began as Project Literacy in 1989, will end March 31. Dave Witty, provost and vicepresident academic for VIU, said Tuesday that The Tutoring Program cost the university about $80,000 a year, including paying for a full-time program coordinator, Bronwyn Brown. Office space and equipment are funded by federal and provincial programs and by a community partnership with CVI JOBS The Career Centre. Witty said the decision was made as part of a new “regional action plan” for the Parksville area which will instead focus on developing a Centre for Healthy Aging, reinvigorating the Arrowsmith Biosphere, and working with area First Nations. “There are lots of things in play,” he said, which the university plans to present to the community in a public meeting in the next few months. “We’ve made a strategic decision to invest in Parksville in a significant way.” The university is hoping The Career Centre can take over The Tutoring Program, he said. Cheryl Dill, executive director for The Career Centre, said Tuesday the Centre’s board is considering supporting the program. It’s “a significant amount of money” for a non-profit society to take on, she said, and The Career Centre would certainly welcome other community partners. “It ends April 1,” Dill said, “so we need both a short-term plan and a long-term plan.” The program’s 50-70 tutors are volunteers. They provide basic literacy training in reading, spelling, writing and grammar; literacy improvement to aid in job search or retention; mathematics and basic computer skills tutoring to meet admission requirements; and English-as-a-Second-Language training for community newcomers. The tutors say they serve 70-90 adult students a year, some 1,700 since the program’s inception. Using a tutoring rate of $30 an hour, they estimate they provide $240,000 a year in free service to the community. “Most adult students,” the tutors say in a document distributed to program members, “cannot upgrade their literacy if they need to pay for adult basic

VIU provost Dave Witty: Part of a new ‘regional action plan.’

education,” with costs as high as $300 per course, as well as transportation and child care. As a result, they say, people will be unemployed or underemployed for longer periods, increasing social welfare costs. As well, they say, the tutors, many of whom are seniors with impressive credentials, will lose the opportunity to donate their expertise to those in need. The tutors met last Thursday to consider other funding sources.

“There are lots of people who need the service,” said program tutor Bonnie Stableford, former head of the Science & Engineering Library at UBC. “And we want to be able to continue to contribute to the community. “However, The Tutoring Program can’t be done without a program coordinator.” To help save The Tutoring Pro-

gram, tutors are asking people to write to their local councils and other elected representatives, and to senior VIU officials, such as president and vice-chancellor Dr. Ralph Nilson. For more information, contact tutors Martha Grier (mgrier12@ shaw.ca; 250-468-1569) and Bonnie Stableford (bastableford@shaw. ca; 250-594-9181).

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Group calls for cull to control Canada geese JULIE BERTRAND OCEANSIDE STAR

“I

t’s very difficult to bring Canada geese numbers down without a cull,” John Cooper, president of the Guardians of the Mid-Island Estuaries, told Parksville council Monday. Cooper and vice-president Tim Clermont reported on the group’s work in the last four years to control the local goose population and asked for $8,000 to continue the work this year. The group has been addling goose eggs since 2006 in the Englishman River estuary and since 2010 in the Little Qualicum River estuary. Nest numbers in the Little Qualicum estuary have decreased from 45 to 28 but nests in the Englishman River estuary have increased from 53 to 75, despite volunteers addling more than 1,600 eggs. Egg addling and hunting cut the numbers for the Little Qualicum, Clermont said, while migrant birds from the U.S. and other parts of the Island increased nest numbers in the Englishman River estuary. “Parksville geese are good at not going in hunting areas,” he said. Cooper, an ornithologist, said the egg addling should be more effective but it’s not. Canada geese were introduced to Vancouver Island in the 1970s. The Guardians estimate the goose population in Parksville at about 1,000, with the geese living in parks, school grounds, fields and beaches.. A gaggle can often

be found near city hall. The voracious birds graze plants back and dig down to their rhizomes, causing estuary banks to collapse and vegetation be replaced by lichen and moss. “They have huge impact on estuaries, parks and school grounds,” Clermont said. The city gave the group a $25,000 grant three years ago to control the population and to come up with a population management plan. Clermont said a draft plan should be ready by the end of the month and will be presented to city staff and council. Once the goose population is stabilized, the group plans to try to restore the estuaries back to their pre-Canada geese states. They have already seeded

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and planted small plots in the Little Qualicum River estuary which they have surrounded with high fences to keep geese and deer away. Cooper asked the city to form a working group with the Guardians to explore other solutions, including a goose cull. “It’s the easiest and most effective way,” he said, but it requires approval from Environment Canada. “The city needs to lead the process and we will support you,” he said. More than one cull might be needed, he said, and he warned of a backlash from some residents. Coun. Sue Powell said she supports a cull because “the geese are destroying our ecosystem.” Council voted to consider the Guardians funding request during its budget discussions.

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Opinion We want to hear from you. Send your letters to letters@oceansidestar.com or call 250-954-0600

Oceanside Star A division of the Vancouver Island Newspaper Group Limited Partnership

Contact Us: 120-425 Stanford Ave. Parksville, B.C., V9P 2N4 Phone: 250-954-0600 Fax: 250-954-0601 Email: news@oceansidestar.com Classifieds/Obituaries: 1-866-415-9169 classifieds@oceansidestar.com Community Marketing and Sales Director Andrea Rosato-Taylor 1-250-729-4248 arosato-taylor@ oceansidestar.com Managing Editor Brian Wilford 250-954-0600, ext. 211 bwilford@oceansidestar.com Administrative Assistant Paul Davies 250-954-0600, ext. 205 pdavies@oceansidestar.com Reporter Julie Bertrand 250-954-0600, ext. 209 jbertrand@oceansidestar.com Circulation Manager John Sloan 250-954-0600, ext. 207 jsloan@oceansidestar.com Account Executive Jan Spink 250-954-0600, ext. 204 jspink@oceansidestar.com Account Executive Tina Loubert 250-954-0600, ext. 202 tloubert@oceansidestar.com

This newspaper’s contents are protected by copyright and may be used only for personal, non-commercial purposes. All other rights are reserved. Commercial use is prohibited. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the newspaper. For more information, please contact the publisher.

It will be tough to prove Epcor is ‘greedy’ P

eople contacting the provincial comptroller of water to protest the 46 per cent rate increase proposed by Epcor over three years are going to have to do a little better than “greedy private company.” It’s a fine-sounding argument but it was lost a decade ago when Epcor took over the Breakwater Utility system in French Creek. The family-owned system was in poor shape and they could see regulatory expenses beyond their means coming down the pipe, so they looked to sell.

The Regional District of Nanaimo wanted to buy it with the aim of having no private systems in the region but in the end Breakwater liked Epcor’s offer better and that was that. Despite the hue and cry about water being a human right, the comptroller had no ability to rule that water utilities should be in public hands, only that Epcor was capable of owning and operating the Breakwater system. It’s the same thing now. Angry submissions about being screwed over by a private purveyor

“because that’s what these guys do” will accomplish nothing. The comptroller will look at Epcor’s additional expenses, triggered mainly by new health regulations, and issue a limited ruling on that basis. When you look at what Parksville and the RDN are having to spend on water, Epcor’s position may be tough to counter. Parksville, which according to one letter writer has hiked its water rate 179 per cent in the past 10 years, is proposing only a two per cent hike this year but

that’s assuming it gets $9 million in infrastructure funding this year and another $9 million next year. That’s quite an assumption. The real problem here is a dearth of provincial policy and regulation. The province is quite capable of mandating public ownership of water systems by a certain date, with arbitrated compensation to the Epcors. It won’t do that, however, unless the politicians feel the heat. BRIAN WILFORD

>>Your Letters // email: letters@oceansidestar.com Climate-change deniers come across as fools

be a human right — water. Those of us on the front lines of trying to protect water and all of our other natural resources actually do know what we are talking about! It has happened time and time again. Maybe next time, we who know will be listened to? June Ross, Acting Chair, Vancouver Island Water Watch Coalition

I wish you would stop printing letters by people who still refute climate change. 99.9 per cent of all scientists in the world know that climate change is very, very real. To keep printing letters refuting it only makes the writers of these letters come across as total fools, and very ignorant. It serves no other purpose than that. Jim Connor Qualicum Beach

Afghan veterans getting shabby treatment

Budget-meeting editorial paints a familiar picture Re. City budget process is more about power (Opinion, Feb. 12). I have watched many of the budget meetings in prior years and your first few paragraphs paint a picture of the current meeting. I feel that I have seen that meeting. Your conclusions should give all taxpayers in Parksville lots to mull over. Elaine Hofer Parksville

Mayor’s chair not the seat of power at city hall I really enjoyed reading the articles in the Feb. 12 Star concerning discussions about the City of Parksville’s budget. The comments from former mayor Paul Reitsma seem to be right on the money — excuse my pun — about how many accrued sick days are allowed in our city compared with other jurisdictions. The situation would be ridiculously risible were it not quite so disgustingly disgraceful. The subsequent account and pie chart of how our tax dollars are divided was both eye-opening and informative, but best was the Editorial on Page 10, a well-written

piece on how our city is completely run by the bureaucrats, with elected officials little more than helpless and hapless bystanders when it comes to spending decisions at budget time. It sounded so much like the song I’ve been singing to anyone who would listen for many years, that the real seat of power at city hall lies not in the mayor’s chair but in the satrap’s stool. Believe it or not, I was heartened by none other than our renowned penny-pinching premier last October when she spoke at the Union of BC Municipalities meeting in Whistler. She surprised the cozy meeting of her ‘farm team’ by admonishing them to tighten their belts, stating how municipal bureaucrats had received 38 per cent salary increases over the past dozen years; twice times that of their provincial counterparts, and almost double that of periodic inflation. It’s time for those we elect to

take back the reins at city hall, restore some order to the big house on Jensen Avenue, and stand up for the taxpayers’ rights. Bernie Smith Parksville

Start paying attention to those on the front lines In 2005 the Vancouver Island Water Watch Coalition was formed as a direct result of Epcor coming to the Island to buy water services. Both Coalition and CUPE members attended many meetings held by the proponent Epcor. We pointed out time and again to the citizens of French Creek that, when our public utilities are sold off to private corporations, the end result will be what the citizens are now seeing: increased rates beyond that which is reasonable, service that is questionable and a huge loss of public control over what is supposed to

Why can’t the Harper government truly stand up for veterans rather than using them as props for political gain? The recent revelation that they have spent almost $700,000 fighting a group of wounded Afghan veterans in B.C. Supreme Court over the removal of their lifetime disability payments is unconscionable. Incredibly, the federal lawyers are claiming that the government has no special obligation or “social contract” with veterans. This shabby treatment of veterans and their families certainly does not reflect the manner in which Canadians expect that men and women who are injured in the line of duty must be cared for. The arrogance and cynicism of this government seems to know no bounds. It is time for a government that will treat our veterans with the respect they deserve. Gord Johns, federal NDP candidate, Courtenay-Alberni The Oceanside Star welcomes letters to the editor but we reserve the right to edit for clarity, taste, legality and length. Submissions must include hometown and a daytime phone number for verification purposes only. Letters must include your first (or two initials) and last name. For best results, email your submission to letters@oceansidestar.com.

OPINION

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

Listen to the experts Shirley Sterlinger My View

uring the municipal elections, I became concerned about the lack of public understanding around water treatment and the one-sided information being disseminated to suit various agendas. Since then, I have invested considerable time studying the Englishman River Water Service proposal and the newer technologies that have emerged to better address water treatment. I have also read the Medical Health Officer’s Special Report on the Status of Water Treatment on Vancouver Island. During my practice as a public health nurse, I left the issues of the pipes, engineering and the treatment plants to the experts. However, the science of how the bacteria behave and water treatment in general is required knowledge for a public health professional. Simply put, the water we use in the winter from our aquifers is properly treated with chlorine to kill harmful bacteria. Water that

comes from surface sources, like a river or a lake, requires what are called two barriers to treat a variety of pathogens that range from viruses to bacteria and parasites. Chlorine is an excellent first form of treatment but the quality of the source water informs what additional processes are necessary to ensure that all organisms meet reductions dictated by provincial standards. This is because surface water is often subject to turbidity and the pathogens ‘hide’ amongst the small particles. Filtration is required to remove the turbidity, so disinfection agents such as chlorine, ozone or UV will kill the pathogens. The cloudiness of the water, as measured by turbidity, is one quality of the source water that can dictate the form of treatment including chlorination, ultraviolet and ozone treatments. The filtration method needs to be a technology capable of removing particles that are less than a unit measure referred to as 1NTU. From a regulatory perspective, drinking water that exceeds 1NTU at the point of disinfection is not considered acceptable. Many other considerations for both ground and surface water are described in the MHO’s report.

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River water is also subject to contamination due to ever-changing and more intense land uses since the construction of the Arrowsmith Dam. One of the big beefs is: “Having built a reservoir way up in the mountains, why didn’t we run a pipe from there to the city to convey pristine, settled water?” Parksville does not own or control all the land in the Englishman River watershed. The Ministry of Environment and DFO want the water to come down the river for the benefit of the fish, before we extract it for our use. The source waters from the mountains are not as pristine as some believed in the past. As turbidity goes up, illness goes up, so we need to have a full-blown water treatment plant when we use water from the Englishman River. The issues are complex but every citizen in Parksville and Nanoose Bay affected by this can write a letter in support of this project to their MLA and MP. Every community organization needs to mount a political campaign now and during the federal election directed to each of the candidates running. We need to make it clear that we expect a commitment of senior government infrastructure funding for this project.

|| OCEANSIDE STAR || 11

YOUR LETTERS

Epcor’s water is subject to strict regulations Some people should get their facts straight about Epcor’s water not being passed by regulations. This statement is untrue. Their water goes through very strict regulations and I’m sure it’s monitored very closely due to public safety. Allen Hess Errington

Why is it so many drivers don’t signal? Why is it that many drivers do not engage the signal-turning lights when changing lanes, passing cars, at intersections, at roundabouts indicating the road that are planning to take? It’s not a difficult task. Really, it’s easier than using the cell. Jeanpaul Brasca Parksville

Disrespect shown to city council appalling Re. ‘City budget process is more about power’ (Opinion, Feb. 12). I attended that council meeting and was absolutely appalled by the presentation to our elected members. I couldn’t believe anybody could be so inept.

Now I understand the game... and now I’m absolutely appalled that our elected representatives are treated with such disrespect by those who should be supporting them and helping them make the best decisions for us. Thanks for educating me. Karel Sanders Parksville

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Wicks calls for tree management plan Consultant Trevor Wicks is calling on Qualicum Beach council to establish a comprehensive tree management policy or plan. Wicks said his Qualicum Woods neighbourhood has lost 60-70 per cent of its trees in recent years. This exposes the remaining trees to further damage from fire, wind and drought, he said. “When you clear off areas you get channels of wind that are very destructive,” he said. “Unless we have a management plan, we may lose areas of trees.”

Trees need to be recognized as community assets rather than as the property of an owner, he said. A policy could include an inventory of trees; the planting of a variety of trees that are safe, health and effective; and the inclusion of tree-management plans in any development or construction, he said. “Many communities have tree or forest management plans,” Wicks said. “They vary a lot.” A comprehensive plan or policy is needed, he said, “so that the many advantages of trees will be available for future generations.”

Dogwoods rotting in waterlogged park area Qualicum Beach town staff are recommending that 14 dogwood trees in the community park be monitored and removed over time as they become compromised. Last month one of the trees fell on and damaged a passing scooter driven by resident Jean Horner. She wasn’t injured. Her son, Coun. Neil Horner, asked that the park’s remaining dogwoods be inspected. In a report to council Monday, town arborist and parks fore-

man Toni Botelho said the area is waterlogged and not suited for growing dogwoods. The tree that fell was suffering from extensive root rot. The dogwoods should be replaced over time with a more suitable species, Botelho said. “Staff will monitor the trees and only intervene as required to reduce the risk of failure.”

Three appointed to planning commission Qualicum Beach council has appointed three new mem-

bers to its Advisory Planning Commission. Bruce Fleming-Smith, David James and Lance Nater will serve on the APC for a term ending Dec. 31, 2016. The town received nine applications for three vacancies. The APC is composed of five residents who serve a two-year term on a voluntary basis and provide recommendations to council. The APC meets on a case-bycase basis to consider proposed land-use bylaws or permits referred to it by town staff. The meetings are open to the public.

NEWS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

|| OCEANSIDE STAR || 13

Strait of Georgia book wins literary award VING NEWS SERVICE

The authors of The Sea Among Us: The Amazing Strait of Georgia have been awarded the Roderick Haig-Brown Award. The book, edited by fisheries biologist Dr. Richard Beamish Gordon McFarlane hit No. 2 on the B.C. Bestsellers list for several weeks. Though it was only published by Harbour Publishing in Nov-

ember, it’s into its second printrun. It was sold out of Oceansidearea book stores weeks before Christmas. The Roderick Haig-Brown Award is typically granted to a work of literature that contributes to the “enjoyment and understanding of the province of British Columbia.” The Sea Among Us is an illustrated collection of essays on different aspects of the strait

ecosystem written by leading experts in their fields. “All of a sudden people like me are realizing that we’ve spent our career writing scientific papers for our colleagues, but we don’t really communicate comprehensively to the general public, and it is the general public who are our patrons,” said Beamish, who along with McFarlane is now retired and a professor emeritus at the Pacific Biological Station.

“Both (McFarlane) and I thought that we needed something that was comprehensive but written so that the general public wouldn’t have to wade through a bunch of scientific terminology.” They also wanted to provide British Columbians with the information they need to “make good decisions,” he said. Beamish feels they may have both accomplished an unusual feat and touched a nerve with

readers. “To me, that is what teaching is all about. This is what we know, this is maybe how we do it, but look - this is what we don’t know,” he said. Beamish and McFarlane received their Roderick HaigBrown award in Richmond on Wednesday at the annual general meeting of the Washington-British Columbia chapter of the American Fisheries Society.

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Cameraman Bob Ennis films Sylvia Campbell and Frances Shaw as they prepare for a music-video. It and the full-length feature film ‘Wellness to Wilderness’ are showing at the Chrysler Theatre at 2 p.m. this Sunday, Feb. 22. [NIWRA PHOTO]

Spirit inspired the journey Sylvia Campbell Wild & Free

n l984, Robin Campbell found a Great Horned Owl caught in a barbed wire fence. Its wing was wrapped around the fence several times and it was mangled. He could do nothing but bring it home. It was Christmas Day and Christmas dinner would have to wait.

The bird was named ‘Spirit’ because of the spirit of Christmas. It would be an event that would change the direction of Robin’s life. It has now been 30 years since the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre became a non-profit organization. The journey began at the Buckley Bay ferry terminal, where injured animals were cared for behind the old grocery store and gas pumps. In l988, the enclosures were moved to a bare piece of land with a few outbuildings in Errington. There was no running water to the enclosures and few hands to help. It didn’t take long before the public began to notice the efforts. See WILD, Page 15

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Rehabilitation centre is now world-class Sylvia Campbell Wild & Free WILD, from Page 14 When 29 bald eagles were rescued by Robin and a handful of volunteers, donations began to

come in. Since then, NIWRA has developed into a world-class wildlife rehabilitation centre with extensive educational programs reaching out to Vancouver Island schools and the general public. The centre is now also become known as a beautiful and vibrant tourist destination. On Sunday, Feb. 22, 2 p.m., in the Chrysler Theatre at the Parksville Community & Conference Centre, a full-length film will be shown about the life of Robin and Sylvia Campbell and the development of the North

Island Wildlife Recovery Centre. ‘Wellness to Wilderness’ was made over two years by cameraman and producer Bob Ennis and technical assistant Susan Teed. An award-winning music video will also be featured. Entrance is by donation. The film will be on sale at the viewing and there will be silent auction items. Refreshments will be available. This is the 30th anniversary of the centre and more celebrations are in the works. For more information on upcoming anniversary events, see www.niwra.org.

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Qualicum Beach Mayor Teunis Westbroek, sporting a tie he has owned since coming to Canada in the 1970s, prepares to escort model Rina Knoesen into the Vintage Fashion Show at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre on Sunday. Sponsored by the seniors centres of Parksville and Qualicum Beach, the sold-out show featured a century of fashion from the collection of Merlyn Patten. Knoesen is modeling a 1960s ‘Mancini’ matching coat and dress from California. The event raised money for the Vancouver Island Compassion Dogs Society. [BRIAN WILFORD/OCEANSIDE STAR]

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Harris family business marks 50th year VING NEWS SERVICE

he impressive growth continues for the Harris Auto Group, 50 years after Jack Harris opened his first General Motors dealership. Since then, the family business has grown to include five dealerships in Nanaimo, Parksville and Victoria that cover 10 different brands, making it the largest auto group on Vancouver Island. Mike Harris is currently running the

day-to-day operations of the business, which has more than 200 employees, as his iconic father Tom prepares to retire. The industry has changed dramatically since Mike’s grandfather opened his first Nanaimo dealership in 1964. Back then, he said, GM held almost half the market share of new car sales across North America but now brands from all over the world compete for market share. “We quickly realized that we would have to sell a wide range of brands to remain

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Tom Harris, left, and son Mike, who runs day-to-day operations for the Harris Auto Group. competitive and we were one of the first dealers in Canada to introduce Mitsubishi and Kia to local markets,” Mike said. Prospective buyers used to visit many different car dealerships to compare vehicles and prices, he said. Now they walk in already having a good idea of what they want and may visit only one or two dealerships before buying. And the cars themselves, he said, are now “smaller, more fuel-efficient and much safer than the models that were

made years ago, but prices have not gone up much in many cases largely due to the amount of competition out there.” A Harris has been at the helm of the Group since the beginning and that may well continue, he said.”My brother Tony has a one-year-old boy and I have three young sons. My twin sons, four-year-old Charlie and Ben, spend a lot of time playing with and talking about cars, so I expect they’ll play a part in the business when they’re older.”

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Lovely Hawaii package departs on September 29 and includes a $250 per stateroom onboard credit, air back to Vancouver and all taxes for $3249 CAD. We’ve got other stateroom categories available for all 3 of the sailings oﬀered. Please call CruisePlus at 250-390-0220 or toll free at 1-877-722-2202 or visit us in Lantzville (Nanaimo north) for more information on any cruise. We’re open 7 days a week except for stats. CruisePlus is celebrating our 17th year as one of the world’s top producing Holland America agencies. I am sure you’ll like our non-pressured style and experienced advice. We’re pretty close to 100,000 passengers booked! For the ﬁrst look at our deals, please remember to sign up for our emails at

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18 || OCEANSIDE STAR || THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

Night of mayhem pairs Happy Days and murder

You’re free to read Branches in the Vancouver Island Regional Library system are celebrating Freedom to Read week Feb. 22-28. The week “encourages people to reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” VIRL spokeswoman Natasha Bartlett said in a news release last week. Branches are holding events and displaying “challenged works,” she said. For more, see virl.bc.ca/ftrw.

It was a rough day at the office for Bau Kehoe. Who would do such a thing? Possibly a Klingon from the looks of the weapon. Smoke ‘N Water Restaurant at Pacific Shores Resort is hosting a Murder Mystery Night with a Fifties theme next Thursday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m. Organizer Layne Collinson says it will be “three hours of comedy and mayhem,” along with a three-course dinner, all for $59. To reserve, call 250-468-7192.

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Gardening in a changing climate extended down through the major foodgrowing areas in California, she said. This fall and winter, “when it rained, it really rained hard. It really pounded.” The drought can cause the soil structure to collapse and crust, making it less absorbent. Then so much rain comes all at once that it just runs off instead of soaking in. “Our whole style of gardening has to change,” she said, using techniques

Master gardener and horticulturist Connie Kuramoto poses by the front garden at the Eagle Park Health Care Centre in Qualicum Beach. Kuramoto and a team of volunteers meet Mondays at 9 a.m. at the care facility to tend the gardens for the seniors. ‘When I’m 90 and in a place like Eagle Park, I want to be able to look out a window at a beautiful garden,’ she says. If you’re interested in joining the team, call her at (250) 240-0281, email her at connie.kuramoto@gmail.com or just come to the greenhouse on the right side of Eagle Park any Monday at 9 a.m. [BRIAN WILFORD/OCEANSIDE STAR]

limate change “is already upon us and it will make it more difficult for us to grow food if we don’t adapt,” master gardener and horticulturist Connie Kuramoto told a meeting of the Qualicum Beach Garden Club last week. “The weather this last month has reinforced that our climate is definitely changing,” she said. “So what do we do? Well I have a

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few ideas for you.” In a presentation titled ‘Preparing Your Garden for Climate Change, Kuramoto, who taught horticulture at Vancouver Island University and who now owns Gardens on the Go Horticulture Training and Services, touched on four main areas: mulch, compost, ground cover and permaculture. Last summer there was “an extreme drought” that

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‘Our whole style of gardening has to change’ BRIAN WILFORD OCEANSIDE STAR

that improve management of water and nutrients. Mulch “shades the soil,” preventing overheating and evaporation and protecting microbes, she said. “Mulch is the most effective way to buffer heat and cold and also to mitigate drought.” To augment natural mulch, she likes those big bags of wood shavings people buy for horses. See GARDEN, Page 20

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NEWS

20 || OCEANSIDE STAR || THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015 HEALTH AND TECHNOLOGY

It’s better for your garden to have weeds Group gives voice to concerns GARDEN, from Page 19 You want a coarse soil, she said, not a fine soil because you get a better mix of air, water, minerals and organic matter. Compost, the organic matter, builds microbes, she said, and “microbes are the best weapon against climate change.” Stop using mined fertilizers, she said; they’re stripping the planet. Use food and wood waste. “Mother Nature has it figured out,” Kuramoto said. “We just have to leave it alone.” Stop planting so the plants grow with spaces between them, she said, excepting large plants like trees. Spaced planting “is just a fad,” she said. Ground cover, even if it’s weeds, protects the soil, provides nutrients and traps more carbon dioxide, she said. “It’s naturally better for your garden to have some kinds of weeds in them than not,” she said. “Often weeds have nutrients your soil is missing.” If you do weed (and you do want to remove weeds that will crowd out the plants you want), she suggests “chop and drop” so the nutrients feed into the soil.

Plants share 60 per cent of their nutrients with the soil, she said. “Weeds aren’t competing with your other plants. They’re cooperating. “Soils with something on them do better than soils with nothing on them,” she said, “so ground covers are an important part of the new garden.” Kuramoto said the new gardeners will need to learn about permaculture and gave quick overviews of three permaculture approaches. Berms and swales: Hills and valleys are better than flat, she said, in that they slow the movement of water and build up organic matter and nutrients. Hugelkultur (mound culture): Raised beds built around rotting wood retain moisture. Sheet mulching: This uses layers which mimic a natural forest, though one those layers is a sheet of cardboard or a thick wad of your local community newspaper. “Sheet mulching has revolutionized my gardening because it works so well,” Kuramoto said. “I’ve never had such good results with so little work.” See: www.gardensonthego.net.

about WiFi radiation and kids BRIAN WILFORD OCEANSIDE STAR

new group has formed in Oceanside to focus on how wireless technology is affecting the health of children. Grandparents for Grandchildren has been formed to lobby governments and to create discussion around “concerns for future generations regarding the health impacts of wireless technology,” says founder Dana Lynn Thomas. “We wish to inform our community of seniors and elders about the health impacts of wireless devices in our homes, schools, public buildings and in the community at large,” she said. “Certain seniors do not have much information on this subject but many citizens are increasingly concerned about it. Now, hopefully, we can have more of a voice.” The group is holding its first meeting Thursday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m., at Nanoose Place, 2925 Northwest Bay Rd., in Nanoose Bay. Everyone is welcome.

Suzanne Keeptwo and Marcus Schluschen are featured speakers at the inaugural meeting next Thursday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m., at Nanoose Place. The meeting features two speakers: Suzanne Keeptwo and Marcus Schluschen. Keeptwo, an Algonquin-Irish Métis, is an Ottawa-based theatre artist, teacher of native studies, and writer. As Aboriginal program officer in writing and publishing at the Canada Council for the Arts, she seeks to bridge gaps of understanding between indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians. She is in B.C. to present an

experiential learning piece entitled ‘Validating 500 Years of First Nation History’ at the Talking Stick Festival of Aboriginal Arts, Feb. 17 to Mar. 1 in Vancouver. Drawing upon the First Nations concept of the Seventh Generation, Thomas said, she will speak on “how as a community we can protect the future generations.” Schluschen is the Oceanside representative for Canadians for Safe Technology (c4st.org). He and wife Benita had to move from their Chartwell home a couple of years ago because she suffers from electromagnetic hypersensitivity. They now live in Port Alberni, where he works as a photographer. He and c4st are supporting Private Members Bill C 648: An Act Respecting the Prevention of Potential Health Risks From Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation. It was recently tabled in the House of Commons. “EMF (electromagnetic frequency) sensitivity is becoming more of a problem for many people,” Thomas said. “Canada is one of the last nations to protect its children from this kind of radiation. If the Europeans can pass laws to protect their health, then why can’t we?” The Feb. 26 meeting is free and open to the public. For more information, call Thomas at (250) 821-9222.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

Knox speaker worked with UN for 27 years

Dr. Ghazi Farooq

r. Ghazi Farooq, who worked with the United Nations for 27 years, is launching the Knox Spring Lecture Series ‘Who is My Neighbour? – Breaking Down Barriers.’ Dr. Farooq worked as regional advisor for West Africa for the Population Council of New York and as chairman of the UN Regional Coordination Mechanism on HIV/AIDS for Asia and the Pacific. He’s speak Tuesday, Feb, 24 at

Knox United Church. The cost of the lecture, including lunch, is $10 or $40 for all five Tuesday lectures in the series. Dr. Farooq, born in British India in 1944, earned his doctorate in economics at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1976 he was invited by the UN agency to head the global program on Population, Human Resources and Development Planning and in 1992 he was selected by the UN Population

Fund to head a team of international experts responsible for n East and Southeast Asia. He had to ensure that human rights were respected by the governments receiving UN assistance. As chair of the HIV/AIDS group for Asia and the Pacific, Dr. Farooq developed an interest in issues related to youth and reproductive health and to domestic violence against women. After retirement, he and his wife Janet moved to Vancouver

Island in 2004 where he served for a time as President of the Islamic Centre in Nanaimo. Everyone is welcome to attend the Tuesday lectures. For more, call the church at 250-248-3927. The next speaker, Tuesday, March 3, is Jacob Gair, elected in November to the District 69 school board. A graduate from Kwalikum Secondary School in 2012 and presently a third-year student at Vancouver Island University, he will speak about youth.

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22 || OCEANSIDE STAR || THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

Meditating one stitch at a time JULIE BERTRAND OCEANSIDE STAR

ach week between 20 and 46 members of the Arrowsmith Needle Arts Guild meet at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre to spend hours stitching exquisite pieces. Some members embroider samplers, table runners, bookmarks, tablecloths and napkins. Others use stitches to make stumpwork, which is three-dimensional

embroidery, or add pearls and sequins for colour and shine. “Most of us grew up doing basic stitching,” said Guild member Jeri Burke. “Some of our members just love stitching. They stitch daily.” When Burke joined the Guild in 1999, it had more than 100 active members. Members leave, she said, because of failing health or eyesight or because they move away.

Arrowsmith Needle Arts Guild member Bunny Goodman shows a stumpwork piece. It took her nine weeks to complete it. Stumpwork was used in previous centuries to decorate clothes, boxes and frames. [JULIE BERTRAND/OCEANSIDE STAR] The Guild offers embroidery courses and workshops, with most members taking online workshops with the Embroidery Association of Canada. Guild member Bunny Goodman has been stitching for 18 years. She says it’s an addiction. “It’s like meditation. It changes brain waves into zen waves,” she said. “My 40-year-old son is horri-

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fied all he will inherit from me will be embroidered stuff and cats.” Goodman is largely self-taught and is an Embroidery Association of Canada teacher. She specializes in stumpwork. A small piece might take her nine weeks, while larger pieces take longer. She has been working on a large Father Christmas crossstitch piece for the past two years. She estimates it will take her another six years to complete the piece, which measures about a metre by a metre and a half. She stitches on that piece an hour or two most mornings. “It brings me peace. I think it has to do with colour,” Goodman said. “Colour makes me happy.” She laments the fact that sewing is rarely taught in school these days and that teenagers aren’t interested in it. “I work at a needle-arts store in Nanaimo. Grand-daughters often accompany their grandmothers to shop,” Goodman said. “When I ask them why they don’t sew, the frequent response I get is they don’t want to look like a girl.” She also wishes needlework was a recognized form of art. “The National Gallery of Canada doesn’t have anything on needle arts,” she said. “They don’t recognize needle arts or craft as art.” The Guild has one male member, former costumer and set designer Jens Vandraby. He learned needle arts while growing up in Denmark, where he says people are quite nuts about textile work. Stitching is good for your nerves, he says. See STITCHES, Page 23

NEWS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

|| OCEANSIDE STAR || 23

Youth group gets teens off phones STITCHES, from Page 22

Guild member Jens Vandraby does stitches on a piece of canvas. [JULIE BERTRAND/OCEANSIDE STAR]

Vandraby doesn’t understand why more men won’t stitch or join the Guild. “It’s stupid,” he said. “We have a number of male stitchers married to members of the Guild but they wouldn’t show up here even if they were paid.” Vandraby specializes in long pieces that take him at least a year to finish. “I like things that take forever,”

he said. “It means I’ll be around.” Vandraby also likes to improvise. When he doesn’t like a pattern, he modifies it. He believes he owes his great health to stitching, reading and not watching television. The Arrowsmith Needle Arts Guild counts the Oceanside Youth Stitchers as one of its recent successes. The youth group has grown to include 16 members since its inception in 2013.

“Mothers register their children to get their hands off computers and smartphones,” Burke said. The Oceanside Youth Stitchers meet weekly to stitch together at The Gardens, where they are supervised and mentored by Guild members. For more information about the Arrowsmith Needle Arts Guild, contact membership committee chairperson Jeri Burke at 250-752-9320.

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Board passes motion to acquire First Nations art VING NEWS SERVICE

The Regional District of Nanaimo board has passed a motion to spend $30,000 to acquire art from each of the three First Nations within the region as a token of appreciation and recognition. Howard Houle, who represents Gabriola and the surrounding islands at the RDN, proposed the motion, which passed at the RDN committee of the whole on

Tuesday last week. The motion still has to pass at the upcoming regular board meeting on Feb. 24, but Houle said he is confident it will once again receive support. Houle said the idea was prompted by a recent joint appearance at the inaugural RDN board meeting in December from representatives from each of the Snuneymuxw, Nanoose and Qualicum First Nations. “We had three First Nations

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come to the board meeting to welcome us and wish us the best, and that’s the first time all three have (done that),” he said. Houle said the art work will be displayed in public areas of the RDN administrative offices at Hammond Bay Road. He said the original intention was to divvy up the $30,000 evenly three ways amongst each First Nation, but added another possibility may be to ask the three communities to work together on

a common project for the regional government. “We haven’t discussed the details yet. We may ask for proposals,” Houle said. Houle said he does not have a specific idea of what type of art work the RDN is seeking. “It’s sort of wide open.” If the motion receives final approval as expected, funding will be allocated for the project in the RDN’s grants in aid budget for 2016.

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|| OCEANSIDE STAR || 25

Trumpeter at TOSH Jazz trumpeter Charlie Porter is playing Music On Sunday Feb. 22, backed by Ron Hadley on piano, Ken Lister on bass and Hans Verhoeven on drums. Porter has toured with jazz musicians like Joe Zawinul and Paquito D’Rivera and performed as a classical musician with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and The American Symphony Orchestra. He was commissioned in 2005 to compose The Buddy Bolden Suite for his jazz septet, which was then premiered at The Jazz Gallery and JALC’s Dizzy’s Club to sold-out crowds. Music On Sunday is at The Old School House Arts Centre in Qualicum Beach. Showtime is 2:30-4:30 p.m. Admission is $16.

Producer Patrick Sabongui and filmmaker Mary Galloway, winner of the BravoFACT Pitch Contest. [COLIN SMITH/VICTORIA FILM FESTIVAL]

Qualicum ﬁlmmaker wows festival judges Galloway says she was inspired by the lack of substantial roles for women, something she noticed after graduating from acting school. “I felt underwhelmed because they lack the layered personalities lots of women have,” she said. “They tend to be for sex appeal, or as the love interest, so I decided to write my own.” Her story focuses on Arielle, a girl locked in her basement for 10 years by her drug-addicted mother, with only her The Little Mermaid DVD for entertainment. “It becomes her basis for what’s going on outside in the real world,” says Galloway, whose heroine gets to set foot in “the real world for the first time” when fate intervenes. Arielle’s world view comes alive through animated sequences. Her character regards a fork, for instance, as a “valuable treasure” used to comb her hair. Galloway developed the concept after moving to Vancouver and had a wake-up call about “how scary the world can be.” She said the fairy tales she grew up with didn’t prepare her for that. “They taught me that when I grow up, I’m going to find my Prince Charming, and he’s going to rescue me and we’ll live happily ever.”

VICTORIA TIMES COLONIST

ualicum Beach-raised filmmaker Mary Galloway won $35,000 during this month’s 2015 Victoria Film Festival. The money will be used to develop her short film Ariel Unraveling. Galloway and four other finalists were given 10 minutes each to pitch their project to a panel of four-judges during the inaugural BravoFACT Pitch Contest, with pitching pioneer Pat Ferns presiding. “When she got the result she was out of her chair and shrieking in the arms of her mentor,” said Ferns, adding that in his 30 years of hearing pitches, this year’s was the best he’s heard yet in Victoria. “What was compelling was that while we liked her project on paper, it really came alive when she pitched it. I think it married her passion with experience from very good mentors.” The young aboriginal filmmaker, now living in Vancouver, is being mentored by producer Patrick Sabongui and director Carmen Moore. “Her strength is she’s dealing with a hotissue subject told in a very innovative and compelling manner,” Ferns said.

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26 || OCEANSIDE STAR || THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

Saunter into Johnny’s Ring of Fire R

ing of Fire: Project Johnny Cash is coming to the Chemainus Theatre Festival Feb. 20 to April 11. The all-ages show features over 30 hit songs matched with narrated insights that reveal how Cash went from farming to fame. Cash’s story is told across scenes that frame his iconic rowdiness and redemption through his music. The result is a sweep-

ing portrayal of a life in the themes of love, faith, family, and resilience through hard times. “There is something appealing about Cash the icon, an untamed individual and still a community advocate through prison reform, concept albums and old time values,” says artistic director, Mark DuMez. “The beauty of Johnny Cash is he let us hear many strands of a growing nation

finding its groove. He was a wild gentleman, a rustic poet, a saved sinner and an American music hero with a genre-busting sound that still ‘kicks-it’ today.” Songs include: Country Boy, Walk the Line, Five Feet High and Rising, Daddy Sang Bass, Ring of Fire, I Walk the Line, I’ve Been Everywhere, The Man in Black, and A Boy Named Sue. They’ll be performed by Jonas

Shandel, Timothy Brummund, Scott Carmichael, Samantha Currie, Andrea Cross, Zachary Stevenson, Kraig Waye and Mark MacRae. “It’s been a thrill to work with these superb and intuitive actors and musicians,” says DuMez. “I’m pleased to welcome back some of the Festival’s favourite professionals, as well as talented new actors and musicians from B.C.

from the other side of Canada. “You can feel the depth of Cash’s journey, and perhaps a bit of your own,” says DuMez. “His experiences of family, community and country are warm and familiar.” For tickets, call the Box Office at 1-800-565-7738, or online at chemainustheatrefestival.ca. Buffet dinners are available in the Playbill Dining Room.

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OCEANSIDE EVENTS E-mail events@oceansidestar.com

FEB. 19 ■ A Broader View, not all studies of astrology are the same: Jyotish, an ancient practice from India, with Phyllis Chubb, 7 p.m., Parksville Community Centre. $5 suggested donation. Shift In Action: 250-954-1002. ■ Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere

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Reserve presents Dr. David Zandvliet, director of Simon Fraser University’s Institute for Environmental Learning, to speak on sustainability and the environment, 7-8:30 p.m., council chambers, Parksville city hall. Free. refreshments, all welcome. ■ Oceanside Better Breathers Group meets 1:30-3:30 p.m., Rotary House, 211 Fern Rd. W., Qualicum Beach. Learn about sleep apnea. Info: Kelly, BC Lung Association, 1-800-665-5864; ablog@bc.lung.ca. ■ Drop-in tennis at Springwood Park, 1-4 p.m., every day of the week in February and

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FEB. 20 ■ DJ Pizza Teen Swim, 7-9 p.m., Ravensong Pool, free courtesy of RDN Youth Recreation Strategic Plan. RDN: 752-5014.

By donation. DVD of the film for sale, as well as silent auction items. ■ Vancouver Island Paleontology Museum Society presents ‘Fire, Past and Present’ with Jim Kayll, 1 p.m., Qualicum Beach Community Hall (Memorial Avenue). Free. All welcome. Info: 752-9810.

FEB. 22 ■ North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre celebrates 30 years with the premiere showing of the full-length film on its work with wildlife Well to Wilderness, 2 p.m., Chrysler Theatre, Parksville Community & Conference Centre. FEB. 23 ■ Taoist Tai Chi new beginning class, 7-9 p.m. Mondays, Parksville Clubhouse, 491A E. Island Hwy. (across from Tim Horton’s). Register at 1st class. Info: 250-240-3387. ■ Arbutus ToastMasters, 7-9 p.m.,

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Offer(s) available on select new 2015 models through participating dealers to qualified retail customers who take delivery from February 3rd to March 2nd, 2015. Dealers may sell or lease for less. Some conditions apply. See dealer for complete details. Vehicles shown may include optional accessories and upgrades available at extra cost. All offers are subject to change without notice. All pricing includes delivery and destination fees up to $1,665, AMVIC fee, tire tax of $22, $100 A/C charge (where applicable). Excludes taxes, licensing, registration, insurance, variable dealer administration fees (up to $699), fuel-fill charges up to $100, and down payment (if applicable and unless otherwise specified). Other lease and financing options also available. §Up to “Half Price Payments” for up to one year (“Offer”) is only applicable on financing offers on 2015 Rio/Forte/Optima/Sorento/Rondo models. On approved credit, from a participating dealer in Canada between February 3rd and March 2nd, 2015. The Offer consists of a loan credit (up to “Half Price Payments Credit”) that will range from $500 to $3,250 depending on model/trim. Customers can choose to take the full amount of the applicable Half Price Payments Credit as a one (1) time incentive that will be deducted from the negotiated price of the vehicle before taxes. Alternatively, customers can choose the up to “Half Price Payments” option and have their financing payments reduced (before taxes) by 50% until such time as the entire amount of the applicable Half Price Payments Credit has been exhausted. This may take between 10 weeks and 69 weeks depending on model/trim and the amount of the applicable Half Price Payments Credit. After the entire amount of the applicable Half Price Payments Credit has been exhausted, the customer will be required to pay the full amount of all regularly scheduled finance payments over the remaining term of the contract. Vehicle trade-in amounts and down payments are not calculated in the advertised up to “Half Price Payments”. See dealer for complete details. ΔRepresentative financing example: 0% financing offer for up to 84 months available to qualified retail customers on approved credit for the new 2015 Rio LX MT (RO541F)/2015 Forte LX MT (FO541F)/2015 Optima LX AT (OP742F)/2015 Sorento LX AT (SR75BF) with a purchase price of $15,602/$17,502/$26,402/$28,782 financed at 0% for 84-month period with $0 down payment equals 69/62/28/50 reduced weekly payments of $21/$24/$36/$39 followed by weekly payments of $43/$48/$73/$79. Includes $1,500/$1,500/$1,000/$2,000 up to “Half Price Payments” credit. Cost of borrowing is $0 and total obligation is $14,102/$16,002/$25,365/$26,782. Up to “Half Price Payment” Incentive varies by model and trim level and may be taken as a lump sum or to reduce the financed amount. Offer ends March 2nd, 2015. ‡Model shown Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price for 2015 Forte SX (FO748F)/2015 Rio4 SX with Navigation (RO749F)/2015 Sorento SX V6 AWD (SR75XF)/2015 Optima SX Turbo AT (OP748F) is $26,695/$22,395/$42,095/$34,895. Highway/city fuel consumption is based on the 2015 Rio LX+ ECO AT/2015 Forte 1.8L MPI 4-cyl MT/2015 Sorento LX 2.4L GDI 4-cyl AT/2015 Optima 2.4L GDI AT. These updated estimates are based on the Government of Canada’s approved criteria and testing methods. Refer to the EnerGuide Fuel Consumption Guide. Your actual fuel consumption will vary based on driving habits and other factors. ¤$1,000 Winter Edition Bonus amounts are offered on select 2015 Winter Edition models and are deducted from the negotiated purchase price before taxes. Available on financing offers only. Certain conditions apply. $1,000 Winter Edition Bonus amount available on the 2015 Rondo LX AT (5-seat) Winter SE (RN75SF), 2015 Rondo LX AT (7-seat) Winter SE (RN75TF) and 2015 Optima LX AT Winter SE (OP74SF). Information in this advertisement is believed to be accurate at the time of printing. For more information on our 5-year warranty coverage, visit kia.ca or call us at 1-877-542-2886. Kia is a trademark of Kia Motors Corporation.

COMMUNITY || OCEANSIDE STAR || 27

Parksville Community & Conference Centre, 132 Jensen Ave., Parksville. All welcome. Info: Matt 250-752-0794.

FEB. 24 ■ Knox United Church Spring Lecture Series, five consecutive Tuesdays, Feb. 24 to March 24, on the theme: Who is My Neighbour? – Breaking Down Barriers. 11:30 a.m. lunch included. Lecture noon to 1 p.m. at Knox, 345 Pym St., Parksville. Tickets $10: 250-2483927 and see www.kucparksville. ca. See CALENDAR, Page 28

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28 || OCEANSIDE STAR || THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

OCEANSIDE EVENTS E-mail events@oceansidestar.com

CALENDAR, from Page 27 FEB. 25 ■ Whalebone Theatre presents Grease, 7 p.m., Ballenas Secondary School, Feb. 18-20 and 25-27. Tickets $10 at the door. ■ Taoist Tai Chi new beginning class, 9-11 a.m., St. Stephen’s

United Church, Qualicum Beach. Register at 1st class. Info: 250-240-3387. ■ Grief support group for the lonely or those who have experienced a loss of any kind, 4-5 p.m., Knox United Church. Small group, confidential. Info: 250-248-3927. ■ Sno Cone Swim, 6:30-8 p.m., Ravensong Pool. Tasty treats, regular admission. Info: 752-5014. FEB. 26 ■ The ET Question – What on Earth is Happening: Star Gate, technology and extraterrestrials, with Paul Elder, 7 p.m., Parksville Community Centre. $5 donation.

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FEB. 27 ■ Tohio! African Hut Stories, with Nigeria’s Comfort Ero, Tales for the Telling, Stories for Adults, 7 p.m., McMillan Arts Centre, 133 McMillan St., Parksville. Tickets $12 at the MAC, at www.eventbrite.ca, at the door. Info: info@ mcmillanartscentre.com. ■ First Open Heart Society – Mid Island Chapter meets 1:30 p.m., St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 4235 Departure Bay Rd., Nanaimo. Speaker: Carolynne Scholfield, pharmacist and registered diabetes educator. Info:

MAR. 1 ■ Sarah M. Woods Ensemble presents The Wonders of Life, 3 p.m., at the MAC. Tickets $15 at the MAC on McMillan Street, Parksville; 250-248-8185. MAR. 3 ■ Knox United Church Spring Lecture Series on the theme: Who is My Neighbour? – Breaking Down Barriers. 11:30 a.m. lunch included. Lecture noon to 1 p.m. at Knox, 345 Pym St., Parksville. Tickets $10: 250-248-3927 and see www.kucparksville.ca.

MAR. 4 ■ Grief support group for the lonely or those who have experienced a loss of any kind, 4-5 p.m., Knox United Church. Small group, confidential. Info: 250-248-3927. MAR. 6 ■ Qualicum Acoustic Café presents Tanya Opland and Mike Freeman, Anglo-Alaskan acoustic world music, 7:30 p.m. (starts with open stage), Rotary House, 211 Fern Rd.W., Qualicum Beach. Tickets $7 at Diva’s Kandy & Kakes, 2nd Ave., Qualicum Beach, and at the door; youth free. Info: Joyce jbeaton@gmail.com.

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NEWS

30 || OCEANSIDE STAR || THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

Engineer suggests more ﬂoating berths VING NEWS SERVICE

A floating berth at Duke Point ferry terminal could keep Islanders connected to the mainland after a powerful earthquake, says consulting engineer Ray Hebden. Hebden designed such a berth for BC Ferries’ Swartz Bay terminal, which was completed in 2006. At least two more should be built, he says, to create infrastructure to withstand a major quake to sustain the Island’s 750,000 residents and other coastal communities. Hebden’s berth design was chosen after BC Ferries put out a request for proposals for Swartz Bay terminal improvements.

In 2012, he and other engineers “started to think about the aspects of mega-thrust earthquakes on BC Ferries,” after the mega-thrust quake hit Christchurch, New Zealand, Hebden said. “It’s possible, because these large earthquakes that are talked about as being probably imminent in the next half-century or century, they have the potential to knock out Tsawwassen and Horseshoe Bay terminals,” Hebden said. “And you know, in Nanaimo the same as in Victoria, you go into a market and look at how much is grown locally. There isn’t a heck of a lot. Those are our two central loading points for Vancouver

Island.” The Tsawwassen berth is supported by piles driven into soft delta soil subject to liquefaction from a powerful mega-thrust quake, which would destroy it. Three berths that serve Vancouver and Bowen islands and Gibsons from Horseshoe Bay are anchored to rock, which is better. But they were built in the 1960s, before modern seismic building codes. Shipping company Seaspan barges tractor trailers of food and goods daily to the Island but its facility, near BC Ferries’ Tsawwassen terminal is subject to the same liquefaction risks. Hebden and his consortium approached BC Ferries 2 1/2

years ago about building floating berths to install at Duke Point and Langdale. “While this suggestion has merit, BC Ferries does not have the $20 million to $30 million in its capital budget to cover the cost of such a structure, nor is it within our mandate,” said Deborah Marshall, BC Ferries spokeswoman. “We are always willing to have a conversation with the provincial or federal government if they were willing to fund such a structure.” Jean Crowder, the outgoing MP for Nanaimo-Cowichan, said as an Islander, she doesn’t want to be stranded after a major quake.

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“Federally and provincially we need to come together and get a comprehensive plan to look at key infrastructure projects,” Crowder said. “It has to be that broader look, the provincial and federal governments looking together for what is needed for a major catastrophic event. It’s not if, it’s when.” Hebden said public pressure is needed to ensure the viability of B.C.’s marine highway after the big one. “We’re asking municipal governments and citizens to lend their support, to tell the minister of transportation and infrastructure to talk to government about this, and find a way,” he said.

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CLUES ACROSS 1. Centralized mailing compartment 4. Small argument 8. Latin for “hail” 9. Semicircular headdress 10. Hole plug 12. Primp 13. A spontaneous motivation 14. Don’t know when yet 16. Portable computer screen material 17. Conform 19. Yoruba 20. Wings 21. Tar Hill State 25. Hard, durable wood 26. Pallid 27. Pabir language 29. Not crazy 30. Word element meaning ear

31. Hill (Celtic) 32. “Dangerous Liaisons” actor 39. Space between 2 points 41. Arbitrageur 42. 3rd or 4th Islamic month 43. Assistance 44. Manuscripts (abbr.) 45. In a way, soaks 46. Synovial knee syndrome 48. 2nd cervical vertebra 49. State of sudden fright 50. Snakelike ﬁsh 51. Each of 4 Hindu ages 52. Point midway between S and SE

|| OCEANSIDE STAR || 31

CLUES DOWN blessing 1. Relating to New Guinea 28. UTHealth (abbr.) 2. Carry to excess 29. Roman Helios 3. Alms solicitor 31. Check 4. Title of respect 32. Making of a worn-out 5. Spanish saffron dish vicious horse 6. Betel palm genus 33. Wife 34. An alternative 7. Petter ____, Nordic 35. Spanish unit of length combined skier 36. Wild goats 9. Yearly tonnage (abbr.) 37. Municipalities 11. Clan division 38. Bother or harass 14. Referee declares 39. Excessively sentimental 15. Rampart 40. Middle Eastern dish 18. “Big” actor’s initials 44. Waterproof raincoat 19. Noah’s boat 47. Former OSS 20. Diarist __ Frank 22. Luminous celestial ring 23. Famous THIS WEEKS SUDOKU ANSWER motor club 24. 007’s creator 27. A timely

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ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, expect to scramble at the last minute when you have to get something ﬁnished. It may elevate your blood pressure, but you’ll feel good when the task is completed. TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 You have to take a stand on a highly contested matter, Taurus. There’s no way to avoid the situation, so it’s best if you just meet it head on. Others will appreciate your direct approach. GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, say goodbye to a bad situation, as a better one is on the horizon. It is about time you make things work in your favor and enjoy some R&R. CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, you have grown in many ways and people are trying to get used to your new persona. They see you as a new person, and that will require an adjustment period. LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, paying off a large debt may empty out your bank account, but you have to look at the beneﬁts of the situation. No more interest payments mean more savings. VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, expect to be caught off guard this week. Allow everything to run its course, and things will be back to normal before you know it.

LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, be resourceful and economical this week. Frivolous spending will only leave you with a hole in your pocket and not much to show for it. SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 This could be a time of profound changes in an important relationship, Scorpio. If you keep an open mind, there is no limit to the benefits that await. SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, after a few bumpy spells, you may be on the road to a financial recovery. Monitor your spending and continue to maintain your financial discipline. CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 Real estate values have been rebounding, Capricorn. If you are in the market to sell your home, now may be your chance to do so, but make sure you accept a good offer. AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 Your responsibilities are at an all-time high, Aquarius. If you speak up, plenty of people will be willing to lend a hand. You just have to accept their offers to help. PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, start visualizing positive outcomes and you can produce winning results. A negative attitude will only prevent success.

IS HERE TO CARE FOR VANCOUVER ISLAND WILDLIFE BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please consider making a financial contribution, become a volunteer, member or sponsor an animal, help with fund-raising. Contact NIWRA to acquire information regarding “Creating a personal and lasting legacy for wildlife”

REMEMBER THE CENTRE “DEPENDS ON YOU” TO CONTINUE OUR WORK WITH ANIMALS. FULL LENGTH FILM FEATURING NIWRA “WELLNESS TO WILDERNESS” FEB. 22ND, 2015 AT 2PM PARKSVILLE CONFERENCE CENTRE –CHRYSLER ROOM ENTRY BY DONATION www.niwra.org

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THIS WEEKS ANSWER

32 || OCEANSIDE STAR || THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015

NEWS