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Letters Development and Improvement aren’t synonymous Many people in the vicinity of the former RCMP building at Belaire/Dogwood have shown united, strong opposition to a proposed three-storey, contemporary structure, which would overpower their neighbourhood and be alongside a quiet, secluded complex of multiple homes occupied by mostly elderly retirees. However, at a public hearing on December 2, Ladysmith Town Council amended bylaws to accommodate the developer’s proposed brew pub and apartment block on the site.

To support his cause, the developer had recruited an impressive 252 signatures on his petitions and identical form letters.

However, Town of Ladysmith staff identified only one signatory who actually lives in the threatened area. The home environments of all the others wouldn’t be negatively impacted at all. Some people even live in Duncan, Cassidy and Chemainus.

With all due respect, it seems incongruous if not presumptuous that the developer, who lives in a rural area miles outside town, should seek to impose on others his personal vision of what he thinks their community lacks and needs. Families and people of all ages live contentedly in the strictly residential community, including “youthful citizens” that the developer feels the need to “attract and retain.” A council-approved amendment to Bylaw 2018 addressed “... commercial centres located within and serving the daily needs of the surrounding residential population ...” How could the brew pub serve the daily needs of the community’s adults and children? Anyway, surely no pub should be directly opposite Wickham Park, which is designated as a play area for children? As well, the alarming scale, form and character of the proposed modem, obtrusive apartment/condo block couldn’t be more at variance with all the other homes in the neighbourhood, yet amended Bylaw 2018 requires conformity. Meantime, local people are eager to have the site developed and have lots of great suggestions that would fit with and benefit their long-established and cherished neighbourhood.

Of course, Council places emphasis on increased tax revenues, some employment and housing opportunities leading to more local spending and so on. However, despite councillors being practical, attentive and respectful, where’s the sentiment, the empathy, the sense of responsibility that unique Ladysmith is renowned for? If one local person is known to be in

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distress, the whole town loyally rallies around to help. So where’s the caring, first and foremost, about protecting and supporting a community of people who have already happily put down roots in a peaceful, harmonious setting? Daily non-stop noise, disruptions and activity at all hours, blocked sunlight, obscured views, loss of privacy and enjoyment of their homes, vying with many others for a parking spot, throngs of people, the coming and going of heavy-duty trucks and a great increase in traffic and congestion aren’t and haven’t been issues.

That’s why people settled in the neighbourhood.

Shouldn’t caring about their well-being outweigh monetary gain and accommodating a persuasive developer?

— J.J. Sheridan

Alternative Approval Process – Water Infrastructure Borrowing The Ladysmith Ratepayers Association believes the AAP process initiated by the Town is premature, and if the Town has demonstrated project due diligence, we are at a loss as to where to find the documentation.

It is apparent to most residents that the Town is right to be concerned about long-term water security. The questions being asked are why the rush to complete this AAP by February 18th?

Is there pressure to meet a February 26th grant deadline? Why haven’t the townspeople and neighboring communities, whose water rights and salmon runs may ultimately be impacted, been made aware of the magnitude of these projects? Has the Town considered that the Holland Lake reservoir requires wa-

ter transfers from Banon Creek, which is a part of the Chemainus River, and the potential financial impact of this interbasin transfer on the hydrology, fishery and ecology of this system, not to mention First Nations rights?

The number one question we’re being asked is if the Town has done its due diligence with respect to the environmental and engineering aspects of the proposed projects. We don’t know. To the best of our knowledge it has certainly not been shared in public meetings or on the town website. What we do know is

if it hasn’t been done it poses substantial risk in increased costs to the taxpayers of Ladysmith.

Due diligence requires asking the right questions and seeking informed answers, doing the work required to determine if the project will deliver long-term benefits at a reasonable cost, secure the required licenses and land tenures, and engage in consultation with a wide range of interests. Again, from our research to date, none of this appears to have been done.

We do know that the Town requires its

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voters’ approval in order to borrow monies that will take more than five years to pay back. By virtue of doing nothing, by not submitting an Elector Response Form, you are giving the Town your approval. And, if fewer than 10 per cent of municipal electors (estimated by Town to be 688 voters) complete and submit an Elector Response Form, we are giving the Town the go ahead to borrow up to $6.2 million not including contingency costs.

How were these numbers calculated? We could find no detailed engineering work that would provide some comfort that the project can be delivered within the proposed budget. What are the contingencies and what amount will the residents of Ladysmith really be on the hook for?

We close with the hope that Mayor and Council will read this and recognize the project proposal and the funding request are premature, and that the road to this project is not through an AAP. The Town can take a step back, withdraw from the AAP and open the discussion to the community at large.

If you are an eligible voter in Ladysmith and you have more questions and concerns about borrowing for such an ill-defined project, please fill out an Electoral Response Form and take it to City Hall. The forms are available at City Hall and online at the Town of Ladysmith website. - Vicky Stickwood-Hislop, President, Ladysmith Ratepayers Assoc. (www.lra2018.org).

Climate change is real Again your latest issue is excellent, informative and timely. I am a reader of your letters from readers and enjoy the discussions.

Jim Szaaz has written a letter on this Global warming subject, and he is correct: This phenomenon is happening; there is no doubt. Having worked in both the Arctic and the Antarctic, I know he is correct. Things are changing. However, whether or not, we, the multitudes who live on the planet are causing it, is another question.

The taxes levied on fossil fuels are not being ring fenced and applied to CO2 reduction measures; they are being plowed into government spending. This is bogus. Thanks, Justin.

What we are doing as humans is polluting the planet with non-biodegradable plastics, and this must be stopped. We cannot change the rotation of the planet, but we can stop fouling the seas and land. Remember glass milk bottles, glass beer bottles and many more “out-dated” ideas that we got rid of for our brave new world? What a folly.

In addition, I note the propaganda about our water, so it is all good is it? Why then do I have dark rims around my toilet bowls, which we clean regularly? This is particulate inclusions in the water, not a good thing. I suggest perhaps all is not as good as claimed.

The mayor and Council may claim that our water is good, but it is still polluted, and they do not want to hear this. They want to keep the sheep quiet. — J Shipp

Cartoon stumps Just a comment regarding Gord Barney’s cartoon about the forest industry.

I know Gord very well, and I like him and he has a great sense of humour. He wrote books about logging, and he worked in the woods and so did his father.

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Gord’s cartoon in the Dec/Jan 2020 TAKE 5 show stumps as far as you can see and a spotted owl looking for a place to land.

I have to say this is 2020, not 1930 to 1970s. Every industry was out of control in those decades, fishing, mining, pulp mill, etc. I have seen owl’s nest and the amount of forest that was designated to be left standing around the nest.

My father worked 40 years in the forest. My son will work 40 years in the forest. It is a renewable resource. I planted trees at Nanaimo lakes in 1965. Those trees have been harvested and the next crop is getting close. That means three harvestings in my lifetime.

Maybe we can try to help the homeless with cartoons. At least it will bring attention to something that needs to be fixed.

— Eric Steed

Funny typo!

Thank you for the laugh! We are used to the usual misuse of “then” and “than,” and things like making possessives out of “it’s” (not in this article, but often spotted) and DVDs in local publications, but learning that client needs at the LRCA are being met by staff running “two shits a day” (instead of “two shifts a day”) was a refreshing and entertaining error!

— Erin Dovey

Letters to the editor on community topics are welcomed but may be edited for space and legality at the discretion of TAKE 5. Opinions stated do not necessarily reflect those of TAKE 5 and its affiliate. editor@take5.ca

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BC Family Day & Heritage Events Ladysmith & District Historical Society is partnering with the community to create a memorable Heritage Week.

The activities kick off with B.C. Family Day “A Day to Remember” on Monday, February 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ladysmith Museum. See the new Saltair Quilters exhibit, including their Canada 150 quilt. Play vintage board games, pose for a family portrait, watch Buster Keaton in The General, one of the greatest silent movies ever made, and enjoy free popcorn and drinks thanks to financial support from the government of B.C. Then on Thursday, February 20, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., drop by and say “Happy Anniversary” to the Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce, who celebrates 90 years of serving Ladysmith and Area as the “Voice of Business.” Join them for re-

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freshments at the Ladysmith Museum.

Speeches and the new Ladysmith Heritage Awards will be presented at 6 p.m.

RSVP at admin@ladysmithcofc.com or call 250-245-2112.

Saturday, February 22, is a full day of activities. It kicks off with a free historic downtown Ladysmith walking tour by Rob Johnson. Meet at the Metal Collage at 11 a.m (corner of First Ave. and Gatacre). Tour ends at the Ladysmith Museum at noon. Light refreshments served, courtesy of Ladysmith Downtown Business Association.

Then head over to the waterfront for a day of fun from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 614 and 616 Oyster Bay Drive. Visit the Locomotive Shop, the First Aid Shed and the Ladysmith Maritime Society’s Heritage Boat Restoration Shop. Check out the SFN Displays. Visit the Heritage Railyard. Ride a rail hand pump car. The Ladysmith Kinsmen will have hot dogs and refreshments available.

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Restored Box Car will be transformed into an activity centre during Heritage Day

One of the highlights of the event is the century-old restored box car that is being transformed into a “Discovery Box Car” with activities and interactive displays.

These events are brought to you thanks to the support of the Town of Ladysmith, Province of B.C., Ladysmith Maritime Society, Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce, Ladysmith Downtown Business Association, TAKE 5 and the Chronicle.

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Restoring the Box Car

BY SHIRLEY BLACKSTAFF If it wasn’t enough to refurbish Ladysmith’s steam Locomotive #11 and track and the rare Humdirgen off-loader, which was designed and built in the Machine Shop, Ladysmith & District Historical Society’s (LDHS) volunteers tackled the box car located at the original Comox Logging & Railway Company site.

Alex Garvin, one of the Industrial Heritage Preservation volunteers, fondly known as the “wood butcher” and who has taken the lead on all of our woodwork projects, got his measuring tape out and started figuring out what wood was needed. Canadian Bavarian Millwork and Lumber donated the specialty-cut boards.

Also, we were fortunate to be able to purchase some originalstyle bolts and receive some donations of other supplies.

All of our crew (Alex Garvin, Bob Taylor, Alex Stuart, Arne Bogwald, Bill Drysdale, Floyd South, Harry Blackstaff, Henry Schneider, Mike Kennedy, Jim Williams, Ed Heyes and Quentin Goodbody) helped with the various aspect of restoration: gathering the materials, scraping, sanding, undercoat painting, welding, making repairs, cutting boards to fit, hammering them into place, bolting on boards, washing off graffiti and cleaning the interior.

Before the weather got too rainy and damp, along with the help of other volunteers, Alex Stuart got the box car sanded and applied undercoat paint. The final coat of box car red will be sprayed on in the summer.

The interior of the boxcar is being transformed into a “Discovery Box Car” on February 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Emergency Preparedness Hub Emergency service groups are working together on a proposal that would have them sharing the same venue south of Ladysmith reducing costs and improving services.

Disaster Aid Canada Executive director Gerry Beltgens is looking to relocate from their current Victoria office and share space with Ladysmith Ground Search and Rescue.

The two emergency service groups could share a venue, reducing the costs and improving efficiency.

President of Ladysmith ground search and rescue Allen McDermid says the volunteer group welcomes the opportunity to partner with DAC. “It’s a great fit,” he says to have a facility that will centralize emergency vehicles, and supplies, and training.

The group currently operates out of two separate venues. “It really slows down our response time,” said McDermid.

The volunteer group responded to over 30 calls last year and along with ground search they also maintain a swift water response team.

Disaster Aid Canada has raised $50,000 just recently for Australian Bush Fire Relief. “We have an active campaign going on, “ says Beltgens.

You can visit their website and make a donation to special projects or general funds.

DAC evolved out of the Rotary Club of Ladysmith which is still the sponsor for the organization.

“We make sure donors money is used in the best way possible by using local Rotarians on the ground.,” says Beltgens. Along with funds DAC provides customized emergency shelter kits valued at $1000 each.

The Rotary Club of Ladysmith has applied for a grant to donate four Community emergency relief kits to the Town of Ladysmith and the Ladysmith Senior Secondary Interact Club has committed to raising funds for another one.

The cost of Disaster Aid Canada emergency relief kits are about $1000 Canadian and include all supplies and shelter that would be need during an emergency disaster.

Photo: G. Beltgens

How can you help? Disaster Aid Canada is supporting the Rotary Australia World Community Service. Donations made through Disaster Aid Canada by Canadians are tax-deductible. Donate on their website disasteraid.ca or volunteer to assemble emergency relief kits.

“Our goal is to set up an Emergency Preparedness Hub. The partnership of LSAR and DAC is bound to be beneficial if the town experiences a serious emergency,” says Beltgens.

Brew pub a step closer Ladysmith Council met on Tuesday, January 21, with a public hearing on rezoning for a neighbourhood brew pub on Dogwood Drive.

The meeting opened with the public hearing for 202/204 Dogwood Drive where the applicant has proposed to open a microbrewery, requiring amendments to the Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw.

The brew pub would accommodate both indoor and outdoor seating. Patrons will be able to visit the establishment to consume alcohol and/or fill up growlers.

Council approved the amendments to the OCP and the Zoning Bylaw changes were referred to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure for input.

Family Business Association (FBA) awards recipients Congratulations to the 49th Parallel Grocery Store, who was a finalist for the

2020 Family Business Excellence (FBE) Award. The 49th Parallel is a familyowned business that is one of the major employers in the community, as well as one of the main sponsors of community events. Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort was the recipient.

The 49th began in Ladysmith in the 1940s as a coffee shop in the front of a couple’s home, later evolving into a food service and supply store. The business of six employees was purchased in 1977

by Wayne and Harmina Richmond. It has grown from an initial 2,000-squarefoot store to five locations, ranging from 5,000-22,000 square feet and 275 employees, serving the communities of Ladysmith, Chemainus, Cedar and Duncan. They have now started the transfer of control of the operating companies to Peter and Kathy Richmond, the second generation.

Family Film at Cedar Hall Join other families with young children and come to the Cedar Community Hall for the first afternoon of the Fun and Film series on Saturday, February 15, at 2 p.m. For a nominal charge of $2, children can participate in a hands-on activity and then enjoy a feature film while munching popcorn ($0.25/bag).

Accompanying adults, given free admission, can sit with them or hang out in an adjoining room and visit over coffee and tea. It’s a great way to connect with other families in the area and to have

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fun together.

The first film is Moana, the 2016 Walt Disney animated musical. Before it begins, kids will have time to craft paper airplanes and practice flying in preparation for their trip to Polynesia. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information, call 250-2457516.

MLA Doug Routley welcomes funding for local organizations The Ladysmith & District Marine Rescue Society recently received $44,500

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through the Community Gaming Grants program.

“These local organizations are full of dedicated volunteers who are committed to keeping people in our community safe,” said Doug Routley, MLA for Nanaimo-North Cowichan. “We all hope to never need services like search and rescue, but we also know the importance of these services, which in some cases make the difference between life and death.”

The Community Gaming Grants program provides up to $140 million to

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about 5,000 not-for-profit organizations in B.C. each year.

Ladysmith’s heritage Machine Shop improvements The Machine Shop improvements are progressing at a steady pace. Recent accomplishments of the revitalization project include the installation of a new roof and other important structural upgrades to the building.

The Town received federal Gas Tax funding for $1.8-million in March 2018 to make code, seismic and structural

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Upgrades to the Comox Logging and Railway Shops Building.

Photo: Town of Ladysmith

upgrades to the Comox Logging and Railway Shops Building, also known as the Machine Shop.

The historic building is a key centrepiece in the design for the Arts and Heritage Hub – a multi-phased plan to create several new cultural amenities – and overall implementation of the Waterfront Area Plan and Ladysmith Economic Development Strategy.

In the early fall, the old roof and underlying material were completely removed.

The deteriorating covering had been partially damaged in the December 2018 windstorm and temporarily repaired by the Town.

Next came the necessary structural upgrades to the roof support beams before new plywood, a five-inch insulation and torch-on membrane were added, as well as new flashing. A roof hatch was also included in the design to allow for easier access from interior second floor mechanical room. New eaves and gutters were then put up on the east side of the building – protecting visitors to the Machine Shop from rainfall runoff. At the ground level, the foundation work has turned up a few unexpected challenges due to the severe deterioration in several areas.

The Town continues to review the scope of the project to stay within budget and reopen the building to the public. These improvements also include rebuilding the staircase to the Waterfront Gallery with a wider landing area.

The Arts Council of Ladysmith and District continues to operate the Waterfront Gallery from the temporary quarters of the École Davis Road School, as part of an agreement between the Town and the Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools.

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the content. Crawl inside a UNHCR tent, or find room in an inflatable boat similar to those used by refugees fleeing from Turkey to Greece. Look out a plane window as the shores of Canada approach and listen to refugees tell their stories throughout the exhibit.

“Refuge Canada” was produced by the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 and supported by TD. The Nanaimo Museum is open Monday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and located in the Vancouver Island Conference Centre (www.nanaimomuseum.ca; 250 753-1821).

Saltair Quilters & Fiber Arts

Charity Art Auction Artists for Hospice have come together for a Charity Art Auction, a fundraiser for the Rotary Gardens at Cowichan Hospice House.

On Feb 29, from 6 pm-8:30 you will get a chance to take home original art at the Live and Silent Auction, plus $20 surprise art.

This is going to be a wonderful event that will support the completion of the gardens, allowing families time together in a peaceful setting. The event also includes hors’d’ouevers and mocktails at the Ladysmith Waterfront gallery, 444 Parkhill Terrace, Ladysmith.

Tickets are $35 at Salamander Books, Waterfront Gallery and online at Eventbrite.

Refuge Canada opens at Nanaimo Museum On now until May 10, Nanaimo Museum’s new exhibit “Refuge Canada” explores Canada’s place in the global refugee crisis. Through images, soundscapes, first person accounts and artifacts, this powerful exhibition begins with “no one wants to be a refugee, anyone could become a refugee.” Hopeful stories of optimism and success are balanced by moving accounts of shattered lives, fear and examples of Canada’s mixed record in welcoming refugees.

The exhibition draws visitors with hands-on opportunities to connect with

On June 25, 2017, the Saltair District Ratepayers Association held the Grand Unveiling of Saltair’s Canada 150th Celebration Quilt. The beautifully detailed quilt features landmarks, such as Big Rock at Boulder Point, Stocking Creek Falls, The Old Plantation, Saltair Pub, the Davis Lagoon Bridge and other significant places in Saltair. Titled “Remember Where in Saltair,” the quilt was started September 2016. Fourteen artists from Saltair Quilters contributed their talents. If you missed seeing this masterpiece, you will get another chance.

The quilt will be part of the new exhibit at Ladysmith Museum featuring works by the Saltair Quilters opening on B.C. Family Day, February 17. As well as quilting, members also knit, crochet, embroider, stitch and bead. The group meets Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Saltair Community Centre, Room 18 (on South Oyster School Rd.).

Contact Christa Stegemann at 250-2452016 for further information on the Saltair Quilters.

Plays & Music take the stage The month of February will see two new productions at the Ladysmith Little Theatre.

For one performance only, on February 22, 2020, Celtic Chaos is introducing their new show, “For the Highlanders.” In creating it, they’ve woven songs and instrumentals into a narrative of original poetry to tell how the Scottish Highland Clearances spread Celtic culture across the globe. It ends by showing how that history is relevant to mass migration in today’s world. Tickets are $25.

Then back by popular demand, in

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Saltair Quilters exhibit opens Feb 17 at Ladysmith Museum.

partnership with Vita Theatre, “Spring Shorts 2: An Evening Of Short Plays” will be showing on Friday, February 28, Saturday, February 29, and Sunday, March 1, 2020. Tickets are $15 (festival seating).

For reservations, call 250-924-0658, or visit ladysmiththeatre.com.

Live Music at the Osborne There’s lots happening at the Osborne Bay Pub in February.

Berry Music Company presents Vince Vaccaro on Friday, February 7, at 8 p.m.

Vince Vaccaro is a Canadian singersongwriter, guitarist and record producer. His musical influences include Bruce Springsteen, Ben Harper, Eddie Vedder and Adam Granduciel.

Vaccaro has played shows in Canada, Australia and the US, sharing stages with bands such as Mumford & Sons, Temper Trap, Awol Nation, among many others. Tickets are $15 advance or $20 at door.

And just in time for a Valentine that you will not forget, “It’s All About Love” — which includes a three-course dinner

by Chef Phillipe Lavoie paired with a show from the Edie Daponte Quartet — takes place February 14, at 7 p.m.

Edie brings passion, playfulness and an evident love of performance to her live shows. Reservation is required. Call 250-324-2245. Tickets are $65.

Also playing at the Osborne in February are South Island Rhythm Kings, February 1; Barney Bentall, Tom Taylor, and Shari Ulrich, February 16; Freeze Frame: 80s Night, February 22; Mark Crissinger Solo Show, February 28; and Black Angus: Celtic Night, February 29.

Tickets at eventbrite.com or osbornebaypub.com.

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Turnaround decade Welcome to the turnaround decade!

Ten years to make huge shifts in the way we live. We have been forewarned that climate chaos will bring disruption to global food supply, so what better way to respond to the looming climate emergency than by planting a food garden?

This year, my monthly columns will be on the topic “What to Do in Your Garden,” and hopefully they will inspire you to follow along as your contribution to saving the world.

Right now you are either thinking, “I am way too busy” or “there’s no room in my garden.” So I’m going to share a method of food growing that is fast and

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easy, and that anyone can do, anywhere and on any day. I will tell you how you can grow organic soil and food at the same time! I learned how to do this when I was inspired to try “lasagna gardening.” The secret to success is in growing the soil, which releases nutrients as layers breakdown, which supports growing food. It starts from the ground up (on top of your lawn?), building layers of organic materials (like making a lasagna) to create a food bed. The finished bed should be no less than 12 inches in height, and the top layer (the cheese) should be one that you can sow seeds or transplant starts into. The transplanting method produces prolific harvests of food in record time. See photo.

It requires no digging, no tilling, no sod removal or weeding. It recycles free organic waste, feeds plants and cuts down on watering. It’s up to you whether you contain the garden with boards or rocks, you don’t need to, but you can be creative if you want to.

Site a lasagna garden where it gets 11 or more hours of sun a day. Seven hours is possible for cool-weather plants; less than four is impossible for any food plant.

Your role is to start stockpiling ingredients to build the lasagna bed(s). Gather any organic waste that is uncontaminated and biodegradable. The bed can be any size, as long as there are enough materials to build it. The high fertility of the growing medium means it’s possible to plant rows close together when overlapping leaves will keep weeds at bay. If weeds do appear just add another layer to smother them. It takes one cycle of production for a bed to decompose six-inches, as the layers of organic matter break down and release nutrients to the plants. High fertility results in huge plants with few problems from pests and disease. Lots of organic matter locks moisture in, which means less watering too. Before planting another crop simply rebuild and renew the bed with fresh layers of organic waste. Now how great is this?

Building a Lasagna Garden Cover the area of the bed with overlapping sections of plain cardboard (no colour inks, staples removed).

Build the bed by adding two-inch layers of any of the following: manure (cow, sheep, horse, llama, goat or chicken),

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leaves (tip: stockpile in circular wire cages in fall), spoiled hay (horse stables), grass clippings, woodash (uncontaminated), sawdust (not cedar), dolomite lime (neutralizes pH, adds calcium and magnesium), seaweed (in winter), and/or compost topsoil.

Finish with a top layer of screened compost or topsoil. The finished bed should be 12 inches in height. Water well, and you are ready to sow seeds or transplant starts.

To get a head start, sow cool weather crops into seed trays (72 cells) and grow under lights or under cover on a heat mat. Transplant out into the top layer of the lasagna bed in spring when the weather has settled, placing a scoop of granular organic fertilizer into each planting hole.

Cool-weather crops: lettuces, chicory, arugula, leeks, onions, endive, parsley, peas, spinach, swiss chard, kale, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, rutabaga, celery and celeriac.

Early crops of spinach, radishes, peas and lettuce can be replaced by later plantings of tomatoes, carrots, squash and beans. Garlic, winter-hardy leaf and root crops can follow in fall. You don’t need to own the land you create a lasagna garden on because the beds are temporary, and when no longer needed, all they leave behind is quality soil!

Carolyn Herriot is author of The Zero Mile Diet, A Year Round Guide to Growing Organic Food and The Zero Mile Diet Cookbook, Seasonal Recipes for Delicious Homegrown Food (Harbour Publishing) available at your local bookstore.

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What do you value the most?

If you are like the majority of people, your health will top the list.

The new year is underway, and the health trends of 2020 are likely going to find their way into your healthcare regime. Plant-based eating is leading the way, with more people embracing a flexitarian-eating style, which focuses mainly on plant protein, but allows for meat in moderation. Gluten-free, keto diets continue, along with gut-friendly fare, such as kefir, and kombucha. There are more options for plant-based milk and beans are on everyone’s plate with chick peas leading the way.

Here’s our local health experts on tips to improve your health and make 2020 the year for a new, improved you.

Try eBikes Looking for an easy way to improve your health, save money and help the environment? With a pedal assist electric bike, you can get exercise and experience the joy of cycling. Studies continue to show the many health benefits of eBikes — you get the same exercise benefits of a regular bike, but with the hills no longer a daunting task, you will actually be out on the bike.

Pedal assist electric bikes are ideal for all ages, abilities and riding interests.

There are urban commuter bikes, cargo bikes, mountain bikes, cruiser bikes for comfort, e-trikes for ultimate stability and even fat tire bikes for riding on the beach or snow. “The great thing about an eBike is you can choose how hard

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you work your body. It is much gentler on your joints, and you get to see more because you are able to ride further distances,” says Kelly Demoline of CitrusCycles. A bonus is all the money you will save by not driving

Fitness For Life

BY TYLER VR BUCK, OWNER/COACH, BOUNDLESS FITNESS AND NUTRITION Fitness for life means that you are able to do what you love for as long as possible at a high capacity. Drinking water, eating vegetables, sleeping well, having great relationships, finding joy in life, eating adequate amounts of protein, walking outside, laughing, moving daily all contribute to a healthy life.

This change in lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years of practice, coaching and refinement.

Your practices should be tailored to your goals. Do you want to be able to lift your grandchild? Do you want to be independent well into your 90s? Do you want to feel strong and mobile? Much of the same principles apply to you, but the methods in them change based upon your individual needs. If you want your car to last as long as possible, you take it to a great mechanic. Your health is no different.

Our purpose at Boundless Fitness & Nutrition is to help individuals live a life without limits. Making an investment in your health is a worthwhile endeavour, and we strive to help you get the most out of your journey. We offer free initial consultations, individualized coaching plans, a life-changing guided nutritional education program and a few more services that we are sure you’ll love. bounlessfitnessandnutrition.ca or phone 250-716-6306

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Yoga: A path to freedom

BY JESSICA LOWRY, CERTIFIED IYENGAR YOGA INSTRUCTOR, OWNER ALIGN WITH JESSICA Iyengar Yoga is yoga for everybody.

When we can bypass our attachment to our thoughts and busy brains, we can feel, know and source the peace of our true selves.

Iyengar Yoga is a specific path to yoga founded by the late BKS Iyengar, who was a yoga luminary. Teachers train and study for a minimum of six years before testing for certification.

Iyengar’s inventive and creative use of props to enhance the learning and healing aspects of yoga is key to the practice.

In my classes, I am fully stocked with bolsters, foam bricks, straps, blankets and chairs to work with a practice that is supported and that offers us the potential to explore creatively and safely on our path of learning.

We undo negative postural habits, source strength, work on balance, proprioception, flexibility and reconnecting the energetic body through alignment in the postural practice. We work through a syllabus of poses that gradually opens the body and mind, progressively and safely, with accommodations and alternatives to everybody. The practice of inversions (where the head is below the heart), or safe alternatives, is key in balancing the nervous system and accessing that intrinsic sense of well-being and peace. Deeper and more subtle layers of practice working towards specific breath work and meditation develop over time and with learning. This is not a quick fix, but a lifelong practice to sustain you as you change, age, evolve with yourself and the world.

Jessica has taught and studied yoga since 2007. alignwithjessica.com

Volunteer Physical, mental and spiritual health all play important roles in staying fit for life. Medical experts are recognizing the benefits of volunteering, meditating and unplugging from distractions, essential for balanced mindful living. The Ladysmith Maritime Society is hosting a Volunteer Fair on February 16, at 2 p.m., at the Welcome Centre on the dock of LMS. Phone Shanti at 250 516 6107 or your local non-profit group, and get involved – for your health’s sake.

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RDN Area A Cedar In January, I learned that I would chair the Regional District of Nanaimo’s Agricultural Advisory Committee for the coming year. It made me reflect on something that I have been reading and thinking about for the past several years.

Vancouver Island’s current food supply is extremely vulnerable, and our opportunity to have produce like bananas or kiwi fruit all year-round may become a thing of the past.

Depending on who is talking, Vancouver Island currently receives between 90 and 97 per cent of its food from off of the island. Many communities on the Island only have a three-day fresh food supply.

This is in contrast to earlier times when the island produced as much as 85 per cent of its own food. The cost of import-

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ing our food is not just measured in dollars, but also in a lack of security – the food system depends on access to transportation, a cooperative climate and a willingness on the part of foreign producers to keep growing what we think we need.

We know that demand for developable land, increased pressure from urbanization and an aging population of farmers have contributed to the decline in agriculture on Vancouver Island. And it is evident that the future for hydrocarbon-based fuels, changes in climate and guaranteed supply of foreign commodities are more uncertain. These all make our dependency on imported food even more precarious – a situation that demands some concentrated attention.

In the context of climate change alone, weather patterns are changing enough to see traditional transportation methods becoming unreliable, average rainfalls both increasing and decreasing depending on the time of year and flooding, high winds, fire and other dangers becoming more threatening by the month.

This all paints a picture that focuses on more food production in our own back yards.

While not everyone has the experience or land to grow their own food, there is sufficient expertise in our communities to create community gardens, teach gardening and other agriculture skills and assist one another with overcoming the challenges to food production that the future has in store. There are changes needed at the policy level in all levels of government in order to facilitate a transition away from foreign food, but there are substantive changes that each of us and our families can make to become less reliant on the non-sustainable food system that we have built over the past century.

As spring starts to appear in the weeks ahead, it is an ideal time to start planning your garden, getting the soil ready for planting and going through seed

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catalogues. We live in a wonderful place that allows us an extended season to grow our own fruits and vegetables. It also allows some of our farmers to provide protein to go along with those vegetables. If you cannot grow your own or need something that your garden can’t provide, the Cedar Farmers Market (and other local markets) and neighbours are near at hand.

It is often difficult to figure out what we as individuals can do to affect global change. It is much easier to realize the economic, social and environmental benefits of growing and sharing our own food. Let me know how the Regional District of Nanaimo can help you become more self-sufficient in your pantry.

CVRD Area H N. Oyster/ Diamond Why would I want to participate on an Area H commission?”

Volunteering for Area H commissions will strengthen your ties to the community, allow you to improve your community, expose you to people with common interests and provide you with the opportunity to make an impact on the area around us. Few things allow you to impact your life so specifically than local involvement.

Area H has had two main Advisory Commissions: Area H North Oyster/Diamond Advisory Planning Commission (APC) and Area H Community Parks Advisory Commission.

Area H North Oyster/Diamond Advisory Planning Commission (APC) main purpose is to provide input and recommendations on land use planning and management issues that are referred to them by the CVRD Board/Area H Director. It is an advisory not a decisionmaking body.

Currently, the CVRD Board is going through the process of harmonizing and modernizing the OCP’s and zoning bylaws of the electoral areas. Additionally the Area H OCP is an old document

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(1993), and I believe that not only does the planning document for Area H need to be modernized, but also updated and confirmed as being reflective of the desires of the North Oyster/ Diamond area.

Area H Community Parks Advisory Commission Community parks are another area of Area H where residents have been active participants, albeit sporadically.

The responsibilities of the Area H Commission include “provide advice on issues referred and pertaining to park and trail development, park amenities, parks volunteer engagement, parkland acquisition opportunities, annual budget and community park events specific to” the Area H North Oyster/Diamond area.

There is not a large budget for park operations/improvements ($50,000), but I think it is important to have community member input into the utilization of these funds, as well as planning the direction for the future.

The Area H Community Parks Advisory Commission currently is inactive, with previous terms expiring at the end of 2018. As such, I would like the CVRD Board to consider appointing approximately seven community members to the Area H Community Parks Advisory Commission to provide for better decision making and direction for Area H parks.

If you are interested in being considered for appointment to either Commissions, you can download the application form on the CVRD website. If you have any questions, please contact me at colinhaime@shaw.ca or at 250-616-3986.

CVRD Area G Saltair Saltair Parks & Trails Over the past five years, about $170,000 from the Saltair parks and trails budget has been used to pay down the loan used to purchase the Mt. Brenton Elementary School land. Saltair’s parks and trails have deteriorated. Now the $30,000 yearly loan payments have ceased, there will be more money for the parks and trails. Despite the funding shortage, sections of the Kon Trail in Stocking Creek Park have received attention.

Portions have been resurfaced, drainage pipes were added and ditches were cleared.

Volunteer Program Projects in Saltair In November, the CVRD Parks & Trails Volunteer Program brought about 14 people together to remove invasive species on the Cowichan Valley Trail. The volunteers started at Finch Place and filled a large metal container with refuse. A week later, the volunteers returned to plant native plant species.

About 50 plants were planted to fill in the holes created by removing the invasive species and ad-hoc trails. To all who volunteered, thank you! To sign up for the program, please visit www.cvrd.bc.ca/275/Volunteering.

2020 CVRD Budget In December, the CVRD Board passed our current 2020 budget (www.cvrd.bc.ca/3045/2020-Budget). Changes might be made when the 2019 surpluses are announced. You can find a breakdown of the requisition increases by jurisdiction at www. cvrd.bc.ca/DocumentCenter/View/9537/SchedB?bidId=.

Harmonized Official Community Plan (HOCP) and Local Area Plan (LAP) (excluding Gulf Islands) In 2019, the CVRD sent its HOCP and LAP to the electoral area advisory planning commissions (APCs) for review. Due

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to a snowstorm, the Area G APC meeting was rescheduled.

It will now take place at 2 p.m. on February 23, at the Saltair Community Centre. This meeting is open to the public. You can find the documents at www.cvrd.bc.ca/3206/RegionalHarmonized-Official-Community-P. A related CVRD, HOCP open house will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on February 8, at the North Oyster Community Centre, Room 201 (13467 Cedar Road, Ladysmith).

Saltair Filtration Plant Grant Application By the time you read this, the CVRD Board will likely have authorized a grant application for the Investing in Canada Infrastructure – Green Infrastructure Grant Program in the amount $6 million, with a $1.6 million (26.67 per cent) shortterm borrowing for the Saltair Water Treatment Retrofit Project (i.e., the VIHA-mandated filtration plant). It will be some time before we find out whether the application was successful.

If you want to send a letter of support for the application, please send it to me, and I will endeavour to have it directed to the appropriate recipient(s).

Thetis Island Congratulations to the Thetis Island Nature Conservancy on receiving the Islands Trust Community Stewardship Award for the society’s efforts in protecting the Fairyslipper Forest Nature Reserve. Also, congratulations to the Thetis Island taxpayers on their new fire hall.

Please contact me at lynne.smith@cvrd.bc.ca or phone, 250701-1407.

Additional articles and information are posted on Saltair News & Views website (www.saltairnews.com).

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Feb 29, A Giant Leap “We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal, and then leap in the dark to our success” — Henry David Thoreau I only get to do this one once every four years, so I hope you all will indulge me. You may roll your eyes, but maybe just hear me out and consider the possibilities. ...

I’m carrying on the torch as it were, one of Laurie’s “brainwaves” we’ve pitched for more than 20 years — in 1996, 2000, 2004 ... you get the picture.

And it seems even more relevant with

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Photo: James Shutter

each passing leap year.

In times of change, we need to be open to new ideas, opportunities that will wrest success from the jaws of defeat.

February 29 leaps off the 2020 calendar, offering itself up as a day we might all dare to be great.

Consider an extra day to do with whatever we might want Not just one more day in a long year of work days, February 29 could be that day when everything changes.

These days we find our communities, our whole planet, challenged by climate change. All need time and money to renew, revitalize, restore, to find a balance

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that meets our needs and those who will follow.

Why not then take that gift of an extra day and re-gift it? Here’s our chance to leave a living legacy for our community and help solve some global problems as well.

Busy people that we are, perhaps we’d rather donate an hour or two of our day’s wages instead? Businesses might want to tithe a portion of the day’s profit. Governments could match hour for hour, dollar for dollar, as they do when there’s a moral or ethical need to provide humanitarian aid.

This gift, an extra day, offers itself to us at a time of need. Not dire, the-sky-isfalling need, but we have been given notice and climate change is upon us. We might then want to look at the 29th day of the second month of 2020 as a time to do something.

And considering the alternative, we might want to do something significant, that our children will thank us for, that the world might come to see as a new beginning. Admittedly, that’s a lot to place on the shoulders of one day, but it’s worth a try. Isn’t it?

It’s not asking much. One day out of four years to work together, to help preserve and protect the values, rights and the many, many benefits we all enjoy as a result of the sacrifices of countless generations before us.

Climate change, although not a war, will require the same strength, determination and resources that our parents, our society and our country dedicated in the past when threatened with sudden and brutal decimation by a foreign force.

Unwittingly unleashed by ourselves, this force of nature will require just as much of our generation if we are to find peace and prosperity once again.

Each generation faces its day of reckoning. This is ours. Do we have what it takes and can we find the will to meet the challenge of our times?

And just in time, February 29th arrives.

One day, one small step and a giant leap for humankind.

Jackie Moad will be taking a quantum leap of faith on our extra day, setting in motion a plan for that 20-acre organic farm to provide local solutions to global challenges.

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The Industrial Artist The divorce rate in this country at 41 per cent is staggering. And for once, we men aren’t to blame. We are innocent victims lined up to be gunned down by divorce lawyers. The fault lies with priests, rabbis, ministers and Elvis impersonators, people who perform marriages, who are not doing their jobs.

People who are not arming women with the knowledge required to go the full 12 rounds in the battle called marriage. Instead, all this time and energy is being wasted on the ceremony or the honeymoon. Just don’t try explaining that to your wife.

The problem is one of expectations.

New brides think their husbands are

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good at building and fixing things like their fathers were. They also think men have these abilities intuitively. Reality of course is different. Some of us have backgrounds that totally disqualify us from even walking by a hardware store.

The young brides just can’t figure out why, when something needs fixing, say like the large hole in the roof, their husbands aren’t right on it. In fact, the only thing they’re right on is the beer fridge.

Nothing makes a hole in the roof go away quicker than a six pack. Not that I’m entirely without handyman credentials, I did spend a lot of time staring at Heidi, the tool girl on Home Improvement.

What these women need to know is that we’re all different. Some of us look good in a tool belt and some of us don’t.

Knowledge breeds tolerance. Women who have this knowledge are much better at keeping marriage-wrecking negative feelings out of their voices when things go awry. They are able to say, “The doghouse you built last week has fallen down again, killing yet another dog,” and make it sound pleasant. This tolerance saves a lot of marriages. So too does getting rid of the beer fridge.

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Some of us don’t have the background of a handyman. Until grade eight I was educated by the nuns, none of whom were known for their wood-working skills.

My father worked on boats and was seldom home so I learned nothing from him. No, not true, I did learn what not to do. Once when our kitchen drain was plugged he resorted to chemical warfare and dumped a whole can of Drano down the sink, despite a warning on the label not to do so. The resulting toxic fumes sent us scurrying out of the house as if we’d been tear gassed.

In grade nine I was dropped into the public school system where for the first time I was taught Industrial Arts. The first assignment was to make a metal hammer. This involved the ritual of filing the hammerhead square. We were each assigned a vice, a file, and a square for measuring our progress.

I filed for weeks, my hammerhead drooping first one way, then the other, sometimes glowing cherry red in my fervor. Finally I asked for a new set square because the one I had didn’t appear to be working. It was then that Mr.Milligan, took me aside and cut a

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deal. “If you promise never to take metal work again, you can work on your handle and I’ll give you a C.” Over in the drafting room we worked on blueprints of what our hammers were supposed to look like. It was there I learned how to embrace change. My drawing had more holes in it from erasures than a well-used archery target.

Possibly to compensate for short-changing me in the industrial arts gene pool, my father bought me a Skilsaw (the original weapon of mass destruction) when I turned 35. My wife and I had moved into the country at the time and every square inch of property needed attention.

I still remember using that saw for the first time, standing behind my virgin saw horses, in front of the unsuspecting woodshed I was modifying. I placed the two by four on the sawhorse, hoisted my left knee on top as I had seen in movies, placed the saw blade next to the wood and pulled the trigger. The saw jumped about three inches to the right, effectively demonstrating what is called torque.

“How can anyone cut a straight line with one of these?” I asked. Thirty years later, I’m asking the same question.

Which leads me to the topic, fence building. Though lacking aptitude, I am amply endowed with determination. My wife wants a 200-foot latticework deer fence, she gets it. And everything was going well (only two calls to the marriage counselor) until the last step, trimming the posts.

The posts ended up at different heights thanks to a variety of hole depths. The idea is to cut them all off at the height of the lowest. This task is accomplished using a Skilsaw (in my case the Unskilsaw) while perched on a wobbly ladder with saw-

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dust from the saw blown in your eyes. Post tops drooped first one way, then another. I kept at it, re-cutting them in search of the illusive square top. Like pencils being sharpened, the posts kept getting lower and lower. Which is why now when someone visits our yard and inquires what happened to the fence tops, I say, “Beavers,” and head for the beer fridge.

If you’ve blown it and left making your Valentine’s reservation too late, rush down to the liquor store and pick up a very, very good bottle of wine, the Masi Costasera Amarone, $54.99, then over to the 49th Parallel for the best steak you can find. If that doesn’t weasel you back in your spouse’s good grace, then it’s over to the Elvis impersonator for counselling.

Follow Delbert at Slightlycorkedandmore.wordpress.com or pick up his book at Mahle House, CoCo Cafe and TAKE 5

FEBRUARY 1 – 2 Jan 29–Feb 2, 3pm (Fri.)–1pm (Sun.), The Art of Chanting Workshop, Bethlehem Centre 1–May 9, 10am–5pm (closed Sundays), “Refuge Canada” exhibit, Nanaimo Museum, 100 Museum Way, Nanaimo, 250-753-1821 1, 10am–6pm, Central Vancouver Island Orchid Society’s Annual Show and Sale, North Nanaimo Town Centre, 4750 Rutherford Rd., Nanaimo 1, 2pm & 7:30pm, “Mamma Mia!” Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, 2687 James St., Duncan, 250-748-7529 1, 7:30pm, Dancestreams Dance Odyssey, The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-7548550 1, 8pm, South Island Rhythm Kings, Osborne Bay Pub, 1534 Joan Ave., Crofton, 250-3242245 2, 11am–5pm, Central Vancouver Island Orchid Society’s Annual Show and Sale, North Nanaimo Town Centre, 4750 Rutherford Rd., Nanaimo 2, 1pm, Super Bowl Party, The Cranberry Arms, 1604 Cedar Rd, Cedar 250-722-3112 2, 2pm, Mamma Mia! Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, 2687 James St., Duncan, 250-748-7529 2, 2pm, Cross Canada Fiddle presents 2020 West Coast Youth Fiddle Summit, The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-754-8550

3–9 3, 10:30am, Noteworthy Concerts with The Bergmann Piano Duo and violinist Jasper Wood, Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, 2687 James St., Duncan, 250-748-7529

5, 7:30pm, Les Ballets Trockadero De Monte Carlo, The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-754-8550 6, 7:30pm, Abbamania and the Bee Gees and Cher Show, The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-754-8550 7, 7pm, Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet, Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, 2687 James St., Duncan, 250-746-2722 7, 7pm, Vancouver Island Short Film Festival, Vancouver Island University, 900 Fifth St., Nanaimo, 250-754-8550 7, 7:30pm, Rocket Man & The Piano Man, The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-7548550 7, 8pm, Vince Vaccaro, Osborne Bay Pub, 1534 Joan Ave., Crofton, 250-324-2245 8, 1-4pm, CVRD OCP Open House for Areas G & H residents, North Oyster Community CentreRoom 201, 13467 Cedar Road www.cvrd.bc.ca/ regionalocp 8, 2pm & 7pm, Vancouver Island Short Film Festival, Vancouver Island University, 900 Fifth St., Nanaimo, 250-754-8550 8, 7:30pm, Abbamania and Night Fever, Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, 2687 James St., Duncan, 250-748-7529 8, Lost Bouys band, Cranberry Arms Pub, Cedar, 250-722-3112 9, 9am–5pm, Valentines Chocolates, $125, Seraphina’s Oven, 11286 Green Hill Dr., Ladysmith, 250-619-4464

14, 2pm–3pm, For The Love of Oboe, The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-754-8550 14–March 28, “Marvellous Wondrettes,” Chemainus Theatre 1-800-565-7738 14, 7pm, A Valentine Bouquet, Cavallotti Lodge, Nanaimo, 250-754-8550 14, 7pm, It’s All About Love with Edie Daponte & Quartet, Osborne Bay Pub, 1534 Joan Ave., Crofton, 250-324-2245 14, 7:30pm, Matt Andersen, Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, 2687 James St., Duncan, 250-748-7529 15, 2pm, Family Fun and Film, Cedar Community Hall, 2388 Cedar Rd., Cedar 15, 7pm, (doors at 6:30pm), Valentine Dance with Copper Canyon Band, Chemainus Legion, 9775 Chemainus Rd., Chemainus 15, 7:30pm, VI Symphony – Celebrating 25! The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-7548550 16, 2pm, Volunteer Fair for the Ladysmith Maritime Society at the Welcome Centre on the dock of LMS, 610 Oyster Bay Drive, Ladysmith 16, 2pm, Voice Alive Music Studio’s 2020 Spring Recital Celebration, St. Philips by the Sea, 7113 Lantzville Rd., Lantzville 16, 2pm–4pm, Valentine’s Tea, Chemainus 55+ Activity Centre, 9824 Willow St., Chemainus 16, 7pm, Barney Bentall, Tom Taylor & Shari Ulrich, Osborne Bay Pub, 1534 Joan Ave., Crofton, 250-324-2245

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16, 7:30pm (door 7pm), The Lonely: Roy Orbison Tribute, The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-754-8550

3, 6pm–8pm, Meal Planning, Aggie Hall, 1110 1st Ave., Ladysmith, 250-210-0870

12, 7:30pm, Gee Dan Productions presents Matt Andersen, The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-754-8550

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4, 10:30am, Classical Coffee Concert, The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-754-8550

13, 7:30pm, Laila Biali, Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, Duncan, 250-748-7529

17, 10am-4pm, BC Family Day at the Ladysmith Museum-games, movies, quilt exhibit, various events, free, 721 1st Ave., Ladysmith

18, 8pm, Herb Dixon Full Throttle Comedy Tour, The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250754-8550

23, 2pm, Chemainus Classical Concerts: Jannie Burdeti, piano, and Rosanna Butterfield, cello, St. Michael’s Church, 2858 Mill St., Chemainus

19, 9:30am–11am, Blood Pressure Clinic, Chemainus 55+ Activity Centre, 9824 Willow St., Chemainus

23, 7pm, Taizé Prayer Service, Trinity Ecumenical Centre, 6234 Spartan Rd. Nanaimo

20, 9am–6pm, Sourdough and Artisan Baking Two-day Workshop, $175, Seraphina’s Oven, 11286 Green Hill Dr., Ladysmith, 250-619-4464

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20, 5-7pm, Celebrate Ladysmith Chamber 90 Years, refrehments, presentations, Heritage Awards. Ladysmith Museum, 721 1st Ave., RSVP admin@ladysmithcofc.com or 250-2452112 by Feb 18th 21, 9am–6pm, Sourdough and Artisan Baking Two-day Workshop, $175, Seraphina’s Oven, 11286 Green Hill Dr., Ladysmith, 250-619-4464 21, 7:30pm, The Country Icons Show, The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-754-8550 22, 11am, Heritage Walking Tour with historian Rob Johnson (1hr), FREE, meet at Historical Metal Collage 22, 11am-3pm, BC Heritage Event Rail Yard, Box Car, Loco & Boat Shop Fun Open House, Waterfront 614 & 616 Oyster Bay Drive 22, 1-7pm, Italian Dinner Cooking w/Chef Allan Aikman, $125, Seraphina’s Oven, 11286 Green Hill Dr., Ladysmith, 250-619-4464 22, 7:30pm (doors 7pm), Ladysmith Little Theatre Fundraiser: Celtic Chaos, Ladysmith Little Theatre, 4985 Christie Rd., 250-924-0658

25, 7pm, Ladysmith Camera Club meeting, Hardwick Hall, High St. at 3rd Ave., Ladysmith 27, 7pm, NCID By-Election, 2100 Yellowpoint Rd, Nanaimo, 250-722-3711 www.ncid.bc.ca 28, 2-8pm, Pizza Masterclass w/Sarah Wallbank, $100, Seraphina’s Oven, 11286 Green Hill Dr., Ladysmith, 250-619-4464 28, 7pm (doors 6:30pm), Medley Café Open Mic, St. John’s Anglican Church, 486 Jubliee St., Duncan 28, 7pm, Mark Crissinger Solo, Osborne Bay Pub, 1534 Joan Ave., Crofton, 250-324-2245 28, 7:30pm (doors 7pm), Spring Shorts 2, Ladysmith Little Theatre, 4985 Christie Rd., Ladysmith, 250-924-0658 29, 5pm–9pm, Persian Night Fundraiser, Bee’s Knees Community Café, 208 Wallace St., Nanaimo, 250-585-5654 29, 6-8:30pm, Artists for Hospice Charity Auction for Rotary Gardens, tkts $35, Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery, 444 Parkhill Terrace 29, 7:30pm (doors 7pm), Spring Shorts 2, Ladysmith Little Theatre, 250-924-0658

22, 7:30pm, ISSAMBA, The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-754-8550

29, 7:30pm, The Joe Cocker Experience, The Port Theatre, Nanaimo, 250-754-8550

22, 8pm, Freeze Frame: 80s Night, Osborne Bay Pub, 1534 Joan Ave., Crofton, 250-324-2245

29, 8pm, Black Angus, Osborne Bay Pub, 1534 Joan Ave., Crofton, 250-324-2245

MARCH 1–28, various times, “Marvellous Wondrettes,” Chemainus Theatre Festival, 9737 Chemainus Rd., Chemainus, 1-800-565-7738 1, 1:30pm (doors 1pm), Spring Shorts 2, Ladysmith Little Theatre, 4985 Christie Rd., Ladysmith, 250-924-0658 2–May 9, 10am–5pm (closed Sundays), “Refuge Canada” exhibit, Nanaimo Museum, 100 Museum Way, Nanaimo, 250-753-1821 3, 8pm, Off Stage Jazz James McRae, The Port Theatre Lobby, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-754-8550 5 to 8, 7:30pm (doors 7pm), “Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun,” Ladysmith Little Theatre, 4985 Christie Rd., Ladysmith, 250-924-0658 8, 10am, Earth Lover’s Listening Circle, #4-512 1st Ave., Ladysmith 8, 7:30pm, Manual Cinema: “Frankenstein,” The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-7548550 12-15, 19-22, 7:30pm (doors 7pm), “Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun,” Ladysmith Little Theatre, 4985 Christie Rd., Ladysmith, 250-924-0658 25, 7:30pm, “Kim’s Convenience,” The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo, 250-754-8550

Feb 5, Les Ballets Trockadero De Monte Carlo, The Port Theartre Feb 7, Vince Vaccaro, Osborne Bay Pub Feb 29, Artists for Hospice Charity Auction for Rotary Gardens

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WANTED COME JOIN OUR TEAM! Part-time care aid needed in a supportive care home environment.

Duties include organizing daily activities, housekeeping and cooking. Call or email Oceanview Seniors Manor 250-245-2900 or Oceanviewseniorsmanor@gmail.com.

VOLUNTEERS needed for a variety of positions.

Ladysmith Museum needs greeters, and program facilitators, Ladysmith Archives has positions in research and archiving. The Industrial Heritage Preservation Group seeks individuals who would like to paint, repair or work on machinery and other artifacts. Contact Ladysmith & District Historical Society at 250-245-0100.

LEARNING LEARN local history with Lives & Legends Heritage Video series available on Ladysmith and District Historical Society’s YouTube channel.

You can also visit the Ladysmith Archives, open 9 am to 2 pm Monday to Friday, or the Ladysmith Museum, re-opening Feb. 17, 2020.

BUSINESS CONCRETE RESULTS. Contracting, fullservice forming and finishing, walls, walks, patios, drives. 35 years experience. Call Gord 250-753-4024.

TAKE 5 ads work! 250-245-7015 EXPERIENCED HOUSESITTER Now offering Senior Companionship, Respite Care and Concierge Services.

Peaceofmindcare.wordpress.com. Contact Kathleen kgrcoaching@gmail.com or 250619-0786.

I CAN EDIT. Copy editing, proofreading, structural editing and more. Fiction or nonfiction, web content and eBook prep.

For more information, email editican@gmail. com.

HEALTH & BEAUT Y MOBILE FOOT CARE NURSE. Corns, Callus, Fungus, Diabetes. Contact Carol Hollett, LPN/ Foot Care Nurse at ghollett99@hotmail.com or 250-210-1191.

TAI CHI for mental & physical health. Beginner classes start Sept. & Jan., Mondays, at Cedar Heritage Centre. On-going class Wednesdays at North Oyster Community Centre. Both classes 10am–noon, www.taichinanaimo.org. Call Sara 250-245-1466.

CERTIFIED END OF LIFE DOULA. As a professional, my role is to provide experienced loving care during the End of Life Journey.

Contact Georgina at georgina@rockyhollowfarm. ca or 250-722-2377.

FEB 2020

MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT WITH YOUR LANDSCAPING! Our landscapes support pollinators, restore habitat and celebrate West Coast native plants. Maintenance packages available. www.alderenviro.com or 250-686-5090.

DARRELL ESSAR RENOVATIONS. Over 30 years’ experience, certified journeyman carpenter. No Job is too small, from fences, decks, tile work, hardwood flooring, painting, drywall etc. For free estimate, call Darrell 250-714-3823.

ISLAND PRUNING. Professional tree care from large scale orchards to budding new trees. I can meet any pruning need. Shrubs, vines and ornamental. Large and small clean ups. Call Darcy Belcourt 250-323-1260.

ARE YOU BUYING OR SELLING A HOME? Curb appeal, re-design or new design, www. islandgardenscapes.ca or 250-802-0461.

HOME & YARD

PETS

INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL Blackberries, Ivy, Broom, etc. We get to the root of the problem. Thorough and reliable. Manual and machine removal. Free Quotes. Contact Alder Environmental: info@alderenviro.com or 250-686-5090.

PROFESSIONAL PET CARE SERVICE. Leash ’em & walk ’em with Marlena. Insured and bonded. Animal First Aid and CPR. Service for all pets including dog walking, home care visits, overnight with pet in my home and much more. As my love is yours! Call 250-246-3394.

KB HANDYMAN AND YARDWORKS SERVICES. Minor carpentry work, decks, fences, gutter cleaning, power washing, tree pruning, yard clean up, lawn fertilizing, mowing. Seniors discount. Contact Karl kbhandymanandyardworks@gmail.com or 250-714-2738.

DOG WALKING/HIKING OFF LEASH! 2-hour avg. walk, weekly walks year-round, pick up & drop off included, insured & licensed. Contact Paula Plecas for a complimentary meet & greet! Visit us on Facebook & Instagram for fun in action! Tracks Outdoor Adventures INC at walken@shaw.ca or 250-754-TREC (8732).

HEART LAKE ROOFING for all your roofing repairs. Call 250-668-9195.

THE PET NANNY. Let us pamper and love your pets at your home or ours. References are available. Contact Shanon or Bill at sburchard@ hotmail.ca or 250-924-8809.

DO YOU OWN A LARGE PROPERTY and feel overwhelmed with maintenance? We create low maintenance landscapes that thrive by nature. Contact Alder Environmental at www. alderenviro.com or 250-686-5090.

GARDEN RENOVATION AND LANDSCAPING. Are you thinking of a garden renovation or landscaping project? Excellent quality and knowledge. We are happy to assist you with any landscaping or gardening work you need. Estimates are always free.

Give Sandpiper a call! 250-246-2421.

QUALITY RENOVATIONS. Big or small. 25 yrs. exp/journeyman, affordable. For free estimate, call Lars 250-616-1800.

ALL ACRES TREE SERVICE providing all aspects of tree work. Pruning, falling, hedging, dangerous tree removal. Fully insured. Professional work at reasonable rates. Call 250-246-1265.

SENIORS HIRED HAND for Independent Elder, old jobscompanionship-meal prep-etc! Valid First Aid/CPR, clean driver’s record, Level 2 FOODSAFE, gardner and handywoman. Call Marilyn at 250-606-7069.

LYNN’S SENIORS CARE HOME. High quality personalized care. Warm caring environment.

Great food and snacks. Family events. Couples and pets welcome. Ocean views, gardens. North of Ladysmith; www.lynnsseniorcare.com. Call 250245-3391.

GRANNYS ON THE GO COMPANION SERVICES. Are you looking for someone that can help you with an active senior family member? Well look no further than Janet Bowman at janetmb@shaw.ca or 250-924-1515.

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