Taxes are necessary, even in the Regional District of Nanaimo. They provide us with those things that make our society possible. They pay for police and fire departments. They pay for utilities like water, sewer and garbage removal, roads and transportation corridors. We have also recognized the need for certain infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools and fire halls.
Things have worked relatively well. People didn’t like taxes, but they understood the need for the services that the taxes funded. Then one day, our politicians decided we needed more. They started small with things, like parks and playgrounds, not just empty lots where kids could play sports like baseball or football. Taxes went up more than the inflation rate. Taxpayers were not happy, but couldn’t do much but pay the increase.
Then the politicians decided to build things that made no sense but would keep at least a few people happy, like bike lanes and traffic circles. “People should use bicycles to get around,” we were told, “and if we build bike lanes, people will have no choice but to use them. We can also build more and fancier parks and recreation facilities. Don’t worry, the taxpay ers can afford a 300 per cent tax increase.” Recently, one of the politicians was heard to say, “If they don’t like it, they can move somewhere else.”
Politicians were delighted. It didn’t matter that people could no longer afford groceries at tax time; the politicians felt they were doing it for the people, and they felt justified.
Then one day, staff came to them and said, “Our works yard is old and needs to be replaced, but you spent all the money on bike lanes and traffic circles. What do we do?”
“Don’t worry we can borrow the money.”
“NO, YOU CAN’T,” said the taxpayers. “We won’t pay for It.”
“If you don’t agree, we will go to a higher government and have your right to say no taken away,” said the politicians.
I don’t know how the rest of you feel, but I think it’s time to replace the politicians that think taxpayers should fund any and every wild idea they come up with. It’s time to elect people who reduce taxes, instead of finding ever more expensive ways to bleed the people they are supposed to be responsible to.
—
John Campbell from RDN Area C, South Forks/Nanaimo River
The Ladysmith Community Fund Society Needs New Directors
The Ladysmith Community Fund Society is seeking new directors to help us expand our work in the Ladysmith community. The society established the Ladysmith Community Fund through a management agreement with the Nanai-
mo Foundation in 2021. This permanent endowment fund is invested to generate revenue annually, which is then disbursed to charities working in the community. We have raised sufficient funds to issue grants yearly to support local charities, beginning in 2023 and 2024.
You can help us make a difference in our community. Do you have experience in any of the following areas: philanthropy, financial and estate planning, accounting, fund development, web design and social media skills, writing and content creation or grant issuance?
If you care about your community and can help with this, please consider joining us (info@ladysmithcommunityfund.ca).
— Bruce Whiitington
American Tariffs
It seems to me that we are going about this threat all wrong.
The Americans have about as many illegal people in their country as we have people in ours, depending upon whose figures one accepts.
When Trump starts rounding them up,
they will look for a place to go, and there sits our great undefended border.
If we went to the Americans and said, ‘Let us merge out border forces — same rules, same training, same procedures — into one big North American system,’ I do not see what they would have to complain about.
We may be very glad of a tough border when the illegals try to come north, with the same rules going through the border either way. We could do the same with our ports of entry.
We could keep any specialized Canadian procedures for our side as well, ensuring that nothing would be lost.
This would seem to be the least cost option.
— John Shipp, Ladysmith
Where Are Our Taxes Going?
I welcome the Ladysmith Ratepayers Association with my questions and concerns regarding my municipal taxes.
Firstly, I’ve noticed all that Chemainus has accomplished: new buildings for a museum and tourist information centre, a new library, a new police station, a new intermediate school, a healthcare building with overnight care, a good theatre, public washrooms with wheelchair access, etc.
So, what has Ladysmith got to offer? Everything old that urgently needs seismic upgrades: old schools, old theatres, old museums and old health care buildings.
I am wondering why Chemainus is so far ahead compared to Ladysmith … and whether it has to do with how tax dollars are spent.
Ladysmith council wants a new building, but I believe they should move into the old school on Davis Road based on their previous use of old buildings. It has wheelchair access and a playground.
— Vera M. Robinson
Letters to the editor are welcomed. This is an open community forum. Hate, libel and defamation will not be tolerated, nor will attacks on our readers right to voice their opinions. We may not agree with you, but we work to protect your right to have your voice heard. The letters and articles published here do not necessarily represent the opinion of TAKE 5 or its affiliates. Write to editor@take5.ca
Meet the Candidates
The Town of Ladysmith will be holding a mayoral by-election, and six candidates are running. The candidates are Russ Barling, Deena Beeston, Raymon Farmere, Joe Friesenhan, Tee Hanssen and Murray McNab.
The Ladysmith Ratepayers Association is hosting a Mayoral Candidates Forum in Eagles Hall, February 11, starting at 7 p.m. There will be an opportunity to meet with the candidates before they formally introduce themselves and their qualifications to be mayor. The LRA encourages you to invite friends and neighbours but to arrive early due to limited seating.
“We earnestly encourage all eligible
residents of Ladysmith to exercise their democratic right and vote in the by-election,” said Nicholas Pescod, the town’s communications and engagement specialist.
Advanced voting will take place on February 19 and 26 at Ladysmith City Hall, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Election day is March 1, with voting at Frank Jameson Community Centre from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Additional information about the by-election can be found on the Town’s website.
Stz'uminus Elders Stories
BY MARINA SACHT
A new book is documenting some of the special moments between Stz’uminus students and Elders, thanks to the Snuhiimut Sense of Place LandBased Education, Stz’uminus Education Society.
“We wanted to create this program where Elders were invited to come and share their stories and share their teachings,” said Mar McIntosh, a land-based inclusive education specialist. She, along with her husband, Riley, run land-
based education programs.
She explained how Stz’uminus Community School students sent out handwritten invitations. A fire was lit, and traditional foods were shared while Elders answered the students’ questions and shared their story and teachings.
The students’ reflections about the experience, along with photographs of the Elders, are recorded in a beautiful book Sulhween Snuwuyulh: Elder Stories of Stz’uminus. A film not yet released was also produced by Arianna Augustine of Keyword Productions.
Supported by a grant through the First People’s Cultural Council, the project captures the special relationship the students forged with the Elders.
“We’ve noticed that the kids really come alive when they are engaged on the land and when they are learning through their Elders.”
McIntosh created the program with community members, the Elders and the students. “We noticed a need to create a connection between place-based learning and land-based literacy. LBL is a form of education that takes place
outdoors. It involves learning about, and from, the land and the connection between humans and the land.”
Currently on maternity leave, McIntosh is on Hornby Island but hopes to return to the Stz’uminus community.
“It’s been an honour to be on this journey,” she said, commenting on how the students connect to the learning when it’s culturally grounded, takes place on the land and happens within their community. “We’ve just noticed such a different level of interest and engagement. It’s just really a meaningful
Sulhween Snuwuyulh: Elder Stories of Stz’uminus.
experience to work with Elders and an honour to work with Elders and the Stz’uminus students together.”
McIntosh started working on the project in 2023, along with Harvey Jack, Nate Harris, Carly Price, Serena Boyer, GinaMae Harris and Riley McIntosh.
Combining land-based literacy and place-based learning, the program engaged students and made them feel connected to themselves on a cultural and holistic level. “We noticed that these kinds of experiences fuel this connection to the learning, so that’s where the idea of land-based literacy comes from. It connects learning from the land, learning from our Elders, but is also able to be applied in the classroom to inspire academic experience.”
BC Family Day Nautical Fun
The Ladysmith Maritime Society welcomed a new board at their AGM on Dec 5. They are: Jackie Sharp (Elliott): President, Kim Loveridge: Vice President, Linda MacShane: Secretary, John Trottier: Treasurer, Dave Alexander, Bob Elliott and Ernie Voegeli: Directors.
The LMS is celebrating their 40th year, and plans are underway for special events throughout the year starting with BC Family Day Nautical Fun on Monday, Feb 17. The society has partnered with the Ladysmith & District Historical Society for a fun day at Ladysmith Museum's meeting room, which is wheelchair accessible. Join in from 11 to 3pm for displays, games, videos, activities and crafts. Free admission.
Love can be Crappy
The Arts Council of Ladysmith is supporting the Ladysmith Food Bank again this year with a toilet paper drive. Last year, 1500 rolls of toilet paper were donated—this year, they're aiming to beat that. You can drop off your donation at the Ladysmith Gallery and the Ladysmith Pharmasave.
The End of an Era
After 26 years of hosting the Ladysmith Yacht Club, the floating clubhouse was sold and moved to the Maple Bay Marina. The clubhouse no longer suited the needs of the LYC, and the sale was a way for it to continue to bring value to the greater community.
The Ladysmith Yacht Club continues to have a robust schedule of events, including celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. “While we miss our clubhouse, we know that our membership is most important!”
For more information or to become a member, visit their website. ladysmitthyc.bc.ca
Saltair’s 6th Annual Seedy Saturday
It’s time to start making plans for the garden season. Seedy Saturday is a great opportunity to buy local seeds, meet fellow gardeners and get inspiration for your backyard garden.
The event will be held March 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Sal-
Ladysmith Yacht Clubhouse moved to Mill Bay. Photo submitted.
tair Community Centre Hall. Refreshments will be available by donation. Plants, seeds and garden vendors are needed. To apply for a vendor table ($20 each), email info@saltaircommunitycentre.ca for a vendor application.
Do You Earn a Living Wage?
The living wage is not a luxury. With inflation at historic highs, communities across British Columbia are feeling the effects. In 2024, Cowichan saw a two per cent increase from the year before to $25.71. Social Planning Cowichan, in partnership with Living Wage BC, calculated this rate to reflect the hourly earnings needed for a family of four with two wage earners to meet basic expenses. Yet, one in three workers in British Columbia do not earn a living wage. Women, racialized workers and new immigrants are far less likely to earn a living wage. For more information on becoming a living wage employer, visit Living Wage BC.
Rewards for your Stewardship
The Regional District of Nanaimo is accepting rebate applications from homeowners for environmentally friendly improvements to their properties. Individual rebates are ranging from $150 to $1,500 depending on the program. There is a total of $267,500 in rebates available, and rebates are awarded to qualifying applicants on a first-come, first-serve basis until the available funds are spent.
These rebates are part of the RDN’s commitment to mitigating climate change and supporting environmental stewardship. Applicants should review all rebate information before applying. For more information, visit the RDN’s website.
Ladysmith Little Theatre Presents Say Ahhh
Ladysmith Little Theatre is on a roll. Following the sold-out performances of A Christmas Carol, the next show in their 2025 Season is the hysterical romp Say Ahhh, written by Michael Banks and directed by Lyndon Bzdel.
Have you ever wanted to be a doctor? Even for just a day? What could possibly — outrageously — go wrong?
Stanley White is a tourist visiting an island community when he consults Doctor Black, the only local physician, for a prescription. White is a playwright who has always wanted to be a doctor. Black is an amateur playwright who must attend his first play’s dress rehears-
al. He persuades White to take over his practice for the day. What follows is a parade of wacky patients seeking treat-
ment from the hapless fake doctor who has problems of his own. The show runs Feb 20 to March 9, 2025.
Cast members of Ladysmith Little Theatre's in rehearsal for Say Ahhh.
Bluegrass Band Plays in the Cowichan Valley
The Cowichan Performing Arts Centre is presenting the Slocan Ramblers on Friday, February 14, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. With a reputation for energetic live shows and impeccable musicianship, JUNO-nominated and Canadian Folk Music Award winners, the Slocan Ramblers have become a leading light to today’s acoustic music scene.
Featured on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, 2020 IBMA Momentum Band of the Year Award Winner, the Slocan Ramblers are Canada’s bluegrass band to watch. On their new album Up the Hill and Through the Fog, the all-star Canadian roots ensemble channels the past two years of loss into a surprisingly joyous collection of twelve songs intended to uplift and help make sense of the world. Bluegrass music is nothing short of catharsis for the Slocan Ramblers.
From Frank Evan’s classic, dusty vocals to John Hartfordinspired lyrical musings, the three core members buttress their music with impeccable musicianship and emotionally raw songwriting. This is roots music without pretension, art powerful enough to cut through the fog of the past two years and chart a more hopeful course forward. Join us for an unforgettable evening of bluegrass music this February!
Tickets to the Slocan Ramblers are $38 for adults, $32 for seniors and $20 for children. www.cowichanpac.ca.
Nanaimo Theatre Group Presents a Musical!
DADS! The Musical is a funny and poignant look at three first-time dads, suddenly without jobs, taking charge of fatherhood. DADS! shows the nature of a changing society – it’s where social viewpoint and entertainment meet. The show features loveable characters, hilarious scenes, puppet babies, and high energy musical numbers. A must see!
The show opens for three matinees on February 16 and runs Wednesdays to Sundays until March 8. Evening shows start at 7:30 pm, at the Bailey Studio, located at 2373 Rosstown Road in Nanaimo. Tickets are $26 available at nanaimotheatregroup. ca or by calling 250-758-7224. Special thanks to presenting sponsor Nanaimo Foundation Stanley de Vos Fund and season sponsor Imagine Cruise and Travel.
Night at the Movies Concert
Lights, camera, harmony! Prepare for a spectacular evening celebrating the most iconic songs ever to grace the silver screen. A Night at the Movies brings together world-renowned tenor Ken Lavigne and the sensational VanCity Harmony chorus for a dazzling musical journey through film history.
From orchestral masterpieces to chart-topping pop hits, every moment is a tribute to the magic of movies and music.
Whether you’re a fan of action-packed blockbusters, heartfelt love stories or animated treasures, this show has something for everyone. Sing along to timeless classics, be dazzled by show-stopping performances and revel in the nostalgia of your favourite cinematic moments.
Ken Lavigne’s excitement about the concert is matched by the joy of reuniting with VanCity Harmony’s executive director, Dr. Philip Grant, a fellow Canadian Tenors alumnus:
“For 10 years, Phil and I shared unforgettable moments as part of the Canadian Tenors and Romanza — laughter, mischief and magical performances. Reuniting for this concert with his new choir, VanCity Harmony, is a chance to rekindle those cherished experiences,” said Lavigne.
VanCity Harmony is a new vocal ensemble of 40 award-winning singers, led by acclaimed director Donny Rose. Known for their diverse repertoire spanning a cappella, musical theatre, jazz and contemporary choral music, they made a debut with a sold-out concert in June. VanCity Harmony promises to deliver performances that inspire and uplift. Tickets are on sale now for this one-of-a-kind concert series, Saturday, February 15, at 7:30 p.m., at Duncan Christian Reformed Church.
Here Today, Hopefully Here Tomorrow
BY QUENTIN GOODBODY
By the time this letter is published, the historic Dunsmuir Hotel in Vancouver will be gone. Demolition of the 116-year-old building, set to commence on January 17 and be completed by January 20, is necessitated because its owners neglected the building to the point where demolition became the only viable option to ensure public safety. Unfortunately, preserving heritage components, such as the façade, could not be done safely, resulting in a total loss to the heritage of Vancouver.
Think about parallels to what we have in Ladysmith. We take pride in the heritage character of our downtown area, which is a major attraction to visitors, movie makers and more. This character is significant due to the hotels built when the town was established in the very early 1900s.
We have been lucky that two of these iconic hotels — the Ladysmith Hotel (now housing Plantitude Restaurant) and the Temperance Hotel — were recently saved from collapse through the considerable effort, expense and sacrifice of their current owners. We owe them a significant debt of thanks.
The other hotels, including the Ladysmith Inn (New Western), Island Hotel, Jones Hotel and the Travellers Hotel, show signs of advanced age and deterioration and need attention.
The Ladysmith Hotel dodged a bullet last year when fire threatened to take hold. What a hole it would have made in the townscape if it had burned to the ground.
The Jones Hotel (aka the Black Nugget) needs TLC: a healthy stand of ivy is growing up the back of the building. The Travellers Hotel, famous for the swastikas in its brickwork façade (which predates abuse of the symbol by the Nazis), has been empty for years and, from the back, appears derelict. In the past, the Town spent significant dollars repointing the brick outer walls to ensure structural stability.
The Town of Ladysmith has identified the retention and revitalization of heritage properties as a community heritage and sustainability value, noting that this is especially important in the heritage downtown. While offering alternative compliance methods to facilitate the restoration and rehabilitation of heritage buildings, most, if not all, of our old hotel buildings have reached and arguably passed their “best before” date.
The buildings are in private hands, but it is in all our interests that at least their character is preserved. How can we ensure this?
It’s tricky. While the buildings are on the Ladysmith Heritage Register (some are on Canada’s Register of Historic Places), they lack legal protection. You can’t and don’t want to force private owners to spend money to preserve them, but you can offer incentives ... which requires planning. Ladysmith has a Heritage Strategic Plan, but it is outdated. Adopted in 2008 and supposed to be updated in 2012, the Town has yet to allocate resources for this purpose, despite urgings by concerned citizens these past years.
Some things are happening or, rather, they may be. The Island Hotel is slated for redevelopment; the owners intend to save the façade and replace the existing wooden building behind it with a backstepping new five-storey construction. Work was scheduled to commence in 2023 but has been deferred — for how long, we do not know. Hopefully, this project will come to fruition soon.
Plans were afoot several years ago for the Travellers to be redeveloped as a boutique hotel. Unfortunately, nothing has materialized. Do the current owners still have plans to redevelop the building? If not, maybe the Town would consider purchasing it, retaining the façade and outer brick walls and constructing a new Town Hall inside. The footprint appears big enough for civic requirements. Doing so would ensure retention of the heritage character and become a source of civic pride. Expensive? Yes ... but impossible?
During my time here, the Town of Ladysmith has had two mottos: “Heritage by the Sea,” followed by the current “A View to Sea.” Let’s not let it slide to “Nothing to See.”
Industrial Heritage comes to life
BY MARINA SACHT
It’s Saturday. The sun is poking around the side of the big yellow building where a small group of men are prepping a large drum for painting. A few hundred yards north, another group is clearing the brambles that have overgrown the Jordan Spreader, preparing it for its upcoming restoration.
There’s frost in the air, but the Ladysmith & District Historical Society’s Industrial Heritage Preservation Committee members aren’t concerned about the weather. They have bigger things on their minds like how to save important pieces of local heritage – and this place – the cluster of buildings formerly occupied by Comox Logging & Rail Co (CLRC), a company credited with the economic revival of Ladysmith. This work yard and buildings represent a pivotal moment in Ladysmith’s early development and its swing from a coal to a lumber-based economy.
The industrial artifacts here once belonged to the CLRC and each have a story to tell. Most of the artifacts have been or are in the process of being refurbished by the committee.
Amongst them are Ladysmith’s famous Baldwin steam locomotive #11, the Humdirgen, a Tube Tumbler, and a number of box and rail cars.
The Plymouth 107 has just been made operational again. Harry Blackstaff, one of the volunteers, used to operate the engine. Now that it is restored, it has been painted Crown Zellerbach orange colours.
Shirley, his wife is the committee chairperson. She and Harry along with a team of dedicated volunteers ranging from 50 to 93 years old, have logged about 3000 hours a year.
Work began in 2016, when Shirley noticed that parts of the locomotive were being stripped, and that the yard had gotten to a point of such disrepair that it was a safety concern.
“It’s important to save the artifacts because they helped build our town.”
The public is invited to drop by and watch the work parties on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, or better yet, consider volunteering. Work is needed to research and restore the artifacts and buildings of the forest industry. The goal is to enable educational and tourism experiences on the heritage site.
Drop by at 614 Oyster Bay Drive or call Shirley Blackstaff for more information: 250-245-3075.
Backed by Woodworkers
But this isn’t the only site where heritage comes to life, indeed it is all around us. For example, woodworkers were key members in founding the local credit union.
As the Second World War was drawing to a close, Ladysmith woodworkers organized a credit union to support their families in an uncertain economy, through the postwar years, and benefit the larger community.
In 1944, they chartered the Ladysmith & District Credit Union (LDCU), one of the first credit unions on Vancouver Island.
Established as a community-focused financial institution, LDCU has played a significant role in the economic and social development of its community. It has a lot to be proud of, it’s
teamwork to
Industrial Artifacts at the former Comox Logging & Rail Co. historic site. Photo: Bob Burgess.
the first Credit Union in BC to elect a woman President, and it would give loans to women years before the banks did. Indeed LDCU was mentored by now-legendary figures in the social reform and co-operative movement. This history is showcased in a book by Patrick Dunae that you can pick up at LDCU. Now, 81 years later, the credit union has grown to include LCU Insurance Services and LDCU Financial Management.
A walk downtown will uncover more stories about our past. Watch for the plaques on some of the buildings or pick up a Artifact route map or download the Ladysmith Heritage App.
Ladysmith Heritage Awards
As part of Heritage BC Week, the Ladysmith & District Historical Society, with support from the Town of Ladysmith, is hosting the sixth annual Ladysmith Heritage Awards. The public is invited to come out on Saturday, Feb 22, 6:30 pm, to cheer on the recipients. New this year is a live performance and a silent auction. Admission is by donation. info@ladysmithhistoricalsociety.ca
Volunteers of the Industrial Heritage Preservation Committee take a break from their Saturday morning work parties. (l-r) Alex Stuart, Floyd South, Tom Stockhausen, Henry Schneider, Arne Bogwald. Photo: Marina Sacht
It takes
restore the
Island Health checkup
BY FRAN PACCHIANO
On August 26, a member of the Ladysmith community fell down several stairs at her house. Her face was damaged, and her friends took her to urgent care. A nurse cleaned up her face, and after learning about the fall, they decided to check if anything was broken.
“I actually didn't think I had hurt my wrist because I could still move my fingers. … They said that they wanted to take an X-ray just to confirm. And so they did take the X-ray, and it showed that my wrist was broken. … I would need a cast.”
Normally, the X-ray technician would check for a break and, then finding one, would set a cast. However, the patient arrived at the Ladysmith Community Health Centre around 5 p.m., and the technician left at 6 p.m. and didn’t have time to set the break.
“They sent me home with a broken wrist and told me to come back the next day at three o’clock.”
The patient insists that she should not have been sent home. “What they should have told me was to proceed to the Duncan Hospital to have my arm set. They should never have sent me home, not with my wrist broken like that.”
When she returned the next day, the clinic’s scheduled hours were between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., but she wasn’t attended to until nearly 4:30. Her bone was reset in what she described as “not a painless procedure by any stretch of the imagination,” and a first cast was put on her arm.
The cast, however, was put on incorrectly, and the doctor took it off and
Wait times in Urgent Care Centres can test some patients patience. Photo: Rob Johnson
asked the technician to stay so it could be recast. “He was in a hurry to put the second cast on so that the X-ray technician didn’t have to stay late. They made the cast too long. … I had no room for swelling. I felt like my arm was in a vice, and my bones were being crushed.”
She went to Duncan for a routine check-up a week later, and the surgeon could tell it had been a rushed job. “My problem is the hours,” she said. “If they knew that they weren’t going to have time to do it properly, they should have sent me to Duncan.”
The closures at the Ladysmith and Chemainus Community Health Centres’ urgent care facilities have been a regular occurrence for many months. Scheduled hours fluctuate between full days of operation to as few as three hours, or none at all when the clinic is “at capacity.”
In a statement to TAKE 5, Island Health said of the issue, “We are committed to addressing the situation and
continue to work closely with multiple partners to recruit and retain care providers, as well as develop processes to support our teams in managing increased patient volumes and complexities.”
The statement goes on to direct people either to the Nanaimo or Duncan hospitals. However, these facilities are often overwhelmed and have long wait times. These long wait times drive people to the smaller communities of Chemainus and Ladysmith to avoid the lines, which is a vicious cycle.
TAKE 5’s own Bob Burgess was not immune to the Island’s healthcare crisis. After suffering for nearly a month with what he thought was a “bad cold,” he was 18.
diagnosed at Ladysmith Urgent Care with pneumonia and kidney failure with only about eight per cent functionality left.
“All the triage, the bloodwork — everything was all done at Ladysmith. And [the doctor] said, ‘Go, we’ll get you in right away.’ I waited seven hours at the ER in Nanaimo before they called me in. And then I spent [a] day in a recliner. The rest of the time was on a stretcher in the hallway.”
Bob spent a total of five days on a stretcher in the hallway of NGRH. “They were overwhelmed. The hospital was overwhelmed. The staff was doing everything they could. They ran out of I.V. poles, and I [heard] them [say] they couldn’t find I.V. poles; they couldn’t find wheelchairs. Everything was being
used.”
Bob was moved around four times in the five days he spent there without privacy. The hospital was running at 130 per cent capacity, and Bob was transferred from hallway to hallway, depending on what level of care he needed. He described the scene as “rows and rows of stretchers.”
Despite the staff being overwhelmed, Bob said the care he received was excellent. “The nurses were very concerned and caring, but there wasn’t much they could do. They can only handle so much at any given time. I wasn’t the only sick one there, obviously.”
The problem is that hospitals in BC have been overwhelmed and running at max capacity for over a decade. In 2019, the Nanaimo Medical Staff Engagement Society called for a change in their fiveyear plan outline. They outlined that at the time, the NRGH had 345 beds and treated approximately 400 patients daily.
Today, those numbers are growing. The NRGH currently has 354 base beds, and the CDH has 158 base beds. While exact patient numbers are difficult to pinpoint, Island Health spokesperson Dominic Abissi stated that hospitals are “almost always running at or above 100 per cent capacity, especially during respiratory illness season.”
Access to healthcare is a growing concern on the Island. In April of 2024, the Fair Care Alliance launched as a “coalition of medical, business, Indigenous, municipal, philanthropic and regional leaders and community at large” and is fighting for fair access to healthcare for people living north of the Malahat on Vancouver Island.
Donna Hais, spokesperson and founding member of the Fair Care Alliance, is calling for physical changes for the NRGH. The current facilities are outdated and too small for the volume of patients. She says the hospital needs a new full-service hospital tower and a catheterization lab. Changes to the hospital can take up to a decade, but the quality of care should not be lacking in the meantime. “We’re actually working on what that looks like as we move forward with Island Health and with all the other partners at the healthcare ecosystem table.”
A big problem with attracting doctors to the hospitals north of the Malahat is
that Victoria still controls the hospitals. “Currently our program structure out of NRGH is all based out of Victoria. That has limited and tied our physicians’ hands. It’s made it hard to attract physicians to a system that is not run from the facility in which it operates.”
This period of crisis and rebuilding presents an opportunity to move in a new direction emphasizing more inclusive and diverse care. Achieving this requires systemic changes to ensure culturally appropriate access to healthcare. This issue in our current system cannot be neglected or treated as an afterthought anymore. It must be intentionally integrated from the start, and Hais confirms that progress is being made.
“As new infrastructure is planned, the conversations and the strategic partnerships that are required to exist to have a healthy community and culture moving forward have to happen at the beginning of [the] project. They can never be afterthoughts. … We’re already talking to and engaging with the First Nations Health Authority.”
The media has been key in getting the Fair Care Alliance’s messages out to the people and the community leaders. While healthcare was a key topic during the provincial election, it’s important to keep the conversation going.
This also isn’t just on the shoulders of the media outlets and politicians. To keep the momentum and the pressure on the medical and political leaders, the people in the smaller communities need to speak up.
“Someone has to make sure that we’re digging holes and building the projects, that we’re actually hiring the people that we need … and that we’re growing our programs. And Fair Care will continue to work, and we can only do that with [the] community supporting us. … We’re going to need to be telling our incoming MLAs, our new Minister of Health and our Island Health officials that this is a priority, and we’re not prepared to back down.”
There are some practical steps you can take to have your voice heard. First is to sign a petition. A signature seems small, but it makes a big impact. A petition is a unified message that get the attention of politicians. Following that, Hais says that writing direct letters to MLAs will continue to show the community’s support. The Fair Care Alliance has links to their petition, emails to politicians and helpful instructions on how to write the emails on their website. “The sad thing is healthcare shouldn’t be about politics, [but] about human beings. And it’s about patients getting fair and equitable access to the treatment they need. Unfortunately, it’s funded and controlled through politics. And so we need to make sure that our numbers stay strong and stay loud.”
Loud voices are one of retired nurse Jackie Moad's sugges-
tions for bringing change to this systemic issue. “When you get a lot of voices together and say, ‘This has to stop,’ that’s when you get change.” The decision to make a difference is personal and often comes with tragedy, but there is hope in the midst of this grief. “When a crisis hits, that’s when change happens.”
The problem of not having enough healthcare professionals was an issue long before the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated it. Jackie, who retired in 2017, said that they were short-staffed for a lot of her years in practice. “If a nurse was sick and they couldn’t replace her, the nurses that were there took on more patients. [When] you take on more patients, you start to burn out, and when you burn out, you call in sick. … It just gets worse and worse, and that’s what’s happening with the urgent care.”
“The light at the end of the tunnel is … nurse practitioners.” In a system where doctors are scarce, allowing nurses to step up and fill in where they are more than qualified to do so can alleviate the issue. “Nurse practitioners can and should be able to do a whole lot of stuff that doctors can do. They can see a person and say, ‘You need an X-ray’ ... and they have doctors they can refer to.”
Another way to release some pressure is by bringing more people into the medical field. “There needs to be a better system to let foreign doctors come in [and work as doctors] instead of having to take jobs as janitors in a hospital.” Jackie pointed out that many immigrants have years of school and practical training when they arrive in Canada, hoping for a better life. Still, the Canadian medical system requirements prevent them from working. “Even if doctors from different countries … had to do a test — big deal. Let them do a test.”
In the midst of all the difficulties, it’s important to have support. Her husband, Laurie, was her biggest supporter. “I had him to lean on and to reflect on why it was important to keep going.” Jackie also spoke about how meaningful receiving notes of encouragement from patients was in those dark and hard moments. “Many times, I would come back from my job in tears and [would say], ‘I can’t do this anymore. It’s just too hard.’ He would make me sit there and read some of [the cards], and I’d think, ‘Okay, all right. I can do it.’”
“It doesn’t have to be your partner; it’s support from your community that’s important.” Supporting friends and family members who are doctors, nurses, and health professionals can make a huge difference. Notes of encouragement, little treats or a coffee could be the bright spot in someone’s day.
It can be hard to have patience when the system negatively impacts your healthcare access. But the professionals who are working are not the problem. So, when you’re stuck for hours in urgent care, remember to breathe, save your complaints for a letter to the local politicians and be kind.
Urgent Care at Ladysmith Health Care Centre (left) and Chemainus Health Care Centre (right).Photos: Bob Burgess
Chemainus Public Market closes doors
BYKERITH WADDINGTON
When one door closes another opens.
That old adage has brought comfort to people facing the discomfort of change for years, and there is usually some truth to it.
The Chemainus Public Market closed its doors at the end of January when the building owners Anthem Properties announced they were bringing in a new tenant whose identity was not discolosed by presstime.
There is no doubt that this is a loss to the community and the smaller businesses that were trying to make a go of it there. However, many of the merchants who once occupied the large building are opening their doors elsewhere, and the popular Classic Car shows that used to be held at the Market Wednesday evenings are moving across the street to Waterwheel Park. So while the Public Market has ceased to exist as a gathering place, other shops and streets will soon become the scene of shared stories and new traditions.
Warren Goulding, owner of the Market, is certainly sad to see the endeavour end.
“Our doors opened in the spring of 2020 just as Covid hit, so it was a rough start for sure”, he says. “The concept was to provide low-cost space to small businesses. For some it worked out so well they moved on to larger premises and expanded their business. The concept was evolving as different entrepreneurs opened their doors”.
Goulding says that between a dozen and 20 vendors have rented spaces in the Market at any one time, including three eateries, a lavender store, a hair salon, a Lego shop, an arcade, artists and a book store. With the closing of the building the current tenants are either moving to new locations, moving home, or shutting down their businesses.
Goulding admits that with the closing of the Market, there is nothing like it remaining in Chemainus. “It was a wonderful gathering
Jodie Greis-Phillips of The Winning Touch Massage and Chemainus Classic Car Club. Photo: Kerith Waddington
place for many locals. Some came to have a coffee and snack with friends; others liked to browse the shops or visit the arcade. It was accessible to folks with mobility issues and they say they are going to miss that.”
ColourWheel Salon and Spa owner/operator Keirsten Tymko, who has since opened up her new space at 9736 Chemainus Road, agrees.
“When I first heard of the imminent change in midDecember I felt blindsided, shocked” she says. “Mostly I was just sad to see it end. The last year was the busiest yet, and I’ve been here since the get-go. It felt like as an idea the Market was really gaining momentum, and it was a great place for seniors to come when the weather was bad. It was a destination, especially during Covid.”
Tymko says she is grateful for having had the chance to build her confidence and clientele at the Market, and for the great people she shared the space with.
Shawn Orza, owner of Wiffle Games and the arcade, has re-located to Duncan. So too has David Seguin, owner of Brickitty doo-da Lego.
Seguin, who is known as the ‘Lego Guy’, says the Market gave small businesses a leg-up.
“Profit margins are slim at the best of times, and renting space is often unachievable for small businesses,” he says. “That’s where the Market helped lots of people. And it provided a destination for community members. Running this business has been gratifying because it’s not about selling stuff, it’s about selling something that when put together with friends or family will become a core memory. It feels
good to help facilitate that, and to know you are an important part of someone’s day.”
Seguin is hopeful his larger space at 303 Festurbert Street in Duncan will become a destination, too.
Goulding has this to add about the problem of revenue-flow for small businesses in Chemainus. “The town needs more traffic from outside the area and more residents coming into the downtown core,” he says.
Jodie Greis-Phillips of The Winning Touch Massage and Chemainus Classic Car Club leased space at the Market since 2022. “Being a vendor and leasing space gave the Club the perfect opportunity to have a base. We had a location for meets, get-togethers and community events. Most importantly, we had a place to eat and shop at. Warren continued the support for the Chemainus Classic Car Club because our loyal, local members wanted to make the meets community-oriented. So Chemainus became a stop on our car cruising map! A home in the Market gave the club more exposure and a fun place to ‘talk shop’”.
While Greis-Phillips is sorry to see the Market close, she is choosing to look on the bright side. She is pleased that the Wednesday night car meets will continue in Waterwheel Park, and she’ll be there offering massage ‘Tune-Ups’ in the ‘Massage Garage’.
Additionally, the Car Clubs’ great t-shirts will still be for sale, and “we’ll continue our tradition of free bags of popcorn” laughs GreisPhillips.
It is clear that like the Classic Car Club, community spirit just keeps rolling in Chemainus.
ColourWheel Salon and Spa owner/operator Keirsten Tymko with client Jimmy McGhee getting a trim. Photo: Kerith Waddington
Chemainus Public Market. Photo: TAKE 5
RDN Area A Cedar, South Wellington, Cassidy & Yellow Point
In an effort to address the housing crisis, the provincial government requires local governments to assess local housing needs and provide a report to the Ministry of Housing. Recently, the Electoral Area directors received the Interim Housing Needs Report (HNR). The content (e.g., definitions and data sources) of the report is highly controlled by the Province, including how the numbers are determined. Although I think understanding the level of need for housing now and in the future is important, I have concerns that the information in the report is not an accurate reflection of our community. Since the overall numbers were reported in the media, I thought I should provide a deeper explanation.
The HNR attempts to indicate the number of current and anticipated housing units that are needed in five and in twenty years for each Electoral Area in the Regional District of Nanaimo. For Area A, the number of housing units predicted to be needed in five years is 387, and in 20 years, 1,275 units will be required to meet the expected demand.
Five specific contributory factors are considered: those who use a high portion of their income to pay for housing; people experiencing homelessness; those in a shared living situation due to economic pressures; the expected popu-
lation growth; and finally, the number of housing units required to increase the vacancy rate to three per cent. Various data sources (e.g., Canadian census, BC Stats, homeless counts, rental market information) are used to determine these five indicators of overall housing need.
Some of this data is regional level or from the closest municipality; so for us, sometimes it is City of Nanaimo data. For example, the data on homelessness is regional information, with Area A’s portion being determined by its population percentage for the region. So, if Area A has about 4.5 per cent of the population of the entire RDN, then it is assumed in the HNR that we have 4.5 per cent of the homeless. Each estimated homeless person for the area is assumed to need an individual rental unit.
Getting the correct data to accurately assess housing need is difficult. The provincially determined HNR does a good job of providing a snapshot of housing needs in the region, but local knowledge and context must be applied for this data to reflect the situation in the Electoral Areas. There are many reasons why regional or municipal data is not an accurate representation of Electoral Areas. Many people who can barely make rent live in smaller apartments that are typically found in municipalities. As well, people experiencing homelessness are more likely to find shelter near social services, which are predominantly in Nanaimo.
Further, the Regional Growth Strategy in the RDN directs population growth predominately into municipalities and less so into the growth containment boundaries in the Electoral Areas. This planning strategy attempts to protect the rural integrity of Electoral Areas and is also a climate change strategy to increase densification in some areas while protecting the natural environments of less populated areas. Finally, water availability must be considered in determining where housing is built, as some area aquifers cannot sustain increased development.
Given these local considerations and regional growth plans, I expect that the proposed housing need for our community (387 units in five years; 1,275 units in 20 years) overestimates the actual housing need in Area A. However, population growth is occurring throughout the RDN, and people need houses. Further, supply levels affect affordability. So, while we may not see the level of growth in our community consistent with the HNR, we will see growth over time. It will be important for us to carefully consider community development and be mindful of protecting what makes Cedar, South Wellington, Cassidy and Yellow Point amazing places to live.
Please feel free to contact me about this or any community concern.
Email: jessicastanley@rdn.bc.ca
Phone: 250-268-7359
CVRD Area H North Oyster/Diamond
Director’s Town Hall Set for February 6 Updates
Residents of Area H are invited to a Director’s Town Hall at 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 6, 2025, at the North Oyster Community Centre, to discuss key community issues. The meeting will include updates on Area H projects, Budget 2025 and a question-and-answer session with CVRD staff regarding the 2025 rollout of three-stream curbside waste collection.
Three-Stream Waste Collection
The 2025 rollout of three-stream waste collection, mandated by the province, has raised concerns about fairness. While all eligible households (as defined in Bylaw 1958) will be billed $345 annually starting June 1, 2024, not all will receive the same level of service. Areas D, E, F, G and I, already served by CVRD, will receive a full year of collection, while Areas A, B, C and H will only begin service in June 2025.
Despite efforts to address the issue, the CVRD Board approved the staggered rollout and the $345 fee during its December meetings. Residents have expressed frustration over paying for a full year of service but receiving only seven months. CVRD staff will be present at the Town Hall to answer questions, and additional information is available at www. planyourcowichan.ca.
Budget 2025
The draft budget for Area H includes a 13.12 per cent in-
crease, with nearly half attributed to regional recreation costs. While staff worked to maintain core services and find efficiencies, the proposed increase has drawn criticism. Director feedback suggested that while the budget fulfills Board directives, the scale of the increase is concerning. Further updates will be shared at the Town Hall and in the March issue of TAKE 5.
Yellow Point Trail Update
Progress continues on the multiuse Yellow Point Trail, with $400,000 from the gas tax fund allocated for its initial phase. The trail will run from the Chuck Wagon store at Yellow Point and Cedar Roads towards the North Oyster firehall. The project is currently in the design phase, with 30 per cent plans reviewed by the Ministry of Transport and Transit (MOTT). Public updates will be provided through Area H Parks Advisory Commission meetings, which residents are encouraged to attend.
While the trail’s completion timeline will depend on grants, efforts remain focused on advancing the project.
Looking Ahead
As winter gives way to spring, residents can look forward to Valentine’s Day, Family Day and the beginning of the gardening season. Despite global uncertainties, life in Area H continues to thrive.
Join us at the Town Hall on February 6 to engage in these discussions and plan for the future of our vibrant community. In service, Ben Maartman ben.maartman@cvrd.bc.ca 250-510-5930
CVRD Area G Saltair/Gulf Islands
Engineered Wood Fibre vs. Pea Gravel:Saltair Centennial Play Structure Surface Upgrades
I want to thank everybody for their interest regarding the scheduled surface upgrade for the Saltair Centennial Park play structure. One of the things that I appreciate most about living in Saltair is that we have a tremendously engaged community that cares deeply about each other and our assets. The chosen surface material, engineered wood fibre, was selected after carefully considering its safety, accessibility, maintenance and cost benefits. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to get better informed about playground best practices.
Quick Story: When I was 10, we had a new playground at St Joseph’s Elementary. One of the features was the hanging rings, as you see in the Olympics. We used them for long jump competitions. As we continually tried to outdo each other, I went for it by getting my friends to push me. As I started swinging higher and higher, my little body couldn’t hang on. I flew through the air and came down face-first with my arms extended. I broke my left arm in three places, and my right arm in two locations. Even though I couldn’t properly use the washroom for an entire summer, I strangely look back on that experience with a weird fondness. For me, it was a part of my childhood and growing up. But that was in the 80s, and obviously, times have changed. As a community, we are responsible for keeping each other safe, especially children.
Engineered wood fibre is a play fall surface material widely considered a
preferred option for use public and community spaces over other materials such a pea gravel. The CVRD has shared the following information:
Engineered wood fibre (EWF) is often considered a superior playground surfacing material compared to pea gravel due to several key factors:
1. Impact Absorption and Safety
• Engineered Wood Fibre (EWF) is designed to provide excellent impact attenuation, meaning it can better cushion falls and reduce the risk of injury, especially head injuries. It meets or exceeds safety standards set by organizations like ASTM and CPSC for playgrounds. It meets Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Z614:20 Standards for Playgrounds as it relates to play surfaces.
• While pea gravel offers some cushioning, its ability to absorb impact is generally inferior to EWF. It is less effective in preventing injuries from falls, especially from higher equipment and compacts underneath swings, requiring regular lifting/tilling of material.
2. Accessibility
• EWF creates a firm and stable surface when properly compacted and maintained, making it wheelchair-accessible and compliant with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards.
• Pea gravel is not accessible for wheelchairs, strollers or mobility devices, making it non-compliant with ADA accessibility standards.
3. Traction and Stability
• EWF provides better traction for running, jumping, and walking. It reduces the likelihood of slipping.
• Pea gravel is loose and unstable, making it more challenging for children to run or walk on, and it can lead to more slips and falls.
4. Cost-Effectiveness
• While the initial installation cost of EWF may be slightly higher, it requires less frequent replenishment than pea gravel, making it more cost-effective over time.
• Pea gravel may require frequent raking to maintain even coverage and can
Saltair Centennial Park playground ground surface to be replaced.Photo: Jesse McClinton
scatter easily, leading to higher maintenance costs.
Summary
EWF outperforms pea gravel in key areas like safety, accessibility, maintenance and play value, making it a superior choice for playgrounds that meets a range of safety standards (ADA, ASTM, CPSC, IPEMA and CSA) and is engineered, tested and certified to be non-flammable and saw-dust free (main fire hazard in wood mulch). The CVRD manages over 30 playgrounds and has been actively converting from pea gravel to EWF (the majority now have engineered wood fibre).
I’ve listed the platform I ran on below for those unfamiliar with it. The play structure surface upgrades are in line with the platform on which I was elected. However, I encourage you to share your thoughts and concerns about the upgrade. Your feedback is important to me and will help me make an informed decision that benefits our community.
• Taxes: I will advocate for responsible tax allocation
• Bylaws: I will uphold bylaws that support the needs of you and your family
• Infrastructure: I will work to ensure critical infrastructure management
• Engagement: I will host at least two community meetings per year in Area G
• Volunteer Organizations: I will support volunteer organizations in their efforts to enhance our community and our citizens’ well-being
• Financial Grants: I will work tirelessly to obtain federal and provincial government grant opportunities to enrich our community.
• Community Assets: I will preserve and enhance our natural spaces, community centers and parks.
What’s in a Name?
BY ROB JOHNSON
One hundred and twenty-five years ago, on the morning of March 1st, 1900, James Dunsmuir, the founder of Ladysmith, left Victoria to go to the instant community he was building at Oyster Harbour. This community was to house the employees of his mine in Extension 12, miles away. When he arrived to observe the progress of the community, little did he know that later that day, he would receive news that would leave a mark on the Island’s history and the world.
Dunsmuir, soon to become premier of BC, was proud of the community he built for his miners and confident of the future economic growth. This new community would have broad streets; lots were allocated to construct the four major churches of the day. In addition, there were building lots for the construction of public schools.
This new community would have a “Market Square.” The Market Square would be the town centre, surrounded by all the local shops the townspeople would need. It was to be very modern and have everything a town would want. But it didn’t have a name.
That was about to change that day. While surveying plans for this new community, word came that Commonwealth troops fighting in the Boer War had finally broken the siege of the City of Ladysmith in South Africa. This was a historic event and was celebrated throughout the Empire. The relief of Ladysmith freed the thousands of residents and over 10,000 British Troops that had been besieged for 118 days. During this period, the Populus suffered constant shelling by the enemy. They were starving from lack of food, and the water supply was contaminated. Hundreds died as a result of the siege. So, when General
Buller and his troops entered the city of Ladysmith on February 27th, the British Empire rejoiced that the approximate 15,000 were finally free of the imprisonment that the siege had caused them.
It was this news that James Dunsmuir, a strong supporter of the Empire, heard while at his community on Oyster Bay that March day. He almost immediately decided to name this new community “Ladysmith” in honour of the relief of that war-torn community on the other side of the world. To further recognize this historic event, he named the streets of the community after many British generals who were participating in the war. White Street is named after General White, who, along with his troops, was trapped for 118 days in Ladysmith. General Buller (Buller Street), who led the campaign to relieve Ladysmith, is also one of our major streets. (To learn more about the street names, check out the town’s archives.)
This is why, 125 years ago, the place we call home was so named. A note of
irony is that as of May 2024, the City of Ladysmith KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, where 90 per cent of the population speaks the Zulu language, changed its name from Ladysmith to uMnambithi, which in Zulu means “God stands with us.”
This change goes back to the name of the area that the Boers purchased from the Zulu king back in 1847. The site was annexed by the British the same year, and they proclaimed the township “Windsor.” Three years later, in 1850, the town was renamed Ladysmith in honour of Lady Smith, the Spanish wife of Sir Harry Smith, who was a war hero and was at that time the governor of the Cape. (You can learn more about Sir Harry and Lady Smith in the town’s archives.)
On March 1, 2025 take a moment to consider how the town got its name, and all the people, and events directly or indirectly associated with it. So, what’s in a name? As I see it, it says a lot more than you think.
We know beavers are hard-working: they shore up their dams and build their lodges. Likewise, many local people are working to protect and restore nature. But who are they?
In partnership with TAKE 5 Magazine, the Yellow Point Ecological Society (YES) is launching a quest to find our Green Champions and give them the recognition they deserve in the April issue of TAKE 5.
Do you know a teacher, professor or school board trustee who goes out of their way to share their love of nature
with their students?
Do you know perhaps a local business owner who makes a special effort to minimize waste, avoid harmful emissions and make a difference on the Earth?
Is there a planner, engineer, city councillor or regional director who you know to be a champion for nature? Perhaps even a mayor?
Maybe you know an Indigenous person or Elder who understands the importance of our connection with nature and goes out of their way to share their knowledge.
Maybe there’s a volunteer who loves a particular place that is threatened with harm, perhaps due to real estate development or logging, and is working to save it.
Or is there someone who works with children, getting them out into the woods, getting them familiar with the mosses, lichens and caterpillars, the worms and bugs who live in the soil, the trees, plants and birds with whom we share our home?
Maybe you know a farmer who cares about nature on the farm, who goes out
of their way to protect nesting birds, to set aside special areas and grow food without spreading toxic chemicals on the land.
Maybe you know someone who protects nature silently as an investor, avoiding companies that harm nature and investing instead in ventures that restore and protect nature and the climate.
Maybe there’s an author, a children’s book writer, a singer, artist or a magician who uses their skill to weave inspirational magic and make people fall in love with nature.
Or maybe you know a scientist who is working to help us better understand the
climate crisis, the biodiversity crisis or the mysteries of plant consciousness.
And maybe there’s a fisher or a marine biologist who treasures the ocean, who goes out of their way to keep the plastic trash and fishing gear out of the sea.
Our boundaries are the TAKE 5 readership area, from Crofton in the south to Cable Bay and Jack Point in the north, from the ocean in the east to the mountains in the west. As for Duncan, Nanaimo and Gabriola — we encourage you to organize your own Green Champions awards!
So, if you know someone who you think deserves recognition, please nominate them. Send a 250 words description of their work to yellowpoint2020@gmail.com, along with their name, address, phone, email and willingness to be nominated. If there are published stories that reference their work, so much the better — please include the links. If you want to nominate your husband, son or step-niece twice removed by your second marriage, best find someone else to nominate them. If two or three of you want to nominate someone together, so much the better.
The judging panel will be the board of YES, so none of us or our immediate family can be nominated. Sorry, Uncle Jim! The award will be a feature in April issue of TAKE 5 and a mystery recognition yet to be revealed. Instead of April Fool’s Day, it will be Nature’s Jewels Day.
If there’s a business that would like to sponsor this yet-to-berevealed ceremony, please let us know. The deadline for nominations is Saturday, March 1. Send them to yellowpoint2020@ gmail.com. Thank you!
On the Occasion of Wildwood’s 80th Anniversary
BY KATHY CODE, CHAIR, ECOFORESTRY INSTITUTE SOCIETY
Yes, that’s right! It is now 80 years since Merv Wilkinson began his ecoforestry practices at Wildwood in 1945. That’s a human lifetime, but a blink of an eye in the history of the Earth. Yet, what a difference Merv’s decision has made to us. Instead of a clear-cut and human-dominated landscape, we have an old growth forest — mystical and magical in all its glory and gifts to us. The Ecoforestry Institute Society is
celebrating this 80th anniversary with several exciting events through out 2025. The gala event will be the celebration of Grace’s 90th birthday on March 29. Family, friends and community will be sharing potluck, live music and a fancy cake with Grace. Grace was married to Merv and lived at Wildwood for more than 30 years and has many stories to share with us.
Also watch for the Wildwood Speakers Series — a collection of online webinars to help bring Wildwood closer to a broader audience. First up is Mikaela Cannon, author of Foraging As a Way of Life, on January 29. Then there’s the Spring Open House and a reenergized Save the 21 Acres campaign. See the EIS website for more events and details.
Sunshine in the forest.
Photo: Nancy Turner
What Wildwood Means to Us
It’s January, and as I walk through Wildwood’s towering forests, I revel in the incredibly beautiful and serene landscape. Despite the dreary day, there’s a green glow that backdrops limbs draped with moss and massive tree trunks deeply etched by age and scarred by fires from long ago. The air is fresh, exhilarating, with the aerosols exuded by all that plant life. Birds flit and sing with such innocence, and I take delight in knowing that Wildwood will always be their home, now that the property is protected in perpetuity. It’s been a hardwon journey, but there is peace and joy in knowing what we’ve accomplished over time, as individuals and as a community.
As I marvel at this complex biodiversity, I think about what could have been. At one point, Merv and Grace were offered $150,000 by loggers eager to clear cut the property. It was a princely sum in those days, but they were steadfast in their refusal. And so, this forest flourishes as it has done for centuries. According to his own account, Merv removed hundreds of truckloads of timber, making up a good part of his income. It was his selective tree-harvesting method that always ensured that he managed for the health of the forest. That careful stewardship has placed a treasured forest in the hands of the Ecoforestry Institute Society. We are honoured to take up Merv’s work and to protect and operate Wildwood according to ecoforestry practices and on behalf of the people of BC.
Merve Wilkinson, founder of Wildwood Ecoforest.
Photo courtesy of Ecoforestry Institute Society.
Above the Treeline
BY FRANCESCA PACCHIANO
Dr. Renee Fossett lives in a home that overlooks the beautiful Ladysmith harbour. At almost ninety, she resides comfortably, surrounded by an extensive library, and is visited often by family. But retirement is not a concept she’s spent much time with. Just last year, Renee published her latest book, The Life and Times of Augustine Tataneuck: An Inuk Hero in Rupert’s Land, 1800–1834.
Based on a true story, the book follows a twelve-year-old Inuit boy who was sent by his family to Hudson’s Bay Company in Churchill to escape the harsh Arctic winter and earn a living. The boy, later named Augustine, worked as a labourer for the company men and quickly picked up English as his second language. He became a skilful translator and was the first Inuk man to work for HBC.
Renee, a historian who had spent 12 years living in the Arctic, first discovered the story in the Hudson’s Bay Company journals from Fort Churchill. She writes in the preface of the book, “I wondered about him. Who was he? Why was he in Churchill instead of with his family somewhere in the north in the great barren lands of Keewatin? I had sons of my own who had only recently left home to study at distant universities, so my natural first thought was for the well-being of the young Inuk.” She spent nearly 30 years compiling references to Augustine from the postmaster’s daily journal reports. Eventually, she had enough to weave together his story.
The book is remarkable because most biographies and non-fiction works that involve the Arctic in the eighteenth through twentieth centuries are from the perspective of white European explorers. The stories of Indigenous Peoples of the area are widely left out of those accounts.
Renee’s son William expressed his pride for his mother’s work. “Normally there’s not a historical record. … She was able to take all those comments over a long period of time, and she put his life together, which is very hard to do. And I think [she is] very proud of being able to do that.”
The book was shortlisted for the Hill
Dr. Renee Fossett in Rankin Inlet with their German Shepherd dog, King, April 1964, Photo: Ninian Inkster Jones. Inset: Cover of her latest book The Life and Times of Augustine Tataneuck: An Inuk Hero in Rupert’s Land, 1800–1834.
Author Dr. Renee Fossett in her study in Ladysmith, 2008. Photo: Andrew MacMillan Jones
Times Best Book of the Year in 2023 and won the 2024 William Mills Prize for non-fiction. “I’m glad that it’s out there, [and that] somebody recognized it,” Renee said. She went on to say that Canadians are often unaware of the sacrifices and service the Inuit people have made for our country — it’s important to recognize them.
Renee knew as a child that she wanted to pursue history. “I was three years old when my mother was showing me how to read, and I think I knew I was going to be a history teacher. That’s the only thing I ever wanted to be.” After graduating high school, she obtained an undergraduate degree in English and history, then an education degree.
A quiet life as a history teacher was not something that appealed to her. In the early 1960s, when other women in their twenties were getting married, Renee was seeking out adventure. “I was teaching school in Vancouver, and I was kind of bored.” She heard that the Government of Canada was building schools in the Arctic, and they were looking for people to go teach. “[They] were interviewing people like me — [people] who would be willing to pack their suitcase and go to the Arctic.” When she left for Rankin Inlet, she was one of 20 teachers who had signed up.
As Renee made her life in the Arctic — getting married and starting her own family — the Inuit people quickly became part of her everyday life. “They were my friends, my neighbours. They helped me, [and] I helped them. [They were] the kids my kids played with. It was a small community.”
Renee spent 12 years living above the treeline before moving back to give her kids a better education. In 1990, she went back to university to get a PhD in history. She worked as a researcher, writer and history professor for the University of Manitoba, but her heart stayed with the people she had grown to love.
The Life and Times of Augustine Tataneuck: An Inuk Hero in Rupert’s Land, 1800–1834 is available at the Ladysmith Museum and along with her other books, In Order to Live Untroubled, and Trader, Tripper, Trapper, can be found online at Amazon or in-person at Chapters and Indigo.
Affected Speech Disorder
I have an ally. Someone who thinks the way I do. This is good, because now there are two of us, we can call ourselves a movement and have bumper stickers. I’m talking about my friend and fellow restaurateur Dave, who along with me is a charter member of BASPT - it helps if you have a lisp – an acronym for Ban Affected Speech and other Phony Talk. But more on that later. First, we’re going to talk about Dave’s revolutionary marketing tactic for small, proprietorowned and -operated restaurants. I studied marketing for two years. Nothing I learned in school prepared me for marketing a small restaurant. In our case studies, there was always a marketing budget to play with. We’d allocate this budget between print, television, and goodwill advertising.
In real life, however, a small restaurant has no budget. You’re lucky if there’s money for food and booze. That’s why you often see the first-born sons of restaurateurs out on the sidewalks with sandwich boards strapped over their bony shoulders: DELBERT’S GOOD EATS on the front; TRY OUR CHEESEDOG on the back. That’s also why you see the same sons studying to be accountants, lawyers, teachers, female impersonators, anything but a restaurateur.
Dave’s stroke of brilliance (and I’m not making this up) was to take a mundane restaurant task - dealing with the answering machine - and elevate it into a marketing tour de force. Most restaurateurs regard the “damned answering machine” with the same level of enthusiasm as cleaning the bathroom floor or polishing glasses. But not Dave; he regards it as an opportunity to form personal relationships with customers. In fact, he took his email address off his
web site; if you want to make a reservation at Chez Dave’s, you have to speak with the man himself.
As Dave puts it, “The first thing when returning a call is to dispense with formality. Friendly is good, playful is even better. Too many people try to sound professional. You want professional, go see a doctor. What you want to sound like is real. This means building a bridge between you and the customer. Questions help. In the case of regular customers, say something like, ‘That wouldn’t be the same Jones who drank my last 2000 Banfi Brunello, would it?
NOT THAT JONES!’
“If it’s an out of town area code, ask where they’re from: ‘Butte, North Dakota? Much going on in Butte these days? Really! The mayor got busted for improper relations? Out of wedlock, you say? You people from Butte like to have fun, don’t you?’”
And now for the brilliant part - and this is going to guarantee Dave a spot in the restaurant Hall of Fame or, if they don’t have a hall, at least a broom closet - he takes it one step further. He writes down a one-or two-word reminder of the conversation in the reservation book. When the customers arrive, two weeks later, they’re greeted by a smiling, mischievous Dave. “So, how’s the mayor doing? He out of the dog house yet?” How can you not want to eat at Dave’s?
And that’s why Dave and I formed BASPT. How many times have you been on the phone with a business and the person on the other end is speaking with a phony, affected tone of voice? Instead of professional, they sound like R2-D2 on smarm pills. “How may I help you?” they ask in a sing-song voice borrowed from - I don’t know - Brenda over at the Fairmont.
It seems to Dave and me that speaking with an affected tone of voice is becoming more rampant in society, and they’re starting young. Take 20-year-old women for example, many of whom speak through their noses when greeting each other. Their tone of voice goes up about six octaves, and the word “Hi” becomes “Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ii,” rising and falling like an ocean swell. Some theories explain this: (1) their water bottles have been tampered with; (2) their water bottles need to be tampered with; (3) they’re zombies.
Dave and I have done the research on this and the answer is definitely #3: they’re zombies. That’s why it’s important we get BASPT up and operating soon. To keep the zombies in check, we’re going to need those bumper stickers.
Studies show that affected speech first achieved popularity in large legal firms where the insecure partners wouldn’t allow the secretaries to answer the phone with “Law Office.” No, they wanted all their names mentioned.
A busy law office receives maybe 500 calls a day, most coming from the senior partner’s wife reminding her husband to pick up bananas for the kid’s lunches. Answering the phone became a burdensome task. For secretaries to survive, they started to run all the partner’s names together into one fast-flowing, gigantic word.
Legal secretary: “BEECH-CLINEHEATH-SMITHWICKS-LEA-PERRINS-PETLEY-JONES-GOULDCAMPBELL and - finishing with a big flourish on the firm’s four syllable anchor - DE-TURB-ER-VILLE. How may I direct your call?”
You: “Ah… This Deturberville, he work cheap?”
If you are in the hospitality industry and fear you suffer from infected speech or that your brain has been taken over by zombies, and Dave and I are unavailable because we are out of the office on important business, which usually involves a liquor store, then compare a sample of your speech with what you sound like at the bar, two pints in, when the Canucks finally manage to put one in the net. If the two vary significantly, there’s a good chance you suffer from ASD. But don’t worry. Send us your address, $19.99 and applicable taxes, and we’ll get you that bumper sticker real fast.
Wine Pick of the Month
BY ADRIANE POLO OF CAREFREE WINE TOURS.
Want to get extra points this Valentine’s Day? Serve the 2022 Mt Boucherie OV Chardonnay. Crisp citrus notes and high acidity plasy well with seafood. About $39.00
Are you going for steak instead? Kalala’s organic Pinot noir, with its soft tannins and long finish, will have your mouth watering for more, at $24.99.
Nurse Jackie
“It is not how much you do, but how much love you put into the doing.” —
Mother Teresa
You know the old adage, “It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind”? All right, then, here I go again. I was just delving into a nice little ditty about Valentine’s for this February edition when Fran called. She wanted to pick my brain a bit about why I became a nurse and my thoughts on today’s medical system. That sojourn down memory lane made me stop in my tracks (or at least in my writing) and switch themes to how my
profession actually came about. And it kind of has a Valentine’s thread to it too.
A long time ago, when I was in high school, I had a dream, an ambition, of becoming a doctor. Back in the late ’60s, my heart was totally into the women’s liberation movement, and seeing very few female doctors around just fuelled my dream even more.
However, after completing the first four years of undergraduate training with the required Bachelor of Science degree, I was not only broke but also sick of school. The prospect of taking four more years of medical school firmly convinced me that I didn’t want that MD behind my name; I just wanted to get out there and make some dosh.
Fast forward 20 years, and the event that changed my life forever. It started with a Valentine’s card. Normal-looking on the outside, but inside, Laurie, my ever-sweet husband, had written in Span-
ish that this card was actually a ticket for an overland Mexican adventure in our classy VW van … redeemable anytime. Well, it was really cold, grey and wet here, so we packed up in two days, and it was hasta la vista, BC.
Life really did turn on a dime as we pleasantly motored down the Baja. The traffic jam ahead was because of a horrific accident, with folks just standing around in shock. As we slowly went around the mangled vehicle, the man slumped over the wheel and raised his head a bit. I yelled to Laurie to pull over. We always carry a small first-aid kit with us, so I grabbed it and headed into the scene. The fellow was in a bad way, and I managed to stop several areas of bleeding while the door was pried open. Then we eased him out of the crumpled metal that was his car and onto a long piece of plywood (actually half of our makeshift VW bed). My mind was rac ing the entire time, trying to remember bits of medical knowledge from long ago. The injured fellow was transferred to the back of a pickup truck and sped away to the closest hospital.
My mind wouldn’t leave the scene. Would he survive? But the big question for me was, could I have done more? Af ter listening to this lamenting for a few days, Laurie said that maybe I should go back and complete medical school. And when I said, “But I don’t want to be a doctor,” he replied, “Then why don’t you become a nurse?”
I thought about it for maybe two nano seconds. Then, I started making plans to register as a mature student at Malaspi na College’s nursing program as soon as we were back on the Island. I remember my first day of practicum at NRGH as if it were yesterday. I floated all the way home. It was the ultimate confirmation that I was meant to be there. Two years later, a month before my 40th birthday, I became a registered nurse.
The question: Why did you become a nurse? The answer — pure, simple and cross-my-heart true — is that I never thought about becoming a nurse. It was Laurie’s idea. I blame it all on him!
Jackie Moad retired from nursing af ter 25 wonderfully fulfilling years, work ing at the Ottawa General for the first 12 and NRGH for the last 13, while farm ing that 20 acres of organic paradise in Cedar.
Jackie Moad's nurse program graduation photo. Photo submitted.
