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Letters

Brian Bleakney is pictured here getting rescued after he plunged down a cliff at Bush Creek. Photo submitted.

Victim offers thanks after dramatic rescue On April 9th, 2011 I found out the hard way why Christie Falls is called a waterfall. Of the 130 feet of cliff face where the water from Bush Creek tumbles down in a torrent to the stream and fish hatchery below, I fell 100 feet, leaving a mere 30 feet before I hit the bottom.

I was on a motorcycle ride with my buddy Lance (Hint #1 Never ride alone in the bush!). We spotted the falls through a game trail and decided to get a closer look. While Lance turned upstream to take pictures with his 4g I-phone, I decided to turn downstream to investigate the rocks along the edge of this cliff.

I spotted a large rock with a shallow depression; a perfect place to put my right foot upon stepping down. I still don’t know quite how; but I mis-stepped, stumbled or merely tripped; in any case, the result was the same. I overbalanced and, as I fell forward, I reached out to try catching my fingers in some of the large horizontal cracks. I failed to get a handhold and had an immediate grasp of the gravity of my situation. I knew without doubt I was falling down the cliff!

Just before my head hit rock, I recall the closest thing to a

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prayer I could manage, “Oh unteer personnel to my God--I am going to die!” I location. don’t recall much, or anyI think I passed out thing, really, of the next 100 again for a bit; but within feet of my journey down30 minutes of Lance’s 911 ward. My buddy helped me call, my rescuers were with his version of the 20 starting to arrive on the or 30 minutes missing from scene. Most of them came my memory. He says he was the hard way, slogging up looking all over for me. One the mountain from below moment I was downstream the falls. More arrived from him and the next, I from the top end where had disappeared! He was Lance and I had parked frustrated and a bit angry our motorcycles. I recall to think I’d returned to the one rescuer’s name was motorcycles without him, Bruce and he stayed with but he discovered I was not me all the way, stabilizthere, nor anyplace he could ing my legs and ensuring see from the trail. He says he we wouldn’t slide over heard my very loud whistle the ledge. (it’s more of an ear-piercing Brian Bleakney being rescued from the cliffside. Photo submitted The rescue team worked whistle and I don’t have to quickly and efficiently use my fingers to make it so). with a confidence that buoyed my spirits, cooperating in soft but Lance looked down a rocky jumble and saw me; apparently firm voices as they weighed the options for extracting me. They having a casual rest below him. He says we talked (or yelled) stabilized my neck first, sliding a spine board under me. Then to each other for about 10 minutes, but he wasn’t able to come they got a stretcher basket under the spine board and quickly down the rock fall, as the motorcycle boots I’d lent him were but gently strapped me in. It wasn’t a painless experience, but I made for bikes--not rock climbing. really had to hand it to the team; they were as gentle as possible, I suppose I blacked out again after I talked to Lance; I don’t especially considering the narrow shelf they were working on. recall that at all, but Lance tells me he backed out of the rock Safety ropes were all about so the rescuers wouldn’t tumble fall and looked for a trail to come out below where I was. When down the remaining 30 feet of cliff. At least one line was used I came to, I looked for a way off the ledge where I had stopped to pull me up the rock fall that Lance had been unable to use falling. I couldn’t see well, as my prescription glasses had flown earlier. Even from my laying position in the basket I could see off sometime as I fell. But I could see my left knee fairly clearhow these brave souls strained to lift and carry me over spots ly. I could see half the kneecap above the knee; the other half of where the basket couldn’t slide. that patella bone was below the knee. It hadn’t started to swell, I went back to the site in the last year to try and understand so it looked dented, like someone had imprinted a 2X4 wooden how the fall could have happened, and when I saw the slipstud across my knee. I wasn’t sure, but I knew I’d shattered the pery moss and unstable footing might have hampered less exkneecap and probably the smaller fibula bone that supports and perienced people; but the rescuers there were professional heallows the lower leg to twist at the knee and ankle. My right roes in my opinion. At the time, even the last bit of carrying shin hurt like the dickens, but I’d felt that before, like someone through deadfall logs, stumps and brush seemed as daunting as kicked me hard in rugby. I didn’t know I had shattered the tibia the Cliffside, and even the fittest rescuers handling the basket shelf that supports the knee and big thigh bone (known as the were huffing and puffing with the exertion of carrying me as femur). I also didn’t know I had broken and cracked ribs, cracks gently as possible. Having conquered the last, brutally rough 50 and bone fragments in my left shoulder, a head injury and huge metres, they strapped the basket to a Grizzly ATV and ever so abrasions up my left thigh and shoulder blade. Much later my slowly, drove down the boulder-strewn logging road, across the doctor told me I had PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). new bridge by the fish hatchery and into a waiting ambulance.

Other than that, though, I felt fine! Really!

It has been a year since that fall and subsequent heroic rescue; I wondered how “shocky” I was, because I felt clear-headed and I’m fortunate to be alive and walking and this story is my and aware that I had to protect and evaluate myself for shock. thanks to the courageous, able volunteers of Ladysmith Search I zipped up my jacket and looked for a way off the rock shelf and Rescue. I don’t know their names and couldn’t recognize where I’d landed. I “scrunched” along on my butt and used my any one of them on the street (maybe because of the knock on shattered right leg to pull myself about 15 feet toward a large, the head) but I know Lance and those rescuers saved my legs and peeled fir log that had fallen from the ledge to the bottom of the quite possibly my life, and I will be forever grateful. Thanks to waterfall. It seemed like a natural slide for me to make a scary all of you, who risk life and limb, in all sorts of weather, on land but reasonably safe descent. I worried about going too fast or and at sea--for your selfless sacrifice, your time and dedication. sliding off into the shallow pool at the bottom of the cliff. Lance I’m indebted to you; I pray for all of you and your families; for had called 911 and given them GPS coordinates; but he had to your safety and long lives. Thank you. ride back down the mountain to guide Search and Rescue vol- Brian Bleakney

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Dispatch from Dogpatch: Ladysmith trolley, Marine Division I am writing this missive as a member of Ladysmith’s “*otherwise employed marine community*”. It has come to my attention that while the landlubbing residents of our community have had access to subsidized transportation for years now, very little has been done for those of us who have chosen the unconventional lifestyle of living on derelict boats that we have taken the time and considerable effort to push, pull or drag to what will likely end up as their final resting place otherwise known as “Dogpatch”.

Economic times being what they are, the market for seashell and driftwood masterworks seems to be experiencing a bit of a dip. It seems that the conventionally employed drones, (taxpayers), without a thought for those of us who have decided to opt out of conventionality (Paying taxes for instance) are, instead of buying unique one of a kind artwork, spending all their disposable income on shifting 10%. Whatever that means…

To make matters worse it’s getting

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harder to find a market for items such as kicker motors, canoes and miscellaneous other marine items that often fall, quite by accident, from larger boats and beaches and seem to wash up onto my floating (barely) abode. Perhaps council will revisit their decision to not allow pawn shops; after all they’re respectable now (as seen on the Discovery Network), but that’s another matter.

While we do appreciate the community building us our new “welcome centre” so we will have bathrooms and laundry facilities, we would like to remind town staff that not all of us have access to or are physically (or psychically for that matter) able to row ourselves over to this lovely new facility.

I am therefore proposing that the town start a *Ladysmith Trolley, Marine Division *in order to serve the needs of those of us who are disabled by an alternate lifestyle. I envision a 40 seat diesel motor launch that would make the trip from Dogpatch to the Ladysmith marina throughout the day. Maybe it could even have advertising to help pay for it, though we would need to have veto power over

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anything we considered unacceptable such as multinational corporations. (with the exception of Greenpeace, the Suzuki Foundation and PETA of course.) I know that seems pretty big, but once the service is in place I’m sure ridership will increase, as we’ve all heard before.

I realize that town staff must be pretty busy right now planning the expanded $80,000 bike lane, which we all agree is much more important to the town than giving those 2nd Avenue residents between Symonds and Buller Streets a road that can legally support a fire truck. Our thinking is that perhaps a new “*manager of marine issues*” position could be created in order to facilitate this much needed service.

I realize that someone is likely to say “Wait a minute, that’s a lot of tax money” (likely one of those busybodies who attend council meeting as if they have a right to be there), but I say screw em!

If anyone’s dumb enough to start paying municipal taxes in the first place, they’re dumb enough to keep paying more! You can always use the old “free money” grant ploy, and if that doesn’t work mention the word, “green” “sustainable” or “brothers keeper” and opposition will quickly fade away, but you obviously already know that.

- Sailer Jerry esq. 3rd. boat on the left, Dogpatch, Ladysmith (Name witheld by request)

What’s 30 years - give or take?

Re: Rob Hutchins’ article in the April 2012 issue: If the mayor thinks 1970 was 32 years ago, it’s small wonder there’s a problem balancing the town’s budget!!!

- Bruce Burnett Great read also a great place to advertise your business. - Geordie Farquhar, Ahl Island Landscaping I want to applaud your official 2012 Ladysmith Vacation Guide. It is a very attractive and information packed publication.

- Cathy Mailhot, Tourism Cowichan Letters to the Editor are welcome but subject to space and editing. Please note that letters published do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TAKE 5. editor@ take5.ca, or post your comments directly at www.take5.ca.

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At Last - A Viable Train Service Coming to a Community Near You! We all can remember distinctly, the collective cheer that arose from our communities when Sidney Crosby made that gold medal-winning goal on February 28, 2010.

A similar cheer, perhaps less audible, and perhaps less passionate, but a collective, heartfelt cheer nonetheless, arose from the communities across southern and central Vancouver Island when on April 10, Federal Minister John Duncan announced a funding partnership of $15,000,000 with the Province and the

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Island Corridor Foundation; a partnership to revitalize our historic rail link, establish commuter passenger rail service on the island, expand freight service and provide other economic opportunities such as excursion trains.

We need to give thanks to both the Federal and Provincial Governments for recognizing the value of this initiative to our communities. But perhaps more importantly we need to give thanks to all those individuals who have led the charge since 2002/2003, when it became apparent that we were not only losing rail service on Vancouver Island, but the existence of the continuous rail corridor itself (some 290 km long) would be lost forever if the rails were taken up and the land was subdivided and sold for development.

The Cowichan Tribes and the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal

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Communities (AVICC) saw the value of the rail corridor and initiated a historic collaborative process between local government and First Nations that led to the incorporation of the Island Corridor Foundation (ICF) in 2004, and the eventual acquisition of the rail corridor by local communities.

Many people do not realize that all the communities along the rail corridor are the owners of the ICF. The ICF is truly a unique and perhaps unprecedented partnership between 13 First Nations, 5 Regional Districts, and 14 Municipalities.

Collectively we are the proud owners of 290 kilometers of rail line covering 650 hectares with a value of over $360 million between Victoria and Courtenay and between Parksville and Port Alberni, with some 45 bridges/trestles, railyards, and some 25 railway stations including Duncan, Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach, Courtenay, Parksville and Ladysmith.

Over the last eight years, many people, from all walks of life, have championed the vision established in 2004. Recently, hundreds of individuals wrote letters to the Prime Minister’s Office asking for the financial support of the Federal Government for this initiative. Mary Ashley, past mayor of Campbell River, and ICF Executive Director Graham Bruce received a standing ovation at the recent AVICC conference for their outstanding efforts in helping us realize the vision of a viable rail service.

Much work is ahead, but the ICF is symbolic of what we can achieve collectively, when we choose to stand arm in arm and work together towards a common goal.

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The Apple House You could say that GNB’s recently completed renovation of the house on First Avenue in Ladysmith was the apple of their eye.

Greg Bianchini and Heidi Derhousoff’s children, Brooklyn and David named it the Apple House, for the very large apple tree in the yard.

Greg, owner of GNB Builders, has been looking for several years for a property on First Avenue that he could renovate and have as a holding property. When 33 French Street came on the market, Greg knew this was the home for him as the length of the property borders First Avenue and is included in the Official Community Plan for future commercial use. The property was purchased in October and work began in December on the renovation.

The home needed lots of TLC and upgrades to make it desirable to live and efficient to operate. As with many older homes there are many unknowns when you begin to renovate a home and this home was no different. Participating in the Eco-Energy Retrofit program provided a good starting point with the initial blower test giving GNB even a better sense of the home’s lack of insulation and excessive air leakage. The homes original Energuide score was 41 making this home very inefficient and would have been very expensive to heat, however after all the above improvements the new Energuide score was 71. The air

The house and yard on French Street enjoyed a major renovation.

Photo: Loyola Van Rooyen Buck Inset: Before photo New Kitchen. Photo: Cindy Damphousse

sealing improved 72%.

GNB took advantage of the Eco Energy Refit program to access all the financial assistance possible. The kitchen was moved around to take advantage of a larger space, to have more cupboard space and a large granite counter as the main focus of the kitchen dining area.

Greg was committed to preserving the building’s historic charm and contacted the Ladysmith & District Historical Society for background information. The society was very helpful in providing information on the home and they were not surprised that the home appears to be over a 100 years old. Greg pulled off the

metal siding that covered up the original cedar shake and was happy to find the shake in fair condition. Choosing historic colours the home’s exterior was repainted to clean up its appearance, in addition to adding a few extra features such as decorative knee braces and rebuilding the covered roof on the front stoop.

The home quickly rented to local business owners making their commute to work within walking distance. “Reno clients always get more than they bargained for” says Heidi, co-owner of GNB Builders. “This is true for this project as the new tenants feel they are moving into a brand new house.”

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15th Annual Garden Tour, Show And Sale The Ladysmith Rotary Club is proud to announce the 15th Annual Garden Tour, Sale and Show on Sunday, May 27.

The self-guided tour of nine gardens offers both the creations of local gardeners, and an opportunity to learn from these outdoor enthusiasts. The gardens range from creative, in-town gardens that maximize the available space to beautifully landscaped waterfront acreage in Yellow Point.

This year there will be a local artist present at each garden giving a festive flair to the event.

Two gardens new to the Rotary Garden Tour are about 5 years in the making. Gillian Ames’ garden on Delcourt

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is a relatively small suburban garden on a corner lot. Lovely meandering little pathways out front are surrounded by a variety of plants and shrubs. Out back of house there is a lovely pond, fruit trees and raised beds for vegetable production. After her husband passed away in 2003, Ames found working in the garden therapeutic and the results are lovingly shown here. Her garden project grew as friends and neighbours starting dropping off plants, saying ”I know you can make this grow.”

The garden on Judith’s Run is part of a large acreage in a rural woodland setting. Numerous varieties of trees and shrubs are spread throughout the property with a large waterfall and stream adding structure and focus.Yvette Lantz is the gardener as well as the artist on site.

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Local gardens will be featured on the Rotary Self-Guided Tour.

Above: The Ames “friendship” garden.

Left: Lantz garden in Yellow Point.

Photos submitted

The Show and Sale begins at 8:45am at Aggie Hall on First Avenue in Ladysmith, and offers a delicious $3 continental breakfast. Local garden-related businesses will have items for sale all day.

Experts will provide their gardening expertise and leadership on the birds, bees, what works or not throughout the Island communities; speakers will inform you about the many aspects of successfully gardening with details on how to enhance garden soil organically, with beautiful results plus helpful tips and to

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do’s for making your own garden the best it can be.

This is an opportunity for gardeners of all skill levels to admire gardens otherwise unavailable to them. The gardens open up at 10am; garden visitors will receive their maps and brochures in the morning at Aggie Hall. Many garden visitors will benefit by getting fresh ideas and feeling enthusiasm and joy of tending a garden.

The raffle this year features 3 prizes - a patio heater, two cedar lawn chairs and a beautiful outdoor bird fountain from Black Door Decor of Ladysmith. Raffle tickets are on sale now through Rotary members and remaining tickets will be sold on the day of the tour. Raffle draw is at 3pm at Aggie Hall.

All proceeds from the event go to support Rotary’s good work and worthy projects. The Garden Tour, Show and Sale is organized by the Rotary Club of Ladysmith members; as a team of volunteers they provide support for local projects including bookshelves at the Ladysmith Resources Centre, 30 new tables for non-profit groups to use through the Frank Jameson Community Centre, roofing shelters at the new sports field for players and fund raising for a spectator roof. Numerous other local grants of Rotary funds and worthy causes include the Food Bank, seniors, children and youth programs, relief with Disaster Aid Canada and funds for global community. International Rotary supports efforts to eradicate polio worldwide, partnering to address water issues and much more.

Tickets for the Self-Guided Tour are $15 available from Rotary members, at the Phoenix Restaurant, 49th Parallel Grocery or at the door.

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Meet our H & G experts Marilyn Jackson Higgs opens her amazing Ladysmith Home Glass Gallery May 1 at 281 Dogwood Drive. It is definitely worth a visit to see how Marilyn combines stained glass, mosaics, mirrors and beads to bring glitter, light and magic the home or garden. Choose from light catchers, stained glass windows, mosaics, beautiful plates, and fused glass for that perfect gift in all price ranges.

Marilyn also works on commission so if you don’t see what you want, she’ll know how to make it for you. Opening May 1, Tues.-Sat. 10 am - 6 pm, or call 250-245-4102, mjhiggs@shaw.ca Some of Marilyn Jackson Higgs amazing stained glass art

John Hall moved to the Island six years ago after selling his yacht repair business in Richmond. Having been involved in buying and renovating two houses on the mainland and one over here he decided to start a small home improvement busi-

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ness with local Ladysmith resident John Richards. With JR’s background in renovations, framing and siding and JH’s in renovations, custom wood work and finishing, between the two of them they offer a complete guaranteed service dedicated to the principle that old fashioned customer satisfaction is their number one goal.

John Richards and John Hall

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Gardening time has arrived, have you ever thought of collecting the rainwater?

Rainwater is the best water for your garden, and it allows you to save on your metered water bill. Rainwater can be a supplement to municipal or well water allowing more use during water restrictions. A 2000 sq ft roof can generate approximately 41,000 gallons of reuseable water per year locally.

“We have everything needed for rainwater harvesting in stock”, says Tonia Townsend ABC Water Systems Ltd. Beyond Decor!

Spring is finally here! After a dreary winter most people are in the mood to make changes both inside and out. Call Jacinta Shelling of Beyond Decor to discuss the latest colour and home design trends. She enjoys doing exterior styles as well and is pleased to have the op-

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Beyond Decor offers exterior and interior design services

portunity to work with local builders and developers on new locally built homes on Parks Place.

Nanaimo Pump & Motor is a full service pump and water treatment shop.

They are provincially certified to in-

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stall deep well pumps and their technician is also a licensed electrician, fully trained to troubleshoot your pump problems.

If you have water quality issue, they can test your water and recommend effective treatment options. Specializing in: Deep Well Submersibles, constant Pressure Systems, Whole House Water Treatment, Cistern Systems and Conversions.

Nestled in charming old town Chemainus you will find Sandpiper Garden and Glass. A unique combination of a brilliant garden centre, landscape and maintenance service as well as an ICBC glass replacement centre for automotive, glazing for home and commercial windows. Chemainus’ Destination Garden Shop, the Garden centre offers year round gardening supplies. Bulbs, shrubs, roses, hostas, annuals and perennials as well a selection of pots and garden statuary are tucked among Bamboo, and trees ready to be planted in your garden.

Do you have trouble trying to decide what type of window treatments to use in your home? Does the thought of coordinating colours and fabrics frighten you? Well, you can relax, help is only a phone call : Nikki MacCallum of NikkiDesigns

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away. At NikkiDesigns headed by Nikki MacCallum they are experts in finding just the right decorating solutions for your space. From Roman shades and roller blinds to slipcovers and bedding, they have been designing, creating and installing custom soft furnishings for over 15 years. Call Nikki at 250 245 4238 to book your free consultation today.

With over 30 years of pond experience, The Concrete Jungle can either build or teach you how to build pretty much any type of pond or water feature.

They use state of the art equipment and materials and carry fish, pumps, filtration, liners, lighting, plants and much more. A one stop shop, the Concrete Jungle has Nanaimo’s largest selection of concrete garden ornaments, bird baths, fountains, arbors, gates, weather vanes, and much more. Closed Sundays. 211 Nicol Street, Nanaimo, 250-591-4589, theconcretejungle.com

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Ladysmith named one of “Canada’s Greenest Employers” for 2012 On April 20 the Town of Ladysmith was named one of “Canada’s Greenest Employers” for 2012. The award recognizes the Town’s organization-wide commitment to reducing its environmental footprint.

The “Canada’s Greenest Employers” Award is part of the Canada’s Top 100 Employers competition conducted by Mediacorp Canada. The list of Green Employers winners was published today in The Globe and Mail and online.

“Our Town has been recognized for specific environmental programs such as curbside organics pickup and our sustainability visioning process, but this

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one is special because it recognizes that throughout the organization we have a strong and growing culture of sustainability”, said Mayor Rob Hutchins.

Mediacorp cited several reasons for choosing the Town of Ladysmith for the awards, including operating a “Green Team” which releases a quarterly newsletter and organizes “Lunch and Learn” events for employees. The introduction of a unique community initiative in 2009 where employees turned flower beds into vegetable gardens and donated all produce to the Ladysmith Food Bank, an impressive undertaking which has since been repeated annually. The Town amended building bylaw to require that new residential building construction be made “solar hot water ready” to facilitate the transition to solar hot water technology in addition to installing a solar hot water heater in its own office.

Working with the provincial government’s “Community Action on Energy and Emissions” program, the Town is implementing its “Community Energy Plan” designed to reduce long term energy consumption -- the plan includes a requirement for all new municipal buildings to be 25 percent more efficient than the minimum requirements established in the Model National Energy Code for Buildings, which encompasses the overall design and construction of energyefficient building. The adoption of a

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“Civic Green Building Policy” requires all new municipal buildings over 465 square metres to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standard.

“This award celebrates that we are all committed to the community vision of environmental, economic and social sustainability,” said City Manager Ruth Malli. “It’s an award that our employees and Council share with the community.”

Launched in 2007, the Canada’s Greenest Employers competition is organized by the editors of the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. This special designation recognizes the employers that lead the nation in creating a culture of environmental awareness in their organizations. These employers have developed exceptional earth-friendly initiatives -and are attracting people to their organizations because of their environmental leadership.

Fun & Fashion Mark your calendar May 26 for the Relay for Life Canadian Cancer Society Fashion Show Luncheon and Auction at St. Mary’s Church Hall 1135 Fourth Ave. starting at noon. The show will feature clothing from Nancy’s Fashions of Ladysmith and Kinney Clothing of Chemainus, as well as 50/50 draw, lots of door prizes and mega gift baskets. Tickets are $17, available at Black Door De-

On April 11, North Central Vancouver Island Zone Commander Jim Diard (left) and South Mid-Island Zone Commander Dave Monroe presented Royal Canadian Legion Branch #171 President Roy Empey with a cheque from the Legion Foundation to be used to purchase a new chair glide. Photo submitted.

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more information contact Vicki at 250722-3767. Tickets can be purchased at Ultimate Tanning or through the School Coordinators. Everyone is welcome.

Royal LePage De-clutters for a Cause

Model Carolyn James being escorted by Ladysmith Firefighter John Goodman Photo submitted

cor, Grant Jewellers, Nancy’s Fashions, Kinney Clothing or the CCS Office. For more information call 250-245-0671.

Come out enjoy a delicious lunch and pick up some fashion tips - all for a great cause.

Cedar has talent

Cedar Skate Park Association invites the community to a family night of entertainment. “Cedar has Talent” show is on May 11 at Cedar Secondary School. The show stars 7 pm and doors open at 6pm.

There will a concession, hip hop, tap dancing, singing, piano and violin playing and so much more. Tickets are adults $8, students $4 and under 10 free. For

More than half of women in Canada will experience abuse in their lifetime and over 360,000 children are exposed to family violence each year.

On Saturday, May 12, Royal LePage offices across Canada will play host to the National Garage Sale for Shelter, a one-day charitable garage sale in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, Canada’s largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to supporting women’s shelters and ending family violence.

Now in its fourth year, the event brings local residents together with Royal LePage REALTORS® to raise funds and awareness to break the cycle of violence

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in Canadian homes. Since 2009, The Shelter Foundation has raised more than $850,000 to help restore hope to thousands of women and children who have experienced family violence. Because Royal LePage covers the costs associated with the event, 100 per cent of all funds raised go directly to the cause.

Members of the community are encouraged to join in and de-clutter for a cause. Donate gently used items to your Ladysmith Royal LePage office on First Avenue by Friday, May 11 and visit their Garage Sale on Saturday, May 12 for some great deals. www.royallepage. ca/shelter)

Ladies’ Auxiliary Host Mother’s Day Tea The Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Ladysmith 2101 are pleased to announce their upcoming 62nd Annual Mother’s Day Tea at the

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Eagles Hall on May 12, 2012 from 1 to 3 pm. Come and join the ladies for an afternoon of socializing, eating fancy sandwiches and enjoying a cup of tea or coffee. The cost is $3 per person and children 6 and under are free. Everyone is invited.

The Auxiliary has been hosting the Tea since 1950. Today, as part of the festivities the ladies distribute monies to local and provincial charities that they so proudly support. In 2011, the Auxiliary donated more than $34,000 to 35 charities. Many organizations in Ladysmith benefit for their generous allotment of funds to such charities as Festival of Lights, Canadian Cancer Society – Ladysmith, Ladysmith Trekkers, Ladysmith Food Bank, Ladysmith Search and Rescue, Ladysmith Volunteer Fire as well as three $1000 bursaries to Ladysmith graduates.

Along with the luncheon there will be a bake table, a raffle table, door prizes and corsages to the oldest mother present, the mother with the most daughters and granddaughters present, the mother with a birthday on or closest to Mother’s Day, to name just a few. Some of the raffle items are a hand crocheted afghan, a framed Robert Bateman Print, and a framed crossstitched picture.

For more information, contact Shirley Hunt, Mother’s Day Tea Chair at 250 245 1374 or email her at alicehu@telus.net

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Brown Drive Kin Park - funds are needed to complete the playground.

Photo: Duck Paterson.

The Kinsmen took on the project to rebuild the adventure playground at Brown Drive Kin Park, after the Town of Ladysmith had to dismantle the old one due to decay and safety concerns. As this was the only playground in the whole north end of Ladysmith the members of the Ladysmith Kinsmen Club felt that it was a very needed facility for children of all ages.

Members felt that too many children were spending too much time in front of TV or video games, and they need to get out and not only use their muscles but to exercise their imaginations.

“Over a period of two years the Kinsmen and community members have constructed phase one and two of the new playground at the park. Numerous fundraisers were held and very

generous donations of cash and in-kind services came together to make this project a reality.

We had thought it would take over 3 years to pull it off, as the total price is going to be in excess of $225,000 but with all the fantastic community support we are going to get it done in two years,” said Kinsmen member Duck Paterson.

“We really owe a huge thank you to other service clubs in our community as well as a very generous business community. No matter how tough things seem, at times, Ladysmith always can come through and make good things happen. It might not be large sums of money or goods, but it all adds up,” he says.

Now the club is almost ready to finish the project. Phase three, which has a $60,600 price tag, is only $3,000 away. Paterson said the club was fortunate to get a $35,000 BC Gaming Grant as well as a further $10,000 from the Town and with their own fundraising... they are almost there... and that brings them to the next step.

They want your pennies. Paterson and the Kinsmen and playground committee want to help the Federal Government. Their recent announcement that they no longer wanted pennies has sparked the latest fundraiser for the new adventure playground at Brown Drive Park. “If we could get everybody in Ladysmith to donate 300 pennies, we will have the final funds to push this great playground to the end. Phase 3 is for older children” Paterson said “who’s going to tell a 6 year old they can’t

CIBC employees raised $153.00 for the B C Children’s Hospital at the “Ladysmith Mothers Unite” garage sale on April 14. Kari Campbell along with Suzanne Haslam of Ladysmith CIBC hosted a table with the help of Maya Campbell(left) and Rowan Rogerson (right). Photo: Jan Stephens

Seniors’ “Ladysmith Has Talent” first variety show was a big hit .On March 30, the lively and hilarious entertainment kept coming as the members of the Ladysmith Seniors Centre performed music, dance and comedy numbers to a sold out crowd. See more photos on our face book page. Photo: Loyola van Rooyen Buck

Kinsmen Rebuild Park

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play on that part... they’re going to use it all... but we need the final funds to get it done.”

To donate your pennies, take them to the Ladysmith and District Credit Union and have them put into the Kinsmen Playground Account or call 250-245-2263 and they will come and pick them up.

Ehrishmann leaves watch Ladysmith Maritime Society executive director Dave Ehrismann is leaving his post after three years.

Ehrismann said he has enjoyed his work in LMS very much and is proud of the teamwork and direction the LMS has grown. “We’re becoming a world class destination for boaters,”he said giving credit to the 300 plus members and the dedicated volunteers in the society.

Ehrismann accepted a position in international retail but expects to continue to live in the Ladysmith area.

In his three years as Executive Director, Dave participated in the successful transformation and growth of the organization.

Doug Bell, president, said his was “an outstanding contribution to where we are today. It’s been quite a remarkable journey.”

Betty Pearson is leading a Transition team until a new Executive Director is in place.

Eco-friendly shoes celebrates 1st year Colourful Grass is a young family company located in Ladysmith that designs and create stylish eco and vegan (animal friendly) footwear for both men and women. Colourful Grass was born on the sole principle of creating a sustainable future for our next generations while protecting the right of all living things on it. “We believe that people know enough about animal

Colourful Grass footwear company recently celebrated its first year.

Angele, Dan and Anabelle Miller and dog Jacob Photo: Dan Miller

cruelty and environmentalism that if they are giving a choice for a product that still has what they are looking for while being affordable, they will make that choice,” says Angele.

“We are very proud to successfully integrate eco and animal friendly materials to fashion footwear,” she adds. The fashion industry is very detrimental to the environment altogether and responsible for many globalism issues such as cutting down of rainforest to grow cattle, the use of chromium in the tanning of leather, depletion of water, children starvation to name a few.

“If we all become aware of our purchases and shift towards more ethical and compassionate purchases, the industry as a whole will eventually shift. Let’s be known for a generation that didn’t change the world but changed our actions instead.

After all, what we leave today on the planet is all our children will have to call home,” she continues.

Colourful Grass has been in business for just a little over one year in business and during that short period of time, they have received a lot of emails from fans and customers asking them to bring a sandal collection to market. They are very proud to say

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that they will be launching this collection this June 2012. Here is a sneak peak at the collection.

For more information visit www.colourfulgrass.com and their campaign link at: http://www.indiegogo.com/why-ecofriendly-why-colourfulgrass?a=413479

‘Deerproof’ your garden

Tiara & Tunes benefit

BY JAYSE VAN ROOYEN At the age of seventeen I decided to embark on the journey of becoming a Ladysmith Ambassador. Through an eight month candidacy I learned to further my public speaking skills, volunteer in my wonderful community and gain an immense amount of self-confidence. Upon completing this candidacy I was crowned the Ladysmith Princess and Miss Congeniality 2010-2011. I was thrilled to represent my community and am ecstatic to do it one more time. I am running as a candidate for the British Columbia Ambassador Program. The BCAP is open to any young men or women between the ages of 17-23 that have previously held an ambassador title. The mandate of the program is to support the continuation of post-secondary education, youth involvement in British Columbia, and to nurture provincial leaders of the future.

For the next five months I will be representing the town of Ladysmith. There are many plans for the next five months and I hope to achieve all of my goals as a British Columbia Ambassador Candidate. The support of the community is so important and I am thrilled to have so many people excited for my involvement in the BCAP. Please check the British Columbia Ambassador Program website at the beginning of May to start voting for me for People’s Choice Award. The

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British Columbia Ambassador Program Pageant will be on August 17 and 18, where I will perform my speech, a talent, community presentation and completing many other components of the program while spending a week in Merritt, where the pageant is being held. I hope these experiences will help me in my future goals of becoming a School Counsellor and continuing to help youth in the community.

To raise funds I will be presenting a concert featuring some of Ladysmith’s awesome musicians- Lena Birtwistle with Jen, The Common Band with Evan Miller and Skellig on Friday, June 8 at the Aggie Hall starting at 7:00pm. Tickets are $15, available at In the Beantime Cafe, Salamander Books, and the 49th Café. It’ll be a great time and I thank you for your support!

Deer are a fact of life for virtually every Vancouver Islander with a garden.

There are a few solutions, none of them perfect. Fencing can work, although it has to be high enough. Deer can easily jump a six-foot barrier. The issue I have with deer fencing is that it can look a little fortress-like, turning an otherwise friendly looking yard into a compound straight out of a prisoner-escape movie.

There are also plants which are said to be deer resistant, including the aforementioned pieris and boxwood. Punch the words ‘deer resistant plants BC’ into your web browser and you’ll come up with lots of lists the best of which, in my humble opinion, is on the Gardens West magazine site. But do realize that deer don’t read lists. Although there are some plants they prefer to eat they’ve been known to nibble on virtually anything you can name.

So what to do? I’ve always liked the idea of integrating deer fencing into a raised garden design, with a built-in gate, trellises, even an arbour. The fencing could keep the bunnies out too. In my experience, however, most garden fencing is done on an ad hoc basis and, sadly, looks it.

As for adding colour, we’ve had good luck with a bed of annuals and perennials tucked close to our house in a neighbourhood where deer are a daily (and nightly) occurrence. I figure even our thoroughly urbanized deer were shy of marching straight up to the plate glass windows the plants were located under. The barking shih tzus on the other side of that glass may have deterred them too.

Planting your annuals close to your house also makes it easy to water them with a micro-irrigation system, saving water for you and your municipality.

My take-home message? Relax, enjoy the deer, and understand that the role your property plays in the island’s ecology is part of the reason they’re out there now, nibbling at your shrubbery. And for goodness’ sake, don’t let the deer be a reason to deny yourself colour in your garden this summer.

Norm Wagenaar is a landscaper and writer who lives in Cedar. www.naturescapesnanaimo.com

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Mini World Cup coming to Ladysmith

BY ROB JOHNSON The 2012 World Cup is Coming to Ladysmith...the Mini World Cup of Soccer that is.

Over the weekend of May 12 and 13, the Town of Ladysmith will be invaded by over 1,000 energized, smiling soccer players. BCSA affiliated mini-soccer teams will be participating mainly from Upper Island with a few teams from Lower Island and the Lower Mainland.

They are here to challenge for the “Mini World Cup of Soccer”.

“It’s the first time it’s been held in Ladysmith,” says Willow Hartig, President of the Mid Island Soccer Association.

“We’ve never had the resources to host it but now with the addition of the Forrest Field, we can do this. The newly opened $5 million artificial turf field has all the teams excited and eager to get out and play on it.”

The awarding of Mini World Cup 2012 is a direct result of the installation of our new artificial turf which is envied by all, with its all-weather pitch and night lighting. Forrest Field Turf is located at the northern end of 4th Avenue on Jim Cram Drive. The awarding of this prestigious tournament to the Mid-Isle Soccer Club is also a result of all the hard work of its executive and supporters. Many hands make light work in organizing a huge

Forrest Field in Ladysmith is one of the venues for the Mini World Cup Soccer Tournament. Mid Island Soccer Association members: Back row: Dave Kuhn, Mike Rankin WillowHartig, Kathleen Nicholls, Janet Brockhost George Brockhost Front Row: Georgia Nicholls, David Rankin Mary Nicholls Below: Mary Nicholls - kicking ball Georgia Nicholls, David Rankin Photos: Cindy Damphousse

event like this one. These volunteers have wholeheartedly made planning for this event their top priority for the past couple months while putting their own lives on hold. This truly shows the dedication and devotion of Club volunteers.

(I know I can never repay them for all

they give of themselves – “thank you” just doesn’t seem adequate!). They have worked very hard to establish a program that will make this one of, if not the best Mini “World Cup” yet, and it will lay the foundation for more tournaments right here in Ladysmith.

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The organizing is a feat onto itself. “It’s been great,” says Hartig describing the support of the community.

“People didn’t realize the magnitude of the event. You could tell by response...now that it’s getting closer it’s sinking in and what a big deal it is.”

Hartig is inviting the public to come out and watch all these little avid soccer keeners play “the beautiful game” of soccer, at various soccer pitches all over Ladysmith during the tournament. The Mini World Cup is a highly anticipated annual Upper Island fun kids’ soccer tournament, for both boys and girls in divisions U8 to U11. Each participating team will be assigned a country of the world to represent. Players of these teams will be decked out in bright coloured t-shirts that represent the region of the world they are playing for. Teams of different countries will all vie to earn points for their designated region. The region with the most points will be named Mini World Cup 2012 Champions.

The Mini World Cup of Soccer is an event that is truly a winner on so many levels. It brings young people to gather in the spirit of friendly competition and pure fun, it allows the players to show off their skill, continues to implement and build a life-long passion for the sport and it will have a huge economic impact on the Town. Not only will there be 1,000 participants, but they will be attending with members of their families and friends - all supporting and cheering on their efforts. The Eagles have stepped forward to host Saturday Spaghetti Dinner and Sunday Pancake Breakfast at the Eagles Hall. Frank Jameson Community Centre will be putting on a soccer Dive-In Cinema Saturday night at the Pool from 6 to 8pm for a toonie.

The Town has designated RV parking and camping at Transfer Beach. In addition to the games, the event will feature opening ceremonies with a parade of nations, food and vendors at game venues, and the Fun Zone, which celebrates the game of soccer and provides fun for the whole family. The positive community support has made it possible to offer the amenities to the out of town guests. What a fantastic opportunity to showcase what Ladysmith has to offer and prove a community can come together to host a successful fun event that will not quickly be forgotten.

Further Mini World Cup 2012 details/updates can be found at www.midislesoccer.com and www.facebook.com/ladysmithmwc2012. Email enquiries to miniworldcup2012@yahoo.ca.

The Mid-Isle Soccer Club is a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster the physical, mental, and emotional growth and development of area youth through soccer. Its mission is to provide continuous improvement of soccer skills, and sportsmanship in an enjoyable environment, while instilling a lifelong passion for the sport. It currently has approximately 350 members a. The Club currently has thirty volunteer coaches who play a very important role in the development of players and without them the Club would not be. The Mid-Isle Soccer Club is currently accepting registration for their upcoming 2012-13 soccer season for all children ages 5-17. Further information and registration form can be found on their website www.midislesoccer.com. They hope to see everyone from the community out supporting them and cheering on their local Mid-Isle Soccer teams! If you are able to volunteer to help out with MWC 2012 (field prepping, booths, general set up... etc) May 12 and 13, please email volunteers@midislesoccer.com.

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Ladysmith Players present Let’s Murder Marsha If you like comedy broad and fast and nonstop, Let’s Murder Marsha is the show for you! A happy housewife named Marsha, hopelessly addicted to reading murder mysteries, overhears her loving husband discussing her upcoming birthday surprise with an interior decorator. To her ears, though, it sounds like they are planning to murder her! With the assistance of her next door neighbor, she tries to turn the tables on them with a poisoned potion. Pandemonium ensues as her intended victims decide to teach her a lesson. The farce, written by Monk Ferris, and directed by Mort Paul is Ladysmith Players’ entry to the 2012 South Island Zone Festival ‘Marsha’ opens Thursday, May 10, with 11 shows, closing May 27. For more information visit www.ladysmiththeatre.com or call 250-924-0658, Ladysmith Little Theatre, 4985 Christie Road, Ladysmith Noises Off - A fast and furious farce.

It’s chaos backstage at Chemainus Theatre. A haphazard acting troupe is taking Broadway by storm - if they make their British sex comedy, “Nothing On”, a cross-country hit. But everything that can go wrong does amid a fast-flying plate of sardines, many slamming doors, and actors tripping over love lives and lost lines. Will they finally “kill it” on Broadway - or just kill each other - by closing night? See the “funniest farce ever written” (New York Post) at The Chemainus Theatre Festival. April 27 to June 2 BookFest – Amazing Artistic Talent Join the creators of Canada’s best children’s literature for a fun-filled magical day on Saturday May 5 in downtown Nanaimo. Among the authors and storytellers featured this year are accomplished artists who illustrate either their own books or those created by others.

Artistic styles are as varied as the books

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Ladysmith Players cast members rehearsing their upcoming play Let’s Murder Marsha opening in May. Photo submitted

produced. Besides these talented artists BookFest will also feature renowned authors Michael Kusugak, Julie Lawson, Betty Joan Stechner and Paul Yee. Visit the website www.bookfest.com for full details and a printable flyer.

Nanaimo Theatre Group Nanaimo Theatre Group presents Better Living , a fast-paced darkly comic play focuses on a wildly dysfunctional family, coping in their own unique way with the return of the patriarch who has been absent for a decade. Written for a mature audience.

The Bailey Studio 2373 Rosstown Road, Nanaimo, BC. May 23 to June 9.

Tickets: Nanaimo Museum, online www. nanaimotheatregroup.com or phone 250758-7224.

Ladysmith Arts Council In May the The Waterfront Gallery is teaming up with Ladysmith Rotary and helping sponsor the Garden Tour on Sunday May 27 and a whole month of Botanical offerings from their members, students from their own classes, First Nation and Vancouver Island University. Opening night is May 5 at 7pm at the Gallery with guest speaker painter/ gardener Paula Shemming. Bring your

whole family to the gallery during the Ladysmith Maritime Festival and drop by the Art Room and let your budding pirates paint up a storm. For more information visit www.ladysmithwaterfrontgallery.com 610 Oyster Bay Rd, Ladysmith.

Jewellery Jam Come see the latest fashion trends and jewellery designs in precious metal clay

by Susan J. Whyte, bead weaving by Leslie DeAthe and fused glass by Peggy Brackett at “Jewellery Jam”, Sunday May 6, 2012 from 2 to 4pm at The Pottery Store, 9745 Willow Street, Chemainus. For complete details, please visit the web site at www.ThePotteryStore.ca or call Peggy Grigor at 250-416-1411.

Steps For Life - Seeking Walkers Steps for Life is a non -competitive 5km walk open to everyone to raise awareness that workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths can be eliminated.

This is the primary fundraising event for Threads of Life a national charity to support families of workplace tragedy. On May 11, 2012 Ladysmith hosts the 5km walk registration at FJCC by 10:30am for more information and registration fees call Charlotte or Kate 250-245-6424.

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The Nanaimo Pottery Co-op’s Spring Show and Sale Free admission to all and no tax on pottery! All purchasers will be entered in a free draw for a pottery item. on Fri. May 11 from 9:30am to 9pm and Sat, May 12 from 9:30am to 5:30 pm at Country Club Centre, 3200 N. Island Hwy, Nanaimo.

For more information www.nanaimopottery.com Black Track Tour A walk into the past with popular writer and historian Tom Paterson, Sunday, May 6, 2012, revealing Nanaimo area’s remarkable coal mining heritage.

Tickets: $30p/p or$25 for two or more in a party. Each ticket holder receives a free one year membership to Friends of Morden Mine. Starts 10am at Morden Colliery Historic Regional Park. For location of the park please see “Maps,” www.mordenmine.com Mine Explosion Commemoration On May 3, 1887, Nanaimo was devastated by a mine explosion that claimed the lives of 150 men. It was the single largest loss of life in an industrial accident in Canada at the time. It shattered the lives of many families leaving 46 widows and 146 children without a father. From May 3-June 3 2012, the Nanaimo Museum will commemorate the miners who lost their lives getting out the coal.

Nanaimo Museum volunteers Steve Young and Parker Williams read a plaque commemorating the 100th anniversary of the tragic event of May 3, 1887.

Ladysmith Museum opening soon It’s a race against time.

On May 19 Ladysmith’s long awaited museum will open to the public.

It’s been a dream for many members of the Ladysmith & District Historical Society as well as local residents to have a place where displays can tell the story of our community. Thanks to the Ladysmith & District Credit Union’s generous donation of use of the former Ladysmith Resources Centre building, and the hard work of volunteers, Ladysmith Museum will soon open.

The transformation is amazing when you walk through the doors. Cramped offices are now bright and informative exhibits. Photos invite you to stop and view into the past. The rooms are attractively arranged by theme. The entrance area features a cleverly designed ‘Timeline’ of our history: 1895-present.

Curator Bernardien Knol and her husband Gary Knol are working hard to get the building ready. Setting up a project of this scope is daunting but add a lack of funds and a shortage of volunteers and the task is insurmountable, but not for this hard working couple. They are committed to the task. Bernardien has made it interesting, and informative for oldtimers and newcomers alike.

“I am weaving a thread of ‘Ladies of

Ladysmith’ throughout as I believe we have (and had) some interesting women here,” she says, using Ladysmith’s name to stand out from other towns.

While they have lots of photos and tools they are looking for more artefacts that would make an attractive display (especially prior to 1950’s). Lots of jobs still need to be done and volunteers are needed.

The couple came here in 1976 from Holland and moved here from Alberta where she worked as a assistant curator at the Provincial Museum of Alberta and Alberta Historic Sites, and as researcher.

She has extensive experience through many volunteer involvements in arts and is an accomplished artist.

“My husband volunteered me at Arts on the Avenue, talking to people from the Historical Society who were wondering how to set up a museum. He told me afterwards: Oh, I found you a ‘job’.”

And what a job it is!

“The museum will be a real asset not just in preserving but bring more involvement from the younger generation.

We’ve worked hard to bring it to them.”

If you can help or to donate Ladysmith Museum or call 250-245-0423 or historical society 245-0100.

Bernardien and Gary Knol are working hard to get Ladysmith’s new museum open.

Photo: Marina Sacht

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Ladysmith Railway Station Prior to the completion of the Esquimalt and Nanaimo railway (the E & N) in 1886, contact between towns was mostly dependent on boats, so social and economic centres were at ports. With the coming of the railway, stations were built and these became the centre of activity.

On holidays, the E & N ran special excursions and the stations were thronged with people, boys were waiting to carry people’s baggage to hotels; here you could send and receive news and business orders by telegraph. Prior to this, the telegraph office and E&N agent were housed in the parlour car Maude, a once

luxuriously furnished railway coach.

The original station was built in 1901 to a more or less standard pattern, where the ground level was used for railway

purposes and the upper floor for the agent and his family The agent had to be available at all hours. In addition to E&N traffic, coal and copper ore wag-

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THEN: Opposite page: Ladysmith Railway Station in the early days was an elaborate building teeming with life. Photo: Ladysmith Archives

NOW:

Above: The station is boarded up. Photo: Marina Sacht

ons passed through, also wagons destined for the mainland via Transfer Wharf. Nathan Dougan was engaged as the telegraph operator. His duties were to receive train orders and give them to the conductors; he states “I was employed by the Colliery Co. to keep records of coal shipped and handled; I was the telegraph operator, handled all freight, check it, help to load and unload, wait on customers in the freight shed, sell tickets; custom work as well, I had no apprentice. I first was paid $46.25 a month, this being raised later to $65.00 being divided between Colliery and Railway” Records of station masters/agents are scanty- 1905/6 George Harrison, about 1910, George Hillier, 1920’s Frank Griffin, 1930’s Modley. The Canadian Pacific Railway Co. bought the E & N from the Dunsmuir interests in 1905, but are unable to supply names of stationmasters/agents.

Gardens were a feature of many stations, displays were encouraged by the CPR. In 1944, agents at Ladysmith, Union Bay and Royston were all awarded prizes for their gardens. It was in 1944 also, that the building was demolished and a new one built, “a one storey cottage design completely modern in finish” VIA Rail took over running the passenger side of the business and in 1984 agreed to lease the station to the City of Ladysmith for 20 years for $1.00 per year. Over the last few years, the station has been the target of much vandalism.

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RDN - Area A

BY ALEC MCPHERSON I was fortunate to be able to attend the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) 2012 Annual General Meeting and Convention held in Ucluelet, B.C. April 13th to 15th. A number of important issues were discussed and motions passed (that will go forward for consideration by the Union of B.C. Municipalities in September 2012) by the more than 230 delegates attending.

With more than 50% of the lands in Area ‘A’ within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), one of the most important and informative presentations was a presentation by Richard Bullock, Chair, Agricultural Land Commission (ALC).

The ALC oversees the ALR properties reviewing and deciding on various applications to take land out of the ALR, to allow non-agricultural use of ALR lands and other land use decisions. In August 2010, a review of the ALC operations, policy, regulation and legislation was undertaken at the request of the B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Lands.

In November 2011, the government an-

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nounced a number of measures to be implemented as a result of the review.

Some of these measures included the following: -A five (5) year moratorium on repeat applications including those to remove land from the ALR -Online applications to provide enhanced web services to clients.

-Working with local governments to determine long term land use planning so that policy is not driven by individual applications as they are received. This is intended to provide long-term stability and encourage farming of ALR lands through agreement on growth boundaries that will accommodate the particular municipality or area for the next 15 to 20 years.

Mr. Bullock explained that the applicable legislation defines the ALC’s job – “to serve agricultural land”. Any application submitted in respect of ALR lands “must benefit agriculture” and must demonstrate how it will do so. The stated aim of the ALC is to take the speculative value out of ALR lands. In his words, “If you buy a piece of farmland, you’ll sell a piece of farmland!” If these policies are implemented and enforced, it will bring

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a considerable amount of comfort to farmers and others in the province who promote food security and related issues.

The ALC has six (6) designated regions within the province overseen by three (3) Commissioners in each. It is part of the province’s judicial system.

I have been a continuing advocate for a change in a Regional District of Nanaimo’s policy that restricts comment on applications to the ALC for a change in land use on ALR lands within its boundaries. Mr. Bullock made it abundantly clear that it is no longer acceptable to have “no comment” from Regional Districts in this province.

Perhaps the item that will have the greatest effect on slowing down the applications is the fee structure that will be applied to each and every application. In the past, an application to the ALC would be accompanied by a $600 fee of which $300 would be sent to the Regional District. As Mr. Bullock put it, when an applicant pushes the SEND button, the costs will begin to be tallied and billed immediately. It is clear that full cost recovery will be the aim of the ALC. While many people objected to the introduction of the ALC and ALR desig-

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nation on lands in 1972, many more people now see this decision as a visionary action on the part of the then Premier, Dave Barrett.

CVRD - Area H

BY MARY MARCOTTE CVRD Integrated Regional Sustainability Plan: Under the Gas Tax Agreement, all local governments receiving Gas Tax funding must undertake Integrated Community Sustainability (ICS) Planning as part of a regional strategy. In the context of Gas Tax funding, ICS Planning can be defined as “long term planning, in consultation with community members, that provides direction for the community to realize sustainability objectives it has for the environment, cultural, social and economic dimensions of its identity” As part of the CVRD Corporate Strategic Plan, the Board has stated that we will “develop and implement an Integrated Regional Sustainability Plan” as one of its top Strategic Actions. Although some members of the Board feel that we should be concentrating our efforts of developing a “Growth Management Plan” prior to embarking on a “Strategic Plan”, the Board is moving forward with this action.

Challenges for Plan Development: As you may imagine, there are considerable challenges that must be considered when developing an approach for integrated sustainability planning within the CVRD. Some of the challenges include building a common understanding of sustainability, integration of the various system components and carrying capacity, meaningful community engagement and actual implementation of the final product.

Solutions to the Challenges: Resolving the challenge of putting together a plan that includes the four municipalities, the nine electoral areas and the first nations residing in the valley include community buy-in through strong community communication, having adequate resources to coordinate and manage the development of the plan, building cross sector teams and partnerships to ensure representation from all sectors, an developing and inclusive,

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engaging and transparent planning process for community input. There must also be good data and appropriate analysis to underpin the strategies, indicators and targets, as well as clear goals which establish a vision and a workable framework to guide future management of our collective environmental, cultural, social and economic goals.

Community Benefits of Developing an Integrated Sustainabillity Plan: The Agreement on the Transfer of Federal Gas Tax Revenue under the “New Deal for Cities and Communities” program, which is better known as the “Gas Tax” program, has resulted in significant funding for community projects in the Region. The Gas Tax program started in 2005; from 2005 to 2009, it has provided the CVRD with approximately $5.2 million to fund numerous projects.

However, the Agreement also stipulates that in order to access the funds, a Regional Sustainability plan must be undertaken. Current CVRD practices suggest that the benefitting entity (the function) should contribute approximately one-third of the project costs. This policy ensures that local taxpayers are committed to the project, and are willing to pay a share of the necessary improvements.

Community Works Fund: The purpose of the 100% federally funded program is to achieve three primary outcomes through implementation of infrastructure projects: cleaner air, cleaner water and reduced greenhouse emissions. Eligible projects include public transit, community energy systems, water & wastewater and solid waste management projects.

The Community Works Fund portion of the program has already funded approximately $2,414,504 in capital projects in this region. Some additional money has also been allocated to this Region from the Community Works Funds.

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Area H Projects: Currently, two projects in North Oyster have been submitted for approval of funding from the 2012-2014 Community Works Fund. These projects both involve upgrades to existing privately owned water systems that have requested that the CVRD take over the systems.

If, after completion of relevant studies, the CVRD agrees to take over the water works, two new service areas and functions will be formed. Each of the two systems would be managed and operated separately, with only the taxpayers from each of the systems contributing to the costs. Taxpayers outside the service areas would not be funding the systems through local taxation.

The North Oyster Fire Hall has previously been allocated $348,500 from the 2005-2009 Community Works Fund providing the project is completed by March of 2015. As a result of the failed referendum, we cannot go ahead with a new hall in the near future. As it would be very unfortunate for this community to be unable to access the funds that have been set aside, the Fire Department has been looking at proceeding with upgrading the existing hall by doing work that involves the pre-approved “sustainability elements”. However, a number of community residents have lobbied the Board not to carry out repairs or upgrades to the existing hall. Unfortunately, because of that pressure it seems highly unlikely that the Fire Department will be able to take advantage of the program.

We will continue to explore projects that might be acceptable to the public, but if we cannot complete the project in the specified timeframe, the money will likely go to another Electoral Area in the Cowichan Region.

CVRD - Area G

BY MEL DOREY We are continuing to work on our plan to get approval to upgrade the Saltair Water System. The plan is to do $4.5 million worth of work over a period of 15 years. The BC Government requires that the community shows them that we are willing to pay for these upgrades. We could have done a referendum where the people of Saltair go to the polls to vote

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on the bylaw to pay for the upgrades. But that would have cost us, the taxpayers of Saltair, $15,000 for this referendum.

Because we had such strong support for the upgrades at the three public meetings held at the old Mt. Brenton School we decided by a 90 per cent vote to do a petition. Local residents, mostly members of the Saltair Ratepayers Association, are asking property owners to sign a petition for the financing of the upgrades.

If there are two owners on title both have to sign. When we get more than 50 per cent of the property owners that represent more than 50 per cent of the property value of Saltair we will have achieved our goal. There are 19 canvassers out there in the community doing this petition work. There are about 830 property owners in Saltair so we divided those into 27 zones. It is a lot of work because it is hard to find both owners at home in this busy world.

I went door to door and covered 18 houses in 3 hours. Some of the people were not home, some only one of the signers was home and some were going someplace in a hurry and didn’t have time to listen. I will have to return again two or three times to get to everyone and give them an explanation of what we are doing. I averaged about ½ hour per signed petition. When we are finished with this process the people of Saltair will know a lot about the Saltair Water System. This is good, this is democracy in action but it’s very labour intensive. I am thankful for the Saltair Ratepayers Association’s help and thankfully we will only have to do this once in 15 years.

The Saltair Ratepayers Association do a lot of good things for the community.

Most ratepayers groups have a sole purpose of holding government’s feet to the fire on taxes and spending. They are a thorn in the side of government, not Saltair’s, and Saltair’s taxes are almost the lowest in the district.

I work with our ratepayers in a cooperative manner and share with them what is going on in the district. We all want Saltair to be the best place to live that it can be without excessive taxes. The executive of the ratepayers are: John Silins Pres., Dennis Ahola Sec., Christine Hammersley VP, Tami Edwards, Jim Whittaker, Debbie Neil, Jane Walton, Diana MacTavish and Peter Milne.

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Cooking classes

BY MARINA SACHT If you are looking for a new dining experience try one of the cooking classes offered by Worldly Gourmet in Ladysmith.

Chef Jenny and Erin Jarvis offer classes twice a month. The classes held Wednesday evenings from 7 to 9 pm usually follow the preparation and cooking of a several course meal. The atmosphere is casual, classes are limited to a dozen so there’s lots of room around the counter to banter with the chefs and enjoy a social evening with fellow students. Not only are you learning how to cook and how to use kitchen tools properly, at the end of the night you get to enjoy a fabulous meal with starter, entree and dessert, all for just $40 a person.

The class topics change regularly from ethnic to fun to serious...Mexican, Jamaican, Indian, Italian cuisine.

Italian is popular says Jenny as well

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as the high end French cooking classes.

“Our pasta classes are always memorable,” says Jenny. How can you go wrong with homemade pasta?

And the food is so good! I recently attended a class that featured Jamaican food: Jerk chicken, Jamaica Beef patties, rice and peas,and coconut toto cakes. Previous classes I attended featured homemade pasta making as well as Yucatan cooking. I found it a great way to get exposed to new foods I may not have had the courage to try making otherwise.

Special guest chefs also make an appearance. A few years ago James Barber held a class there. During the classes she takes the opportunity to promote healthy eating and good food practices.

Jenny opened the Worldly Gourmet a kitchen tools and gourmet food store six years ago. She started offering classes six months later. The classes have grown in popularity, and many people attend regularly. Cathy Margetts is one of those regulars at the counter. She’s been coming for over three years and has attended almost every class. “It’s my escape,” she laughs. She enjoys the social aspect as well as the good food.

“You don’t have to be rich to eat well,” she says.

Check out their website for classes or drop by the store, 524 First Ave., Ladysmith, 250-245-7307 www.worldlygourmet.ca Erin and Jenny Jarvis plating the salad at the Worldly Gourmet cooking classes.

Photo: Cindy Damphousse.

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Waiter, what’s that fig leaf doing on my plate?

There comes a time in a man’s life when he has to make the tough decisions, really tough decisions. No, I’m not talking about a sex change, that merely encompasses a new wardrobe and a small chip implanted in the brain allowing you to remember everything you’ve gone to town for.

No, I’m talking about a REALLY IMPORTANT DECISION, one to postpone as long as you can, I’m talking about that fateful day when your retirement budget forces you to switch from bottled to box wine. You can prepare for retirement all you want, go to all the Kiwanis seminars, but like old age itself, there’s no training for this.

It hits you emotionally. You’ll be walking down the street, nice homes, nice gardens, perfect weather, and you’ll inexplicably break down in tears. You look back and spot the cause, wine bottles poking out of the blue box on the curb. The next day you walk into your bathroom and catch your reflection in the mirror. “My God! My right fore-

arm, what’s happened to my right forearm?” You fly to your computer, quickly google the word “atrophy,” only to read: What happens to a man’s forearm and bicep after he stops repetitive exercise, say like cork pulling.

Sadly, there are no help groups available, no government body where one can go for consolation and support. True, CUPE, the liquor store union has been helpful. Those “Miss You, Wish You Were Here” cards have been appreciated. Too, the helium dirigible flying about the store with, “Delbert, come back!” was a nice touch.

But life goes on, the good news is I’ve found a perfectly acceptable box wine, Mission Hill’s Sonora Ranch cabernet shiraz. It’s surprisingly decent and goes

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well with just about any food we’ve thrown at it. Except for perhaps that blue cheese omelet that got me banned from the kitchen for a week.

An additional benefit, for those of you still wearing Black Sabbath tee shirts, is it’s politically incorrect, a blend of Canadian and imported wine, the dreaded “cellared in Canada” designation. A fact you’ll quickly forget when you realize it costs $5.65 a bottle in the 16-litre format.

I realize coming out in favour of the box will discredit my reputation with the wine community, but hey, this Black Sabbath tee shirt looks good on me and now I can say whatever I want. So let’s start with a recent article in a local food magazine. Three sommeliers (French word for one who talks a lot through his hat) had been invited to match wine with a dish described as Quail, parsnip, chicories, beurre rouge, fig leaf, and vanilla.

Faced with such a challenge, an old pro like me (40 years in the wine game) immediately has probing questions.

Questions like, “Is the fig leaf worn on the head or in the more traditional placement?” And, “Vanilla! We always have

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vanilla, why never chocolate?”

One expert recommended a youthful Bandol saying that, “the decadent flavours of the dish call for moderate but polished tannins... The flavour profile of Bandol will mirror the vanilla, chicories and fig leaf nicely.”

For those who believe in Santa Claus, this is a good answer.

Personally, it reminded me of a day a quarter century ago at my first Vancouver Wine festival lunch. I was seated with two California marketing reps from the prestigious Beaulieu Winery who were pouring their George de Latour Cabernet, which at the time was considered Napa Valley royalty.

The Beaulieu guys were old enough to be my father, and unlike many of their peers were old school, serious of demeanor with their dark Brooks Brothers suits. They looked like what

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they were, two guys who had spent their life travelling around North America flogging alcoholic beverage. Guys who would look just as comfortable with a long necked bottle of beer, pool cue or monkey wrench in their hand as a wineglass. Best to sit quietly and learn, I thought.

We were of course drinking their wine, which like many young Napa Cabs was hard to choke back at lunch. Then a wine writer dropped by for a sip of the Latour.

A more elaborate session of swirling and sniffing, you’ve never seen. When he sniffed, it looked like rapture, when he tasted, it sounded like gargling. Finally his judgment was rendered. “Firm, ripe, rich and concentrated, full-bodied and tightly focused, with a chewy core of dried currant, mineral, fresh earth, spice, black licorice and dried sage, (etc. etc. etc.) Finishing with a potent full bodied finish.”

With not a hint of humour, one old suit turns to the other, tries the wine and says, “He drinking the same shit we are?”

Delbert is the co-proprietor at Mahle House. Read more at Slightlycorkedandmore.wordpress.com

TAKE 5

It’s time for the annual Ladysmith Maritime Festival Aaaarrr…it’s that time o’ year maties to don your best pirate gear and get on down to the annual Ladysmith Maritime Festival 2012, on May 26 and 27 at the Ladysmith Maritime Society docks and thereabouts. Free family fun that includes a kids’ zone with a petting barn and pony rides, clowns and pirates, jumparound pirate slide and bouncy octopus, facepainting, a fishing derby, and more.. and don’t miss out on the big treasure hunt between 10am and 3pm Saturday May 26 in downtown Ladysmith and Coronation Mall.

For the rest of you swabbies there’s free harbour tours, heritage boat and museum displays, vintage tractor and equipment display, Kinsmen beer garden, food and craft vendors, Stz’uminus Elders story Pirates, mayhem and lots of maritime fun at the annual Ladysmith Maritime festival coming in May. Photos: Cindy Damphousse

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tent, Coast Guard demonstrations, the Saidi Sisters dancers, mid island Navy bands, musicians and special guest Valdy . During the week watch for the pirate walk through downtown Ladysmith on Wednesday May 23, and May 25 at the Stz’uminus First Nation Cultural Centre is the Communities Celebration Dinner.

There’s tons more, me hardies, so check out www.ladysmithmaritimesociety.ca.

New Reception Centre at the Ladysmith Maritime Society Marina The long awaited Reception Centre at the Ladysmith Maritime Society docks is completed! The 3,000 square foot building includes showers, washrooms, laundry, hospitality meeting space, and Wi-Fi access. It also houses the marina office and a special events area for hosting group functions, including large-scale ‘boater rendezvous’. Along with the new centre, the project included construction of infrastructure supports: a sewage pump-out was installed near the outer edge of the marina for use by all users of the harbour, accessibility improvements - the ramp and docks linking the shore to the floating visitor reception centre were widened and made more stable to accommodate users of all ages, as well as wheelchairs, carts, and increased foot traffic, and an electrical upgrade – the installation of an enhanced 600-volt electrical supply to the marina.

New LMS Reception Centre to open during Ladysmith Maritime Festival. Photo: Cindy Damphousse

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5, 7pm, Open Mic hosted by Skellig, Willow Street Café 250-246-2434

11, 9pm, Live Band – Murphey’s Flaw, The Sportsman Pub 640 1st Ave. 250-245-8033

5, 7:30pm, Mae Moore, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246

12-13, 9am, Mini World Cup 2012 Ladysmith Forrest Field Turf, Ladysmith Secondary School, Ladysmith Intermediate School 250-667-5566

6-12, Move for Health Week, Frank Jameson Community Centre, Ladysmith 250 245-6427 May

6, 10am, Black Track Tour, Morden Colliery Provincial Park and area mine sites 250-714-0377

1-June 2, Noises Off, Chemainus Theater 250-246-9820

6, 1pm, South Wellington Day, 2012 South Wellington Community Hall

3 - Jun 3, Commemoration of the No. 1 mine explosion May 3, 1887 www.nanaimomuseum.ca

6, 2pm, Spring Choral Concert , Chemainus Seniors Drop in Centre, 9824 Willow St. 250-246-2111

3, 7pm, Nanaimo Glad & Dahlia Society monthly meeting, Paine Horticulture Centre 250-722-2109

6, 2pm, Hope King, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246

3, 7:30pm, Allen Gerber, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246

6, 2pm, Jewellery Jam at The Pottery Store, 9745 Willow Street 250-416-1411

4, 7:30pm, Skydiggers with Alex Vissia, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246

6, Hike for Hospice, Providence Farm 250-701-4242

5, 9am, Plant Sale, Ladysmith United Church

7-12, Ladysmith Health Care Auxiliary Mother’s Day Sale, 1111 4th Ave or 1127 4th Ave

5, 9:30am, Plant Sale, St. John’s Church Hall, Buller Street & Third Avenue

7, 7:30pm, Victoria Symphony, Cowichan Theatre 2687 James St. Duncan 250 748-7529

5, 10am, Vancouver Island Children’s Book Festival, downtown Nanaimo 250-751-1515

7, 4:45pm, Bingo, Chemainus Seniors Drop in Centre 9824 Willow St. 250-246-2111

5, 9am, Live at the Met – Das Rheingold, Cowichan Theatre 2687 James St., Duncan 250 748-7529

7, 7pm, Ladysmith Town Council Meeting, 410 Esplanade 250-245-6400

5, 12pm, BC SPCA Annual Open House 2200 Labieux Rd. Nanaimo 250-758-8444

8, 7:30pm, Blues Tuesday, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246

5, 5:30pm, St. Joseph’s 10th annual Barn Dance, Dinner and Live Auction 250-246-3191

9, 7pm, 2012 Benefit Gala Shake Rattle ‘n Roll, Chemainus Theatre Festival 1-800-565-7738 9, 7:30pm, Majic Spells, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246 10-27, 6pm, Let’s Murder Marsha, Ladysmith Little Theatre 250-924-0658 10, 11am, Move for Health Day Challenge, Ladysmith 250-245-6427 10, 7:30pm, Laurell/Carli &Julie Kennedy/James Struthers, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246 11-12, 10am, Crofton Art Group’s 58th Annual Framed Art Show and Sale, Senior’s Centre, adj. ferry dock 250-416-0608 11, 7pm, Live Music – Barry Perrin, 49th Café 11, 7:30pm, Chilliwack, Cowichan Theatre 2687 James St. Duncan 250 748-7529

12, 9am, Ernani, Cowichan Theatre 2687 James St. Duncan 250 748-7529 12, 4th Annual National Garage Sale, behind Royal LePage office on First Ave. 250-245-2252 12, 1pm, Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Tea, Eagles Hall 250 -245-1374 12, 7pm, Dance – Double Play, Chemainus Seniors Drop in Centre, 9824 Willow St. 250-246-2111 12, 7:30pm, Cowichan Consort concert, Christian Reformed Church, 930 Trunk Rd, Duncan 250-743-9839 12, 7:30pm, the Konsorad/Allen Dobbs, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246 12,8pm, Ron James, Cowichan Theatre 2687 James St. Duncan 250 748-7529 13, Happy Mother’s Day! 13, 10:30am, Mother’s Day Brunch, Cottonwood Golf Course 250-245-5157 13, Cedar Farmers Market, Crow & Gate Parking Lot, Cedar 13, 7:30pm, Michael Jerome Brown, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246 14, 4:45pm, Bingo, Chemainus Seniors Drop in Centre, 9824 Willow St. 250-246-2111 16, 9:30am, Blood Pressure Clinic, Chemainus Seniors Drop in Centre, 9824 Willow St. 250-246-2111 16, 11:30am, Lunch, Chemainus Seniors Drop in Centre, 9824 Willow St. 250-246-2111 17, 7:30am, LDBA General Meeting, upstairs at the Legion, First Ave., Ladysmith 17, 7:30pm, Leathen Milne/Colin Easthope, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246 18, 7:30pm, Naughty & Spice Burlesque, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246 19, 9am, Crofton Market beside BC Ferry Terminal 250-246-9871 19, 9:30am, Pancake Breakfast, Chemainus Seniors Drop in Centre 9824 Willow St. 250-246-2111 19, 10am, Ladysmith & District Historical Society

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Museum grand opening

2, 1:30pm, Sipping wild teas Workshop, Wildwood 250-816-1816

19, 5pm, Potluck Birthday Party, Chemainus Seniors Drop in Centre, 9824 Willow St. 250-246-2111

2, Crofton Market 9am-1pm beside BC Ferry Terminal 250 246-9871

19, 7:30pm, Shed, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246

4, 7pm, Ladysmith Town Council Meeting, 410 Esplanade 250-245-6400

20, Cedar Farmers Market, Crow & Gate Parking Lot, Cedar 21, 4:45pm, Bingo, Chemainus Seniors Drop in Centre, 9824 Willow St. 250-246-2111

3, Cedar Farmers Market, Crow & Gate Parking Lot, Cedar 5, 7pm, Nanaimo Glad & Dahlia Society monthly meeting, Paine Horticulture Centre 250-722-2109

21, 7:30pm, Sean Burns, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-7487246

6, Chemainus Market, Waterwheel Park 250 246-3944

22, 7pm, Ladysmith Town Council Meeting, 410 Esplanade 250-245-6400

8, 7pm, Concert, Aggie Hall

22, 7pm, Ladysmith Camera Club “Underwater Photography” Wendy & Bruce Carey, Hardwick Hall 250-606-7011 23-June 9, Nanaimo Theatre Group – Better Living, 2373 Rosstown Rd. 250-758-7224 23, 7:30pm, Jay Amar, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246 24, 1pm, National Public Works Celebration, Public WorksYards, 330-6th Ave. Ladysmith 24, 7pm, Ladysmith Search & Rescue meeting, classroom behind Ladysmith Fire Hall 250-245-8726

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7, Steve Earle, Cowichan Theatre, 2687 James St., Duncan 250-748-7529 9-10, Be A Home Town Tourist, Ladysmith & area 250-245-7015 9, Crofton Market 9am-1pm beside BC Ferry Terminal 250 246-9871 9, 6:30pm, Shake, Rattle ‘n Roll Fundraiser for Chemainus Theatre Festival 250-2469800 10, Cedar Farmers Market, Crow & Gate Parking Lot, Cedar 11, Big Bike Event, 250-754-5274 13, Chemainus Market, Waterwheel Park 250-246-3944

25-27, Ladysmith Maritime Festival, Maritime Society Docks, Ladysmith. 250 245-0109 or www.ladysmithmaritimesociety.ca

15-Sep 1, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Chemainus Theatre 250246-9820

25, 7:30pm, Tim Williams, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-7487246

12, Twilight Shuffle 5km run, Island Runners 250-246-2994

25, 9pm, Live Band - Skellig with Steph Humphries, The Sportsman Pub, 640 Fisrt Ave., Ladysmith, 250-245-8073.

15-30, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Chemainus Theatre Festival.

250-246-9820

26-27, 9am, Ladysmith Seniors Annual Garage Sale, 630 2nd Ave., 250-245-8781

16, Crofton Market 9am-1pm beside BC Ferry Terminal 250 246-9871

12, Music in the Park, Waterwheel Park, Chemainus. 250-416-0382

26, 10am, Kids Treasure Hunt, Downtown Ladysmith & Coronation Mall 26, 9am, Crofton Market beside BC Ferry Terminal 250-246-9871 26, 11am, Arts, Crafts & Hobby Demo, Chemainus Seniors Drop in Centre, 9824 Willow St. 250-246-2111 26, 12pm, Cancer Society Fashion Show, Luncheon & Auction, St. Mary’s Hall 1135 4th Ave 250-245-0671 26, 9th Annual Shots For Kids Golf tournament, Cottonwood Golf Course 250-245-5157 26, Crofton Market 9am-1pm beside BC Ferry Terminal 250 246-9871 26, Ballet Victoria Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cowichan Theatre, 2687 James St. Duncan 250 748-7529 26, 7pm, Dance – Happy Hans, Chemainus Seniors Drop in Centre, 9824 Willow St. 250-246-2111 27, 8:45am, Ladysmith Rotary Garden Tour Show & Sale, Aggie Hall 250-924-3402 27, Cedar Farmers Market, Crow & Gate Parking Lot, Cedar 27, 15th Annual Ladysmith Rotary Self Guided Garden Tour, Ladysmith 250 245-4384 or 250 245-3732 27, Pictures at an Exhibition, Chemainus Classical Concerts. 250-748-8383, chemainusclassicalconcerts.ca 28-31, Bike to Work Week, Ladysmith 250 245-6414 28, 4:45pm, Bingo, Chemainus Seniors Drop in Centre, 9824 Willow St. 250-246-2111 30, 7pm, Cedar Community Association Annual General Meeting, Cedar Community Hall 31, 7:30pm, Ryan Mcmahon, Duncan Garage Showroom, 201-330 Duncan St. 250-748-7246

June Ladysmith Harbour Tours in June weekends 250 245-0109 or visit www.lmsmarina.ca 1-2, Noises Off, Chemainus Theatre 250-246-9820 1-3, Bike to Work Week, Ladysmith 250 245-6414 2, Spring Tea, St. Philip Anglican Church, 1737 Cedar Rd. 250-722-3455

You can submit your event for free or view our full events calendar at www. take5.ca/events. Ask us for our special event rates!

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CLASSIFIED ADS DID YOU WITNESS a car accident in Ladysmith in front of 622 1st Ave around 4pm. The car was a grey Impala and the other vehicle was an extend cab pick up truck. Please call 250-245-3103 PAINT & SAVE OPTION: Do it yourself, with a little help from a pro together we can make your job more affordable and accomplish a great look.

Making the world a brighter place over 25 years.

Call Harvey 250-245-2174

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DRIVING LESSONS: Approaching Road Test time? Need an Evaluation of your driving skills? Collision Avoidance Training. Road Test Package Discounts. Gift Certificates available.

49th Parallel Driving School 250-416-1606 or 250-619-2713 AJ’s PLUMBING AND GAS Licensed-BondedInsured Service-Installations-Renovations-New Construction. Quality workmanship. No travel charges. Free estimates. On time every time. 250802-7123 KITTY KORNERS CAT HOTEL - Purrsonalized Quality Kitty Care. Daily health checks, experienced with special needs kitties. Reasonable rates. Available 24/7. 2km North Nanaimo Airport.

Take a virtual tour www.kittykorners.com 250-740KATS(5287) GOT GRANITE? Have your Granite and Marble Countertops professionally sealed and buffed.

Kitchens starting at $75. We do tile as well!

SealTech Specialties Call Stuart at 250-734-2681 www.sealtechspecialties.com PROFESSIONAL PET CARE SERVICE: leash ‘em & walk ‘em with Marlena. Insured & bonded.

Animal First Aid and CPR. Service for all pets including dog walking, home care visits, overnight with pet in your home and much more. As my love is yours! 250-246-3394.

BOBBY’S MINI HOE & CLEANUP Landscaping, lot clearing, debris removal, excavating, small deliveries with dump trailer, mulch, lawn soil, garden soil, driveway chip, serving Nanaimo, Cedar, Ladysmith & area call Bobby 250-7134970 OFFICE SPACES -Downtown Ladysmith, modern, a/c, renovated, wired, reasonable rent or lease.

250-245-3395

MAY 2012

THINKING OF SELLING YOUR HOME? Perhaps ready for a fresher look in your existing home? The affordable design services provided by Rooms n Blooms can help. Call Shar at 250-245-0548 or email shar@roomsnblooms.ca THE HAPPY GARDENER Weeding, Digging, Raking, etc. Cheerful & Conscientious. I also do window washing. Call David at 250-722-3599 SEMI RETIRED MASSAGE THERAPIST working in Cedar By The Sea, $65 an hour session. 250722-2669 OVERCOAT PAINTING - Professional - Reliable - Reasonable. Operating 6 years in Ladysmith.

No job too small. Will do minor painting repairs.

Special senior rates. Call Heather McIntosh for a free estimate. 250-245-5557 AGILE HOME REPAIR & IMPROVEMENT For all your carpentry and home repair needs. From repairing/replacing siding, decks, fences to interior finishing including home ventilation. FULLY INSURED call IAN 250-714-8800 HANDCRAFTED GEMSTONE NECKLACES. Jade, garnet, lapis, aventurine and more! $20 each. See jewelry table at Campers Corner Saturday flea market, 8am-3pm. 250-245-3829 QUALITY RENOVATIONS, big or small. 25 yrs exp/journeyman, affordable. For a free estimate call Lars 250-616-1800.

ISAGENIX DISTRIBUTOR - Get Lean & Healthy Fast - Less than $5/ meal. Our protein shakes are amazing! - No Gluten, Wheat, Barley or Trans Fat. Suzanne Deveau 250-245-8407 ISLAND PRUNING Serving Ladysmith and area for over 7 years. I strive to give professional tree and shrub pruning and shaping. Call Darcy Belcourt and let’s talk pruning today 250-245-1260

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KAREN’S INDUSTRIAL SEWING - Alterations and repairs, from Grad and Wedding to heavy work clothes and accessories. Can also do Manufacturing and Prototypes. Second Ave., Ladysmith. For appt. call Karen 250-245-7945 LYNN’S SENIORS CARE HOME - High Quality Personalized Care. Warm caring environment, great food & snacks, family events, couples & pets welcomed, Ocean views, gardens. North of Ladysmith. 250-245-3391 www.lynnsseniorcare. com LEARN A LANGUAGE - Small groups, conversational approach, excellent teachers.

French, Spanish, Italian, German, Japanese, Mandarin and more. Ongoing registration WENTWORTH COURT LANGUAGE CENTRE, 517 Wentworth, Nanaimo 50-716-1603 SAVE $$$ WITH GORD’S YARDWORKS Time for summer yard preparations. Need lawn mowing and yard debris cleanup and removal? Special services and seniors discounts available. 250246-3640, 250-210-3860, gordsyardworks@ shaw.ca JUNK TO THE DUMP Jobs Big or Small, I haul it all. I recycle and donate all usable items to local charities, now offering pet waste removal and disposal service. Call Sean today. 250-741-1159 YOGA CLASSES: a new yoga studio offering variety of classes and workshops available this spring in Cedar. Call or email Kristina for more information 250-619-4942 or abhyasayogi@ gmail.com READY TO DE-CLUTTER? Feeling overwhelmed?

I can help! Objective & empathetic support can make a difference in creating space that allows you to b r e a t h e. Free consultation-Kari at ReInspired Spaces, 1-250-749-6473 HOW IS YOUR CONCRETE DRIVEWAY? Need a facelift? Have your driveway cleaned and sealed to improve the curb appeal of your home. See our website www.sealtechspecialties.com SealTech Specialties, 250-734-2681 BOWEN TECHNIQUE is a gentle soft tissue remedial therapy that resets the body to heal itself. Useful for joint, back and neck pain, frozen shoulder, asthma, chronic fatigue and many other problems. For information and appointments call 250-245-7738. Lilja Hardy FMBAC in practice since 1994. www.bowtech.com CINDERELLAS CLEANING SERVICE Same Old Story Residential or Commercial Call: Erin (DeFrane) Saysell at 250-924-4475 CEDAR FIDDLERS accepting registrations for Sept. 2012. Fridays 3:15 - 4:15 New Beginners.

Fridays 4:30 - 5:30 Upper Beginners that can play 8 tunes.Seniors, Adults, Teens & Kids $30 per month. Cindy 250-245-5778 POWER WASHING your driveway & walkways using a fast & effective flat surface cleaner, fully insured call Peter Dunn for FREE estimate 250618-6660

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BOWEN THERAPY – B-Well Bowenworks provides lasting pain relief. This very gentle yet effective manual therapy evokes deep relaxation and renews the body’s capacity for self healing.

250-246-4812. email bowtech2@telus.net www. bowenworkacademyusa.com BE PROUD OF YOUR HOME. Driveways, walkways, gutters, roofs. Dirt, slime, algae, mould, moss. Seicoat’s technology cleans gently, thoroughly We can prevent. Technology is what we do. 250-816-5002 www.seicoat.com TRUST AN EXPERT WELDER Jora Designs will fabricate gates, railings and benches for your home, boat or business. Need welding done of any size they probably can handle it. 250-5915772 “SHADES OF CARE” Seniors Room & Board.

Starting at $1450.00 per month , respite $50.00 per day. Meals, snacks, personal assistance, outings and local doctors app. Phone 1-250-5918639 for viewing SUNSET GOURMET 100% CANADIANOWNED; some Gluten-Free & All-Natural; Nothing over $10!; Catalogue Sales; Taste-testing Parties; Fund-Raising; Career Opportunities; www.sunsetgourmet.ca; Barb 250-722-2953; bguenette@shaw.ca LANDSCAPING HAS BEGUN Splitting your perennials this spring and have plants to share?

Please call. I am accepting all perennials, bulbs and shrubs you have to spare. Penny Ryan 250245-0789 FINISHED SCREENED DRY compost for sale call Greg Wyndlow 250-245-4235 HAIR STUDIO CHAIR rental. Be your own boss!

Ladysmith location. Please call 250-739-3730 BLASTED ROCKS and GARDEN SOIL for sale 250-748-0932.

ORGANIC HEIRLOOM VEGGIES, stunning roses, moss baskets, deer resistant perennials.

Nitty Gritty Greenhouse at 250-716-9363 or check us out on Facebook! Off Nanaimo River Road just before Southforks Road PROOF READING & EDITING let me fine-tune your work to a polished final copy; fixing typos and punctuation and enhancing word use. Contact Donna for a free consultation. 250-245-5519 KWANYIN YOGA DIVAS Seniors Special - Buy 9 classes get the 10th free. Located in the upper level of Ladysmith Legion. For class times 250802-7772 AFFORDABLE PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICE providing engagement, wedding, modeling, family and boudoir portrait packages. Serving Parksville to Victoria and Greater Vancouver. Rivington Photography rivfoto@hotmail.com CLASSIFIEDS sell! Try one out. All TAKE 5 Classifieds include print and online editions. Wow! That’s a lot of readers. ads@take5.ca

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Love those letters I really enjoy the letters to the editor in the Times Colonist. They give the comic strips a run for their money. There are many that are thoughtful, informative and erudite. Then there are those that are “outraged” by politicians who waste money. You’d think Canadians would be used to that. Some are “shocked” at the “barbarism” of a society that would whack a nuisance bunny and “affronted” by the design of a new bridge. B.C. Ferry rate increases always produce a smattering of “appalled” people who suggest “build a bridge”. Do people really talk like that? Maybe they do. The barber shop is also a spot to let off steam and editorialize, although the usage of language is a little more earthy. I am scared to get into Tom’s chair. When he gets the bit in his teeth, his scissors flash like Edward Scissorhands’ and, as I cannot help but tease him a bit, I would come out looking like one of Edward’s topiary or missing part of an ear. It is not a place for the faint of heart but it is highly entertaining. Remember when you were a little boy waiting for a haircut and you could ogle worn copies of Playboy. They don’t have those anymore.

I received very few letters on my articles when I started to write. It is hard to enrage people when describing cute and funny birds. My first taste of this was a women who was angry with me for nursing a junco back to health and releasing it. She said that I did not have the proper training for this. I experienced a tingling sensation. What was it? Then, a gentleman wrote a scathing letter when I said that I thought robins were not very interesting birds. Another tingle. This is better than cocaine. I dove into the University of Victoria bunny fiasco to try to elicit some controversy. No takers. I admonished those who mistreated parrots.

Nothing. Seal hunt..surely something, anything. Nope. Fish farming. Nada. I slagged eagles, English sparrows and kayakers. What was the matter with people here. Maybe no one reads my stuff.

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Then, when you least expect it, success.

I was told to leave for Alberta and my sexuality questioned when I released a rat that the cat was tormenting in the bedroom in the middle of the night. Yes! I had tons of fun answering that one but was told to tone it down. We could be sued. I had to learn the rules. The letter writers can be as rude as they want but I must be polite and curb the sarcasm.

Then I wrote about cock fighting. I was expecting to be pelted with KFC nuggets as I walked downtown. What I got was stories about my readers experiences

MAY 2012

with fights in the Philippines, Central America and Mexico. All agreed that it is savage and repugnant to most of us and not something that one would want to repeat. I did get my fix; two letters from “take no prisoners” and “everyone is entitled to my opinion” types and a phone call to the office that earned me a dirty look from the Office Manager. I do feel bad about that one as I think I truly upset the caller. Ted and Robert just laughed at me. They know what I am up to. So please keep those nasty cards and letters coming.

Sweet lovin’ crow Easter morning, the long haired one and I were cooking breakfast for 14 in a fantastic place in Uclulet. My niece and her husband came in from outside where they had hidden chocolate eggs and other goodies in the salal, behind stumps and under rocks.

Suddenly my sister shrieked. Crows were stealing the loot. I looked up to see a crow with a Toblerone bar fly by the window and another with a foil covered egg. My sister said it wasn’t funny. It was very funny. She had her breakfast on the porch, guarding what was left. About ten crows watched her from a scraggly Douglas fir. After the kids had finished their hunt and all were inside, the birds returned and scored a few missed pieces. Yum. Then an eagle sat in a fir and pulled apart a very disgusting, gray, slimy thing. We were told there were lots of bears and wolves around but we saw none of them. Love the West Coast. Photo: Rob Pinkerton

TAKE 5

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